Trainee and trainer

"I am a fitness trainer. My practice is more than just a job; it is my passion. My clients are my top priority and their successes are my life's work. I am a professional. Being a professional, I believe that my competency is solely determined by my efficacy. My methods must be second to none.

My commitment to my athletes is clearly expressed and perceived in our first meeting. I am all theirs. They are the object of my focus and the focus of my conversation. They come back not because of my physical capacity but because they believe in my capacity to develop theirs. I have to understand the mechanics, cues, and techniques of complex movements and be able to teach them to others. I bring a skill set to my training that scares off most trainers. Keeping up with my athlete's progress demands I continue to refine and advance my understanding of advanced skills.

Because I want my clients' training experience to transcend the physical realm, I am obligated to understand their jobs, hobbies, families, and goals. Motivating clients' transcending fitness requires that I be involved in their lives. This isn't going to happen without my being interested in them and interesting to them.

I have no shortage of conversation, ideas, knowledge to share, and so, you'll find me at my clients parties, weddings, and family gatherings. Indeed I am a personal friend to nearly every one of my clients.

Our friendship, the fun we have, and the frequency of our contact, coupled with the scope of the fitness impact and the technical merits of my training, contribute to a professional relationship with my clients that they value uniquely. In appreciation they do all my marketing. I don't advertise, promote, or market. I train very, very well. The more clients I get, the more clients they bring. I don't have time for promotion; I'm too busy training. "

--Greg Glassman, "Professional Training," CrossFit Journal issue #40