The DPI Digest 16.2: Weekly Performance Education

Hey, y'all!

First off, the last email sent was a repeat of the previous email, so my apologies for that. Just goes to show that mistakes do happen, and the most important thing to do is own up to them, correct it, and move forward.

That being said, let's get right to it.

I said I'd talk about some of the things you'll experience as you continue to improve your skillset as a trainer. If you're working in a public gym environment, such as 24, LA or Gold's, you can pretty much tell where everyone stands in terms of their knowledge and experience.

Some will have been in the game for awhile, others may be relatively new. But their style of training, if you pay close attention, you'll start to see patterns. What I mean is this...

I've worked in the performance setting, medical clinic, public gym, and private sector. I watch closely how other coaches interact with their clients, how they train, communicate, etc.

Most coaches will usually stick to most of the same exercises for majority of their clientele; I.e. "We're gonna do Chest and Shoulders today" or "Legs" or something to that effect.

Those of you who know me personally have heard me talk about how it doesn't work for most of your clients because that type of programming is designed for fitness/physique competitors, and doesn't apply as well to your corporate athletes that are looking to slim down, move better, or have more endurance.

It's a good start for someone to use if they haven't been to the gym, and by no means am I saying it's wrong. What I am saying is you can do better than that.

If "Body Part Training" is what you want your training to be based off of, then go for it. Just know that you'll be like the ~85% of the personal trainers out there. Not much room for separation, and I want people to work with you because you're different; more distinguished from the rest, if you will.

Thesecondthing you'll notice as you continue to improve is other coaches' demeanors. How do they talk with their clients? Are they gossiping? Are they focusing on the client? Are they only talking about themselves as opposed to letting the client do most of the talking? Are they on their phones while they're training? Are they standing? Are they sitting? Simpler question: Are they engaged in their client's session?

I've seen quite a bit over the years, and I can't stress enough how important it is to show your professionalism. On more than one occasion, I've had a client thank for simply not being on my phone when I was working with them. In previous years, I've even had clients tell me "If you ever leave here and go somewhere else, let me know. I'm going with you. I don't want anyone else besides you."

Just goes to show the diligence that compounds over time, and when you show your clients that you care, they'll stay with you for a long time. Some of my clients have been with me for years, and I take that very seriously.

Thelastthing you'll notice is the skillsets of the coaches themselves. Remember how I mentioned some folks stick to the body part training? Well, those same folks are still doing those same workouts over a decade (literally) later! And the worst part, their clients look exactly the same!

It's disheartening to see, but at the same time, I'm not surprised. Einstein said it best: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."

I adjust and adapt to what the client needs, and should their goals change, so shall my programming. For example, my pro fighter was looking to be in better fighting shape (I.e. endurance, strength, etc.), and he got great results from it winning his next 2 fights.

Then he made a request that he wanted to be more explosive, particularly with his kicks. So, I changed the periodization to Power and Maximal Power training, and sure enough, it paid off again. To the point that when he was doing focus mitts with his sensei, he ended up hurting him a little in his rib cage (whoopsies, lol). His next 2 fights he ended up winning, one of them for a title in his weight class.

I brag about my client, but I think you see my point.

Knowing when to change things up is crucial for your clients, and for your own knowledge as a coach. It isn't the smartest one who wins the game; it's the one who can adapt the easiest.

I've got something in mind for next week's email, and this one will involve coaching cues. I want to make this more interactive with y'all, so be on the lookout in your inbox and on IG.

Until next time, Be the Best!

- Coach Brandon