Did you hear about the fitness professional who said he was banned from attending future classes at a SoulCycle studio. The reason? SoulCycle cited their policy against instructors from other chains taking their classes. According to ABC News (where the story first broke), they’ve been unable to confirm the policy or that this ever happened. But it certainly does lend itself to an interesting conversation, don’t you think?
Several fitness professionals interviewed for the ABC News story said this is common and expected these days. Fitness is a competitive business and a “free for all” without regulation (according to one source) and studios are doing what they think is necessary to remain competitive. No one defended SoulCycle’s supposed reaction, but, here’s my reaction…Seriously?!
What are you afraid of? Someone stealing your secret exercise for getting people fit? Does Coke tell Pepsi workers they can’t drink their product for fear their “secret recipe” will be found out? Does Apple ban Dell employees from using their products? No, of course not. It’s the most narcissistic, near sighted argument ever.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say again—there are PLENTY of unfit, unmotivated and unhealthy people to go around. Are we really that nervous that someone is going to “steal” our clients, our program or our signature move? Wake up fitness pros—there’s no shortage of folks who need our help. But if we continue to focus on competing with each other rather than working together to figure out how to serve a larger segment of the population, we aren’t the only ones who will be hurting.
If you’re truly in it for the right reasons (to help people, not be a rock star), then you’ll live your life as a fitness professional guided by these three principles:
Share
In the words of one of my mentors, Michael Port (NY Times best-selling author of Book Yourself Solid), to be successful you must learn to share. You should consistently share: 1) who you know, 2) what you know and 3) how you feel.
Sharing who you know with members might mean introducing them to the “perfect” class or trainer for them (yes, that might NOT be you!). After all, each client has unique needs, tastes and personalities. And with fellow fitness pros, that might mean helping a new instructor find a mentor, a veteran instructor find a sub, or an instructor who just moved to the area find a manager looking for talent.
Sharing what you know with members could include articles, websites, blogs and other exercise ideas
… Continue reading here.
Fitnovatives Blog — Courtesy “American Council On Exercise” (ACEfitness.org) <p>
http://www.diet.com/videos/ Get flat abs with this ab workout using an exercise ball. Fitness Model Jess Bergenfield shows Sarah 3 ab moves she can do the sa…
Video Rating: 4 / 5
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