Article updated February 2025.
It’s common practice for a personal trainer to ask their clients about their goals – fat loss, muscle gain, athletic performance, looking great in that wedding dress etc. Many PT’s, however, miss the opportunity to understand their clients on a deeper level. Ben Cook, former coach with the Australian Institute of Fitness shares some advice for new PT’s or fitness trainers looking to level up their game…
The Questions Every PT Should Be Asking Their Clients
Taking the time to get to know your clients is an important step in making sure you deliver the service that best meets their needs as well as avoiding injury and making sure their overall experience training with you is a positive one. These ten questions will help you address a client’s fears and frustrations as well as building trust and rapport. Not only does this mean your client will enjoy their PT experience more, but it also benefits your business as they are more likely to refer friends and family to you in the future.
Health and medical screening a new PT client
What is your medical history?
It is an all too common practice for Personal Trainers to pick up a new client without performing any type of pre screening. A health screen should be a bare minimum for all new clients. This includes asking about previous pregnancies (even when they are not immediately postpartum), blood pressure and cardiac issues, as well as musculoskeletal conditions and past injuries.
How hard does this feel/what type of discomfort is this?
As experienced exercisers we all know the ‘burn’ and become accustomed to it, and even motivated by it. The issue is that many new participants have no idea what type of response to expect from exercise and so can feel like they are tearing every muscle in their body when it is simply lactate system by products. Conversely some clients assume all pain is normal and may ignore searing, hot tingly pain because they think it is necessary. Good communication is essential.
Understanding your PT clients goals and motivations
Why are you training?
One of the key things to understand about your client’s motivation is the reason ‘why’ they want a certain goal. Weight loss is the ‘what’ but to really tailor the training experience you must know the ‘why’. It could be to feel good about themselves, to impress their partner, to stay healthy for their kids or any number of personal reasons. All of which will be strong motivators to remind your client about.
What are you eating?
You can’t out train an unhealthy diet. So when you’ve been training your client for six weeks and they haven’t shifted a kilogram its obvious that something is not in order; that could your training style, but most commonly its what your clients are putting in their mouths.
Making PT sessions enjoyable
Is this the type of exercise you like?
The most of effective exercise for health is the exercise that you will actually do! If your client is not enjoying your sessions, or is intimidated by an overbearing style of delivery, it wont be long before they become one of the 50% of people who quit gym programs within six months. Ensure that you are providing a service the client is excited to pay for.
Do you have any friends/family who support you/are interested in coming along?
Small group training is the future of the industry. It provides a greater yield per hour for the trainer, while usually decreasing outlay from the clients. It promotes competition and comradery and will help push your clients places they usually wouldn’t otherwise go. Get your client’s whole family involved and you can really make a difference to their life.
What other styles of training/services would you be interested in?
Constant up-skilling is a necessary part of growing as a Personal Trainer, and providing further profit centres like massage therapy are necessary to fill your week with variety and stable income. Inquire what else your clients would like from you to get an indication as to what certificates or training might be worthwhile taking at the Australian Institute of Fitness.
Checking in and asking for feedback as personal trainer
What has changed/how much better are you feeling since beginning with me?
Soft selling the benefits of your product will reinforce the value. The client saying you’ve changed their life for the better will help with retention and generate new leads from their friends and family. Ask what issues they used to have that have disappeared, reminding them of an unhealthy self they don’t want to go back to.
How can I improve/what can I do better?
Showing humility in asking for feedback, and then applying that feedback, shows that you care about your client and makes them feel valued as well as consistently improving yourself as a trainer. Remember feedback is the breakfast of champions, and you have to practice what you preach, so don’t skip breakfast!
What’s your birthday/anniversary/special date?
Sending messages and well wishes on special dates shows that you are a caring trainer, but also that you have become a part of the client’s life and inner circle. Developing rapport with your client’s entire family is great way to get them to stick around.
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