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.

Hi there!

Thanks for opening up today's newsletter. I really appreciate you being here.

Before we get into things, I'd love for you to answer this question: what are you working on in your business right now? (e.g. going online, getting more clients, streamlining your business, starting a semi-private offering). Ping me a reply back :-)

Let's get into today's PT Roadmap.

One Coaching Cue

"Think railroad tracks, not tightrope."

What's it for?

Split squats and lunges.

Ever encountered a client who has too narrow a stance and loses their balance during split squats and lunge variations?

This cue is a helpful one to get them to visualise what their stance should look like.

One Business Tip

Do you know what can be exhausting?

Your job 😴

Personal training is an incredible career.

Flexibility, meaningful work, connecting with people, career advancement opportunities, upcoming industry - positives galore.

But it can be incredibly draining.

Working early, working late, fitting in time for education, dealing with payments, late cancellations and feeling like you're forever putting yourself 2nd.

One of the most critical areas is being able to effectively manage your energy levels.

Here are four tips:

1. Be honest about what you need - I need at least 7 hours of sleep to feel like myself. This means I must be in bed by 9 pm as I get up at 5 am. I used to gloss over this (watching TV until late, drinking too much), but I've learned it needs to be prioritized. I also struggle to do more than four sessions in a row. Many PTs can do more, but I can't, and I must be honest about this.

2. Time for you in your week - Where in your week is time for you? Whatever that looks like for you, you need to have time in your week that's dedicated towards self-care. For me, it's putting my training times into my calendar first and going for a long walk each day after my kid goes to bed.

3. 50-minute sessions - I changed this in year 4 of being a PT. Instead of running 60-minute sessions, I told all my clients our sessions would now be 50. That 10-minute break makes a world of difference. I could take a minute and get a snack, take some notes from my last session or get 5 mins of fresh air. It's not much, but it does add up if you're back-to-back.

4. Work towards a better calendar - A few years ago, I surveyed 100 PTs and asked what they wanted to change about their workweek. Over 90% said they'd get rid of the split shift. This change won't happen overnight, but it is absolutely possible. Start thinking about what an ideal workweek would look like and gradually work towards it. I hate doing sessions after 5 pm as I like evenings off. So, I started moving late clients into mornings (framing it as a trial works well) and only taking on new ones who could do earlier slots.

One Coaching Tip

"Brilliant."

I say the word brilliant often. It's a word I gravitate towards in my sessions when I'm happy with how my client is moving.

Some people say "good", "great work", "nice job", or any other superlative.

Occasional use of this is OK.

But overuse tells your client nothing.

Instead, be more specific.

If your client's positioning in a deadlift is good, say, "Great positioning on that set of deadlifts."

If you see improvement in lunge control, say, "Much better work on your tempo."

This way, they know to repeat what I've been specific about.

One Social Media Post Worth Your Time

Does anyone else find their story views are all over the place just now?

This post from Simon Mitchell shines some light on why this might be.

I'll be making a point of testing out number 1 (stop reposting feed posts & reels), 3 (regular 24-hour breaks) and 6 (mix value & promotion).

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 #388: Four Musings on Being a Personal Trainer