How to deal with flirtatious clients

by Ian
(Keizer, Oregon)

To be honest, I learned the hard way with dealing with flirtatious client(s). In fact I've had clients waiting for me in the parking lot hours after their session with me. People often think of personal trainers as someone they "own" for an hour. Sometimes these flirtatious clients think they have the right because they are paying you, to say and do whatever they want. This is not true and should not be true.

Well, do you consider the doctor who treats you at the doctors' office as some kind of personal ownership. Well...no.

My challenge to you is to redefine yourself as a PROFESSIONAL TRAINER. You don't have to change your title but in your mind, consider yourself a professional and expect to be treated like one if you present yourself in a PROFESSIONAL manner.
You have to nip this one in the bud early whenever it occurs. The challenge is to get past the thought that you don't want to hurt your clients' feelings. You can't control that. Posture is key in a professional relationship.
Here is my response to flirtatious clients that present unwanted behavior.

Hey {client name}, I really enjoy working with you but for you to get the best results from my knowledge and expertise, we have to keep this relationship professional.

And don't wait for a response. Just say, ok, let's go to the next exercise. Your client will think about what you said later and if it happens again, consider terminating the relationship. If not, you're going to be reliving the experience over and over again. My best advice is to not hesitate in defining your expectations.

Best wishes.
Ian
Professional and Personal Trainer
Oregon