I am new to the fitness industry, i have an important question to ask
If i was to train a beginner client who has no experience in the gym and their goal was to increase muscle or build strength. The best approach for that goal will be prescribing a full body muscle building program. Now i know i said full body program is the best approach but is that the first thing i train the client on ? after i meet the client for the first time and do all assessments on him/her ( fitness, posture, nutrition, strength, flexibility assessments) after that first day when he/she comes back and is ready for day 1 of training with me do i train the client from that day and on wards using the fullbody muscle building program that i created based on all results i got from assessments ? and another question if i was to train that person 2 or 3 times a week would i need to make different full body muscle building programs for each day using similar format ? or do i train the client 2 or 3 times a week using same program for each day
Hi Jim,
you say that you are new to the industry but I assume that you have been working out for yourself for a while. Your profile has not been completed. I assume that you have a personal trainer certification.
After reading your initial question and then your secondary one where you are asking about the assessment process and medical concerns, I wonder how experienced you are about assessments. Your question implies to me that you do not have a road map on how to start a training program at all.
Here’s what I do: when I first meet a client, I review the medical and exercise questionnaire that the client has completed. There are usually questions based on that to get a clearer picture. Even though I have an outline for my assessment, I may change that based on the answers on the questionnaire. For example, if the client indicates shoulder problems, I take some assessment out of the plan.
Personally, I do not do a workout the same day I do an assessment because I need time to sit down and think about what I saw and heard.
If I train a beginner who has not done any weight training, my first workout is usually an extension of my assessment. I never saw a person without imbalances, and those I explore further. Even if a client expresses a wish to ‘build muscle’ if they are inexperienced, I tend to start with stabilization exercises to lay a foundation before I start adding greater loads.
Even in the stabilization phase, there are many creative exercises to ensure that the client does not get bored. I also tend to change those workouts a lot to challenge the body in different ways and also get a chance to observe the way the client responds.
Karin Singleton
www.meltnc.com