3 ways to improve your fitness business form lessons in 90’s pop songs.

To be fair the 90’s and 00’s had some rather ‘interesting’ style music in them.

No more was this apparent than in various pop songs that climbed their way to the No1 spot.

In the UK you’d find some eclectic choices, yet there is something to be learned beyond the flash in the pan that was cargo pants and boy-band curtains.

Starting out one that needs some attention has to be Vogue by Madonna:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuJQSAiODqI

Why can this help your fitness business?

Firstly it’s dance routine when the chorus hits has been immortalised in the minds of many now aged teenagers because it was simple enough that with some practice everyone could get it and not look like a total fool doing it.

Steps, S Club 7 and a few others also had this element down.

How is this important?

People like things that they actually think they’ve got a shot at being able to do.

It’s worth remembering that our reach often exceeds our grasp, and while you as the trainer/coach might have a full compliment of skills and heightened body awareness most of your clients won’t.

Thus giving them something too difficult to master will leave them deflated, demotivated and kill their training momentum.

You must avoid this happening at all costs.

Therefor establish their limitations, then put use movements and progressions that while challenging are well within their ability to master, this builds positive forwards momentum that will allow you to have them fail at the more technical lifts/movements without any large negative impact.

In fact the opposite happens in some cases, they start to focus in on that ‘hard’ movement because once they nail it there is a real sense of accomplishment.

Get that planning right in your programming and it will have your clients life expectancy extend (how long they hire you for) extend by what can end up being several years.

Moving on from here we find ourselves at the mercy of the Spice Girls and Say You’ll Be There:

I know, I know.

Odd as it seems there is a very good business lesson you can glean from them.

You see they had their main brand – The Spice Girls.

Inside of this they had a sub-brand or something that appealed to make different people, this of course is the identity of the individual Spice Girls them selves (Sporty, Posh, Ginger, Scary & Baby).

While their music might not have been to your liking, their business model was brilliant.

You can apply a similar method to your business.

Establish the ONE THING you’re known for, your niche as it were, and inside of that you’ll have some sub-niches, for example:

Main Niche – Body Recomposition
Sub-Niche 1: Competitive Body Builders (amateur and/or aspiring pro, or perhaps Pro)
Sub-Niche 2: Fat Loss for Improved Health, GP Referral
Sub-Niche 3: 10-12 Week Transformations for Special Events – Weddings, Holidays, making Ex’s Jealous
Sub-Niche 4: Basic Body Building/Recomposition Seminars for Beginners
Sub-Niche 5: Female Only Body Recomposition (deep understanding of hormones, cycles, etc)

You can see the overall sub-niche’ still links to the main niche.

While there is nothing wrong with being a once trick pony, having some other talents won’t go amiss.

This brings us to the last way in which 90’s pop songs can improve your fitness business.

Will Smith, Men in Black:

As far as songs go it was… okay.

The film had its moments though.

When it comes to a business lesson, this actually comes from the man himself, Will.

I remember listening to an interview where he was talking about his success and how it all came from nothing. He got offered an opportunity and he went for it, he took a leap of faith essentially even though he didn’t know if it would be a success or a flop.

This is something all trainers/coaches can learn from.

It’s safe to say Will Smith has one of the most indomitable work ethics, and it’s something that he has also cultivated through making a choice to hone his craft and not give up when life got tough.

A lot of us will give up all too quickly, it’s why so many rarely earn a good lining in fitness.

There needs to be a solid vision in place whereby you need to have focus to push for more, for better than currently is or has been, and that’s tough.

You need to desire to truly make a difference, an impact, a change.

It’ll mean getting your ego in check, embracing the chance that shit will hit the fan and when it does learning from it while still finding a way to move forwards because you’ve made the choice to do that.

Do you want your fitness business to be the same as every other fitness business out there or do you want to be better?

Your journey in the fitness business realm doesn’t need to be a straight line, you can deviate, add various skills to your repertoire, look at Mr Smith, he’s what’s called a triple threat (sining, dancing & acting), you can be this in fitness (programming, nutrition, life coaching).

Many think they’re a fitness triple threat, they’re not, trust me.

To master even one area can take many years when trying to do it alone, a shortcut that many refuse to take is that of hiring a mentor or coach of their own.

Seek out someone who is a master in a field, learn form them and you’ll half your time to mastery.

Or don’t if you feel you know better (you don’t by the way).

It’s the one thing all of the above had in common, they had help in the form of people they could learn from along the way, as did almost every other truly successful person out there. Keep this in mind and don’t be like every other fitness professional out there that thinks they know better and can do it all on their own because like them you’ll probably fail too.

I made that mistake and would rather you didn’t.

Anyway, hopefully this random ramble will give you some food for thought.

Please feel free to fire across any questions.

Enjoy,
Ross

Capital D, Sound Like You?

Hopefully you had a great Christmas.

Today is a second day of festivities for a lot of families.

Well, it usually is.

Did you know that it’s not uncommon from people to chow down on anywhere from and extra 7000 to 10,000 calories in these back to back festive days

That’s a lot of decadent food to be enjoyed. Deservedly so in some cases too. Why did I have to go and say it like that?

“In some cases”

Because truth be told it’s the way things are.

Personally knowing a lot of people that are sporting a waist line that extends past their pecs/bust.

Looking like a capital D when standing sideways isn’t good.

If you’re honest it’s not the stature you’d willingly choose for yourself

People deny that how they look physically matters.

Yet if your fairy godmother was to appear and proclaim she could wave her wand and have you instantly transform your current body to something else that you desire with no effort, it’d be a struggle to find anyone that would refuse such an offer.

Of course people will say they would, yet they wouldn’t.Obviously that’s nothing more than a ‘what if’.

In the grand scheme of things it means nothing

That being said, you can change how you look physically, this we know to be true and this then begs the question, why don’t you?

Moving in to 2021 it’d be nice to make it a year of the aesthetic.Focusing on our physical bodies has been demonised of late.

Slammed hard by the body positive movement that you need to love your body at any size, shape, etc.

On top of that they also proclaim you can be healthy at any weight, despite all the given evidence to the contrary

Go and take a look at yourself in the mirror.

Go now.

Take photos because for some this post-christmas picture will be the best potential one to show how much progress that can make.

You’d then look to take your next picture on the 24-12-2021

What would be an entire years worth of effort, lifestyle change and transformation.

Full transparency, it won’t be easy and you need to want it.

Why you wouldn’t want to look physically more impressive than you currently do is an interesting route to explore.

Remember that you’d not be doing this for anyone else.

You’d be doing it for you.

You’d be giving your body the time, respect and attention it needs, plus when done correctly with a trainer/coach you’ll find a plethora of health & lifestyle benefits too, of that I can promise you (best pinky emoji I can do)

In fact please answer me this – why wouldn’t you want this?

Again please be aware it’s not to be done for the respect, praise, affirmation or the validation of others, it’s done for you

That just so happens to come as a byproduct.

Go now, take that photo and begin your journey today.

Moving forwards you’d also do well to add in the following:

– Diary (for training, food, mood and thoughts)
– Hire a coach/trainer in some capacity
– Tell people about your goal*
– Write down what this would mean to you emotionally & why
– Promise yourself & one close other you’ll succeed

*This is important because some will offer support, encouragement and help, while others will hate and try to derail you. Guess what though, you need both, especially the second lot because they’re the ones that keep your fire lit and propelling you forwards

The year of 2021 will be a mess with COVID, it’s not going away.

So why not focus on something that can disappear, like that expanded waist line we mentioned earlier.

Also remember if you need help you can message with any questions or curiosities you have.

You’ll also find literally everything you need via the ‘search’ function on this page for training programs, nutrition and anything else you can think of.

Don’t hesitate to reach out.

Time to go take that photo if you haven’t.

Make sure they’re the most real you can make them, that means no posing to make yourself look slimmer or better than you do, embrace the stare you’re in, perhaps even feel a little upset about it and then go do something about it

Enjoy,
Ross

A COVID Christmas – Lessons to Learn

It is the oddest of times.

Half the masses are scared, the other half don’t care.

Right, wrong or indifferent this is something people will need to live with moving forwards.

Keeping an eye on your health moving into 2021 will be something highly advisable, that is if it’s truly a priority like many have been banging on about for the best part of a year.

Unless they’re hypocrites that is.

Today you ought tot drink, be merry and let the festivities flush away all the shit that has been.

As of tomorrow it’s worth putting a few of your own rules in place, perhaps to help you make better choices nutritional, others to curve poor eating habits and maybe something that will get you into regular exercise.

Your health is your responsibility.

If COVID has sown one thing it is that the most vulnerable are those who haven’t looked after their health and relied on other to fix issues the caused by poor choices, and of course you are free to make those choices however you’re not free from the consequences of them.

It’s why you’ll find very little sympathy on here.

Unless a genuine exception your poor health is your fault.

Try to make 2021 the year whereby you actually take responsibility for your health.

Give it some thought.

Merry Christmas

Everyone wants to be an innovator, yet none ever wants to innovate. What’s up with that?

Business in 2020 has been a struggle for many

Unlike the crowd of positive people that say otherwise.

In regards to you and the majority it sucked majorly.

Unless you had connections, a solid online presence or the innovation required the depression set in and life became a struggle to survive.

This isn’t without its lessons though.

Take what has just been written above.

Connections
Online Presence
Innovation

Are they things you don’t have?

You might do well to start to focus on them moving into 2021.

To build good connections you need to connect with people, funnily enough.

You can do this via your content, social media accounts and also getting your message out there, flying a flag to find those of similar minds so the you can build something together.

The above also is crucial for getting noticed online.

Typically you can be known for being famous or infamous.

Personally I like the latter.

Cause a stir.

Call people out that deserve it and don’t be afraid to upset people because in the long run they will thank you. You’ll find the last part the trickiest.

To create something ‘new’ isn’t easy, especially in a world where pretty much everything has already been done in some way, shape or form.

How can you innovate fitness after all?

Maybe by doing the one thing no one else does, and to find that you need to do some research and establish what it is the all currently do.

Even being jaded and cold has been done to death, much to my dismay

As an idea that might be new or it might not why not try this.

It might be the innovation you’ve been looking for.

Caring enough to walk away from all the things you can do nothing about.

Give the above some deep thought.

You deserve to succeed, however you must accept this before it can happen.

Enjoy,
Ross

4 Steps to a Better Business in 2021

You’d not be considered crazy to say that 2020 has been a complete cluster f**k for business.

Especially in some specific countries where the powers that be become quite tyrannical in their approach to closing down anything they didn’t deem worthy of staying open.

This was regardless of if it was the right call or not.

Regardless of this it can’t be changed, 2020 is almost over and many are left to pick up the pieces to salvage what they can of their livelihood for the future.

Moving forwards you ought to expect more of the same.

Use 2020 as a spring board and valuable piece of hindsight that can provide you with some foresight for the new year.

These 4 steps will help you establish the best way for your business to take on 2021.

1 – Ask fellow businesses that continued to trade how they adapted to allow this.

2 – Ask the customers that continued to utilise why they did by finding what was of immersible value.

3 – Ask about what benefits came from what they found valuable (same for the business owners and their adaptions, find what was vault,e the benefits and why).

4 – Write down why your service will be seen as beneficial/valuable and highly important (a priority) to your audience/customers in 2021. Aim to do this in 50 words or less.

You’ll find a lot will start the year by telling people about all the features their services offer.

While this isn’t a bad idea, they’d be more effective at conveying your message when described as benefits that are not only valuable but also emotionally important.

Remember a service is the SOLUTION to a clients PROBLEM.

As an example:

Problem > Stubborn body fat gained in 2020 lockdown
Solution > A service to help the client lose this gained body fat and keep it off.

You can see the problem & solution are not that exciting emotionally, they have no hook or call to action.

This is where you start, from here you need to write in a way that speaks to the heart as well as the mind.

Problem > HaveCOVID calories ended up settling around your waist & got you avoid reflective surfaces?
Agitate Problem & Hint Solution > Your spare tyre doesn’t need to be a permenat fixture (regardless of age).
Solution > Within 6 months you can regain your confidence while also learning how to enjoy life more.
Call to Action > Be one of 6 people by applying ‘here’ with your reasons why you deserve a limited space.

Hopefully you’ll have a better time writing an emotional an heartfelt series of sentences.

Sadly my own approach is more direct and evokes a different kind of emotion (think tough love).

Take some time to speak to all the people that have also supported you in this troubling year and gain their wisdom, thoughts and feelings as to the best way to connect with people moving in to 2021.

Enjoy,
Ross

Why I’m Different

Why is my PT/Service different from anyone else’s?

Here’s the truth, it’s not

Seriously, the only potential element I can say that doesn’t fit the norm is that I won’t pander to people and have no qualms upsetting you.

You’ll be told what you need to hear or what is correct (for the given context), not what you want to hear, simple.

Service wise in terms of programming, nutrition, etc there is little difference

In truth when it comes to the online side of things there are plenty of people far better at it than me.

It’s why I don’t really do that much of it.

You will find working with me will change your life for two reasons:

– I allow you to accept that you’re the problem (often)
– You’ll get all the tools you need to change however you’ve go to willingly use them

So many will talk of how they will help you use them, plan things in, make it nice and easy, yes, you don’t get that with me.

You get the truth.

Together we can achieve a lot, however you’ve got to be the one to take action and if you aren’t willing to change then there will be no change.

Yes it’s that simple

Fat loss, simple.
Muscle gain, simple.
Strength progress, simple.
Athletic improvement, simple.

You actually changing, simple and the hardest thing you’ll do.

You see people don’t want to change, they enjoy being mediocre.

Many would rather work for say £200 a week, bitch & moan about how shit and unfair life is all while not actually trying to become better.

By all means be that way if you want, just understand everyone can see through your BS, and yes I mean everyone

What gives me the right to say such things?

I’ve been… I am that person.

Wasted potential due to an inherently lazy nature, and as such to see others end up as a wasted potential pile of shit is rather upsetting due to it being the closest reflection of my own self

We’re often most disgusted with our own true reflection.

Thus if I can help you avoid ending up like me I will break myself to do so, yet you will need to have the inner resolve and mental fortitude to take that leap of faith I couldn’t.

I suppose that is something that might be different in a PT sense.

You deserve to be better than me, I’m shit and you don’t want to be like or end up like me and provided you want more together we can have you grasp it with both hands

Take a look at the person you are now.

Do you want to be more, a simple yes or no will suffice.

The if the mood takes you fire me a message and any words of wisdom I can give you to help you avoid ended up in the void like me I will, however you have to be the one that wants the change.

Think about this deeply.

Enjoy,
Ross

Dynamic programming variability

Sounds pretty cool, right?

You might be wondering where you can learn more about it.

In truth it’s literally something I’ve just typed, it might be a legitimate thing hidden on some untranslated Russian or East German training volumes.

The reality is more likely that it’s a machination of many things.

Regardless it is something worth thinking about.

When I say dynamic in the above, it’s in reference to things sharply changing and perhaps even appearing random

Programming as a word is simple, it’s a structure to follow, thus it contradicts the above

Lastly we have the term variability, again denoting change, difference, randomness

Essentially it’s a contradiction sandwich

All of that is well and good, yet you probably want to know what value it is to you and more importantly how you can apply it to improve your training.

I shall try to sum it up in less than 10 words:

Your body responds best to sharp changes in volume & intensity.

Balls… 11 words.

Here is the more lengthy version with some examples:

After setting your goal plan on one ‘base’ (say 100kg at 100reps) training session, this is the original benchmark that you want to increase overtime.

From this session all subsequent ones want to have a difference in total volume with a minimum of 20% (say 100 reps base, to either 120 or 80 reps next time, then 80 to perhaps 140 after that, etc).

In regards to intensity the same applies, a difference of 10% minimum is sensible, again up or down (say 140kg at 60 reps total volume down to 108kg for 120 reps next session).

When you cycle back to the base session for anew block of training it might now be starting at 110kg for 110 reps due to increase strength & work capacity.

Reread the above.

Next go and seek out the book Beyond Body Building by Pavel Tsatsouline, there is a section on programming that touches on this and gives you plenty of Russian sports scientists and coaches to look up for more info.

Enjoy,
Ross

A Novel Approach to Online PT Pricing

This will be short and sweet.

You’ll find most have no idea how to price things online.

Literally not a scooby.

As such here is something to try – Promote Hours of Communication.

4 Week Pricing:
12 Hours = £350 (3 hours per week)
24 Hours = £500 (6 hours per week)

Okay, so what exactly does ‘Hours of Communication’ mean exactly?

Simply put it is check in time, phone/skype conversations and program writing (potentially everything).

You might set up the details along these lines for each session/task:

Initial Application/Assessment – 1 Hour (included in whatever package the pay for, or 1 off fee if no sign up)
Program Creation – 2 Hours (initial, updates can be set at 30min per session when adjustments are needed)
Consultation/Check In – 1 Hour (as needed per week)
Training Video Review/Feedback – 1 Hour (per training session based on program)
Nutritional Coaching – 1 Hour (food diary/habit review)
Nutritional Check In – 1 Hour (weekly or perhaps bi-weekly)

As you can see above it can be tailored to the needs of the potential client.

24 hours across 4 weeks is a lot of time, that means you’d speak to people potentially every day for an hour, although if you’re checking their training videos, nutrition diaries etc, you can see how it all starts to get filled din very quickly.

Many forget that online coaching is more time consuming the face to face.

This novel approach to pricing hours per month means you’ll be able to manage your workload and set people up with what they need.

You’ll find more experienced people need less of your time, hence they pay less, whereas the inexperienced need more hence the reflection in price/time.

Give it some thought.

Enjoy,
Ross

On The Clock

Today a discussion was instigated about rest periods in a group – Gains Central.

As you can imagine plenty like to go by feel.

While there is little wrong with this it often leaves a lot on the gym floor because when people tend to feel recovered it usually means they’ve rested too long.

Given the idea behind training is to create an adaptive stimulus and an inroad, you don’t want to go in to a set fully recovered.

Unless your training goal is performance related.

You’ll find most peoples goals are hypertrophy or strength related.

While you need rest to perform the next set, if you can hit all your reps then you’re not training at a sufficient intensity.

Poliquin would talk about losing 1 rep per set, roughly.Perhaps half a rep, meaning you’d find the last 2-3 tough instead of the last rep only.

You will achieve this when you’re keeping your rests on the clock.

2-3min is sufficient for most people for compound lifts.
1-2min for accessory lifts.
1min or less for isolation work.

The next time you train keep a keen eye on your rest periods.

You might just find this is the element you’ve been missing in breaking through your plateau and achieving the progress yo’ve always wanted.

Enjoy,
Ross

Fitness Fall Out 2020

The fitness industry has been through a tough time in 2020.

You may be aware of how many have lost clients, facilities and in some unfortunate cases there entire business/livelihood.

Despite this being devastating there are people out there that still think the UK wide Lockdown was a good idea, sadly I’m not one of them due to far reaching impacts it has and will continue to have beyond 2020.

The high streets are all but vanquished.

Stores are closing left right and centre, people are struggling to pay mortgages and lord only knows how many will be teetering on the edge of sanity.

For something seemingly so innocuous life has truly been changed forever.

You’re likely to find people shifting towards an online business model whereby they now have to fight for attention among a sea of fell fit-pro’s thrashing around trying to keep their heads above water.

Sadly this situation i a tricky one because the second you try to be pragmatic and look beyond the fear mongering that has occurred people get emotional.

Regardless what’s done is done and all you can hope for is the foresight to plan ahead and survive.

Currently you’ll find this is what most are offering:

• Zoom Classes
• Online Coaching (this is actually template writing for programs, very actually coach)
• Plug & Play Programs
• Products – Various

All viable methods for generating income, yet when so many will be fighting for the same slice of business pie you’re going to need to stand out.

How can you do this when everyone is offering the exact same thing?

Well, one option is to literally say that you’re offering the exact same as everyone else and proceed to explain why you’re 100x better than your competition.

Another option is to have higher prices, POA (price on application) or perhaps limit what you’re offering to only one full service/product whereby the audience has two payment options:

1 – Pay Monthly – $500
2 – Pay Several Months Upfront – $350 when 2+ months purchased

You’ll find the second option encourages people to go for at least two to three months upfront, and the only difference is the cost, the level of service will be exactly the same, and when they ask about the reason for the discount you can say it’s because of ‘commitment’.

Face to face training is still around, and a lot of people still want & value that service, so that might be your exclusive speciality thus avoiding line entirely.

You can apply the ‘two stage’ pricing option from above for the face to face and even group training.

When using the $500 per month or $350 for multiple month sign up in 1-2-1 or group work the service is still the same, the only difference if the number of people.

Think of it this way, if 4 people get 4months upfront at $350 per month ($1300 total), they only pay $350 each.

I know that seems like easy maths and it was meant to be, double that to 8 people for the same length of time and it’s $175 per person for 4 months of training, that is a bargain in anyones eyes, especially in these tough finical times.

You’ve got a lot of options really.

What will separate you from the rest is a clear direction you wish to go and taking action today.

Enjoy,
Ross