Tips for personal trainers: Client agreements

One of the most important areas a personal trainer needs to discuss with a client are the goals they are trying to achieve. What happens alongside this discussion is an agreement being made between the client and trainer. Whether an agreement is openly discussed or not, both will leave that first meeting with expectations about how the sessions will unfold and what outcomes can be expected.

Why have an agreement?:

Without an agreement both parties risk not being on the same page. The rationale for the personal training could end up being based on 2 entirely different perspectives. By having it, both can be rest assured they're heading in the same direction. The agreement will inspire confidence & trust. It will also provide a firm foundation for both to return when future challenges demand a review of goals.

What should go in an agreement:

At the simplest level it should state clearly in understandable language what both expect from the personal training. What is expected to happen, how and when. It goes a bit beyond goals since it should highlight what resources are understood to be necessary if the goals are to be achieved. What to do, how to do it, why to do it and when. Also, the antithesis should he discussed. This means to discuss what can be expected to happen if the correct advice and guidance are not followed and implemented. Both trainer and client should understand the consequences for not following the agreed advice and guidance.

This agreement should be formed right from the start and should be recorded. Don't shy away from asking strong questions that the client may find difficult to answer. Avoiding challenging issues from the start will only invite greater challenges later on!

How to discuss and form the agreement:

The following points will help both trainer and client move forward with a clear understanding of what the agreement stands for -

1. Before even attempting to discuss the agreement, explain to the client the purpose of the agreement.
2. Don't start something you can't finish, so if you form an agreement you'll need to make time later to revisit it such as when discussing goals.
3. Put aside time for this discussion. Inform the client of the time you both will spend discussing the agreement before hand.
4. Read the agreement back to them asking them to confirm it is as you both discussed it. Either do this progressively as the agreement is being formed or when the whole agreement has been completed.
5. Keep the agreement as simple as it can possibly be, to the point & free of jargon.
6. Make a copy for yourself and the client.

When all goes well or not so well :

When goals are achieved and expectations are reached the agreement becomes tool that can be called upon in the celebration of achievement. The power of it's focused quality and its success can be congratulated and thus the approach of trainer can be further reinforced.

When goals are not achieved and expectations not experienced, the agreement can potentially highlight where appropriate action has not been taken. What can happen after this is the topic for another article. The agreement in this case can help to correct the course of the client-trainer journey before things become irreversible.

Richard Pierre Ried Inspiring Fitness