The Hidden Challenges of Personal Training: Unmasking the Realities Behind the Fitness Scene
Jan 09, 2024
The personal training industry is a lighthouse guiding individuals toward their health goals. The allure of sculpted bodies, vibrant energy, and the promise of transforming lives draws many to this profession. However, personal trainers often face challenges that the profession does not recognize.
In this blog post, I highlight hidden challenges that hold personal trainers back and shed light on how you can work through them. Make sure you read 'til the end to grab a free copy of my course as well! Let’s dig in.
Confusion
A personal trainer's professional journey can be summed up in one word: confusion. This standard of confusion is caused by a blend of factors:
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Lag:
Client results are lag measures of exercises & habits. Lack of immediate feedback makes it difficult to know what’s working and what isn’t; which strategies to keep, and which to discard. -
Interdependency:
The human organism is an interdependent organism. One intervention (ex. Leg extension) can be useful to someone via many different pathways. This interdependence makes it difficult to know why things work and adds to the confusion. -
Information overload:
The volume of information available to personal trainers today eclipses what was available a decade ago. In our age of information, knowing where to look and how to think are crucial skills. Self-sufficiency is like learning to fish in comparison to getting the occasional scrap of food.
Imposterism
Imposterism looms large in the fitness industry. It is a shadow cast by inadequate education, empowerment, and confidence. Knowing there is much to learn is useless unless we are also told where to look. In addition, personal trainers tend to value hard skills such as biomechanics more than soft-skills like communication. Misleading them down the path of overwhelm. The personal training experience is much simpler than many make it out to be. To get the best results, trainers must focus on understanding all aspects of human function instead of becoming hyper-specialized.
Breadth of understanding = depth of influence.
Financial Instability
Financial stability for personal trainers becomes a high wire act. Balancing variable income with business growth is a tightrope. Investing time in clients' transformational journeys adds to the challenge. The solution? There are many. And they are all eclipsed by the power of industry recognition and hyper-competence. Having an expert reputation is key to long-term success and fulfilment.
Analysis Paralysis
In an industry flooded with options, critical thinking has emerged as a compass guiding trainers through misinformation. It also helps them advance their careers. The skill to discern right from wrong is the key to liberation from the paralysis that plagues our industry.
The Mountain
While access to knowledge is an undoubtable asset, it also induces paralysis. It's vital for our long-term success to learn to navigate the sea of information. To think critically about anything we must understand it deeply. And the skill of discernment happens on the backbone of depth. Fostering a clinical understanding of the fitness industry is more important than ever.
Imagine a future where you’re incapable of professional self-doubt due to the iron-clad thought process you’ve fostered. This is available to you! Personal trainers play pivotal roles in their clients' lives. Acknowledging our shared difficulties illuminates opportunities. As personal trainers become more equipped and empowered, the personal training arena steps into its rightful place as a health care and transformation powerhouse.
Share your journey! Let us know your thoughts about this article or let us know what else you struggle with as a personal trainer!
Contact us via email at “[email protected]”.
Stay curious;
Etienne Asselin, mhRTS
