There are many skills that can help you become an effective Personal Trainer, communication being one of the most important yet underrated skills. It is important that when you become a Personal Trainer you hone these skills as much as possible in order to build and maintain good relationships with clients. Let’s discuss five effective communication skills that can help strengthen communication with your personal training clients and boost your Personal Training career.
Top 5 communication skills
Active listening allows the other person in the conversation an opportunity to fully express themselves without feeling rushed or interrupted by another response. It also provides more opportunities for clarifying questions if needed.
Keep in mind that when someone is actively listening to you, it also means you are not speaking over them. This helps ensure that they can fully exercise their speech without any interference. In essence, this means that you are able to speak at a pace that allows your client to respond when they are ready, rather than cutting them off and continuing to speak over them
Being sensitive to another person’s feelings is very effective in your communication because it shows that you are paying attention and trying to understand how they feel about the topic being discussed.
Key Phrases such as “I see” or “I hear what you’re saying” help encourage clients to communicate more if they have something further to say. This makes them feel that you understand what they are saying and they’ll feel comfortable with you and trust you more.
Showing that you are assertive when speaking is also very helpful in establishing your authority and credibility with your personal training client.
It’s important that personal trainers make their opinions known and that they do not feel the need to apologise for disagreeing with a client. The phrase “I’m sorry, but” automatically has a negative effect and comes off as less assertive.
Saying “I disagree” is not the same as being disrespectful, it only shows that the client has to respect your opinion and you have to respect theirs. It shows a willingness to reach some kind of compromise that will work for both of you.
When you need clarification to understand your client; ask direct questions. This includes questions such as “what do you think?” or “how does that make you feel?” Direct questions help ensure that you have a strong understanding of your client. If you ask good questions and fully listen to what your Personal Training clients have to say, you will become better at responding to their concerns and needs.
Demonstrating that you care about your clients’ well-being is a great way to help people feel more comfortable during workouts or when they’re at the gym instead of feeling nervous and unsure about what to do.
If someone is new to
fitness, using their name can help them feel like they are being acknowledged
and cared for by the person who is leading them through this experience. It
also helps establish rapport with clients since people love hearing their own
names! If you’re already working with a client, don’t forget to use their name
the next time you speak so they feel acknowledged. In addition to getting fit
and healthy, clients will appreciate the attention that they are getting from
their Personal Trainer.
As a Personal Trainer, if you improve your communication skills, you’ll have higher client retention and client acquisition rates.
Having effective communication skills can help you form a much stronger connection with your clients, which will ultimately help you to enhance rapport and trust, which can lead to better results!
Want to become more involved in fitness, or
looking to turn your passion for sport into a career? Check out our
PT courses today.