The six points below are taken from the notes of Jarrod Martin, former Fitness Director of Goodlife Wantirna, from the session by Tony Boutagy at FILEX 2016. His original notes from the session are included in the image below. 

I believe the following six points are the greatest summary of what it takes to make a great Trainer. As any successful Personal Trainer will testify, it doesn’t matter what certification or degree you have, the true learning begins once your initial qualification has been completed.

On to Jarrod’s notes for the Six Habits of Highly Successful Trainers…

1. Get a deep love for READING and LEARNING.

Including… Functional anatomy – easy to forget, Nutrition, Understanding program design, Body mechanics and moving.

Tap into… Books, Journals, Research reviews, Workshops and Conferences.

Get to know who is who in what field. Read and understand as widely as possible. Make decisions for yourself as to how you feel about particular ideas and do what you can to build your own library of resources.

2. Get into some sport or serious exercise for yourself.

Apply personally the things you learn and adapt your knowledge to suit. Your personal experience of different ideas will make it easier to understand and apply the principles.

3. Look at doing a soft tissue course.

For example, massage. It is an effective and professionally useful way to gain an intimate knowledge of muscles.

4. Keep your eyes open.

Become a ‘thinking’ PT. They’re always the most successful.

5. Keep your mind open to everything and attached to nothing.

Our industry is always changing. Concepts and understanding are always changing.

“In a world of change, the learners will inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves perfectly equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists!” – Eric Hoffer

6. Take up a hobby and time away from work.

“It’s the space between the notes that makes the music.” It’s the time you spend outside of work that will help to make your work successful.

The original shot of Jarrod’s notes below.