Truth
As a Coach, we don’t always make friends. Not to say that we don’t build good relationships, but sometimes we need to tell our clients things they don’t want to hear.
Our goal is to provide a fun way to stay healthy and help our clients progress. This means they could do personal training, traditional weightlifting, CrossFit, 925’s LIFT, or a completely personalized program via Remote Coaching etc. The method should be specific to your goals as one size does NOT fit all.
Three aspects to any program that we see as keys to success:
It needs to be fun. If not, you won’t continue for long
It needs to be safe. If not, you will likely have to stop due to injury
It needs to be personalized. This is the only way to truly get the results you want, quickly, safely, and sustainably.
Albeit extremely effective, personalization is where we get into trouble as coaches. When we sit down with each client 1-on-1 to design a program specifically for them or, when we meet with them for their goals sessions, our professional duty is to be honest with what we believe will help them the most. In doing this, we regularly need to tell our clients things they don’t want to hear:
You need to work on your nutrition. You work out 5x a week and you’re not progressing because you’re drinking too much and eating poorly. (no one likes this one!!) Nutrition is truly the foundation to everything. Without proper nutrition, you are literally fighting against yourself. Fuel well and watch the results show up!
Why don’t you try running/lifting/(insert favorite exercise here) less, and mix in something different to help you break through your plateau? Many people prefer to stick with what they know, but there’s a benefit to changing up your training - be it frequency, style, or focus. Surprisingly for many, this can lead to more fun, novelty and positive adaptation to change.
You need to workout more than once or twice a week. This seems intuitive, but many want to put in minimal effort and then get frustrated when results don’t happen or take longer than expected. 3x of something each week is a minimum, in my mind. When your coach texts or calls you to check in after not seeing you for a few days, take a deep breath, and be thankful they are helping you get back on track :)
As Coaches, we need to have a great relationship with our clients, but we don’t always need to be their friends. Having people in your life who care enough to tell you the truth about what will help you the most is one of the most effective ways to become healthy - physically, mentally, and spiritually. Something to think about!
Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another”