How to Conduct an Online Personal Training Client Orientation

Conducting a client orientation is the foundation of a personal trainer – client relationship. This is where you discuss the client’s personal training goals and generally get your client accustomed to any equipment he or she would be using. It is also during the personal training client orientation that you give the client an opportunity to get accustomed to you by answering honestly and sincerely any questions the client asks regarding the whole personal training work out.

With a physical client who comes to you at a gym or even one to whose house you have to go to, this is straightforward enough. It is a whole different kettle of fish when you are conducting an online personal training client orientation. However, the fact that the client orientation is online does not mean it has to be such a challenge or in personal. You do need to think out of the box but the internet is already replete with fitness workout tools that can be harnessed for a successful personal training client orientation.

For the preliminary stages, prepare the following documents for your client to complete and send to you through email. An Exercise-Readiness Screening Questionnaire; if you like, you could ask your client to get a doctor’s report certifying his or her state of fitness so that you know how to effectively tailor the training for the client.

Another important document would be Personal Training Goals, Lifestyle Evaluation, a Personal Training Contract and a Consent form for participation in a personal training program. All these have one aim behind them; to help you adequately chart a plan that is compatible to your client. And to protect you too.

From the information contained in the documents above, you would be able to know the right questions to ask. You should also have determined what equipment your client would be using. Armed with this information, you can set a time for a phone-in conversation as part of your orientation.

One really effective way to conduct an online personal training orientation is by Skype video conferencing, if it is something your client is amenable to. You could both set a date and have a video conference where you take your client through all that you think is necessary for your personal training client orientation. With video conferencing, you could always demonstrate any techniques you feel are important to your client’s workout routine.

Finally, follow up with emails. If you utilize an online personal training software suite ensure that you are maximizing its effectiveness by logging in daily and looking at your client's reported workout results, food journal and goal mapping. You should be careful not to use a one-size-fits-all technique as each client’s needs are different.

Here is a helpful resource - a New Client Questionnaire to utilize in your online personal training business. NewClientQuestionnaire

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