The DPI Digest 16: Weekly Performance Education - Copy
Hey there!
It's been a busy couple of weeks over here at the gym. Those of you who follow me saw I completed #75Hard for the 7th time, and am currently underway for my 8th Round. For me, it's about focus and keeping me mental toughness up, and the physical benefits are a byproduct. Plus, to be real, it helps me keep my sanity, lol.
Anyhow, this email is about keep my clients consistent with their program, including the homework I give out.
For a lot of your clients, the training sessions you do with them are the only workouts they're getting in for the week. Sure, they go hard at it during the session, but what happens when they don't reach the next milestone when you re-assess them again in 4-6 weeks? Whether it's lose 5-10 lbs., drop a dress/pant size, better mobility, it can be discouraging for them if they aren't seeing progress.
So, how do we combat this? We start by asking questions.
Here's some example questions i ask them about life outside the gym:
How's your body feeling throughout the day?
How's your food intake been?
What's your sleep schedule like?
What's your movement/exercise like outside of here?
These are "Qualifying" questions so I can see what their habits have been like since Day 1. It's preferable you ask these in-person so you can have an immediate response, but if you'd rather do it via text or email that'll work too. Plus, you can have it written down so there's documented proof of their answers.
A.Daily Activity
-Finding out how their body has been is one of the easiest questions to ask, because most clients will let you know what's going on, both physically and emotionally. As I tell all my students, as coaches, we act as part-time therapists. Clients will vent to us, and that's a good thing because it means they feel comfortable telling us things they may not tell others, so they trust us. Their answer may be "My shoulder's been hurting, my low back is stiff, I'm feeling tired throughout the day" just to name a few. This will give you an idea of what you can do help them, leading us to the next 3 questions.
B.Food intake
-As personal trainers, we are NOT allowed to give out specific nutritional advice (i.e. 5 oz of chicken with your next meal). We can, however, give them examples of what a balanced meal looks like (i.e. single ingredient foods such as meats, fish, fruits, veggies, etc.). My go-to is to recommend a registered dietitian to them, as they're the ones who're legally allowed to distribute meal plans and give out nutritional advice. In addition, a lot of clients may be apprehensive due to the cost (some can range from $200-300 per meeting). That's why nowadays most health insurance companies will pay for it, or reimburse the clients.
C.Sleep
-The ideal amount of sleep is between 7 1/2 - 9 hours per night. Depending on your client, that may be difficult to do. For example, one of my clients is s surgical resident in her final year, and her surgeries can easily last 8-10 hours at a time. So, I do what I can to regulate her sleep to ~6 hours per night during the week (and make sure she isn't doom scrolling on her phone so she can get right to bed), and have her sleep 9 hours on the weekend. For your standard clients, I'd also send them a text in the evening, no later than 7pm to make sure to get plenty of rest so we can go hard the next day for their session.
D.Movement/Exercise
-Something simple I recommend on their off days from training with me is I tell them to go on intentional walks 2-3x/week for 30-minutes. Walking the dog is good exercise, but I want them moving at a faster pace so they can get their heart rate up and burn more calories. If they have equipment at home, I give them a standard session for them to do that they can knock out in 30-45 minutes. Remember the example sessions I have in the beginning? Use those for them as they'll be familiar with it, and of course modify it accordingly based on their fitness level (if you need the previous emails, let me know and I'll send them to you).
Another thing you can do (which I do with every client) is give them a foam roll and stretch routine that they can do in <10-minutes. This takes out 2 hitches in your training, where if they do the homework, we won't have to do it at the gym during our session, and they'll start moving better. Here's an example homework piece I'd give them.
Foam Roll Homework
A1 - Foam Roll - Hip Flexors x1-min - 2 spots each side
A2 - Quad/Hip Flexor Stretch x8 each side - 2 sets
Simple and effective. I show them how to do it, then have them repeat to me what it is. I also type it on a word doc and send it to their phone as soon as I can so it stays fresh in their mind. You can also type in on a notes app and send it via text. Whatever works easiest for you and your client.
Next email I'll talk about some of the things you'll experience as you continue to improve your skillset as a trainer. This'll be an insider edition that I see few coaches ever talk about.
Until next time, Be the Best!
- Coach Brandon
