Fitness, over time, can be INCREDIBLY boring.
To boost our members recently, we gave them a little insight into our new training format which we’re rolling out in Ely in September. They gave the usual efforts and left feeling inspired, we think!
But it got us thinking about how the average person can stay inspired with their health and fitness over a long period. And it’s NOT what you think.
The obvious answer is VARIETY – just make every session different so people don’t get bored. There’s a huge problem with this, for members AND coaches.
The member becomes ‘jack of all trades, master of none‘ meaning — they never repeat or perfect an exercise because they’re constantly being bamboozled with different formats, different exercises, different movements.
One could argue that this could increase the risk of injury if they’re not conditioned or experienced enough to complete the workout!
For the coach falling into this trap, they have to continually think of new ways to make things fresh.
This leads to ‘writer’s block’ (a fitness version) where you can’t think straight, can’t remember what you did last time and they end up throwing in random, inappropriate, complicated exercises they’ve pulled from YouTube!
**This coach FEARS the session, hoping members are happy**. An insecure coach doesn’t run a good session. And to be transparent, we’ve fallen into this trap and cringe as we think back to those darker times. 🙁
So how can we (the coaches) keep people inspired? The tactics are endless (but not what you’d immediately think).
– Create a welcoming environment: If people like being there, they’re more likely to turn up. simple.
– Give people the support and attention they need.
– Challenge them (JUST ENOUGH) – don’t beast people but push them a little, when needed. If people feel they’re progressing, they’re happy.
– A smart coach can run the same movements for years but change variables like load, tempo, equipment, reps to keep it seemingly fresh. We call this ‘smoke and mirrors’ training!
– Social events – get away from the gym and get to know other members better. Relationships win every time.
– Talk to people! Have a laugh! Do your best to coach them! They’ll enjoy the workout.
<<Variety and entertainment are not the answer to giving people the best and most sustainable fitness experience>>
We hope this gives some insight into the challenges we face as coaches to help people over a period of years. 🙂
Best wishes,
Kevin.
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