Coaching: Drag them? Bribe them? Seduction?

[George Christiansen]

Although, tossing them across the mead hall table isn't as widely accepted as it used to be.

Further proof that we are doomed as a species.

[withboldentreaty]

Not sure if it helps to know you're not alone in your trouble to find consistency or interest in trainees but, you are not. I'm certainly no coach but, I see what strength training can help people who need the help do and I just can't make them want to do it (no one can mind you). A trainee must want it for themselves--no matter how much I want it for them.

The tricky thing of it all is coaches ask discipline of the trainees more than they ask motivation and have to remember the lessons they preach. Motivation is fickle and when it runs dry, discipline will keep a person going forever; seek discipline--not motivation for your advancement as a coach and you will attain it... just like a trainee sticks with their workouts through discipline.

I would wish you luck but, you don't need it. You just need the gumption your trainees need and things will work out for you.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

The best clients are those that are highly successful in other areas of their lives but not overly passionate about training. They recognize the value of training consistently and seek out expertise and accountability. Accountability is different than babysitting, so you have to watch. Some people want a babysitter (they won't last anyways) others simply recognize the value of a regular standing appointment with a coach.

[Mark Rippetoe]

This is a damned profound observation. You SSCs need to pass this around.

[Brodie Butland]

The best clients are those that are highly successful in other areas of their lives but not overly passionate about training. They recognize the value of training consistently and seek out expertise and accountability. Accountability is different than babysitting, so you have to watch. Some people want a babysitter (they won't last anyways) others simply recognize the value of a regular standing appointment with a coach.

This is precisely why I got a personal trainer when I started with my current firm in 2009...if I had a personal training appointment on the calendar, I had something compelling me to go, and I was accountable to someone.

I stopped the sessions after they terminated my trainer and then sprung a new one on me when I showed up that evening (and only then told me why my guy wasn't there). The professional thing would have been to call me ahead of time, explain the situation, and ask how I wanted to handle it. The fact that I hadn't made meaningful progress in a few months didn't play any role in my decision...I didn't know any better, because I wasn't knowledgeable about training.

[David A. Rowe]

Do you show your cards with you clients? Is it a smart idea to be upfront with them about such things from the beginning, or do you just take the one month's fee and let them wander off never to return? I assume you all use a "cash on the barrel head: upfront" policy for payments, especially for smaller gyms or personal coaching.

[Michael Wolf]

Another problem is the age of your demographic. 30-somethings are terrible clients. Life is too busy and they haven't experienced the negative health consequences of aging and loss of strength.

Clue.......no one pays you for extended periods of time because barbell training is so awesome and they want a 500 lb squat. They have deeper motivations, usually fear based. 30 year olds aren't scared yet

The best clients are those that are highly successful in other areas of their lives but not overly passionate about training. They recognize the value of training consistently and seek out expertise and accountability. Accountability is different than babysitting, so you have to watch. Some people want a babysitter (they won't last anyways) others simply recognize the value of a regular standing appointment with a coach.

The second quote is spot on, and I think needs to modify the first. The first may be location dependent. My business in NYC is mostly comprised of successful 30-somethings, but who otherwise fit exactly into the category of the second quote. Maybe in other places people like that are more likely to be 40-65. My experience in NYC is that they're more likely to be 25-45. Perhaps there are a lot of high paying tech and finance jobs here, plus a greater propensity for people to be single / not have kids till later, meaning they have greater flexibility with their income in the 25-40 range compared to people in some other places, who are spending a lot of their income at that time on raising a family.

Those are only guesses, but regardless of whether I'm right about the reasons, the fact remains that #2 is the important root cause, I think. How that plays out location to location among various demographics may vary.

[crc]

Clearly, you're not seducing them the same way I am. Although, tossing them across the mead hall table isn't as widely accepted as it used to be.

I've already been picking up on that a little. Some cues just don't penetrate. Some people just do it damn near perfectly after a brief introduction and a set or two. I'll try to just keep focusing on what I have in front of me. As for the Technique forum, I did spend a bit of time in there. I started off pretty poorly, but an ass chewing by Simma and a few months later I got better. Now, I try not to butt in if a coach is already on it (where do you people find the time?). A few times where coaches chimed in with "what he said" really felt good. I'll have to get involved again more heavily. Sometimes, it does feel like I'm a broken record because people make the same mistakes. Sometimes, it makes me second guess that I'm getting the diagnosis of their form correct. Maybe that's just something I'll have to get used to if I'm a coach.

Thank you everyone, again, for you input.

I know this probably gets into waiver-signing territory but I'm surprised no one's gone a little more meta with the form checks and started posting coaching check videos. For that matter, there's probably some consulting money to be made there for certified coaches.

[Chris Lippke]

The best clients are those that are highly successful in other areas of their lives but not overly passionate about training. They recognize the value of training consistently and seek out expertise and accountability. Accountability is different than babysitting, so you have to watch. Some people want a babysitter (they won't last anyways) others simply recognize the value of a regular standing appointment with a coach.

Accountability, the luxury of someone with experience programming for me ("autopilot"), and getting in before the price increase were the top reasons I signed up for SSOC.

I did a stint with BBM under Jordan a while ago (nutrition only) and was pretty consistent in tracking and meeting my macros. When my time was up with that, I stopped tracking. I don't think I stopped because I wasn't paying for the service anymore. Rather, it was because I didn't have to report my successes and shortcomings on a weekly basis to a subject matter expert. The fear of failure (in the form of being ashamed of not tracking; not of being a little overweight or buying new pants) was gone. I lost the accountability, even after the tracking had established itself as a habit. Quickly, the habit of not tracking had established itself once more. Stress/adaptation and all that.

So, because I lack the motivating fear of looming death and sarcopenia, I have to pay for (among other things of course) fear of shaming (via a qualified professional) to trigger the motivation to lift on the days when "Lifting is fun!" "You'll have a great ass!" "Stronger is better!" and "Invoke The Morning Star!" just aren't cutting it; the days when I'm just punching the ticket. It doesn't sound glamorous I know (doesn't sound like the stuff champions are made of), but I'd rather that be my motivator over staving off sarcopenia, attempting to neutralize cancer/chemo by adding muscle mass, or because I'm a professional lifter and it's my livelihood.

"Skin in the game," as Karl put it:
https://chicagosc.com/aristotle-even-lift/
"You need to compel yourself. How about this: hire a coach and pay up front. Now that you have sunk money into the project, you will be highly motivated to continue. This is why I don’t give coaching away free to friends and family—if they don’t pay, they won’t continue with the program. They need some skin in the game."

My experience in NYC is that they're more likely to be 25-45. Perhaps there are a lot of high paying tech and finance jobs here, plus a greater propensity for people to be single / not have kids till later, meaning they have greater flexibility with their income in the 25-40 range compared to people in some other places, who are spending a lot of their income at that time on raising a family.

What are their political leanings? There's probably something to be gleaned from that information w.r.t. being a SS client.

[Brodie Butland]

I know this probably gets into waiver-signing territory but I'm surprised no one's gone a little more meta with the form checks and started posting coaching check videos. For that matter, there's probably some consulting money to be made there for certified coaches.

Haven't done it through video, but I have coached individuals on coaching in preparation for SS Seminars. The problem is, you still need training subjects.