Staying in your lane

A key lesson to learn as a fitness professional is to stay in your lane. Staying in your lane means recognizing the limits of your expertise and giving clients transparent communication about what you can and cannot deliver as well as knowing when to refer clients to other professionals. This comes with experience.

-

Building a network including professionals such as other coaches & trainers, physios, psychologists, and nutritionists can provide invaluable support and improve overall client outcomes through signposting, outsourcing and collaboration. Continuing your education in other key areas and enhancing your base knowledge can help you better know exactly when you can help and when its best to refer.

-

We have all seen the PT who thinks they are a life coach, the boxing coach that thinks they are a nutritionist and the bodybuilder who thinks they can deliver strength & conditioning programmes. You can’t be an expert in any of those fields without investing huge time and effort into really becoming an expert in that field. Each of those listed, could be helping people in the areas of their real expertise instead of trying to deliver services they are not knowledgeable in.

-

As a client, trusting the wrong professionals to provide  solutions in the area of fitness, health or sports performance could be costly to your wellbeing, your body or your goals. Check that they are good at the specific area you are hiring them for and look for them to be clear on what they can do for you. Beware of people saying they can help you in areas that seem outside of their sphere of knowledge.