HOW TO CONDUCT A FITNESS CONSULTATION
How to Get the Most Out of a Client’s Fitness Consultation
The initial fitness consultation can be awkward, it’s kind of like a first date, but about fitness. The consultation is an opportunity for a coach to get to know the client better and figure out their values and beliefs. But how do you walk the line between being professional and nosey?
A coach needs to extract enough information to truly understand the client and what they are seeking to gain from their fitness journey. Luckily for you through over 20 years of conducting consultations, we have mastered the consultation all the way down to the questions you should ask. The steps provided are taken directly from the Professional Coaching Blueprint a great coaching resource which covers all aspects of the coaching profession.
How to Conduct a Fitness Consultation in 5 Steps
Step 1) Attract the Right Clients
Make sure you are attracting the right clients. If your business plan is not attracting the right clients the consultation will struggle before it even begins. Use this free course to develop your own business plan.
Step 2) Get Background Information
Start the fitness consultation by gathering information on the client's background and prior fitness experience. This includes health history as well as prior training, sporting, and exercise experience. These two are equally important as they will determine the starting point of the program that the coach will design.
Step 3) Set Goals
A coach needs to work with a client to set clear and attainable goals as these will be the metrics for tracking progress in the relationship. Through asking questions about a client’s motivations a coach will be able to create realistic and meaningful goals. Learn the four key stages for goal setting here.
Step 4) Build Trust
In the world of fitness, trust is crucial. We only get one body in this lifetime and a client is trusting a coach with theirs. Focus on establishing competency, caring, and consistency with your clients.
Step 5) Reconsult
A client’s goals can change rapidly or not at all for years at a time. A coach needs to re-consult monthly to make sure they are on the same page with the clients and working towards the same goals. This will also continuously build trust between the coach and client.
These 5 steps represent a systemized approach to the consultation. We believe that a professional coach creates a system for everything they do. That is why we have created the OPEX System of Coaching. Comprised of five pillars this system represents the core principles of a professional coach. Each pillar builds on the others and without each of the pillars, a coach is not a true professional. Learn the OPEX System of Coaching with our free mini-course and get worksheets to use with your clients today.
Five Pillars of Professional Coaching
1. Business of Coaching
A coach must have a structure to lay the foundation for their fitness business. This structure will ensure a coach has clients to work with.
2. Consultation
After successfully bringing in the right clients, a coach must meet with their clients regularly to understand who they are and establish goals for their program.
3. Assessment
A coach needs to conduct routine physical assessments to track progress and deliver the same experience to each client. The direction of the assessment will be influenced by the consultation.
4. Program Design
With a strong understanding of the client (developed in the consultation), the coach will have the information needed to design a long-term program for each individual client.
5. Nourishment
Once goals and a program are established, a coach must ensure they meet all their client’s needs, both inside and outside of the gym. The nourishment plan will support the individually designed program.
At OPEX HQ our coaches are constantly seeking education and professional development. That is why we created The Free Professional Coaching Blueprint giving coaches the tools they need to develop as professional coaches.
