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 newsletter. I appreciate you being here.

Let's get into today's PT Roadmap.

One Coaching Cue

What's it for?

Typically excellent cue from Nick Winkelman for the lowering part of the rear-foot elevated split squat.

Better Business

Quality content over quantity of content?

Here’s my short answer: it’s not one or the other; it’s both.

You want quality content posted regularly.

How often this is will depend on many variables:

• Whether you’re in-person or online

• How many clients you need or want

• What your goal is by using social media

• Who your competing with for attention

Something I see too many trainers doing is posting for the sake of posting.

Feeling like they need to post to keep up with some arbitrary number.

I’ve fallen into this trap. I’ve set a goal and felt like I needed to force myself to hit it.

I’ve popularized the idea that you'll succeed if you’re simply consistent on social media.

This isn’t true.

Ask the trainers who have posted for years 3-5 times a week with little to no success.

We hear and see the ones who did play that game and succeeded.

Which makes sense, right?

If someone does something that works for them and people ask how they did it, they’ll say it was that thing.

But we forget about the ones who do the thing but don’t get results.

So, what do we do here?

We focus on creating quality content that speaks to a particular group.

How do you know if a piece of content is high enough quality?

Ask yourself these questions:

• Does this piece of content have a clear purpose? (e.g. entertain, educate, motivate or inspire?)

• Is it designed with a particular type of person in mind? (Your target market)

• Does it contain an action or a step someone can take after consuming it?

• Is this piece of content in line with why I use social media?

If you can answer yes to those, you’re good to go.

Let’s use an example to help.

I have a piece of content ready to go out on why all movement is good movement, so I’ll base it on that.

Q1) Does this piece of content have a clear purpose?

A) Yep. Its job is to educate PTs on why some people prefer other forms of movement to weights in the gym. And to underline how all movement is good movement.

Q2) Is it designed with a particular type of person in mind?

A) Yep. PTs who know the world would be better if everyone moved more.

Q3) Does it contain an action or a step someone can take after consuming it?

A) It will. In the caption, I’ll add a call-to-action to sign up for our 14-day trial.

Q4) Is this content in line with why I use social media?

A) Yes. I use social media for Lift the Bar to educate PTs, make them feel like they belong and encourage them to seek us out should they need education or support.

Better Coaching

Change one variable, like a scientist experimenting.

I signed up a new client last week.

In session one, we introduced some RDLs.

She struggled to grasp the hinge movement, and nothing I was doing seemed to be helping.

I was trying to change too many things and kept confusing her.

Rather than changing one variable (e.g. the cue I used), I was changing my cues, giving her some kind of constraint and saying too many words.

When you’re faced with a movement error you’d like to change; it’s best to change one thing and see what that does.

Here’s an example:

Movement error = spinal flexion rather than hingeing at hips during an RDL.

I could:

Cue - “Imagine you’re stuck in sand up to your knees. Now push your butt back towards the wall behind you.”

Constrain - Give her a dowel and ask her to keep it in contact with head & low back.

Amplify - Really encourage her to flex at the spine so she feels what the movement error is, and can see what you’re not looking for.

_{Credit to Gregg Slater for the Cue, Constrain, Amplify framework.}

If I try the cue and it doesn’t work, I change another variable. If I try the cue and it works, I’ve saved a lot of work by learning this client responds well to cues.

If you spot an error you want to change it, change one variable. If it works, great! If it doesn’t, change it.

One Social Media Post Worth Your Time

This post from Sukh Sidhu is an excellent insight into the highest-paid online PTs.

A few of the bits I found most interesting:

• Lowest ticket price £239 a month (you’re probably too cheap)

• 1-1 coaching was the primary model (1-1 is scaleable)

• Most use Instagram & email to get clients

• Most take payment over the phone when calls are offered

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. Tune in to interviews with trainers who have been where you are and built what you’re trying to build. Latest episode: The LTB Staff Team on Career Advice You Need to Hear