What are some effective ways to keep clients accountable to their functional training program?

The key to holding your clients accountable is to maintain their MOTIVATION. There are 3 essential factors for motivation: 1. Community: Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who share your SMART goals is crucial. How often have you heard, "I don't have anyone to work out with?" 2. Competence: This is often overlooked but incredibly important. If the task is too easy, we get bored, and if it's too difficult, we disengage. It's vital to assess the difficulty level and customize it for each individual. 3. Innovation: Your program doesn't need to be overly complex, but not everyone can focus solely on results. Avoiding monotony is a key element for long-term commitment. I hope this clarifies things!

Before you set goals you have to set dreams or the SMART goals never actually work. Often times the goals aren't actually what they REALLY want.

Ask them to describe how they will feel look and be in the future years if they do not commit to their training... What will your life be like if you choose to sit at home What will your life be like if you lose more mobility flexibility strength etc Make a better choice that serves you

Smart goals can help a client see why their training can be helpful and how to fit it into their lives, but the thing that makes them continue doing long term is always enjoyment not willpower. If the client doesn’t enjoy the training they will eventually stop. Too often people force them selves to set smart goals and to do their training not asking what will make this fun and that is the biggest problem I see when people want to make health changes. Find the fun and you will be able to create a habit for life ??

When we create step stones in our course materiel with fun interactive incentive, It opens the space for an exciting educational experience.

I always think in designing a personalized plan for a client it's a good idea to start with an assessment of their form and gait and perform some basic dynamic movement tests like the overhead squat test to see what their body needs. This allows you to pick and choose exercises that target the key areas the client needs to strengthen or loosen. Frequency is also important to consider. Someone who is training 3x per week will have very different programming from someone who is training 1x per week to optimize results. Their personal goals will also need to be taken into account. Do they want to work on building strength and/or hypertrophy? Do they want to improve how well they move and mobility? These are the types of questions to ask.

I have always worked with my clients on a 1-2-1 basis, so my plan has always been totally customized to their needs. Additionally, even their Pilates session is really tailored to how they feel on that day: maybe they have a cold, or tight shoulders, or are really stressed and need to rebalance their nervous system. This way, they really feel the benefits, immediately and keep on coming back for their classes. For many of my clients, their 1-2-1 Pilates session is non-negotiable and always on their diary.

Every coach should start with an assessment. From there you can tailor the program to give the client not only what they want but also what they need. I take bodyfat, resting HR, a 2k row, and max push-ups in a min. This allows me to test multiple modalities and see where they need the most work.

If a program is not salient to an individual they will have no reason to buy in. Find ways to find your clients reason for exercising. For those chasing an event goal this may be quite simple. Sometimes it is not always that easy. When a client tells you they want to exercise to improve their health, ask why. When they say to live longer, ask for who or for what reason. Is it so they can play with their children or grandchildren? Is it so that they can get to and from work during their daily commute without becoming winded? Maybe it is so they can assist their child in moving into a college dorm or a 3 flat apartment for their first job. Whatever the reason find out why. It should influence your program and reason for each exercise.

Feedback and support from us, as their coaches, is very important. In our intake meeting, we ask new clients to tell us the ways that they'll like us to support them. Some clients need a lot of praise and frequent DMs/texts throughout the week and others prefer more of a hands-off check in format because they feel too much interaction can be distracting. Additionally, some request that we adopt a firm stance with them and others prefer a cheerleader approach. What's key is for a coach to be flexible with their feedback and support approach so that it fits the needs of the client AND continues to advance them toward their goals.

1) Regular Progress Assessments: Regularly assess your clients' progress and adjust their programs as needed. Celebrate their achievements to boost self-efficacy. 2) Provide Continuous Support: Be there for your clients as a source of support and accountability. Encourage them to overcome obstacles and setbacks. Consider offering group training sessions for social support. 3) Behavioural Change Techniques: Incorporate behavioural change techniques like self-monitoring, goal-setting, and positive reinforcement to facilitate long-term commitment.

Monitoring client performance and holding them accountable to the goals they've set for themselves is not just good practice, but essential. Regular feedback and communication open up channels for discussion and in some cases, provide useful insights and may cause you to pick up on those nuances that take their training sessions to the next level!

I love the Oura ring for this. It allows me to monitor their sleep, HRV, and steps on a daily basis. This let's me to use data to modify their programming and pull various levers to improve their results.

Coming up with weekly and monthly challenges has worked great for ke over the years! Even if the only prize is bragging rights. Many people are inherently competitive, even something as simple as challenging people to drink enough water every day, then asking them to report back to you would you can record the score adds a level of accountability that's hidden behind a game.