An important question was asked to me tonight. “How do I know every member’s name”?
The reason is simply I take a keen interest in everyone we train as we always spend a lot of time with them, and you have to know everyone’s name and their story to shape their training too.
Everyone’s recovery/success story has to start somewhere after all and how well we serve them from that point ultimately dictates to a large degree how well they will do. They need to realise there are no short cuts along the way too.
You have to know or sense when someone’s having a bad day when you take the pressure off or a good day when you can push them more and make the most of their enthusiasm and energy.
You have to know their previous and current injury status, and it’s important to have a mental record too of everyone and where they are right now in that moment.
You have to do your best for everyone all of the time, when they have experienced the ravages of isolation like the last 18 months and the mental health destruction of that, to the highs of new personal achievement when they are at the top of their game.
Life is a rollercoaster for everyone and when you get individuals fit and healthy, their extreme highs and lows automatically get levelled out so everyday life ends up far more on an even keel and more enjoyable full stop.
My days are always different, I get many different stories happening ever hour of the day, many come in struggling, nobody’s perfect, and everyone has a different motivation for getting fit and healthy finally, but every single one of those individuals has to know we are all in their corner no matter what.
Taking a big interest in everyone you train and getting to know their deep reasons why they are in the gym in the first place automatically signifies to the person you are training that you are prepared to do above and beyond what is required to get them where they really want to be, and then some more often way beyond they thought even possible.
Then they have to realise it’s a two way street and the effort and respect you are prepared to put into them, and unless they put the effort in too and show respect needed to give their all, then incredible results can never happen.
Teaching them a hard work ethic ought to be one of the greatest gifts you can give anyone you train.
It’s heartbreaking to hear people say many big gyms are often “impersonal”, when the truth is if you are dedicated to giving results to those who you train, you must know their story, their motivation and find ways to lift them up on their bad days too.
If you are a coach or teacher, it’s all got to be about the person you are coaching and their journey along the way, never forget the huge positive impact you can make and the responsibility that comes with it.
