I was recently listening to an episode of the Twins Podcast, with Dr. Marcos Rodriguez and Pat Davidson, and the topic of client intake and assessment came into the conversation. Marcos and Pat both stated that they do not use an intake form with new clients, nor do they do a formal physical assessment.
Health coaching is rooted in client intake, focusing on client experience with nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management. Although many personal trainers may agree with Marcos and Pat, many others see value to following an intake process and utilizing an assessment to inform exercise selection.
To assess or not to assess can become a heated conversation (I’ve seen it), which clearly makes it a good topic, and is also a tool that transcends disciples. So in response to Dr. Marcos and Pat, here are my thoughts.
What is a client intake form and assessment?
A client intake form is a blend of every bias in the health industry. It audits nutritional habits, sleep hygiene, physical activity, past experiences, stress regulation, and mental health. It attempts to identify physical and emotional red flags, short term goals and an overall wellness vision.
A physical assessment is a series of passive and active tests that allows the trainer to identify patterns of pain, limitations, asymmetries, strengths, and current levels of fitness.
What is the benefit of the intake process?
A good intake process provides the trainer or coach with the ability to learn about their client’s habits, environment, perspective, interests and experience. It provides an opportunity for the trainer to go beyond the form and into a follow-up conversation, with the attempt to evoke the emotion, motivation, and root cause behind certain behaviors that impact fitness goals. By discovering strengths, wisdom, and motivation to change, the client can formulate action steps and a support system so they can progress toward achieving and sustaining their vision. Without the intake process, this conversation would be difficult to have on the gym floor in between sets, and can potentially limit client outcomes.
What is the benefit of a physical assessment?
A good physical assessment will give the trainer deeper knowledge of their client’s movement and strength capabilities, and allow for an exercise program that specifically addresses the movement needs of the client. This is especially important for clients with chronic pain, as this will minimize risk, while maximizing effect. Additionally, re-assessments can determine program effectiveness and determine progression. These measures can improve client outcomes and promote adherence, motivation, and independence.
What are the cons of the intake and assessment process?
Depending on the experience, goals, and interests of the client, he or she may not be interested in auditing their diet and lifestyle. It is very possible that the client is seeking a personal trainer so they can just train, and do not want to answer questions about topics they did not sign up for. Additionally, the trainer can inquire about the intake form during the initial training sessions. If a client sees value, breaking out the intake form is appropriate, but waiting to approach the subject can potentially save time and frustration.
This logic also applies to the physical assessment. As fitness professionals, we have a bias towards helping our clients move better. However, if weight loss is the primary goal (and usually it is), should time be spent assessing and attempting to improve joint range of motion? If the client doesn’t care about improving movement and just wants to lose weight, it’s the trainer’s job to help them accomplish just that, and not spend time on interventions that do not directly impact the goal.
Lastly, watching somebody move through a warmup and work out can potentially give an experienced and knowledgeable trainer everything they need to know when writing a program. If they use a predictive model, possibly based off of assessments, which does not utilize an assessment, the trainer will program exercises that reflect the principles of the model, regardless of the person they are training. If exercise selection does not change, the assessment becomes irrelevant.
Practical Application
When working with clients, I typically explain what my immediate thoughts are related to an activity, why I am choosing that specific activity, and how performing the activity may benefit their goals.
If a client understands why he or she is performing a task, such as a push up or an intake form, the client will be able to make an informed decision about how they’d like to proceed, giving them ownership, potentially creating buy-in to the activity, or rejecting it altogether, avoiding wasted time and frustration.
Regardless of the activity and goal, if you are unsure of how you want to approach the intake and assessment process, starting with a conversation about it can give you the feedback that will help inform your decisions. Give it a shot!
Closing Thoughts
If you are a trainer and have the desire or expertise to discuss lifestyle and behavior with clients, and individualize your holistic approach, the intake form can facilitate the first steps in that process. If you believe these are important factors, but you do not have the expertise or bandwidth to help your client in this manner, consider referring them to Health Coaching. (Don’t forget to ask about my client referral program!)
If you are a trainer and believe that a program should be personalized to address client needs, and/or you work with clients who suffer from chronic pain and discomfort, a movement assessment can be a powerful tool to provide insight and guidance when determining program design and progression. Contact Me to learn more about how to solve complex movement problems with effective and efficient solutions.
If you are a client, I want to know what you think! Do you see value in providing information about your background and experience when working with a trainer or health coach? What have your past experiences been? Email me and let me know!
Regardless of what spectrum you fall under, formal or informal, subjective or objective, right now or a little later, or maybe you like the best of both worlds, we’re always assessing each other, whether we know it or not!
What are your thoughts on intake forms and assessments? Send me an email and I’ll reply back!
Thanks for reading! Be well.
Gerard
Bonus Material!
Test yourself:
Clients! Are you unsure if you should bother with the intake form? Answer these three questions to get a better idea:
How important is it to you to accomplish your health goals?
What do you identify as limiting factors to reaching your goals? Does it involve nutrition, sleep, exercise, physical activity, or stress?
How motivated are you to change?
If accomplishing your goals is important, you have identified limiting factors, and are motivated to change, utilizing an intake form can help your trainer facilitate an all inclusive plan to help you accomplish your goals.
Clients! Try these three moves to find out how well you move:
Touch your toes
Deep Squat
Stand with back flat against a wall, go down into a squat position, and raise your arm to touch the wall above your head, like a hitchhiker, without letting your back lose contact with the wall.
If you have difficulty with these movements, or they are painful or uncomfortable, you may benefit from a movement assessment and training program designed to improve your limitations.
Trainers! Are you unsure if you should bother with giving out an intake form? Answer these three questions:
What do you want to learn from your client?
How will this impact your process?
Are you equipped to coach a client with behavior and lifestyle goals?
Trainers, answer these few questions to find out if an assessment is worth your time:
What are you looking to learn with the assessment?
How will this impact your process?
Do you work with people in pain?