Personal Fitness Professional Nov/Dec 2016

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 WWW.FIT-PRO.COM

HELPING YOU PROSPER AS A FITNESS PROFESSIONAL

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IMPACT MARKETING:

A FITNESS PRO’S GUIDE Amanda Mittleman Wonder Woman redefined

STEPS to get a handle

on your cash flow

MARKETING SYSTEMS MADE EASY

The Fitness Professional’s Lifeline: A PFP 2016 6-part special series

PFP ONLINE Visit | www.fit-pro.com VOLUME 18 | ISSUE 7

FEATURES

president & publisher

chad griepentrog | chad@rbpub.com audience development manager

rachel spahr | rachel@rbpub.com national sales director

susan malmanger | susan@rbpub.com editor

lindsay vastola | lindsay@rbpub.com managing editor

mike beacom | mike@rbpub.com

Video on-demand for fitness professionals A Q&A with the experts.

By Matt Given and Michael Skogg

5 tips to collect powerful testimonials Your most effective marketing tool: step-by-step.

By Greg Vaughn

POLL RESULTS What media do you frequent most for updates in fitness education?

OUR ONLINE COLUMNISTS

Exercise of the Week

8.4

%

22.4%

18.1

%

VIDEO

Jump Start

by Brent Gallagher

Visit our website or YouTube channel to view weekly instructional videos from some of the most respected names in the fitness industry.

7.6%

EXTRA

43.2%

a. Academic journals

Editor’s Top 10

b. Social media

3 simple tasks to outsource

By Lindsay Vastola

c. Books d. Online resources

Career Builder

by Josh Bowen

e. Other

SOCIAL MEDIA

NEXT POLL Visit: www.fit-pro.com to participate

What was your primary method of marketing in 2016?

pfpmedia

Functionally Fit

by Brian Schiff

a. Word-of-mouth/referrals b. Social media c. Print advertising d. Direct mail e. Other

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pfpmedia pfpmedia pfpmedia

creative director

kelli cooke | kelli.c@rbpub.com contributing writers

ryan carver, jim crowell, sean greeley, dr. michael stare featured columnists

michelle blakely, greg justice, phil kaplan, jason karp, bedros keuilian

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

FOLLOW TOTY

Lindsay Vastola | lindsay@rbpub.com

Mark Nutting | www.jivafitness.com

The ships you never send out One of my most influential business mentors enlightened me with a powerful visual exercise when I was frustrated by lackluster return on my marketing efforts. She asked me, “How many ships have you sent out in the last month?” Ships?

Yes, ships. Imagine this for a moment. You go to the beach every day and take a toy ship and let it float out to sea. I’ll admit, I have limited knowledge about tides and ocean patterns, but let’s just say that the likelihood is pretty good that one or two of those many ships you sent out to sea eventually come back to shore.

Marketing works in the same way. Placing one advertisement in the local paper, sending out an occasional email to your list, going to a networking event here and there is hardly enough to create awareness to give you any meaningful business in return.

Think of each of those ships as an opportunity. By putting more opportunities out into your potential market (your “sea”), you increase your odds of attracting new clients, building awareness of you and what you offer and ultimately increase the chances of generating new business.

For those of us with marketing and sales challenges, the problem may be that we aren’t sending out enough ships, nor are we sending them out on a consistent basis. Think of all that untapped potential left out at sea!

Set a non-negotiable goal to send out ships daily. There are countless ways to send out ships – social media, email marketing, advertising, cross-promotion with local partners, referral programs, local events, networking, public speaking, educational seminars… the key is to constantly and consistently be sending out those ships. And when they start coming back, pay attention to why they’re coming back; those are the marketing methods that become part of your regular marketing plan and where you focus most of your marketing time and investment.

You’ll find each of our features and columns in this issue offering fresh perspective on what ships to send out to keep growing your business: } Want to do more public speaking? Dr. Michael Stare shares strategies to book speaking gigs and then convert that to new business. } Need fresh marketing ideas? Sean Greeley lists 25 new “ships” you can send out. } Amanda Mittleman, owner of Mo-Mentum Fitness, is redefining the modern-day superhero and shares with us how in our Journey to Success profile.

I challenge you to send out ships every day. The next ship you send could be that one opportunity that is career-changing, but you’ve got to send it out first!

Committed to your success,

Focus on benefits, not features 2016 PFP Legacy Award Winner Mark Nutting shares insight into lessons learned, obstacles and opportunities to effectively market a fitness business.

Where are you currently seeing the most success in your marketing?

While many would think that social media has the most “bang for your buck” these days, I have to say that our greatest ROI is on getting out into the community and meeting people face-to-face. The time that Heather (my wife and business partner) and I have spent at local business events, gallery openings, fundraising benefits, community festivals, etc. has been well worth it. Of course, when we meet someone in person, we do follow up by connecting with them on social media. As that relationship builds, as others get to know, like and trust you, then you have become the person that they trust to help them get healthy. And they will refer their friends, too.

If there is one thing you would have done differently in your marketing at any point in your career, what would it be?

When I started in the industry 37 years ago, clubs were very proud of the stuff that they had. We would advertise our treadmills, our weight machines, our saunas – all of the features that we had to offer. The problem, of course, is that people don’t really care about features, they care about what benefits they are going to get from joining your club or training with you. Your marketing should be about them, not you. It should focus on how you can help your clients/members achieve their goals, explaining your solution to their problem.

What advice would you give on how to effectively market a new business?

Get out and meet people face-to-face. Beyond that, I would throw in a note of caution: Don’t push your services on people. People are constantly being bombarded with spam, stuff they didn’t ask for and don’t want. Don’t add to it. Take time and build relationships. With the relationship comes permission to discuss their challenges and the solutions you have that may help them.

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CONTENTS

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

Impact marketing: a fitness pro’s guide

FEATURES

OTHER Columns 08 Treadmill Talk

$40 and a new pair of shoes

By Greg Justice

09 Boost Your Business Turn the powerless into the powerful

By Bedros Keuilian

10 Top-Notch Training Uncle Sam has it right

By Michelle Blakely

10 Education Connection

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Journey To Success: Amanda Mittleman Redefining Wonder Woman An interview with a modern-day superhero

By Lindsay Vastola

Swerving

By Jason R. Karp

30 Be Better

What’s best?

By Phil Kaplan

Departments 05 Letter from the Editor The ships you never send out

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The most powerful client acquisition tool Strategies to use public speaking to increase business

Get positive about cash flow

5 steps to get a handle on your cash flow

By Ryan Carver

By Dr. Michael Stare

A different side of education

By Jim Crowell

23 The Message Pat Rigsby

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2016 SPECIAL SERIES: Client Attraction and Retention Marketing systems made easy

By Sean Greeley

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11 Education Trends

| WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

24 Education

Resource Center

26 Exercise Spotlight Rollga

28 New on the Market 29 Events Calendar

WHO WILL

Trainer

BE NEXT?

of the

Year 2017

HELP US FIND THE 12TH PFP TRAINER OF THE YEAR!

DECEMBER

Mark Mueller Mueller Personal Training Elizabethtown, PA www.muellerpersonaltraining.com @muellerpersonaltraining

Elizabeth Kovar Seattle Fitness Management Seattle, WA www.elizabethkovar.com @brainbodykovar

NOVEMBER

OCTOBER - Tyler Travis

SEPTEMBER - Julie Luther

AUGUST - Kurt Gillon

JULY - Sharan Tash

JUNE - Scott Keppel

MAY - Farel Hruska

APRIL - Jim White

MARCH - Ashlee Alfred

FEBRUARY - Stephen Holt

JANUARY - Lisa Dougherty

THE 2017 PFP TRAINER OF THE YEAR WILL BE ANNOUNCED DECEMBER 15!

2018 applications now being accepted. Visit www.fit-pro.com/TOTY to apply and view contest details.

WANT TO SPONSOR THE PFP TRAINER OF THE YEAR? Contact susan@rbpub.com

TREADMILL TALK Greg Justice | www.aycfit.com

l e n n a h C Join our

$40 and a new pair of shoes In 1986, fresh out of graduate school, with $40 and a new pair of shoes, I started my business, At Your Convenience Personal Fitness Training; it was Kansas City’s original personal training center.

I spent seven years in college studying exercise science and corporate wellness, but never took a single business or marketing class. Fortunately, my entrepreneurial spirit, a few good mentors and the school of hard knocks guided me in the right direction.

One of the first lessons I learned was the difference between selling and marketing.

Marketing is more about developing a demand for your personal training services and fulfilling your client’s needs than it is about selling. If you can create, inspire and satisfy a client’s needs, the selling will take care of itself.

With a $40 budget, I had a brochure created and walked door-todoor introducing myself, and a new industry, to a conservative Midwestern market. Even my wife was skeptical, asking, “And they’re willing to pay you for that?”

The answer, of course, was “Yes” but first I had to create and inspire the need for my services. The only way I could accomplish my goal was to get in front of my audience, but in 1986 the internet and online marketing didn’t exist, so I laced up my new shoes and hit the road.

Today’s marketing strategies are different, but the basic concept is the same.

Instead of walking door-to-door like I did in 1986, you can quickly get in front of your target audience through the development of a website with the right keywords and content. Did you know that 59% of all consumers use Google to find a reputable business, and that 80% of all local searches resulted in an in-store visit, phone call or purchase?

While those numbers are impressive, the reality is that both faceto-face and online marketing are important components to any company’s marketing strategy, so don’t underestimate the power of oldschool marketing.

I’m a firm believer that running a successful personal fitness training business requires personal connection, because our business, in large part, is about building relationships. At its core, face-to-face interactions help to build trust, understanding and a shared sense of accomplishment throughout the process. Giving a warm handshake, pat on the back, “at-a-boy” or purposeful listening can help form stronger, more meaningful and longer-lasting business relationships.

So, if you’ll excuse me, I need to lace up my shoes and get in front of a few more potential clients today…

Greg Justice, MA, CPT, is the founder of AYC Health & Fitness (www.aycfit.com) and the Corporate Boot Camp System (www.corporatebootcampsystem.com). He has been actively involved in the fitness industry for more than a quarter of a century as a club manager, owner, personal trainer and corporate wellness supervisor.

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BOOST YOUR BUSINESS Bedros Keuilian | www.PTPower.com

Turn the powerless into the powerful How many people are out there right now saying, “I want to be in shape?”

Of those people, how many are searching desperately for a solution that is cheap, painless and instantaneous? How many have fallen for scams in the past? And keep falling for them?

As a lifelong fitness professional, I know how frustrating it is to watch people behave and think this way. It is easy to see them as powerless people who should just get over themselves and put in the sweat. But the fact is, those seemingly powerless people are where we have the opportunity to do the most good and earn the most reward. And the bridge between where we stand now and that opportunity is smart fitness marketing.

SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE If you want to get those people -- the people who need you most -- to sign up for your training, you have to start by speaking their language.

In other words, you need to market to them with the idea that they’ll be able to get in the shape they desire with zero or minimal changes to their lifestyle. And you need to tell them that the results will come fast.

Now is all of that a lie? Maybe. It depends on how you look at it.

The important thing to realize, though, is that there is a whole army of scammers out there who are going to make the same promises anyway without ever delivering the results. The thing about scammers is that they are extremely unethical, obviously, but the ones who persist are also very smart marketers. So we should steal their techniques and use them to do good.

EMPOWER YOUR CLIENTS If you really want to help those people, you need to be louder and more encouraging than the scammers. You need to market hard and get the people who need you into your business. Once they are under your protection and care as clients, you’ll have the chance to teach them the truth about fitness: that getting fit is an ongoing, empowering lifestyle.

The truth is that if you show up for your clients, fill them with encouragement and make it your personal mission to get them the results they need, then they are not going to care about how you marketed to them. They will just be grateful to finally have their lives back.

Ultimately, that is what smart fitness marketing is: it is our way of turning the powerless into the powerful. So market hard and be proud of your work!

Bedros Keuilian is the founder of the franchise Fit Body Boot Camp and an online fitness marketing expert. Between his information products and his live coaching programs, he has helped many fitness professionals build 6- and 7-figure businesses. Visit his website at www.ptpower.com.

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TOP-NOTCH TRAINING

EDUCATION CONNECTION

Michelle Blakely | www.blakelyfit.com

Jason Karp, PhD l www.Run-Fit.com

Uncle Sam has it right

Swerving

Receiving notice of a tax audit by the IRS is a nightmarish notion. As the daughter of an accountant though, I was raised to look at this differently. At the most fundamental level, an audit is a means of confirming that everything is in the right place and properly recorded.

And, if it’s not, adjusting it. With this in mind, let’s visit the idea of an audit as a powerful tool.

What would it look like if someone came in and audited the marketing efforts for your personal training business? What if they evaluated this aspect of your business just as a tax auditor looks at your financial records and tax return? I suspect some of us are laughing at the thoroughness of this suggestion. It seems like such a serious proposition. Is it, though? Marketing confusion and client acquisition are top concerns with training professionals. Why isn’t checking our effectiveness a top priority as well?

Here are my top three recommendations for your one page internal marketing plan and audit:

If you saw a sign with a picture of a horse that said, “The world’s only talking horse!

Free viewing and conversation with the horse on Main Street at noon on Sunday!” would you stop and notice? Better yet, what if you saw a talking horse in the street? Would you stop and look?

Truth is, there really is a talking horse. Mister Ed. He had a starring role on a national TV sitcom in the 1960s. Mister Ed was popular because he was different. No one expects to hear or see a talking horse.

That’s just silly. We all know horses can’t talk. But Mister Ed did.

When something catches our eye that’s different, even peculiar, we swerve, turning our head in the direction of what we saw. Circuses in the early 20th Century exploited this by including sideshows featuring human oddities like the Elephant Man or Bearded Lady. We still swerve every time we see a street performer eating fire, because our brains have a hard time comprehending that.

Swerving is a powerful marketing tool. In this digital age in which everyone is bombarded with marketing messages every day through email and social media, the first step in getting more business is getting more people to notice your product or service. And that means being different than the competition, whether you’re a big gym or an independent personal trainer. Advertising to prospective clients that your gym’s trainers are nationally certified or that your high-intensity workouts burn more fat is not unique; every gym has nationally-certified trainers and every personal trainer claims his or her workouts burn fat. You have to be different and get people to swerve. Here are three ways:

1. Start with the end in mind. Take the time to write out WHY you are embarking on this marketing endeavor. Be as specific as possible. Do you want to obtain three new clients with an open house presentation? Do you want to increase your twitter following by 100 people?

Do you want to acquire two compelling 30-second video testimonials to use on your website? Do you want five current clients to join you on a sponsored 5K run to encourage company loyalty and create great social media material? What do you want and why? Making the time for this step is potent and integral to ensuring success.

2. Decide and detail. Log your planning time commitment, execution time commitment, follow up time commitment, financial investment, tasks that must be completed and final ideal outcome that would qualify the effort as a success.

3. Follow up. Write out what worked, what didn’t, what you spent in terms of time and money, unexpected benefits, unexpected successes and a final grade. Evaluate what you were satisfied with and what you would do differently next time.

Detail, follow up and audit everything strictly because of the commitment to the plan. Make it as simple as needed. The importance of knowing what you want, detailing how you are going to get there and thoroughly following up are simple, powerful and integral to respecting your time and efforts. Email me for an example.

Michelle Blakely’s company, See Jake and Jane Train, helps personal trainers and studios with the business side of training with outstanding online products.

Twice named the city’s best trainer by the Chicago Reader, Michelle pens columns, speaks at training groups, and gets tapped as a go-to source by media outlets like Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Oprah.com. Enjoy a complimentary gift at SeeJakeandJaneTrain.com.

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1. Place a very large-sized Greek sculpture Discobolus, the discus thrower that exemplifies athleticism, power, and strength, right in the middle of your gym’s floor that people can interact with as part of their workouts. What if you offered something to prospective clients that no one else in the industry offers, something that clients would not expect to receive from a personal trainer?

2. Post crazy pictures and videos on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest that are truly extraordinary, something that people don’t typically see. Force people to stop and look.

3. The lack of educational standard in the fitness industry can work in your favor. Leverage it by becoming educated, by turning yourself into the talking horse that everyone wants to see and listen to. Perhaps you can even become a doctor so you can prescribe exercise.

Then you may even be asked to write a column in a fitness industry magazine about education. Now that’s a great idea.

Dr. Jason Karp spends most of his time making people swerve. He is also the creator of the REVO2LUTION RUNNING™ certification, 2011 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, and has over 200 publications. His seventh book, Run Your Fat Off, comes out in March. www.Run-Fit.com

EDUCATION TRENDS Jim Crowell | www.OPEXfit.com

A different side of education Tips to select the right business coach Understanding the business of fitness is becoming more and more important for success in the industry, requiring an education that extends in an area far different than exercise physiology, programming or kinesiology. Fitness businesses have the most success when the coach/owner does what he or she is best at. It can be advantageous to hire a fitness business coach to support your education on how to run a thriving business. Here is what you need to look at to give yourself the best opportunity to select a business coach that fits you: } Know exactly what you need. Many owners focus on the trends in the market but don’t really know why. They don’t know their business well enough to understand why that trend may or may not help them. You and only you need to take an honest look at your business and seek out somebody who can really help you on the most important pieces of your business for long-term success. } Do not get “sold.” An ad is designed to capture your attention and build your interest. Do not be short-sighted and get lured in by the ad. If an ad catches your eye, do your due diligence by following the steps below rather than buy right away. } Make them earn your business. You need to ask them digging questions to determine if they are a fit for you. How exactly have they helped others? What exact results have their clients experienced and how did they specifically achieve those results? Ask for examples and pry. If they cannot answer your questions, reconsider. } Ask your contacts. Most quality business coaches build a real reputation over time. Research them online and ask your friends and contacts. You need to learn if this person has succeeded for their clients in the past. If you can’t find any information or if their reputation is weak you should proceed with extreme caution. } Understand the contract before you sign. Are you prepared to sign a multi-year contract with a business coach prior to meeting them? The argument here is that if you have done your due diligence, if their reputation is great, if you have other people who have had great results, you have a much stronger case to sign a longer-term contract. If you don’t have confirmations of their quality, be very careful on a long-term contract. Know if you can get out of that contract should expectations not be met. } Do they understand exactly who you are and what you do?

Too many business coaches don’t understand specific fitness businesses or missions. You need to get them to show you with examples how they can serve your business in a way that is truly authentic to your values and mission. } Know that, in most cases, the business coach isn’t executing for you. Most business coaches provide feedback, look at numbers to make strategy recommendations and help walk you through planning. That can be highly valuable but don’t expect them to write marketing content or take pictures for you in the gym. } Can and should you afford it. Perhaps you don’t know your numbers well enough to even know this but you need to look at three things: } What can this person or business provide/produce with you

– It is a profit game so how much additional profit can they help you achieve? } Is it worth paying and do you have enough cash to safely hire them – If you have somebody who costs $1,000/month and you have $2,000 in the bank, I would argue that you are in a very dangerous position and likely should not move forward. But, is it worth it? In reality, you need to make a return on the dollars you spend so if it costs $1,000/month, you need to put an expected return figure on it and if the return justifies the expense and you aren’t putting yourself in deep jeopardy to do so, it may be worth it. } Once you hire, track results. Assuming you are following strategies from the coach, how well is it going? You need to look at tangible metrics to see how well you are doing and how effectively your coach is performing. If they can’t produce the right stuff and you have given it ample time, look elsewhere.

After you hire a coach, it isn’t up to the coach to execute. It is up to you! You want to ensure that your coach can provide you with the support that you need to help you build strong processes and procedures, smart marketing and advertising, and rock solid financials. But, you will be doing the work and you need to expect that. It can be easy to blame a business coach, but you need to take accountability for your own business. If you make the decision to go for it, trust it (with proper tracking!) and work your tail off to go out there and win!

Jim Crowell has a unique background of owning businesses, trading successfully for a hedge fund, and managing the business lines for OPEX Fitness. He’s currently the Director of Business Development and Operations where he’s building and managing the OPEX Gym Licensing model around the globe. When he isn’t building businesses, he’s either enjoying time with his wife, Katie, getting in a workout, or studying to earn his MBA from the University of North Carolina.

Certification and continuing education organizations American Aerobic Assoc.

International (AAAI)

National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)

American Council on Exercise (ACE)

National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)

www.aaai-ismafitness.com www.ACEfitness.org

Fitour

www.nfpt.com

www.nsca.com

www.fitour.com

Functional Aging Institute (FAI)

www.functionalaginginstitute.com

SCW Fitness Education www.scwfit.com

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Journey to Success

By Lindsay Vastola

REDEFINING WONDER WOMAN An interview with a modern-day superhero Amanda Mittleman

L

ike most toddler boys, my fouryear old son is enamored with superheroes. He knows their “real” names, their superpowers and their weaknesses, their allies and their enemies. He talks like them, dresses like them and acts like them.

His infatuation with superheroes is not simply about the costumes or the superpowers, it’s about the power to “save the day” and be that one person that people depend on when they need it most.

When Amanda Mittlemann was five years old, she was not much different. She discovered Wonder Woman for the first time. For a woman who calls herself a “Wonder Woman want-to-be,” she certainly has fulfilled the expectations of a modern-day superhero.

We had the opportunity to speak about her journey to success…

LINDSAY VASTOLA: WHAT WERE THE INFLUENCES THAT LED YOU TO A CAREER IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY? Amanda Mittlemann: I was a young, single mother of boy/girl twins who had severe medical issues. Although my daughter’s medical issues (problems with a VP shunt in her brain, pulmonary dysplasia and superior vena cava syndrome/blood clotting issues) continued on for many years, both of my babies were much healthier when they were two-and-a-half years old. That’s when I went back to college (parttime) to complete my bachelor’s degree. I

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had been an athlete growing up and even at age 23 I knew exercise helped me think more clearly and, like most women, I wanted to look and feel better as well. I couldn’t afford a gym membership much less babysitting for two babies. I needed a job, and I loved aerobics classes, so I became a group fitness instructor. Within a few months I became a personal trainer as well.

LV:

It sounds like your initial start in the industry was a necessity to support yourself and your twins. What were some of the more significant early experiences that you believe have made you successful over time?

AM:

When I was 21, my boyfriend was going into the army and before we moved we got married. A few months later I was pregnant (unexpected). I had my twins 12 weeks premature. They weighed 2.5 pounds each. My pregnancy had been perfect up until the day they decided it was time to see the world!

Just a few months later, on September 8, 1992, I found myself in front of the big doors of the Orange County Social Security building. My husband and I were separated, and doctors told me that my babies would probably rely on medical services for the rest of their lives and that I needed to sign them up for social services. This was not the life I had dreamed of for my babies or myself! On this particular morning, I had an awakening that

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Photo Credit : Darren Wellhoefer Photography

AMANDA MITTLEMAN CURRENT TITLE: Creator, CEO, personal trainer, leader, writer, wife, mom, GiGi

COMPANY NAME: Mo-Mentum Fitness

EDUCATION: BS - Human Development/ Physiology; MS – Kinesiology/ Exercise Science, California State University Long Beach

FAVORITE EQUIPMENT: TRX

FAVORITE QUOTE: Fate whispers to the warrior, “You cannot withstand the storm,” and the warrior whispers back, “I AM THE STORM.” -Josh Bowen (Buff Gandhi)

CONTACT INFO: Amanda@mo-mentumfitness.com www.Mo-MentumFitness.com Facebook/Twitter: @AmandaMittleman

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shifted my thinking forever. It sounds so unassuming, but it was pretty profound for me.

I realized that morning that I could either be a victim or I could do whatever it takes to turn my life around, but that it was up to me. I chose the latter, of course. This simple but profound moment in my life still fuels me today.

For the next several years, I taught classes at big box gyms, completed my personal training certification, attended my first IDEA conference and eventually took on more classes and training at a smaller gym, build-

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ing my personal training work. I also volunteered at physical therapy practices thinking I wanted to take my career in that direction.

In 1998, I completed my degree and decided I wanted to do something bigger in the fitness industry. I wanted to be a presenter, educator and to write and develop programs that would help people get out of pain, feel better and exercise for a lifetime. Two years later I started my master’s degree in Health Science, and later transferred to Kinesiology.

It took nearly nine years, but I graduated with

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my master’s, and in that same year I officially situated a business license for Mo-Mentum Fitness and continued renting space (for both personal training and group fitness classes).

LV:

Have you had a mentor or someone you’ve looked up to? Did he/she ever give you a piece of advice that has proven instrumental in your success?

AM:

My mentor is Todd Durkin. In 2010, I had been trying to open my own gym – my dream. A few years later,

I sat in a chair knee-to-knee with Todd and surrounded by ten of my peers who were also in the TD Mastermind group. I was frustrated and in tears and I told Todd my story about how hard I had been trying to open my own training facility and the obstacles that kept me from opening my dream studio: money, finding the right place, kids, and so on. What he told me next shifted my thinking forever.

He said, “I hear you Amanda. I hear your passion, and your frustration and your strength.

The only thing holding you back from opening this brick-and-mortar location is you.” He was right. It was my fear. My fear of failure disguised as “good reasons.” I could find the money; I could find the right place. I just needed to make the decision and move forward right past the obstacles. “Ready, fire, aim!” In 2013, I opened my brick-and-mortar gym, Mo-Mentum Fitness.

LV:

How do you balance the demands on your time and the opportunities that come your way with family time, time for yourself, time to workout, eating right, etc.?

AM:

I have to admit that I often struggle with this. I have a bit of

“Wonder Woman-want-to-be syndrome” (I made that name up but I think it says it all).

In my head I can balance everything, but in reality we have 24 hours in a day and we do have to sleep whether we like it or not.

In the past couple years, I have been practicing this, for each opportunity that comes my way. I identify three criteria to decide what projects to take on: 1-The opportunity/project must fit into one of my six roles.

A few years ago I got a great tip from Trina Gray about defining six roles for ourselves.

The roles can change over time, but we have time in our lives for only six roles. My six roles are 1-mom, 2-wife, 3-leader, 4-writer, 5-business owner, 6-wellness coach. This is how I decide to take on “opportunities.” I ask myself, “Does this “opportunity” fit into one of my six roles?”

2-The opportunity must be something that is within my niche, where I can make my highest contribution.

3- The opportunity must be something that if it didn’t present itself to me—I would be willing to work very hard for the opportunity.

In Essentialism by Greg McKeown, he talks about focusing on only the top 10% of

the opportunities that come our way. These questions help me differentiate myself and my business from other gyms, trainers and fitness professionals. These questions provide me boundaries and actually the freedom to keep redefining my niche. Because, I like everything! I love the fitness industry and it is very easy for me to get side-tracked with the newest, latest exciting piece of equipment, training methodology or business ideas which will lead me away from my niche. With questions like these, I have given myself the freedom to explore, but to stay focused within my niche.

This way I become the best at what I do instead of a master of nothing!

Amanda Mittlemann, since the age of 5, has embraced her inner Wonder Woman and the role of superhero; sometimes by choice, but often by the trials of life circumstance. Like most superheroes, she’s used her weakness and frustration to fuel a passion to help others. She makes it her daily mission to be that one person her clients count on to “save the day,” helping them find their inner most (and often lost) superhero. With her relentless focus, passion and drive, we certainly haven’t seen the last of this modern-day superhero.

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The Most powerful

CLIENT ACQUISITION TOOL Strategies to use public speaking to increase business

P

oliticians, scholars and business people alike have known for ages that the most effective way to spread a message and persuade people is through public speaking. Even with the advent of webinars and streaming videos, speaking live on stage to an audience reigns supreme. You only need to go to trade shows, industry conferences, TED talks, continuing education courses or political conventions to realize that this media is still king.

The powerful tool of public speaking is perfectly suited for fitness professionals looking to grow their business. It costs nothing other than

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time. Most importantly, it meshes with a common value that most all fitness professionals have: to spread a message of the benefits of fitness to the masses who so desperately need our help.

Unfortunately, many fitness professionals are failing to take advantage of the power of public speaking. Not knowing where to speak, how to set up engagements, what to say or how to translate your speaking gig into paying clients are the biggest obstacles holding most people back.

Let’s address these issues to unleash this powerful client acquisition tool to grow your business.

FIND YOUR TARGET The first thing to do to get started is to deter-

mine where you are going to speak. Philanthropic organizations near your business are the perfect places to start, such as Rotary, Kiwanis or Lions Clubs. Almost all of these organizations meet weekly and are often looking for a speaker at each meeting. Mom’s clubs, men’s clubs, PTAs, church groups and networking groups are also great options.

Local businesses can also be excellent options. Progressive businesses are always looking for a cost-effective and inspirational wellness initiative; having a local fitness expert to present is a perfect fit. A basic Google search or asking your existing clients is a great way to find businesses to target.

Dr. Michael Stare valuable here, as multiple contact attempts are often necessary. Consider using the 2x2x2 method for connecting with your targets: two emails, two phone calls, within two weeks. Of course, you can substitute other forms of communication, like Facebook or LinkedIn messages or even a simple letter. Just remember that, like most of us, people are very busy and may forget to respond or miss your messages altogether, so following up is important.

Once you make the connection, be sure to swiftly schedule a date. This will require you to be flexible, as many of the organizations have very specific and limited times available for such events.

After you schedule a date, set a reminder to follow up with your contact a couple weeks prior to the event to confirm the details. This prevents any miscommunication and embarrassment about double bookings, changed locations or not having the requested audio-visual (AV) equipment.

GET THE CONNECTION Now that you have the target list assembled, you have to find the key contact at each organization. Contacts who will book the speaking gigs are easily obtained on the website of the philanthropic organizations or clubs. Otherwise, a simple phone call, email or reaching out through social media will be best to indicate that you are looking for connections to book a speaking engagement.

GET THE GIG Now you have to connect with your contact and start scheduling your speaking engagements. Having a simple spreadsheet is in-

WHAT TO SAY The R.P.S. formula is essential to craft a presentation that will deliver results: establish Rapport, build the Problem and provide your unique Solution.

Always start by establishing rapport with your audience. Few people will listen to you unless they like you, or at least find you interesting. Expressing gratitude and excitement for the opportunity to address the audience is always a good touch as well.

Next, start building the problem, which is not hard to do when speaking about health and fitness. Rather than bog people down with obesity rates or low back pain stats, try a tactic called “entering the conversation in their head.” This involves finding out what is going on in the minds of your audience and speaking to that. A great way to do this is to engage the audience and have them help build the problem. For example, ask them: “We all know that exercising and eating right are important, but why is it that people struggle to exercise and eat right?” If you’ve been training clients, it won’t be hard for you to predict what answers they will provide. Anticipate their responses, and build on each problem to the point where everyone in the room is nodding their heads and craving a solution.

Presenting your unique solutions will make up the majority of your presentation. Here you’ll specifically address all the problems you’ve built by showing them proof of your solutions. This is best done through pictures and videos of your clients. Social proof is the most powerful way to show the effectiveness

of your services. Backing it up with some research is effective as well. Be sure you choose examples that will resonate with your target audience. Paint a picture of who the person is, what they struggled with, and how they changed once they implemented your unique solution. Follow this up by presenting your ultimate solution to the audience: an offer for your services.

GET CLIENTS FROM YOUR PRESENTATION The key to converting your information to attaining new clients is to capture the audiences’ contact information. The best way to do this is to present a valuable, no-risk offer to them that they really want.

A great approach is to provide two different offers: your “A” and “B” offer. For your A offer, provide a free consultation and your B offer can be a free report or DVD. A simple way to present the offer is to pass out a single piece of paper, with spaces for them to provide their contact info and indicate which offer they would like.

Acquiring several offer sheets with new leads is only part of the objective. The most important thing is to make sure to follow up with these leads promptly. For consultation requests, again use the 2x2x2 approach: two calls, two emails, all in two weeks. For B offers, send out the free information within a day before their interest fades.

Consider the potential power that pubic speaking has to grow your business. If you land three speaking gigs a month with an average of 35 people in attendance and only three people at each gig sign-up for your A offer, that could translate to over 100 consultations in a year.

For those who respond to your B offer, you’ll be adding hundreds of potential clients to your database. All the while, you can stay true to what we as fitness professionals believe in… spreading our message of health and fitness to those who desperately need it.

Dr. Michael Stare is a physical therapist, personal trainer, nutritionist and the owner of Spectrum Fitness Consulting, LLC in Beverly, Massachusetts.

Dr. Stare presents locally to dozens of organizations and businesses, and nationally to clinicians across the country on rehabilitation, fitness and nutrition. He has built his award-winning training studio on public speaking and hopes to help others do the same. Dr. Stare can be reached at mike@spectrumfit.net.

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Ryan Carver

GET POSITIVE ABOUT CASH FLOW 5 steps to get a handle on your cash flow

H

undreds of articles and books focus on starting your own business, business finances, accounting and so on, yet most of them fail to address how you can make it in this business by keeping a positive cash flow. It’s probably because it isn’t popular. We want to advertise that being a fitness professional is glamourous and lucrative. We’ve gotten into the mindset that happiness and success is measured by what you spend. Real success is quite the opposite.

This industry is unique in many ways. Revenue can happen relatively quickly offering a service that improves your clients’ lives. However, some months are better than other months.

Often, fitness professionals struggle with mak-

18

ing ends meet consistently because when they have a good month, they make a lot of money.

Conversely, on ‘leaner’ months, they don’t make enough. There are a few consistent actions you must take in order to keep your business thriving in a place of positive cash flow.

GIVE YOURSELF A SALARY Simply put, figure out the lowest possible salary you can live off of (covering all payments and debt obligations) and pay yourself that. That’s right, the lowest, not highest. This requires a true heart-toheart with your bank account and budget.

This simple tip helps regulate the cash flow.

This principle works whether you are a W2 employee or 1099 independent contractor. It works whether you are just starting out in your

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career or have been in the industry for a decade. If you can live off of just $2,000/month, for example, you know you need to make at least that, if not more. On the great months when you make $9,000, you still take your $2,000/month salary, banking the rest. On the worst months when you only generate $1,700/ month, you still take $2,000/month. It works because you aren’t always changing your salary/wages and are creating a little reserve or hedge. Too many fitness professionals get in trouble if they have one or two bad months. It needn’t be the case.

BUDGETING BASICS If you hope to know how much you can realistically afford you need to know your personal

budget, particularly three areas of spending: fixed, variable and periodic expenses.

STEP 1: Figure out your LOWEST income month in the last year; you’ll use this number. Averages are great, but they don’t really help you pay your bills when you have a slightly below average income month. Whereas, if you calculate your budget off of your worst month, and you have an average or great month, you’ve instantly created some savings or at least a cushion.

STEP 2: Calculate all your fixed expenses.

Fixed expenses are the expenses you have that occur each and every month and the amount of the bill is the same each month.

Some examples would be your rent/mortgage, car payment and insurance. Make sure you are including savings into this category.

You should be saving about 10% of your income. If you aren’t saving anything personally, then start NOW. STEP 3: Calculate your variable expenses.

These are the expenses that happen each month but the amount varies. As a sampling of variable expenses, these could include utilities, car gas, eating out, groceries, household items and entertainment. Your utilities could be variable or fixed depending if you have a contract or are on a budgeted plan. For the sake of this article we’re placing them here. Looking through the last two months of your bank/credit card statements will give you a good idea of what these items and costs truly are.

STEP 5: Add up your monthly fixed, variable and periodic expenses. Subtract this from your income. If the number is positive, great. If it isn’t, you need to step-up your income or cut your expenses, or both.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER To paint a clearer picture of what this looks like: imagine your worst monthly income is $3,100. You’ve gone through all your categories of expenses and found that you need $3,400/month. In this case, you’re $300 over budget monthly. While this may feel devastating, you can easily adjust your spending to cover or adjust $300.

After having a heart-to-heart with yourself or significant other, you make some changes so you can live off of $3,100/month. That is the monthly salary you give yourself from your training or other fitness endeavors. If you have a great month and earn $5,000, you do not take all $5,000, only your $3,100. The difference helps do for your business cash flow what the other steps we’ve talked about do for your personal finances.

Now, this principle isn’t to say you’ll remain impoverished the rest of your life. It’s perfectly fine to give yourself a bonus when you’ve been doing well and you know that you won’t need that month. You may consider taking a bonus quarterly or annually. If you do so more frequently, you’ll run into the same trap that you were in before. Annually or every other year you can evaluate how your business has been going and calculate if you can/want to give yourself a raise.

Ryan Carver is a fitness coach and

independent

personal

trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA-CSCS) and the Functional Aging Institute (FAI).

He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah. He was a collegiate athlete and enjoyed one season as a professional athlete (AUDL). He is the founder of Leverage Fitness Solutions in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is also a proud husband and father of three very active children.

STEP 4: Don’t forget your periodic expenses.

This is generally the number one area that breaks people’s budgets. The reason is because we forget about these expenses because they don’t happen every month. This includes categories like car maintenance, birthdays/holidays and annual fees/subscriptions. Once you have a total in this category you’ll want to divide it by 12 to give you a monthly average. Deposit the monthly average periodic expenses into an account to cover those expenses as they come up. You may not have enough in this account when something comes up, but it’s easier to overcome and deal with a $60 shortage, than a $560 shortage when your car suddenly needs to get fixed.

EXAMPLE: Total periodic expenses = $1,750 $1,750 / 12 months = $145.83 $146.83 is the monthly savings to deposit

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MARKETING SYSTEMS MADE EASY Part 6 of PFP’s 2016 Special Six-Part Series: The Fitness Professional’s Lifeline: Client Attraction and Retention

M

arketing can be the most confusing and complex part of growing a business.

At any point in time, there are a million things you could be doing, which makes it difficult to determine what exactly you should be focusing your time and energy on in order to grow.

And it can often feel like you need to invest a small fortune to pull everything together and be successful.

Websites, email marketing software, graphic design, copywriting, direct mail, Facebook ads, print ads, Snapchat filters… the list seems never-ending. How are you supposed to learn all those skills and tools, put them together and manage everything to pull off marketing that works while you’re working with clients?

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The fact is you can’t. Which is why it’s important to first learn (and always remember) the basics and fundamentals of finding and getting new clients. Things you can always do, regardless of your budget, just by focusing on hustling.

Here’s a list of 25 ways you can find new clients without spending a dime.

NOTE: This is a big list. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when reviewing it. Choose one tactic to start with that seems the most doable and is the easiest for you to get traction. Then go do it. Find some quick wins, and use that momentum and energy to carry you into working on another tactic. Then another, and another.

And what’s important to note is that some of the fastest growing service businesses grow through people – not just technology. So be sure to look at #16 as a jumpstart!

1. Send an email to past clients: “Hi <first name>! I hope you’re well and wanted to check in and see how you’re doing.

I also hope you’re still keeping up with your health and fitness routine. How’s it going? Take care.” Then call anybody that replies back.

2. Offer to do a free nutrition, movement or exercise seminar for some of your best clients’ places of work.

3. Host a “Bring a Friend Week” for your clients and allow them to bring in their friends to experience all that you have to offer.

4. Place a lead box in local businesses

Here’s a look at the rest of our exclusive six-part series: Part 1 (January-February)

Out of the gate: Strategies to attract and convert your first clients

Part 2 (March-April)

Your funnel to your success: Create a predictable sales funnel

Part 3 (May-June)

Keep the momentum: Continually attract, retain and get referrals

Part 4 (July-August)

Understanding psychographics to attract and retain clients

Part 5 (September-October) Have them from “hello:” A client experience like no other

By Sean Greeley where people can write down their contact information to win a prize. But keep in mind, you need to do this in a business that you have a good relationship with, as their staff will play a key role in getting people to put their names in.

For sponsorship opportunities contact susan@rbpub.com

7. Run a challenge (i.e. a fat loss challenge). This could be anywhere from 3 to 6+ weeks with prizes for most body fat percentage lost, muscle gained, etc. You should also have prizes based around incorporating healthy habits.

10. Network with like-minded business people and start rotating business to each other. BNI is a nationwide networking organization and may be a productive place to start.

5. Approach businesses and offer them a special “corporate” package for their employees, like an exclusive 30-day challenge just for them.

8. Host a public speaking event and capture all contact information when people arrive.

Present the workshop, and at the end ask if anyone is interested in a personal consultation to go over their fitness goals.

11. Offer a Saturday clinic at your studio on a specific topic. Market this on all social media. Gather leads from the clinic to convert into clients.

6. Hold an open house day with a range of different activities that the general public can attend. Have free groups, seminars and workshops running throughout the day that people can come to. Encourage clients to bring friends and family along.

9. Implement a referral reward program and present it to clients after giving them positive recognition for successes. Explain how the referral program works and how it will benefit your client. Offer some type of reward.

12. Get some plastic gift cards made with an offer on them. You can pass these out to current clients for referrals or to new prospects who come in.

13. Send a text message to past clients – just a check-in with something simple. “Hey

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<name>, I was thinking about you today! Just wanted to check in and see how things have been going on your way to <insert their goal>.”

14. Call past clients to check in and see how they’re doing. Offer your help and be interested in them!

15. Get yourself some human billboards and train them for free in exchange for referrals.

16. Follow a guerilla marketing challenge and give away 10 business cards a day for 14 days.

17. Do weekly grocery store tours, educate the public and then present them with a low-barrier offer into one of your programs.

20. Send out a targeted mail drop with postcards to your community.

21. Drive around in your own advertising machine. Wrap your car and get a lot of attention for you and your business.

22. Use your blog as a place to educate, nurture and convert prospects into paying clients.

23. Give first. Send your best clients unnanounced gifts, just because. This can be something small—like your mom said, “It’s the thought that counts.”

best carries over directly to attracting new people that need your help. And nothing beats word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied clients!

Remember to keep your marketing plan simple. There will be loads of opportunities to make it complicated and spend more money later.

Whether you’re on a shoestring budget or have a big marketing budget, “hustle” is always the most important word in growing your business!

Sean Greeley, CEO of NPE, has an unrelenting passion

24. Write articles for local magazines and publications. Give your best information away for free and position yourself as the local fitness and/or fat loss guru.

for supporting entrepreneurs

25. Wear your gym’s swag around town and talk to people—combine this with #16!

countries. The company has been listed 7x on the

and

growing

businesses.

For nearly 10 years, NPE has grown to serve over 25,000 fitness business owners in 95

18. Schedule at least one “lunch and learn” for local businesses with 10 or more employees. Give them 20 minutes of content, 10 minutes of Q and A, and then make them a great offer.

19. Give all new clients a certificate to bring a friend along the first week.

22

Inc. 500 list of fastest growing, privately owned U.S. corporations. Download NPE’s “Fitness

Now, while you’re getting busy marketing to new clients, it’s essential to stay focused on bringing your “A” game in serving the clients you currently have. The great energy you bring to motivating and inspiring clients to be their

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Business Sales & Marketing Planning Guide” and learn how you can request a complimentary diagnostic consultation to start growing your business, achieving your goals, and living your dreams at www.NetProfitExplosion.com/PFP/Marketing

THE MESSAGE Website: www.PatRigsby.com | Facebook: /PatRigsbyHQ | Twitter: @PatRigsby | LinkedIn: /PatRigsby

As an accomplished entrepreneur, respected coach, recognized author and sought-after speaker, Pat Rigsby has undoubtedly impacted the fitness industry. His resume boasts CEO and co-owner of multiple multi-million-dollar fitness ventures recognized on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500; multiple honors as an Inc. 5000 honoree, listed as one of the fastest growing businesses in the nation; best-selling author six times and regular feature in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Men’s Health, USA Today, among the ongoing list. Though his accolades boast his ingenuity and brilliance, Rigsby may be one of the humblest professionals you meet; at a core, he focuses on sharing his message of opportunity. Here’s how he shares his message…

My ideal client is a fitness entrepreneur who wants to build their ideal business. I work specifically with trainers and coaches who are great at their craft and want to build a business that allows them to earn a great income, have a massive impact and enjoy the freedom they want.

My message is that having a great business and enjoying an outstanding quality of life are not mutually exclusive. You can do great work, operate an outstanding business and still have a life outside of the gym.

If I had only one way to share my message it would be through a personal conversation. While I enjoy writing my daily email, I think having an interactive conversation and understanding a person’s own goals, then building a map to get from where they are to where they want to be is my preferred method of connecting.

Successful messaging is when the person you are connecting with feels that you’re speaking directly to them and that they’re understood and valued.

People follow me because I’m interested in helping them build the business and the life that they want. I want them to enjoy owning their ideal business instead of settling for less than they want and deserve.

EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTER Education and certification opportunities for fitness and mind-body professionals

National Strength and Conditioning Association The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is the worldwide authority on strength and conditioning, supporting and disseminating research-based knowledge and practical application to improve performance and fitness.

Founded in 1978, they set the standard for strength training, conditioning and injury prevention. The NSCA offers four respected credentials of distinction: Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Certified Special Populations Specialist (CSPS), NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) and the Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F).

Functional Aging Institute Are you missing out on training the most lucrative population in history? Don’t be left behind, grab your Functional Aging Starter Kit today for FREE! Learn tips to reach and train the population most in need of your fitness services, with the greatest financial resources and free control of their time.

Functional Aging Institute www.functionalaginginstitute.com

NSCA 800.815.6826 info@nsca.com www.nsca.com

PFP Presents Affordable Teaching Certifications from FiTOUR!

AAAI/ISMA-American Aerobic Assoc. International/International Sports Medicine Assoc.

FiTOUR® has prepared over 100,000 part-time and full-time professionals to enter and stay involved in the health and fitness industry by providing exceptionally priced certifications and renewals. Each certification includes: study material, an IDEA e-membership, same-day in-home testing, and a printable certification. Renew for only $25!

AAAI/ISMA has been certifying & educating fitness professionals for 36 years. AAAI/ISMA is one of the original, largest and most recognized International Fitness Certification Associations, with over 180,000 members worldwide. To ensure quality education our faculty trainers have a Ph. D., M. D. or Master’s Degree. Modeled after a university system, students pre-study and attend a hands-on live workshop. The certification exams are written & practical.

With 26 certification options, we help you build a CAREER! The certification workshop & exam is $99.00.

Get Your Certification Today for a Special Price at FiTOUR.com/PFP

FiTOUR 281.494.0380 www.Fitour.com

AAAI/ISMA 609.397.2139 www.aaai-ismafitness.com

Improve Client Programming with Foot to Core Sequencing The decision to become a Barefoot Training Specialist is the first step towards joining our community of in-demand health and fitness professionals from around the world who have a solid understanding of foot function and barefoot science. In the Level 1 Certification, you explore how to prep the body for movement by tapping into the nervous system with barefoot science, foot to core sequencing and reflexive stabilization via fascial lines as the foot is the only contact point between the body and the ground.

This complex structure plays a critical role in the way our body stabilizes during closed chain movements. ®

EBFA Global education@ebfafitness.com www.ebfafitness.com

Personal Trainer Certification NFPT has been certifying personal fitness trainers since 1988 and provides an NCCA accredited Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) program. NFPT takes a foundational approach to its program, with an emphasis on knowing how the body functions and how to apply that knowledge to goal-oriented fitness training. The focus is on-the-job trainer skills that produce an understanding and confidence to safely and effectively implement exercise. Whether in clubs or private studios, CPTs are preventative healthcare providers with the ability to effect positive change.

National Federation of Professional Trainers, NFPT 800.729.6378 www.nfpt.com

Expand Your Knowledge – Maintain Your Certification

REVO2LUTION RUNNING Specialist Certification

Give your clients, athletes, and group class participants the customized programs that address their needs and help them achieve results.

Browse our hundreds of continuing education courses for field and lab assessments to guide your exercise prescription, specific exercises for all abilities/conditions, novel training protocols, and proven motivational strategies. Visit the DSWFitness/Human Kinetics Continuing Education website to search by price range, certifying organization, subject area, or product format.

The REVO2LUTION RUNNINGTM certification, developed by running expert and IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year Dr. Jason Karp, provides education for personal trainers, group exercise instructors, and coaches. Offered as either a home-study course or one-day workshop, it covers everything about running, including physiology, technique, workouts, injuries, nutrition, and women-specific training. This certification enables you to teach REVO2LUTION RUNNING classes and shows you how to design training programs for weight loss and for 5Ks to marathons.

DSWFitness/Human Kinetics Continuing Education 800.873.6758 www.HumanKinetics.com/Continuing-Education

REVO2LUTION RUNNING 619.546.8386 http://run-fit.com/revo2lutionrunning

For information on how to get listed in the Education Resource Center, please contact susan@rbpub.com.

EXERCISE SPOTLIGHT Exercises designed by Rollga Roller

Rollga Roller Rollga is the best foam roller for stabilizing your hips, aligning your back, increasing range of motion in your joints and reversing pain caused from shin splints. The depth of this high-quality foam roller, and its positive effects, are greatly influenced by the design. Ordinary foam rollers cause discomfort and pain due to the unfitting design.

This body-shaped foam roller is designed and contoured to fit your body and reach trigger points that are difficult to access with an ordinary roller. Rollga bypasses the bone structure for quick results with more comfort and ease.

How to use your Rollga: - Roll slowly and breathe - Watch position and form - Roll on the floor or against a wall - Control pressure by adjusting weight - Roll one or both legs at the same time

Where to use caution: - Avoid rolling joints and injuries - Don’t roll low back from hips to ribs - Check with physician before starting

Which Rollga zone should I use?

Odd-numbered zones avoid bone structures, cradling your body effectively with increased comfort and support.

Even-numbered zones add stability for a variety of curvatures on the body reaching areas that other rollers simply cannot access.

Use the Rollga guide below to determine where you should be on the Rollga roller. Notice a zone reference for each position.

- Zone 1 - neck, back and glutes - Zone 2 - deep pressure and for feet - Zone 3 - limbs, IT band and hip flexor - Zone 4 - shoulders and psoas

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Trapezius and erector spinae

Place the Rollga roller behind on your back, just above the shoulder blades. Your spine should be aligned with zone 1.

Place your arms either supporting your head or extended behind. Use your legs to push and roll from your shoulders to the middle of your back, roughly at your last rib, then return up towards your shoulders. Roll slowly; breathing deeply and use slow control. Do not press and hold tight spots. Do not roll your lower back as your psoas will tighten up to protect your spine in this region.

For more information, visit www.Rollga.com/PFP | Social Media: @RollgaHealth

Adductors

Forearms

Piriformis

Shins or anterior tibialis

Calves

Quadriceps

Lying on your side place your leg over zone 2 of the roller.

Roll your hips from left to right, while applying a downward pressure.

Sit on your Rollga roller, in zone 3, with legs extended. Lean and tip to the outside contour of the Rollga. Starting with the lower piriformis, roll to the upper. Keeping your body slightly tilted allows you to focus and target specific areas in the piriformis. Notice the Rollga makes contact at a 45-degree angle back into the targeted muscle.

Place the Rollga roller under your calves in zone 3. Roll from just below the back of your knee to your Achilles tendon. Hold tight spots for 30 to 45 seconds or until pain and tightness in the calves diminish. Do not roll behind the knee.

Place the Rollga roller in front of you, from a kneeling position, rest your arms on zone 3 at your wrists. Roll across your forearm to your elbows.

Begin on your hands and knees. Your hands should be on the floor near your knees. Place the roller under your ankles. Lift your hips upward and feel the roller glide along your shins as you extend your legs outward into a plank position. Roll front to back to find the tender areas. Hold tight spots for 30 to 45 seconds or until pain diminishes. For an advanced technique, lift one leg off the roller and engage your core to keep your leg and back parallel to the floor as you roll. You may also cross your ankles stacking one leg over the other as you roll.

Lie on your stomach with the roller placed just above your knees.

Elbows are bent and forearms are flat against the floor. In a plank position, engage your abdominal muscles to prevent your body from sagging. Push with your forearms and roll across your thighs to your pelvic bone, then back again. Do not roll knees.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 | WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | 27

NEW ON THE MARKET The latest trends in fitness equipment

CURVE BALL The Curve Ball is a stationary foam roller great at deep tissue muscle massage.

This inventive tool offers stable and controlled deep muscle release. Perfect for hips, glutes, back, shoulders and more. A strong grip flat base provides sustained stationary traction. Its curved massage surface provides targeted muscle pain relief. Use your weight as leverage and let the tool do the work.

Use on the floor, chair, bed or wall. www.tigertailusa.com

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Lindsay's Review: Anchor Point Training

If the industry thinks it has seen all possible forms of suspension training, enter Anchor Point Training (APT). The APT band has taken suspension training and made it even more dynamic and versatile. A few of the differentiating features include the option for either fixed or reciprocating single-point resistance as well as fixed shoulder-width anchoring in doorways that can also be affixed to any anchored band, cable machine, sled or landmine. The two handles are double-wide and multiple bands can be connected to increase resistance. The handles can also be used as a belt, shoulder strap or foot strap. APT is a fantastic addition to your personal, partner and group training repertoire. www.anchorpointtraining.com

SANDROPE

FITZONE FREE WEIGHT

CORE-TEX

The SandRope battle rope offers all the benefits of battle rope training, but in less space, without need of an anchor point, and with a greater variety of exercises. Get the high intensity cardio, strength building and fat burning benefits of this training tool. Dynamic shifting in this sand product is great for individual or group training. www.Hyperwear.com

FitZone Free Weight is an interlocking flooring system that is easy to cut and fit in rooms of all sizes. FitZone tiles are 100% water resistant, stain resistant and easy to clean. FitZone Free Weight provides maximum protection and unique aesthetics in the free weight area.

Free Weight tiles are the best solution for traction, impact and absorption while protecting the subfloor beneath. Tile sizes are 24â&#x20AC;? x 24â&#x20AC;?. www.kieferusa.com

The patented Core-Tex combines razor sharp reaction, mobility, dynamic strength, metabolic conditioning and balance into one unique device, creating the optimal training environment that allows the body to react and respond for an amazing workout that is always engaging and never the same. The innovative design of the Core-Tex allows the base to move, creating an exceptional approach to integrated training versatile enough for seniors, kids and your fittest members. www.coretexfitness.com

| WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

EVENTS CALENDAR November 2016 - January 2017

NOVEMBER 2016

AFAA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Personal Fitness Trainer & Group Exercise Certification Workshops

JANUARY 2017

SCW Fitness: Boston Mania

November 20 l Fullerton, CA; Wantagh, NY; Austin, TX www.afaa.com/workshops

NSCA Coaches Conference

November 11-13 l Boston, MA www.scwfit.com/mania

Functional Aging Institute Specialist Certification Workshop November 12 l Lowell, MA www.functionalaginginstitute.com

Fitour: Boot Camp and Primary Personal Training Certification Workshops November 19-20 l Springhill, TN www.fitour.com/workshops

DECEMBER 2016 Fitour: Primary Indoor Cycling Workshop Certification December 3 l Norfolk, VA www.fitour.com/workshops

Fitour: Primary Personal Training Certification Workshop

January 4-6 l Nashville, TN www.nsca.com/events

Fitour: Primary Group Exercise Certification Workshop January 28 l Anderson, SC www.fitour.com/workshops

For a complete listing, or to submit your event, see our online Events Calendar at www.fit-pro.com/events.

December 11 l Indianapolis, IN www.fitour.com/workshops

Publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: The U.S. Postal Service requires the following statement be published for Personal Fitness Professional Periodicals Class mailings only. Personal Fitness Professional has had a Periodicals Class permit since January 2001.

U.S. Postal Service STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685 1.

2.

3.

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Publication Title .............................................................PFP Publication No. ..............................................................1523-780X Filing Date .....................................................................September 1, 2016 Issue Frequency...............................................................Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, Spring, July-Aug, Sep-Oct, Nov-Dec 5. No. of Issues Published Annually...................................6 6. Annual Subscription Price .............................................Free 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not Printer) 2901 International Lane, Suite 100, Madison, Dane County, WI 53704-3128 Contact Person ...............................................................Rachel Chapman, (608) 442-5082 8. Complete Mailing Address of the Headquarters of General Business Offices of the Publisher (Not Printer) .....................2901 International Lane, Suite 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Address of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor Publisher ............................................. ...........................Chad Griepentrog, RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Suite 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 Editor .................................................. ...........................Lindsay Vastola, RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Suite 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 Managing Editor............................................................Mike Beacom, RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Suite 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 10. Owner (If the publication is owned by a corporation, give the name and address of

the corporation immediately followed by the names and addresses of all stockholders owning or holding one percent or more of the total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, give the names and addresses of the individual owners. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, give its name and address, as well as those of each individual owner. If the publication is published by a nonprofit organization, give its name and address.)

(Full Name) (Complete Mailing Address) Marll Thiede .......................................................... RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Ste. 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 Gregory Rice .......................................................... Executive Management Inc. 2901 International Lane, Ste. 200, Madison WI 53704-3128 Ron Brent .............................................................. RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Ste. 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and other Security Holders Owning or Holding one Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities.........None

12. Tax Status...............................................................The purpose, function and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes has NOT changed during preceding 12 months.

13. Publication .....................................................................PFP 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data......................................July/August 2016 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation ..................................B2B - Controlled a. Total No. Copies (Net Press Run) .......................... 15,565 ........................ 14,290 b. Paid and/or Requested Distribution 1. Outside-County Mail Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541. .................. 13,905 ........................ 13,576 2. In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541. ........................0 ................................ 0 3. Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales and Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside USPS.... 0 .................. 0 4. Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS ...............0 ................................ 0 c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation [Sum of 15b (1, 2, 3, and 4)] .................................... 13,905 ........................ 13,576 d. Nonrequested Distribution (Samples, Complimentary and Other Free) 1. Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541 ............ 1,213 ........................... 408 2. In-County as Stated on Form 3541 .........................0 ................................ 0 3. Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS ..............15 .............................. 16 4. Distributed Outside the Mail ..... . ..........................402 ............................ 260 e. Total Nonrequested Distribution ............................ 1,630 ........................... 684 f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e)................. 15,535 ........................ 14,260 g. Copies Not Distributed ...............................................30 .............................. 30 h. Total (Sum of 15f and 15g) ..................................... 15,565 ........................ 14,290 i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (15c/fx100) ...............................................................89.5% ........................ 95.2% 16. Electronic Copy Circulation ..............................................................................Yes a. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies .................... 21,729 ........................ 19,548 b.Total Requested and paid Print Copies (Line 15c) + Requested/Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) .... .................... 35,634 ................................ 33,124 c.Total Requested Copy Distribution (Line 15f) + Requested/Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) ......................... 37,264 ................................ 33,808 d.Percent paid and/or Requested Circulation (Both Print & Electronic Copies) (16b divided by 16c x 100) .........................................95.63% ...................... 97.98% 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the November-December 2016 issue of this publication.

18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager or Owner: Rachel Chapman, Audience Development Manager, / September 1, 2016 I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

PS Form 3526-R, September 2007

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 | WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | 29

BE BETTER Phil Kaplan | www.philkaplan.com

What’s best?

There are times aggressive circuit training programs are perceived as “the best course of action” by those who are overweight, outof-shape or limited by inflammatory concerns; and in those cases injury is not only possible, it’s likely. There are times extreme deprivation, carb-omission or reliance upon appetite suppression are believed to be “the best way” for those seeking fat reduction; and in those cases metabolic compromise is not only possible, it’s likely.

The word “appropriate” is a vitally important word in our field, especially when our society is filled with well-intentioned but under-informed consumers happy to spread whatever word they believe is “best.” Let’s consider that word. Best.

Best is often perceived as “fastest.” In a moment of confrontation with a mirror, the human psyche is able to summon up the emotion of disgust, and in that state of emotion the desire to get rid of excess fat becomes fiery. The mind wants an outcome for the body, and it wants it “now.”

Sometimes best is perceived as “easiest.” You’ve no doubt run into the fitness-wanter who qualifies the desire with “other than exercise and diet…” or “what else can I do?” or “what supplement…?”

Worst of all, best may be perceived as “the one I saw on Facebook,” or “the one I heard about on the radio,” and although consumers see and hear advertising thousands of times each day, advertisers have become highly sophisticated in penetrating any wall of sensibility, driving beyond rational thought to create impulse.

We have to redefine best.

Let’s start by adding a few words: “Best for the client right now.”

Years ago, when in interviews I was asked, “what is the most important thing you’d want to say to personal trainers?” I had two answers. One was, “Treat every client as the most important person in the world,” and second, “Deliver far more value than anyone expects.” Those still hold true, but in a world where people are subjected to overwhelm, where there are more purported solutions than ever I feel inclined to add a third: “Meet the client where the client is.”

The challenge becomes one of exploration and investigation. How do you know where the client is? We were taught to rely upon a fitness assessment, and that certainly helps, but in my experience most trainers view the assessment as the establishment of a baseline. As a snapshot to be used for comparison in weeks or months to evidence results. Although some will use a balance or postural assessment to pursue exercises aimed at correcting muscular imbalances, overall the information we acquire from the standard assessment is only a piece of the determination of “where the client is.”

The health questionnaire is of course valuable in assessing whether there are any contraindications, limiting conditions or historical episodes that might have created need for caution or modification, but there’s more.

The emotional assessment is perhaps the most telling. We are not psychologists, and are not credentialed to provide therapeutic emo-

30

| WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

tional counseling, but we recognize that the emotional state of the client, the mindset, the outlook and the perspective are the key elements of decision-making and adherence.

I will tell you that watching and listening are the most important tools you have in this process. Often their body language will be more telling than their words. Other times the volume of times they use the words “can’t” and “but” show that their doubts are more prevalent than they may be ready to outwardly admit.

The biggest mistakes I see in failing to “meet the client where the client is” are in volume and intensity. The less-savvy trainer feels a need to “fill the hour” and in that keeps the client moving from exercise to exercise to complete a 60-minute session. The reality is, for a sedentary, once-but-no-longer-conditioned middle-aged person, a 15-minute session may be sufficient. In fact, it may be optimal. For those who feel obliged to “fill the hour” the rest of the hour can be filled valuably with conversation related to lifestyle shifts, finding time to make exercise a habit and beginning to align nutrition with desired outcome.

The reason we see fit people sticking to their programs and less-fit people falling into the sea of abandonment has everything to do with how the novice gets started. If the session is “intense” but not “comfortable” you are likely to lose the client. If the session is “professional” but there isn’t a sense of received instruction, the client may be short term.

So this raises a new question. If we are going to spend all of this time screening, asking, interacting conversationally and trying to figure out what is ‘’best” for each and every client, how do we get paid?

Here’s the answer: Charge appropriately. When you help the client understand that your exploration not only of the articulated goal, but of the true readiness of each individual is vital, you gain respect. When you take the time to not only ask, but listen to every response related to exercise history, medical concerns, fears and apprehensions, you gain connection. When you begin a program by helping the client see, hear, feel and understand precisely why this is “best” you become invaluable.

Don’t charge only for exercise time. Charge for YOUR time, and the assessment process is every bit as valuable (if not more) than the time you spend in physical movement patterns.

Here are a sample of important questions to ask, as the answers will begin to uncover mindset and readiness. I’ll provide a few here, and happily send a longer list to anyone who wants it.

1. What is the obstacle most likely to interrupt your commitment and progress?

2. Why MUST you make this life change now?

3. How will I know when you’re losing steam, losing interest or need redirection?

Meeting the client where the client is sounds so trite, so simplistic, but it very well may be the one factor that separates the “best” trainers from the rest of the pack.

To inquire regarding Phil’s “Betterment” courses for Fitness Professionals or to get a complete list of questions, email him at phil@philkaplan.com.

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