I had a little extra time today, and I started thinking about all the things I've learned during my decade of training. I've been training people since 2001 and have read and seen a lot of things. I’m sure if I stick around another decade, I'll have much more to add to this list. This list reflects my own personal experiences and observations of the fitness industry.

  1. Be fair in your business dealings. Be willing to work with people, especially those who really want to be trained or coached. I can’t tell you how many times I've heard of a trainer or coach who didn’t work with someone because they didn’t want to negotiate a package.
  2. Don’t be selfish with your knowledge. I know you think you have all the training knowledge in your gym or community and don’t want anybody else to know the “secrets” you do. But when you give more, you get more in return.
  3. Do the right thing regardless of the consequences. People are attracted to people who have values and integrity.
  4. Don’t do things just to do them. There will always be some new fitness trend out there. Make sure you research the pros and cons of these and see if it’s appropriate for your clients or athletes.
  5. Always try to find ways to help your clients and athletes. If you know they need help with diet plans, send them recipes when you find them. The EliteFTS cookbook is a great place to start.
  6. Be adaptable. Don’t force your client to do movements that hurt. Find something different yet still affective.
  7. Read, read, and read some more. Education is key. It will benefit you and your clients and athletes.
  8. Let the haters hate. My mother told me this last night. She said, “You will always have jealous people out there, especially if you're doing things for the right reasons.”
  9. Understand that you'll always be in a state of flux, especially with business. There are ups and downs, so be strong enough to deal with them.
  10. Always leave the door open for clients and former clients. Keep them updated on things that you're doing. They are your best form of advertising.

This is just a small list of things that I've learned and observed over my ten years of training. Feel free to add more to this list in the comments section.