10.1 The First Session

The first session with your client is crucial as it sets the foundation for your working relationship and kick-starts your client’s fitness journey. Therefore, making this session as effective and memorable as possible is important. This doesn’t mean putting on a performance or trying to be someone you’re not. Authenticity is key here. You are not an actor but a fitness professional; your role is to guide and support your clients in their journey toward better health and fitness.

While being professional is important, you must also be relatable and approachable. Encourage interaction with your clients and gym goers whenever possible, but always ensure this doesn’t intrude on your client’s training time. Remember, each client is there for their own improvement and progress.

We understand that in today’s society, people can be easily offended. As a personal trainer, you must remember that this is often a personal choice, not necessarily a reflection of your actions or words. That being said, professionalism, respect, and sensitivity should always be your guiding principles in your client interactions. Not every personality will mesh with yours, and that’s okay. Your goal should be building a strong rapport with clients you connect with.

Being genuinely yourself, both in terms of your personality and your professional approach, will naturally attract those clients who resonate with your style. Those will be the clients with whom you can create the most meaningful and productive relationships.

As you prepare for your first training session with a new client, here are some guidelines to help you create a successful and impactful experience:

Be Prepared and Conduct an Initial Observational Assessment

Getting to the training area ahead of time is fundamental to a smooth and productive first session. By ensuring that all the equipment you intend to use is accessible and functioning well, you can prevent interruptions and maintain a professional atmosphere. In addition, keep in mind that the first session often includes initial exercise testing in the form of an observational assessment. You can refer to Chapter 7.4 for detailed guidelines on this aspect.

To maintain a consistent and high-quality level of service with all your clients, having a prepared written testing protocol, or even different versions of it, for different client’s needs and abilities is advantageous. Ensure you have a printed copy of this protocol, and use it as your guide during observational testing. This process should be thorough, recording every detail that could inform the design of the client’s training program.

This initial observational testing session is vitally important. For example, it could reveal considerations such as a limited range of motion that might be improved with stretching or self-myofascial release (also known as foam rolling). Or it may highlight compensatory movement patterns that could indicate prior injuries.

After the initial assessment, it’s useful to have several variations of a brief training program ready. This program will give your client a real idea of what future workouts will look like. The exercises you include in this initial program should be the ones that you deem most critical based on your understanding of the client’s fitness status and goals.

For instance, exercises such as a version of a horizontal row (using a machine or cable) can provide valuable insight into the client’s ability to control their shoulder blades and their capability for thoracic extension. An exercise like the lat pulldown can inform you about activating the Latissimus Dorsi and the client’s capacity for scapula depression, which are essential for the proper execution of chin-ups and pull-ups. The Chest press can indicate whether the client has a common compensatory movement pattern where the anterior deltoids or triceps are overcompensating for the pectoralis major.

Such insights can be garnered from specific exercise protocols that can be applied during the first session. These findings will allow you to adapt and optimize your training program to meet your client’s individual needs and abilities.

Greet your client warmly

Remembering and using a client’s name is essential to building a professional relationship with them. When you use their name, it not only personalizes the conversation but also shows respect and that you’ve taken the time to remember them as an individual.

In a study titled “Brain Activation When Hearing One’s Own and Others’ Names” by Dennis P. Carmody, it was discovered that hearing one’s own name can significantly activate the brain. There’s a scientific explanation for why people react positively to hearing their names. Our names become a part of our self-identity, and hearing them activates the brain differently than hearing other words. It signals that the incoming information is significant and deserving of our attention.

Despite this, some of us struggle with remembering names and numbers. However, as a personal trainer, working on this skill is crucial. You will interact with many clients and remember specific details about them – their fitness goals, strengths, weaknesses, preferences, and more. So, naturally, their names are at the top of that list.

To improve your memory, you could use simple tricks like repeating their name during the conversation, associating their name with a specific characteristic or fact about them, or visualizing their name written down. This helps you remember and demonstrates your attentiveness and commitment to your clients.

Greeting your client by their name at the beginning of every session will make them feel seen and valued. This personal touch can go a long way in making your client feel comfortable and appreciated, making them more engaged and enthusiastic during their workout. After all, personal training is about more than just the exercises – it’s about building a strong and supportive relationship with your client.

Explain the Plan

You’re absolutely right. Giving your clients a road map of what to expect provides them with the reassurance they need and sets the stage for an effective training session. The first session is undeniably crucial because it’s your client’s first actual experience with the training program. It’s a time when they’re observing, evaluating, and forming impressions, so ensuring they understand the process is key.

To this end, it is crucial to explain the layout of the first session to your client. Describe each stage of the workout, from the warm-up to the cool-down. During the explanation, underscore the objectives of each exercise, their importance, and how they are designed to meet their specific fitness goals.

For instance, if the initial session includes an observational assessment, explain that this involves observing their form and technique during various exercises. This information is valuable as it helps tailor the training program to their needs. If they demonstrate a limitation or an imbalance, explain that recognizing these areas allows for implementing appropriate interventions to improve performance, reduce injury risk, and ultimately help them achieve their goals faster.

You should also highlight that you’ll look for any signs of discomfort or strain during the exercises. This will assure them that their safety is your primary concern, and you’ll make any necessary adjustments to ensure the workout is effective yet safe.

After the session description, encourage your client to ask any questions they might have. This ensures that they fully understand the process and establish an open line of communication, which is key for a successful client-trainer relationship.

The goal is to make the first session as smooth and enjoyable as possible for your client. The more informed and comfortable they feel, the more likely they are to commit to the program and see it through to the end.