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  • The Ongoing Dilemma in Fitness Coaching: Individual Design vs. Group Training

    The Ongoing Dilemma in Fitness Coaching: Individual Design vs. Group Training



    In the ever-evolving realm of fitness coaching, an enduring debate revolves around 1:1 training versus group workouts. Over the past decade, my perspective has swayed towards personalized approaches after managing a number of fitness facilities, both group and individual design. These experiences have fortified my belief in the efficacy of individual design coaching. While there’s no universal remedy, I’ll share insights molded by my distinct experiences, viewpoints, and my vision of success in this field. 

    The words of renowned economist Thomas Sowell resonate: “There are no solutions, there are only trade-offs; and you try to get the best trade-off you can get, that’s all you can hope for.” This quote encapsulates the delicate balance between individual design and group coaching, with the choice often depending on specific contexts.

    Exploring Two Approaches: Individual Design vs. Group Coaching

    Let’s delve into the disparities between these two coaching modalities, taking into account both the coach and client standpoints. Relying on my personal experiences, insights garnered from instructing countless coaches, and the body of knowledge within the industry, we’ll lay out the pros and cons of each model. 

    The Pros of Individual Design

    Individual design coaching, is a model that tailors training to suit a client’s distinctive capabilities, goals, and lifestyle. It encompasses not solely exercise regimens, but also nutrition, behavioral adjustments, and lifestyle enhancements, offering a holistic approach to fitness.

    From the coach’s vantage point, individual design provides numerous compelling advantages. They enable the establishment of strong coach-client relationships, built on trust. This deep connection allows coaches to gain deep insights into clients’ motivations, fears, values, goals, and aspirations. By understanding these factors, coaches can create fitness plans customized for each client’s unique situation, that ultimately lead to better results for the client. 

    Additionally, individual design allows coaches to align fitness with clients’ core values, making the fitness journey purposeful and motivating. For instance, if a client highly values family time, a coach can emphasize how improved fitness can enhance their ability to engage in family activities. This alignment of fitness with personal values enriches the coaching experience.

    From a financial perspective, this personalized approach empowers coaches to charge higher fees for their services, reflecting the personalized attention and expertise involved. This not only ensures a sustainable career in fitness coaching but also breaks away from the traditional personal training model that relies on one-on-one sessions for each client.

    The Cons of Individual Design

    Nonetheless, individual design may not resonate with every coach. Some may not be interested in investing time in building strong client relationships, making this model less appealing to them. Additionally, there’s the risk of overdoing personalization, where coaches feel compelled to excessively customize their services, potentially deviating from established fitness principles and introducing inefficiencies.

    The Pros of Group Fitness

    Conversely, group coaching involves instructing multiple clients concurrently, frequently in a group class setup, fostering a communal spirit and mutual support that many clients find enticing.

    From a coach’s perspective, group coaching presents the prospect of cultivating a supportive community environment capable of inspiring and motivating clients. Coaches can leverage this dynamic to stimulate healthy competition and collective accountability. It’s also an efficient use of time, allowing coaches to oversee multiple clients in a single session.

    The Cons of Group Fitness

    However, group coaching isn’t without its drawbacks for coaches. It frequently restricts income potential because of its cost-effectiveness for clients, possibly necessitating the management of larger classes or multiple sessions to secure sustainable earnings. This can sometimes lead to pricing competition and feelings of burnout. Additionally, in large group settings, coaches may struggle to provide personalized attention, potentially reducing their role to that of a motivator rather than a guide. It can also pose challenges in retaining clients who may feel their individual needs are not being met.

    Making the Right Choice for Your Vision of Success

    For clients, group coaching offers the benefit of a supportive community that can motivate them to stay engaged in their fitness journey. It’s also typically more affordable than individual design coaching.

    However, group training programs often cater to the average fitness level of the group, potentially neglecting individual needs. Moreover, group coaching relies heavily on motivation, which can fluctuate, potentially leading to burnout from high-intensity, unsustainable workouts.

    In conclusion, the choice between individual design and group coaching presents distinct advantages and challenges for both coaches and clients. The decision should align with clients’ needs and goals, complement your coaching style, and fit the business model you want to operate. As coaches, our mission remains consistent: to guide clients on their fitness journeys in the most effective, sustainable way possible, tailored to their unique needs and preferences.

    To learn more about the OPEX individual design coaching model, I recommend taking our Free Coaching Course. Click here to sign up.





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  • The Fundamental Role of Assessments in Fitness Coaching

    The Fundamental Role of Assessments in Fitness Coaching



    A coach’s role transcends mere exercise planning or motivation provision. It revolves around nurturing a connection between the coach and client. This involves aiding clients in defining attainable goals and extending guidance, support, and occasional challenges. This coaching relationship thrives on consistent assessments, progress monitoring, and accountability.

    Recognizing assessment as an indispensable tool equips fitness coaches with the essential information needed for success with each client. By embracing an assessment-first approach, coaches can shape personalized exercise programs, lifestyle adjustments, and nutritional strategies tailored to each client’s distinct needs, capabilities, and goals.

    For fitness coaches, the bedrock of their practice should be a well-structured, uncomplicated, and repeatable assessment system. This system should encompass not only physical evaluations but also a comprehensive grasp of a client’s motivations, experiences, aspirations, and values. This holistic viewpoint informs the physical assessment, yielding objective, capacity-specific data.

    Now, how can one implement a systematic, straightforward, and consistent assessment process in their coaching practice? Let’s delve into how the OPEX assessment protocol can offer valuable insights and principles to enhance your assessment approach.

    Step 1: Initial Consultation

    To kickstart the coach-client relationship, begin with a deep dive into the client’s motivations, experiences, goals, and values. In this phase, active listening takes center stage. Instead of showcasing your expertise, concentrate on grasping the client’s unique needs. This stage offers a golden opportunity to truly fathom why the client sought your guidance, what success means to them, and their underlying motivations.

    The significance of the initial consultation lies in building rapport, understanding the client’s distinct context, and placing active listening at the forefront. These principles underline the essence of a client-centric approach, where comprehending their starting point stands as the cornerstone of personalized coaching.

    Step 2: Body Composition Analysis (OPEX Body)

    The second phase revolves around assessing body composition. This provides a window into potential health risks and an overview of one’s overall health status. While it doesn’t serve as the ultimate benchmark, it using an inBody delivers insights into muscle mass, body fat percentage, and basal metabolic rate.

    Being aware of body composition can raise awareness of potential health risks linked to excessive body fat, including heightened susceptibility to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, respiratory challenges, and more. It also provides a benchmark to refer to over time to see how the client responds to the exercise and nutrition program. 

    Step 3: Movement Screen (OPEX Move)

    Step three centers on understanding the client’s movement capabilities through a simple movement assessment. This evaluation includes fundamental patterns such as squatting, lunging, bending, pushing, pulling, and core stability. As well as identifying what the client can do, it also sheds light on how they perform each movement and the areas to prioritize and improve. This serves as the bedrock for crafting tailored resistance programs.

    The movement assessment provides nsights into the client’s physical capabilities, highlighting the need for personalized fitness programming. The individual differences you identify allow appropriate and safe progression to help each person reach their potential while reducing risk of injury.  

    Step 4: Work Capacity Testing (OPEX Work)

    Finally, it’s time to evaluate the client’s work capacity, extending beyond physical capabilities to also include emotional resilience. This assessment highlights the interplay between the physical limitations and role of emotions in relation to work capacity. It aids in understanding the client’s overall experience, approach, and resilience, beyond just how many calories they can perform on a 10 minute airbike test. 

    Assessments are a vital tool for understanding and tracking progress. They reveal the truth about the client’s capabilities, and the coach’s ability to deliver results over time. A systematized and straightforward assessment process serves as the foundation of effective fitness coaching. It provides the vital data necessary for crafting personalized fitness programs that align with each client’s unique requirements.

    Learn the OPEX method of assessment in our free guide, The Complete Fitness Assessment. Click here to download it now.





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  • Evidence-Based Fitness Coaching: The Pros and Cons

    Evidence-Based Fitness Coaching: The Pros and Cons



    Within the ever-evolving sphere of fitness coaching, there exists a guiding light, known as evidence-based coaching. This approach avoids the pitfalls of trends and conjecture by adhering strictly to scientific research and data. However, this journey is not without its shadows. In this exploration, we’ll delve into the merits and pitfalls of this intriguing coaching methodology.

    Understanding Evidence-Based Coaching

    Before we embark on this journey, let’s first grasp the essence of evidence-based coaching. It’s a quest for concrete answers in the fitness realm, driven by scientific exploration. In a world where truth can often seem elusive, evidence-based coaching stands as a beacon of certainty. It’s a commitment to finding solutions supported by credible research and data.

    The Problems with Evidence-Based Coaching

    While evidence-based coaching holds undeniable promise, it also presents its own set of complex challenges. Here are some factors that cast a shadow over this approach:

    1. Research Complexity: Navigating the intricate world of scientific research can be perplexing. The complexity and varying quality of studies can challenge coaches, making it time-consuming to decipher their relevance to individual clients.

    2. Research Limitations: Not all coaching aspects neatly fit within the confines of scientific studies. Some clients possess unique circumstances not well-documented in existing research.

    3. New & Evolving Evidence: The fitness landscape evolves rapidly, with trends constantly shifting. What’s evidence-based today may become outdated tomorrow. Coaches must balance established principles with a willingness to embrace new findings.

    The Advantages of Evidence-Based Coaching

    Now that we’ve explored the shadows, let’s shine a light on the bright side of evidence-based coaching. Here are some of its notable strengths:

    1. Knowledge-Informed Decisions: Coaches armed with evidence-based insights make decisions rooted in scientific wisdom. This empowers them to steer clear of fleeting trends and base their strategies on a solid foundation of knowledge.

    2. Tailored Approaches: Every individual is unique, and evidence-based coaching acknowledges this diversity. It enables coaches to craft customized programs aligned with specific goals, needs, and limitations. This personal touch enhances the likelihood of success and client contentment.

    3. Long-Term Results: Evidence-based practices prioritize sustained progress over quick fixes. Clients are more likely to adhere to programs grounded in research, yielding consistent outcomes and minimizing the risk of setbacks.

    4. Ethics & Safety: Coaches bear an ethical duty to prioritize client well-being. Evidence-based coaching ensures that prescribed methods are backed by research, emphasizing safety and effectiveness.

    Finding the Middle Path: Moving Forward

    Balancing challenges and rewards, a middle path emerges as the way forward. Evidence-based coaching is indeed a potent tool, but it shouldn’t overshadow the human element. Every client is a unique narrative, not just a data point. They bring their experiences, preferences, capabilities, and challenges to the coaching relationship.

    Coaches should simplify their approach, using evidence as a reliable guide rather than an inflexible doctrine. It’s about leveraging scientific insights to make informed decisions while maintaining the flexibility, intuition, and empathy needed to address individual needs.

    In conclusion, evidence-based coaching is a powerful concept, a means to an end rather than an end in itself. It’s about considering the evidence, adhering to foundational principles, understanding each client’s definition of success, and propelling them forward on their fitness journeys. It’s about finding that delicate balance between science and humanity to navigate the realm of evidence-based fitness coaching effectively.





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  • 3 Lessons from Coaching Thousands of Nerds

    3 Lessons from Coaching Thousands of Nerds


    Hey there,

    Coach Matt Myers from Team Nerd Fitness here!

    While Steve is writing his Monday newsletter with stories to help you level up your life in general, he asked me to provide more specific guidance on health and fitness.

    I’ve been doing this fitness thing for nearly as long as Steve has been writing his newsletter.

    (In fact, I emailed Steve back in 2010 and we’ve been friends ever since – and now coworkers for 8 years!)

    For 15 years, I’ve had the privilege of coaching a lot of people. I’ve had a front-row seat to what actually helps people stick with their fitness goals—even when life gets messy (which it always does).

    Here are 3 lessons I’ve learned along the way—lessons our coaches use daily to help folks with busy lives, big goals, and brains that don’t always want to cooperate.

    Let’s level up!

    🧠 Lesson 1: There is no “normal.”

    Tell me if this sounds familiar…

    “I just need life to settle down a bit… and then I’ll get back on track.”

    Yeah. That version of “normal”? It’s a myth.

    Life doesn’t calm down. It changes.

    Whether it’s a tough week at work, your kids getting sick, travel, taking care of a family member, or just trying to keep your head above water—life never seems to settle down for long.

    So, we make a plan that anticipates those challenges, rather than something that derails it.

    At Nerd Fitness, we refer to this as ​Dial Mode​.

    • An alternative workout you can do in 15 minutes at home for when you’re stressed, tired, and short on time
    • Simple nutrition habits you can fall back on in a pinch (i.e., eat protein with each meal)
    • A list of meals you can grab on the go that fit your goals and keep you on track

    By having multiple ways to stay on track, you continue to build momentum even when life is chaotic.

    There is no normal. And that’s to be expected!

    🔎 Lesson 2: Zoom In, Zoom Out

    Have you ever thought to yourself,

    “I want to get in shape, but I just have so far to go.”

    Or,

    “I used to be in great shape, but now everything just feels so hard.”

    Those are totally normal thoughts to have! (🙋‍♂️ I know I’ve had them!)

    However, what I’ve observed over time is that these thoughts often drain people of the energy to persevere and keep going.

    So what’s a Nerd to do?

    That’s where one of our favorite tools comes in: Zoom In, Zoom Out.

    Zoom In: What do I need to do today?

    Zoom Out (every couple of weeks): Am I headed in the right direction?

    Zooming in helps you laser-focus on your daily actions and avoid the endless spiral of “I’m not there yet.”

    Instead, you ask:

    ✅ Did I do my workout today?

    ✅ Did I get a protein and a vegetable with each meal? Etc.

    Then, every 1–4 weeks, step back and check the bigger picture:

    What’s going well?

    What was a challenge?

    What needs to change or goal needs to be adjusted?

    That rhythm—daily focus with periodic, big-picture check-ins—is how real change happens.

    ⚖ Lesson 3: Make it meaningful AND doable.

    How do you know if a strategy is the right one for you?

    Find the right balance between challenging and doable.

    Too easy? It won’t move the needle.

    Too hard? You won’t do it consistently enough for it to make a difference.

    For each person, the right level of challenge is different.

    Maybe it’s tracking macros every day and working out 3x/week.

    Maybe it’s going for a daily walk and prioritizing fruits and vegetables at each meal.

    Maybe it’s eating mindfully and slowly and creating a bedtime routine to get better sleep.

    There is no “right” or “wrong” answer here. The correct level of challenge will change for you over time.

    Don’t be afraid to experiment and adjust until you find that sweet spot: challenging enough to feel meaningful, but doable enough to stay consistent.

    These 3 lessons are a core part of what we use inside Nerd Fitness Coaching—and they’ve helped thousands of people get in great shape, even when life throws curveballs.

    Which one stood out most to you?

    Send me an email at “[email protected]”—I’d love to hear what you’re working on.

    I’ll be sending out helpful tips like this every other week or so, so also feel free to send in questions you might have!

    – Coach Matt

    P.S. Want help building YOUR plan—and actually sticking to it when life gets nuts?​ Check out our Online Coaching Program »​



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  • Inner Circle Mastery – 1 Year Leadership Coaching

    Inner Circle Mastery – 1 Year Leadership Coaching


    Business & Financial Growth: Mindset and actionable strategies to sharpen your leadership, boost productivity, and achieve financial clarity. Dominate your career or business without sacrificing balance.

    Direct Access to Micah: Private text messaging for real-time guidance across all pillars. Unlimited email support. Monthly Zoom calls to lock in your progress. This is personal coaching, not a generic program.

    Exclusive Retreat: Join your Inner Circle Mastery brothers for a private weekend in Kansas City. Forge bonds, refine your vision, and leave recharged. Optional faith-based sessions available. (Airfare and hotel not included.)

    Elite Perks: Inner Circle gets an amazing discount on SoulFIT Retreats and access to purchase before the public does.





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