If you’re reading this article, it’s safe to assume you’re coaching virtually. If you’ve made it that far, congratulations. Maybe you’ve been doing it for 5+ years or maybe you just started this week. Either way, how you manage your communication matters; because when you’re coaching virtually, your client doesn’t get the added benefit of feeling your physical presence and reading your body language like they do with in-person training.
What I’d like to share with you are 3 communication routines the best coaches do when coaching virtually. You should consider adopting these routines if you want to improve your virtual coaching skills and create an environment that gets your clients excited about seeing you on camera instead of the gym floor.
1/ They coach their client’s camera
If you were coaching your client in-person, would you move around to get a better view of them while they’re doing certain exercises? Yes, of course you would. Virtual coaching is no different. But since you can’t physically move the camera, you need to (1) ask your client to move their camera to a different spot or (2) ask your client to position themselves differently in relation to the camera. Your client has no idea what angle you need to see in order to coach them and it’s your job to tell them.
“Colleen, can you do your plank horizontal to the camera so I can see your positioning?”
“John, can you take your laptop with you when you go over to the bench so I can give you some cues?”
“Nadia, I need you to scoot back away from the camera because I can’t see your feet.”
2/ They program time for relationship building
Unless your client is strapped for time, don’t ‘get right to business.’ Unlike in-person, virtual doesn’t lend itself to those unplanned moments of interaction so you need to build them into the program. Trust and relationships aren’t built when you’re teaching your client how to do a TRX row. They’re built when you ask how their kids are doing in virtual school, what they plan to do for the holidays, or when you ask to hear more about the big project they’re working on at work.
These ‘moments’ can happen:
In the first 5 minutes of a session
While they’re warming up (if they can perform the warm-up on their own with little instruction)
In between sets / circuits
In between training sessions via text or email
3/ They focus on what they CAN do
The toughest part about virtual training is that your client doesn’t always have access to the equipment you’d like them to. It might make your job tougher and may be less exciting to program, but your client shouldn’t know the difference.
Avoid saying things like:
“If you had a heavier kettlebell we could do kettlebell deadlifts…”
“Since you don’t have TRX straps we’ll have to stick with bent over rows.”
“This is the best we can do with what you’ve got.”
“I’m sorry, there’s not much more we can do with the equipment you have.”
These may be true, but it doesn’t change the fact that your client doesn’t have what you’d like them to have. Focusing on what’s not there doesn’t make the situation better and surely makes them feel inadequate.
Stick to positive, affirming language:
“I’m pumped you have a set of dumbbells. We’re going to make good use of those!”
“That yoga block is going to come in handy. We can use it with your planks for an added core challenge.”
“One of my favorite things about training at home is that we can program in more isometrics.”
“Let’s have you hold your big bottle of laundry detergent with the squats – after all, weight is weight!”
In closing
If you’re going to remember one thing from this article, let it be this: In virtual coaching, your communication routines are ultimately what determine your client’s experience. You want them to think of virtual training as different, not less than. What are you doing to make that a reality?