A Repost

I posted this a few years ago and it is as pertinent now ( perhaps even more so) than it was then. One of my favorites:

Client physiology

This is a favorite concept of mine and one that never fails to crack Pavel up. The idea, inferred by the personal training industry, is that 'clients' are somehow a different species of humanoids, requiring a different training approach than you or me or any other athlete wishing to actually make real progess. That somehow, their physiology requires different( less) training stress, regularity, recovery or , worst of all, for some reason a MUCH higher level of 'variety' and 'fun' in order to make progress.

I wa recently reminded of this by a recent post on Sara Cheatham's blog. This is the sentence that got me :

"Since my training is pretty simple and boring, I thought I'd post some workouts I put together for clients. I like to keep it spicy for them. Not too many people can handle the same thing day after day (like my training). I'm sure it has something to do with living in a constantly overstimulated environment"

I think if you look at most sucessful athletes and trainers training you will find that like Sara's, Tracy's, mine, and many others, that it is "pretty simple and boring". Check out Brett Jones's training blog for instance. Lots of squats, benches deadlifts and kb swings.Not much else except note that the weights,over the long haul, are always going up.THAT's the key.But what that requires is a level of concentration and committment that most( not only clients) just don't or won't or can't bring to the session.

So many say they want the body of this person or that Olympian but fail to understand the incredible amount of time that goes into creating that physique or level of skill.

Simple and boring usually is code for consistently basic, heavy and progressive. This is NOT a hit on Sara, as I have the same problem with many clients who simply will not accept the reality that training to make progress as opposed to training to make 'fun' is usually more tough and boring than it is variety filled and fun. As a trainer you either adapt or lose them and to me any kind of training for them is better than none. And anything you do with a kettlebell will make them better but so few really want to look at why they havent changed much in the last few months( years).Even if you tell them THEY still have to get out of bed that extra hour earlier to make sure they are really ready to go when they hit the gym.And that also means going to bed at a reasonable hour so again they are ready when it's time. Or getting on the roller , or stretching out a tight muscle, or, whatever it takes to be ready. THAT'S the mindset that athletes and committed clients have. And why they consistently make progess.

THis is a simple fact of training life and yet many grown up clients will not accept it and consequently fail to make the progress they should or push through barriers that they have encountered. I dissagree with Sara on one fact though; it's not from living in an overstimulated environment, it's from not making the requisite committment to do what is necessary to make progress no matter how little 'fun' or variety is involved.

The hour or so in the gym is but a small part of what is really required to make gains, unless you are the rankest of beginners. One has to prepare for progessive training sessions; know what the workout is BEFORE they step in the gym( at least know what they did last time and what will constitute progress) and be mentally prepared for it.

Training for PR's a great way to accomplish this and even the smallest personal record is important. If one adds just one rep to their snatch workout each time they do it in a year that's gonna be a HUGE gain. Just one rep. SImple but not easy.

Trainers, imo, have an obligation to train their clients as much as possible according to how they train themselves, or a client who came to them saying they would do whatever it took to makes gains, if they can. Sometimes it takes years of babying people before they 'come around' and get their heads right to really make gains. That's ok but they need to be told their physiology is the SAME as an Olympic athlete and that their body requires the same TYPE of stimulation, the same type of recovery and their minds need to be trained as well as their body if they really want to make the best progress possible.

Whether that is losing fat or gaining strength or tone or whatever.Most won't do it but they still need to hear the truth from their trainers and be reminded,especially when they are not pleased with their speed of progressing.

It has nothing to do with age or goals as I have 65 year old clients who take their kbs and foam rollers with them whenever they go out of town and do whatever it takes to keep on track,even though their goals are modest by most standards. But not for them; they are on the hunt for PR's and they are committed. They don't miss workouts, they show up on time and they don't complain when we are doing the same basic exericses that they are working on mastering. They recognise that Deep Skill, an important RKC principle, and Mastery are on the same road. Unfortunately they are the exception not the rule .

Trainers, dont be afraid to let your clients training be a little 'simple and boring'. Like you they will probably make better progress. ANd the one's that won't do it, just give 'em a kettlebell, they can't go wrong with that as the mainstay ,no matter how 'fun' the workout is.Just keep the bucket close by :))

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Tracy posted a blog on a very similar topic today as well.