Practising Personal Training Consultation Questions

An open question invites someone to describe their experience: “What would you like help with?” A clarification question explores a phrase they have already used: “When you say the gym feels busy, which part do you mean?” A summary checks whether you understood: “You would prefer a quieter arrival time; have I got that right?”

These are different conversational jobs. Asking three open questions in a row without responding can feel like working through a list. Listen for the word or detail that needs clarification, then follow that thread. Save a question about availability until the current answer is complete.

Active IQ identifies discussing, presenting, reading and writing as communication involved in its PT qualification. The exercise here is an original rehearsal of that broad skill, not a consultation form or assessment checklist.

Mina is a fictional trainee and Lee is a fictional participant in a classroom conversation. They are discussing practical preferences only.

In a fictional activity conversation, Mina asks: “What activities have you enjoyed before?” Lee replies: “Walking with friends, but I do not like feeling left behind.” Mina follows with: “When you say left behind, are you thinking about keeping up on a particular walk or something else?” Lee answers: “The hills on our weekend route. I want to enjoy the whole outing with them.”

Mina summarises: “Your aim is to enjoy that group walk, particularly the hilly part. What have you already tried, and what did you like or dislike about it?” This explores prior experience without assuming a cause, choosing exercises or promising a result. A suitable note records the stated activity aim and identifies the route, previous experience and expectations as details still to clarify.

With a study partner, invent a different practical issue such as finding the entrance or understanding a booking message. The speaker supplies two details, including one you could easily misunderstand. Ask one open question, one clarification and one summary. Switch roles after the speaker has corrected or confirmed the summary.

Working alone, write the speaker’s reply before writing your next question. This stops you building a script in which every answer conveniently agrees with you. Add a correction such as “Actually, it is the booking screen I find confusing, not the visit itself”, then rewrite the next question to respond to it.

A suitable note for the example is: “Lee reports uncertainty about weekday finishing times. Lee would find a weekend appointment easier to arrange; precise availability has not yet been discussed.” It preserves both the information and the remaining gap.

“Lee lacks commitment” would add an unsupported judgement. “Lee can attend every Saturday” would turn a preference into a firm agreement. Compare your note with the conversation and remove anything the fictional speaker did not say.