Today was a productive enough day here in Personal Training World!! I have a a new-ish client, Damara from Greece and she started maybe 3 weeks ago and has gone all guns blazing! She has by no means been perfect with a business trip and wedding back in Greece to disturb her but the results are happening rapidly.
You would think that someone getting on the plan 100% would be standard but reality is it is far from the normal. People normally use personal trainers as they are lacking motivation / just can’t pull it together, some do it for other reasons but by and large the reason they employ you is that they cant get focused.
The new client can then go one of three ways, continue to not be able to get focused (or even become more unfocused), give it a so-so effort or like this lady just do everything 100% – no questions asked. Different tactics are needed for these varying client behaviours.
For those who jump on it then it is great to see, if they have a friendly metabolism too, which Damara** has, then results explode and session to session they are noticeably smaller, the client sees and feels it and the people around them are wondering what the heck is happening. People underestimate how fast the body can change when given the right stimulus and also haven’t a clue what it really takes to create the “right” stimulus. I tell everyone the same thing yet only so many will hear it through their own rules/ideas/stress and addictions. But if you hear the message and act on it results happen.
As an effective coach in these situations you have a simple-ish task to do. Link the body changes to the actions that created it, link the mood and feeling changes to the other half of the actions that created them. For the icing on the cake you need to cross reference improved performance in other areas of their life with the results from their body/health.
What do you mean??…that is obvious…i exercised and ate better then i lost weight…. WRONG!!……knowing something in your head and knowing something in your heart are totally different – Not even close! All clients don’t truly know this…because you only truly know what you do!…..so if you knew it already…you would be doing it already…then why would you be working with me????
I really feel most trainers, with long aerobic circuits of one exercise after another are wasting a golden opportunity to really impact their clients long term. The conversation between exercises gets results. If a client spends 1,5 or 10 sessions with me but never links in their whole mind-body the real cause and effect of their behaviours I know fast forward 3 months they are back to where they started.
It is hard to do this when your client is unable to talk due t o the continuous exercises. That is not a criticism of tough workout sessions, aerobic circuits or anything…..but resistance training is perfect for getting both aspects in place. The workout and the long term change if done properly….
Resistance Training = move a object that is heavy (your body, dumbbell, kettlebell) until tired …..stand around for a bit…..Move the object again………… If during the standing around bit you can engage the client in a conversation which could change their mindset in some way – you get lifelong results. If it is filled with another exercise. You get a tiring workout. Both have a time and a place. ……
On a personal note yesterday highlighted a problem I have been battling with since deciding to focus on developing my body more seriously. That is, when eating to gain muscle you have to eat to the limit. I was on 2300 calories late yesterday evening and knew if i left it there for the day i would wake up looking super ripped with the 6 pack on show. But I am aiming for 3100 calories per day. In the end the left over mindset from my 2 week fat stripping period won through and I didn’t eat anything.
Not good, but highlights the problem. I am really good and losing fat and eating less than needed….not so good at gaining muscle and forcing myself to eat more. But I nailed such an amazing gym session today and you can feel the plan hitting th ebody hard. I should look to gain about 0.7kg this month, which has been my standard rate these last few months. Doesn’t sound much to most people but forward that a year and you are 8kg of solid muscle heavier. The before and after photo is impressive, do that 3 years in a row and you are looking ridiculous. Though, that is a 1000 exercise sessions and a 1000 days of good eating. No easy task when put like that…but who wants easy???
Right i have waffled loads here….over and out!
Tuesday –
Diet – Protein – 177g, Carbs – 262g, fat – 58g, calories – 2275 , % P: 31 C : 46% F: 23%
Exercise – Back plus obliques….
Weight – 74.4, Body fat – Didnt take*
Supplements – None
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* This is my own 10 point self measurement system, it does not correlate to body fat scores (At a guess 40mm – 7.5%, 50mm – 9.5%, 60mm – 11%, 70mm – 12%).
** All reference to people, their goals, their jobs are completely distorted from the actual person I am talking about…this keeps their privacy but they are based on real people with real stories.
N.B This Blog will have little checking for good grammar as one I despise grammar, it slows me down and secondly I am not expecting many to any people to read it so it is irrelevant anyhow.