The PT Roadmap

A weekly newsletter for personal trainers that'll guide you in your career to become a better coach and build a better business.

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Thanks for opening up today's PT Roadmap.

Let's get into things.

One Coaching Cue

"Say no to the bow."

Credit to @whiteboarddaily

When to use it?

This is nice for cueing the end position on overhead presses and deadlifts to minimize hyperextension of the low back.

One Business Tip

Here's something more normal than you might realise:

Thinking about stopping personal training and getting another job.

It’s not easy being a PT.

There's no doubt that it's rewarding, and you can create a cool career out of it.

But it is tough to make it work.

Because of this, it’s more normal than you realize to doubt your place and consider whether you should find a different career.

Maybe one with more predictable hours.

Or with a pension.

I used to think it most weeks, especially in my early years when things were so up and down.

If you’re thinking about stopping and you're worried it means you’re doing something wrong or doomed to fail, it doesn’t and it’s normal.

Maybe you would be better off in another career but also know that just because you’re finding it tough, it doesn’t mean you’re not right for it.

I’d say it makes you more suitable for it.

The struggle forces you to get out there, try things, make mistakes, and learn from people who can help.

One Coaching Tip

"Is the goal still the goal?"

I think of this quote from Dan John often.

I use it with PT clients because goals change, and I must align our sessions with what they want.

But, there is another reason I ask this question: because of how my motivations and wants for a client can affect their ability to make progress.

It's easy to start pushing your goals for your clients onto them.

Let's say I've got a general health client who just wants to tone up, get fitter and stay active.

I've been guilty of creating a goal for this client without running it by them. And they become disconnected from our training because it isn't what they want it to be.

This is where the question "is the goal still the goal?" comes in handy.

You might ask it differently, "is the reason you come to our sessions still the reason you initially told me?"

But the key is to ensure you have a unified approach.

One Social Media Post Worth Your Time

A couple of weeks back, I recommended a post in this section that discussed a research paper on the effectiveness of exercise on depression.

The post wasn't wrong, but it did lack depth.

This Reel from Nicole Lippman-Barile at Feed Your Mental added more to the discussion by showing the limitations of the research paper.

TLDR: "You know what’s more effective than exercise or antidepressants alone? Both... This isn’t either or, and it’s not a competition. It’s about providing people who are suffering with evidence-based treatment options because depression is complicated."

Thanks so much for reading.

Until next Friday, Stuart.

Whenever you're ready, here are two ways I can help you:

1) If you’re looking for a place to help you gain knowledge & develop your skills as a personal trainer, I’d recommend joining Lift the Bar on our trial for free for 14-days. You'll get access to courses, actionable webinars and time-saving downloads, and a community of PTs who have achieved what you're struggling to achieve.

2) Listen to the LTB Podcast. Latest episode #385 w/ Dean Somerset: Life Lessons From Two Decades of Personal Training