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Evolution of fitness clients in Hong Kong
As you may have noticed, the fitness industry has changed tremendously over the last decade. A Personal Trainer is no longer just a babysitter who counts reps and chats with their client. We wear many hats these days, making our job and required skill-set a lot more diversified.
The changing times have also brought about an evolution in the fitness clientele. Today's clients possess very different knowledge, needs and preferences from those in the past, and they can be categorised into three main groups.
"The Regulars"
This group hasn't changed much over the last decade as they are the clients who hit the gym at least three times per week - either joining the Group X classes, doing regular weight training or getting in some cardio. "The Regulars" are aware of most new industry trends because they're in the environment, actively participating in the programmes and using the facilities.
This group will seldom go the Personal Trainer route because they are already set in their own routine. Yet they would benefit from PT, as I notice many of them with some sort of muscle imbalance or incorrect technique that could lead to injury owing to bad form. Previously as a Group Fitness instructor, there was only so much I could do in a group environment to sort out these issues. In a one-to-one situation, it's much easier to correct form. Another common problem arises when these people wonder why they don't see results from doing all this exercise. The answer lies in the SAID (Specific Adaptation Impose Demand) principle - i.e. your body adapts to whatever you do regularly and once it does, results will slow down or eventually disappear. Personal Training can constantly change the intensity of a workout programme in order to maintain progress.
"The Competitors"
This group trains to improve their sports performance or to re-build post-injury performance levels so they can return to the sport as soon as possible.
I would say this is a fairly new group - or at least there weren't as many of them in the past. But they seem to be appearing more and more at the gym. My guess is that they've read on the Internet or in magazines about how training at the gym can enhance overall sports performance.
And how true it is! Our gym houses the industry's most advanced equipment that even the world's top athlete would appreciate. As a Personal Trainer, this is my favourite group because they're very enthusiastic about seeking us out to help with their specific goals. For example, I've trained a lot of golfers, runners, tennis players and triathletes who wanted to up their game - which is always challenging and rewarding because these people are superb athletes to begin with. On the flip side, I've also worked with post-rehab athletes suffering from shoulder, lower back, knee and ankle injuries. Though they have clearance from a physiotherapist, a lot of time is needed in working with their physician to get to the root of the problem. It's a tough job but someone's got to do it - and what a fantastic learning experience!
"The Newbies"
These are the 'new kids on the block' - newcomers to the gym like blank pieces of paper. As a trainer, we definitely have to teach them the basics, so they have a good foundation on which to enjoy their workout. This group also tends to be the most frequent quitters because they haven't fully grasped the benefit of going to the gym - many of them stop going before the third month! Personal Training is their most effective solution. They need all the knowledge, motivation and guidance they can get in steering them towards results.
Stay tuned for the next issue when I'll shed light on the latest industry trends...
By Howard Tsang - Personal Trainer
Howard was born in Hong Kong and has worked in the fitness industry since 1998. He studied Fitness and Exercise Science in Australia, focuses on core conditioning, postural correction and sports specific training, and is one of our veteran PTs at Pure.
>> More about Howard
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