April 27, 2017
The Importance of Two-Way Communication at IPF
We run a Gym, and we Love it. Every day at IPF we have the opportunity for better Communication and to help people Improve in a variety of ways: some we help with Behavior, some we inspire with Knowledge, for some we provide Structure, and for many more we offer Opportunity. Any one of these reasons is a valid one for being at IPF as Fitness, Training, and your Health are not One-Size-Fits-All.
However, one thing that we do ask from every client is a commitment to Two-Way Communication.
For our part, the IPF team is most certainly going to emphasize and communicate what we think will benefit you now and moving forward. Our Staff will give collective input based on both the sum of all our years of training experience and, more important, watching you in our facility day-to-day.
The second part of the “Communication Street” is what you think you need to improve on. Sometimes, a client communicates their goals on the very first day they set foot in our Training Facility. But, more often, it is a conversation we will have a month or two into your experience when you feel more comfortable with your own individual fitness. Once you have built a Good Foundation, then you can really start to envision what long-term success looks and feels like to you.
This is also not a one-and-done discussion. Rather, your Goals will and should change as you fulfill them and experience positive outcomes. This could start with the most basic of goals, like being in attendance at all workouts you have committed to. But, quickly, you will add accomplishments that you must work harder for, like improving your body composition and meeting strength and fitness challenges.
What will not change through any of this, from Day 1 to Year 10 (yes, we have 10 year veterans at IPF!) is that…
What You Say Matters.
The IPF coaches have exceptional listening skills, so you should know that The Declarations that you make and the Goals you give Voice to are definitely going to be heard. Also, it’s important to understand that your Statements will be re-enforced again and again by our staff and, whether you are a young athlete, on a college or professional team, or in our adult training program, you will be repeatedly asked to match your Actions to your Words.
Why do we bring all of this up in a blog? Because, believe it or not, we see a lot of disconnect between What People Say and what they Actually Do. As the saying goes: Talk is Cheap.
People love the Idea of a Goal. They love the Concept of a Challenge. They love the Notion of Motivation. They do not always love the Work – the Day-to-Day Grind – involved. They do not always relish The Consistency necessary to push forward towards Success.
What You Say to us at IPF, should Matter to You.
You have ownership of your Attitude (Mind-Set) and Word for your entire life, as long as they are not given away or discarded. Your Word(s), when upheld and true, empowers you and everyone around you. Every day at IPF we see people Achieve their Stated Goals and, trust us, there is nothing more powerful. Your Spouse or Partner, your Kids or Teammates, all see the strength in you. But, most important, you see the strength in yourself and it propels you to future successes, both inside the gym and far beyond.
Whether you find this Success quickly or it comes at a slower pace, you can count on the IPF team to always hold you to your Word. You say you want to lose weight? Well, let’s see if you can stick to the plan of making better nutrition, rest and recovery, and training choices. You tell us you want to get stronger? Let’s plan our training strategy for the next three weeks – and then stick to it. You say you want to feel better? Let’s decide how many hours of Sleep you need and backfill the day from there.
We want you to know that What You Say to us, and your subsequent Actions, will matter to us, and to everyone else in the IPF Community. Whatever the Goal is that you State, we want to see that your Actions match up.
For our part, we give you our Word that we will always be here for you…
On your Best days, we are acknowledging your Success and appreciating your efforts. On your Worst days, we are asking you to look failure in the face and jump right back in. For most people, their “Great” Days are only a few decisions away. For you, it may mean taking one single, simple action. At IPF, we believe our role is to Consistently be here for you, to Support You, Remind You, and Challenge You.
When you become part of the IPF community, we consider it the beginning of a great Partnership. You and us, we will both have extremely important roles to play in your success, and it is and always will be a two-way street of Communication.
IPF Baby, #LetsGetBetter
