COVID-19 has been one of the biggest disruptions to business as usual for all industries, but especially fitness and health. For multiple months gyms and fitness facilities were asked to completely shut down! If you were to tell someone this would be happening a year ago, they would have laughed in your face. Regardless of how hard it is to comprehend what is going on right now, those who want to survive in the fitness industry need to adapt and overcome. Here is how fitness is changing due to COVID.
OUTDOORS
Social distancing and personal training seem to be a conflict of interest, but it doesn’t have to be. The days of a trainer getting up in a clients face and aggressively motivating them to finish their set, might be over though (thank god, in my opinion). Many trainers are now utilizing the outdoors for training clients.
Using outdoor venues seems to be a win-win for clients and trainers. While you might be at the mercy of weather to a certain extent, the trainer typically doesn’t need to pay to use the space, leaving the client to possibly pay less as a result.
The lack of equipment outdoors can be an issue, if you’re not creative. Utilizing topography and landscaping is your best friend outdoors. Retaining walls are great for step ups, box jump and incline push up variations. If you have a park in your area, utilizing a playground for pull ups and suspension training would be an easy go to.
In addition to the low cost, it has also been stated that people with higher Vitamin D levels seem to get COVID less and tends to help with symptoms (not a medical recommendation, do your own research). So again, training outdoors #1 costs less, #2 can make you healthier and #3 give you and your client a great tan!
ZOOM, FACETIME, ECT…
The utilization of video chatting services for client interaction has never been higher. However, it’s hard for some trainers to keep the personal in personal training doing virtual training at times. If your fitness business has gone virtual due to COVID here are some tips.
#1. Get professional! Make sure your video chats are high quality and in a space that allows you to completely focus on your client. No crying kids, barking dogs, traffic noises…I’ve been in a bathroom when I hear a guy in the stall next to me coaching his client through his back workout. It doesn’t cost any money to keep it professional.
#2. Provide the client with equipment they will need. Go to amazon create a client wish list and send it to them. Heck, send it over for them to purchase through an amazon affiliate account and get commission on the purchase.
You can create many at home or outdoor exercises with a set of resistance bands, a kettle bell, a set of appropriate size dumbbells and a suspension trainer.
#3 Use software. Trainerize is a great online platform for clients and trainers. You can create programs, send exercises with pre-loaded video explanations, it can sync with your nutrition app. Its really a great tool to keep accountability high and keep you organized.
#4. Check in between workouts. Since you have gone virtual, use the extra downtime of not commuting to schedule nutrition check ups or just general chats between sessions. The more you know about your client and can keep them accountable, the easier it will be to trouble shoot issues and the more valuable you become.
GYMS ARE CLEANER
Not a ground breaking new idea, but gyms are cleaner than ever. With gym attendance at an all time low, gyms are making every effort to provide more value and minimize any environmental safety concern.
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-The Fitness Trainer Academy