8 Reasons to Consider Outdoor Personal Training for Your Clients

Outdoor personal training is in our sights as the weather begins to warm up and invite us outside. Exercising outdoors has many benefits for both the trainer and the client. So let’s get into some of the reasons you should consider taking your client outdoors for their next training session and how to plan for outdoor sessions.

1. Change of Scenery for Clients

Going to the gym for every single workout session can become monotonous. Monotony puts a damper on any good workout plan. It reduces the desire for the person to complete the workout or feel motivated to put in 110% effort into the workout.

Exercising outdoors, in forest environments, has been proven to reduce cortisol in the body and reduce blood pressure. Cortisol is the body’s hormone associated with stress and physiological reactions to stress. I don’t think I need to go into too much depth about how stress affects the body, because we all know what that feels like and you as the trainer know how that affects a person’s level of wellness. Therefore, working out outdoors can contribute to a much more therapeutic and effective exercise than an environment like a gym.

2. Plenty of Different Options for Training

When going outdoors, you still have plenty of options for workouts for your clients to complete. Traveling to different parks and outdoor sports facilities opens up a world of options for getting your client active without any major equipment.

Not to mention, when you train outdoors, you have much more space and freedom to host group training sessions. This means you will generate more revenue and retain your clients longer.

3. Bring Kids to Play in Park

Clients who often have to reschedule or work tediously to fit in training around their kids’ schedule would benefit from outdoor personal training. Often parks have plenty of equipment for anyone to get a good exercise in on. These same parks are most likely meant for children, so bringing a couple of clients and their kids together for a training/playdate could increase your clients’ retention.

Client retention increases when you, as the trainer, exhibit this kind of flexibility because you are able to accommodate clients who need it. This requires you to listen closely when clients express concern for session times or availability. Within reason, your schedule and time is completely up to you and should be respected, however, showing some flexibility for clients who you truly believe need it will help you in the long run.

That being said, adjust your prices for the accommodations you have to make if it feels you are delivering more value through accommodation.

4. Convenient for Clients

You can find a nice outdoor spot just about anywhere! This way you can be more flexible with clients and help them train in a more comfortable environment than in a gym. Take some time to pick out some spots around town and check out your local parks and recreation sites for places you can train in your area.

Your clients might already have a park in mind that they take their kid to or pass by often, so be sure to ask what and where works for them when considering outdoor personal training.

5. Work on Calisthenics

Calisthenics is SO good for your body, as you probably already know. So kick off your clients’ training with you by introducing them to bodyweight movements. You can do this just about anywhere outside!

Calisthenics gyms are everywhere too! Find them by looking up your local parks and recreation site or sites like this one to find calisthenics equipment in your area.

6. The Benefits of Sunshine

The sunshine and fresh air have too many benefits to not consider taking your clients outdoors every once in a while. Now that the weather is getting warmer, your clients will see a bit more effectiveness from their workouts. While working out, they can soak up the vitamin D which helps boost serotonin.

On a particularly hot day, your clients will burn more calories throughout the workout routine. However, make sure that they are drinking an ample amount of water to compensate.

7. Resistance from Difference in Terrain

The challenge of the terrain can be beneficial! Use the variation of equipment and terrain to your advantage when training clients outdoors. This requires that you scope out the place before developing the workout plan. Scope out a few places and survey what possibilities for training sessions you can have there with clients.

8. Cheaper for the Client

If you can train consistently outdoors, then the client will not need to purchase a gym membership. This can make your training much more affordable thus attracting more clients.

Even providing group training sessions can make the classes more affordable and attract more people. This means your revenue is maximized by space and time for reaching more customers.

How to Plan for Outdoor Training Sessions

Planning is imperative to successful training outdoors, so here are a few things to keep in mind when considering taking your clients outdoors.

Place

Pick a few possible spots around town that you can have an effective training session with your client at. Always keep your options for spots open because you never know what the circumstances could be at the park you choose. With that being said, make sure you understand how the environment can affect the workout you designed for your client(s) that day. The ground could be flooded surrounding the hill that you based half of the workout routine for the day off of. Therefore, always have a backup plan for space and the exercises you have in mind for your client to complete.

Ask if your client has any parks near their home where you can meet them to train. For convenience purposes, your client will appreciate the consideration. However, bear in mind the limitations to your schedule and the distance you’re willing to travel. You might have to adjust your pricing for a particular client if they request you drive out of your way to meet them at a place outdoors of their choice and convenience.

Necessities

Pack a cooler of essential items to take with you to outdoor personal training sessions. Water is essential, especially in extremely hot and humid climates. Of course, encourage your client to bring their own water for the session first, but be prepared in the case that they don’t. Preparation for the essentials will help you to have more effective and consistent sessions with clients. Packing a cooler is also helpful preparation because ice comes in handy for clients who become overheated.

Bring any equipment you think you might need to supplement the training session with. This could be things like an agility ladder, TRX suspension kit, cones, etc. As a traveling trainer, it is your responsibility to be prepared for any training session and provide the equipment needed for an effective training session.

Is it safe for a session outdoors?

Always make sure your client does not have any preexisting conditions that would limit their ability to be outside for an extended period of time. This is extremely important when deciding whether you should host the session outdoors or not. taking the weather into account in relation to the level of fitness your client is at will help you to avoid any dire circumstances that could hurt your client and even hurt your reputation as a trainer.