Workout Music and your Facility

You cant tell me the music that plays in your facility doesn't fuel the activity within it! So how exactly do you pick the music that comes on? Here are some things to consider when picking the perfect track to start the fire:

- Amount of people in the facility
- The age of the people in the facility?
- Who is using ipods?
- What kind of class are you teaching or are going on?
- Are you in an area where others can hear the music (the office to the right or people passing the building)
- Demographics

That being said - I put together a couple rules for my facility ( always, always, always, exceptions)

- Even if you have one person over the age of 55 (based on personal experience) in the facility - pass on the excessive cursing
- Remember that not everyone likes the bass pounding music that seems to be taking over the air ways
- Don't start the day with dance/ techno music
- Eighties on 8 & Seventies on 7 (sirius xm) is a great way to appeal to the baby boomers generation right now or the upcoming dominant client.
- Don't give the option to your client unless you are the only ones on the floor
- When you have a new client put on something accommodating and light


Every facility is different and I am fully aware of this. Here in Roseland our client base is more diverse then I could have ever expected when I first started at this place. So remember to keep everyone's tastes in mind and keep things as neutral as possible

Agree - Disagree- more to Add - Let me here you!

Coach Pop

My diet today

...oh boy...

I am sending this out simply because I am embarrassed of it- so by showing all of you I can change my ways

BreakFast

Whole wheat bagel lightly toasted lightly buttered
2 Egg Whites + 1 slice of whole wheat bread + 1/2 slice of Cheese
1.5 Servings of Raisin bran in 2% Milk

Lunchish
Banana
Quaker Oats Chewy Bar
Crunchy Spice Burrito @ Taco Bell
Baja Blast 16oz

....more to come...

no vegtable no meats.... well really ones anyway....sodium city...Gotta work on that!

Coach Pop

Corrective or Educate

So I've been  really watching body language on this cloudy Monday morning. I've been told by a series of sources that 80% of communication is non-verbal- so these are my observations:

1. No one wakes up early enough - so they look tired.

2. As much as I try to help build better posture - it just doesn't happen unless the client really wants to look better and feel better.

3. When we are discussing the dangers of single issue voting- look me in the eye- people just don't do that anymore ( a little off subject but one of my clients loves that)

4. And most important " IF YOU ARE NOT LOOKING GOOD- YOU MAY NOT FEEL GOOD"

"Looking good- feeling good"

Don't get be wrong I am totally picking up on peoples lordatic curves and upper trap dominance- I really am watching people bend their backs and fail to fully extend their elbows. But it still goes back to point number two- if you don't focus on keeping your back straight and bending your knees, odds are the clients posture will not improve.

So what do you do - spend a lot of time on doing corrective exercises or educate them on the importance of correct posterior so you can spread your time and exercises evenly?

Coach Pop

Rookie Mistake

Here at the facility one of my best friends and co-workers is away at the Arnold Classic- Bobby Fields

here he is..........

Anyway! He is not available today since his flight was cancelled, so, today, I picked up several of his clients. After training one in perticular ( like I usually do) I asked "Andy" how was that work out compared to some of the stuff Bobby has done with you.  Among some of his responses were :

"It wasnt your best"

" You've been more creative with others"

" You didnt stretch me too well and I spoke for your benefit during the work out"

Of course, like most young professionals should do, I said okay thank you for your opinion. I finished up the stretching and thanked him for working with me.

Point of the story

To all professionals (young and experienced)
Not every client is going to like you. You will not always doing the right exercise- regardless of what you think. I missed judged this client and when I asked for criticizism- I got it. I think it is difficult, espeically in this industry, to really let go and understanding that every single client is unique and looks for something different. I thought he enjoyed the conversation- but was wrong.

I am a rookie and these types of mistakes will be made. I am okay with that. If anything I have know learned something about him and myself.

Coach Pop

Todays Adversity

Today I had the chance to sleep in till 715 due to a cancellation last night. I was thinking to myself  "great, get a couple extra Z's- good breakfast- good stuff"

Well, my alarm clock goes off around 4:30am and the first thing that runs through my mind is "oh man I won't be able to get in the weight room today since I have that visitor tonight- damn"

Before I even closed my eyes again this promo started going off in my head:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl_1wh1obyM

^ Watch that....

Anyway, I started thinking about how the spring is coming on fast and its race season for me. So I got up out of bed, hung my head feeling the tightness in my shoulders, and hip flexors from yesterdays workout and told myself

"I am the only person who is going to make me better"

Got out of bed went hit the gym at 530 this morning. Ran hard, worked hard, pushed mobility, pushed flexability and on top of that -had a brief conversation with a older man I haven't seen in years.

AND THAN HAD A GREAT FIRST 2 SESSIONS AT WORK.



Got into work and watched this video.....

GET AFTER IT TODAY.... BE SOMEBODY SPECIAL

Coach Pop

Todays Workout FYI!

 Back to the gym - a lot of work to be done tonight. Taking a young lifter into the gym and teaching him how (a lot like myself) you don't know anything and the information you think you know pretty well is going to change... so what exactly are we doing.... exploring the realms of exercise....

Starting off with one of Jim Kielbaso's Hardest Exercises (that's his book)
5 Minutes Up Hill Walk

Dynamic Warm up
High Knees
Butt Kicks
Frankenstein Walks
Spider Man Walks

Jumped on Mobility Wod  today and watched a couple videos on opening up the hips - you have to check that place out
So perform some mobility work

Followed by :
Bench Press
Shoulder Press
TRX Row
Power Pull
x 2

Jump Squat
Manual Hamstring + Push Up
Split Squat
Reverse Lunge
Hip Bridge
x2

Than plan around with some abs.

It's nothing fancy but we are about doing what works here. I am not going to have some one stand on a ball and curl a weight while lowering the hips. Its not my thing. Do what work and with what doesn't save it for another client or another day when you are going to take the time out to work on it.

If anyone out there is giving it a try let me know!


Coach Pop

Justification

I have mentioned before that the facility I work at is in a corporate complex in Roseland NJ. So naturally we have stairwells and elevators- you know typical ways of getting around. Well yesterday I did a very vigrious run- needless to say I am soar after tackling those hills. So- my real quick story is I am going to visit a client on the fourth floor ( and of course I could have taken the steps) but decided to take the elevator. As I step into the packed elevator I cant help but make conversation with a women in there. Before conversation elevates to something worth noting she tells me "its funny you catch me in here- I always take the stairs always "

And I want to let you guys know that I get the same thing when I am in the cafeteria here. People are always telling me that they needed a soda to get through the day or that the grilled cheese isn't what they usually get.

So heres the bottom line :

I am human- and I would lie to you if I said I don't like grilled cheese and coke. Because the truth is - I do. And I maybe a strength coach/ personal trainer but I do understand that there are several degrees of wellness (granted all must be kept in check) but if you don't provide yourself with that coke or grilled cheese every once and a while your going to drive yourself nuts!

Coach Pop

Check In

Make a new friend today and provide a smile for someone who you think really needs it. Take the time out of your busy day to tell some one how much you appreciate them. Swallow your pride and tell your mentor, friend, mom, dad, girl friend, dog- I don't care just let them know how IMPORTANT you are to them.

Because you going to wake up one day and your going to reach out to a long lost friend and he's not going to be there for one reason or another, and you going to wonder if you did everything you could to prove yourself worthy as a friend to them.

My client Mark is going through a very tough divorce at the age of 74. Yes- it happens. He came down for a workout and as I usually do I had an array of questions of Con Law because that's what he likes(to be quizzed on during our session). After our 1/2 hour workout session I told him what a great job he had done (as I walked him to the locker room- every body is important enough for that) He looked at me and told me...

"I need your friendship now more than your professionalism- thanks a lot kid"

What goes around comes around

And if you don't get a thing from this post here's a video that if your struggling to get it done today- this will help

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtMm0swu5i8&feature=related

Coach Pop

The "WOW" Factor

Fitness Rookies A-Hoy!

Its a difficult line of work- if you don't think it is then maybe your not working hard enough. Did you research your clients favorite topics today? Do you even know what their favorite topics are? What about their favorite exercise? Did you develope that one "WOW" factor today to really show off to your clients?

When it comes to developing a "program" its a lot more than just:

(Warm Up)

Exercise 1 : Full Body Stretch or Movement

Explosive Movement

Upper Body Push

Upper Body Pull

Stability

x2

Glute Activation

Lower Body Push

Hip Dominant 

Low to High Movement

Abdominal

Mobility

(or whatever you have planned)

There has to be a "WOW" somewhere. Maybe it is using the bands in a different way or the ball in a unique path or motion. It only takes one exercise or one moment to really "WOW" them. Maybe have them perform an exercise in which you have seen major improvement on and remind them of where they started from- that's a "WOW" moment.

But sometimes it may go without saying the actual word "WOW". A "WOW" can be a smile or a moment in which you and your client really feel that connection. It could be feeling the same way about a point in a movie (as strange as it sounds) or it could be that moment you realize you both enjoy the same restaurant or even that moment you and your athlete both saw that youtube clip of something outrageous happening. That's all it takes.

Research your cleints both physically and mentally - and provide one "WOW" to each one today.

Coach Pop

Finish Strong? No Dont Finish Strong

I disagree with the term "finish strong"- when you finish anything you should have already given 100% throughout the entire attempt of whatever your doing- you should finished exhausted and proud.- Coach Pop

How Important are Your Clients?

Starting out in the field of personal training is most certainly a challenge. Other than dealing with the looks and comments of your clients on your age and what they presume maybe a lack of experience, you really have to "wow" them. You to learn to really impact your clients to not only gain their respect but prove to them how much you want to help them.

Sessions may seem long at first and conversation maybe few and far between but the conversation that is made must be listened to closely. The reason for this is from the conversation you listen to comes an opportunity for you to relate to your client and thus develop a special bond between you and your client. You really need to have that one special, unique thing with each client.

The "what did you do this weekend?" and the "how is your whoever?" isn't always going to lead you to that something special. You need to ask questions about them and learn something special that you can than create common ground with them- something special you have with him or her.

Before my clients- I always take a couple minutes to remember what he or she did that follow weekend or other key events since the last time I spoke with them. I also take note of what we discussed previously during our last session.

I will spend a couple extra minutes going through CNN or MSNBC to find hard hitting topic in politics and legislation to discuss with Chuck. I may not enjoy the topic- but I take interest in it because my client enjoys the topic- its about him or her not me. I will also  take plenty of time to find out the top box office hits and the newest plays on Broadway because that's what Larry likes to do on the weekends with his family. Carol comes in every Wednesday with a new bottle of propel fitness water. I will ask the flavor of the drink and based upon previous locations I will then ask "Did you pick up the variety back from Target (the only place she shops)- because they are on sale." I will look through Target.com for sales. At the conclusion of her workout she always has her pink Ipod where he downloads pod casts about the news in NY- its is a staple in our workout that as I walk her to the arc trainer she tells me what she is going to hear about today. Mark is an attorney in our building who knows everything about college basketball. When we first met he told me that only if we discussed college basketball of the 1950's he would train with me. So like all of clients I research basketball stats to quiz him on- that is Mark and I's something special.


All of the extra time I could spend time looking up new ways to isolate muscle groups or find new articles on pelvic stability but my clients are concerned about that- what they want is to feel that special connection and here that's what its about- its about them and what they like. Because every client is important to me.

The End of the Evaluation

Whoa- been away for a while, sorry guys!

Studied Recreation Management @ Lock Haven University- blah blah- I personal trainer at Fitness 121 in Roseland NJ- and really need to get something off my chest...

With most clients, I cant help but feel as if exercises really don't matter to much. I understand if a client has posterior glide, poor hip stability, or just cant stand up straight that may become a different story. But when clients come to see me or we discuss things on the phone the word "evaluation" is out of the picture.

The idea behind an evaluation is discovering what their strengths and weakness are, who they are, what do they like, and earning trust between the trainer and client. But also having them do 10 of this and 10 of that is simply to "testy." The truth is I still have clients come in can't work the treadmill properly! So instead of having them do exercises to a point or to a feeling I will simply have them do a small work out and oreint them into what exercise is and how we perform things here @ Fitness 121.

And of course we will monitor their every move to catch weakness, strengths, and in what areas they lack mobility of stability. Also put down the damn clipboards! You know what clip boards say to me?  Numbers, numbers, and more numbers- numbers are boring and intimidating!

Make the client feel comfortable- making them feel appreciated and take the time out to care about each client. If they leave feeling better than when they got in and enjoyed their time with you- you landed an opportunity to benefit them!

Coach Pop
http://www.fitness121online.com/