Jonathan Goodman - Personal Trainer Pocketbook: A Handy Reference for All Your Daily Questions

J. GOODMAN CONSULTING 2014

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

THE PERSONAL TRAINER POCKETBOOK: A HANDY REFERENCE FOR ALL YOUR DAILY QUESTIONS.

ISBN 978-1505839791

To my mom and dad

also by jonathan

BOOKS, PROGRAMS, AND COURSES

For a complete up-to-date list of books, programs, and courses please go to
http://www.theptdc.com/products

OTHER BOOKS BY JONATHAN GOODMAN

Ignite the Fire: The Secrets to Building a Successful Personal Training Career

COURSES BY JONATHAN GOODMAN

1K Extra How to Build an Efficient and Scalable Online Personal Training Business
(www.1kextra.com)

PUBLISHED BY THEPTDC

The Ultimate Fat Loss Seminar Home Study Kit
(www.ultimatefatlossseminar.com)

WITH JASON MAXWELL

1K Fitness Fans Facebook Advertising for Fitness Professionals
(www.1kfitnessfans.com)

WITH JODI RUMACK

Hiring Personal Trainers How to Find and Keep the Right People to Grow Your Business Faster
(www.hiringtrainers.net)

WITH JESSIE MUNDELL

Training New Moms: The Practice (and Business) of Postnatal Fitness Instruction
(www.trainingnewmoms.com)

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

You could say that this book was written out of a combination of necessity and desperation. I believe that all trainers should have expert guidance and mentorship with them at all times wherever they go thats the necessity part.

Largely as a result of writing Ignite the Fire and developing thePTDC.com (Personal Trainer Development Center) I get a lot of questions. These questions span all areas of the art and business of training from time management to sales to effective programming for beginners.

I try to answer all emails personally but it got overwhelming. Dozens of messages started coming in from trainers around the World every day looking for guidance and I simply couldnt keep up Thats the desperation part.

I decided to develop a giant F.A.Q. and, for just over two years, whenever Id get a new question that I hadnt seen before, I would take as much time as necessary to write a detailed response. If I wasnt able to give a great response Id call a friend who I viewed as an expert on the subject to help out. The answer would then be converted into a template and categorized in my master document.

Initially the document was built for no other reason to help me thoroughly answer all your questions properly. After completing Ignite V2.0 my editor, Kelly-James Enger, proposed the idea to compile my F.A.Q. into a handy reference guide. A part-time personal trainer herself, she knew the importance of being able to get quick refreshers or deal with problems/difficult situations the right way from the start. I agreed and couldnt be happier with how its turned out.

Youre welcome to read this book cover to cover. If youre a relatively new trainer I recommend it. Beyond that, my intention is for you to keep this book with you at all times. Consider it your personal mentor. Whatever youre dealing with has probably been dealt with before in some way, shape or form, and in this book youll find just the guidance that you need to keep on rolling.

Finally, I dont pretend to know everything and am indebted to the other pros that generously offered their guidance throughout this book. In all cases their contact info is provided and I encourage you to send a message of thanks if youve benefited from their contribution.

So, to you my bro or broette, enjoy the pocketbook.

WHAT MUST
YOU KNOW ABOUT
CERTIFICATIONS?

First, consider what a certification is really good for. The answer may surprise you.

Personal training is an unregulated industry. This means that your 90-year-old grandmother can say shes a personal trainer. The guy beside you on the bus killing pigs with birds can say hes a personal trainer.

The reason why there are so many certification options in most countries is due to a lack of governmental regulation. So consider a certifications true value before you spend your valuable education dollars, both on your path to becoming a trainer, and as you grow within the industry.

And note: I have no affiliation with any certification. Everything that Im about to say is the unbiased truth.

YOUR CLIENTS DONT CARE ABOUT YOUR CERTIFICATION.

Sure, they might nod their heads when you extol the benefits of it, but theyve got nothing to gauge their opinion on. Clients care about the results that you can get them. No matter how good you are at sales and marketing, your success, or failure, is solely dependent on the results that you can help your clients achieve.

The best personal trainers are those who have the combined knowledge and passion to provide a high-quality service. A piece of paper doesnt give you either of these.

However, a certification can be a means to get your foot in the door. Most gyms wont hire you without one. If youre independent, many insurance companies wont cover you without one. Occasionally gyms ask their trainers to obtain a particular cert. If theres somewhere specific that you want to work, ask if the gym has a preference.

CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATION

A certification will not prepare you for training clients. To do a great job, youve got to have tons of practical and varied experience. This is no different from any other profession. An accountant isnt ready to take on a wide variety of cases right away. Upon graduating and getting a job, he or she ideally goes to work at a firm under the supervision of a mentor or manager.

Perhaps more important than choosing the best certification is finding a place to work that has the best opportunity for growth. This means two things:

Theres a manager or mentor who supports you and allows you to ask questions.

You get the opportunity to get your hands dirty and work with a ton of different clients.

Always remember that its OK to say that you dont know as long as you follow it up with, But Im sure as hell going to find out.

Organized Knowledge=Another Potential Certification Benefit

Information overload is a serious issue these days. Disjointed, discombobulated information is abundant and its often hard to figure out what to do with what we learn.

When you register for a certification, no matter how specialized, an expert has taken the time to consider the methodology, gather all appropriate research, and combine it all into a system for learning. In essence, attaining a certification can save you time, which, after all, is your most valuable asset.

WHAT IS THE BEST CERTIFICATION FOR TRAINERS?

Heres where I give you the answer that youre looking for. Unfortunately, Im going to give you a poor answer: There is no best certification.