As personal trainers, we often find ourselves diving deep into the latest high-end training strategies—how to make everything optimal, what the ideal macronutrient split is, or how to structure training for peak performance. While these concepts are undeniably important, they don’t always translate into success with general population clients.

At Ascend Collective, we’ve worked with trainers across the globe, helping them fine-tune their approach to clients who don’t necessarily need the most advanced training programs. Instead, general population clients need simple, sustainable strategies that help them see results while fitting fitness into their everyday lives. In this post, we’ll discuss the reasons many personal trainers struggle with this demographic and how you can fix it to boost your success.

1. Focus on Habits, Not Overcomplicated Prescriptions

One of the biggest mistakes trainers make is over-complicating things for general population clients. A lot of clients don’t know how to count macros or track their calories, and that's okay. Instead of overwhelming them with complex prescriptions, focus on easy-to-implement habits. Simple daily habits, like drinking more water, taking the stairs, or ensuring they're getting enough protein, can be incredibly effective in helping clients make steady progress.

General population clients are often juggling work, family, and personal life, so they need a fitness approach that doesn’t require excessive time or emotional energy. By helping them create habits that work with their lifestyle, you’re setting them up for long-term success. At Ascend Collective, we encourage trainers to remember that small, consistent actions will produce much better results than trying to enforce rigid, complex strategies that overwhelm clients.

2. Create General Programs with Broad Goals

When you’re working with general population clients, it’s important to resist the temptation to focus on highly specific goals like hypertrophying individual muscles. Most clients simply want to get stronger, improve their energy, feel better in their bodies, and maintain a bit of mobility. They don’t care about isolating their posterior deltoids—they care about how they feel when they move and how their body functions in day-to-day life.

That means instead of creating a program that's hyper-focused on a specific goal, develop general programs that hit multiple fitness qualities at once. Your clients will appreciate routines that help them feel stronger, more mobile, and energized, which will ultimately make them more motivated to continue. At Ascend Collective, we’ve seen firsthand how training programs that focus on the essentials of fitness, such as strength, mobility, and energy, can produce the results clients want, all while keeping them engaged.

3. Shift Motivation from External to Intrinsic

Perhaps the most important thing we can do for general population clients is to help them shift their motivation from external factors (such as achieving a certain body type) to intrinsic factors (such as feeling stronger and more capable). This shift happens when clients begin to experience incremental improvements in their training and feel a sense of mastery.

The more they learn and see progress, the more confident they become in their ability to train on their own. This sense of autonomy is crucial in helping clients develop a lasting commitment to their fitness journey. At Ascend Collective, we focus on helping trainers create an environment where clients gain confidence in themselves, learn what habits work for them, and start to feel empowered to continue their fitness journey independently.

4. Mastering Behavioral Change: The Key to Success

For general population clients, the key to success lies in behavioral change—not advanced periodization or biochemistry knowledge. By focusing on small changes in habits and creating positive associations with fitness, you help your clients build a lasting relationship with exercise. When they start to see real, measurable progress in their daily lives, they’re more likely to stick with the process, refer friends, and become long-term clients.

At Ascend Collective, we work with trainers to understand the importance of creating a behavioral change framework in their training approach. When you start to prioritize sustainable habits and focus on helping clients develop intrinsic motivation, you'll see not only better results but also a stronger client base that is more likely to refer others and remain loyal to your services.

Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple and Focus on Results

If you’re a personal trainer working mainly with general population clients, focus on the basics: create habits, develop general fitness programs, and foster intrinsic motivation. Don’t get caught up in the latest advanced training tactics or biochemistry—your clients don’t need that. What they need is a coach who can help them improve their fitness, confidence, and quality of life.

At Ascend Collective, we’re passionate about helping trainers like you build successful businesses by focusing on the fundamentals of fitness coaching. We provide the tools, strategies, and support you need to guide your clients toward better results and grow your business along the way.

By prioritizing habits, general fitness goals, and intrinsic motivation, you'll see your clients get better outcomes, be happier with their progress, and refer more people to your services. And as you help your clients achieve more, you’ll achieve more as well—both in terms of client satisfaction and business growth.

Ready to take your personal training business to the next level? Join the Ascend Collective community today, where we provide the mentorship and tools you need to build a thriving business and help your clients achieve lasting success.