AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
BECOME THE
ULTIMATE PERSONAL TRAINER
Know what clients think of you
Make clients smile
Weight loss – the science and the psychology Learn practical hypertrophy techniques
PLUS
G” N I N R A E L L L STI ’M I “ : N I U Q I L O CHARLES P HOWS S O N E C U D RE MP ViPR BOOT CA KING N I H T L A C I T I CR
DEBATE – CHALLENGE – INSIDER – WIN A HOLIDAY – PRODUCT REVIEW
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
EXERCISE FANATICISM Tony Lycholat Tony is a coach, coach educator and high performance scientist, with degrees in sport science and sports medicine. He has worked with Olympic and elite professional sportsmen and women for over 25 years, and has been technical editor at Fitness Professionals since 1993.
Reflecting upon being called an idiot (and not for the first time, dear reader) and then having read the rest of the tweets, emails and online insults following something I’d written, I thought I’d go for a walk. Who’d be a writer, hey? As ever, such diversionary tactics usually find me strolling through the park towards the university library. It was as I practised my mindfulness exercises on the way to the libary that I had a Eureka moment: it's total exercise fanaticism! Now, fanaticism is quite well defined, referring to beliefs and behaviours that are characterised by uncritical zeal and enthusiasm. The concept of critical thinking (see pages 16-17) and being prepared to listen objectively, consider the argument and possibly change one’s mind, does not enter the head of the fanatic. And there you have it. It doesn’t matter how well two contested positions about anything are presented, with the evidence both for and against, the fanatic will see only their perspective.
Then, for a select few, moving on to become a completely irrational zealot is but a small step. It’s possibly nonsense of course, and I can find other explanations for the obsession that some people have for a particular exercise modality (or diet, even), whether long distance running, Pilates, Bikram yoga … you name it. I personally know highly intelligent elite distance runners who have insisted, against all medical advice, to continue ‘running through’ injuries, prematurely ending their sporting careers. Whether this drive that propels them through rationality is psychological, emotional, spiritual or purely physiological is open to debate.
Similarly, when it comes to the exercises I do, and the intense, focused way that I now do them and all my training, I’m happy to explain the pros and cons, can reference the (good) science that underpins this approach and, yes, I’m still prepared to change my mind about all of what I do if the argument presented is sufficiently robust. I also don’t think you’re wrong – or an idiot – if, having carefully considered the evidence for and against, you choose to do things differently. The choice – hopefully an informed, open-minded one – is yours. fn AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
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For a while, I considered social inclusion theory and the concept of exercise tribalism, entertaining the notion that perhaps some people want (need?) to be seen as a member of a particular group which is viewed as desirable, successful, fashionable and ‘on trend’. Indeed, perhaps that’s where exercise fanatics begin life, at this less intense embryonic stage. Perhaps a tribalist then moves through to the next incarnation, becoming the equivalent of a religious fundamentalist, intent on keeping to the apparently authentic and infallible word and scripture of their own true (exercise) deity.
I’m still prepared to change my mind about all of what I do if the argument presented is sufficiently robust
There is also the concept of critical moments to be considered; contextual events in time that act as triggers to behavioural change. On occasion, these can be lifechanging and associated with huge emotion and passion that may cloud judgement. For me, the majority of these critical moments have been relatively small incidents so far, relating primarily to ideas, thoughts and experiences expressed in books. For example, I first read Primo Levi’s If This Is a Man over 30 years ago, followed by Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha and Dante’s Divine Comedy at about the same time and all three affected my personal philosophy of life as it was then, and arguably continue to do so. Yet here’s the difference – I’m not going to become a blinkered tub-thumper, creating the anecdotal ‘what works for me must work for you’ argument and insist that you read them or any of the works of the countless other authors who have caused me to reflect, consider and think differently about the world.
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CONTENTS Fitpro Network – Your Personal Trainer ANDY BROWN
EDITOR Regardless of what you do – whether you’re getting up at 6am to try and improve a client’s health and fitness or you're an editor inserting and deleting commas – we should all strive to be the best we can be. But what does this actually mean? Aside from the obvious, putting in 100% effort and commitment, it is part of something bigger; that we think and evaluate our performance and try to become better by continually learning – be that from organised courses, our own reading, or watching and observing colleagues.
SCAN THE CODE FOR MORE CONTENT
FitPro’s July newsletter: What FitPro membership can do for you
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This issue’s theme is tightly focused on helping you become the ultimate personal trainer. This section is purposefully structured like one of your sessions and so, sandwiched in between articles on the warm-up and warm-down are pieces on all the essentials; weight loss, hypertrophy, making sessions fun and good technique. Hopefully there are at least one or two nuggets in each article that you can take away to make you a better trainer. Turn to page 25 to see for yourself. Clients who fail to show up are a major issue for all PTs. Because of this – and it’s no good being the ultimate PT if you have no one to teach – we’ve dedicated two pages to practical tips and techniques to help reduce this hugely frustrating part of the job, in Boost your bank balance starting on page 42. Other highlights this issue are a fantastic competition to win a holiday for two in the Alps, an exclusive interview with Charles Poliquin, and Tony Lycholat examining critical thinking by way of Pippa Middleton’s famous posterior. Trust me, it’s much easier to read the article yourself than for me to try and explain it here, so skip to page 16 – it’s well worth a read.
Andy Brown
CONNECT
03 06 08 09 10 11 12 15 4
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY Exercise fanaticism
DEBATE
Do you need a specialism?
Q&A
Resistance training with teenagers
THE INSIDER
Are industry standards falling?
PRODUCT REVIEW
This issue’s panel rate three PT products
YOUR SAY
Your views on the Olympics and BMI
WORD UP
Legendary strength coach Charles Poliquin
GIVEAWAYS
Grab some great prizes
Fitpro Network is protected by copyright and nothing can be reprinted wholly or in part without written permission.The statements and opinions contained in the articles of FitPro are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of Fitness Professionals or its affiliates. The appearance of advertisements in the magazines is not a warranty, endorsement or approval of the products or services. Fitness Professionals disclaims responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas or products referred to in the articles or advertisements.
FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
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20
AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 EDUCATION
09
16 19 20 23
CRITICAL THINKING Evaluating an argument
COMPETITION
Win a holiday in The Alps
ViPR BOOT CAMP
Group training with ViPR
Six-month review
Transforming one PT's business
BE THE ultimate pt
26 28 30 33 34 36 37 38 39
34 P.28 P.25
WARM-UP
Start your session on a high
PSYCHOLOGY OF WEIGHT LOSS
Mentally preparing clients to lose weight
WEIGHT-LOSS MYTHS Six fallacies shot down
FUN INJECTION Make clients smile
TRAINING FOR HYPERTROPHY Building muscle
RUN FASTER
Improve speed and explosive power
GOOD TECHNIQUE The squat
WARM-DOWN
Are you covering the essentials?
SELF-APPRAISAL
Find out what clients think about you
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
41 42
APPROACHING CLIENTS IN THE GYM Top tips and advice
BOOST YOUR BANK BALANCE
Reduce no-shows and start virtual training
LAST WORD
46
CHALLENGE
The atomic push-up
EDITORIAL
Editor | Andy Brown Communications manager | Stephen Buckley Editorial manager | Ruth Bushi Technical editor | Tony Lycholat
@fitpro_online
fitproltd
Graphic designer | Leonardo Santiago Antunes Production manager | Vicki McGrath
P.33
PUBLISHING
publish@fitpro.com
ADVERTISING AND SALES jamie.c@fitpro.com
Call +44 (0)20 8586 0101 | Fax +44 (0)20 8586 0685 | www.fitpro.com
Thanks for all the design work, Michael Wheeler – you will be missed by your friends and colleagues at FitPro. Best of luck for the future in your new job.
FitPro is a supporter of the Access Sport Charity www.accesssport.co.uk
AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
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Contact Fitpro Network at: Fitpro Network, Kalbarri House 107-113 London Road, London E13 0DA
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TEDEBATEDEBATE V
AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
Is gaining a specia Yvette Nevrkla Yvette Nevrkla, personal training business coach, The PT Business Gym www.theptbusinessgym.com
YES The personal training market is crowded and, when it comes to building a successful business, there are more PTs struggling than succeeding. One of the reasons for this is related to the common mistake of trying to be a ‘do it all’ PT. You should specialise, not only in your area of expertise but also in defining the specific group of people you work with and what you help them to do. Instead of blindly investing hard earned cash adding new strings to your bow in the hope of increasing your ability to get clients, your resources are better invested in becoming an expert at helping a specific group of people overcome a specific problem. When it comes to attracting clients and building a successful business, specialising is one of the steps that makes the most dramatic difference to your ability to attract clients and achieve the lifestyle you aspire to.
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Specialising enables you to stand out and compete in a crowded market. Place yourself in that mass of trainers who think the way to succeed is to gain basic knowledge in as many areas as possible so that they can work with everyone and anyone, and you’re going to struggle. How will people choose you if you’re doing and saying the same as every other trainer?
FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
It also increases your ability to market and sell effectively – one of the biggest challenges that PTs struggle with is marketing and being a jack of all trades doesn’t help. The most effective marketing strategies are where you know clearly what you do and for whom you do it. When you try to market yourself to everyone, you end up connecting with no one because your messages are generic and weak. People are looking for specialist solutions that are tailored to them, rather than a one-size-fitsall approach. There are several factors that influence the fees you can charge for your programmes and specialising is certainly one of them. It is possible to become a real expert in your chosen area and become the ‘go to’ expert for the people in your target market. Clients will never pay more than the average rate for a PT without a specialism, but they will pay top dollar for someone they see as an expert with effective solutions tailored specifically to them. This is the only way to build a real PT business that sells more than your oneto-one time. One of the biggest problems that personal trainers come up against is burnout caused by endless one-to-one training sessions. No matter how much you love working with your one-to-one
Clients will never pay more than the average rate for a PT without a specialism, but they will pay top dollar for someone they see as an expert clients, the reality of doing this every day for the rest of your career is not a prospect that most PTs relish. But you can escape the ‘time for money’ trap. It’s possible to package and deliver your skills, knowledge and experience in various ways to build a business with multiple income streams, allowing you to achieve the personal and financial freedom and lifestyle you want. However, without specialising and a clear and well-defined niche market, your ability to build such a business reduces. If you want to build your own successful business as a PT, then specialising and defining your own niche market is essential. fn
V DEBATEDEBATE
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alism worthwhile? paul mumford Paul Mumford, personal trainer, www.paulmumford.co.uk
NO I’ve been a trainer for nearly six years now and, at 41, this is my third career after spending many years working in graphic design and radio. I now look after 45 people and every one of them is different. Like 99% of all trainers, I have plenty of clients who want to lose weight and tone up but I also look after people with back and postural problems, novice runners, triathletes, seniors, a recovering cancer patient and a 15-year-old rugby player who I’ve helped to reach county level. If I have a specialism, it’s in core strength and functionality. However, I don’t ignore the people who want other things and, as it turns out, it’s these people who have become the ‘bread and butter’ clients I’ve been working with since day one rather than the people who want me for my core knowledge. It’s these clients who are helping to expand my business and I would be a fool to ignore them and the revenue that they generate.
However, I’ve also had to learn about the game; something I had limited knowledge of previously. When some of my middleaged female clients started experiencing menstrual problems, I did some research on the menopause and learned how to adapt
I realise I could fill my days just looking after runners and I'd become a running expert. However, I'd be bored and not as busy as I am now our sessions to cope with the difficulties it can bring. I don’t specialise in rugby, I don’t specialise in menopausal women but I now have the experience and knowledge to work with both. It is a competitive market out there and it is often only after you’ve begun working
with a client that you know what special areas you need to work on with them. By specialising you can lose out on potential clients, not to mention the cost and time involved with attending courses that are often of a varied standard. My ability and willingness to adapt has also prevented my job from becoming boring. I’ve remained fresh and interested because I’m constantly learning new skills. I realise I could fill my days just looking after runners and I’d become a running expert. However, I’d be bored and not as busy as I am now. I would probably be able to command a higher fee if I was a specialist but, by narrowing my market, I would appeal to fewer people or have to travel more. I operate in a rural area and there are simply not enough specialist clients locally for me to sustain my current income. All this research and learning does come with a price but I only learn what I need to and I feel it’s a price well worth paying. In order to be a successful personal trainer I believe you need to be adaptable and this has also kept my working life exciting and ever changing. In most markets and to keep your career growing, it just does not make fn good business sense to specialise.
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Although I can apply my knowledge in core to all of my clients, I have still had to adapt and learn new skills for each person. When my young rugby player approached me wanting help with his game, I could immediately apply my knowledge to adapt his muscle recruitment and running
technique so he is now much more agile on the field.
7 AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
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In association with
AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
Q&A
Each issue we ask our bank of experts to tackle a trainingrelated question. This edition we focus on resistance training with a teenager.
GO QUESTT A ION?
Email it to publish @fitpro .com and w e may print it next is sue.
I have a client that wants me to start resistance training with his 13year-old son. Is this safe?
Addressing exercise and health in children is a tricky issue. In general, the welldocumented physical health outcomes from exercise present in the adult years are not observed in children other than in rare cases. However, for the most part, these are life-long processes (accrual of bone density, insulin resistance and preventing atherosclerosis and obesity), with antecedents in the paediatric years. Promoting exercise habits during childhood is an intuitively attractive strategy for reducing future health risks.1 Not only is habitual physical activity essential for normal growth and development, but participation in age-appropriate fitness programmes can enhance physical and psychosocial well-being. Although a large proportion of research has focused on activities that enhance cardiorespiratory fitness2, more recent studies indicate that resistance training can offer unique benefits for children and adolescents when appropriately prescribed and, research that supports the use of teenage resistance training is growing rapidly.3 However, there are risks associated with exercise, and teenagers require special consideration when exercising as a result of growth and the immaturity of their physiological regulatory systems.
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Reports of epiphyseal fractures resulting from resistance training during teenage years are common4 but in most cases are attributable to incorrect lifting technique and excessive loading. Micheli5 says that acute growth plate injuries are actually rare in teenagers as the growth plate is stronger and more resilient to stress. He also covers the potential for traininginduced damage to the growth cartilage, which is found at three main sites in a growing child’s body: the growth plates near the ends of the long bones, the FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
GUIDELINES FOR RESISTANCE TRAINING WITH TEENAGERS Start each training session with a 5-10 minute dynamic warm-up Begin with relatively light loads and always focus on correct technique Perform 1-3 sets of 6-15 repetitions on a variety of upper- and lower-body strength exercises Include specific exercises that strengthen the abdominal and lower back region Focus on symmetrical muscular development and appropriate muscle balance around joints Perform 1-3 sets of 3-6 repetitions on a variety of upper- and lower-body power exercises Increase the resistance gradually (5-10%) as strength improves Cool-down with less intense calisthenics and static stretching Begin resistance training 2-3 times per week on non-consecutive days
cartilage lining the joint surfaces (articular cartilage), and the points at which the major tendons attach to the bones (apophysis). Because growth cartilage is ‘pre-bone,’ it is weaker than the adjacent connective tissue and more easily damaged by repetitive micro trauma. However, injury to the growth cartilage has not been reported in any prospective teenage resistance–training research study. Personal trainers must stress the importance of taking sensible precautions before, during and after exercise sessions. Resistance-training programmes should be introduced sensitively and neither adult programmes nor unmodified adult equipment should be imposed. Focusing on isotonic contractions, recommendations for an appropriate overload for young people vary. Sale6 suggests 8-12 RM for the upper-limb exercises and 15-20 RM for lower-limb exercises. Effective resistance training can be designed around isometric, isotonic or isokinetic contractions and should adhere to the basic principles of training.
A well-structured progressive resistancetraining programme can be highly recommended for enhancing muscular strength in both children and teenagers. However, it is important to remember that muscular fitness is only one component of health-related fitness and other components should not be ignored. fn
CLAIRE DARLINGTON Claire is currently studying an MSc in weight management and runs a personal training and group fitness business. She is the founder of ‘STRIDE’, a weight management intervention aimed at teenagers and runs teenage boot camps – www.chesterfitness.co.uk To view the references related to this article visit www.fitpro.com/references For more Q&As visit www.PTontheNet.com – the most comprehensive online education resource for fitness professionals.
THE
INSIDER
WHERE'S THE
REGULATION?INSIDER
Our latest insider argues that many personal trainers just aren’t up to scratch.
THE
I
’ve seen some absolute shockers lately. The latest was a trainer texting while his client performed chest presses, failed halfway and had to call him over to rescue him. Why was the trainer not spotting, checking form, encouraging and ensuring his client’s safety? There’s more. I recently witnessed a trainer pop out for breakfast while his client warmed up and then eat it while his client trained, and yes, this time was all paid for! Unfortunately, this type of conduct is commonplace.
In the last year I watched a ‘trainer’ disappear after six weeks when his rent was due, with our members’ cash and sessions outstanding. His questionable exercise techniques and desperate, aggressive approach to selling didn’t exactly scream professional trainer. My own clients have complained about the lack of professional conduct of some male PTs. Are bum slapping and relentless retorts of “Come on baby, oh yeah, that’s it ...” reserved for female clients really a legitimate form of motivation? The sheer volume of trainers who believe it’s acceptable for their clients to perform an exercise either with a weight clearly too heavy or with outrageous technical form is astounding. Fancy a lawsuit, anyone? And I don’t just even mean the newbies; trainers of five years or more allow this regularly.
will they spread the bad word, tarring us all with the same brush? My gym starts new trainers almost every two weeks. A few prove exceptional, going on to have prosperous careers in the industry. But how have so many new PTs flooded into my club only to disappear weeks later? After completing one of the many courses available they turn up at our club, where you’d then expect a rigorous interview process, evaluating each trainee’s skills, knowledge and proving credentials right? The shocking and rather sad truth is there is no process; they don’t even have to train anyone. I’ve learned recently the hiring criteria is can they ask someone if they’d
like a free personal training session? My agency does not have in its possession a copy of any of my certificates, nor have I ever been asked to demonstrate my skills at interview or since. And I’m not the only one. No wonder we’re overrun with desperate and moral-free, cash hungry, fake fitness bandits. There should be rules, regulations, standards and ethics to adhere to. If these guys were on the Medical Register, they’d be struck off. Why should our industry, which has a responsibility and exists to serve clients’ health and fitness needs, be any different? fn FITPRO.COM
This is very bad for the unsuspecting public but, most importantly, for you. Why? Because it makes us look terrible! We look shifty, like we don’t really have a clue what we’re doing, like we’re not interested in the client or their goals and only after the cash. Do you really think those duped by the trainer who disappeared are likely to give personal training another chance? Or
No wonder we’re overrun with desperate and moral-free, cash hungry, fake fitness bandits
What about the health and fitness industry gets you mad? Email it to publish@fitpro.com and you could be the next insider.
9 AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
CONNECT august september 2011
PRODUCT REVIEW
Breathe strong, perform better Breathing-specific training has helped elite athletes gain a competitive edge for years, but now this well-kept training secret has been made available to all. Anyone, from everyday exercisers to elite athletes, can learn how to breathe more effectively to improve performance, accelerate recovery and reduce injury risk. “When I first started reading the book, I thought it would be more suited to a sports coach than a PT,” said Matt Harras. “However, while it does mainly focus on sports, it can all be transferred to the fitness environment and there is a whole chapter focused on training for fitness and exercise.
on how to train the breathing muscles and sync breathing with exercise to improve performance, core stability and posture. “This area of training is still relatively new, and research and studies are very limited – this comes across as the author does not always fully support her claims. However, this is a well-balanced book, and has introduced me to an under-looked area in fitness training. I will definitely use some of the exercises with my clients." The book is priced at £11.99. www.humankinetics.com
“The text dispels the myth that the lungs respond to training, when it is the inspiratory and expiratory muscles that adapt to the overload of training. This book is full of exercises and information
K-SWISS SANDAL
GRAVITY TRAINING
The K-Swiss Sandal is built with full Tubes™ technology for personalised cushioning. With specially engineered cylinders, these men’s flip-flops mirror the natural gait of each individual wearer. Large cylinders on the outside of the heel collapse upon impact and absorb shock. Small cylinders inside the heel firm up, supporting the heel and arch to prevent pronation. Forefront cylinders cushion the foot, and the spacing between them flexes along with your foot as you train. “These flip-flops certainly go beyond what you would expect in terms of comfort and support from a normal flip-flop,” said Tom Stayt, who reviewed the footwear. “I’m not sure if I would wear them casually, but as a before and after sports or training flipflop, they are a good choice. “There is a real demand for trainers and sports shoes that find the balance between support and cushioning for injury prevention, while still being lightweight and allowing freedom of movement and flexibility. These flip-flops do a pretty good job of fulfilling all of these criteria.” The K-Swiss Sandal is priced at £29.99. www.kswiss.com
The GRAVITY® Training System targets a range of health and fitness goals, including muscle shaping, weight loss, joint and muscular rehabilitation and improved athletic performance. GRAVITY Training on the Total Gym provides an adjustable pulley over eight levels of incline that allows unlimited forces and movement patterns. “As a personal trainer who puts biomechanics, form and function over gimmicks and trends, I was fascinated by the GRAVITY system,” says Katie Bevan,
KATIE BEVAN Katie is a PT, studio instructor and lecturer in psychology and fitness.
Tom is a PT and strength coach who runs a studio in central Bath.
FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
“The machine is easy to use and maintain, and with a base of 200 exercises and countless ways of being able to vary the intensity, timing, pace and load – clients and trainer alike would never get bored.” www.gravityuk.net
Tom Stayt
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who performed a training programme with Michael Steel, GRAVITY master trainer. “Within five minutes I was confidently using the machine, activating prime movers, synergists and stabilisers with athletic movements, strength work and functional training. A workout on this system is not just functional, multi-joint and multi-plane – it is safe, fun and effective. As a trainer using this machine, you have a huge scope to work with both pre- and post-rehab, fat loss and performance athlete clients alike.
MATT HARRAS Matt has been in the health and fitness industry since leaving university and has his own PT business, Maxi Fitness.
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I’m a PT who was based in Sydney during the 2000 Olympic Games. I really enjoyed your main Olympic feature in the last issue and it stirred up a lot of memories for me. The Games don’t provide a magic cure to a country’s fitness and obesity problems but, in Sydney, there was a real buzz about the Olympics. I made sure I marketed myself heavily before and during the event, and got a good number of new clients – one of whom trained with me for five years. Until the Games arrive, PTs in Britain have no idea how amazing the atmosphere will be ... I’m already planning my marketing campaign!
o _ o nl i n pr it
e
f
PROLTD FIT
ALLIED TOURS
Steve Davies
Prize winner
Thank you to FitPro for the holiday I’m just about to enjoy – one week at the Playitas sports resort in Fuertaventura for International Aerobics Week. FitPro members, make sure you all enter the giveaways, they really are genuine! Thank you so much.
Caroline Swart
BMI – a useful tool?
Last issue featured an article examining the use of BMI. Here’s the best of your online comments.
Kathryn Cullen Instructors Need Balls and Core/Body Conditioning Kathryn is available for in-house workshops on the above topics. Call Education in Action on 01420 561 271 or email kathryn.cullen@virgin.net
So flawed! Can’t believe it is so widely used by the NHS and fitness companies.
Tim Meadows on Facebook Of course it’s a flawed tool. But it’s a useful starting point as long as you treat it for what it is and don’t use it as a prime metric. It is a useful metric for the majority of people.
Kevin Hadlington on Facebook My boyfriend is a bodybuilder and his BMI is 36.2 which classes him as obese, but yet his body fat is 15%.
Amie Johnson on Facebook BMI does not measure body fat %; it’s inaccurate for tall, short and muscled people, and it doesn’t indicate health risk.
AndreaBell 24 on Twitter No, strictly callipers and tape measure.
Jasonjacksonpt on Twitter
Write in and win!
Faster fitness tour Sept 3 West Midlands Haden Hill Sept 10 Guildford Esporta Sept 17 Manchester DW Sports Fitness Leigh
GX Kids’ tour Sept 18 London VA Tower Bridge Oct 2 Bristol Cadbury House Register at www.groupxtraining.com
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The best email, tweet or Facebook comment received by 27 September wins a pair of K-Swiss trainers. Email publish@fitpro.com We reserve the right to edit letters for publication.
Jayne Nicholls
11 AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
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WORD UP
More people are exercising than before and yet more people are getting fatter. I think the industry is failing miserably at controlling obesity 12 FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
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The world’s highest paid strength coach has worked with Olympic medallists in 17 different sports and established a reputation as one of the world's most revered and influential coaches. He tells Network why he is always looking to improve, how the fitness industry has failed and his future plans.
CHARLES POLIQUIN How and when did you became involved in strength training?
earliest mentors told me once that there are only three secrets to great performance: hard work, hard work and hard work. It also has to be about return on investment. In martial arts you can do a spinning back kick and it’s very impressive, but if I stick my finger in your eye it doesn’t matter if you’re a big guy, you’re going down. My philosophy is always looking for the finger in the eye technique – where I can get maximum results in the minimum amount of time.
I come from a martial arts background and my sensei was into weight training. One day there was a snowstorm and I was the only kid that showed up at the dojo and my sensei told me there was no karate. He was lifting weights so I started to do it with him and thought, wow, I really like this.
How did you start training Olympic athletes? At 17 I was in a weights room at university and a guy from the national volleyball team approached me because I was very strong and asked if I could help him out with his programme. He was the first guy that I ever wrote a programme for. He made the national team and then referred me more volleyball players and I just kept on adding different team members. My first national team member was in 1978 when I was only 17 years old. Canada boycotted the 1980 Olympics so I had to wait until 1984 for my first medallist. To date I’ve had Olympic medallists in 17 different sports and World Record holders in 10 sports. That’s what I’ve built my reputation on: training Olympic medallists.
How important is continual improvement?
I’ve been the highest paid strength coach in the world since 1994 and the distinguishing feature is that I personally invest 15 hours a week on my own learning What are common fitness myths that you encounter? The human body has not drastically evolved over the last 40,000 years. People tend to overcomplicate things and try and look smarter than they really are. One of my
More people are exercising than before and yet more people are getting fatter. I think the industry is failing miserably at controlling obesity and the main reason is that not enough strength training and too much cardiovascular work is done. Genetically, we are made to throw a rock at a rabbit, not to chase after it. Training protocols that emphasise strength training are more efficient at reducing obesity than aerobic-based training and there are physiological reasons for this.
What’s next for you? My goal is to conquer the world of personal training education, to increase the countries where we have trainers by 10 per year – we’re at 15 countries now and have 7,000 trainers training with us. I want personal trainers in every country in the world.
Do you get the same enjoyment out of training now that you did at start of your career? It doesn’t change; once you’ve got the passion, you’ve got the passion. What I tend to do more now is educate trainers on how to train regular people to achieve the results I got with Olympians. There’s far less difference between the two than people think – methodology is methodology. fn AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
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It is crucial. I guess the question is how successful do you want to be? If you look at a cross-section of any profession across the world – it doesn’t matter if you are a real estate agent or a dentist – then the top 4% of earners have one thing in common: they attend an average of four seminars a year. I’ve been the highest paid strength coach in the world since 1994 and the distinguishing feature is that I personally invest 15 hours a week on my own learning. If you’re not going to spend at least eight hours a week getting better then you’re not going to get ahead.
With levels of obesity rising, how well do you think the fitness industry is doing?
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GIVEAWAYS Grab some great prizes by logging on to www.fitpro.com/giveaways before 27 September.
®
Three Clocksushi one year web and text booker accounts Customers and clients already buy or book almost everything else online, so take advantage of this trend to grow your business and spend more time doing what you are good at – training. Clocksushi is an easy-to-use, low cost online diary for personal trainers and fitness professionals that lets customers book online – giving trainers access to more clients and saving them time. The web booker costs £99 a year and the text booker costs £199 annually. www.clocksushi.com
The Supaflex X-Forcer kit is light, portable and allows you to take your workout anywhere, making it the perfect accessory when working with clients in limited space.
Complete
Guide to
Sports
• C orrect use and teaching of kettlebell exercises • K ettlebell warm-up drills, exercises and programme design
All qualifications are nationally accredited through Active IQ and are fully recognised by employers and the Register of Exercise Professionals. The course is worth £129.
www.premierglobal.co.uk
Written by Christopher M. Norris, an experienced physiotherapist specialising in sports injuries and exercise therapy, this addition to the well-known Complete Guide series is clearly illustrated with full-colour photographs of exercises and massage techniques throughout. This is a practical guide to treating injuries, including basic physio techniques, and trigger point release, taping and supports. Perfect for the non-specialist providing essential management for sports injuries, this book also includes sections on simple self-massage, healing timeframes, a treatment toolbox and strategies on structuring rehabilitation effectively. The book is published by A&C Black and is priced at £19.99. www.acblack.com
The small print ... Closing date for entries is 27 September 2011. Entry is only by logging on to the FitPro site with your membership details. One prize per winner only; winner picked at random. FitPro may pass on email addresses to the companies involved in giveaways and by entering you give your permission for this.
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Injuries
• H istory and benefits of kettlebell training
• O n successful completion, trainers will receive a Premier Kettlebell Training Certificate of Attendance and 4 REPs points.
Resistance tubes come with detachable handles, which enable accessories to be clipped to either end. Using the door anchors with the bundled accessories opens up a whole host of different exercise options, ensuring that clients will never become bored. RRP £32.95 + VAT. www.physicalcompany.co.uk
of The
Premier Training International offers a one-day kettlebell training workshop that equips trainers with an understanding of the theory and application of safe, effective and fun kettlebell training. The entry requirement to enrol on the course is a REPs-accredited gym instructor qualification. Training covers:
• Health and safety considerations
Three Supaflex X-Forcer kits
Five copies
One kettlebell training course
15
The previous issue’s winners can be viewed at fitpro.com/giveaways
AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
EDUCATION AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
Critical
thinking for fitness
professionals In the last issue Tony Lycholat made the case for understanding what good science is and what it does relating to fitness and health. In this follow-up article, he explores a skill that is essential in deciding who – and what – to believe: critical thinking.
T
16
wo events prompted me to write this article. One was the royal wedding and the other was some recent feedback on a piece I had previously written about Bikram yoga in Network’s sister publication, Fitpro. Realising that writing about the philosophy, history and methods of critical thinking, its development from Socrates onwards and why it matters to us all might not be to everyone’s taste, let’s start instead with the real story of the royal wedding – Pippa Middleton’s behind – and use it to explore some basic critical thinking concepts.
Propositions and arguments
Has a backside ever received so much adulation? At the latest count, Pippa’s butt had 229,281 ‘likes’ on her ‘A** Appreciation’ Facebook page. Of course, the tabloids needed to know exactly how she had managed to ‘acquire’ such a magnificent derrière (as if it was something bought from a shop specifically for the occasion) and, within days, we all learned that it was because she did Pilates. Job done, case closed. If you want a backside like Pippa’s, Pilates is the answer.
To get an attractive behind like Pippa’s, you need to do Pilates
FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
At the heart of critical thinking is the ability to carefully question what is being said in order to establish objectively the key argument. Often, the argument is based upon propositions (such as simple statements), followed by a conclusion, clearly stated or implied. In this example, the propositions are Pippa Middleton has an attractive behind Pippa Middleton does Pilates And the conclusion (or at least that of the news media) is
The next step is to look at the evidence presented for each proposition. Clearly, for many thousands of people, this first statement rings true. Yet it is not true for all – human attractiveness is complicated, reflects individual tastes and is greatly influenced by societal and cultural norms. The second proposition is a simple statement of fact, seemingly verified by Ms Middleton, that she does Pilates.
Now on to the conclusion/s: Is the link made between the two statements a justifiable one? In other words, has enough evidence been presented to allow you, beyond reasonable doubt, to come to not one, but two conclusions? Firstly, that because Ms Middleton does Pilates she has a behind that a number of people find attractive; and secondly, that if you do Pilates, you too will get the same figure.
Missing information? A key component of the critical thinking approach is to consider what information is known, relevant and what might be missing. In this case, to what extent is Ms Middleton’s shape due to her essential morphology and genetics; how does it relate to her body composition generally; what other activities does she do; what activities has she done in the past; what’s her diet like?, etc. Indeed, does the ‘shape’ have anything to do with the tailoring and design of the dress or even the position adopted in the photograph that has accompanied every article on the topic? All of these ‘confounding factors’. It may
EDUCATION be the case that the type of Pilates Ms Middleton does, and its intensity, frequency and duration is the ‘intervention’ that on its own has resulted in her shape, but until all these other factors are accounted for and controlled in some way, you cannot come to this first conclusion.
observe a heated argument).
In terms of the second conclusion, are you starting out from the ‘same place’ as Ms Middleton (age, morphology, genetics, etc.) and are you now going to do everything that she did/does? If not, then the second conclusion cannot be arrived at logically. Existing research looking at ‘trainability’ indicates that there are even low and high responders to the same training stimuli and loads in controlled training studies.1,2
Quantifiers go hand-in-hand with generalisations in that these too must be evaluated; precisely what is meant and why has the writer (speaker) not been more precise? Quantifiers, generalisation and other turns of phrase are collectively known as rhetorical ploys, some of which
Confirmation bias Think about an article you’ve read recently that you really liked. Now, ask yourself why you liked it. Chances are, you liked it because it said things with which you agreed. This is what is called confirmation bias and it usually explains why people can have such opposing views, even when presented with the same information. It would appear that our biases are formed as early as childhood and may lie deep within our subconscious. As such, they are difficult to change. This partly explains why people are prepared to accept information that supports their views while ignoring that which they find contradictory.3 Because I like small, every-day experiments, I recently posted a link to an article to a group of postgraduate students. There was no instruction to read it, just the statement that ‘this may come as a shock, but everything you think is wrong’, along with the explanation that this was the opening sentence of the article. Within hours, the people I thought would read it got back to me with comments. When I contacted the non-responders a week later, the view was that “it sounded like nonsense and not worth reading”. Confirmation bias can determine what we will read, listen or attend to in the first place.
Linguistics The words used when someone structures propositions and conclusions are also worthy of analysis in critical thinking and here I will borrow from recent feedback.
At the heart of critical thinking is the ability to carefully question what is being said in order to establish objectively the key argument are intended to persuade not through logic, but through appeals to popularity, fear or a host of other emotions. And if all else fails, the non-critical thinker resorts to the ad hominem attack, i.e., they call the person names, rather than argue for their case. If you’re in luck, you might get a nice combination as in ‘we all feel sorry for you; you’re such an idiot!’. Another rhetorical ploy favoured by the media is to say that ‘research proves’. As we examined in the last issue, good science does not prove, it searches for understanding and there are many different ways of doing research. At the very least, the type of research that has been done needs to be described (and referenced), in context, and it’s always important to know the affiliations (or funding sources) of those people doing the research. Of course, there is much more to critical thinking and its development than the few points briefly explored here. Fundamentally, critical thinking is about making a valuebased judgement about what to believe and why, with evidence, without falling prey to poorly structured arguments and other fallacious, pseudo-scientific, rhetorical or emotional attempts at persuasion. Perhaps most importantly, it is about parking your ego and assumptions, understanding your prejudices and biases, questioning yourself and being prepared to change your mind. fn
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‘The question that everyone wants to know … ’ was one statement that featured in the initial responses to my article on Bikram yoga. In such a proposition, ‘everyone’ is used as a ‘quantifier’, and good critical thinkers look at quantifiers very carefully. As it turns out, ‘everyone’ referred to one person (as it often does if you critically
Quantifiers are often used to exaggerate a point. Other quantifiers used in propositions include ‘all’, ‘often’, ‘lots’ and ‘always’. In each case, the critical thinker needs to know precisely how many and, where appropriate, the statistical significance.
To view the references related to this article visit www.fitpro.com/references
17 AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
WIN
COMPETITION Don’t miss out on the chance to win a bespoke fitness break in the Alps worth over £2,000.
WIN A LUXURY FITNESS HOLIDAY FOR TWO FitPro has teamed up with luxury holiday company Adventures In The Alps to give one lucky reader the chance to win a personalised fitness holiday for two people. Adventures In The Alps hosts fitness retreats, activity holidays and adventures against the picture perfect backdrop of the French Alps. The company offers a wide range of holidays and activities for you to choose from – tailor your perfect break by mixing activities such as kayaking, climbing, walking, horse riding and golf.
Unlike other fitness retreats, Adventures In The Alps are run by professional athletes and sports personalities, giving you the perfect opportunity to train with your sporting heroes. Our sports hosts include: •
Sally Gunnell (OBE), the only woman to have held four major track titles at the same time – Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth.
•
Christine Hemphill, current Australian and World long course triathlon champion.
•
Liz Yelling, two-time Olympic marathon runner and Commonwealth Games medallist. fn
This fantastic prize includes fivestar accommodation, gourmet food and drink, luxury private transfers, two return flights and training with a sporting celebrity host.
If you're not lucky enough to win this great prize then simply enter FITPRO10 when you book online to receive 10% off your Adventures In The Alps holiday. For more information visit www.adventuresinthealps.com
HOW TO ENTER Terms and conditions The winner will be drawn at random after the closing date of 27 September 2011. Every effort will be made to contact the winner but if they do not respond within four weeks of the closing date, we reserve the right to pick another winner. AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
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Visit www.fitpro.com/giveaways and log in using your membership number. The closing date is 27 September 2011.
19
EDUCATION AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
ViPR
boot camp
ViPR offers unlimited movements to perform one-on-one or with small group sessions.
Network talks to Ben Davies, co-owner of a rapidly expanding boot camp, to find out why the functional training tool makes good business sense. 20 FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
B
en Davies and Steve Cork founded Sussex BootCamps in 2008, after they realised they shared an ambition to open a gym. When their finances wouldn’t stretch quite that far, however, they looked at other options.
“We came up with this idea of outdoors training,” says Ben. “I knew that it was popular in America and it meant that we didn’t have to pay for studio space.” By 2011 the company has grown rapidly: six trainers, two admin staff and five locations. They now offer 14 time slots to over 200 participants, who sign up as members to take classes and book in advance to maintain the 20-max quality class size. Ben and Steve have also been quick to capitalise on new training trends such as ViPR. The business partners first encountered the functional fitness training tool at FitPro Spring Convention. “After we saw them being demonstrated we bought some straight away and started using them for ourselves,” adds Ben. “Then we went on a training course in London and learnt more moves and different way to use it before we incorporated it into our PT and boot camp sessions. “The cost of buying the ViPRs was paid back to us within months. They’d been featured in the national press in recent months, so there was already a buzz. New clients were asking about them and we had
EDUCATION
people sign up as a direct results of the press coverage and wanting to be coached how to use them.” Old as well as new customers have also been impressed:“It’s gone down really well with the customers that have been with us for a long time because it is a new challenge and gets the heart rate going, and it’s also great for customers that are new to us who think that the only way to exercise is to run or go to gyms and sit on machines. It’s great for them to do exercises with their own body weight mixed in with ViPR exercises and many clients find it much more enjoyable than just going through the motions of basic exercise.” The PTs generally use ViPR as part of a mobility warm-up before moving on to three or four different exercises to provide variety for clients and to shock their muscles by performing new movements. "They're a brilliant tool for using outside as I can't see them breaking or us needing to replace them anytime soon. We've used them in the rain and it's been fine. But my favourite thing
is the versatility, there are thousands of exercises that you can do for the whole body,” says Ben. “It is really simple to use and there are just so many moves you can do. You think of something, and it’s very easy to apply it into a move.” Ben believes that all personal trainers should be looking to expand their target market, to increase the different demographics they train in order to grow their businesses. There are opportunities available for PTs who don’t just stick with one-on-one sessions and Ben actually describes their sessions as, “personal training, but in a group environment,” and emphasises how all their trainers are held accountable for the results of their clients. Steve and Ben are looking to expand their bootcamp business by adding more locations and trainers, but haven’t forgotten their initial dream of owning their own gym. They are currently on course to achieve this ambition by the end of year and they’ve already compiled a list of all the different bits of kit they will require – no prizes for guessing what’s top of the list. fn
Two ViPR exercises that you can perform with clients Anterior lunge with multi-planar reaches Preparation •
Use the grip shown in photo.
•
Begin with the ViPR at hip height.
Movement •
There are three distinct reaches to perform.
•
Take a comfortable step forward (self-selected range of motion).
•
Firmly plant the lead foot on the ground, reaching forward to a self-selected range of motion.
•
Return back to the original position.
•
Repeat the step and reach laterally on the same side as the forward leg.
•
Repeat again and reach laterally to the opposite direction to the forward leg (as shown).
SHIFT HIP ROTATION, TRAIL PIVOT FOOT Preparation •
Begin with the neutral shovel grip hold (as shown).
•
Begin with feet wider than shoulder width and keep them active throughout the exercise.
Movement •
The movement mimics a shovelling pattern.
•
Begin by reaching with the levered end towards the trail leg at a low height.
•
From this 'loaded' position, rotate the hips and reach to a high finish position.
•
Ensure that the hips are rotating and that the feet are active during the movement. FITPRO.COM
For more information about ViPR visit www.viprfit.com or email busdev@fitpro.com For more information about Sussex Bootcamps visit www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk
21 august september 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
EDUCATION
Follow Dom’s fitness blog at domburns.blogspot.com
Half-term report
Six months ago, Network teamed up with new trainer Dom Burns with a simple aim – to make him the best trainer he can be in a year. At the halfway point, we look at what he’s learned about the industry and his goals for the remainder of the year.
A
fter qualifying with a full diploma, Dom quickly set up his own business, FeelGoodPT in 2010. When FitPro first met Dom he only had six clients and was struggling with how to market himself and his business. FitPro has worked with Dom on his marketing, use of social media and training and he now has 12 clients.
Marketing “I’ve gained three new clients recently and a lot of it has just come from being more confident in my marketing – I’m now projecting a different image. Before I was a bit timid but I’ve got more experience now and am doing things that look more professional. “The logo and flyer that FitPro worked on with me really helped and it now looks a lot more professional. I’m also more targeted about where I give the flyer out – I found that putting them through people’s doors doesn’t work because people just chuck them away so I’ve been going to nurseries, playschools, sport shops, physiotherapists and nutritionists – so I’ve got a much better strategy now.” Dom has also worked on his online marketing and has focused on LinkedIn. “Before, I only had a few connections but not with anybody that was remotely interested in personal training,” he admits.
at Made gre– keep it up! forward
A vital element of marketing is increasing awareness of a brand or an individual. FitPro helped Dom start a blog in which he offers advice to new PTs and talks about what he’s learned. “I enjoy writing the articles, it’s a good way to stay on top of current trends in the industry and keep up to date with my learning and research,” says Dom. “It has been really good for my profile as I can direct potential clients to the blog for more information and it helps build my reputation as a personal trainer.”
Training “In the last few months I’ve undertaken three training courses with the help of FitPro: Outbox, ViPR and the PTontheNet nutrition course. I have enjoyed them all,” says Dom. “Outbox was really interesting – although I did find it heavily technical – and taught me skills to use with clients. I really enjoyed the ViPR course because it was something that I hadn’t properly got to grips with and wasn’t sure how best to use it, but the course showed just how many different exercises you can do. I use ViPR with most clients for about 20 minutes as it’s a really fun way to get a client’s heart rate up. It’s also different to doing weights and a good way to break up a session. “My favourite course was the PTontheNet nutrition course; I get asked a lot of questions about nutrition. We briefly touched on it in my training, but not to the extent
that I’m required to know so it’s good to get more confidence and knowledge.”
Summary “Finishing the courses, improving my marketing, reading more articles and just being in the industry for longer have all definitely made me feel more confident. It’s also helped that I’ve had my earliest clients for over six months and I’m seeing good results. This makes you think, yes I am doing the right things, whereas at the start you don’t see results immediately so you don’t know whether it’s working.” fn
Goals and objectives for six months' time
• Reduce cancellations • I ncrease number of clients by five – I have found it is a cycle, when you have more clients you have more money to spend on marketing and so attract more clients • A ttend more courses – specifically one on biomechanics and about Olympic lifts as this is something that a lot of my clients do and I want to increase my knowledge • B uild up business networks – become more connected with other people in and around the fitness industry
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B+strides
“Now, I’m more proactive and have contacted a lot of people in the PT and masseuse world and have sent out invitations. I now have some half-decent contacts.”
23 AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
ULTIMATE PT AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
BECOME THE ULTIMATE PT
E
nsuring that each and every session you give is perfect is a difficult task, but because perfection is what every PT should strive for, our themed session explicitly examines all the essential elements of a training programme. We start with the warm-up and explain why, if you’re just getting a client’s heart rate up with five minutes of cardiovascular work before moving onto some static stretches, you’re short-changing them. Then, on p28 we move onto arguably the most important issue for clients – weight loss. Acknowledging that this is both a mental and physical issue, we explore the psychology behind shedding the pounds before debunking six weight-loss fallacies. Our special section also looks at speed training, building muscle, how to ensure clients enjoy their sessions with you and good technique. We end – appropriately enough – by offering tips on what your warm-down should consist of and by providing a selfappraisal form for you to give to clients. Turn to p39 to view the form and the web link we’ve provided so you can print this out and use this resource. Because it’s no good thinking you’re the ultimate personal trainer if your clients don’t agree.
IN THIS SECTION Warming up The psychology of weight loss Weight-loss myths Fun injection Hypertrophy Rapid results Technique
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26 28 30 33 34 36 37 38 39
Ending on a high Self-appraisal
25 AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
ULTIMATE PT AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
Are you one of those PTs that just gets clients to perform five minutes of cardio work and some static stretching for the warm-up? Andrew Verdon explains how dynamic stretching can positively affect all aspects of performance.
Stretch your
A
well-planned warm-up prepares clients physically and mentally for the movements their body is about to undertake when exercising, but is often ignored or done very poorly. The warm-up should be specific to the individual and the session that they are about to undertake. As much thinking should go into this stage of the programme as the main block of a training session. It should take up to 15-20 minutes and seamlessly merge into the main block of the session by finishing with the same intensity that the main session will start with.
A well-executed warm-up produces many physical benefits1. For example, increased heart rate and core temperature, higher oxygen uptake and lower lactate accumulation. Other benefits include improved speed and force of muscle contractions and the release of synovial (lubricating) fluid into the joints and spine.
completing a dynamic warm-up incorporating some flexibility. For more information about different types of stretching see page 27. Why do we put so much emphasis on using dynamic stretching in a warm-up? Simply, because it can have a positive impact on balance, strength, agility, body awareness and efficient movement. Research conducted by the University of Wyoming and published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research in June 2008 strongly supports its use.2 The research authors wanted to see whether introducing it into the four-week training programme of 24 high-level college athletes would have a positive impact on power, speed, agility, endurance, flexibility and strength.
• Movements designed to prepare the joints and musculoskeletal system for the loads and movements it is about to endure
A very comprehensive group of performance factors, and the short time frame is worth taking note of – only four weeks until you’ll see a change or not. The researchers divided the group into two and they used either static or dynamic stretching before daily practice sessions for four weeks, with measures conducted before and after these sessions over the four weeks. The static group saw no improvements and some decreases in the performance factors listed above. Remember, this is the traditional stretching method you may be currently using.
So what is the best type of movement preparation to do before exercising? The research leans very heavily towards
The dynamic group showed some significant results to help performance. This group showed improvements in enhanced
A good warm-up should have two main principles: • Movements designed to elevate the heart rate
26
warm-up
FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMEBER 2011
muscular strength with leg strength increasing by 11%, push-ups by 3% and sit-ups by 11%. The group also saw their average time for a 600m run decrease 2.4% and an increase in anaerobic capacity as their average time for a 300m shuttle run fell 2%. Impressive results achieved in a short time frame just by focusing on a more comprehensive warm-up. So, if you could incorporate dynamic warm-ups into your current training before sessions, it could produce longer term performance enhancements in power, strength, muscular endurance, anaerobic capacity and agility. Improve any of these factors and your client will be stronger, fitter and able to continue to increase the intensity of their training to get closer to their training goals. They will be happier, healthier and more likely to recommend you to their friends – isn’t it time you put more thought into your warm-up? fn To view the references related to this article see www.fitpro.com/references
Andrew Verdon Andrew owns a personal training studio in Sydney and is a strength and conditioning service provider to The Australian Institute of Sport. He was part of the Australian support staff at the last two Olympics and is involved in preparing athletes for 2012.
ULTIMATE PT
Static stretching
Dynamic stretching
A static stretch is held in a challenging but comfortable
Dynamic stretches are performed by moving through a challenging but comfortable range of motion repeatedly, usually 10 to 12 times. Although dynamic stretching requires more co-ordination than static stretching, it improves functional range of motion and mobility in sports and daily activities.
position for a period of time, usually between 10 to 30 seconds. This is the most common form of stretching found in general fitness and is considered safe and effective for improving overall flexibility. However, many experts consider static stretching much less beneficial than dynamic stretching for improving range of motion for functional movement, including sports and daily living activities.
active
static
dynamic
Static-passive calf stretch
Dynamic-passive calf stretch
Static-active calf stretch
Dynamic-active calf stretch
Active stretching
Passive stretching involves using some sort of outside
This involves stretching a muscle by actively contracting the
assistance to help you achieve a stretch. This assistance could
muscle in opposition to the one you’re stretching. You do
be your bodyweight, a strap, leverage, gravity, another person
not use your bodyweight, a strap, leverage, gravity, another
or a stretching device.
person, or a stretching device. With active stretching, you
With passive stretching, you relax the muscle group you’re
relax the muscle group you’re trying to stretch and rely on the
trying to stretch and rely on external force to hold you in
opposing muscle to initiate the stretch.
place. You don’t usually have to work very hard to do a passive
Active stretching can be challenging because of the muscular
stretch but there is always the risk that the external force will
force required to generate the stretch, but is generally
be stronger than you are flexible, which could cause injury.
considered lower risk because you are controlling the stretch force with your own strength rather than an external force.
AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
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Passive stretching
Pictures courtesy of Full-Body Flexibility, Second Edition by Jay Blahnik, published by Human Kinetics.
passive
Dynamic stretching shouldn’t be confused with old-fashioned ballistic stretching; it is controlled and smooth, whereas ballistic stretching is erratic and jerky. There are some unique benefits to ballistic stretching, but generally the risks outweigh the benefits.
27
ultimate pt AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
The psychology of
weight loss The equation is simple – consume fewer calories, do more exercise and you’ll lose weight. But if it’s so simple, then why are levels of obesity rising and why do so many clients struggle to lose weight? Pete Cohen argues that PTs need to look closer at their clients’ mindsets.
28 FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
ultimate pt
W
hen it comes to clients exercising and achieving their goals, there are two important factors that stand out: motivation and self-belief. What motivates us and drives us forward can help us to achieve our goals but, when there is a disparity between desire, motivation and resources available, then the possibility of achieving our outcome successfully is substantially diminished. Additionally, if someone does not believe they are capable of achieving then they will not succeed and remain unfulfilled. Only by being aware and understanding what is driving behaviour can we be properly equipped for change in pursuit of achieving our health and fitness goals. For example, let’s look at working with new clients. Their goal is often to lose weight and at the time of their induction interview they are over their desired weight. Their
Derived from the word efficacious, meaning ‘producing the desired result’ and first coined by the psychologist Albert Bandura, self-efficacy means you believe you can achieve a particular objective and know you have the resources to do so (as a PT, you are one of your client’s resources). From his research, Dr Bandura concluded that a person’s beliefs about themselves could predict far more accurately how they would perform in the future than anything they had achieved in the past. If someone has given up on their health regime before then it’s more than likely to happen again unless we can assist our members in changing the way they think and feel about themselves and exercise. The fact is, if you really want to change something in your life then you will find a way to make it happen. Belief is the fuel of ambition.
If someone has given up on their health regime before then it’s more than likely that it will happen again unless we can assist our members in changing the way they think and feel options include exercising more, eating less and cutting back on alcohol consumption and their way forward is to commit to action on one or all of the above. This is often the stumbling block, where desire is not matched by motivation. Our role is to help motivate, encourage, educate and support this process. However, its success is dependent upon the key factor in the equation, the individual's attitude to themselves and the task in hand. The challenge arises when engaging with clients with low levels of confidence and low self-esteem, where a comprehensive understanding and application of skills are required.
Health and fitness professionals need to understand the importance of self-efficacy – these are beliefs that support your aim.
Mindset One of the functions performed for us by our mind is the validation of our ways of thinking about the world. We tend to seek confirmation for what we believe, even if those beliefs are harmful to our well-being. If you believe that you are capable and confident, you pay attention to those signals from the outside world which reinforces those beliefs. If you believe that you are not as good as others or that you are being judged badly, you seek the confirming evidence just as readily. When this happens, often at the first sign of difficulty in achieving an objective, we are more likely to abandon our plans and shrink back into our comfort zone. This particular
1. Really listen to your clients, especially about what they want to achieve
2. Help them set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely
3. Tell them that you are here to guide, coach and support them on their weight-loss journey
4. Give them variety in your sessions and always make them fun and exciting
5. Give your clients lots of positive feedback
element is crucial for the health and fitness professional in understanding basic behavioural tendencies and how to impact positively on the client’s psyche. Once you have helped clients reach their weight-loss goals, it’s really important to continue to coach and support them in helping them to make their health, fitness and well-being an every-day part of their lives. People often put the weight back on because even after the weight has come off, they still see themselves as an overweight person and go back to thinking and acting like the person they once were. You can help people change their self-image by providing a safe and friendly environment and challenging them so that they can feel good about what they are doing and themselves. By doing this, their confidence and self-belief will grow and this, in turn, will help them take responsibility and accountability for their own health, fitness and well-being. We have been teaching these skills for some time, training health and fitness professionals in how to facilitate change from a behavioural perspective. Changing the body, including losing weight, toning up and building muscle really starts from the head down. Understanding the elements that contribute to behavioural change is one thing, but it is implementing the positive strategy that is the key. Every single one of our clients is in need of these skills. fn
Pete Cohen Pete Cohen is a professional business coach, public speaker, TV presenter, author and consultant who can help individuals, executives or organisations to achieve their very best. He is the founder of Weight Loss Guru – www.weightlossguru.com
AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
FITPRO.COM
Our beliefs act as a framework for our behaviour – what you believe forms the cornerstone of how you behave and what you get. To change a habitual behaviour, you have to change a belief. This requires someone to develop a way of thinking that will help them to believe they can behave differently. People’s beliefs about themselves and their ability to achieve their fitness goals are not often discussed when someone signs up to a health club.
Perhaps one of the greatest examples of this was the belief that running a mile under four minutes was humanly impossible, a view reflected by the hundreds who tried and failed. However, once Roger Banister smashed the record, people immediately believed that it was now possible – in the 18 months following his achievement the sub-4-minute mile was achieved by more than 45 runners. As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re probably right”.
Top five tips to help clients lose weight
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ULTIMATE PT august september 2011
Weight-loss Many clients still harbour opinions about weight loss that are simply wrong. While you’ll recognise the following myths are just that – myths – we’ve enlisted the help of PTs Kristoph Thompson and Mike Heatlie to provide some quick and simple cue cards to print out and give to clients.
“I’m doing lots of sit-ups to get a six-pack” A study conducted at the University of Massachusetts in the mid-1980s8 assessed the fat loss of 13 male subjects following a vigorous 27-day abdominal exercise training programme. Fat biopsies were obtained from the subjects’ abdomens, buttocks and upper backs before and after the exercise programme. The results of the study revealed that fat decreased similarly at all three sites – not just in the abdominal region. Conversely, a more recent study published in the American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism found that exercising muscle does have an effect on local fat, especially the subcutaneous fat adjacent to the muscle. The study concluded that ‘an acute bout of exercise can induce spot lipolysis and increased blood flow in adipose tissue adjacent to contracting skeletal muscle’. In summary, if you want to reduce fat in a certain area, such as your stomach, whole-body exercise still results in more overall body fat loss than working local muscle groups. (Kristoph Thompson)
“I can’t lose weight because of my genetics” There is a strong body of research which suggests that weight is largely genetically determined. Studies on twins raised apart have shown BMI to be very similar1, 2 and further studies have found adopted children to have a weight that correlates more closely with their biological parents than their adoptive parents.3 Scientists have identified that certain genes are connected with obesity4 but have also emphasised that having these genes don’t mean that a person will become obese. Many people carry these genes and still manage to maintain a healthy weight – the most important factors are exercise and healthy eating. (Kristoph Thompson)
“I’ve been told that to lose weight my training should be low intensity” It is true that fat oxidisation is higher during lower intensity activity5 than higher intensity work, but this isn’t where the story ends. Weight loss is the result of calories burned throughout the entire day or week, not just what happens during an exercise session. Studies have shown there is no significant difference in calories burned 24 hours after a high- or low-intensity workout 6,7 and after a period of weeks there is no difference in total fat burned. However, the fundamental difference is that you have to train for longer with the low-intensity workout than the high-intensity workout. Studies have also shown that those following a low-intensity programme lose muscle mass while those doing high-intensity training gain muscle mass. This poses the question of whether the total weight loss attributed to fat burning programmes is from pure fat loss or a loss of muscle mass as well. (Kristoph Thompson)
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myths “Doesn’t muscle turn to fat if you stop exercising?”
To download these cue cards visit
www.fitpro.com/cuecards
“To lose weight you should concentrate on cardio training”
Muscle cells and fat cells are anatomically different and it is impossible for one to ‘turn into’ the other. We all have a predetermined amount of fat and muscle cells but what can change is body composition – the percentage of muscle and fat we have in our body. When you train your muscles, your muscle cells grow in size, giving a more toned, muscular appearance. If you stop training them altogether they will begin to shrink. If you are simultaneously consuming more calories than you burn, your fat cells will begin to increase in size, this is what gives the illusion that muscle is turning into fat. What is really happening is that your body composition is changing to a higher percentage of fat and a lower percentage of muscle. (Kristoph Thompson)
Firstly, cardio training needs to be defined properly. If one is performing 50-60 minutes of cardiovascular training using the cross-trainer, running, cycling etc. at the same moderate pace then this is not an effective fat-burning protocol even if one is burning 600 calories. This type of training does not stimulate the powerful fat-burning hormones, such as growth hormone and testosterone, and can actually breakdown muscle tissue, resulting in a fall in metabolic rate. Additionally, if the same cardio workout is being performed consistently then the body will adapt to it in time, leading to less stress on the body. Weight training, performed correctly, and cardio interval training, are better methods of training for burning body fat. (Mike Heatlie)
“Muscle weighs more than fat” It is almost ludicrous to suggest that one thing weighs more than another. One pound of fat weighs the same as one pound of muscle. How on earth can fat weigh more than muscle, or vice versa, without giving a tangible example? Muscle tissue is denser than fat tissue and this is where the myth emanates. Five pounds of fat will be larger in size than five pounds of muscle, but they still weigh the same. A person who weighs 10 stone and has 15% body fat will look smaller than a person of the same weight but who has a body fat percentage of 30%. If clients are failing to lose weight, it may be that they are losing body fat, and adding muscle tissue, which is denser – so they’ll be smaller, but weigh the same. (Mike Heatlie)
Mike Heatlie Mike holds a 1st class Bachelors degree in Sport and Exercise Science and two masters degrees in Medicine Science in Sport and Exercise and Strength and Conditioning. www.mikeheatliepersonaltraining.com
kristoph thompson
To view the references related to this article please visit www.fitpro.com/references AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
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Kristoph is a strength and conditioning coach with a master’s degree in Human Performance. He is an associate lecturer at the University of Brighton and is currently studying for a PhD. www.kristophthompson.com fn
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FUN INJECTION
Fun is the forgotten element of successful training and can ensure your clients keep on coming back for more, argues Ian O’Dwyer.
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o yourself a favour: next time you have time to watch a trainer at a club or studio, see how many times their client smiles or laughs during the session. Why? Well, how many times would you repeatedly attend sessions of any type if you didn’t enjoy them? Enjoyment is a key component of connecting with people and creating an environment they want to frequent. This environment is something that society now takes away from the majority of people due to more indirect paths of communication and interaction such as email, texting and online shopping. Let’s pretend for a moment that you are a client and are attending an educational workshop. The presenter is either theorybased and all you hear is dull, monotonous terms and science, or they are full of information that is interesting, relative and practical – do these two scenarios sound
CHILD'S PLAY There are many games I play with clients, from introducing a balloon and taking it in turns to hit it to each other, to standing in front of a client and trying to knock each other off balance with the palms of our hands. 1. Pick a game to play with your client – this can be from observing children playing or simply by researching online. 2. Interact with your client with minimum words or directions on what you want them to do in the game. Play for approximately 60 seconds, rest and then play again.
If the information delivered really connects with you, three areas are instantly affected: Emotionally you would have a feeling of excitement and happiness due to the uncertainty of where this could lead you and the opportunities it could present. Mentally you would be more likely to be inspired and your thought processes may be in a state of confusion due to the questions you are asking yourself – this is the evolution of learning.
Enjoyment is a key component of connecting with people and creating an environment they want to frequent Physically you walk away in a far more invigorated state due to the body being stimulated with intelligent, practical information. We have to be very careful that science doesn’t drive people away from our sessions through boredom, lack of rapport and interaction. Of course, science isn’t a bad thing, but it is what we do with it that counts. If I can’t change how a client feels instantly using science, then there is every chance the session could be a waste of their time and money and quite possibly the last I see of them. In our studio, all categories of people participate in various challenges/games and instantly the mood changes, no matter how stressed, frustrated, listless or depressed they may feel. Using simple tools such as a balloon, ball, ViPR or a partner in a movement drill can
enhance the brain in many ways, such as improved rationale thinking, memory and motor control, decreasing stress and improving motor learning. Do you think this would be beneficial for an elite athlete who needs efficiency, recovery and clarity, or possibly a mother that looks after her children all day in a demanding environment? What about a corporate who relies on their brain and body for creative thinking for major deals? Don’t you think in this day and age, when brain and heart disease are at an all time high, that this is a necessity? I incorporate all sorts of games into sessions with elite, active, sedentary and chronic clients and at various times of the session as movement preparation, rewards, penalties or movement recovery. The most important thing is that the clients are always smiling. Don’t you think that tells us something about what they want and are craving? Play. fn
IAN O'DWYER Ian is the founder of OD on Movement and has delivered over 250 trainer workshops across the world. AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
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3. Observe how they move – slow, fast, big, small, robotic, integrated, rhythmic – and how they react – smile, frown, laugh, grunt, want more, want less. From their reactions think about what games you can play with them in future.
like trainers you know and how they run their sessions?
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ULTIMATE PT august september 2011
Research review:
Muscle hypertrophy Tony Lycholat examines the theory and practice behind muscle growth and evaluates the latest research on the subject.
I
t’s possible that there are as many muscle-building programmes out there as personal trainers. Admittedly, many of these programmes will have recognisable features in common, but are there simple training rules based on good scientific research that everyone should follow if they want to increase muscle mass? The answer is an emphatic ‘yes’ and two research papers contain arguably everything you need to know about the mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and how to plan and implement a training programme. [NB: if you’re interested in a short, introductory review of what’s going on in muscle, read on. If you just want the practical guidelines, skip forward to the next page].
Theory: The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy The first of these papers is a recent review by Brad Schoenfeld published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research1. Schoenfeld introduces the topic in a way that will be familiar: “The quest to increase lean body mass is widely pursued by those who lift weights. Bodybuilders generally train with moderate loads and fairly short rest intervals that induce high amounts of metabolic stress. Powerlifters, on the other hand, routinely train with high intensity loads and lengthy rest periods between sets. Although both groups are known to display impressive muscularity, it is not clear which method is superior for hypertrophic gains.”
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Taking this juxtaposition FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
as his starting point, Schoenfeld sets out to review comprehensively the published literature, beginning with a consideration of the types of hypertrophy associated with resistance training. Much of this will be familiar to personal trainers from their background training in skeletal muscle anatomy and physiology. However, Schoenfeld’s short and effective treatment of the role of satellite cells in hypertrophy is well worth reading. “Muscle hypertrophy is thought to be mediated by the activity of satellite cells … these myogenic stem cells are normally quiescent but become active when a sufficient mechanical stimulus is imposed on skeletal muscle. Once aroused, they proliferate and ultimately fuse to existing cells or among themselves to create new myofibres, providing the growth of new muscle tissue.” Of course, there’s much more to hypertrophy than this, and Schoenfeld, in common with other contemporary exercise authors (e.g., Spurway and Wackerhage 2) also comments upon what is currently known about the various signalling pathways: “whereby the effects of mechano-stimulation are molecularly transduced to downstream targets that shift muscle protein balance to favour synthesis over degradation.” As you might expect, there are brief explanations of primary anabolic signalling pathways, including mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), mitrogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and calcium-dependent pathways. The role of hormones and cytokines is also discussed, with several pages usefully explaining what scientists believe is happening in muscle in response to resistance training designed to increase muscle mass. Schoenfeld’s review is particularly helpful with respect to what are believed to be the three primary factors responsible for initiating the hypertrophic response to resistance exercise: mechanical tension, muscle damage and metabolic stress. Briefly, mechanically induced tension (both force generation and stretch) is believed to be essential to muscle growth, with the basic premise being that the tension associated with resistance training disturbs the integrity of skeletal muscle which, in turn, sets up the molecular and cellular signalling ‘cascade’. Similarly, localised damage to muscle tissue is thought to generate a hypertrophic response. Thirdly, exerciseinduced metabolic stress has been shown to have an anabolic effect, and Schoenfeld comments upon the likely mechanisms associated with this, including the cellular disturbances and adaptations associated with muscle ischemia.
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Hypertrophy: Schoenfeld’s practical guidelines
ACSM’s practical muscle hypertrophy guidelines
Practically, Schoenfeld extensively reviews the literature regarding the key training variable of intensity; volume; exercise selection; rest interval; muscular failure and repetition speed. Key observations for each variable, according to Schoenfeld are:
Intensity Intensity (i.e., load) has been shown to have a significant impact on muscle hypertrophy and is arguably the most important exercise variable for stimulating muscle growth … there is a prevailing belief that a moderate range of approximately 6-12RM optimises the hypertrophic response.
The second research paper that is essential reading on the topic of muscle hypertrophy is the American College of Sports Medicine’s revised (2009) Position Stand on Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults.3 Here, the ACSM reviews the evidence and provides detailed resistance training programme design recommendations. To summarise:
Muscle action It is recommended that concentric, eccentric and isometric muscle actions be included for novice, intermediate and advanced resistance training.
Volume
Loading and volume
Higher volume, multiple-set protocols have consistently proven superior over single-set protocols with respect to increased muscle hypertrophy.
For novice and intermediate individuals, it is recommended that moderate loading be used (70-85% of 1RM) for 8-12 repetitions per set for 1-3 sets per exercise.
Exercise selection
For advanced training, it is recommended that a loading range of 70-100% of 1RM be used for 1-12 repetitions per set for 3-6 sets per exercise in a periodised manner such that the majority of training is devoted to 6-12RM, and less training devoted to 1-6RM loading.
There is evidence to support the inclusion of both multi-joint and single-joint exercises in a hypertrophic routine. Multi-joint exercises recruit large amounts of muscle mass to carry out work and this has an impact on the anabolic hormonal response to training. However, single-joint exercises allow for a greater focus on individual muscles.
Rest interval Moderate (60-90secs) rest intervals appear to provide a satisfactory compromise between long (3mins or more) and short (30secs or less) rest periods for maximising muscle hypertrophy. Moderate rest induces greater hypoxia, heightening the potential for muscular growth and is also associated with a greater metabolic build-up, mediating a large spike in anabolic hormonal concentrations after exercise.
Muscular failure Training to failure does appear to confer hypertrophic benefits, but there is evidence that it also increases the potential for overtraining and psychological burnout. Although it seems prudent to include sets performed to failure in a hypertrophyoriented programme, its use should be periodised and/or limited to avoid an overtrained state.
Repetition speed From a hypertrophy standpoint, speed of movement may have greater importance on the eccentric component of a repetition. Concentric repetitions should be performed at fast to moderate speeds (1-3secs) while eccentric repetitions should be performed at slightly slower speeds (2-4secs).
Exercise selection and order It is recommended that single- and multi-joint free weight and machine exercises be included for novice, intermediate and advanced individuals.
Rest periods It is recommended that 1-2min rest periods be used in novice and intermediate training programmes. For advanced training, rest period length should correspond to the goals of each exercise or training phase such that 2-3min rest periods may be used with heavy loading for key exercises, and 1-2min may be used for other exercises of moderate to moderately high intensity.
Repetition speed For novice and intermediate programmes it is recommended that slow to moderate velocities be used. For advanced training, slow, moderate and fast repetition velocities should be used, depending upon the load, repetition number and goals.
Frequency It is recommended that a frequency of 2-3 d/wk be used for novice training (total body workout). For intermediate training, 4 d/wk when using an upper/lower body split routine (each major muscle group trained twice per week). For advanced training, a frequency of 4-6 d/wk is recommended. Muscle group split routines (1-3 muscle groups trained per workout) are common, enabling higher volumes per muscle group.
To view the references related to this article, please visit www.fitpro.com/references AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
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Summary Armed with these two papers, a reasonable resistance training exercise vocabulary, and knowledge of periodisation models, every personal trainer should have all they need to design and implement effective muscle hypertrophy programmes for their clients. fn
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ULTIMATE PT AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
Rapid results
If you need a short, sharp session to invigorate your clients with spectacular results, choose one at speed, says Margot Wells.
O
ne of the most common questions asked of personal trainers working with athletes is: “Can you make me faster?” But what about the general public? Would speed training provide benefits in their lives? The problem with speed is that people often associate it only with sprinting, when it encompasses so much more. If you asked a client to run a mile, it may take them a long time but they will be able to do it. However, it takes much more to experience what it feels like to sprint. The body has to be physically prepared, otherwise there’s a good chance the client will sustain an injury and the session will be finished before it’s really started. One of the benefits of speed training is that sessions are short. Not everyone has an hour to train and for those with limited time a speed session fits the bill perfectly. Speed places a lot of stress on the body very quickly, but the benefits are worth the effort. The body will become more toned and defined from working the muscle fibres individually as opposed to working large bundles of muscle fibres together. The mind becomes sharper as speed training requires more focus and concentration than slower movements. If you train at speed, then the mind and body will find everything done at a slower speed will require less effort. You can train the body for speed without running. This involves working on the principle of overload at speed while performing a variety of exercises, for example, press-ups, hip raises and jumps. These exercises are all aimed at improving running strength and power; they work the muscle groups that are required to run fast. Doing an exercise quickly but trying to increase repetitions each time has many benefits. It can be competitive, with clients challenging each other to maximum numbers of each exercise. It doesn’t require a lot of space and a programme can be carried out almost anywhere.
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If a speed training session is performed properly then, at the end, your client should
FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
not be physically able to work anymore. However, recovery should be quick and enable training on consecutive days. The other benefit to clients training at speed is that high intensity burns fat faster than high volume done slowly, so weight loss occurs quicker.
What form do speed sessions in the gym take? A cycle or treadmill session should include short bursts of high speed with a longer recovery. If the client cannot maintain the speed, then the session must stop, as it is no longer a speed session, but an endurance session and will make the client slower. Recovery has to be longer so that the speed section can be maintained. Get your client to perform a five-minute warm-up of gentle cycling or running, followed by a 30-second burst of high activity before a one-minute recovery period. Depending on your client, repeat four to six times. This slowing down and speeding up places a lot of stress on the energy sources and clients will be surprised how few repetitions they will be able to perform before having to stop. It may be that 30 seconds is too long and they have to start with a 10-second burst first but, as the body becomes fitter at speed, they will be able to extend the fast burst of activity. Body strength circuits involve sit-ups, press-ups, squats on a chair or bench, hip raises and jumps. There should be no rest between exercises or sets. Perform a maximum of six sets. The numbers of repetitions able to be performed technically correct and at speed will be very small to start off with. Again, clients will be surprised how little they can do before fatigue sets in – speed training really is an intense workout. fn
Margot Wells Margot coached husband Allan Wells to Olympic 100m Gold in Moscow in 1980. Since then she has extensively researched speed and power training and is one of the leading experts in this field.
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GOOD TECHNIQUE: THE SQUAT To be the ultimate PT you must ensure that clients show good technique and understand the physiological reasons behind the required body shape. Personal trainer Adam Daniel offers his advice on one of the most common moves in the business.
Take a stance with feet shoulder-width apart. To start the squat, initiate the movement from the knees, lowering the torso down towards the floor. When at the bottom of the movement, a great visual correction to look for is to check that the spine and tibia are at the same angle; if they are different, then the squat has been taken too low. Only take the squat as low as neutral spine will allow. When initiating the movement back up make sure the individual drives up through the heels to work the glutes more effectively.
.com .fitpro www
A
STRAIGHT BACK
TECHNIQUE
INT TO PRTHIS OUT GO TO PAGE /goodtechnique
B
PROGRESSION To put more demand through the torso and increase the metabolic effect, we can incorporate a shoulder press. The technique is the same, except a set of dumbbells is held at shoulder height. Again, only go as low as neutral spine will allow (keeping the spine and tibia at the same angle throughout) and, as the participant comes out of the squat, take the dumbbells into a shoulder press movement. This adds more demand through the stabilising muscles in the torso and simultaneously works the shoulder muscles.
A B C
REGRESSION If the participant is struggling to initiate the movement from the knees (e.g., by initiating from the hips instead) and therefore not maintaining the same angle between the spine and tibia, then an excellent cue is to place a Swiss ball or bench behind them. Ask them to sit down, just to touch the ball or bench and then stand up. What you will find is that the participant has given you a good squat. Make sure that when teaching the participant you are very clear in using the words 'sit down' as this will normally result in a different movement pattern response than if you had simply asked them to squat.
A B
COMMON FAULTS •
Heels coming off the floor, which results in an increased drive through the toes and increased activation of the quads
•
Lifting the head up
•
Loss of neutral spine leading to excessive load through the lumbar region and possible injury in the lower back region
Adam is a personal trainer who works with clients ranging from the deconditioned older adult through to elite performers. He is also a ViPR European Master Trainer and FitPro UK Master Trainer delivering and developing programmes around behaviour change and coaching skills. AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
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MUSCLES ACTIVATED Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quads, calves, erector spine and abdominals.
ADAM DANIEL
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ULTIMATE PT AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
high The warm-down is the final time you’ll see clients before they leave, so it’s absolutely essential this part of your session is comprehensive and well thought out. Charlotte Ord looks at how to get clients leaving on a high.
T
he warm-down is arguably the most under-used part of the majority of fitness programmes, yet represents an incredible opportunity to improve your clients’ results and deliver that all-important wow factor. While many trainers are sloppy in this area and treat it as an afterthought, those who put in time and effort will reap the benefits in terms of results, recovery and subsequent performances. The warm-down process should be integral to any programming philosophy. Most of my clients’ programmes finish with energy system development so our main priorities in the warm-down phase include heart rate and temperature reduction, restoration of fascia, stretching (static or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) of key movement inhibitors for each client. This area of your session provides an ideal opportunity for subtle mindset work, ensuring that your client leaves feeling positive and motivated to continue their training until they see you again. Make sure you give plenty of praise and a clear schedule of items to work on so that clients finish armed with a plan of action. A comprehensive warm-down ensures that clients are returned to a normal resting state and feel happy and recovered following their session. This is absolutely essential, particularly for your less confident clients, and shows that you genuinely care about them. This is also the ideal time to receive feedback. Don’t be disgruntled by negative feedback; accept it graciously, act on it and realise that it is an incredibly valuable and free method of ensuring your service is the very best available.
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This part of the session also gives you the opportunity to add extra value to your service by delivering soft tissue therapy as and where required. The majority of our clients receive specific, hands-on soft tissue FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
stronger, more functionally capable fibres in a process known as remodelling. A protein and carbohydrate shake immediately after training will replenish the muscles’ fuel resources and aid in this remodelling process following a workout, thus helping the body fulfil its adaptive potential. It is up to you whether you provide a shake for them at a discount or merely advise them on the best one to purchase.
A protein and carbohydrate shake immediately after training will replenish the muscles’ fuel resources and aid in this remodelling process following a workout work, in addition to foam rolling, which saves them money on physios and other therapists. It is important to note that, while you cannot take the place of certified practitioners, if you address your clients’ niggles early enough, they will experience fewer pathologies requiring referral. Both hands-on soft tissue work and foam rolling serve to release adhesions in the muscle tissue and break down any accumulated scar tissue, which will restrict movement and potentially cause pain. Post-workout nutrition is another area that should be addressed here. When we exercise, the muscle fibres get broken down and are subsequently replaced with bigger,
The exact content of the warm-down will depend both on the individual you are training and on the volume, intensity and duration of their session. For example, a session focused largely on exercises of a corrective nature will already incorporate a high degree of stretching and deactivation of facilitated or tight muscle fibres and will not require a great deal of soft tissue work at the end. A workout high in cardiovascular intensity or heavy lifting will require a longer warm-down period and dedicated foam rolling, stretching and soft tissue work to restore the body to its resting state and facilitate recovery. Last but not least, this part of your session provides a chance to educate your clients. The greater their understanding of the science and ideas behind your programming and nutritional protocols, the more likely they are to commit to them. The warm-down is the last contact with your client until the next session, so make sure it ends on an upbeat and positive note and leaves them looking forward to the next workout. fn
CHARLOTTE ORD Charlotte is director of Phoenix Pro Fitness, Surrey, and was named Personal Trainer of the Year 2010. She trains a wide variety of clients, from those challenged by obesity to ultra marathon runners, and also runs a mentorship programme for fitness professionals. www.phoenixprofitness.com
To be able to improve as a trainer, feedback is absolutely vital. Give this sheet to clients to find out what they really think about you and how you can make their experience even better.
Your name :
INT TO PR R OWN OU OUT Y M GO TO al FOR prais elfap
Date:
om/s tpro.c
.fi www
What aspect of training with me have you enjoyed the most?
What results have you noticed?
Is there anything you were hoping I would do or you want me to do that I haven't done yet?
What can I do to make your experience even better?
On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being poor, 10 being fantastic) how satisfied are you with me, my training and my services?
If I'm not a 10, what would it take for me to become a 10?
What do you enjoy least about the sessions?
What goal is most important for you to achieve over the next 30 days and why?
Your results What have you most enjoyed so far? 1. 2. 3.
What improvements have you noticed? 1. 2. 3. FITPRO.COM
CLIENT FEEDBACK
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Next appraisal date:
39 AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Approaching CLIENTS Speaking to potential clients on the gym floor is a vital skill for all trainers working in health and fitness centres. Sachin Premji examines the key tools that a successful PT must possess.
F
or PTs that work in gyms, the main sources of their clients are by referrals and approaching gym members. Approaching gym members to add to your client base is a vital skill, and the more clients on your books, the greater the chance of referrals. You don’t – and often shouldn’t – have to mention a PT session the first time you speak to someone. The best technique is often to start by saying hello and exchanging a few words. Don’t rush in and tell them about prices or what you could do in an hour with them. Try and point out positives you see in their training regime, and as time goes on suggest improvements. From here it is much easier to discuss hourly sessions and how you could help them achieve their goals. When speaking, your answers should be friendly and non-judgemental. Rather than tell clients where they have been going wrong, enforce what they have been doing right and build on this. People don’t want to be criticised or told they’ve been wasting their time; they want simple, effective and practical advice.
the same person at different times to find out when best suits them. The advice you give should always be specifically tailored. Generic advice will usually be disregarded, so try to talk about the workouts you’ve seen them do. When speaking to potential clients remember to maintain basic eye contact – it may sound simple but it is very important. Try not to engage in conversations about yourself and your prior experiences (no matter how tempting!), as you are there for the client, the client isn’t there for you. Wear attire that clearly shows you as the on-hand trainer of the floor. Branding is key. Garments stating ‘personal trainer’ or ‘fitness instructor’ show not only that you are ready to help but also help give off a positive, professional appearance. If you’re going to convince someone to part with their hard-earned cash, professionalism is instrumental. Stay focused and alert to what you are told, and respond in a friendly and pro-active manner; show the client you genuinely take pride in what you do. fn
Approaching clients just as they are about to undertake a warm-down is normally a good time. People are usually in a good mood having finished their workout and receptive to what you have to say. Of course, all individuals will have their preferences, so it’s advisable to approach
SACHIN PREMJI Sachin is the founder of SPFitness. He is currently studying a sports science with management degree at Loughborough University.
Annette Lang – talking to people on the gym floor Hand out towels and water. Make eye contact. Smile. Introduce yourself. Are you sick of these tips? Why? Because you know them. The tips are easy; doing them is hard. Getting better at speaking to people needs to be nurtured consistently. Initiating conversation with someone makes us feel uncomfortable, vulnerable and insecure, but what is the worst that could happen? If you change your attitude, and literally practise not caring about rejection, then it won’t affect you as much. Try this simple and effective brain exercise to improve your confidence in speaking to people. Say to yourself: FITPRO.COM
• I need to help every single person get fitter • I know that this one person might not want to speak to me and that is ok – I will just go on to the next person • I need to give everyone the opportunity to work with me and get results
41 AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011 | FITPRO NETWORK
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
Boost your
bank balance Reducing cancellations
How many times have you been waiting in the gym for a client who never shows up? When you call them you get their voicemail and then, when you finally do speak to them, they say they didn’t think they had an appointment booked or that they forgot. You are not alone. The average trainer in the UK has four to five no-shows per month. If the average cost of a session is £45, no-shows account for £2,700 of revenue that not all trainers are cashing in on. A commonly debated issue is whether you should charge clients who don’t show up: My answer is an emphatic yes. Your time has a value, to you and your clients, and they should respect that. They pay many other specialists by the hour that would charge them for a no-show, so why should you be any different? However, you need to make sure that both of you were aware there was a session booked and confirmed. The downside of charging your client for a no-show is that they might not be happy to pay for a service they didn’t receive. The clients who object are often the ones who won’t be around for long and if they repeatedly do this then they are wasting their money, your time and you’re usually better off without them.
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What happens if you don’t show up for a session and your client does? Will you give FITPRO NETWORK | AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
them an extra free session? This is good practice; if they made the mistake and you charge them, it needs to work both ways. There are a number of ways we can help clients remember they have an appointment with us so that we can either go home or re-book someone else into their timeslot. One of these is by telephone, but clients that are likely to no-show are usually very busy and it can be difficult to get them on the phone, especially if they are in meetings the whole time. You could just have added your voicemail onto 15 others your client has to listen to at some point. Email and SMS reminders can be more effective, but be aware that clients may have a few hundred messages per day in their inbox so don’t be surprised if they miss yours. Marketing companies operate on a 1-3% click-through rate of how many emails are opened by the recipient. SMS seems to be the best method. Research shows that 95% of SMS messages are opened within five seconds. Clients have to acknowledge an SMS to remove it from their screen, which means they have seen it.
Reducing client cancellations and awkward confrontations There are systems out there that can send out reminders automatically for you. All you need to do is add your schedule onto the online calendar or iPhone application which
Make your bank manager happy: increase your income by reducing no-shows and growing your client base with virtual training. Rob Lander explains how.
automatically reminds your clients at a time you’ve set (for example, 26 hours prior to a session if you have a 24-hour cancellation policy). Email reminders are masked with your email address and SMS messages with your mobile number – so that if a client cannot make it they just hit reply and let you know. This system is quick, easy to use and calculates how many remaining sessions clients have. It can even let them know when they are running low so they can either pay you in the gym or online into your PayPal account. If you simply want to remind clients and you use Microsoft Outlook, iCal or Google calendar, you can always add your client as an ‘Attendee’ and it will send your client an email asking them to confirm the appointment. This can work really well, but you will have to keep track of all session credits and payments separately.
Virtual personal training The 1990s’ classic film Total Recall depicted the world of virtual training with a hologram instructor teaching aerobics to clients in their own homes. A version of this is now a reality for clients across the world since Skype launched a service where not only can you call people via the web (VOIP) but you can see them as well. Trainers may have been slow to take to this technology but many are now waking up to the
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT possibilities this offers.
• S end programmes via video directly to clients’ mobiles
I was on LinkedIn recently and there was a group asking about virtual personal training. There were dozens of posts made by clients who had a very positive experience with trainers oversees as well as trainers themselves posting about what they have done. There was one trainer who has over 200 virtual clients that he purely manages online. Imagine what that does for his bank balance.
Bringing it together
This is an excellent progression for trainers who decide they want to do less faceto-face work with clients but still earn money – for virtual training by email only it is common to charge £30-40 per month. It also means that you are free to locate yourself anywhere you like.
Streamlining the ways in which you remind clients about sessions and having an automated system should reduce the number of no-shows. However, if you still have clients who are regular no-shows, then you need to consider whether they are worth the effort.
If you still want to offer a personal service where your client sees you, then you need to set up Skype or something similar where you arrange a time and you do your session in front of the camera. Your client can then see you and you can see their form and correct them accordingly. If you want to just manage their programmes and get feedback on what they have done, then all you need is an email account or a website that can help facilitate this more effectively for you.
If you also decide that you want to start working with more clients through virtual training so that you can relocate or continue to build your client base, then you need to ensure you find a system that really works for you.
There are only a few client/trainer-facing web platforms, which enable you to: • Upload client programmes • S et personalised semi-automated reminders to make sure your clients do the things you want them to and an area where clients can enter their activity or food journal entries • Provide feedback
• V iew client activity and food journals online which they emailed into the system Systems such as these make your life much less complicated and they can even take care of your business administration and finance management too.
Remember, one of the major benefits of virtual training programmes is that the client doesn’t need to show up in the gym – so you don’t have to stand around wondering whether they’ll turn up. fn
Rob Lander Rob has been a personal trainer for 15 years and founded a successful PT business in Chelsea and Kensington in the 1990s. He has specialised in motor racing driver preparation and has set up Fisikal, an online system for PTs. www.fisikal.com
PT Jon Trevor on how he uses SMS to connect with clients When I give mentoring talks to PTs, one question I am always asked is, “Do you charge a cancellation fee?” and the answer is yes. But what has this got to do with SMS? Well, I request homework updates from my clients between sessions to keep them motivated and I also send them a 24-hour appointment reminder so they have no excuses.
I am careful to not bombard clients with too many messages and have found communicating with clients by SMS to have positive results. I believe it adds another dimension to my service.
FITPRO.COM
Acting on clients’ feedback, I found the best way is to have a semi-formal template for appointments, with space to add a client’s name and session time. For example, “Hi xxx. Here’s a reminder that we have an appointment tomorrow at xxx. Kind regards, JT”. This normally prompts a positive reply, or a phonecall posing a dilemma; in any case, it sparks a reaction. This works in the same way for motivational messaging and again I normally use templates for this. However, the difference is that they are more informal and I have many different templates. fn
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LAST WORD AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
CHALLENGE FITPRO This challenge was set and performed by Escape trainer Ritchie Januszek.
RITCHIE DID 35 REPS IN 30 SECONDS
Watch Ritchie perform the challenge at www.fitpro.com/challenge
THIS ISSUE'S CHALLENGE: THE ATOMIC PUSH-UP Ritchie says: “This exercise is a hugely functional movement, great for increasing core stability, muscular endurance and co-ordination. Plus it can be done anywhere, by anyone, at anytime due to the versatility and portability of the Grid. The exercise focuses primarily on the chest, triceps and lower abs.”
EQUIPMENT NEEDED: GRID FOAM ROLLER. Page sponsered by www.escapefitness.com
1
Exercise
1. Begin the movement by performing a plank with the grid positioned just below the knees 2. Keeping the hips high pull the knees in towards the chest 3. Extend the legs to return to the start position. With the legs still extended perform a full push up and return to the start position
2
Repetitions Perform as many as you can in 30 seconds
Technique pointers • Ensure total core activation throughout the movement • Bring knees all the way in to the chest and out to full extension on the crunch • Full range of motion on the press with the chest dropping to within a couple of inches of the floor, with a full extension of the arms to finish the press
3
If the challenger places their knees on the ground at any point, then the challenge is over. To find more new moves, top expert advice and the hottest kit around visit www.escapefitness.com For more video tips and tuitions check out the FitPro YouTube channel at youtube.com/fitproltd
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