{"id":21789,"date":"2018-04-24T08:55:53","date_gmt":"2018-04-24T15:55:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/?p=21789"},"modified":"2019-09-23T13:40:47","modified_gmt":"2019-09-23T20:40:47","slug":"space-fitness-medicine-good-others-brings-reward-deserve-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/all-mfn\/space-fitness-medicine-good-others-brings-reward-deserve-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The Space Between Fitness and Medicine: Where \u201cthe Good You Do For Others\u201d Brings the Reward you Deserve | Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

In our first part<\/a> <\/strong>of this three-part discussion, in addressing the topic of financial reward, I asked you to ponder the value of restoration.\u00a0 What, I prompted you to consider, is the value of helping someone who has moved along the dis-ease continuum, gradually leaving health in the proverbial rear-view-mirror back toward divine health?<\/p>\n

\"\"It isn\u2019t an easy question to answer.\u00a0 We can tackle it by considering all of the dollars those who incur inflammatory issues, chronic challenges, and cellular degradation will have to invest in maintaining function and comfort.\u00a0 We might also attempt to place a monetary value upon lost quality of life.\u00a0 We might even consider the simple question, \u201cwhat would someone pay to rediscover health\u201d considering their fear and apprehension of the alternative, and from that extrapolate the value.<\/p>\n

If you are willing to believe that personal trainers with advanced education and the development of a complementary skill set can have immeasurable impact upon \u201cthe unwell population,\u201d one perspective becomes clear.<\/p>\n

The trainer versed in restoring health commands a far greater value than the personal training mainstream.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s important.<\/p>\n

STEPPING UP A LEVEL<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As in any field, a specialist with enhanced value will serve his or her marketplace best by finding a direct line of contact with those in need of their specialty.<\/p>\n

In the sentence above, \u201cneed\u201d is the key word.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s oft been said that personal trainers are a luxury or a privilege, with an appropriate adjustment in perspective, those who have slipped into the largest segment of our adult population, the unwell market, might consider any therapeutic resource, if wellness is a goal, a \u201cneed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that I\u2019ve mentioned it a few times, I\u2019ll provide a general description of the market I\u2019m referring to as \u201cunwell.\u201d Then I\u2019ll help you see the opportunity to step up, to meet this population in an arena where they \u201cneed\u201d you.\u00a0 I\u2019, to command a value in line with a well-justified fee, and . . . here\u2019s the biggie . . . to provide them the service they will truly benefit from.<\/p>\n

WHO ARE THE UNWELL?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s be really clear here.\u00a0 I\u2019m not suggesting the opportunity lies in training \u201csick people.\u201d\u00a0 I\u2019m suggesting the largest, most opportune market share is made up of many American adults between the ages of 35 and 65.\u00a0 They aren\u2019t \u201csick\u201d in a clinical sense.\u00a0 They work.\u00a0 They drive their kids to school.\u00a0\u00a0 They shop in the malls and grocery stores.\u00a0 They eat in the neighborhood restaurants.\u00a0 They pump gas in the same gas stations you do and they frequent Starbuck\u2019s, Chipotle, and the local pizza place.<\/p>\n

They don\u2019t have need for hospitalization or chronic care . . . but they\u2019ve slipped, moved along what I\u2019m calling the dis-ease continuum.\u00a0 They\u2019ve begun a process of maladaptation, a movement away from healthful homeostasis, and while many haven\u2019t yet been diagnosed (many have), their bodies have become imbalanced.\u00a0 Whether it\u2019s a hormonal imbalance, thyroid irregularity, blood sugar elevation, hypertensive condition, hypercholesterolemia, or chronic inflammation of one or several bodily systems, they have moved into a place where innate homeostasis is no longer their \u201cnorm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not sick, at least not clinically, but not well.\u00a0 What\u2019s alarming is, I\u2019m describing near 65% of the adult population over the age of 45.\u00a0 Yes, the market is vast.<\/p>\n

If the unwell were being cured of their ailments or remedied by the conventions of medicine, I wouldn\u2019t see the \u201cneed\u201d as being this opportune.\u00a0 All I need to share is a single statement to help you see why there\u2019s a desperate need for a new type of health practitioner, one who masters the exercise and eating intervention.\u00a0 Here\u2019s that statement.<\/p>\n

In a society where chronic disease is most treated with pharmaceutical intervention, there isn\u2019t a single medication that will cure any chronic disease.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Read that again.\u00a0 While there exists a wild array of meds to manage conditions and change biomarkers, there isn\u2019t one that will cure the plight of the unwell.<\/p>\n

Conversely, there is an extensive body of evidence to demonstrate the power we have over shifts in blood sugar, blood pressure, and hormonal disruption when we strategically employ a variety of exercise modalities and guidance in the realm of supportive nutrition.<\/p>\n

If the demand is great, the \u201cneed\u201d remains unfulfilled, and the greatest potential lies in the skill set we, as fitness professionals, have access to . . . our value escalates above virtually any conventional yet impotent \u201ccures.\u201d<\/p>\n

THE LEVEL 2 TRAINER AS A CORRECTIVE HEALTH SPECIALIST<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If we consider a \u201cLevel 1\u201d trainer someone who is qualified, credentialed, and able to provide safe and effective exercise prescription to a healthy population, let\u2019s consider a \u201cLevel 2\u201d someone who can effectively target this Unwell niche and deliver improvements in biomarkers, condition, and quality of life.<\/p>\n

The Level 2 trainer can identify his or her \u201cideal client avatar.\u201d\u00a0 Moving forward I\u2019ll refer to the Ideal Client Avatar as an \u201cICA.\u201d<\/p>\n

In establishing a presence and a track record with the Unwell, the enhanced personal trainer (enhanced with a higher level of education than the standard and an ability to implement positive change in the unwell) can justifiably command fees in line with other health practitioners, medical practitioners, and specialists.<\/p>\n

In setting a fee structure, there should be a professional standard, a relationship-based fee that is consistent, one that exceeds \u201can industry standard.\u201d\u00a0 Remember, if you deliver above the standard, you deserve reward above the usual.<\/p>\n

\"\"HOW DO YOU STEP UP AND CREATE AN AUDIENCE?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Marketing, for the Level 2 trainer targeting this niche is not as haphazard as \u201cpass out cards, talk it up in the gym, and talk to everyone about what you do.\u201d<\/p>\n

In order to establish your position, you\u2019ll want to have four.\u00a0 Four strong successes.\u00a0 Four living examples of the value you deliver, and finding those four requires a bit of front-end work.\u00a0 Once you have your four you have a sound foundation upon which to build.\u00a0 The question, therefore, that merits consideration is . . . how do you \u201cbreak in.\u201d\u00a0 Where do your \u201cfour\u201d come from.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll make it step by step.<\/p>\n

Note that everything that follows is based upon the assumption that you have received extraordinary training, that you\u2019ve established a level of education complementary to your base credential, and that you\u2019re positioned to initiate and maintain a practice with a revised focus on empowering clients to reverse the imbalances inherent in chronic disease<\/a>.\u00a0 This is a prerequisite of paramount importance and although I won\u2019t invest any more time in addressing it here, don\u2019t allow my failure to repeat and reiterate this point as an indication its any less than vital.<\/p>\n

STEP ONE:<\/strong> Define your Ideal Client Avatar.\u00a0 If you have a personal connection to a given condition or population (i.e. a relative with diabetes, a personal history with thyroid issues, etc.) and you have a passion for helping others who you feel are kindred spirits, that\u2019s where you should best direct your marketing.\u00a0 You can\u2019t \u201cmarket well\u201d until you define your ICA.\u00a0 This is a \u201cmust\u201d in turning your ambition into financial security (and it\u2019s the step most who seek to elevate their careers miss or ignore).\u00a0 Your ICA may not be based on your personal experience, but rather on where you see the greatest opportunity or where you have the greatest inroads.\u00a0 Devote time to getting clear on your ICA.\u00a0 It\u2019s the true key to successfully \u201cStepping up to Level 2.\u201d<\/p>\n

STEP TWO:<\/strong> Determine your fee structure, your promise, and your offer.\u00a0 You don\u2019t want to approach each prospective client with an open negotiation, nor do you want to exhibit uncertainty.\u00a0 As any business owner, design your foundation.\u00a0 What, precisely, are you promising each client?\u00a0 How are you compensated for that?\u00a0 What, precisely, is the person considering retaining you, supposed to do now, as a point of commitment.<\/p>\n

STEP THREE:<\/strong> Choose a location, an affiliation, a network, and a social media platform where you can \u201cmeet\u201d your ICA and spread the word. \u00a0This is far simpler than it sounds.\u00a0 In outlining your ICA, simply as the question, \u201cwhere do I find him (her)?\u201d\u00a0 This is marketing at its core.\u00a0 Don\u2019t think \u201cmedical.\u201d\u00a0 Think real life.\u00a0 Where can you do a talk, a workshop, a presentation, knowing your ICA sits in the audience.\u00a0 I realize this is the intimidating step . . . but it\u2019s also the one that brings\u00a0 you to human connection, and ultimately to commitment and money exchange.\u00a0 Perhaps in the future I\u2019ll share an entire article devoted to \u201cfinding your ICA in the real world.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 For now, accept that you have the answer to the question, you have the ability, and all it takes is a bit of courage and determination.<\/p>\n

STEP FOUR:<\/strong> Create your Four.\u00a0 Do your thing.\u00a0 Work your magic.\u00a0 Use your skill set.\u00a0\u00a0 Bring about change.\u00a0 Documentable change.\u00a0 Once you have your first four successes, you begin to build what I call an Arsenal of Evidence, and from that point on, the marketing challenge is replaced by magnetic appeal.<\/p>\n

STEP FIVE:<\/strong> Build your business confidently, massively, professionally, and without limit.<\/p>\n

This 3-part piece is intended, not to be a complete primer for business building, but to give you a sense of both the opportunity and your ability.<\/p>\n

In creating a distinction between the progressive trainer willing to study, learn, and elevate, I\u2019ve used the term \u201cLevel 2,\u201d not to suggest any elite status, but to demonstrate a clear escalation in earning potential.\u00a0 Before I conclude this second part of the piece, I\u2019ll outline a few elements of what I\u2019m calling The Level 2 Trainer.<\/p>\n

FIVE DISTINCTIVE ELEMENTS OF THE LEVEL 2 TRAINER<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. You are a specialist among a given population<\/li>\n
  2. You command fees above the norm<\/li>\n
  3. You have a consistent promise and offer<\/li>\n
  4. You have a track record and consistently grow a marketing \/ referral base<\/li>\n
  5. You understand and recognize the value in the potential you have as a guide to empower others to move away from chronic disease and back toward divine health<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Is there a level above the Level 2 trainer?\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 And the sky\u2019s the limit.\u00a0 Literally.\u00a0 More to come in Part 3!<\/p>\n

    This is 3 part series. Read\u00a0part\u00a01\u00a0here<\/a>, and part 3\u00a0here<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \n

    Phil Kaplan has been a fitness leader and Personal Trainer for over 30 years having traveled the world sharing strategies for human betterment.\u00a0 He has pioneered exercise and eating interventions documented as having consistent and massive impact in battling chronic disease.\u00a0 His dual passion combines helping those who desire betterment and helping health professionals discover their potential.\u00a0 Email him at phil@philkaplan.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    In our first part of this three-part discussion, in addressing the topic of financial reward, I asked you to ponder the value of restoration.\u00a0 What, I prompted you to consider, is the value of helping someone who has moved along the dis-ease continuum, gradually leaving health in the proverbial rear-view-mirror back toward divine health? It isn\u2019t an easy question to answer.\u00a0 We can tackle it by considering all of the dollars those who incur inflammatory issues, chronic challenges, and cellular degradation will have to invest in maintaining function and comfort.\u00a0 We might also attempt to place a monetary value upon lost quality of life.\u00a0 We might even consider the simple question, \u201cwhat would someone pay to rediscover health\u201d considering their fear and apprehension of the alternative, and from that extrapolate the value. If you are willing to believe that personal trainers with advanced education and the development of a complementary skill set can have immeasurable impact upon \u201cthe unwell population,\u201d one perspective becomes clear. The trainer versed in restoring health commands a far greater value than the personal training mainstream. That\u2019s important. STEPPING UP A LEVEL As in any field, a specialist with enhanced value will serve his or her […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":232,"featured_media":4845,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[280,87,198,76,16,142,148],"class_list":["post-21789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-mfn","tag-acupuncturists","tag-chiropractors","tag-fitness-professionals","tag-massage-therapists","tag-medical-fitness","tag-physical-therapists","tag-wellness-coaches"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21789","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/232"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21789"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21789\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4845"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}