So, what about those
traits? Note how I said “positive” traits. Traits like being on-time,
compassionate, and professional are a given. They should be taking place
on a regular. Some would argue that being aggressive can be both
positive and negative, as it does have a little of both. Being
aggressive could mean yelling or it could mean being persistent.
What about being
patient and exercising patience with our clients and their results? This
is by no way a novel idea. Of course we have to be patient with our
clients, but it seems for some of us we forget this and it shows. We
forget to be patient with ourselves and also with our clients. I bring
up this subject because patience seems to be severely lacking these days
and it’s not good.
Here’s a brief
example, have you ever seen a trainer yell at their clients or be hard
on them when they aren’t getting their results? Yes, it’s frustrating
when we work so diligently to help someone break through their shell and
they aren’t putting in the required effort. It’s even more heart
breaking when they’re actively sabotaging their hard earned results, but
this is where we must exercise patience and change our strategy.
Some trainers have
dropped clients completely; it tarnishes their reputation that this
client isn’t getting results in the designated timeframe. While there’s
room for debate, as some clients need to be released for varying
reasons, it’s best to give people some time. One can’t transition from
an unhealthy lifestyle into a super model body overnight. It may take
years, and sometimes both client and trainer don’t want to wait that
long.
It seems like the
fitness industry has become impatient. Clients aren’t getting their
dream body as quickly as they want so we have to design new programs
with harder, faster, and possibly more risky movements to satisfy their
appetite. If they think they’re working harder that’s a great thing,
right? At least their head is in the game. However, what’s really
happening here? Have we succumbed? Shouldn’t we, the professionals,
dictate the pace and practice a more patient and strategic approach to
gaining results?
No one can expect to
gain lasting results in a short period of time and unless we, as an
industry, set the pace we’re going to keep molding and shaping until it
may not even be safe for the common person. Then again, some would argue
that we’re already there. What happened to the days where we told
people it will take time? That it could take months and years and that
it’s a lifestyle. A lifestyle demands consistency and hard work over
time, one where the results will show but one needs to be patient in
their practice.
Patience; that’s what
it takes, we need to be more patient and set the tone going forward.
Yes, our clients and the wider world may want to move faster and train
harder, but is this really what it will take? Can we slow down and
honestly tell our clients that this goal we call fitness requires
patient, strategic, and consistent effort? If there’s one quality we all
need to exercise this year is patience. Patience in ourselves because
we too will make mistakes, patience in the program because it needs time
to work, and patience in the tone we’re setting in the fitness industry
going forward.
We have to be the
ones to guide the future and that means giving the public what they
“need”. That may require more strategic programming with safer, less
risky, exercise movements and asking that they invest time in a program
and follow it without feeling they need to give up if they don’t see
results in a few months. It’s up to us; we have to make it happen.
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