Welcome to what may be the last episode of the Lift The Bar Podcast. Stuart will soon be departing from his position at LTB, so on this episode, let's take a stroll down memory lane and hear his final thoughts. The LTB podcast may appear again soon in a different guise, so keep your eyes peeled!  Find Out More About LTB: Website: https://liftthebar.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/?

Is it time for you to open a personal training facility? Before you leap into the unknown, you might want to learn from someone who has been there and done it.   In this episode of the Lift The Bar podcast, Stuart talks to Daniel Mee, the owner of MeeFit. Listen to Dan's journey, from repurposing a spare changing room into a personal 121 PT area to owning a mammoth 7500 square foot facility with 5 PTs, serving over 200 dedicated members.  Please tune in for a hearty dose of wisdom as Dan shares all lessons he wished he had known earlier. This includes how to successfully market trial packages, handle client disappointment when modifying your services, and even whether opening a gym is really the best career decision.   Timestamps 1:48 - Introduction to Meefit  4:33- The Meefit Client Journey Trial Packages  10:54- Trial Packages Continued  19:10- What Dan wishes he knew as a PT  23:31- The importance of shadowing facility owners.  26:40- The early days of a PT business.   30: 25 When did Dan know he wanted a facility?  32:50- The transition to Semi-Private  34:55- The importance of service delivery    Find Out More About Dan: IG: https://www.instagram.com/meefitpt Find Out More About LTB: Website: https://liftthebar.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/?

Most personal trainers want to have a steady income. They also want to make a meaningful impact on their client’s lives. Focusing on one specific population of potential clients might help you do both.  Can you guess who it is? It’s our mums and dads. Our grandparents and maybe even our great-grandparents! The elderly are hugely underserved by the fitness industry. So, you’re not going to have much competition. More importantly, it’s incredibly rewarding to spend your time helping people maintain their ability to walk, see their friends and, ultimately, their independence.   Today Stuart welcomes Dr Janet Withall from the University of Birmingham. Dr Withall is an expert in healthy ageing. She focuses on helping elderly people maintain their activity levels and strength. In this episode, expect to learn how to attract elderly clients to exercise services, how those services should be designed to maximise results, and how physical activity can affect people’s disease risk.      Timestamps 2:00- Why focus on older adults? 3:08- Exercise participation rates 7:20- Can PT help the older population to exercise? 9:55- Changes to governament guidelines 10:47- Marketing exercise for older populations 15:05- The importance of community for older population 17:30- The ReACT study: Introduction 21:57- Building a client base of older clients 24:08- The effects of aging and how exercise helps.  30:52- The ReACT study: Results   Find Out More About Dr Withall: Email: j.withall@bham.ac.uk  Find Out More About LTB: Website: https://liftthebar.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/?

We often equate "learning" with our school days. It basically just involved being able to memory a lot of facts. But what if your capacity to learn extends far beyond that, influencing everything from your clients' results to your business's success? And…what if you could...learn to...learn more effectively?    In this episode, Stuart is joined by an expert in this very field. Dr. Barbara Oakley is a distinguished educator, author, and engineering professor. Her work spans a multitude of disciplines, but she is particularly recognised for her research in learning practices.    In this episode, they delve into the heart of effective learning strategies. They discuss the crucial role of 'chunking' information, finding the right balance between focused and diffuse modes of thinking, tackling procrastination head-on, and why experiencing imposter syndrome might not be as negative as it seems...    So, whether you're striving to remember the content of the courses you watch, the books you read, or simply to recall the distal insertion of Semimembranosus (it's the horizontal groove on the posteromedial surface of the medial tibial condyle, if you were wondering), then this episode is a must-listen!    Don't miss this opportunity to learn…about learning… from one of the leading experts in the field.    Timestamps:    1:50- Career Advice: Why imposter syndrome might be helpful. 8:17- What is learning?   12:53- Why is learning important?  14:45- Is it good for people to learn?  18:05- Is learning practical information better for people's mood?  19:36- Learning and problem solving.  24:11- Diffuse and focused mode.  27:02- How long should learning blocks be?  30:35- Reviewing Notes  32:30- What is a chunk?  35:10- What is retrieval practice?  36:53- Why does procrastination occur?  39:36- The Importance of getting started. Find Out More About Barbara https://barbaraoakley.com/   Find Out More About LTB: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/  Website: https://liftthebar.com/  Free Trial: https://liftthebar.com/free-trial   

Welcome to the 400th episode of the Lift the Bar podcast! To celebrate this milestone, we’ve got every staff member at LTB to share their top personal training career tip.   Expect to learn the significance of setting boundaries, how to prioritise what's most important for your clients, and why you might need to take advice from your local mechanic…   Timestamps 1:58- Great ideas are meaningless without action. 3:07- Find new exercise methods. 7:22- Ensure that your advice is tailored to your clients' needs. 10:25- Create a business that aligns with your personal values. 14:55- Have a clear understanding of your potential earnings. 20:24- Set your boundaries. 22:20- Listen to your clients.  26:10- Remember, your career is special.  30:40- Become the best mechanic in town. Find Out More About LTB: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/  Website: https://liftthebar.com/  Free Trial: https://liftthebar.com/free-trial       

Looking for a new protein shake...how about one made of… fish?!    Welcome to an intriguing journey through the annals of the fitness industry.    We delve into the genesis of progressive weight training, examine how popular exercises have transformed over the last century, and explore why understanding the past 100 years could be key to flourishing in the next five.    This conversation was truly eye-opening. It's all too easy to be swept up by the "Next big thing" without recognising that, in fact, a variant of it has probably already come and gone several times over. It serves as a good reminder that by studying the past, we can not only understand the present but also predict… and prepare for the future trends of the fitness industry.  Timestamps: 2:37- Fake Statues and Fitness Lawsuits  5:06- Fish Protein Shakes  6:50- Shady Supplements: Flushing Niacin   7:30- Exercise which have fallen out of fashion  9:50- History of the Treadmill  12:52- Should PT’s care about the history of the fitness industry?  19:14- The origin of resistance training  22:35- Why did resistance training boom after World War 1?  29:23- Did people think resistance training was good for health?   36:20- What can we learn from history to increase fitness participation?     Find Out More About Connor: Twitter: https://twitter.com/physcstudy Website: https://physicalculturestudy.com/    Find Out More About LTB: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/  Website: https://liftthebar.com/  Free Trial: https://liftthebar.com/free-trial   

Navigating client discomfort is a common challenge in the life of a personal trainer. Whether the pain emerges at the start of a session, during an exercise, or the next day, it can often lead to a cloud of uncertainty. Trainers may question whether the exercises they've prescribed are the root cause of the issue and how best to alleviate it.  "Could the deadlifts from yesterday's session be to blame? Was their form too flexed? Perhaps more foam rolling might help?"  In this episode, Stuart engages Dr Michael Mash in a conversation centred around movement and pain. They explore Dr Mash's strategy for facilitating movement free from the dread of injury, delve into the debate over the need for precise form, and question the reality of muscle knots.  Throughout the discussion, you'll gain insights on how to conduct empowering movement assessments, strategies for discussing posture with clients, and a better understanding of whether your client truly has a movement dysfunction. This episode promises to equip personal trainers with invaluable knowledge to better navigate client discomfort and bolster their confidence. So that they can help more people move without fear.     Timestamps: 1:40- How can deadlifts change lives?  4:20- Using language to empower clients  7:00 Muscle Knots & Chronic Pain  15:56- Biopsychosocial Model of Pain & Movement Variety  23:00- Shoulder Abduction in Press Up’s   25:50- When should trainers allow clients to ‘lift ugly’?  31:15- Movement Assessments  35:52- Postural Assessments   38:38- Posture and Pain  42:58- Helping people who are fearful of movement.     Find Out More About Michael: Ig: https://www.instagram.com/barbellrehab/   Find Out More About LTB: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/  Website: https://liftthebar.com/  Free Trial: https://liftthebar.com/free-trial   

Let’s be real. All personal trainers need clients, and this episode will help you get your next one. Plain and simple.    In under 20 minutes you’ll learn about six sources of potential clients you can exploit to grow your business, how to write compelling messages and offers that will win our former clients back and why Stuart might be going yachting…     Timestamps  1:00- Where is my next client going to come from: A framework  2:11- Strategy 1: Family & Friends  5:00- Strategy 2: Your current clients  7:17-Strategy 3: Previous clients & leads  9:24- Strategy 4: Your followers  13:39- Strategy 5: Acquaintances  16:20- Strategy 6: The rest of the world!  Find Out More About LTB: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/  Website: https://liftthebar.com/  Free Trial: https://liftthebar.com/free-trial   

We're hitting rewind and revisiting a pivotal episode from 2020, honing in on a fundamental element of personal training - facilitating client muscle growth.     Join Stuart and Gregg as they dissect the blend of science and art that underpins effective muscle development.    Expect to learn about how to the apply the principles of hypertrophy to create client programs which stimulate muscle growth effectively for the general population. Beyond the programs, this episode also emphasizes how important it is to maintain a client’s interest while achieving muscle growth.    While fitness trends will continue to evolve, mastering muscle growth and the strategies to promote it effectively remain integral to personal training. So, tune in, expand your knowledge, and get ready to see your clients' results and enjoyment reach new heights.    Timestamps:   1:40- What would Gregg do if he was just qualifying in 2020?   4:00- Online vs In person for new PT’s  7:39- The power of reistance training for health   12:30- The clarity of resistance training research  14:45- Personalising resistance training  21:40- Where is the hypertrophy research going?  24:33- Does programming need to be complicated?  29:34- How to map out training blocks  36:56- Telling clients about our programming. Find Out More About LTB: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/  Website: https://liftthebar.com/  Free Trial: https://liftthebar.com/free-trial 

Navigating lead generation in the fitness industry has become increasingly complex. The days of launching a Facebook ad and watching a flood of new leads come in are long past.   In this episode, Stuart brings Mark Council back to the Lift the Bar podcast. They delve into how Mark has started created links with other local businesses to make his lead generation more diverse and consistent. Expect to learn about how to effectively assess the costs tied to offline marketing, how to design mutually beneficial marketing with local businesses and why standing in Morrisons might help you get your next client.   Whether you're a gym owner or a personal one-on-one trainer, this episode underscores the timeless value of building reciprocal relationships amidst the ever-evolving landscape of digital platforms. It serves as an excellent reminder that, while digital trends may fluctuate, the power of personal relationships remains unchanged.   Timestamps   1:50- How did Mark start developing relationships with local businesses? 7:13- The value of exposure. 11:30- Strategies for finding and contacting local businesses. 22:20- Using client’s interests to find suitable businesses. 24:01- The value of giving free memberships to local businesses. Find Out More About Mark: Ig: https://www.instagram.com/mark_platform/   Find Out More About LTB: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/  Website: https://liftthebar.com/  Free Trial: https://liftthebar.com/free-trial