Communicate to Motivate

Fitness professionals brim with skills. We make people sweat. We build muscle. We create programs that inspire others to embrace change. But is it the program that initiates progression? Or is it the way information is presented that promotes progress?Communication was a primary focus today. Whether this communication involves a oneness among movement professionals, or the interpersonal relationships developed between professional and consumer, communication can make or break best intentions.My morning began with a 45-minute Zumba Dance Party in order to avoid the ever-long Starbuck's line. It worked. The interesting thing about Zumba is that a lot happens with nary a word spoken. Instead, it's all about body language and visual cues.Next I stopped in to learn a movement nomenclature developed by the GrayInstitute's Gary and Doug Gray. The goal of the session was to introduce a universal language that would unify the fitness world. "We need a consistent language among all modalities," challenges Doug Gray. "We need a more sensitive nomenclature, which will help to create a more sensitive measurement system." At the end of the session, one Gray would shout "single-leg right anterior lunge with bilateral posterior reach," and everyone in the room moved their bodies in sequence similar to a well-choreographed Zumba routine.Bobby Cappuccio challenged his attendees to examine facial expressions to better understand what emotions lay beneath a client's surface. Picking up on nuances can help trainers better direct the most successful session for that particular day. He also suggested that some professionals are so focused on strict rules for movement that a client can become overwhelmed with too many movement cues. "Play is becoming more relevant," he says. "Too many cues slow motor learning, and you can actually activate an inner judge within that client." He urges professionals to focus on movements that are safe and enjoyable.Fitness professionals rely on communication to initiate change in others. Have you evaluated how you communicate with your clients or exercisers? Are they really getting the message? Effective communication may be one of the most important skills a fitness professional can possess.