To say 2020 has been a shit show so far would be an understatement!!! Between zoom calls, zoom quizzes and zoom workouts I think we've all had our fill of it.
It's interesting to listen to my clients speak about how zoom PT sessions have kept them accountable and engaged in their fitness journey. From a coaching perspective it certainly hasn't been ideal but what it has developed is my ability to communicate, watch and listen better to people. It's easy to stand next to someone and coach or demonstrate but from afar it can be a tedious process with a lot of focus required. With limited equipment, doorbells ringing and children looking for their Peppa Pig teddy it highlighted the humane side and the demands on people that I typically don't see in a gym environment.
My online programs still allow people the same high quality of programming with full exercise demonstrations. Clients can train at a time that best fits into their daily routine. Prior to COVID below is the typical running of a 1:1 session. Regardless of who you are training with, it's always advisable to have a plan before you enter the gym so the session flows.
Typically my sessions in a gym environment are roughly 1 hour in duration focusing on multifaceted areas of development with the sharpest of focus. No distractions and no phones. Depending on what stage of development you’re in, the session can go over slightly on time with longer rest periods maybe needed. I'm a big believer in high quality in a shorter period of time. So below is what a session might look like:
-5 minutes to raise body temperature using cardio equipment of choice. This time also allows clients to refocus their attention back towards what the next hour might look like and also gives me an opportunity to get a feel for how my clients are feeling going into the session. Stress / lack of sleep, work commitments are just some of the red flags that dictates if the session needs modifying.
-10 minutes of dynamic mobility focusing on specific areas of restrictive movement that the client might have. This in my opinion is the most neglected area. If we have poor functional movement then applying weight is going to lead to issues further down the line. I like to incorporate some muscle recruitment using mini bands especially with clients or athletes who have sedentary jobs.
- 40 minutes - Depending on the client's goal this can be a strength session, metabolic conditioning session or a mixture of both. Everyone's goals vary but what's most important that when they leave there's a sense of achievement and progress.
5 minutes to cool down and chat though what the rest of their training week looks like and build in sustainable habits and routine moving forward.
Going back a step and putting ourselves back in the lock down environment of home workouts the best coaches have the ability to adapt. Below I outline some simple body weight exercises that can be done from the comfort of your home.
3 rounds - 40 seconds on / 20 seconds rest
Rest for 90 seconds after 1 full round
Focus on quality and control
1-Bodyweight squats
2-Press up/Kneeling press ups
3-Walking lunges
4-RFE split squat (bottom step in the stairs usually works nicely)
5-Front planks
6-Side planks
7-Hip thrusters (shoulders on the couch)
8-Inch worms with a shoulder tap
Comment and share if you find the above a help but hopefully lockdowns will well and truly be a thing of the past.