The most successful personal trainers derive pleasure from seeing their clients become healthier and happier. According to the International Fitness Professional Association, working at high-end facilities and income potential don’t drive the best personal trainers; delight and personal satisfaction from helping people achieve their fitness goals are the main rewards of the job.

Understand body mechanics

You’ll be able to develop the most effective fitness routines for your clientele if you understand body mechanics, proper nutrition, physiology and exercise management. All clients are different, so you have to spend considerable time getting to know their personal goals, preferences, eating habits and limitations. A thorough assessment at the beginning of your personal relationship with each client will make your job easier and help you achieve successful results that make both you and the client happy — your ultimate goal.

Keep up with research

When clients pay you well for your expertise, they expect you to keep up with the latest research and be able to answer questions as they arise. If, for example, your client asks you about the latest kettle bell workouts, you need to have information available so you can show him how to safely pursue the activity. You must be knowledgeable about vitamin breakthroughs, medical and scientific studies and their results as well as the latest fads and what kinds of results trainers are getting with them.

Be friendly

Clients expect you to be trained in exercise and nutrition. They can choose from any number of personal trainers, but they chose you because they like you. You’ll get more referrals and maintain a long list of satisfied clients when you’re both friendly and motivating. When you have your clients’ best interests foremost in your mind, as well as their personal comfort and satisfaction, you can rely on your personality to convey those interests. Listen to your clients and be friendly, helpful and encouraging, and your well-developed people skills will go just as far as your well-developed abs to show clients you’re the best in your field.

Clients don’t have to hurt

Pain and muscle soreness after a workout isn’t mandatory to help your clients get fit. According to trainers at the Personal Trainer Development Center, causing pain isn’t the goal of successful personal trainers. Instead, you can teach clients how to increase strength and endurance by taking small but effective steps and increasing the amount of weight lifted or miles run gradually. Your clients won’t praise you when you make them suffer — they may in fact run the other way. Use your extensive knowledge of exercise and fitness to design routines and progressive fitness regimens that alleviate and forgo pain to get the best results.