Categoriesbusiness

3 Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Open A Gym

A few weeks ago I asked for a little insight on what you, my loyal readers, would like to see me write more about.

Oddly, “How adorable your cat is” didn’t make the cut.

What was a popular answer, almost resoundingly so, was for me to go into a little more detail on the business side of the fitness industry. Specifically, gym ownership. Even more specifically, to reflect and pontificate on what that means to me, and to offer any sage advice to those considering traveling down that path.

Read on…

Copyright: wavebreakmediamicro / 123RF Stock Photo

 

3 Questions To Ask Before You Do Something Stupid Open a Gym

1. What The Fuck Are You Doing?

Are you sure you want to do this?

I’ve come to realize there’s one of two tangibles that serve as the impetus for someone wanting to open their own gym:

  1. They’re passionate about fitness.
  2. They want to stick it to the man.

To Point #1 (passion).

I’m passionate about a lot of things too: Health, fitness, & helping people (obviously), techno, cheese, and movies.1

You have to be careful with passion.

It makes us do dumb things and make irrational decisions.

This is why I’ve yet to open up Tony’s Techno Palace of Gruyere and Sick Hip-Hop Beats.

Following one’s passion, while commendable, can be a tricky situation. Before you know it you’ve opened up a 10,000 sq. ft facility with all the bells and whistles, yet have zero idea on where or how you’re going to get clients.

Rent’s still due at the end of the month by the way.

More to the point, and this is something I’ve hit on before, I think there’s this idea (or even stigma) that the only way you can become relevant or give off the guise that you’ve “made it” in this industry is to own a gym.

Many trainers/coaches put this unnecessary pressure on him or herself to be a gym owner despite 1) not really having the desire (not to mention career capital, experience, or skill-set) to do so and/or 2) because it seems like the natural career progression to take.

NEWSLFLASH: You don’t have to do shit.2

You don’t have to be a gym owner to be successful in this industry. There are innumerable fitness professionals out there who work in commercial, boutique, box, or studio gyms who do very well for themselves.

As far as “progressing” one’s career (which, let’s be honest, means: “how can I make more money?”) I’d suggest the more pertinent question people should ask isn’t so much “Hey, should I open a gym?”

…but rather…

“Hey, what can I do to incur additional revenue streams so that I don’t have to be coaching on a gym floor 40-50 hours per week?“

That’s a deeper discussion for another time (especially when we consider how COVID-19 affected everything within the health/fitness industry), but suffice it to say this is where things like online coaching, writing, consulting, producing educational products, affiliate marketing, private coaching groups, and public speaking come into the picture.

Not ironically, all of the above are typically only fruitful when someone has spent years working in a commercial gym setting and harvesting much-needed experience.

To Point #2 (sticking it to the man)

This is also called the “my boss sucks so I’m going to open up a gym” argument.

I get it, I really do.

I spent the first five years of my career working in various corporate and commercial gyms and I’d be lying if I said I never got frustrated.

  • Why do I have to work so many floor hours?
  • Why are they taking a larger percentage of my sessions?
  • How come they won’t let me train people with my shirt off?
  • (tosses chair through a window) THIS PLACE IS A PRISON!

Stop being a child.

Read THIS post by Pete Dupuis.

2. How Are You Going to Open a Gym?

Is this a self-funded endeavor? Partners? Investors? You found a magic lamp?

When we opened up Cressey Sports Performance back in 2007, Eric Cressey, Pete Dupuis, and myself did things the old fashioned way: we cut each other’s hands with a razor blade and shook on it.

Okay, not really.

But we did sit down and discuss what each of our respective roles were going to be and also made it clear who owned what percentage of what.

We were a little different than most gym start-ups in that Eric more or less funded the entire thing out of his own pocket and we already had a set client roster primed and ready to go between the two of us.

Not many gym owners have that luxury.

NOTE: We were able to do that because 1) Eric had been saving money since he was seven months old and 2) We made it a point to START SMALL with a very bare-bones approach.

The initial CSP was 2200 sq. feet located in the corner of an indoor batting facility.

And while we had several people offer to invest at the start, as a group we wanted to avoid that at all costs.

We didn’t want to be held accountable to anyone else but ourselves. Too, we just wanted to avoid weird situations.

With investors you run the risk of too many demands/opinions being thrown into the pot – “When will we start hitting “x” numbers?” or “Why don’t we buy this $5000 leg press?” or “What do ya’ll think of adding in BOSU ball Light Saber battles as part of the warm-up?”

We wanted our gym to be ours.

The rule of thumb is this: If you don’t have a minimum of 6-months of operating costs set aside – to cover rent, utilities, insurance, any CAM fees, etc – than you shouldn’t consider opening a gym.

But if you do, do yourself a huge favor and email Pat Rigsby.

Which serves as a nice segue to…..

3. Is What I Did An Option?

To speak candidly, I never wanted to own a gym. Sure, I was (and still am) considered a co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance, but I’ll be the first to admit I wanted nothing to do with the business side of the equation.

All I wanted to do was show-up, coach my tail off, and do my best to serve as an ambassador to the brand.

I let Pete and Eric worry about the TPS reports.

When I decided to leave CSP in the Fall of 2015 it wasn’t to open my own place.

An opportunity arose where I could sub-lease at a location that was really close to my apartment.

In short, I paid an hourly rent in order to have “access” to a space to train clients. It was a perfect fit for me. There was no overhead on my end and since I already had a bunch of people lined up and ready to train with me in Boston the risk was pretty low.

(Also, the 1-mile commute as opposed to a 45 minute drive both ways didn’t suck).

Fast forward several months and the person whom I was sub-leasing under informed me she wasn’t renewing her lease and asked if I’d be interested in taking it over?

After unclenching my sphincter I put pen to paper and crunched the numbers. I came to the conclusion that if I had even one person sub-leasing under me paying me rent, that it would be a cheaper alternative on a month-to-month basis compared to what I had been doing.

I was in.

CORE was born.

Part of what helped settle my fears was that I knew what I didn’t want CORE to be. I had zero aspirations (and I still don’t) of building anything close to the pedigree of Cressey Sports Performance.

To be honest, I don’t think I have it in me – either in skill-set, acumen, or talent.

All I want (and need) is a small space to coach clients ~20 hours per week. This still allows me the ability to write, travel (when it’s allowed), and spend time with my family.

Sub-leasing is a great fit for me and I believe it’s an option more and more gym owners are considering, particularly in a COVID world.

I currently have three coaches sub-leasing under me at CORE. They’re not employees and I am not in charge of their schedule nor setting their price points.

All I do is provide a well-equipped, clean space that they can utilize and build their own businesses.

And (hopefully) thrive.

It’s a small space – 550 sq. feet – so only one coach can utilize the space at a given time. There’s a shared calendar and if someone blocks off the time, the studio is their’s to use. I’ve been using this system for just over five years and it’s worked splendidly.

If you’re someone who’s more hands-on and prefers the challenge of building a business, it’s likely not going to be a satisfying approach. However, if you’re someone like me and want something a little more low-key and are also looking for ways to offset your overhead, this option may be a home-run.

HOWEVER: As it happens I am now looking to scale the business into a larger footprint and turn CORE into CORE Collective…

…an all-in-one health/wellness location that not only provides top-notch personal training where a team of coaches can share and utilize the space, but also physical therapy, massage, nutrition counseling, and psychotherapy to boot.

Who knows, maybe I’ll also host Laser Tag tournaments on the weekends.

Which brings me to Point #1 above.

What the fuck am I doing?…..haha.

That’s That

I hope this was helpful?

Categoriespodcast

Coaching For Introverts and Prepping For Life’s Dumpster Fires

Copyright: forestrun

Appearance on the Future of Fitness Podcast

One of my favorite people in the world is Eric Malzone. I mean, he’s a really good friend, so of course it makes sense he’s ranked high on that list.

Somewhere lodged between my wife, my kid, and Jason Bourne.

Eric’s a great coach, and he works with a litany of other fitness professionals on how to grow & build their respective businesses and brands. He also runs a very popular podcast, one of which I’ve been invited on as a guest several times.

In my latest appearance he and I discuss how being an introvert in the coaching industry can be an asset, but needs some slightly different approaches. We also talk about sawing a couch in half and when life serves up hot dumpster fires.

You know, the normal podcast stuff.

Check it out:

iTunes – HERE.

Spotify – HERE.

Stitcher – HERE.

Categoriespersonal training

Meet In the Middle

There’s no question we’re living in polarizing times; no one can seem to meet in the middle on anything:

  • Politics
  • Religion
  • COVID/masks/vaccines
  • Who’s the best Batman…

If there’s any degree of disagreement the brass knuckles are coming out. We see a fair share of the same sentiment in the fitness industry and with today’s guest post, Shane McLean pontificates on that point a bit further.

Copyright: xwinggames

Meet In the Middle

Remember when you used to meet up with a friend and you would meet in the middle? They didn’t want to go all the way over to your house and you didn’t want to go all the way to theirs, so you met in the middle. When I was a kid, it seemed a fair deal because I rode my bike everywhere.

Now it seems (to me) we live in a world of extremes, and no one meets in the middle. It’s either this or that. It’s fact or it’s fiction. You support me or you’re dead to me. Plus, if there are two differing points of view, you must side with one or the other.

This is often exacerbated (in my opinion) by the mainstream media and even on TV shows.

Extremes sell and get you fired up.

If you support one side or the other for whatever reason, it’s easy to draw a line in the sand and put your money where your mouth is. How’s that for back-to-back use of clichés? On second thoughts, don’t answer that.

Although today’s political climate has its fair share of extremes, I also see this in the health and fitness realm.

Warning: Soap Box Moment

Before the rant, here’s where I’m coming from:

  • I’ve been a personal trainer for twelve years
  • Freelance fitness writer for over six years
  • Been writing a fitness blog for over seven years
  • Volunteer for the Personal Trainer Development Center where I consume a metric ton of fitness content.

I’ve read, written, coached and performed a lot of exercise. This doesn’t make me an authority, but it does make me a loud mouth with an informed opinion. If you dislike opinion pieces, stop reading. If you wish to be more informed as to see clearly through the murky waters of the fitness realm, hold on to your keyboard.

It will be a bumpy ride.

The Middle Doesn’t Sell Well

Extremes sell because they get attention.

Nothing brings this more to light more than social media because it takes a lot to get consumers attention while they’re doom scrolling. And being on social media more than I should, here’s what I’ve gathered about what sells and what doesn’t.

Nothing polarizes trainers, coaches, and consumers more than diets and methods of exercise. Whether it be Keto, Atkins, Vegan, (insert all diets here) or high intensity training, CrossFit, Zumba, or kettlebells (insert all training methods here).

To get attention in a crowded marketplace and more sales, you need to stand out from the crowd. And some trainers, coaches, etc. go to extremes by either

  • Performing circus tricks that kind of look like exercise
  • Saying only this works and nothing else does
  • This food will get you fat so buy this instead3
  • You’re exercising all wrong and you must do this for gains
  • Eliminate this and add this (whatever their selling) to get long-lasting results
  • Stop making these diet and exercise mistakes and do this instead.

Or variations of all the above.

Now, I’m not saying this is wrong and I’m not denying people trying to make a buck no matter how dubious their claims are. Because (cliché alert) fools and their money are soon parted.

But I’m going to let you in on a little-known secret that seems obvious that you’ll be smacking your hand into your forehead repeatedly saying ‘why, why, why didn’t I think of that.’

Are you ready?

Everything works. Yes, even the Thigh Master. Or Zumba.

The trick is what to do when the extremes stop working.

Here’s What Doesn’t Sell

Extremes do work because there is a time and place for most things.  There are times to go to extremes to get the results you want.

Plus, people are entitled to their extreme opinions too. My only problem is when these people are presented with overwhelming evidence to the contrary and they still hold on to their beliefs.

But that’s a story for a different time.

Here’s what I feel aren’t the biggest sellers nor doesn’t it generate lots of attention.

The basics and moderation, otherwise known as the middle.

The middle for resistance training involves the regression and progression of hinging, squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling and locomotion (carries, sled work etc.) And the middle for nutrition is a caloric deficit for fat loss, caloric surplus for muscle gain and eating more like an adult and not a child.

Yes, there is a lot of wiggle room as I’m taking the broad view here.

Moderation is taking the long-term view and not just the short-term strategy of losing 10 pounds in 6 weeks.

Quoting a well-known coach, he suggests you need to spend more of your time doing either a:

“Moderate diet (not a huge caloric deficit, surplus or mass elimination of food groups). Combined with Hard training (more sets, reps or more days exercising).

Hard diet (bigger deficit or surplus with elimination of foods) Combined with Moderate training (less sets, reps, and training to support you goal).”

Now extreme dieting and training programs (at the same time) are doable but only for a limited time. Think of it (another cliché alert) as burning the candle at both ends. You burn bright for a while and after a while there is no wax to burn.

But moderation and the basics aren’t as sexy or sell as well as extremes.

Wrapping Up

This is not a knock-on trainers or coaches who use attention grabbing content or exercises to generate sales, likes and followers. But be aware there is plenty of room in the middle performing the basics with moderate diet and exercise.

Because doing a little over the long haul will give you the best chance of success. Save the circus tricks for the professionals.

If you’re looking for an exercise program to get you back on track, check out my 6-week program right here.

About the Author

Shane “Balance Guy’ McLean”  is an A.C.E Certified Personal Trainer working deep in the heart of Louisiana with the gators.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 10/19/21

Copyright: conneldesign / 123RF Stock Photo

STUFF TO CHECK OUT FIRST

1. COACHED: Raise the Bar Conference – Early Bird Rate Ends This Week.

I’m excited to announce that I will be part of the Raise the Bar Conference. An event focused on the missing links in our industry: Communication, collaboration, connection, behavioral psychology, business & marketing skills, and much more.

When: February 4th-6th, 2022
Where: BioFit Performance, Oviedo, FL (Orlando area)

And more importantly who? Who will be presenting at this event?

I gotta say: This is undoubtedly one of the most stacked line-ups I have ever seen; even more than the 1990 Oakland Athletics.

Spots will fill up fast, act quickly – HERE.

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Trust the Science – Doug Kechijian

We heard this phrase all through the height of the pandemic; yet there’s a twinge of Inigo Montoya’ness whenever you hear some people shout it through the rooftops.

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

As always Doug pontificates deeper and at a level most people are unable to get to.

Habit Stacking and Building the Healthier Life You Want (One Step at a Time) – Sarah Moorman

I’ve been following Sarah’s work for awhile now and she’s impressive. Not only is she stronger than She-Ra and Wonder Woman combined, but her approach to training is accessible and actionable, and that take talent to pull off.

Anyhow, this is a short-n-sweet post by here that I know most people can get on board with.

Imposter Syndrome and the Fitness Industry – Dean Somerset

Dean wrote this absurdly relevant post four years ago (I know because he just shared it as a memory on his Facebook page) and it’s still valid today.

It will always be valid.

CategoriesAssessment coaching

You’re Not Broken If You’re Asymmetrical. You’re Normal.

One of the more flagrant “mic drops” I toss down whenever I speak to a group of fitness professionals (remember when we used to be able to do that in person?) is that forcing people to adopt a symmetrical stance while performing basic lifts such as deadlifts or squats is more likely hurting people rather than helping them.

In fact, I’ll go a step further and tell them symmetry in the human body doesn’t exist and then yell something like “UNICORNS ARE REAL!” and walk away.

You know, to keep people on their toes.

Copyright: erllre / 123RF Stock Photo

You’re Not Broken If You’re Asymmetrical. You’re Normal

We need to stop thinking we’re broken if we display any degree of asymmetry.

It’s 100% normal, actually.

The human body is designed asymmetrically. If it were so deleterious I think natural selection would have fixed it by now don’t ya think?

Admittedly, I appreciate it’s a tough nugget to swallow…the whole “symmetry is a myth” thing.

I had a hard time tackling it myself. For years all I read was how we should strive for perfect balance and symmetry both statically (posture) and dynamically (think: maintaining a symmetrical stance during a set of squats).

However, the more I worked with people – with varying backgrounds, injury histories, and body-types – and the more I coached, the more I realized it was all B.S. Holding everyone to the same standard didn’t make sense.

The tipping point for me was my introduction to PRI (Postural Restoration Institute ®) a number of years back. Neil Rampe stopped by Cressey Sports Performance and did a 1-day workshop and opened my eyes to just how UN-symmetrical the body really is.

As noted above, it’s designed that way, in fact.

It helps us.

This was pretty much reaction

via GIPHY

Not long after Michael Mullin stopped by CSP several times and took the entire staff through a number of in-services which further slapped me in the face with the whole Morpheus “blue pill/rep pill, we’re asymmetrical creatures, open your eyes” schtick.

More currently, guys like Dean Somerset, Dr. Ryan DeBell, Dr. John Rusin, Dr. Stuart McGill, and Papa Smurf agree: The human body is all sorts of effed up.

But in a good way.

In some facets of life symmetry is the goal.

A ballet dancer needs to elicit “symmetry” when performing, as does a figure athlete or competitive bodybuilder when strutting their stuff on stage. No one ever won Ms. Olympia or Mr. East Lansing Stud Muffin with a yoked up right quadricep and a teeny tiny left.

But those examples aren’t necessarily the same thing as what I’m referring to in this post. Aesthetically, symmetry is visually pleasing.

90’s Mariah = pleasing

Crazy Eyes from Mr. Deeds = not pleasing

However, for performance or function, symmetry shouldn’t necessarily be the default goal or expectation.

It’s a hefty statement to make, and whenever I say something so seemingly egregious it often invokes a little push-back.

“Well, what about cars?” someone may blurt out. “If we don’t maintain alignment (symmetry) the car will start veering to one side or the other, causing additional wear and tear on the tires, and run the risk of further damage.”

To this point, I agree. Cars are designed by engineers and manufactured by computers and machines with precise precision to be replicated over and over and over again to (hopefully) ensure a quality product and return business from consumers.

The human body is not a Volvo.

This isn’t to insinuate the human form is any less fantastical, beautiful, intricate, or complex of a design. But, you know, we’re not some Clone Army to be replicated en mass.

Dare I say: This is a rare moment where “we are, indeed, all special snowflakes.”

During our Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint (dates are in the works for a return in early 2022!), Dean Somerset and I try to reiterate to attendees that asymmetries are normal and that, often, we’re doing a disservice to our clients and athletes by forcing them all into a standard, one-size-fits-all way of doing things.

 

It’s important to recognize everyone has variances in bony structure.

Using the hips as an example we know:

  • Pelvic structures differ person to person.
  • Femoral angles vary person to person.
  • Hip socket depth can vary (Scottish hip)
  • People have two hips (surprise!) and either side can have retroverted or anteverted acetabulums, as well as retroverted or anteverted femoral heads. All of which affects someone’s ability to flex, extend, abduct, adduct, externally and internally rotate the joint.

To that end, when coaching someone up on the squat why not use those variances to better set up your clients and athletes for success?

Much like what an optometrist does when fitting someone for a new pair of glasses, sitting someone down in front of that thingamabobber (<— I believe that’s the technical term) and flipping back and forth between lenses to see which looks and feels better – is this better, or is this? – why is the parallel approach all of a sudden wrong when trying to figure out the best squat stance for someone?

Shouldn’t it be our goal to figure out what stance feels more stable, powerful, and balanced? I’d make the case we’re trying to fit square pegs into round holes much of the time when we force people to use a symmetrical stance.

Why?

Especially when we know there’s a multitude of structural anatomical variance from person to person.

via GIPHY

But, How Do We Tell?

If you’ve somehow developed a mutant power of X-ray vision:

1) That’ll help

2) Can we hang out?

Performing a thorough assessment – something both Dean and I cover in depth HERE (hint, hint) – will provide a ton of feedback and help peel back the onion of what will be the right approach for someone.

You could also watch Dr. McGill take someone through a hip scour here:

 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve encouraged someone to use a staggered stance when squatting, or maybe to externally rotate one foot more than the other, and then they perform a few repetitions and they look up and say “holy shit-balls that feels so much better.”

And we hug.

Why would I disregard that?

We’re not causing irreparable harm by accepting asymmetry.

We’re just accepting people’s differences.

Categoriesfitness business personal training

The Hybrid Training Model For Personal Trainers

My man Gavin McHale is back with another excellent guest post this month. If you missed his last article on lead generation you can check that out HERE.

This month, as the title implies, is all about how personal trainers can (and should) lean into more of a “hybrid” training model that doesn’t rely on IN-PERSON training only and allows you to better leverage your time in order to 1) make more money and 2) resist the urge to throw your face into an ax from work overload.

Give it a read. It will make a lot of sense and I hope afterward it’ll provide some inspiration to you to make some subtle changes in your approach to the services you provide.

Copyright: michaeljung

The Hybrid Training Model For Personal Trainers

I climbed into my truck and sat back with a huge exhale. I had just finished another ‘day at the office’ and, as usual, I was absolutely exhausted. 

It was early afternoon, I had been up since 5AM and on the training floor since 6:30, eating and drinking coffee on the go. I was finishing up my 4th cup of coffee for the day, knowing it would affect my sleep but needing it to prop myself up for the evening full of clients that I had in about 4 hours.

via GIPHY

The ‘00’s Pop Punk’ playlist had played at least three times through on repeat that morning.

The plan was to whip home for some lunch and some work on the business before heading back to the gym – another few hours of client sessions on deck. In reality, I knew I’d get home, crush some food and pass out for the entirety of my time at home, barely dragging myself out of bed to get there on time.

I loved my training clients and I got to provide them with the best hour of their day on the training floor. 

And, by this point, I got to do it a lot. 

I had built my personal training business up to nearly 30 clients, with upwards of 25 semi-private and private training sessions a week. 

Business was buzzing… but the thoughts started creeping in…

via GIPHY

My girlfriend of two years and I barely got to see one another. When we did, I couldn’t even keep my eyes open for a full movie and had to leave any social gatherings by 9PM thanks to my 5AM alarm the next day.

How long was she willing to put up with an absent partner?

I knew I wanted to have kids at some point in my life, and I wanted to be the dad who could do school drop-offs and pick-ups and coach the sports teams; not the one who always ‘had to work’.

We loved to travel, even just for extended weekends. But I couldn’t enjoy my time away, panicking about lost revenue and possibly unhappy clients.

But the worst part was that I wasn’t making the money I knew I could be. I wasn’t having the impact I knew I could.

I was making a decent paycheck every month, but it was just enough to pay my bills and allow me a bit of freedom. I was pinching pennies and living paycheck to paycheck while working a ton, with a university degree and numerous certifications behind my name.

And honestly? I was just fucking tired…. ALL. THE. TIME.

It didn’t add up.

Especially since the only solution I knew was to take on more clients and do more of the same… something I didn’t have the capacity for without sending myself down a spiral to burning out and being single well before my 30th birthday.

That’s when I was forced to get creative.

I began by asking myself the one question every single service provider should start with (I was just a little behind the curve): How can I best serve my clients?

via GIPHY

(GIF added by me, Tony, because if nothing else I keep thing professional.)

I knew they loved their workouts and I loved working with them, but the majority of them weren’t getting the results they wanted because that 1-3 hours a week they spent with me would never offset the poor lifestyle choices they were making during the other 165+ hours every week.

Let’s be real, even though I loved doing it, grinding it out on little sleep and caffeine was not the best service I could provide. The cup I was pouring from… was empty and I didn’t have the systems in place to help them change their lifestyle beyond a couple sweat sessions a week.

And since I had no more capacity for more training sessions and they didn’t have the time to come to the gym every day,

I had to find a better way.

Enter, the Hybrid Training Model

This model created a win-win for me and my clients.

The win for me is that I got to stabilize my monthly income by charging for an entire package instead of session by session and got some of my time back, all while providing a better service to my clients.

The win for them? Straight up better results without having to schlep to the gym and back every day or pay thousands a month for a trainer.

This model would allow me to continue doing what I did best, training clients on the gym floor, but not have to live there, eating every meal out of tupperware, trying not to spill it on the turf and taking bites between coaching cues.

The hybrid model I built and refined since includes 5 key areas:

  1. In-person coaching
  2. Regular activity programming
  3. Nutritional guidance or intervention
  4. Belief and habit building
  5. Accountability

If you look at the traditional training model – the one that left me half sleeping in my truck at the end of the work day, I covered maybe 1 or 2 of those bases… at best.

And, in most cases, the trainer isn’t being paid for anything but their time spent in the gym with each client. You can say the pricing reflects programming time and nutritional information and accountability, but it really doesn’t.

When your clients are paying session by session, they see the value in having you in the room coaching them.

That’s it.

Your clients are also financially incentivized by this model to actually miss sessions. If they’re low on energy or just don’t feel like it, they’ll miss a session and either save money that month or stretch their current package out over a longer period.

Bottom line: your income is unstable and they don’t get the best service.

In order to build this model out and be able to market and sell it, you have to ask yourself a lot of questions and completely reshape the way you provide your service and charge for it.

1. In-Person Coaching

  • How often do they need instruction lifting weights? 
  • How often do they want to come to the gym?
  • Do you have the space and ability to do semi-private training with them?

2. Regular Activity Programming

Basically, this includes any part of the programming that doesn’t require you to be there, coaching them.

  • Can you program some or most of their workouts to be done on their own? 
  • Do they have a gym membership or access to equipment at home?
  • Are there parts of the program where they don’t need to be in the gym like walking, running or mobility work?

3. Nutritional Guidance or Intervention

Any type of transformational program is incomplete without some form of nutritional guidance. If they already trust you enough to train them, then you’re probably the best person to guide them through some basic nutrition principles.

For most general population clients and goals, this is simple habit building. No need to go too deep and risk moving outside your scope.

You can either build your own curriculum or outsource this completely. When I was coaching, I outsourced this to Precision Nutrition and set my clients up on their year-long ProCoach software.

4. Belief and Habit Building

My most successful clients were the ones who made massive mindset shifts throughout my program. Over the time we worked together, they became better versions of themselves, which provided the outcome they wanted.

In my opinion, this is a non-negotiable in any coaching program, especially if you want to stand out from the Pelotons and the Orange Theory’s. 

  • What do they need to learn to be able to shed their old skin and step into a new, better version of themselves?
  • Can you create a simple weekly or bi-weekly curriculum over 2-3 months that will allow them to do that?

5. Accountability

Finally, accountability is what they’re actually paying for.

Let’s be real – everything you (and I) coach can be found with a quick Google search if they know where to look. 

Information and even education is no longer valuable like it used to be. What is? Accountability and a safe space to fuck up and learn.

Plus, the more skin they have in the game (i.e. the more you charge for this full spectrum service), the more accountable they’ll be.

I’m not sure how many free downloads you have sitting on your laptop, but I have plenty that I haven’t even opened… no skin in the game.

In Its Simplest Form, This is the Hybrid Coaching Model

I won’t lie, this will be more work upfront for you. But, as I learned throughout this process, if you can “work hard once” setting everything up, you make your life a whole lot easier down the road.

This will allow you to charge a monthly price for the whole package and stabilize your pay while actually working less and giving your clients the best chance at seeing the results they’re looking for. 

No more never-ending selling of 10 or 20-session packages and no more needing to send out the same resources over and over to every single client who asks about keto or intermittent fasting.

You run the show and make sure all the bases are covered. They get the best of what you can offer and you get the most out of your time, energy and expertise.

About the Author

As a Kinesiology graduate, Gavin McHale quickly realized that following the traditional business model would lead to trading more time for more money.

Over the course of 8 years, Gavin built a 6-figure hybrid training business before founding the Maverick Coaching Academy in 2019.

Since then, Gavin has left the gym and gone all in helping other strength coaches build their businesses. He has made it his mission to fix the broken fitness industry and connect other amazing humans to the highest version of themselves.

IG – @gavinmchale1

The Coach’s Playground Podcast

maverickcoachingacademy.ca

Categoriescoaching fitness business psychology

Psych Skills for Fitness Pros II: Inside the Coach’s Mind Explained

In November my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, will be putting on a 2-day LIVE workshop in Boston that focuses on psychological skills geared toward fitness professionals.

I, admittedly, am a bit biased and think Lisa’s content is superb. I’ve stated on numerous occasions that what’s helped me develop most as a coach over the course of the past decade (+) is confiding in her and leaning into the idea that it’s the “soft skills” – empathy, compassion, listening, having a better understanding of the many layers of motivation –  where I had the largest gap to overcome in my growth.

And I wholeheartedly feel this is an area where most other fitness pros need to grow as well.

I’ve laid out in recent weeks the general outline of the upcoming workshop, but in hindsight can understand how my explanation may have come across as a bit nebulous if not incomplete:

  • Why do I need to learn about motivation?
  • I’m not a psychologist, why does this stuff even matter?
  • Did Tony mention something about a tickle fight?
  • I mean, what the heck am I walking into here?

Lisa was kind enough to go into much, much more detail on what you can expect from the upcoming weekend and how the information she’ll share will help you become a better coach.

Copyright: branche

Inside the Coach’s Mind – Explained

As a coach, your knowledge about programming, anatomy, physiology, getting people stronger, getting people leaner, and getting clients wherever they want to “go” is central to doing a good job. But your technical knowledge and acquired coaching skills aren’t the only tools you use. 

When you coach, you build a relationship, using:

  • Rapport.
  • Communication. 
  • Collaboration
  • Facilitation of change. 

You work hard to understand and help each client, with their own unique personality, tendencies, biases, and quirks. And, just as important, you are also a unique individual with your own tendencies, biases, and ways of thinking, feeling, and being in the world. In other words, you and your clients have a psychology – and that psychology directly affects the process and outcome of coaching. 

Psychology is the study of: 

  1. Cognition (Thinking)
  2. Emotion (Feeling)
  3. Behavior (Doing). 

Your psychology impacts how you: 

  1. Think,
  2. feel,
  3. and act about, toward, and with your clients.

In short, your psychology – and understanding it – matters.

In Volume I of Psych Skills for Fit Pros, we explored the nature of change, motivation, and the skills coaches need to facilitate those psychological phenomena. 

In Volume II, we explore the coach’s psychology:

  1. Your thinking style, strengths, and thinking “traps”
  2. Your emotions, unconscious tendencies, and processes
  3. Your professional boundaries, communication style, and self-care habits

You might be reading this and wondering, “What the heck does all this stuff have to do with me being a good coach?”

Good question. Two important reasons:

First, When you understand how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors “work,” you can see people, problems, and situations more clearly. When you are familiar with your own biases, blind spots, triggers, and stressors, you can more effectively separate your issues from The Issue at hand. 

Second, the constant variable in all of your work as a coach is you.

The clients change, the setting may change, the point in time and context changes – but there you are.

By developing awareness of how your mind works and how you impact coaching relationships and coaching outcomes, you develop personally and professionally. And as everyone reading this knows, personal and professional development are central to career-long growth, effectiveness, and enjoyment of the coaching profession. 

On November 6th and 7th, 2021, Volume II of Psych Skills for Fit Pros will be live at Ethos Fitness and Performance in Boston, MA. 

(Register Now)

Curriculum Overview: 

Day 1 (Full Day)

I. Introduction

A. Psychology in Coaching: Why knowing your own mind matters
B. Self-Awareness: A long game – but worth it personally and professionally
C. Mindfulness: Mental Preparation for self-awareness and effective coaching
D. Psychology 101: A Primer

II. Cognition

A. Thoughts, and how they work
B. Thinking styles, tendencies, and traps
C. How to identify thinking traps, and use clear thinking to coach effectively
D. Character Strengths
E. Application

  1. Identify and correct thinking traps to improve coaching
  2. Leverage your strengths to maximize coaching effectiveness
  3. Case Study

III. Emotion

A. Feelings, and how they work
B. Unconsciousness, and how it impacts coaching

  1. There-and-then (your past influences how you see the present)
  2. Transference in coaching
  3. Countertransference in coaching
  4. Content and process in coaching

C. Application

  1. Identify emotions and processes that influence your coaching, triggers for negative emotions and processes, and a plan for correcting unhelpful emotions and processes. 
  2. Case Study

Day 2 (Half Day)

IV. Behaviors

A. Your actions, and how they work
B. Interpersonal Boundaries
C. Setting the “Frame” for coaching: Enactment of your mission, goals, and values
D. Self-Care: maintaining physical and mental health for optimal coaching and thriving
E. Application

  1. Understand and outline your boundaries, coaching “frame”, self-care practices, and how those maximize your performance as a coach
  2. Case Study

V. Bringing It All Together

A. Your psychology is the most powerful tool you have for helping clients
B. Top Take-Aways
C. Beyond the seminar

  1. Strengths to leverage
  2. Blind spots and biases to work on
  3. More to learn

Who is This Seminar For? 

  • Coaches who have the nuts and bolts competencies of coaching (sets, reps, programming), and want to further their skills and effectiveness as a coach. 
  • Coaches who are open to looking within themselves, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and working on their own psychology, even though the benefits and payoff might not be immediate. 
  • Coaches who get that professional and personal development is sometimes a “long game” and that investments you make in those areas can take time to yield positive results. 
  • Coaches who know that psychology and mindset are just as important as physiology and fitness. 

Who is This Seminar NOT For? 

  • Coaches who need to focus on the nuts and bolts of coaching (sets, reps, programming)
  • Coaches who do not like thinking about, talking about, or looking within themselves, and who thinking psychology is not a part of fitness. 
  • Coaches who want continuing education to yield immediate benefit, and don’t want to focus on longer-term improvements and change. 

If this seminar looks like it is for you, 

Come to Boston and join us! 

(Register Now)

Where: Ethos Fitness and Performance, 46 Wareham St. Boston, MA 02118

When: Saturday, November 6 (Full day) and Sunday, November 7th (Half day)

Cost: $699

Register HERE

CategoriesMotivational rant

How to Prevent Burning Out as a Fitness Professional

I wanted to use a blog title that fit my personality more.

Like:

“Life as a Fitness Professional: See Brick Wall. Throw Face Into It. Repeat.”

But, you know, SEO and all.

Being a Personal Trainer/Coach Isn’t All Kitten Kisses and Rainbows

Forgive the nebulous tone out of the gate.

Let me be clear: I love what I do, and I wouldn’t have chosen to do it for the past 20 or so years if I didn’t gain some semblance of enjoyment from it.

[Although, truth be told, if Hollywood came knocking at my door tomorrow asking me to be the next Jason Bourne I’d peace out faster than you can say undulated periodization.]

I’ve been very fortunate and lucky (with equal parts hard work and insatiable consistency) building a career that not only provides an immense amount of pride and gratitude, but also satisfaction and sustenance.

Now, we could make the argument that being a fitness professional is a pretty sweet gig.

I mean, you get paid to hang out in a gym all day and wear sweatpants. There’s also a low-barrier to entry, which can be good and bad.

Good in that it allows people to pursue their passion without dropping $40,000 per year on a degree. Bad in that, well, there’s a low-barrier to entry.

Anyone can become a personal trainer.

via GIPHY

Additionally, I could go on forever listing all the other benefits to being a fitness professional:

  • You help and inspire people on a daily basis.
  • Free gym membership.
  • You more or less set your own schedule.
  • You can eat out of a Pyrex container and no one will judge you.
  • Did I mention you get to wear sweatpants to work everyday?
  • You get to wear sweatpants to work everyday.

There is a dark side, however.

While the numbers can vary, and it’s more or less an arbitrary, ball-park figure: many fitness professionals – personal trainers in particular – have a “life span” of 1-3 years.

Feeding that statistic, the average personal trainer makes roughly $32,000 per year, working a split-shift 60 hour per week schedule4 often with minimal (if any) benefits.

  • Spotty health insurance
  • No 401k plan. It can happen, but it’s rare.
  • Limited (if any) paid vacation.
  • But hey, you get to wear sweatpants.

While by no means a dirt poor scenario, there’s a reason a very finite number of fitness professionals ever hit the magical six-figure mark.

The ones that do often either work in a big city or in a very affluent area where people can afford high(er) price points for their services. Running the math, a trainer could work a 20-hour week charging $100 per session and easily make six-figures in a year.

However, that’s not realistic for most.

Not many can charge $100 per hour ($40-$50 is more like it), and not many are taking 100% of the profit. I.e., for those working out of a commercial gym, it’s often standard they take 30-50% of the cut (depending on what kind of “tier system” implemented).5

Not only that, cost of living has to be taken into consideration. Sure, trainers living in a more urban area can charge more, but they’re also paying $2000 per month to live in a closet (and $16 for a burger).

Another thing to consider is this:

This is NOT a “Demand” Career

Being a fitness professional means you’re in the service industry. How many people in the service industry do you know who are making bank?

Not only that…it’s not a “demand” career.

There’s always going to be a demand for funeral home directors, electricians, doctors, and, unfortunately, used car sales(wo)men.

Personal trainers and strength coaches? Not so much.

When the economy is stagnant people have a tendency to chop off what’s expendable. If it’s a matter of putting food on the table or paying someone 2x per week to take them through a killer front squat Tabata circuit while balancing on two kettlebells, what do you think is going to win out?

So, what can be done to not burn out and set the odds in your favor?

First: read THIS. <—The holy grail isn’t necessarily owning your own gym.

1) Grind, Hustle, [Insert Motivational Word Here]

To be honest, I hate the connotation of “grinding” or “hustling.” Every time I see a Tweet or IG status of someone saying how they’re up early “grinding” or how much they’re” hustling,” I want to jump into a live volcano.

I get it, though.

You’re reading anything and everything Gary Vaynerchuk has in print or paper and you’re listening to all of his podcasts.

I did too, for about three days. And then I got over it. His message, while good, just comes across as a broken record to me.

I don’t want to be Gary Vee, and I don’t think Gary Vee wants you to be Gary Vee either.

He works….all……the…….time.

Even he will admit he’s an outlier when it comes to work ethic and loving the grind.

There IS a degree of grinding and hustling that’s inherently conjoined to the fitness industry.

We work when others don’t.

Too, it’s a very, very, VERY saturated market…and you better bet your ass you need to do something to separate yourself from the masses (and by extension, begin to build a brand).

Being epically good at what you do is step #1.

This doesn’t require Twitter followers or a status update. It requires hard work, consistency, maintaining integrity, along with empathy and gratitude.

“Building a “brand” isn’t a social media illusion. Things like integrity, empathy, & gratitude (along with being good at what you do) count.”

What many refer to as “grinding” is just, you know, going to work. Like everyone else.

However, there’s a difference between going to work and actually going to work and taking pride in it…and working towards something bigger and better.

Learn and respect that difference.

2) “Brand” Building

It’s 2021: You better recognize that “building a brand” isn’t anchored on this idea that you need to optimize website SEO or hire a photographer to take nice looking photographs of you eating a kale salad next to a Ferrari so you can post them on your social media.

Renowned coach and speaker, Brett Bartholomew, shared a powerful message recently:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Brett Bartholomew (@coach_brettb)

As Brett notes, SOCIAL SKILLS are what’s missing in this industry; not more certifications and licensures. Brand building (and by extension, success) isn’t so much about putting more letters next to your name or having a 3x bodyweight deadlift.

It’s about CONNECTION and having the social skills necessary to build healthy and long-lasting client relationships & rapport.

NOTE: Anyone interested in that topic should come to Boston this November to attend Dr. Lisa Lewis’s 2-day workshop: Inside the Coach’s Mind. (wink wink, nudge nudge).

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

Social media is certainly part of the equation, however.

“But wait, Tony, didn’t you just say that social networks are a waste of time?”

Nope, that’s not at all what I said.

I said “do the work.”

Coach. Interact. Get people results. Get good at what you do.

CURATE RELATIONSHIPS.

Social media should serve as a complement to your brand. Not BE the brand. Pete Dupuis wrote an awesome article a few years ago on what Cressey Sports Performance did to build their brand.

“Believe it or not, we were open for business for 293 days before our Cressey Sports Performance website went live.  In fact, we strung together more than 1,200 days of operation before realizing we needed to get CSP up on Twitter.”

Anecdotally, I’ll be the first to admit I lucked out in this regard.

I helped build CSP from scratch, and both Eric (Cressey) and Pete encouraged me to build my own brand within a brand. I served as an ambassador for the CSP name, but was also able to leverage that to help construct the brand of “Tony Gentilcore.”

Having Eric and Pete in my corner helped, a lot.

It also helped that I jumped on the website and social media bandwagon before it became a “thing.”

I wrote my first blog post in 2006. I now have over 200o+ posts on this site. And this is not counting the hundreds of articles I’ve written on top of that for other websites.

It wasn’t until 2009-2010 that I invested in myself and hired someone to make a customized website for me.

Quick shoutout to Copter Labs on that front.

Nevertheless, I wrote hundreds of blog posts on my site and interacted with a lot of my readership before I “graduated” to being paid to write for other sites. I often joke that my high school English teachers would shit a copy of “Catcher in the Rye” if they knew I was a paid writer.

Moreover, once I started gaining more traction with my writing I started being asked to present at conferences and started to also be invited to gyms across the world to put on workshops.

Being transparent, open to other ideas, amicable, a good listener, and generally not an asshole have all served me well in growing my “brand.”

All of this to say: I now have other streams of revenue to not only bolster my brand, but to also help augment my coaching. I don’t have to be on the floor 30-40 hours per week (as it stands now, I coach 15-20 hours per week). What’s more, if COVID-19 taught us anything in this industry, it’s that having more “diversity” with your revenue streams is imperative.

  • In-person coaching
  • Distance/online coaching
  • Writing
  • Presenting/workshops (virtual *& in-person)
  • Affiliate income
  • Digital products/resources
  • Mentorships
  • And, sure, sponsorships and “influencing” can be tossed on the list too.

NONE of this happened over-night. And, if I were to be 100% honest: It’s only now – year 19 into my career – where I feel like I’m starting to “get it.”

Not be a Debbie Downer and all, there’s A LOT of noise out there. More and more fitness pros are out there vying for everyone else’s attention and a piece of the social media pie, and it’s becoming more saturated by the day.

It’s becoming harder and harder to make a name for yourself (if that’s what you choose to do).

However, it’s not an insurmountable feat to rise above the chaos.

The key, though: amazing, unparalleled, consistent content.

And not being an unapproachable tool canoe.

That helps too.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 9/27/21

Copyright: conneldesign / 123RF Stock Photo

STUFF TO CHECK OUT FIRST

1. Inside the Coach’s Mind Workshop – Boston (w/ Dr. Lisa Lewis)

I’ve long stated that the largest “gap” in knowledge for most fit pros isn’t the area of program design or the “x’s” and “o’s” of how to improve scapular upward rotation.

It’s the soft skills of coaching.

I.e., what’s going on in your head.

In more sage words…

…what’s really lacking in most fit pros’ repertoires is how to leverage your own way of thinking, feeling, and behaving in order to maximize your effectiveness as a coach, your rapport & working relationships with clients, and your own resilience and mental health.

This November my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, will be hosting Part 2 of her Psych Skills for Fit Pros course: Inside the Coach’s Mind.

Volume One covered motivation & behavior change.

Volume Two will go deep(er) into the coach’s psychology.

This live event will be held at Ethos Fitness & Performance in Boston’s beautiful South End district and it is NOT necessary to have gone through volume 1’s material in order to follow along. While everything is “connected” when discussing psychology, this will be new, stand-alone content covered.

For more information  – go HERE.

2. COACHED: Raise the Bar Conference – Early Bird Rate Ends This Week.

I’m excited to announce that I will be part of the Raise the Bar Conference. An event focused on the missing links in our industry: Communication, collaboration, connection, behavioral psychology, business & marketing skills, and much more.

When: February 4th-6th, 2022
Where: BioFit Performance, Oviedo, FL (Orlando area)

And more importantly who? Who will be presenting at this event?

I gotta say: This is undoubtedly one of the most stacked line-ups I have ever seen; even more than the 1990 Oakland Athletics.

The SUPER early bird rate lasts through the end of September so act quickly – HERE.

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

Twitter

Instagram

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore)

STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Debunking Myths on Strength Training For Female Athletes – Erica Suter

As always, Erica comes in hot (but in a way that makes a lot of sense and is hard to argue with). The excuses most young female athlete make (but really, it’s mostly the parents) as to why they shouldn’t strength train are just that…

…excuses.

And lame ones at that.

Dr. Amy Bender on the Science of Sleep – Mike Robertson (podcast)

I’m obsessed with sleep.

It’s the one thing I feel most everyone needs to address before they utter the words “ice baths” or “organic acai berry extract” when it comes to recovery (and overall health in general).

Improving sleep hygiene is undoubtedly the “x-factor” for most people, and this podcast sheds a ton of light on it.

Are Greens Powders Healthy? – Abby Langer

Full disclosure: I personally use Athletic Greens on an almost daily basis, and have so since 2010. That being said, I DO NOT push them onto my clients or athletes.

I also eat a metric fuck ton of broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, spinach, and other “real” greens.

There’s no doubt some brands out there more nefarious with their marketing that others; some claiming improved body pH levels, detox properties, or, I don’t know, X-ray vision.

This was a good, fair read via Abby.

Categoriespersonal training

A Personal Trainer’s Credo

Principles?

Treatise?

Standards?

Maybe I should have used some other fancy schmancy word instead?

Whatever the case may be, if you’re a personal trainer what follows are some potent “rules” you should be following.6

Copyright: uladzislauzaretski

A Personal Trainer’s Credo

1. Write Programs For the Client’s Goals (Not Yours)

You may think it’s badass to be able to deadlift 3x your bodyweight or look like He-Man (and I’d agree7), but that doesn’t mean all your clients will feel the same way.

  • Some people will want to look good for an upcoming life event (like a wedding).
  • Some people may want to reduce their chronic lower back pain.
  • Some may want to not pull their hamstring crush the competition in their recreational softball league.
  • And others may have a goal to grow a lumberjack beard.

The examples are endless.

(I’m just gonna toss it out there that, not coincidentally, a healthy dose of deadlifting will likely be on the docket for every one of those goals).

Your job as the fitness professional is to write (safe & efficient) programming that caters to the person standing in front of you. Weird, right? Who would have ever thought that one of the best ways to improve client retention is to do that?

Note sarcasm.

2. Actually Do Your Job (Coach!)

Fitness business legend, Thomas Plummer, is famous for referring many personal trainers as “clipboard cowboys and girls.”

Meaning, many portray themselves as nothing more than glorified (and disinterested) rep-counters.

At a rate of $70-$100 per hour no less!

In my experience, what separates the great trainers from the sub-par ones is the fact the former actually does his or her’s job…

…they coach!

They routinely provide feedback, make adjustments, and progress/regress exercises according to one’s health & injury history, goal(s), as well as ability level.

In short: They give a shit.

3. Being a Hardo is Lame

I’ve never really understood those coaches/trainers who feel the need to showcase this incessant “hardo” I-am-going-to-beat-you-into-the-ground-now-KNEEL-BEFORE-ZOD! attitude.

via GIPHY

You do you.

However, it’s also been in my experience that most people, most of the time, don’t respond well to that sort of silliness. It may work for a week or two, but before long the schtick is going to get old.

As renowned strength coach, Mike Boyle, has routinely said throughout the years…

“Don’t be an asshole.”

Or, maybe Mike didn’t say that? But it sure sounds like something he’d say. Did Gandhi say it? Either way, it resonates with me.

Instead, I feel the more cogent approach is to unabashedly champion SUCCESS with your clients.

Demonstrate and focus on things they CAN do rather than what they can’t. 

I’m going to tell you right now, most people are not going to be able to walk in on day #1 and perform a pristine barbell back squat. If you’re the type of trainer who insists on forcing it onto everyone, you’re going to fail, and more to the point you’re most likely going to turn people off from training.

This is not to say that that individual may one day have back squats placed in their program. I love back squats and think they’re a splendid exercise for most people to master. That being said, it’s imperative to ensure you find everyone’s appropriate “entry point” to certain exercises and movement patterns.

A Goblet Squat is generally a better entry/starting point for most trainees over a back squat. The former will feel more natural and doable.

The latter will often be seen as intimidating and feel like fire ants eating away at their hips and lower back. Then again, this is where BEING A COACH comes to fruition. Ensuring the appropriate joints are doing the work and are loaded correctly during a squat (and that the client feels the correct musculature firing) is the job of the trainer.

You don’t have to be hardo to accomplish those things, though.

You can absolutely do it in a manner that’s accessible to the client and prioritizes success.

4. Wash Your Shaker Bottles (For the Love of God)

Self-explanatory.

5. Practice What You Preach8

Call me crazy but I like to actually test drive an exercise before I put it into a program for a client.

Likewise, it’s rare for me to put a “concept” into program – density sets, drop sets, 5/3/1, undulated periodization, rest/pause training, nunchucks – and not have experienced or toyed around with it myself.

How can I expect my clients to “buy in” to something if I myself haven’t done so?

Integrity is important to me and it’s something I don’t take lightly.

You shouldn’t either.