ASSESSMENTS AND CLIENT INTAKE

Outline

Discuss why assessments are key to establish client’s current emotional and physical readiness.

Discuss different physical assessments

Discuss different emotional assessments

Introduction

As with any relationship first impressions do count and also dictate how that relationship progresses. Personal training isn’t any different, it’s called personal training after all. Even though it is a professional atmosphere we as trainers are establishing a very private, personal relationship with our clients. They are going to share emotions, feelings, and talk about what is a struggle for a lot of people…their weight and their relationship with food.

Introduction cont.In a general sense a professional assessment and analysis process can set a potential client at ease, they understand that you are in control and can see from the assessments and explanation of the assessments that you know what you are doing. This is pretty big for helping the client to trust you. If we’re going to help a client they need to be able to trust us with what’s going on in their life and they need to feel comfortable in sharing emotions with us.

In the physical sense, assessments are the foundation of program design, more importantly assessments are the foundation of injury free and results based training. Each trainer should have a combination of assessments they understand and feel comfortable with.

Physical Assessments Each trainer needs a set of assessments that they feel comfortable with, truly

understand, and can replicate without tremendous variance. In a scientific sense this allows us to be objective. For example a cardio test doesn’t involve our opinion of how fit that person is. The numbers are going to tell us objectively, they are fit or they’re not.

Physical assessments could be broken down into three essential categories: cardio, strength, and postural/balance. There are more, but these are what I feel to be the minimums. More information is always better, but we’re trainers not doctors.

Cardio-something needed to establish cardio capacity and or recovery capacity as well as a starting point for our cardio recommendation. I like the 3-minute step test

Strength-dependent on the goal and ability level of the client. A beginning client really doesn’t need to go through a 3 rep max test per say. Basic movements such as a squat, row, or chest press should allow you to functionally assess the starting point. I would say if you are taking a beginning client through a 3 rep max test their muscle activation and form and technique prevents it from being a true max for that muscle group. We need to understand that most clients have deviations, having them rock out on a 3 rep max on your first session probably isn’t going to help with that.

Physical Assessments cont.

Postural/balance-I threw balance in with postural, it’s pretty safe to say that a sedentary person that spends the majority of their waking day in a seated position is going to have poor balance. I don’t feel it’s necessary assessment per say. Each assessment performed think of the physical and emotional effect. Most clients are not walking into a first session feeling on top of the world. Balance is challenging and frustrating for most.

Postural assessments-going back to the principal that we are not doctors…we don’t have the same tools to examine interior as well as exterior. Not to say a trainer can’t effectively “diagnose” a person’s posture. More so there are more factors than just a tight muscle. That is one of the factors that we can identify and try to help with.

Postural assessments cont.

I like a combination of the NASM Single Leg Squat, Overhead Squat, as well as NASM’s CES assessments for shoulder.

Try Paul Chek’s lower ab assessments

Remember, the assessment is just a starting point. It’s a piece of the puzzle.

Emotional Assessments In order to be successful we need to be able to see where our client

stands in regards to stressors in their life and understanding of the goal.

A goal assessment process is key in this to identify if this is the right goal for the client. A process is needed that helps to identify pros and cons of the goal, as well as timelines and back-up plans.

Emotional Assessments cont.

In addition to the goal setting process, both the trainer and client need an understanding of why they are pursuing this goal (are they for the right reasons) as well as what is involved. Out of this both trainer and client should walk away with a clear idea of the goal and expectations.

Change is one of the primary stressors in life, evaluating a client’s current stress levels allows us to guide them through a process rather than to add to the stress by not truly understanding all of the stressors in that client’s life.

Summary Each trainer needs a combination of physical and emotional assessments

to adequately assess and intake a client

Physical assessments-cardio, strength, and postural

Emotional assessments-goal setting and stressors

Closing

A trainer gets one chance to make a great impression, and that is typically on the first session. A client is walking into that session with fears and anxieties around exercise and starting a training program. This is really normal, and is expected. Use that assessment process to get to know them in a professional way. Let the client see that you are covering all of the bases before starting work on something as personal and valuable as their body. Also, use that time to allow for questions. Guide the conversation to potentially allow discussion on topics that you know most initial clients are facing. Last, after the assessments sit down with the client to explain what you found, but more importantly to create a plan for their success.