Blog of Wade Making Connexions

The Sizzle of Personal Trainers

A pivotal function of sustainability is Balance. This concept applies to all system; ecological, business, and humans. Balance is required between opposites for survival; if scales are tipped too far either direction, “bad things” happen. A balance is need between the number of Flies and Spiders, Security and Complexity, holistic living/integral holons/The Middle Way, generally referred to as work/play, mind/body and other terms. Marketing, of course, is no exception, with its balance being between Sizzle and Steak.

The market of Personal Trainers(PT) Present/Sizzle the “Hollywood Image” to those after a quick fix. Images are just that; images. They’re the Sizzle, not the actual meat or Steak behind the mask. The forward presented Image/Sizzle of a PT through their always look good, always upbeat external, is they are happy and successful. TV/Magazines/Media are all to quick to reinforce this as the way to happiness. Buy this, Have this, Look like this and you’ll be happy and successful.

Recently I ran in a race of 7000 people and the starting line spotted ~400(6%) personal trainers, or their sponsorees. I found it interesting to see the PT’s preying in their audience/vertical market directly. I assumed we were to see how their fast times/quick performances were “the way”, and all would be validated.

What was reinforced instead, however, was the Sizzle and Steak. The PT’s all started with massive smiles, big strides and big-looking-egos. Around half way through, the PT’s looked transformed. Dropping off like flies, no longer looking on top of the race, they were in pain with wounded pride. By race end, I, a once-a-week average runner had passed probably 40-60% of them.

The PT’s, in their own full-time industry, lacked the underlying Steak, relying upon Sizzle for their business; an image that would have been somewhat shattered on the day. This minor revelation presented in physical aspects of marketing and company product, was/is the pointer to me about life balance.

Fitness First at Sylvania had one of those suggestion sheets in the middle of the gym for about 2 weeks last year. Everyone could read it. It did not last long. 50% of comments were along the lines of:

“We see the PTs training people…how funny”
“Get some PTs that look like they train!”

The suggestion sheet has never returned.

I could not agree more. To be fair, the dudes down south from what I see were pretty good. The guys in town, another story. Another bug bear of mine…..I reckon 90% of personal trainers actually discourage people from staying on at the gym. Why?:

- They make them do stupid ball exercises! WTF is that swedish ball?
- They make them do stupid things in front of other people at the gym doing “normal” exercises.
- They push new “recruits” to hard and turn them off……I put it down to an ego thing.

As someone who has trained in gyms for 20 years, If I was starting off and doing things most of these guys were making me do, I would have probably never gone back myself.

Wade, I reckon it’s a bit like IT Management mate…..Idiots in charge who reckon they know the best way. Get the idiot to do it himself, and they’re lost. I will stop here. I could write a book on training techniques and what not to listen to from PTs.

DD