People-Centered Programming, not Program Centered Programming

I had a GREAT time at the gym this morning.  Its crazy.  I've talked for years about moving out of training but I get around our amazing people and it just doesn't feel like work.  Sometimes, the night before I think how nice it would be to sleep in but I get there and the lives that are changing, the fun we have, the camaraderie, its truly the BEST part of my day.  And they influence me, challenge me, inspire me...they make me a better me.  Quite possibly the BEST job in the world.  I don't know if I will ever let it go.

So far outside of that I've had a few things on my mind today,

1) I really love my desk.  I got it at Good will for $15 and its the perfect size and color and I love being able to tape stuff to it and sit my drinks on it, spill them and keep on working…

2) I love working from home.  I love training.  But I am not wired to be with people all day, so its super wicked cool to get to do both.  Any online presence we have is just because of the times we live in.  I love focusing on the place and the people we train and work with - we are a live person face to face business.  So for me its perfect to get to spend a few hours with clients 3 times a week and a few hours with the staff 1 day a week and work on projects and strategies in marketing, programming and staff development outside of that.  But while alone so I can focus and so I can refuel my energy. Gyms are not great environments for quiet concentration nor uninterrupted stretches of thought.  Plus there is the fact that I have on fuzzy polka dotted pants!!

3) Super excited about diving into the 2014 programming project this week. People love to be in groups, they love to compete.  The saying goes "people will die for a point".  So true!  My idea is "people-centered programming" not program-centered programming.  I know first hand the life change of a coach and team.  I know what happens in the gym translates to every other facet of your life -relationships, work, finances, EVERYTHING.  We know that the gym model is kind of a fly-swatter trying to kill King Kong as far as solving the obesity/wellness/fitness problem.  We know that the PT and group class model is more like a pistol.  Much better but for some an unsustainable one financially or one that gets boring, plus its limited.  So we need like an AK-47 to take down this beast.  And we need an army behind it so we aren't just limited to the knowledge talents and skills of that one soldier holding it.  Part of what we are aiming to do in the transformation team is to develop the benefit of personal training along with the benefits of the camaraderie and accountability and support that come with group training and a team coaching approach.  The challenge (opportunity) is how to write the fitness programs for that.  Our team is brainstorming ideas daily.  Ideas/input from you geniuses out there welcome.  We gotta solve this problem ya'll!

We've achieved it to perfection so far.  We have people in our programs, lives changing, and it growing and retention is at an all time high with an average of 3 years!  Its working!!! NO QUESTION.

But there is so much opportunity to develop a system of programming that allows coaches to be people-centered, not program centered. All the coaches consider every client theirs and our clients have the benefit of each coach contributing to their journey when we gather corporately at playdates, at member seminars or on our closed FB group.

But we still need a more unified system with specific goals and progressions but with enough flexibility to be people-centered.  We don't want to be the restaurant with a different chef for every table, but we don't want to be McFitness where the coaches are literally robots either.  Its not best for the client or the coach.

So wish me luck on our people-centered programming mission today!
Anna