Coaching
How to keep personal training clients consistent between sessions
· 2 min read
If you see a client once or twice a week, most of their training happens without you. Whether they show up on those other days decides their results, and whether they renew.
Coach your clients in Liftsmith. Free to start, no account needed.
See how coaching worksMake the plan easy to follow
- Give them a routine, not a list of ideas. Exercises in order with set counts, so there's nothing to decide in the gym.
- Let the weights take care of themselves. If the app fills in each set from their last workout, they don't need to remember what they lifted.
- Keep sessions short enough to keep. Three 45-minute sessions they do beat five hour-long ones they skip. See how many days a week to lift.
Check in at the right moment
A message after a week of silence works better than one after a month. Look at who hasn't trained in seven days and reach out first. Keep it short and curious: what got in the way, and what would make next week easier.
Set a weekly goal they can hit
A weekly goal in workouts (not kilos) is easy to understand and easy to measure. Start one session below what they think they can do. Hitting it builds the habit, and you can raise it once it sticks.
Notice the wins
A new best on a lift, three weeks without missing a session, a first pull-up. Say something. A short note from their coach is often the thing a client remembers about the week.
In Liftsmith
Assign any routine you've saved and see how often each client does it. Leave a note that sits at the top of their Today screen until you change it, and see who's gone quiet or fallen behind first in each client's report. Clients use the app free. See coaching in Liftsmith.
Questions
- How often should I check in with clients?
- A quick look once a week is enough for most, with a message to anyone who hasn't trained in seven days.
- What's a good weekly goal for a new client?
- Two or three workouts a week. Raise it once they've hit it for a few weeks in a row.
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Coach your clients in Liftsmith
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Keep reading
- How to track your clients' workouts without a spreadsheetCoachingSpreadsheets and screenshots break down past a few clients. How to see what each client lifted, spot who's slipping, and act on it in minutes a week.
- Training with a coach: what to share and what stays privateCoachingWorking with a personal trainer or online coach? What they need to see to help you, what you can keep to yourself, and how to get the most from it.
- Deload week: what it is, when to take one and howRecoveryA deload is a planned lighter week that lets fatigue drop so strength can show. When to deload, how to cut volume and load, and signs you need one early.