SUCCESS IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY: REALITY VS. EXPECTATIONS
People who know me well know how much I love movies. I enjoy reading about what’s coming out, debating which releases are the best, and, whenever possible, watching them. I’ll watch almost any genre—drama, horror, comedy, thriller, documentary, John Wick, anything. Yet what may surprise some is how much I enjoy romantic comedies.
Notting Hill
You’ve Got Mail
Love Jones
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Put a girl in front of a guy (or a guy in front of a girl; or a girl in front of a girl; or a guy in front of a guy), add some sexual tension, witty dialogue, and ensuing high jinks and I’m there. It’s even better if ninjas or a threat of a nuclear holocaust are involved.
Note to self: Start a screenplay for When Harry Met Sally meets The Sum of All Fears, with a Xenomorph XX121 in a supporting comedic role. That will write itself.
One of my all-time favorites—and underrated—romantic comedies is (500) Days of Summer. There’s much I love about the movie, but one scene in the middle stands out, titled “Expectations vs. Reality.” In it, Tom, the protagonist, is walking to a dinner party hoping to rekindle a relationship with his recent ex, Summer. The whole scene is shot as a split screen: on one side, labeled “Expectations,” the night envisions flirtation, captivating conversation, and a rekindled connection. On the other side, labeled “Reality,” Tom and Summer exchange a few pleasantries, and he ends up alone at the end of the night.
GODDAMNIT, who’s wearing the onion shirt around here?! I’M NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING!
Anyway, I can’t help but notice a parallel theme in the fitness industry—a tug-of-war between what people expect and what actually yields real success.
EXPECTATIONS: Many (not all) think you just need to read a few books and look the part.
REALITY: Real success comes from a blend of solid program design, knowledge of functional anatomy, and sound technique and execution, to name a few. But a big, necessary part (and often eye-rolled at) is the coaching soft skills:
– DEVELOPING CLIENT RAPPORT
Getting results for the people who pay you is crucial. If we’re aiming to build trust and rapport, we should start by creating a sense of CONNECTION—being relatable, accessible, and approachable. Find common interests outside of exercise with your clients. I use movies a fair bit to relate, but you can bring in music or TV, or talk about dogs, or whether turtlenecks are cool. Finding shared likes/dislikes outside of exercise is a great way to build rapport.
– LISTENING
This is hard; we all love hearing the sound of our own voice. But as a fitness pro, knowing when to stay quiet is essential. During an initial assessment I let the client do most of the talking. Early in my career I tried to win conversations with big words. I’d ask questions, then correct or correct myself, and I probably lost more clients than I gained. Now I mostly keep my thoughts to myself and listen more than I speak.
– BASIC PEOPLE SKILLS
Smile, say hello, make eye contact, show empathy, be punctual, write programs that fit THEIR goals, check in with clients during sessions to see how they feel, never underestimate the power of a well-timed courtesy laugh, and always provide a safe space with unconditional positive regard. And when in doubt… more Wu-Tang.
– NOT BEING AN UPPITY JERK
Self-explanatory.
AND THAT’S THAT
I don’t care how much you can deadlift or that you sleep with a copy of SuperTraining under your pillow. If you’re not taking the time to develop and enhance your soft skills as a coach, you’ll never stand out from the crowd.
