{"id":15078,"date":"2025-09-06T01:05:59","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T18:05:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=15078"},"modified":"2025-09-06T01:05:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T18:05:59","slug":"youre-always-being-watched-tony-gentilcore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=15078","title":{"rendered":"You\u2019re Always Being Watched \u2013 Tony Gentilcore"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><em><strong>NOTE<\/strong>: I was perusing some of my old blog posts recently and came across this one. I re-read it and remember how embarrassed I felt when what I describe in the post below actually happened.\u00a0 I felt it resharing it would be a nice reminder to all fitness professionals to remember\u2026you\u2019re always being watched. Act accordingly.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>I felt like an asshole yesterday. And when I say \u201cI felt like an asshole,\u201d I don\u2019t mean in the rhetorical \u201chaha, I did something goofy and feel like an asshole\u201d sense. I straight-up felt like a heaping pile of asshole.<\/p>\n<p><strong>HINT:<\/strong> I was an asshole.<\/p>\n<p>To get right to the point: I let a client down. And it was 100% on me.<\/p>\n<p>I hope this will be a lesson to every fitness professional reading that you\u2019re <em><strong>always<\/strong><\/em> being watched and that you\u2019re <strong><em>always<\/em><\/strong> making decisions \u2013 whether directly or indirectly \u2013 that will affect your business and people\u2019s perception of you.<\/p>\n<p>However, before I dive into my assholiness from yesterday, I hope you won\u2019t mind if I take a second to butter myself up and break down a scenario where I was less of an asshole.<\/p>\n<p>I think it goes without saying most personal trainers and coaches \u2013 at one point or another, have experience working in a commercial gym.<\/p>\n<p>Admittedly, it <em>can<\/em> (not always) suck. One of the biggest drags is many trainers are left fending for themselves in terms of harvesting their own clients.<\/p>\n<p>This can be a daunting task for those new in the field, are a little more introverted, and otherwise inexperienced.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/media3.giphy.com\/media\/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExM2IzeDhveWlkMGU4bTgyZGdzMjJqN3Z5cWg0aGpjZDU5cmVlNXVoOSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw\/bEzCWDPWKwyowuzTCu\/giphy.gif\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Whenever I\u2019m contacted by someone asking me advice on this topic, my immediate response is:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cAct as if you\u2019re always being observed or judged.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>A great example would be how you approach floor hours.<\/p>\n<p>Most (new) trainers at most clubs are required\/obligated to accumulate \u201cx\u201d number of floor hours per week. It\u2019s more or less the fitness industry\u2019s version of hazing or probation\/purgatory, where you walk around the club feeling like a tool picking up after everyone else\u2019s mess.<\/p>\n<p>If I had to liken it to anything, it would fall somewhere between preparing your taxes and jumping into a shark\u2019s mouth as far as things I\u2019d rather be doing.<\/p>\n<p>Anyways, when I had to do it I used it as an opportunity to get in front of as many people\u2019s eyes as possible. I\u2019d say hello, make eye contact, and occasionally offer some advice on technique, unique core exercises, or maybe strike up conversation on favorite GI Joe characters.<\/p>\n<p>You know, cause I was cool.<\/p>\n<p>All told I used my floor hours as an opportunity to provide a service and to reel people in as clients.<\/p>\n<p>And speaking of clients, when I was with one, I\u2019d always, ALWAYS make sure to give them my undivided attention. I\u2019d be on-time, had my programs ready to go, and always prided myself on being more proactive, giving cues and feedback at all times. You know, coaching.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, on many occasions, I\u2019d be approached by other people asking if I had openings because they had been watching and observing me throughout the weeks or months prior.<\/p>\n<p>Little did I know \u2013 at the time \u2013 that I was <em>constantly<\/em> be observed and judged.<\/p>\n<p>It resonated with me then and it\u2019s something, still, that\u2019s important to me now. It never gets old when, after working with me for a handful of sessions, a new client mentions how much they appreciate my approach compared to past experiences they\u2019ve had with other trainers and coaches.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re being coached rather than babysat for.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t say this to be vainglorious, but interpret it as you will.<\/p>\n<h3>But Back to That Me Being an Asshole Part<\/h3>\n<p><strong>All of this to say:<\/strong> we all fuck up from time to time. Or, maybe a bit more of a germane way to put it: have a slight lapse in judgement.<\/p>\n<p>Most days I show up 10-15 minutes prior to clients showing up at CORE.<\/p>\n<p>I had two clients scheduled to show up yesterday at 4 PM. 3:30 hit and I was still home prepping the day\u2019s blog post and catching up on emails.<\/p>\n<p>3:40 hit and, while I knew I was pushing my luck (my gym is only a mile from my apartment, but still a 10-15 minute commute that time of day), I\u00a0<em>had<\/em> to post the article up on Instagram.<\/p>\n<p>Priorities, right?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOkay,\u201d I thought to myself, \u201cI\u2019m probably going to be a teeny-tiny bit late. I\u2019ll shoot my clients a quick email to let them know I\u2019m on my way and that I\u2019ll be a few minutes off.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>No biggie.<\/p>\n<p>Feeling justified, I rushed out the door and headed to CORE.<\/p>\n<p>I arrived at 4:03. Both clients waiting outside the side of the building trying to avoid the first oppressively hot day.<\/p>\n<p>Joe, an accomplished businessman here in Boston (12,000 employees answer to him) who just started with me three weeks ago and has been an exemplary client \u2013 shows up on time every session ready to work his ass off \u2013 was the first to greet me.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cHey man, it\u2019s past 4 o\u2019clock.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cYeah,\u201d<\/em> I said, <em>\u201csorry I\u2019m a little late.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cStop posting on Instagram and lets get to work.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>He saw my post. He called my BS.<\/p>\n<p>What an asshole I was.<\/p>\n<p>Joe wasn\u2019t malicious or anything, or even that mad. I <em>think<\/em>. He didn\u2019t even make me being late a thing. He said what he said, and we did, we got right to work. However, his matter of fact way of calling me out on my momentary hiccup really punched me in the gut.<\/p>\n<p>And, honestly, it served as a nice wake-up call.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>I\u2019m better than that.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re better than that too.<\/p>\n<p>Let this be a lesson: You\u2019re always being watched.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Always.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/tonygentilcore.com\/2025\/09\/lesson-fitness-pros-youre-always-watched\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NOTE: I was perusing some of my old blog posts recently and came across this one. I re-read it and remember how embarrassed I felt when what I describe in the post below actually happened.\u00a0 I felt it resharing it would be a nice reminder to all fitness professionals to remember\u2026you\u2019re always being watched. Act &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fitness"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15078","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15078"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15078\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}