What questions are important for clients to be completely honest about so that you can help them reach their goals?

Trainer Tuesdays

Welcome back to the weekly edition on Trainer Tuesdays. Make sure to check in at our blog every Tuesday evening to learn the expertise of our great staff. Aside from being fantastic exercise coaches, they are also extremely knowledgeable in many aspects of health and fitness; so, it's time that you get to know them a little better! Each week, we will post a frequently asked, or sometimes just a fun fitness related question followed by the answers of each of the trainers at Fitness Together Brecksville.

What questions are important for clients to be completely honest about so that you can help them reach their goals?

Monika Cotter: Honesty is the best policy! Especially when it comes to talking with your trainer. Questions are asked not to be nosey or to embarrass anyone, but it is to help clients reach their goals. Some of the questions that your trainer may ask you about is the reasons you are setting specific goals, injuries, limitations, medications, water intake, eating habits and family history. The trainers here at FT care about our clients and want to do everything we can to help, but it is a two-way street of honesty.

Adam Teplitz: As a personal trainer, I make it a priority to emphasize the 'personal ' aspect. It's important for my clients to be completely honest when it comes to certain questions.
These questions include nutrition related ones. It's always been said that you can't out train a bad diet. A client could give 110 percent in their workouts, but then compromise their results with their diet. My clients and I must be on the same page when it comes to nutrition.
Other important questions include ones about how active they are outside of the studio as well as how committed and motivated they are. You get out of it what you put into it.
Open and honest answers to these questions will lead to a more effective and efficient routine.

Maria Kolodziej: I believe whole-heartedly in exercise! I've seen the positive effects of it time and time again on mind and body. However, exercise will only take you so far. Nutrition is a huge contributing factor to not only weight loss, but muscle tone and overall body performance. If you put garbage in your body it will run like garage during your workout as well as daily tasks. For these reasons I believe it is very important for clients to be honest with their trainer and themselves about what they are putting into their bodies. I know that I eat way better when I have someone to be accountable to. Sometimes it is hard to be completely honest about this; especially if you've had a bad week. Don't ever feel judged; instead just accounted for. Through this approach we can reach our goals together!

Steven Madden: As fitness professionals, one of the most effective tools we have to train clients is information.  The more we know about the client, the more we can help them attain their goals.  Unfortunately, some times, either by design or neglect, we don't get all the information.  It's important for a clients health that we have to most honest answers to certain questions.

We often ask if there are any injuries or surgeries that might impede movement.  You would be surprised how often we are told no, only to find out after one disastrous rep of over head presses that the new client just has shoulder surgery.  I'm not accusing the client of doing it on purpose, but we never would have even attempted the movement had we known.  Along with this is asking if an exercise feels alright when a client is in the middle of it.  Again, sometimes I don't get told until after the last set that an exercise is causing pain or strain where it shouldn't.  I promise you that I ask about this because I want to know right away.

Then there is healthy diet.  I don't like to bring it up often, but when I'm asked by a client why they are not losing weight, I invariably end up asking if they are eating healthy.  When I see you coming in three times a week leaving a pool of sweat behind, I am left to wonder if the problem is diet.  Too often, I get the sense that I'm only get half truths on this issue.  I want to help in anyway I can, but if I don't have all the data, I only guessing.

Lisa Clark: As a personal trainer, there are many things we need to know about our clients in order to help them meet their fitness goals. One of the most  important things to know about our clients are any limitations they may have including any previous injuries, so we can devise a program tailored to helping them and not run the risk of injuring them. Also along those same lines, anything that may be hurting them at the moment, no matter how insignificant it may feel, may keep us as trainers from having our clients perform an exercise that could unintentionally cause them pain.

Justin Traft: So the question always is asked what do client need to be honest about to share to help

Justin Traft wants to know if you're doing extra cardio??

them reach their goals. Well there are a couple thoughts that will help. Always be honest about your goals. If you’re asked are you doing anything outside of the gym on your own and you say yes but you really aren't then you’re really not being honest with your trainer or yourself. Clients need to be up front on their nutrition currently and how they plan to change their old habits.  Also, are they currently doing any cardio outside of the gym. If so, how many times per week; or if no, then how are they going to change that? Also, how many days per week is a client going to commit to strength training? It’s also very important to be up front if you have any limitations that may stop you or road block you during your workouts.  Reason being you ask is because it helps the trainer gauge what he or she needs to make sure is happening when you see them if you aren't doing  those things outside of the gym. Also, help you steer you in the right direction and keep you on track and accountable for your goal you are working towards whatever it may be.

Kelly Bailey: If a client wants to see results, it's important that they not only be honest with themselves, but also with their trainer. Furthermore, not being totally honest can lead to injury!

The first and foremost thing I want a client to be honest about is their health history, and any current or past injuries that we need to be careful about during exercise. The only way I can help to keep you safe during exercise is if you tell me about known health problems. As a trainer, my code of ethics dictates that I keep your health information confidential, and that I create a supportive and friendly environment so that you feel safe telling me about past and/or current health concerns.

It's unanimous...you have to be honest about nutrition!!

The second thing I want clients to be honest about is what they are eating. What happens at home in the kitchen dictates how successful you'll be at achieving your goals. Ninety percent of the time, if a client is not reaching a goal, it has to do with nutrition. I often find that clients are not being dishonest about what they eat, but just don't understand portion sizes, or how all those little bites of this or that add up. This is why it's important to keep track of your food intake (for at least a little while) and share that information with your trainer. It's often an eye opening experience!

Jessica Regula: Its very important that when working with a trainer, you are completely honest in answering questions and asking questions. This helps to build your relationship with your trainer and helps us to plan ways to best fit your goals and needs! Here are some questions that you need to be 100% honest about:
1. "How active are you currently?"- Some people get embarrassed by answering that they're sedentary, however as a
trainer we need to know how conditioned you are to exercising (or deconditioned) so we can create plans that best fit your abilities. And we don't judge if you're sedentary- that's why you're seeing us!
2. "How does this weight feel?"- Finding the appropriate weight is vital in working out. If you're getting towards the end of your set and feel like you can keep going, then you need to let us know! On the flip side, if you're struggling by the 5th rep and have quite a ways to go, we need to know! Forcing yourself to lift too heavy can lead to injury. Trust me, we don't care about how much you're lifting, we care about proper technique and muscle fatigue, whether you're curling 5s or 55s.
3. "How are you doing/feeling?"- Throughout the workout, I like to check in frequently with my clients, to see how they're responding to the workout. If you are ever feeling dizzy, light headed, nauseous, or uncomfortable, we need to know, don't tell us that you're doing good when you feel yucky. If you need a longer break, just tell us.
Of course there are many other questions that help us to ensure that you're reaching your goals. The main thing to remember is that honesty is key when talking with your trainer so we can help you achieve success!

Taylor Burns: Important questions to discuss when reaching a health or fitness goal should be about nutrition. Speaking from past experiences, you can go to the gym just about every day and spend a lot of time working out. But what's going to help you reach your goal whether it's gaining muscle or losing weight comes down to how you fuel your body consistently!

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