Personal Trainers
August 28, 2021
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10 Best Ways to motivate Your Clients When Training Online 2021

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10 Best Ways to motivate Your Clients When Training Online 2021
Author
Cory McKane
Blog Post Summary:

It’s important to keep your clients motivated when training online. Read here to learn more about the ways you can keep them motivated and learn about some of the pitfalls they can fall into.

People all over the world have been highly affected by the pandemic and online training has been growing rapidly. Memberships are either canceled or frozen for fear of contracting COVID so training at home or in the park has become the alternative.

Thankfully, homework-outs are very convenient, especially with training platforms like WeStrive. Many personal training have made themselves available to keep people fit and healthy during this time of the pandemic - all through websites and mobile apps.

The online training sector is growing at a rapid pace. As online training becomes more accessible to the average consumer, many people find it a cost-effective way of learning new skills and improving their quality of life.

There are many benefits associated with online training. However, some clients require additional support to maximize their benefits. This article discusses four reasons why online clients fail to meet training goals and then 10 ways to keep them motivated.


Why do people prefer online training?

Online training is becoming increasingly popular, with many websites providing workout plans tailored to specific targets or goals for their clients.

Most people preferred to do their workouts in the comfort of their own home and some still prefer visiting the gym.

Consequently, some people didn't like working out around other people and others didn't have the time to get to the gym so switching to home training was actually a benefit for them. Furthermore, some prioritize privacy that fits the needs of their goals.

Online Workout Training is a more modern method of exercise that fits the needs of a majority of today's busy exercisers. Active adults who want fast results with minimal effort and less financial expenses preferably choose this option.


Why does online training fail?

Motivation is the key to a successful workout routine, and if you can't get yourself motivated, how can you get your clients to get there? As a trainer, you need to know why your clients are unhappy with their results and how to push them in a different direction.

Mistakes in online training often stem from the trainer themselves - But let us dig deeper into the reasons why online training can fail miserably.

Lack of Initial Self-Discipline

Self-motivation is the most important skill required for success in any activity. As an online trainer, you influence your clients, and you are accountable for their results. Your clients rely heavily on you, so be a good role model to them. Keep yourself motivated to stay on top of your clients and they’ll feel more motivated to keep reaching their goals.

Unrealistic Online Training Goals

Online trainers should encourage their trainees to set S.M.A.R.T. goals for themselves. Recommending unrealistic deadlines and goals will surely set them up to fail. Avoid this mistake to the best of your ability.

Lack of Support and Enthusiasm

Clients who struggle with online training often lack online support and fail to identify potential pitfalls. These can include perfectionism, emotional dependency, and poor communication skills from their trainers.


How to Motivate Clients in Online Training

When you’re training a client online, either for the first time or regularly, you want them to achieve their goals and do well in your sessions with you. You know that when they succeed, you feel their triumphs as well.

But how can you motivate them? Once you have a plan in place - it’s not too hard! 

Here are 10 ways to keep your clients on track:

  • Schedule reminders: Set up automated emails (or messages - you can do this with the WeStrive inbox) that go out on certain days before the training. Remind them what they need to know about the session (e.g., bring the appropriate equipment).
  • Prepare their learning environment: If possible, make suggestions for where they can learn. With online training, try to suggest a quiet place free from distractions (where it's okay to talk out loud, especially for live video training).
  • Check-ins: If your client is new or you're starting with someone who struggles with staying motivated, consider checking in with them before each session to see how things are going in general.
  • Schedule breaks: Ask your client if it's okay to send a text message or Facebook chat reminder when it's time for a water break and/or at the halfway point.
  • Compete with your clients: Doing your workouts with your clients, especially for live video training, is a great way to motivate them.
  • Know your client: This ties into knowing how they like to train and consider what kind of person your client is. Figure out what motivates your clients specifically and use it.
  • Hold them accountable: Set up deadlines to help your client stay on track. If they want to lose weight or be healthier by a certain date, give them specific goals about what they should have done by then.
  • Celebrate milestones: Look for any little victories and highlight those in your training sessions with them. Point out how much progress they've made, even if it means nothing special to them. As long as there's forward momentum, celebrate it!
  • Visualize: If your client has specific goals they want to achieve, spend some time together visualizing their success at the beginning of each session. It will help motivate them for when you get into the actual training.
  • Make training fun: It's important to keep things in perspective: If your client is new or struggling with motivation, let them know that results can take a while and to just have fun with the journey. Remind them not to compare themselves too much with others and focus on the small wins.


Motivation in Online Training is a Must

The demand for online coaching services is growing exponentially, but still, it’s important to motivate clients and keep them engaged. Motivation stimulates energy and sustains behavior to achieve fitness goals.

As trainers in this digital age, you must motivate your clients when training them online. You must find ways to make exercising more exciting for those who work out from home. Also, keep in mind that different people prefer different forms of motivation.

Remember, motivating your clients when working out online is not easy – but it's necessary if you want them to continue coming back for fitness sessions in the long run. As things change with technology and social media, so must personal trainers adapt to remain effective.



Are you new to personal training? Read these articles to get started on growing your business:

About the Author:

Cory McKane is the CEO/Founder of WeStrive - a platform for personal trainers to manage & grow their personal training business. He enjoys working out and spending time working with trainers on WeStrive on how to manage/grow their business.


References:

totalcoaching.com

origympersonaltrainercourses.co.uk


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Written by
Cory McKane
CEO | WeStrive
Huge fan of fitness - Even bigger fan of helping you with your fitness. I've been building up the WeStrive platform for over 5 years and I'm excited to keep building out the greatest Health & Wellness platform on Earth.

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10 Best Ways to motivate Your Clients When Training Online 2021