As an in-home personal trainer, what is your favorite piece of equipment to use with clients?
I answered this on a similar thread here. http://www.ideafit.com/answers/what-equipment-do-you-suggest-for-a-perso…
“Ah, this can be tough. Ideally, you want to have every tool in your toolbox available to you at the right time. Being in homes just simply doesn’t allow for that. But, it will depend on a lot of different things. I used to carry a small bag around for a couple of in home clients. First, make the best use of what you can with what they already have. If they have a fully equipped basement gym, great. Next, consider what exercises you do mostly as a foundation of training most people. Body weight goes a long way, but only so far. Changing their body’s orientation can help add “resistance” in that regard if you have something like a suspension trainer. http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-8024759-10812779-1422662341000?url=https%3A%…
Smaller exercises may be sufficiently performed with progressive resistance bands. http://spartatraining.com/blog/product-category/personal-trainers/person…
The biggest problem you’re likely to run into is not being able to get sufficient resistances for a lot of people. Consider learning how to do manual exercises or teach a group of two how to perform them using each other. This can take care of the lack of resistance problem, but can be exhausting for you. I kept various handles and straps that I could manipulate in such a way as to provide resistance while they held the handle and performed the exercise. For example, an adjustable cable handle or tricep attachment http://spartatraining.com/blog/product/multiple-position-adjustable-nylo…
The could perform an elbow extension with their hand behind the head while I provide appropriate resistance pulling down throughout the ROM.
With adjustable straps and handles, you can perform timed static contractions. Or, extrapolate that out into isometronic sets. With a pulley, handles, and a rope, you can perform what is called infimetric training. I can elaborate more on these if you need it.
There are lots of ways to introduce a good stimulus and make use of a variety of techniques with a few tools, but be sure to have what you need most often with you and let your creativity fill in the gaps.”
There is something much more useful that just another piece of equipment.
Check out LUMON FIT
It is available on iPad App Store (search for LUMON FIT).
You can find more details about it on their website lumonfit.com
Below are main features of this app. It is super useful and mobile. Game changer!
This app allows you to:
– Store very detailed patient/client data (incl. Par-Q and medical information)
– Access 40 assessment templates (including posture, flexibility, cardiovascular, body composition, body dimensions, balance, muscle strength, and agility) and use them as your guide to patient assessment
– Reference an exercise library with over 500 exercises
– Create your own exercises and add them to the library for future use (including taken photos and linked videos)
– Automatically generate rehabilitation/exercise prescription suggestions and precautions based on assessment results
– Link your generated programs with YouTube videos for presentation purposes
– Take “before” and “after” pictures of assessment tasks and compare results
– Generate extremely detailed and explanatory progress reports within seconds (print or email)
– Generate take-home rehab and exercise programs for your clients (including videos of routines)
– Add feedback within the application to constantly improve the product
– Schedule seminars with a LUMON FIT representative for detailed explanation of all the product’s functions
Other Features
– Calendar integration (Lumon Fit will schedule all your clients appointments for you)
– Reassessment reminders
– Intelligent exercise charts
– Electronic signatures for all documentation
– Wireless printing and emailing forms, data, or templates
– iCloud integration (never lose you patient’s info)
Hope this helps. Enjoy. EDIT