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**gregimotis** · 09-06-2006, 12:50 PM

To say that the problem of training consistently comes down to discipline is absolutely correct; however we all need some sugar to sweeten the pill sometimes. How about sharing some strategies for helping maintain the discipline over the long run?
I’ve started by sharing some thoughts on keeping students motivated, but I wouldn’t want to just limit it to other people – keeping on when you just don’t feel like it is a struggle we all face every day – anybody got any good head games you play with yourself?

Find out why your students are here and make them declare their goals.

As an instructor, one of my primary jobs is cheerleading, but if I don’t know what my students goals are, how can I do that job effectively? In our fitness classes, I regularly take people aside and flat out ask them what their goal is; “why are you here” if they don’t give a straight answer, I prod a bit. Often, I can guess the reason (weight loss is the most common) but sometimes I guess wrong, it’s important to find out for sure in order to help your students move toward that goal.
Even more important than my knowing what they want is forcing them to say it out loud. Once a person has said “I want to lose this belly and get in shape like I’ve been meaning to for years but never made the time” then that person has personally committed. They will remember that commitment when they decide whether to come to class and they will have a harder time resisting me when I nag ( err, I mean remind) them to come in more often, and they will remember it when I am pushing the class hard on a Saturday afternoon when they really aren’t sure they wanted to be there in the first place. Once they have told me what they want, I have become a team member in their struggle rather than just that guy at the gym.

This tactic works just as well in technique classes as fitness and whether I am an instructor or a fellow student. – the goals may be different is all. When you know what they want, and they know that you know, then the two of you are in it together and can help one another.

09-06-2006, 12:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
gregimotis Premiere Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Still residing in the Premiere members booth Posts: 1,982	To say that the problem of training consistently comes down to discipline is absolutely correct; however we all need some sugar to sweeten the pill sometimes. How about sharing some strategies for helping maintain the discipline over the long run? I’ve started by sharing some thoughts on keeping students motivated, but I wouldn’t want to just limit it to other people – keeping on when you just don’t feel like it is a struggle we all face every day – anybody got any good head games you play with yourself? Find out why your students are here and make them declare their goals. As an instructor, one of my primary jobs is cheerleading, but if I don’t know what my students goals are, how can I do that job effectively? In our fitness classes, I regularly take people aside and flat out ask them what their goal is; “why are you here” if they don’t give a straight answer, I prod a bit. Often, I can guess the reason (weight loss is the most common) but sometimes I guess wrong, it’s important to find out for sure in order to help your students move toward that goal. Even more important than my knowing what they want is forcing them to say it out loud. Once a person has said “I want to lose this belly and get in shape like I’ve been meaning to for years but never made the time” then that person has personally committed. They will remember that commitment when they decide whether to come to class and they will have a harder time resisting me when I nag ( err, I mean remind) them to come in more often, and they will remember it when I am pushing the class hard on a Saturday afternoon when they really aren’t sure they wanted to be there in the first place. Once they have told me what they want, I have become a team member in their struggle rather than just that guy at the gym. This tactic works just as well in technique classes as fitness and whether I am an instructor or a fellow student. – the goals may be different is all. When you know what they want, and they know that you know, then the two of you are in it together and can help one another. __________________ . . I am Tired. Tired. Tired.