10 key attributes for becoming a standout personal trainer

Many of us know what jobs we want to do from an early age. If you spent your childhood playing sports and exercising, it’s a natural progression to step into a health and fitness role. For those who like to inspire and motivate others on their fitness path, becoming a personal trainer may seem like a no brainer.

However, while you may arm yourself with the credentials and qualifications to get started, there are certain key skills personal trainers need to stand out from the crowd. Regardless of where you live in the UK, there will be many personal trainers fighting for the same clients as you. Here are some vital attributes you must possess to help you build a strong reputation and provide the best service possible for clients.

Communication

To flourish as a personal trainer, you need to recognise the significance of effective communication. Whether you work in a gym and need to engage with staff and clients, or run your own enterprise, if you don’t know how to conduct yourself or get your messages across, a career in personal training may not be suitable for you. Building solid connections with clients is essential for long-term success. And with many rivals fighting for the same clients, you need to be approachable and know how to engage with others to keep them loyal to your brand.

Active Listening

In addition to effective communication, all reputable personal trainers need to be good listeners. When engaging with clients, they will have all kinds of reasons why they’ve chosen to hire you. Whether it’s to maintain a healthy weight, shed a few pounds, or build muscle, you must listen to what your clients say and offer words of advice and encouragement. If you disregard what your clients say, they may not put their full trust in you and go elsewhere.

Time Management

Time management is critical in the workplace, and this is especially true for personal trainers. Not only will possessing this trait help you get more done in a shorter timeframe, but you will also have more focus and concentration which will better your skillset and help you become well respected in your field. Personal trainers lead hectic schedules, so you need to allocate your time correctly to ensure your clients get the best version of you. If you aren’t organised, this will show that you don’t take your role seriously.

Compassion

As a personal trainer, you may work with clients of all shapes and sizes. We all have a back story, which is why it’s your job not to judge, but instead offer support and guidance to your clients. If you don’t have empathy and compassion for your client’s situation, they won’t feel respected and will likely find another personal trainer to help them. While you may be of the mindset that using tough love techniques helps all, you must have a little more empathy, flexibility, and understanding for your clients, especially if you want to build a good reputation.

Motivation

While you will have some clients who will follow your every lead, others may find it difficult to keep up with your pace. Therefore, it’s your responsibility to motivate your clients to go the extra mile and stay focused on their fitness journey. Whether they’re struggling to finish a workout, or they are reluctant to continue, you must provide expert advice and motivational quotes that will spur them on to keep going. Soon enough, you will notice a huge difference in your client’s confidence and self-worth as they push through challenges and obstacles.

Technical Knowledge

Understandably, to thrive as a personal trainer, you will need to know the A-Z of the field and what you’re doing. After all, clients are shelling out their hard-earned cash on your services, which is why you must be able to show that you are qualified at what you do. Looking into personal training courses should be your first step; the courses at train.fitness, for example, will teach you what you need to know. This site offer accredited personal trainer courses for as little as £899. Any personal trainer course you pick with them is internationally recognised, meaning you can take your personal training course qualifications overseas.

Patience

Each client that walks through the door will have different needs. While some clients will be easy to teach, others may be more difficult. As a personal trainer, you need to be patient with your clients every step of the way. If a client is taking a while to pick up a routine or adhere to what you say, instead of losing your temper and ruining the relationship, you need to take a deep breath and put yourself in their shoes. You may find that a client becomes angry or irritated along the way, which is why you need to learn the number one customer service skill and be patient at all times.

Positivity

Having a positive outlook on life will show in how you operate as a personal trainer. If you walk into a session with a frown on your face, your client won’t feel as comfortable. Thinking positively and being passionate about what you do can make all the difference. Your clients will put their health and fitness in your hands, so you need to show why you’re top of your game and why you stand out from other personal trainers. Being approachable and showcasing a friendly demeanour is critical for building your reputation and keeping clients onboard. And before you know it, your positive vibes will rub off on your clients which will help them in their personal and professional lives.

Self-Development

There is always something new to learn as a personal trainer. Even if you embark on a course and learn everything you need to know, there is new software and equipment always coming out that you must be aware of. While your sole focus will be on developing other people’s health and fitness, you shouldn’t neglect your own self-development in the process. We can all better ourselves along the way, which is why you need to stay one step ahead to give yourself a competitive edge.

Passion

Clients will be able to tell passionate personal trainers apart from those who are just in it for the money. If you love what you do, you will go above and beyond your duties to keep clients happy and satisfied. To show how dedicated you are to your profession, there are things you can do outside of the gym, such as posting instructional videos on YouTube that your clients can follow. You can go one step further and set up your own blog which will give clients handy tips and tricks to utilise throughout their fitness journey. Social media can also be a great way to connect with your existing clients and bring more people on board. Make sure you set up pages on Facebook and Instagram which will help spread brand awareness.

Personal trainers are widely known for their dedication and commitment to their craft, helping to inspire and motivate clients with their fitness goals. If you have an eye for fitness and nutrition and want to guide others to achieve the best version of themselves, you must possess all the key skills listed above.