I always find it humbling having a consultation with a client for the first time. It is an understandably scary thing. This stranger is coming to you because they have an issue that they hope you can solve. Nine times out of ten, it is a weight issue. Majority of clientele want to lose fat mass and improve musculature. This is a fact. I can only imagine how nervous clients that fall under this category feel. They already know they have an issue, they probably have times where they feel embarrassed about their body and they probably had a moment where they didn’t feel good enough. When they step in to my office and open up about these issues, I already feel proud of them. Think about it. They are in a very vulnerable position and they decided to trust me to help them through it. They didn’t push it aside, they didn’t deny it and they decided to act. Step one.
One of my current clients came to me with a pretty standard scenario. Felt unhealthy, wanted to lose some weight and wanted to get back to enjoying what they were doing. More importantly she wanted to feel good about herself again. She wanted to start fresh. What I didn’t realize is that body image was just one part of her concerns. This is where the humility came in. After a nice long chat, I became fascinated to what this woman has been through. Shes had some ups, but over time had some heavy hitting “down” moments in her life. Some of those things have affected how she feels toward certain people and how she looks at herself. Now, don’t get me wrong because this woman is no push over. She’s quite the opposite. She is very strongly worded and doesn’t take shit from nobody (I’m Mr. Asshole on hard cardio days). She knows what she wants and refuses to quit until she gets it.
Because of these qualities, she has humbled me to even reflect on some of my own situations. Even though she’s had a rough go, she decided to act. She is doing something about it, and I get to play an important part in that. She has trusted in me to get her stronger, more balanced and healthier. What’s more is that she has entrusted me to help her feel happier about herself.
Again, one would be foolish to look at this as weakness. I accredit anyone who has the guts to realize that they need help and can’t do it alone. By accepting the fact that reaching out is a solution to one’s issues is courage. Being vulnerable is not a weakness no more than loyalty is. No more than love is or honesty. In fact, it is something to be admired.When someone decides to reach out, we support them. We understand the difficulty that is coming to someone when you feel you should have a handle on things. I relate it to that moment as children where you thought you could handle something, but soon realized you had bitten off more than you could chew.
At some point you finally accepted that mom or dad knew best and decided to ask for help. Ya, swallow your pride and just go ask. That’s the best way to put it. If nothing else, you’ll feel better knowing you did something to make the situation better. I still work with this client to this day. Every week I see her get a little bit better, a little bit stronger and a little bit more confident. She decided to commit to something and is following through tremendously. Not every day will be the best day, but even on those sessions we push through and acknowledge how tough it was. It is that tough as nails attitude that makes working with her great. She never stops pushing. Ever. Her decision to change is continually motivated by her own desires.
Although scary, she knocked it aside using the courage from her personal desires. An intrinsically motivated individual. The decision to push fear aside for the best result is always tough but most times is well worth it. Change is scary, I get it. Whether it be at a job, quitting smoking or moving somewhere new the idea of change is challenging. But you do it. You deal with it and by doing so conquer the fears holding you back. One might say all I am is a personal trainer, but to me my position puts me in the process of bettering the lives of my clients. I tend to take things personally. I don’t apologize for it as it has helped me through athletics, school and now my career. When something doesn’t go as planned, I take it to heart and utilize my passion to make it better. I become invested.
When my clients gather the guts to approach me with an issue, they lay it on the line for me. Their courage to act makes me want to invest in them. Their concern becomes mine and I will do anything to help them. Some may say what I do is small, but to my clients it could mean a world of difference. Their first steps are ones made on a path walked by many. A path that is long, unpredictable and hard. My clients are the ones who have to strap in and walk it. I simply guide them to the finish line. Iron Athletics is all about health and performance. We want to help you get started, so we're offering you a free fitness kit to get you going. It's completely free and gives you a head start on fitness.
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