What I Look For in Any Exercise…
If you are an E-volved trainee, trainer or coach you start to weed out some movements that are either just no good, have hurt you, or haven’t gotten you much in the way of improvement. You also start to adjust training volume down to the minimum effective dose. When choosing an exercise, it is important to consider how to do it, along with how MUCH to do it. With that in mind, it must have three important characteristics:
- SAFETY. A safe movement is taught safely and done at a safe dose.
- EFFICIENCY. That means technique. Make it a priority. If you can get it done in 10 perfect reps don’t do 20 sloppy ones.
- EFFECTIVENESS. Spend your time on the most effective movements and learn what the most productive amounts of those movement are. You are going to get a lot more out of a clean or a front squat than a wall ball, and more out of a tough set of three than a grueling set of 100!
“Good form on the barbell shouldn’t be a matter for debate.” – Rippetoe
I tell my clients that I am NOT going to teach them anything fancy! I am simply going to teach them how to move SAFELY, EFFICIENTLY, AND EFFECTIVELY. If they choose to do a bunch of hot dogging around the gym, then they are on their own. Hot dogging is for the sports you love, not for trying to get in shape.
For you trainers and coaches out there, what movements do you pick for your clients? Do you pick the technique that the current National Champion is using or maybe one that you currently saw on YouTube the one EVERYONE is talking about? Or do you find a system, a model, that gives you a road map to simply teach a strong solid movement across a wide range of clients? Pick a technique that has clearly defined movements and has proven effective so your standard run-of-the-mill client can feel brilliant. Above all, don’t sacrifice perfect for good. Make sure your approach for teaching the movement is solid and not just “what we’ve always done” or for the traditional aspect. Letting the non-evolved client “do it the way they want to” is just laziness. Clients count on you for authority and guidance. The job is to get people strong and agile in a safe and uncomplicated way, while they have a blast doing it.
As a coach or a trainer, studying up on some standard teaching methods and sticking to them will give your clients confidence that your heart is in the game. On top of that, keeping your repertoire simple, and trimming the fat will give your clients a strong base for further success. If they want to progress and move like a national champion, you’ll have gotten them to a place where they will have the experience and the knowledge to take that next step. And that is something every trainer can be proud of.
Your best chance at getting your clients strong and on their way to health starts with increasing their strength in safe, efficient, and effective ways. Choose your exercises well and have a consistent and simple method for teaching them. That way both you and your client will feel progressive, safe and happy! And right there you have it: one more way to get Strong, Healthy, and Happy!
