Progressing Clients

Recently my personal training clients have begun the second phase of their fat loss/strength building routines. It is of popular demand right now to attack fat loss clients with high intensity, complexing, and leg numbing workouts. Honestly this sort of protocol can be effective with the right type of people. To be honest, even if this is the most effective route when dealing with fat loss clients, I guarantee many whom are seeking fat loss would drop out of your programs if constantly confronted with HIIT, sledge hammer work, and sprints. You must first establish and teach them and make it clear how important establishing movement patterns is. This was phase 1. Using a progressive approach to establishing quality movement before moving on to higher intensity complexes.
Here is an example of "fat loss" exercises we used with several beginner clients when they came in.
Phase 1 Week 1
Explosive- KB Swings
Hip Extension-Pull Through, RDL w/reach
Knee Dom- Split Squat (w/ support for some)
Horz Push- Push ups, DB bench w/ NG
Horz Pull- 1 arm row, face pulls, cable rows
Vert Pull- cable pull down, chins
Vert push- Curl 2 press

Now after a great phase which lasted 6 weeks, they have made considerable progress and now have progressed to much more metabolic and complex movements. These which would have been possible before phase one but with sub standard form which would have led to soreness in all the wrong areas (low back, knees, etc..) Now everything we do is tri-sets with more of an emphasis on complexing movements. We still focus on strength with much of our first tri-set and from there after it is fairly metabolic.
Here is an example of a Phase 2 workout which we used with a client:

0 sec between lifts 45-60 sec between sets
Tri Set 1
Trap Bar DL- 3x5
NG DB Push Press- 3x8 each
Cable Hold-3x20sec
Tri set 2
SS 1 arm row- 3x10 each
1 Leg RDL w/ KB-3x10 each
Anterior Core- 3x10
Tri set 3
Scaption-2x12
External Rotation 2x12
Face Pulls- 2x12
ESD- 1 arm KB Swing 2 jump squat/BW Squat
10 swings per arm 2 10 jumps w/ 30 sec rest x 6+

This has worked out very well and I look forward to progressing them from here. I know there are a lot of very quality fat loss workouts out there right now but a majority of them are just far to advanced for an first time weight lifter looking to shed some pounds. Start basic and in time the exercise can pick up. Remember, fat loss isn't a quick fix, it is a progressive lifestyle change. The exercise should fit that progressive change they are making.

Blast Strap Row Progression

It is amazing how fast the off season is going and just how close we are to Spring Football Practice! The football team has been doing nothing short but outstanding and are now challenging themselves more and more as we progress them in various movements and lifts.

One movement pattern that I really value is horizontal pulling. Especially in football, where a lot of what you do on the field is push. Think about a lineman. Virtually every play they are pressing the opponent away from their body. That is why in the off season I feel that it is very important to combat that movement by making sure the ratio of pulls outweighs that of pushing.

In the football program we cover each movement pattern at least once with certain pairings of exercises and at the end we will do supplemental work which usually consist of a tri-set. One of which is a blast strap horizontal pull progression, shoulder prehab, and a core exercise. This tri-set will be utilized on a day we do vertical pulls so that we can get a horizontal pull in multiple days a week.

I really am a huge fan of the blast straps due to the freedom it gives your shoulders to move through a natural rotation and the added stability component. Using a bar is not a bad thing, it is just the fact that as you pull yourself closer to the bar, your shoulders are forced to internally rotate to achieve the full ROM which can end up eliminating this as an option for athletes who have a history of shoulder problems. Here is what we use as our Blast Strap progression for horizontal pulling.

Also note that we often use weighted vest for most players during most all these exercises.

Bilateral row w/ Slow eccentric


Feet Elevated Bilateral Row with 1/0/1 Tempo



Side to Side Row



1-arm Rotational Row



Some key coaching keys that apply to all of these are as follows:
"Stomach/Glutes tight" (this keeps hips extended but not allowing lumbar hyper extension)
"Squeeze shoulder blades" (by initiating the movement by retracting the scapula will prevent anterior migration of the humeral head)

Anterior Core Progression: Part 2

A while back I posted the anterior core progression I was putting the team through. I must say that they have done a great job at maintaining neutral spine through these movements all the way through the med ball roll outs. Now that they have adequately done this with a tool that is fairly stable it would only make sense to throw some instability in the picture. This can be done in many ways but what we will be implementing is variations with the blast straps. Also a popular choice would be the TRX which set ups would be very similar.


We will start with the first step of the progression:
Fall Out


This can be enhanced to player capability by adjusting how steep the angle.

From there you can add an anti rotation component to the exercise by doing various movements uni-laterally with the arms. (lines, circles, etc...)
Flutters


Finally, an exercise that doesn't include a blast strap or TRX but still serves to be very dynamic and challenges you in multiple planes.
Spider Man Push Up


What is important to remember is that you progress to all of these. Many of the athletes that can now do these would not be near as proficient at them if they didn't start with the standard plank hold->PB roll out->ab roller->med ball roll progression. This was the foundation that allows them to be able to add this dynamic action to these movements while avoiding unwanted compensations.