Introduction

Behaviour change techniques and motivational strategies are essential tools for Personal trainers looking to help their clients make lasting changes to their health and fitness habits. These techniques and strategies can be based on theories such as the theory of reasoned action and planned Behaviour, which states that an individual’s beliefs, intentions, and attitudes towards a behaviour, as well as the perception of how important others view the behaviour, can influence their ability to make a change.

For example, a personal trainer might use positive reinforcement, such as praising a client for completing a challenging workout, to encourage them to continue working towards their goals. Setting achievable goals and rewards for reaching those goals can also be a powerful motivational strategy for personal training clients.

Theory of reasoned action and planned behaviour

The theory of reasoned action and planned behaviour is a model developed by Ajzen and Fishbein in 1967 that explains how an individual’s beliefs, intentions, and behaviours can interact to influence their ability to make a change. According to this theory, in order to make a behavioural change, an individual must have a combination of positive attitudes towards the behaviour, the perception that important others in their life view the behaviour as positive, and control over making the behaviour change.

Example: An individual who wants to make a change to their diet may need to have a positive attitude towards healthy eating, believe that their friends and family support their decision, and feel like they have control over their food choices in order to successfully make the change.

The Stage of Readiness / Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change

The transtheoretical model of behaviour change is a useful tool for personal trainers working with clients at different stages of the change process. This model identifies six stages of change, including pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination. By understanding the attitudes and motivations of their clients at each stage, personal trainers can provide stage-appropriate strategies and interventions to help clients progress through the stages of change and reach their health and fitness goals.

For example, a personal trainer working with a client in the pre-contemplation stage of change might provide information and education about the benefits of regular exercise, while someone in the contemplation stage might benefit from setting specific, achievable goals and creating a plan for reaching those goals.

The Health Belief Model (HBM)

The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a psychological model that was developed to identify factors that influence whether a person will take action to avoid a threat to their health. According to the HBM, people are more likely to take preventive action if they believe they are at risk from the threat and if they feel the threat is severe enough to their health. The HBM has four major concepts: perceived susceptibility (an individual’s belief about their own risk for a condition), perceived severity (an individual’s belief about the consequences of a condition), perceived benefits (an individual’s belief about the effectiveness of preventive actions), and perceived barriers (an individual’s belief about the obstacles to taking preventive action). In 1988, the concept of self-efficacy (an individual’s belief about their ability to take the appropriate action) was also added to the model.

An example of the HBM in action is a client who is considering starting a new exercise program to improve their health. In order for the client to take action, they need to believe that they are susceptible to health problems if they do not exercise (perceived susceptibility), that these health problems would be severe (perceived severity), that exercising will be beneficial in improving their health (perceived benefits), and that they are capable of starting and maintaining an exercise program (self-efficacy). The client may also need to consider any perceived barriers to exercise, such as lack of time or access to a gym, and weigh these against the perceived benefits in order to decide whether or not to start exercising.

Motivational interviewing

Motivational interviewing is a person-centred approach to behaviour change that involves having a collaborative conversation with an individual to help strengthen their motivation and commitment to change. One of the reasons people don’t make changes is because they are ambivalent, meaning they can see both the pros and cons of making a change. In motivational interviewing, when someone expresses this ambivalence, it is called “change talk” and “sustain talk”. Research has shown that a higher degree of change talk relative to sustain talk is a predictor of change, while a more even balance of the two is a predictor of not changing. Techniques used in motivational interviewing to stimulate this collaborative conversation include open questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries.

An example of motivational interviewing in action is a client who is considering quitting smoking but is unsure if they want to. The coach might use open questions to help the client explore their thoughts and feelings about quitting smoking, affirmations to recognize and support the client’s strengths and motivations, reflections to summarize and clarify the client’s thoughts and feelings, and summaries to help the client make a decision about whether or not to quit smoking. By using these techniques, the coach can help the client clarify their thoughts and feelings and ultimately make a decision about whether or not to quit smoking.

Self-determination theory

Self-determination theory is a combination of theories that provide a framework for understanding motivation and personality. The theory differentiates between intrinsic (internal) and extrinsic (external) motivation and emphasizes the importance of developing intrinsic motivators while acknowledging the influence of social and cultural factors on motivation and behaviour. Self-determination theory identifies three conditions necessary for personal well-being: autonomy (a sense of control and choice), competence (a sense of being able to successfully achieve goals), and relatedness (a sense of connection and purpose).

An example of self-determination theory in action is a client who is trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle. In order for the client to be motivated to make and maintain changes, they need to feel that they are in control of their decisions (autonomy), that they are capable of making and achieving their goals (competence), and that they are connected to something larger than themselves or have a sense of purpose (relatedness). If the client lacks any of these conditions, they may struggle to maintain their motivation and be less likely to make and maintain changes in their behaviour.

Creating a positive environment

Creating a positive environment is also important for motivating and empowering clients to achieve their goals. If a client feels comfortable in their surroundings, they are more likely to be motivated to regularly attend and adhere to the activities planned in that environment. A PT should consider the environment in which they are asking a client to exercise and try to make it as inviting and comfortable as possible. Factors that can impact adherence and goal achievement include safety and perception of safety, likeability and comfort, temperature, and barriers between the PT and client. By carefully planning and implementing appropriate measures, a PT can ensure that the environment has a positive impact on a client’s adherence to behaviour change.

Sign Posting

Signposting is the practice of referring clients to other related services, products, or sources of information that can support their behaviour change goals. This may include referrals to other types of sessions, such as group exercise classes or one-on-one sessions with other professionals, as well as resources such as websites or articles, and support systems like counselling services or forums. It is important for a personal trainer (PT) to be careful when signposting clients to specific organizations or sources of information, as they should work within their scope of practice and maintain professionalism and the rapport, trust, and relationship with their clients.

Interested in being a Personal Trainer?

CMS Fitness Courses offers 100% online personal training courses that cover the essential behaviour change techniques and motivational strategies that trainers need to help their clients make lasting changes to their health and fitness habits. These courses delve into key theories, such as the theory of reasoned action and planned behaviour, the transtheoretical model of behaviour change, and the Health Belief Model, and provide practical examples of how these theories can be applied in personal training situations. By completing these courses, trainers can gain a deeper understanding of how to support their clients in reaching their goals and creating sustainable changes to their health and fitness habits, positioning them for success in the field of personal training.

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