The 1% (A Coach/Personal Trainer's Perspective)
This personal story will cover exactly how I taught a critical aspect of personal development to a new client.
Any good coach will tell you that the first four to six weeks of training a new client is the most important.
You have to lay out your expectations firmly and often push them in ways they have never been pushed before. This results in mental barriers being broken down as well as building a sense of trust that will last for the rest of your time training together. Which will hopefully be years. So you better get it right!
I had the pleasure of being in this situation last night.
I started training a new female client. Let's call her Sandy Cheeks.
Sandy had come to me a few weeks back eager to start training for strength and improved cardio performance. She is a healthy weight and has a long history of exercise (she was once a trainer herself) so I knew she could be pushed.
Last week was our first session together
I have a systematised way of running anyone's first session regardless of whether they are a professional athlete or a new mum. It covers things like identifying any postural issues as well as instructing them on exercises that suit their current level. It's a pretty relaxed session that is perfect for us to build rapport.
I do this so I can walk in to the second weeks session knowing the exercises I have organised are beneficial, safe and...
Challenging
It's easy for someone to say they are committed and dedicated. But when push comes to shove, you gain insight's into people that are masked in every day life.
Disclaimer: This style of initiation session isn't suited for everybody.
The time had come. The high intensity interval training (Hiit) circuit!
Here's how it looks
Round 1
60 Meter treadmill sprint
10 Medicine ball slams
10 Sitouts
10 Knee grabs
60 Seconds rest
Round 2
60 Meter treadmill sprint
9 Medicine ball slams
9 Sitouts
9 Knee grabs
60 Second rest
And so on, all the way to a 1 rep final round. A standard pyramid workout.
The 60 second rest lets her recharge some energy before giving 100% in the next round.
This type of training is most effective when the trainee pushes to their maximum on every round. It demands self discipline, a strong mind and faith that it is all worth it.
After three years of coaching you become quite intuitive as to who can handle this pressure and who isn't ready yet. She was ready.
I explained and demonstrated the exercises and saw that she understood and could perform them correctly.
3, 2, 1, Begin!
The first three rounds went without a hitch. She was working hard and had perfect form.
She did lack a sense of urgency though. She was slow to transition between exercises. We could work on that later.
The first major issue came during the 6 rep round. This is usually the point where exhaustion leads to taking short cuts.
She had to do six medicine ball slams and on her last rep instead of doing this.
She raised the ball above her head, and just let gravity bring it back down to Earth. No energy, no purpose.
This might not seem like a big deal.
It means everything though!
If I let her get away with that now, it would become the standard. She would think it is acceptable.
"STOP! Sandy you have to come back and do the final rep correctly."
"Ahhhh" was all that left her mouth.
She looked frustrated, defeated and a little resentful.
She picked up the ball and slammed it down just as she should have the first time.
I had evaluated Sandy to be very mentally strong. I would not have treated someone new to exercise with such a forceful demand of excellency in the face of physical exhaustion... As a mentor of mine once said, you pick horses for courses.
We continued
We were at round three and she was really starting to feel it now. Back on medicine ball slams. She did two perfect reps and then it happened again.
She just let the ball fall...
I had to stand by my guns.
A stern "Sandy!" was all that was needed.
She didn't make a sound this time,
She just picked the ball up and slammed it as hard as she would've if my face had been under it at the time.
When she finished the workout I congratulated her, showered her in praise and handed gave her some chilled water. We went and stood by the fan.
"Do you know why I required you to redo those medicine ball slams?"
"Yes, yes, yes I know you want it done your way..."
I was a little insulted, but I knew she meant nothing by it. She mustn't had a good coach before.
"It isn't my way Sandy, it's the way. We do everything perfectly even if we don't feel like it. Hell! Especially when we don't feel like it! If we let ourselves slip on the 1%, what's the point? We turn up to do everything 100%. Not 100%, 99% of the time. This is true outside of the gym as well."
She looked me in the eyes, and I gazed back. I let softness enter my face as I non-verbally communicated that I care about her.
This is the same with all of my clients. Everything I do is to make them better.
"I'm sorry. It's just, I was tired and thought it wouldn't matter."
"It's okay Sandy." I said softly. "Now you know our standards. We do everything 100% no matter what. I always want the best for you, even if it doesn't feel like it at the time."
A smile lit up her red, sweaty face. She understood!
Expectations had been set. She had been pushed, mental barriers had been broken down and trust had been built.
Another successful day! ( I was going to say "another successful day at work" but it hardly feels like work)
I hope you enjoyed this personal story of mine. It got a little lengthy but I feel it was appropriate.
Yours, with Purpose
I guess I would just be exactly the same. At first thinking what the hack did I get myself into and smiling at the end :D
That's the trick as a coach. Get people to come in with one mindset and leave with a far better one. Building trust is a massive part of the job (it's hardly a job)
Glad you liked the read :)
@harrynewman, I´d definitely hate you during the workout though :D
Think of after woulds though :D
Like said, just during the workout ;) Afterwards I´d probably smile as well :)
So inspiring! I wish you were my coach! You give a ryhme to your reason, and not just demand it. You explain whyyy we give 100% instead of being some training nazi. I love it and respect your methods.
It's always important to have a purpose. I have my own mission statement that I say to myself every morning that reminds me why I do what I do :)
Thank you so much for your respect and support! It means more than you know :D
You sound like my crossfit instructors with all their "elbows up", "chest up", "put more weight on the bar", blah blah blah type comments.
It's kinda part of the job haha. I mainly talked about this instance from a mind set point of view. But if the medball slam had of been another exercise. Say kettlebell swings or clean. Such a loss of focus on the last rep or any could result in a serious injury D:
My initial thought was that as a former trainer she was maybe having some internal conflict in the situation. It's not always easy for people to ask for help, especially at one point doing it professionally. Sometimes we can fall in a pattern of, "I've done this, so I must have nothing left to learn." It's actually the opposite and we can always learn from others if we chose to be receptive. I admire how you handled it and were very kind!
I respect people that push me without sparing my feelings even if it doesn't seem like it at the time.
I think she has lost her passion for health and fitness, just a little. The more I get to know her the more I'll find out. She is a wonderful person and excellent client though. Just have to make sure you set the standard early.
And it can be a very delicate process. Pushing someone without turning them against you haha
Tough coach huh. Just kidding!
Exactly. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! I appreciate your comments heaps :D
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