CONNECTINGWITHIMPACT Marilyn H.Y. Hovius

“Connecting” with Members… YMCA Needs… “Engage” with new & current members “Inspire” members to develop healthy habits Develop a team of “Relationship Builders” Members commit to “My Y” TOOLS

Coach Training Process 1. Adult Engagement Training (5 hours) -open to all depts, recommended for fitness & MSS staff 2. 7 Steps of Selling – New 3. MSS staff booked into Wellness Appt. 4. Coach shadowing min. of 5 hours -completed with supervisor/senior coach 5. Dept meeting held ~ every 8 weeks -review client profiles -approaches -updates

Supports and Tools for Coaches  Adult Engagement Questionnaire (let’s have a conversation)  Fitlinxx  Journal entry and tracking  Monthly reporting  Minimum 7 meaningful connections in initial 3 months of membership  Continued check ins

Some Skills Coaches Need to Develop

LET’S PLAY A GAME … LINE UP PLEASE TWO LONG LINES Person 1: come forward Here is your story… Person 2: come forward Person 1: Please relay the story… & on & on & on… Last Person: What is the story?

Some Skills Coaches Need to Develop  Listening  Communication  Asking the Right Questions  Connecting….What questions? 1. Preliminary – Initial information and clarification of facts and feeling – mainly descriptive 2. Probing – Progressing to probing and analysis 3. Possibilities – Future and possibility questions

What Questions? Let’s Look at A Tool Your YMCA Provides You With… ADULT ENGAGEMENT LIFESTYLE QUESTIONNAIRE Working With New or Returning Exercisers 1. Preliminary 2. Probing 3. Possibilities

Using the “QUESTIONNAIRE” What could the 1 st Coaching appointment look like? 1.Introductions between coach and client 2.Discuss briefly what “wellness coaching is” 3.Fill out the PAR-Q 4.Information regarding medical issues – fact find! 5.Fill out a “Questionnaire” 6. 1 st apptmnt - talk about “YMCA” (charity, volunteers, etc) 7.Discuss values, member related responsibilities IF TIME 9. Set up Fitlinxx account (if have it) IF TIME 10. How to use Fitlinxx ID &/or how to use a cardio piece Watch TMI 11. BOOK 2 ND APPOINTMENT

ADULT ENGAGEMENT LIFESTYLE QUESTIONNAIRE Working With New or Returning Exercisers The questions posed are really stepping stones to obtaining more relevant information! Session # 1 Name: Date: Good time to ask (& write it down on top of form): -when did you join the “y”? -have you ever belonged to a gym before? -if yes, which gym? -why did you join the “y”? Comparable to “Fact Finding” – 7 Steps to Selling

LETS LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS WITH THE GOAL OF FACT FINDING TO HELP DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP!

What is your goal for this program? Try rephrasing: -why did you join the “y”? -what are your specific fitness goals? -what do you hope to accomplish?

How would you describe your exercise history? -what did you do for exercise before you joined the “y”? -what did you enjoy doing at the “other gym” you belonged to? (all answers can lead into the next question) What are your likes and dislikes when it comes to physical activity? -when you think about what you could do or have done for exercise, is there anything or type you don’t really enjoy/like? -what type of activities or exercise do you think you would enjoy?....do you think you would like to try classes?

How would you define your overall lifestyle? -are your days fairly busy? -do you feel you have enough time each day to relax? -are you rushing throughout the day from commitment to commitment? -when do you feel you would be able to fit exercise into your life? *this last question helps with setting short-term goals and to determine where you might be able to start the client with regards to “how many times per week”

What are your expectations, reservations and concerns relative to this program? This question is useful in so many ways… -to find out if they have any exercise “fears”/what might their perceived barriers be? BUT ALSO -to find out if there are any “SAM” issues they have experienced thus far related to fitness dept & rest of Y -do you have any concerns regarding starting an exercise program, or with the Wellness Floor/Fitness classes? -is there anything you’ve experienced in any location of this YMCA that has you concerned or you would like to discuss?

What is your comfort level at the Y? Exercise rooms? Change Rooms? COMFORT? OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE? One animal card/person 1.Do not let anyone see your card & keep it a secret 2.In the group is an animal just like you, your partner 3.Without speaking, connect with your partner 4.Use movements, gestures etc that your animal would use NO SPEAKING/NO AUDIBLE SOUNDS NO WRITING or SIGNING LETTERS

Contrary to the game we just played….as coaches we are lucky, we can speak and more important, listen! If the member is not comfortable with you, with the Y, with the idea of exercising, what will they need from you to break down the barriers? What is your comfort level at the Y? Exercise rooms? Change Rooms?

Delves more into their psychological readiness to be either on the Wellness Floor &/or in the fitness classes? How much extra support might you need to give them to help them overcome this barrier? Try asking this way… -take a look around, would you feel comfortable working out on this floor/have you been comfortable on the Wellness Floor? -what about when it has been busy? -how do you feel about participating in fitness classes? -are you comfortable using the change rooms?

How would you describe your energy level today? -on a scale of 1-10, how would you describe your energy level today OR on a scale of 1-10, given that 1 is you’ve got nothing and would rather be lying on a couch and 10 is you’re bouncing off the walls? OR -when are you most energetic during the day? -coaches can use the info; new exercisers will be more motivated to workout when they feel energetic, it will be easier for them to develop healthy habits -others might find working out when they are less energetic, energizing!

How would you describe your stress level today? -on a scale of 1-10, how would you describe your stress level today or on a regular basis, given that 1 is you’ve got no stress, nothing bothers you and 10 is you are constantly feeling stressed out? OR -would you say you have relatively stress free days? OR -when you are feeling stressed, has exercise ever made you feel better? How can the coaches use this information? (designing a program/time for exercise for stress release?)

Coaches caveat to next question: “Although I know the answer to the next question, I’m still going to ask you. By asking I can find out a bit more of your knowledge related to exercise but also to help you realize that you have to take ownership of your goals, I can’t make you exercise. Your goals are to…(then ask the question) What factors will help you reach your goal? What do you think you need to do to accomplish your goals?

What pitfalls do you predict will prevent you from reaching your goal? -have there been any times where you had planned to exercise but then for some reason didn’t? What stopped you from exercising? -what do you think are some of the reasons that might stop you from coming in to exercise? LEADS INTO… What do you think you could do if you miss a scheduled work out? LEADS INTO NEXT QUESTION…

What supports can you rely on to help you reach your goal? -is there anyone who is helping to motivate you to exercise? -then ask the question as stated above… -can you ask them to call you or give you a push when you don’t feel like exercising? -their answer may or may not give the coach the opportunity to discuss the idea of working out with a buddy, planning to come at the same time -maybe their answer leads to coach to feel that the client is a good “self-motivator”, although if they are new to exercise or returning, are they really “good self-motivators”?

What are your activity preferences? This question could be useful here or may be a bit redundant based on the “likes dislikes question on the first page. With the new/returning to exercise client, asking this question again will be a great lead in to the next question regarding short- term goals. OR -go back to the likes/dislikes page, reread their likes, ask if they have any more and then go to the short-term goals

Coach lead in: “at your next appointment, which we will book at the end of this one, we will start to look at the strength training exercises that are appropriate to start you progressing towards your goals, BUT between this appointment and that one, it is important to set exercise goals that you feel you can accomplish” Short-term goals: What do you think you could commit to doing in the next week (or two)? How many times do you feel you could come in to exercise? Are there any classes you’ve been interested in trying?

My pitfall strategies: Coach can reiterate: “your short-term goals are too… and you’ve stated yourself that you feel you could come in to exercise “x” # of times (see overall lifestyle), what do you think you could do if you miss your scheduled exercise?”

Coach can could change gears here: “before we continue, I would like to use a bit of this appointment go give you a little more information about the YMCA There are so many things that a coach could discuss: -charity -donations -volunteerism -Sierre Leon -SKC Choose something relevant so that the member starts to realize we are so much more than a fitness facility. Then: “on our brochure we list our values as…:”

Caring Honesty Inclusiveness Respect Responsibility “We are hoping that with regards to the values you as a member will be willing to commit something to us and we will commit something back…”

Member Wellness Centre Commitment When exercising in the Wellness Centre or Studio/Gym, show respect towards others and be responsible for the equipment and area. This means being courteous, sharing the equipment, returning the equipment to the appropriate place when done. Please use the provided cloths to clean off all cardio and strength training equipment. Wearing indoor shoes in all fitness areas will help maintain the equipment as well as keep the floors clean. Staff Commitment We will strive to ensure that your experience in the Wellness Centre and Fitness Classes will be friendly, lead you towards a healthier lifestyle and that the environment will be clean and safe. Then ask the member if they are willing to sign to their part of the “commitment” as well as their “short-term goals”. Member’s signature: Trainer’s signature: Next meeting: Connecting Y values in the 1 st Appointment…

Asking the right questions and then letting people come up with their own answers is far more effective than stating exercise facts or trying to talk someone into something. Telling creates resistance. Asking creates relationships.

“Connecting” with Members “Engage” with new & current members “Inspire” members to develop healthy habits Be a “Relationship Builder” Members commit to “My Y”

If you have any questions, please contact Marilyn Hovius