Being a fitness coach is not as simple as it is perceived. It is not
just about telling your clients the names of the exercises that you have listed,
and expecting them to follow the way you want. A coach needs to understand what a
client needs, what is the current state of the client’s physical activity, what challenges
need to be addressed first, and which things are needed to be prioritized. A coach
needs to ensure that every client becomes comfortable to discuss anything which
can hinder in becoming more active. There are certain qualities that a fitness
trainer must have:
1. One of the qualities to look for in the best fitness trainers in India is good communication skills. This is one of the most important qualities in
a personal trainer to look for. Good communication skills will help build
rapport. It will help you understand clear and precise coaching instructions.
The best fitness certification courses in India will teach a trainer about
human anatomy, physiology, nutrition, supplementation, fitness testing, health
psychology, and other topics of personal training. Having a good communication
skills will still depend on many other factors. It is important to understand
that usage of complex scientific terms by a trainer with you will not help much.
Telling you to depress your scapula or flex your elbow will make things more
complicated for you as a client is not an anatomy student who understands these
terms. So, using language that you understand is more important.
2. The second quality to look for in a fitness coach is a good level
of patience. Your coach needs to be patient while listening to you. A coach
interrupting time and again in between the discussion is overconfident most of the time. Selective listening is not all accepted in a professional relationship.
Active listening is always backed by patience and that is the only way they
will be able to understand your concerns and challenges and come up with better
solutions.
3. The third quality to look for in a fitness coach is that a trainer
must respect the value of education in the field and possess relevant
qualifications too. A fitness coach should have a good educational background in
the field of exercise science and nutrition. Some of the best fitness
certification courses in India teach a fitness coach about human anatomy,
physiology, diseases, blood tests, nutritional guidelines, exercise
assessments, exercise guidelines, which is very important for a client to
achieve health and fitness goals in healthy and sustainable way. A certified
fitness coach can also understand client’s psychology, which will help the
personal trainer understand the mindset and help in setting up better goals
that are attainable.
4. Next quality to for a fitness coach is being a solution provider and
be able to individualize plans for you. If your coach is giving you a random
plan without asking any major questions, then that is probably a red flag and
you should look for a better coach. A coach should look at your medical,
physical activity history, your current needs, goals, your current training
level and then build a plan that best suits you. If you are having any concerns,
you trainer must be able to address these and provide resolution, they must
have relevant answers for your questions.
5. “Practice What You Preach” is great saying for every professional and
more apt for the health and fitness professional. You coach must be your first
role model.Only a good role model can lead you towards your goals. If your
coach is not active and looks unfit, you will never want to be trained by such
a coach.
Spending time to look for these qualities in your coach will be best bet in the
long run. Pay little beyond your actual budget if you find these qualities in a
coach. It will be value for investing time and money.
Happy exercising!