Have you ever heard the saying “little hinges open big doors”?
Well, it basically means that it’s the small things that can have the biggest impact – and it’s certainly true when it comes to preventing injuries.
The problem is, that most coaches believe that it’s the movements or the mobility method being used that works…but it isn’t!
The real unsung hero, the “little hinge” if you will, of injury prevention is client compliance.
I know, I know, it sounds obvious – but we’re not talking about outright refusal to do something here. Nope. Not us. We’re talking about super subtle signs that are sabotaging your client from the start.
Let’s use “Frank” as an example.
“Frank” is in his mid-40s, he’s a triathlete (although he could easy have been a gym bunny or a CrossFitter) and he’s in middle management for a big corporate.
“Frank” turns up for your session one day after work. He’s feeling pretty average – not particularly stressed, but not hugely relaxed either, which feels pretty normal for him these days.
In the past, you would have started your session as normal, waited for “Frank” to mention a small niggle in his shoulder and then either switched your activity to stop irritating it, or asked him to slow down/back off and keep an eye on it.
But that was BEFORE.
Now, from the second “Frank” walked in the door, you could see something was different.
You noticed that his chest was dropped, he was standing with his arms crossed and he seemed to be looking at the floor at lot.
Now you can recognise these subtleties as being signals of increased muscle tightness around the arms, shoulders and chest, so immediately you switch your tactics…BEFORE the session even starts!
What does this have to do with client compliance?
These physical strains have a direct impact on the emotions of your clients and it’s likely that “Frank” would have had a lacklustre session, got frustrated with himself and gone home feeling fed-up.
If your clients don’t feel energised and great in your sessions, next time they’re not really in the mood, they’ll cancel. Or, they’ll probably make small negative comments or “excuses” all the way through the session which puts the pressure on you to motivate them and by the end, neither of you will feel great.
Having the ability to recognise that this is happening can radically transform your sessions.
You can spot problems early and take action to head them off BEFORE they take hold!
Oh, and it’s these small problems that you can spot early, that actually lead to pain and injury, so FAILING to recognise them, means that your clients are MUCH more likely to experience injury.
I mean, it’s the difference between your client feeling average, or feeling epic – and with the plethora of exercise options available these days, can you afford NOT to make your clients feel epic?
Recognising these subtle signs, their link to your clients’ emotions and what they mean in terms of potential injury are just SOME of things we cover on the SMARTT® Coach Level 1 – The Vault of Injury Prevention Secrets course…and once we’ve established these skills, THEN we can focus on the most powerful injury prevention weapon we have (movement) and how to apply it to address the issues that you see.
Awesome huh (can you see how the two things combined are so powerful)?
So, if you want your clients to be able to listen to their bodies more, if you want to help them stop sabotaging their own success, and you want to be able to deliver the results that your clients didn’t dream were possible, then get started with “The Vault” today and let’s see where your SMARTT® Coach journey takes you!