Haha – Doug – good input as always – I give you a lot of credit man – rather than avoiding difficult client cases as I tend to do, you tackle them head on as part of your specialty – kudos for providing that service –

In general, the special role we play as trainers gives us a lot of leeway – but I liked this article because it makes you understand that in a few important areas, you’ve got handle yourself like a pro -

I take on very difficult clients, but it’s a lot of work to do it properly. Consulting with doctors and physical therapists is a must. I have to explain to a lot of new clients that I do POST-REHAB, not rehab, and they will have to do the full course of physical therapy before I can work with them. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for a huge liability issue. Know when to refer back! You’re absolutely right-if you’re not comfortable with this area, don’t do it!

Working with kids? After dealing with the kids in my DC neighborhood (aka Stephen King’s Children of the Corn), I think I’ll pass!

I have to agree with you on the Functional Training. It definitely has its place in a program, but it has to be appropriate to the client’s abilities and what they want to accomplish. I saw a trainer once doing something with a client that involved a leg on a swiss ball, a weighted bodybar, and possibly some juggling-it was hard to tell what they hell he was trying to accomplish! The poor client was tripping and stumbling all over the place. It made the trainer look like an idiot, and I’m sure that client didn’t stick around too long.

I think it’s necessity to cover diet with clients. They can be doing all their workouts religiously, but if every meal involves a drive-through and the terms “mega” “supersized” or “Family pack,” they will never reach their goals. To stay within the law in most states, you can talk about diet in general terms, suggesting better food choices, reviewing a meal diary, etc. You cannot give out detailed meal plans and menus, unless you are a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. The one exception-if you are using a software program written by a a dietitian or nutritionist, you can generally give out this information. Still, you have so much leeway that you can work with the client effectively on this issue.

I think you can be professional, while being unconventional.
There’s no reason you can’t make the session an entertaining experience. I’ve raised quite a few eyebrows in gyms over the years with some of the things I’ve done with clients, but it was all proper for the client and they got great results. Life’s too short to not have a good time!

Laughing so hard over the “waiting for my big break” trainer! In Miami, there were a lot of crappy trainers just waiting for their big modeling/acting break. I have to admit, they never met a mirror they didn’t like!

I would say that being “un-professional” sometimes in some aspects of being a personal trainer is just as important as being professional.

Most of our clients are stuck in a professional world where they don’t make the rules and boundaries.

Just like you said on Super-Trainer at one point, the client looks to the personal trainer as somebody cool, an escape from reality of some sorts.

While “professional,” a by-the-book trainer won’t be as interesting to clients and probably wouldn’t have great retention rates of certain clients compared to a trainer who isn’t afraid to go outside the boundaries of “professionalism” to create a better, funner service for the client.

It goes along with the type of people who become personal trainers. I would say the majority of personal trainers are usually 1. People persons, 2. Who love to exercise, and 3. Personal trainers/lifestyle coaches in that order.

If somebody wanted a robot personal trainer, they would get a Nintendo Wii Fit.

As far as serious things like overworking clients, and prescribing diets like a dietitian personal trainers should do everything in their knowledge and power that won’t deter the client from achieving their goals.