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Missed a workout? It’s like skipping a toothbrush day – don’t stop!

I overheard a conversation the other day about training, missing sessions and the effects that has. Lets call them, oh I don’t know, John and Jennifer, and it went something like this

John  -  Missing a training session means you are not serious about your training, Jennifer.

Jennifer – Shut up John, you can still be serious about your training and miss one training session.

John  - But by missing sessions you won’t make the progress that you expect.

Jennifer – That’s like saying if you miss a day cleaning your teeth you might as well stop as they will all now fall out.

John -  No, I am just saying, if you can’t stick to your programme and be consistent, you are just exercising without a reason.

Jennifer – John, what have you been watching? Strength takes 2 weeks of no training to start to decline, not one session. I train because I love how it allows me to be active with my mates, so if I miss a session I am sure my mates will be okay with that, won’t you John?

John - What? I am just saying if you are not going to take it seriously then just do some exercise whenever you feel like it.

Jennifer –  I do that John, and it turns out for 98% of the time I feel like it at the same time as the programme tells me to, I mean even Olympians have time off

John - Well, if I wasn’t consistent with my training, then it would just feel like I was filling time for no reason, but you do you Jennifer.

Jennifer –  I would find it hard to ‘do’ someone else John, also, look at me, nothing lost, strong as an ox, fit as a fiddle, and not miserable because someone I knew missed a training session.

My thoughts are that this argument to apply to any aspect of a healthy lifestyle, so either training or nutrition.

What would happen if you didn’t clean your teeth for a day, or didn’t have a wash one day?

Would that mean that you stopped cleaning, or having a wash, for the rest of your life?

No, of course not. There might be several reasons why you were unable to do either on a particular occasion. I am sure you could think of a few.

All that would happen, is that you get back to it the next time. A healthy lifestyle is no different.

Training and nutrition are the same, as cleaning your teeth. If you miss a training session, or fall off your diet regime, just get back to it the next day, so you don’t lose the gains you have made.

 

Why trainers should treat all their clients like athletes

Not all clients want to compete in a competition, but they are all in competition with themselves. Which means that many of my clients have programmes written with the same care as if they were athletes. When athletes compete, they work to achieve not just the final goal, but all the steps in between. All my clients are treated as if they athletes, regardless if their goal is to just get up and down off the floor easier or competing at the next Olympics.

I have one client that wanted to run their first marathon, at the age of 60. I have another client that wants to deadlift 200kg, and another client, that after training with me for 8 years, now wants bigger Glutes.

Athletes from different sports require specific programs to be successful, and my clients are no different. I use periodisation with my clients, just like I would with an athlete, to breakdown their end goals into smaller achievable steps. Great athletes find motivation throughout their programmes because progression can be up and down. I try to find regular “personal bests” within my clients sessions to provide inspiration.

I have several ways to show progression and that’s not just more and more weight, or harder and harder sessions. Examples includes more reps and sets, more volume, more speed, or even circuit training. I take my role as a coach very seriously, even though my sessions are a lot of fun. My role as a coach is to ensure that not only do my clients improve physically but leave their sessions feeling better than when they came in.

My client’s results have included –

• increasing their deadlift, and overall body strength.
• improved their balance, as several of my clients have reported they could run better.
• improved their stamina, by being able to play in the garden with their grandkids for a lot longer.
• improved confidence, being able to get in and out of their car easier, to go out more.
• Some of my clients enjoy it so much they have increased the number of sessions they do in a week.

On top of that all my clients get to feel a sense of pride in themselves, and a sense of achievement, not just in their big goals, but the small steps to get them there.