This story started around my 3rd year training -- I don't remember exactly. Jack was ~42 years old. He was a medical doctor and was the head of of his department at a large hospital in Toronto.
Jack came in with a bit of a limp; it seemed like he couldn't quite extend his right leg. Other than that, he was a healthy guy with decent muscle mass and brimming with energy.
But he had a limp and was in pain -- Jack needed help.
Jack had been training all of his life but had never hired a trainer. He also played hockey twice a week, had 2 young active children, and loved to go biking or yogging or jogging (I think it's pronounced with a soft j, I'm not sure).
I was able to help Jack.
The problem was that his right hip was inflamed. Every time he squatted it was getting impinged. By regressing the exercise to a goblet squat and putting him into a slight external rotation with his feet, he was able to drop down into full depth and the pain quickly went away.
Editors note: Because I know that you're going to ask, it has to do with the shape and size of the acetabulum (hip joint). Here's three articles to read after if you want to learn more:
Why People Have to Squat Differently - Ryan DeBell
Butt Wink is Not About the Hamstrings - Dean Somerset
The Lowdown on Femoral Acetabular Impingement - Tony Gentilcore
Post Rehab Essentials V2.0 - Dean Somerset (Paid resource - My recommendation)
Now let me tell you another story -- one that will help you put this into perspective...
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A man calls a plumber to his house to fix the water heater. "Won't heat the water, I've tried everything" - he says.
The plumber shows up, looks at the heater carefully, and places his ear on it. He runs his fingers lightly on the side of the heater and then taps it with a small hammer. The heater starts right up, the man is happy, and the plumber goes away.
Two days later, the bill shows up from the plumber, "Water Heater Repair: $500," it says.
The business owner calls up the plumber angry and yells, "$500?! All you did was tap the heater, and you charged me $500?! I need to see an itemized version of your bill, to see why you thought that was worth $500."
Two days later, the new bill arrives in the mail.
Tapping the heater with a hammer, $1.
Knowing where to tap it, $499.
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My solution to Jack's problem seems simple, but it was only because I knew where to tap the hammer.
This simple solution changed Jack's life, converted him into a lifetime client, and resulted in 10+ client referrals and $25,000+ in income! All for one simple fix. All because I knew where to tap the hammer.
Remember, the value of the energy contained within your muscles pales in comparison to the information contained in your brain that's stemmed from years of experience. This is not a sprint. You will not be good overnight. It takes years of experience. Of study. Of dedication.
You're not charging your clients for tapping the hammer -- you're charging them for knowing where to tap.
