Fit Business Insider

I am in a fortunate position.

I get to see what many of the most successful fitness professionals in the world do to build successful businesses.

I also get to see what holds many of the struggling trainers back.

And I can tell you this:

If you want to run an extraordinary training business, it takes more than just effective marketing, the ability to close sales and delivering a bunch of workouts.

Your clients are paying you to get results.

With that in mind I asked Bill Hartman, Eric Cressey and Mike Robertson to share their thoughts on a few questions I had concerning assessments and their role in delivering programs that will get clients results and turn them into raving fans.

Here’s Part 1:

What is the role of the initial assessment?

BH: The initial assessment represents point “A” in the training process.  The client’s goals represent point “B”.  Without identifying the measureable difference between the two, it’s impossible to determine the client’s needs and develop programming to close the gap between today’s status and where they plan to be in the future.

Is it possible to train someone without an assessment?  Sure, but I think you’ll quickly find that a tremendous amount of time is wasted on progressing and regressing exericses as you move through the first part of the training program.  You’ll also put the client at potential risk for injury by asking them to perform exercises for which they’re not prepared.

Training is a multifactorial process.  Without prior knowledge of mobility, stability, range of joint motion, general strength and endurance, every component of the training program is a guess.  The more information we have in developing the training program, the faster the progress.

EC: To piggyback on what Bill said, I’d simply add that most folks want quick and (dare I say it?) easy results early-on to “justify” their decisions to hire a fitness professional in the first place.  If they feel like they’re just being put through a factory line, all the exercises are too difficult or easy, and they’re constantly feeling overwhelmed or unchallenged, then they’re not likely to stick around long.  An assessment enables a coach to avoid these pitfalls.

MR: The initial assessment gives us feedback on what limitations the client/athlete currently has.  It tells us what they do well, what they don’t do well, and what we need to address within their training.

It’s funny that people want to argue about “how much” assessing is enough.  Some want 4 or 5 tests, while guys like Bill, Eric and I are willing to spend some serious time up front to root out any issues a client may have.

Here’s how I look at it – I’m going to do as much assessing as I deem necessary.  I think we sometimes forget that our job isn’t to expedite the process, or to make our jobs easier, it’s to make sure that our clients get the best possible results.

When we start re-focusing on the clients’ needs and goals, everything gets a lot more clear.

Please discuss the “always assessing” mindset.

BH: I use a statement “Everything is an assessment” when speaking or working with our interns.

As detailed as we are with out preplanned assessment, there are factors that cannot be identified or anticipated.  For instance, technique, mobility, and stability change with varying levels of fatigue, speed of movement, and load.  Therefore, we must be attentive to these changes to protect the client and assure proper loading for that day.

A guy that comes to the gym well-rested and well-fed may perform significantly different from a guy who only got four hours of sleep last night and missed 2 meals.  Sometimes this may happen to the same guy.

By always assessing, allow a coach to adapt the program to the individual today.

EC: Along those same lines, I’ve actually worked backward from things I’ve seen on the training floor to create assessments.  The goal is to have assessments that “carry over” to real performance as much as possible, and sometimes the best way to get to that point is just observe what’s going on and work in reverse.

MR: Every second of every session, you should be evaluating your client.

How are they moving today?  How is this in comparison the session before?  Or when they started?

I can often tell how a client is going to perform simply by watching them come in the door.  If their shoulders are slumped and their head is down, chances are they’re not going to have a great session.

This, however, goes beyond simply assessing for the sake of assessing – this now becomes coaching.

How do you all use an assessment within your semi-private training models?

BH: Even though we train our members in groups, each one of them undergoes a formal assessment.  This allows us to program to the individual needs of that member.

We’ll have as many as four members training together, but each member is performing his or her own individualized program.  It takes more time to assess each member and then develop a program for each of them, but that’s one of the things that separates our gym from the rest.

We provide our members with a higher level of service from the moment they become a member.  It makes an impact on their attitidue right away.  It’s quite common for a new member who’s hired a personal trainer in the past to comment that no one’s ever taken the time to determine their needs before.

That’s very powerful and has a tremendous effect on our outcomes.  How committed would our members be to generic program that everyone does compared to one that’s designed specifically to their needs?

I can tell you that it sets us apart immediately.  We’re perceived as specialists.  We’re providing a much higher level of service than anyone in the area.  It adds value.

EC: Agreed on all accounts.  We run things very similarly; clients all undergo individual evaluations when they start up, and they get their own programs in accordance with the results of those evaluations.

An added bonus to the one-on-one first session is that it allows us to do some “intensive” teaching right off the bat.  All of our clients learn our exact foam rolling series on the day of their evaluation and go through a sample dynamic warm-up to get a feel for how an actual training session would start.  Then, they may go through pre-tests before some technique coaching on some lifts such as trap bar deadlifts, push-ups, single-leg exercises, etc.  This one-on-one coaching makes it easier to integrate them into a semi-private setting in their next session, as they know what to expect and have some of their technique flaws ironed out.

I also use the evaluation as a means of making sure new clients understand that my entire staff and I are interchangeable.  So, while it is a one-on-one session, it is not one-on-one with a single staff member.  A new client might do their evaluation with me, then learn foam rolling and a dynamic warm-up with Brian, do their pre-testing with Chris, and then do their lifting technique work with Tony.  All four of us, therefore, are privy to what’s going on with their evaluation, injury history, and goals so that we can set them up for success accordingly.  And, when they have questions, there are four people they can seek out – as opposed to just one.

MR: The fact that we use a primarily semi-private model has no influence whatsoever on how we assess.  We use the same assessment at IFAST whether the new client is going to be a one-on-one, a distance client, or a group training client.

Think about it like this:  The more information I have initially with regards to a clients needs and goals, the better I can develop a training program to help them achieve or address those needs and goals.

Doing less work up front leaves me with exactly that – less work up front, and typically more on the back-end.  I’d rather really put someone through the paces up front to determine what can possibly hold them back, and address it right from the start.

That’s it for Part 1.  We’ll be back with Part 2 on Thursday.

Also, Bill, Eric and Mike have put together an incredible resource detailing many of the exact assessments and corrective strategies they use at Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training and Cressey Performance called Assess and Correct.

If you don’t already have a copy, it’s a must have for every trainer and coach.

You can learn more here:

www.AssessAndCorrect.com

As you can see, this is not an affiliate link and I am making no affiliate fee for recommending this to you.  In fact, I’ve asked the guys to pass any commission I’d have earned for recommending this on as a savings to you.  So if you order before March 3^rd and use the coupon code ‘RIGSBY’ you’ll get $30 off the normal price – so it’ll be $97 instead of $127.

So check out Assess and Correct and we’ll be back with Part 2 on Thursday.

Dedicated to your success,

Pat Rigsby

Pat Rigsby is a Co-Owner of the International Youth Conditioning Association & the youth fitness franchise Athletic Revolution as well as a fitness industry consultant serving thousands of personal trainers and fitness entrepreneurs. Sign up for his fitness business free newsletter to discover proven marketing, sales and business strategies, along with blog updates, news, and more! While you’re at it, follow him on Twitter.