The key to motivating clients throughout winter • Focus Fitness UK

As we head into winter and the days grow shorter, the temperatures drop and the festive temptations rise, you might begin to notice that clients’ motivation begins to wane, especially if you run outdoor training sessions. As a personal trainer this is where your interpersonal skills come to the fore, and it should be your ambition to offset this dip in motivation, whatever the weather. Remaining consistent with exercise not only benefits your clients when it comes to their personal health and fitness and the results that they can achieve but it’s also important for your personal training business too!

We asked the experts and this is their advice…

A change in mindset and remaining flexible with your training approach during winter can make all the difference to client retention, even providing an opportunity to grow your client base. We caught up with Focus Fitness UK tutors Matt Brown and Ian Murray who drew on their extensive industry experience to offer their top tips on motivating clients and adjusting training throughout the winter.

Matt said, “Personal training is never a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to individual clients and the same applies to different seasons too. For winter you need to adapt your approach and remain flexible so you can keep your clients motivated at a time when they need it the most.

“Everyone is busy in the run up to Christmas, so consistency is key. Encouraging clients to remain consistent will avoid them returning in January with an unsustainable approach to exercise in order to get back on track as quickly as possible. It’s important to make clients aware that continuing to train will balance out some of the festive excesses as well as benefit their physical and mental health. Another important factor to teach clients is to prioritise sleep, fewer daylight hours can leave them feeling tired and sluggish but actually regular exercise can counteract this, boosting their mood and energy levels, so it’s a win, win.

“When it comes to adjustments to outdoor training because of the colder weather, you’ll need to factor in more time for stretching. If a client is coming to a training session cold, it will take them longer to get up to being session ready. Focus on longer pulse raiser exercises and getting muscles mobile before upping the intensity. Once the session is underway, keep the client active, moving quickly from one exercise to another. This will keep their heart rate high and muscles warm, reducing the chance of injury but also keeping them more comfortable throughout the session. Clients should also come in the correct clothing for their comfort. Layering up with moisture wicking fabrics, long sleeve base layers and accessories like headbands and gloves to keep ears and hands warm can all make a huge difference to how enjoyable the training session is.”

A time to reassess…

Focus Fitness UK’s Education Manager, Ian Murray believes winter is the ideal time to re-evaluate a client’s progress and fitness goals and can be a great opportunity to grow your client base going into the new year.

Discussing how PTs can maintain client’s motivation during winter, Ian said, “As we head into winter, the change of season is a great opportunity to assess client progress and set some new challenges and goals. A new workout and focusing on mastering some different exercises can really boost motivation. Team this with setting some new goals and clients have something to focus on and work towards ready for the warmer weather again.

“There’s always a big focus on health and fitness in the new year which is an ideal time for PTs to grow their business and client base. A great way to do this is to encourage existing clients to workout with a friend. Group exercise is proven to have a positive effect on motivation and results, so your client will have more accountability to train and you have the opportunity to demonstrate your skills as a PT to potential new clients.”

With just a few adjustments to your training approach during the winter months you will be able to keep client morale high and capitalise on a busy time for the health and fitness industry to ensure your PT business goes from strength-to-strength.

Tutors at Focus Fitness UK, London’s leading personal training qualification provider are always on hand to offer learners helpful advice, whatever challenge they may face as a PT. The team of 15 tutors have over 100 combined years of industry experience and are dedicated to helping each learner to become a successful personal trainer. The industry recognised courses we offer are the ideal gateway into an exciting career in the dynamic health and fitness industry.

Rated as “Good” by Ofsted we are incredibly proud of our 100% graduate achievement rate. Did you know we also offer Government funded courses? Start your new career with Focus Fitness UK, speak to us to find out more on: 0208 920 2114 or email: info@focusfitnessuk.com