How can you motivate clients who avoid exercise?

Motivating clients is a short-term play. When it works, it doesn’t last. What does work is changing the way they think about exercise. Instead of focusing on short-term goals like weight loss or a performance goal in the gym, we think about developing a physical practice. We have a growth mindset – meaning you believe skills and abilities can be developed. Challenges and setbacks are sources of growth. Process vs Outcome – you have a goal, but your focus is on the practice. The daily, weekly, and monthly small habits and steps. Now, goals become byproducts of the practice. It’s much more approachable — and sustainable. And always works.

Motivating clients who avoid exercise starts with understanding their reluctance. Begin with small, achievable goals to build confidence. Encourage exploring different activities to find what they enjoy, making exercise more appealing. Celebrate every achievement, big or small, to boost motivation. Being a supportive partner and highlighting the health, mood, and energy benefits of exercise can empower them. Introducing a social element, like group classes, makes it fun. By making exercise accessible and enjoyable, you can help clients embrace an active lifestyle. ??

Identifying barriers should be done in the original assessment and continuously as you build trust. Ask them to dig deep on their "why" and what is holding them back. Ie. time, family, accountability, etc. Ultimately, it comes down to the clients discipline and grit to really want to achieve their goals. You can implement habits to lead them to increased motivation. Though, it is important to note it is their choice to show up for themselves or not. Some people really want to improve their lifestyle but aren't truly ready to make the commitment. You can pave the road, identify barriers, provide perspective but they have to be willing to put in the work.

Understand Their Motivations: Begin by understanding your clients' personal motivations and goals. Tailor your approach to align with their desires, whether it's improving overall health, building strength, or enhancing their mental well-being. Set Realistic and Attainable Goals: Work with your clients to establish realistic and achievable short-term and long-term goals. Breaking down larger goals into smaller, more manageable steps can make the process less overwhelming. Connect Exercise to Their Interests: Given your background in strength and performance coaching, find ways to connect exercise routines with their interests. For example, incorporate elements of bodybuilding or activities like skiing to make workouts more enjoyable.

One of the most used arguments I hear is: "I don't have the time". It is often presumed that exercising would take up at least an hour. This is not necessary! You can for example bike to work (30min) and do a functional training over your lunch break (30min). Like that you already have 60 minutes of exercise, without blocking any additional time of your day.

It’s important to make exercise achievable and fun, as well as challenging. Small wins make a great difference when it comes to clients feeling motivated to come back and tackle their next workout.

I like DUMB goals. Dream Uplift Metrics Behaviors ... it's that last one. It can be realistic and timely and as SMART as you like, and it's still the actual behaviors that make or break it. You could do anything. Anything. What are you doing? Challenge: Try DUMBing it down and see what happens.

Keep workouts diverse and engaging to prevent monotony. Introduce a variety of exercises and activities to maintain their interest and make the experience more enjoyable. Emphasize the positive impact of exercise on mental and emotional well-being. Share information on how physical activity can reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance overall cognitive function.

If the client is not a fan of training (yet) it is important not to overload them with exercise, even if it is considered useful to do more. The first goal should be to develop some level of continuity and to make regular exercise a habit. Starting with the least amount of exercise that seems doable for the client can lead to quick easy wins that you can stack upon each other. Based on that you can then slightly increase the amount or intensity, but always in cooperation with the client. You can worry about effective training once exercise is a habit or at least tolerated by the client. I like to combine the work thats "needed" for results (progressive overload in relevant exercises) + training that the client enjoys (like a treat).

SMART goals are a great step to break things down, especially when the client is overwhelmed! Including the necessity to change one’s thoughts, to manifest & build their authentic self. Affirm & support, giving the client the control of their actions!

If clients view exercise as a punishment or a chore then no wonder they avoid it. Instead of “no pain no gain” focus on pleasure and a playful approach. Find activities that bring joy in the process and in the moment rather than the focus just on the longer term reward.

Offer consistent support and encouragement throughout their fitness journey. Regular check-ins, progress assessments, and positive reinforcement can help keep them motivated. If possible, incorporate a social component into their exercise routine. Group workouts or partnering with a friend can make the experience more enjoyable and create a sense of accountability. Educate clients about the long-term health benefits of regular exercise, including reducing the risk of chronic diseases, improving sleep quality, and enhancing overall quality of life.

Find the fun. Hate the gym > ruck Hate counting reps > sport Hate steady state cardio > hiit / rehiit / anti-glycolytic training Fun starts habits. Build from there.

My clients managed to build their desire and enjoyment for exercise overtime. It not an exact correlation with a baby trying new foods but it is similar. Building their confidence, increasing frequency and making a game out of it is the trifecta to building a positive relationship with exercise. Let the endorphins get them hooked!

Choose fun, highly interesting activities, &/or a sport. Some individuals function best in a group setting. It can be suggested to start with a leisure or competitive sport, before jumping into a group fitness class. Some may desire to be in group setting, however, may have social anxiety. So, for sure suggesting multiple ways to arrive at a social setting.

Feedback is everyday, every set, every rep. There are various ways to give feedback depending on behavior/personality styles. It can be delivered by questioning their reasoning, encouraging good behavior, educating to understand or providing detailed steps. It's not a one size fits all situation.

Find their WHY and they will find their way to being consistent and they will want to improve themselves. Ask more questions and let them solve their problem so they take ownership. It has to be their idea.

First, inquire about the client’s love language. There are many ways to support your client, however, you may not be fulfilling your goal to support if their love language does not align. Observation, assess, & reassess to document changes, growth & areas for improvement.

Essa resposta de resultados e satisfa??o com cliente ela é muito importante! Sempre elogiar nas metas alcan?adas e ajustar com precisa ser corrigido deixa o aluno com mais seguran?a, compromete a manter a constancia e fideliza seu aluno !

The art lies in balancing objective progress tracking with a focus on the positive encouragement. Most people already know where they're falling short, and they can see it in their data (consistency, trackers, etc). So an a human level, it's important to spotlight what went well, and how to keep moving forward. From personal experience, emphasizing strengths and achievements, no matter how small, can dramatically shift a client's self-perception and drive. It's about crafting an environment where feedback is not just informative but also uplifting, encouraging clients to see beyond setbacks and appreciate their own progress and potential.

An option for clients training in the gym is pegging a reward to membership cost. Consistent clients can be set up to unlock rebates, services, membership extensions etc. as a reward for attending frequently and consistently. Most gyms have retention issues due to clients dropping off. Financial rewards may reason with a large group of clients and excite customers to “stick with it”.

Within the Dutch Urban Gym Group, multi-brand operator of 40 facilities is their “Train More” brand (over 25 locations in /around Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and the Hague). They give members €1 back for every time they come in first a workout. Want to know more about how this simple, yet effective concept works? Contact me on LI or E: [email protected]

It's the small victories that pave the way to monumental success. Whether it's a client who's just hit their first week of consistent workouts, a slight but steady improvement in dietary habits, or the decision to take that first step towards a healthier lifestyle - every small win is worth celebrating!

Programas de desafios de 28 30 dias por exemplo, atingir metas palpáveis, mostrar que o limite que nós temos muitas vezes somos nós que colocamos e quando conseguirmos passar por isso presenteie com algo singelo , isso deixa seu aluno sempre motivado!

You can leverage your brain's dopamine response to encourage persistence and effort. My personal strategy involves setting up a system of small rewards for reaching milestones, effectively 'hacking' the brain to associate hard work with positive outcomes. This approach not only boosts motivation but also makes the fitness journey enjoyable. For instance, after completing a particularly challenging month of training, treating myself to a new book or a day out in nature serves as a powerful incentive. This practice reinforces the idea that progress, no matter the size, deserves recognition.

Motivating clients who avoid exercise can be challenging task. But you can’t want it more than they do! Here are some strategies to motivate your clients: Understand The WHY?Start by understanding why your clients are avoiding exercise. Are they lacking motivation, feeling overwhelmed, or experiencing physical limitations? Understanding their reasons will help you tailor your approach to address their specific concerns. Realistic Goals: Work with your clients to set realistic and achievable goals. Break down their fitness goals into smaller, manageable steps to help them stay motivated and track their progress. Offer positive reinforcement and praise your clients for their efforts and progress. Celebrate their achievements

Clients are more likely to engage in physical activity if they feel understood, supported, and valued by their fitness professional. Taking the time to listen to their concerns, empathize with their struggles, and communicate openly can help build trust and rapport. Setting realistic and achievable goals is key to motivating clients who avoid exercise. Unrealistic expectations can lead to feelings of failure and demotivation. Fitness professionals should work with their clients to set specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that align with their abilities and preferences. Breaking down larger goals into smaller milestones can help clients track their progress and stay motivated along the way.

For years, various medical professionals, and family members told a client to increase physical activity through walking. Despite the recommendation, it became apparent through our conversations that the issue wasn't with walking itself but rather walking alone, which he found tedious. While walking is a convenient exercise, in this particular case, the client found motivation in incorporating "movement snacks" into his routine—10 sit-to-stands, 10 wall pushups, etc. To reinforce this habit, daily phone notifications served as reminders, asking, "Did you have a movement snack today?" This highlighted that the seemingly straightforward advice of "just walk more" might not always resonate with the individual's motivational needs.