I’m a huge proponent of monitoring body composition with our clients at TPS.
If you don’t know, body composition is basically how much fat you have versus how much muscle you have It consists of a few other things, but these are the BIG ones.
As a Personal Trainer/Coach consistently tracking body composition in clients/athletes allows you to show them the progress they are making or not making and adjust training and nutrition from there.
I’ve found that the clients who consistently monitor their body composition and adjust training and nutrition according to the results of the test and their current goals are the most successful.
Successful clients stay longer too.
I’ve also noticed a trend that many people cringe at the thought of getting it done.
We, and most facilities have used skinfold testing for many years because it is simple to learn how to do, pretty quick and somewhat accurate. The margin of error for this type of test is 3-5% and it is reported that a good tester can be up to 98% accurate!
I’ve been testing clients body comp for about 30 years and have gotten pretty good at skinfold testing. And I was trained by a master, so I’m pretty comfortable with my skill and accuracy.
So what is the issue?
People hate it.
It’s uncomfortable because you have to take off more clothing than most are happy about, it is pinchy, and no matter how awesome you think you are, it’s a little creepy.
Imagine being a 45 year old married mother of two and you go to a trainer and they do a skinfold test where you have to pinch 3,4,5 or more sites and grab folds of fat?
Sure, me and Chad Aichs may not care about getting it done, but you can bet that the person mentioned above is not happy about it.
People do the first test and then never come back. Then they get on the scale and see their weight has not changed so they get discouraged.
The issue usually is that they lost fat and gained muscle so the scale is not budging but they look and feel different. Too long without a follow up test or a weight reduction and boom. They’re gone, even though they got results.
Then we have the people who train their asses off and don’t change their diet. They know why they are not making progress, at least at TPS because we harp on good nutrition. They stay for a long time, but we’d rather have them be healthier as well.
As I said, monitoring body comp is essential to progress. And it’s not just for “regular” clients. It is critical for athletes too, especially during a weight cut.
Monitoring body comp for them lets us know if the cut is sacrificing muscle or fat/fluid.
Athletes don’t usually care about the creepy factor, they care about performance.
With this in mind I have been saying to myself for a few years “there has to be a better way”.
So, in my extensive research (internet browsing) I decided that I wanted and InBody 570 machine.
I’ve wanted one for a long time and never was able to get one. They ain’t cheap kids.
Well, I pulled the trigger and bought one last week and it will be here next week!
Bye Bye Skinfold Calipers
After doing the research over and over again, it came down to a DEXA (dual energy x ray absorption) machine or a BIA (bio electric impedance-InBody) machine.
After comparing accuracy rates and cost, and the fact that many major universities use InBody and the cost vs. accuracy (almost identical) I went with InBody.
I realized that the InBody machine should pay for itself within a year and actually increase retention by helping us deliver more results, therefore more satisfied clients, and it would be a new revenue stream.
Why?
Well, it’s simple.
If we take the creep factor away, add in a higher level of accuracy and all the other things this machine tests above skinfold, it’s a no brainer.
Regular scans will allow us to show clients whether or not they are making progress (losing fat/gaining muscle) but it also shows much more.
The InBody machine measure segmental fat and muscle, this is the amount of fat and muscle in the individual limbs and trunk. It measures inter and extra cellular water which can help us see if they are having inflammation or other health issues.
It also measures Visceral Fat. Skinfold cannot measure this.
Why is this so important?
Visceral fat is the fat stored around the organs in your gut. High levels are linked to tons of horrible health conditions and being able to identify the amount and then counsel clients on the importance of lowering it is invaluable for retention and for their health.
Our first job as trainers and coaches should be to make our clients and athletes healthier. And since a huge percentage of the client base at almost every facility has too much body fat (at least when they first come in) for optimal health, this tool allows us to make them healthier.
The test is done fully clothed, takes about 45 seconds and totally eliminates the creepiness!
I am actually pretty excited about this new chapter in TPS’s ability to deliver the best training and the best results for all of our clients.
If you own a facility or work in this field and you are not tracking body comp, you should be. If you have the ability to do it in a noninvasive way that is best.
Stay tuned for some actual data from me over the next few months as we implement testing. I am about 99.9% sure that we will see greater results and a higher retention level.
So, your business lesson today is as follows:
- It takes money to make money-you need to invest in new equipment
- Over deliver services for a higher value to the client
- Over deliver results to keep those clients
- Track your data-what gets measured gets managed
If you do these things you’ll be on the road to greater success for you and your clients.
Did you miss last week’s log?
Read it here
Oh, yeah, follow us on Instagram too.
@TPSMalden
@tpsmethod
DM ME QUESTIONS THERE TOO!
You might be featured in a Coaching Log
And @tpsmethod
SHARE THIS!
#bostonsstrongest
Vincere vel mori
C.J. Murphy
April 8, 2021
