Fitness Kickboxing for the Personal Trainer
By Ross O’Donnell
Put some kick into your personal training sessions.
Many personal trainers who are interested in expanding their skills are offering one-on-one fitness kickboxing sessions. These trainers find that a broader skill base gives them more options to help their clients reach their fitness goals.
If you’re interested in adding fitness kickboxing to your personal training repertoire, here’s what you need to know.
Get qualified
A fitness kickboxing personal trainer doesn’t have to be a competitive kickboxer or a martial arts instructor. However, an instructor must have the following skills and abilities:
• Posses a good working knowledge of authentic kickboxing techniques. The instructor must know how to teach these specialized techniques safely and correctly.
• Have a basic understanding of combination flow.
• Be in very good physical condition and able to lead clients through vigorous workouts. Lead by example; your physical condition is a reflection of your program.
• Get certified in fitness kickboxing. A personal trainer certification is also recommended.
Session format
The format for teaching fitness kickboxing personal training is similar to the format for teaching group fitness kickboxing, except the trainer does all the pad holding. A typical session includes these components:
1. Warm Up (5-10 minutes)
2. Primary Workout - includes instruction using target, bag work or a combination of both (30 minutes)
3. Strength and Conditioning - focus on abdominal exercises (10 minutes)
4. Cooldown and Stretch (5-10 minutes)
Be sure that verbal instruction time is not too long or your clients may not get a challenging enough workout. Provide basic instruction and correct their techniques as they work out. Focus immediately on correcting techniques that may cause injury. Watch for signs of fatigue; this is when injuries can occur.
Stay away from aerobic training. Personal training clients are usually looking for sport-specific drills. The majority of them should be drills on the punching bag or punch-kick pads. Be sure that they are basic and simple to start. As clients improve, increase the level of difficulty.
Sparring is not recommended unless you are specifically trained and insured for sparring.
Set the right price
Your training sessions should be one hour long and sold in blocks of ten, if possible. Here are some suggestions for prices.
• 10 sessions for $500.00 (add or subtract according to your market demographics)
• 20 sessions for $900.00 (same suggestion as above applies)
• 1 session $75.00 (If a client s agrees to purchase 10 sessions if he/she likes it, charge $50.00)
Market effectively
Know your market! If you work in a fitness centre, your market will be personal training clients looking for a challenging workout that combines cardio and resistance. At-home parents and people who work odd shifts are often available to train at less-busy times of the day, such as mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
The parents of children in your programs are excellent prospects. An added benefit is that they will be learning many of the same techniques as their children.
Offer “train with a buddy” passes that let clients bring a friend. Word of mouth is the best way to advertise your services.
Consider performing free demos at local tradeshows, schools and community events. Network with weight-loss organizations and pre- and post-natal specialists since many women want to get back in shape after having children.
Get equipped
Well maintained equipment is a must for safe and productive training. Make sure your equipment is cleaned regularly with a disinfectant cleaner and is free of perspiration for each session. Immediately replace equipment when the protective padding starts breaking down. Buy properly designed gloves and pads to avoidable liability issue. Good quality punch-kick pads and boxing gloves are approximately $80 to $100 a pair and can be sold to clients as part of a personal training package.
Consider Group Personal Training
Fitness kickboxing group personal training is best with two to four clients per session. This is a win/win opportunity for yourself and your clients.
Benefits for the client
1. A reduced fee
2. A training partner to help keep on track.
Benefits for the trainer
1. A higher hourly rate
2. Another option to sell sessions to people who don’t want to pay one-on-one prices
3. Clients will bring in partners who are not currently training with you.
If you design safe, friendly and challenging training sessions for your clients, they will reward you with repeat business and many referrals.
Ross O’Donnell, author of The Ultimate Fitness Boxing & Kickboxing Workout is a Can-Fit-Pro PRO-Trainer, CASK certified competitive kickboxing coach and instructor and the owner of Fitness Kickboxing Canada Inc. Contact him at 519-942-1625 or info@fitnesskickboxingcanada.ca.
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