A Sample Day at Kingwood Strength & Conditioning

[niclane]

1. They have money
2. They have time
3. They understand the value of what you provide. Quality of life/long term health/physical independence are powerful motivators to those who see it slipping away
4. They don't like big box gyms or meat markets. They like the privacy of a small studio
5. They like the individual instruction and supervision of PT. They have some well founded fears of the possibility of injury as it relates to exercise.

People in their 20's, 30's, and 40's are generally not as well established in their careers, and they may not have the time or money to do something like personal training. Their schedules are less predictable and regimented because they are busy with kids when not at work. Younger people have not yet started to really see their health and physical abilities deteriorate and so they don't have the impetus to pay big bucks to a trainer to try and prevent this. They generally want to lose weight and get in shape, or do well in a sport, but they aren't gonna pay $500-600/month for it.

Yep, that all makes perfect sense. I think I was expecting more of a mix of young (high school) athletes with gung ho parents that want their kids to excel at sports, and stay at home moms in their late 30s to early 40s with lots of discretionary income.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Is that 13 hours of training? If so, how long was your day in total? That was cool to read. Thanks for sharing.

No, but its close. I generally schedule people at 45 minute intervals and some of those clients were partnered up with other clients in groups of 2 or 3. Days are long though. I take in my first appt at 530 and I leave the gym at 6. I take about 3 hours in the middle of the day for lunch and to maybe get in some semblance of a workout for myself.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I noticed that you only programmed farmer's walks for your oldest clients. Is there a reason for this? What are your thoughts about programming farmer's walks for younger and stronger people?

I think farmers walks are useful for anybody, I just think that its a very functional and simple way to condition and older client who may struggle with issues like grip, balance, and cardio doing simple tasks. It doesn't create any soreness (a little in the traps and forearms) and is easy to recover from. When the weather is not as wretched as it is right now, we do more of this stuff outside. My gym is small, but an older client can get tired by walking across even this small space with a pair of medium kettlebells. A younger stronger client needs a little more distance than what the interior of my gym can provide, unless I want to have them walk in circles.

[m9a1mike]

Hi Coach. Thanks for the valuable insight you provide to us here on SS. I was wondering how many circuits your clients do after the squat/bp work is done? Does it vary by client and which session it is?

Thanks.

[Rob Israel]

So these circuits are for one round? They serve as metabolic conditioning (cardio) workouts plus accessory strength exercises?

What's the hourly rate you charge? Do you offer 10-packs or some other multi-item purchase discount?

I haven't really seen overlapping appointments before... Did anyone ever complain about you leaving them while you got the next client started?

Do any of these folks supplement their semi-private/privates with work on their own? Can they do that at your gym?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Hi Coach. Thanks for the valuable insight you provide to us here on SS. I was wondering how many circuits your clients do after the squat/bp work is done? Does it vary by client and which session it is?

Thanks.

Usually between 3 and 6 rounds

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

So these circuits are for one round? They serve as metabolic conditioning (cardio) workouts plus accessory strength exercises?

What's the hourly rate you charge? Do you offer 10-packs or some other multi-item purchase discount?

I haven't really seen overlapping appointments before... Did anyone ever complain about you leaving them while you got the next client started?

Do any of these folks supplement their semi-private/privates with work on their own? Can they do that at your gym?

1) 3-6 rounds. Yes, accessory strength stuff plus fast pace gets some cardio work.
2) No hourly rate anymore. I charge by the month for reserving a time slot with me
3) No, because I have a private studio where I am never more than a few feet away. They never truly get left alone or go unsupervised. Also, beginners get my full attention. Once they are up to speed then I start double booking or overlapping. Many of my clients have been with me for 5+ years so they know what to do, they just like the environment, service, etc
4) All strength is done with me. some people run, bike, etc on their own. No open gym time unfortunately at my gym. 1500sqft studio is limited.

[MicroBruce]

Thanks for posting this. I'm a trainer at a globo and always wondered if it would be feasible to open a studio that leans heavily towards barbell training. Its also reassuring that your programming looks similar to what I do with my clients that are willing to barbell train. A few questions if you don't mind...

How often do your clients train, or does that vary with their pricing?
How do you advertise/attract clients? What types of facilities are you competing with?
What kind of equipment do you have? Is it all just basic strength equipment or do you have some of the fancier, trendier stuff also to attract business?
Do you have clients that refuse to lift heavy (for fear of bulking, not because of injury)? How do you deal with them?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Thanks for posting this. I'm a trainer at a globo and always wondered if it would be feasible to open a studio that leans heavily towards barbell training. Its also reassuring that your programming looks similar to what I do with my clients that are willing to barbell train. A few questions if you don't mind...

How often do your clients train, or does that vary with their pricing?
How do you advertise/attract clients? What types of facilities are you competing with?
What kind of equipment do you have? Is it all just basic strength equipment or do you have some of the fancier, trendier stuff also to attract business?
Do you have clients that refuse to lift heavy (for fear of bulking, not because of injury)? How do you deal with them?

Options for 1, 2, and 3 days per week

Word of mouth, referrals, and website traffic. I compete with 3 other private studios, a local private big box that is more health spa oriented, a local private big box that is "hardcore", a Golds Gym, 2 Lifetime Fitnesses, Anytime Fitness, Snap Fitness, a Crossfit affiliate, the gym at our local country club, the Athletic Republic, and a bunch of independent trainers that work out of their homes, etc.

3 Power cages
Dumbells from 5 to 115 lbs with flat benches, upright chairs, and incline benches
A bench press unit
An incline press unit
A combonation lat pulldown machine with seated cable row
chest supported seated row machine
standing t-bar row
plyo boxes, med balls, kettlebells, etc etc
2 concept 2 rowers
1 treadmill
2 sleds
1 prowler

Everyone that comes to my gym does my programming now. I used to market myself like this: "Hi, I'm Andy the personal trainer.....no matter what you wanna do, how you wanna train, or what your goals are, I can help you achieve them by designing a program just for you." This basically sets you the trainer up as being everything to everybody and puts the client in too much control.

Now, I market myself more as: "Hi, I'm Andy the personal trainer, I utilize a system of training the emphasizes the use of basic barbell exercises to build strength, muscle, and reduce body fat. I believe that barbells are the most universally applicable and effective form of exercise available to athletes and non athletes alike. If you are interested in learning about this system, give me a call." Now, I don't have to ever compromise my principles, and I can just say....this is what I do, take it or leave it. The issue of "bulking"is dealt with up front. They will understand that I am not in the business of making people skinny.....they may gain weight, but they willl like the way they look and feel.

[Robert Beckett]

You do a lot of 5X5 sets. I'm guessing these are ramping sets a la Bill Starr, and not sets across. Correct?