When I see a client for
the first time, I have a routine. We talk
through why the person is there. Sometimes
it is about general fitness or weight loss.
Other times, the doctor or a spouse or loved one has expressed
concern. Some new clients want to work
at improving after an injury or want to take performance to a new level.
Then I gather a bunch of
information. I ask nosy questions about
blood pressure and cholesterol and breakfast.
I get out some tools: a scale, a
tape measure, a gizmo that measures body fat percentage, a timer, and a few
other things. We take a snapshot of this
place, this starting point, including a little bit about how this person moves.
After we have collected
all that, we get down to the business of actually sweating. The workout I use for new clients (with appropriate
adaptations based on what I hear about injury history when we meet) not only
gives them plenty of exercise, but it also gives me a lot more information
about how they move, what is challenging for them, and how they approach new or
hard things. Meanwhile, new clients get
a chance to figure out if I am someone they want to see ever again. Not all trainers are the right ones for all
clients. Any trainer who claims
otherwise is nuts. Trying out a new
trainer is kind of like a first date; the chemistry has to be right (but not
that kind of chemistry; that is unethical.).
At the end of that first
session, my potential new client will have a bunch of information about me,
what I know, what I can offer, and how I work.
That person can then make an informed decision about whether or not to
work with me. If a person chooses not to
work with me again, she or he has invested no money and about ninety minutes
for some data and some sweat. If a person
does choose to work with me, we have just started a new relationship of growth.
