Confessions of a Fitness Trainer
It’s surprising to me how many people don’t understand the power of collaboration.
Specifically, it seems like many people who work in the health and fitness industry see other fitness professionals as their competition or a threat to their business. It’s as if they are all trying to win over the same people and gain them as clients or members.
I don’t see it that way at all.
First of all, I like to connect with other fitness professionals to learn from them. The health and fitness industry is filled with people of all different specialties and backgrounds. It would be impossible to know everything there is to know in health and fitness so learning from others who have different education or experience than me is a fantastic way to make myself a more well-rounded person who is also better able to help my current and future clients.
Secondly, until I figure out how to clone myself, I can’t physically help everyone who wants to improve their health and fitness. Furthermore, while my skill set, personality, and training philosophies are perfectly suited to some people, others may prefer a fitness professional with different methods or specialties.
Every person has unique goals and training preferences although it’s hard to believe that not everyone will appreciate my ridiculous sense of humour or eclectic musical taste. Who doesn’t enjoy their workout music to be a mix of Rick Astley and Roxette, with a sprinkling of ABBA and Wham?
Finally, the sad reality is that less than 20% of the Canadian population use the services of gyms or independent fitness professionals.
Rather than worry about how many of that 20 percent are coming to see me, I think it’s far more productive to work with other fitness professionals to increase the number of people who are willing to see any of us to help them improve their fitness.
There isn’t a person on the planet who wouldn’t benefit at some point from the guidance of a health and fitness professional. It’s therefore all about working collaboratively as an industry to encourage more people to use fitness facilities and services by providing a variety of quality options for people to experience movement and exercise in a positive way.
The more health and fitness industry professionals work together, the better it will be for the health and well-being of Canadians.
Tips of the day
*Find the gym or trainer that works for YOU (hint – you can pick more than one!)
*If you are searching for a personal trainer or instructor, consider their credentials, expertise, experience, personality, and teaching methods.
*If you are a fitness professional, spend time networking with and learning from other fitness pros.
Kathryn McKenzie – B.H.Kin, B.Ed
Certified Kinesiologist, Sport Conditioning Specialist & Personal Trainer
Author, Pizza Lover & Owner of Surefire Fitness
