Utilizing a "position of power" is one of most effective methods of positioning yourself as an expert in your field. Approaching a situation from a position of power is simply art of assuming that whoever you are talking to already perceives you to be an expert. Remember that a person's perception is their reality, so as long as other person believes that you are an expert, then in their eyes, you are!

For example, let's use story of a talented personal trainer who is applying for position of Director of Fitness Programming at a small but successful local gym. We will call our imaginary professional Joe Trainer, and we will say for record that Joe does indeed hold an effective track record in personal training industry. His clients have benefited from his knowledge and guidance, and he has successfully changed many people's lives in a positive manner. However, Joe Trainer has never been a "Director of Fitness Programming" before. Is he qualified for job?

Let's review Joe's history. He has worked or worked out in dozens of gyms over years. Joe has utilized all manner of fitness equipment, from paint cans in his garage when he was a teenager, all way up through most modern computerized workout machines available in some of today's fitness facilities. Joe has put together hundreds of different workout programs for hundreds of different people over years, and we have already determined that his client track record is excellent. Joe has also been called upon many times over years to recommend fitness equipment purchases to his many clients, including a cost to benefit ratio analysis (in other words, if equipment is worth money). Joe has also been exposed to many different lines of nutritional supplements, dietary guidelines, and he has even taken aerobics classes and yoga from time to time.

Has Joe Trainer ever been a "Director of Fitness Programming" before? No. However, is Joe Trainer qualified for that position? Most likely yes! However, now Joe has a dilemma. He has scheduled an interview with local gym, he really wants job, but he is nervous about fact that he has never really been a "Director of Fitness Programming" or a director of anything at all, for that matter. Joe now has 2 choices.

Choice number one is for Joe to go to interview, ramble on uncontrollably about hundreds of clients that he has successfully trained, babble about how many different gyms he has been in, and go into mindless detail about why he thinks Supplement A is better than Supplement B.

Do you think Joe will get job? Let's try a different approach.

Joe mentally prepares for interview by reviewing many different ways that his experience will benefit facility. He puts together a few examples of how he successfully recommended or used one type of fitness equipment more effectively than a different type. Joe puts together mental notes about how aerobics and group exercise classes have added success to his training programs over years, and how incorporating a cross training approach has kept his clients motivated and continually seeing results from their training programs.

By this point, Joe's confidence in his ability to be a "Director of Fitness Programming" has increased, and he honestly believes that it is not him who is being interviewed, but it is he who is interviewing facility. Joe doesn't need this job - he has proven his ability to make a living as a personal trainer dozens of times over years. He is applying for this position because he believes that he can be a great asset to facility, and he wants to expand his experience in field. In fact, facility would be lucky to have him! For that matter, he may already be considering countering posted pay scale with an increase if they want to hire him. After all, he is Joe Trainer, and his success record speaks for itself!

Now, do you think Joe will get job? Pretty safe bet.

Is Joe Trainer in first example any different than Joe Trainer using second approach? No - we're talking about same person. What is different then? Joe's belief in himself - and more importantly - Joe's ability to show facility how they would be missing a great opportunity if they didn't hire him. It is Joe who is interviewing facility, not other way around. Joe assumed a "Position of Power" before he even got to his interview. He walked out with a new title and a nice salary, an increased confidence in his own abilities, and opportunity to mold an entire staff of personal trainer into successful, results-oriented Fitness Professionals!

This same concept can also be applied when negotiating with potential new clients. Remember that you are fitness professional. You are one with knowledge and experience that client needs. You are not asking them to be your clients, but rather you are giving them opportunity to become your clients.

Conclusion

As you can see, as Fitness Professionals in ever-growing field of health and physical fitness, we have many tools at our disposal when it comes to positioning ourselves as experts. However, we have an equal amount of responsibility to not utilize these tools unless we are 100% confident in our status as experts in our chosen disciplines. Use your knowledge and your tools wisely and appropriately, and you will see your professional and personal success grow beyond your wildest dreams!

If you are going to take your clients through an aerobic workout during their session, you can either incorporate "heart rate maintenance" exercises into workout itself, or you can get anaerobic exercises out of way, and then move into an aerobic workout for second half of session. Just remember that if your goal is to keep your clients inside their target heart rate zone, there will be very little rest time in between exercises.

However, before you blindly go forcing all of your clients to stay inside their target heart rate zone for entire session, consider fitness goal of client, and metabolically intense benefits of structured strength training compared to a session when you just make sure they are sweating whole time!

Another option for your client's cardio is to have them do it on their own after end of training session. Obviously they still need your guidance on what to do, how to track their heart rate, and how long they should perform activity, but not all clients will actually need you to stay there and guide them during activity.

Also, it is not uncommon for people to own a piece of cardiovascular training equipment such as a treadmill, elliptical trainer, stair-stepper, etc. Nonetheless, most clients will still need some specific guidance on how to maximize benefits from type of equipment that they have access to. Things like interval training, cross training, and training at different heart rate levels are all things that you should educate your clients on, especially if they are going to be doing cardio on their own.

Business Resources

You must also consider business resources that you will need access to when training clients in their homes. The time factor has already been discussed, and you should also consider daily expenses involved in this type of training model. These include equipment expenses, "on road" expenses, and auto expenses.

Equipment expenses should be minimal. You may have an initial cost, but after your initial purchases, all of those assets are reusable. Basic items for home training include an adjustable set of dumbbells and an exercise ball at a bare minimum. It would also be a good idea to have a roll-up exercise mat, a jump rope, and any other items needed for type of activities that your clients will be engaging in. A great cardio idea for clients training at home is boxing drills. If you were to utilize that type of training, then a decent set of protective gloves for clients would be in order, as well as target mats that you hold for them to strike during their drills.

In all cases, items that you own stay with you, and they are simply taken from one client's house to next. It is a great idea to have your clients eventually buy their own gear, however, which keeps you from having to tote arm loads of equipment into and out of their houses day after day. Also, depending on type of program you put them on, they may use some of their own equipment in between training sessions.

"On Road" expenses include food and drinks while you are traveling. Depending on your schedule, you will be on road anywhere from 2 to 12 hours at a time! In those cases, you will obviously need to plan healthy places to eat along way, or keep portable meals in your vehicle each day. In any event, make sure that you consider cost of eating away from home as part of your business expenses.

Auto expenses are potentially biggest expense that you will have to face in order to train people at home. The wear and tear on your vehicle - although accountable on your taxes - can still be a drain on your financial resources. You have to keep your vehicle insured, fueled up, and in good working order at all times. The last thing that you want to do is be late for a client session because your car broke down, or you ran out of gas! Also, at anywhere from $1.50 to $2.50 per gallon, gas can get expensive if you put in a lot of miles every day.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many considerations when deciding whether or not to train clients in their homes, and you must weigh those considerations against benefit of being "free" from gym trainer's normal boundaries, and instead being in charge of your own day to day business. In return, you can command higher per session fees for home training. Since you are saving your clients a lot of driving time and gym expenses, as well as giving them an opportunity to get healthy in privacy of their own homes, it is not unheard of for a home trainer to charge $75 to $100 or more per session. Figure in scheduling issues, exercise program that you will have your clients on, and resources needed, and decide for yourself if this type of training program will work for your business!