Real Training, Real Results
Time for change. Peter, a forty-year-old businessman, stepped through the doors of Sync Fitness & Movement because he needed a change from his current fitness plan.
“Peter was looking for a new training program because his current one emphasized supplements as the focal point, and he knew he needed something that would deal with real science and would focus on him,” says Warren Martin, personal trainer and owner of Sync Fitness & Movement.
Peter’s primary goal was to lose fat. He knew that the supplements and the nonspecific food and training plans he had been given were not helping him realize his goal.
Breaking old habits. Although Peter had grown tired of continually being urged to buy supplements that he hadn’t received much benefit from, he appeared hesitant when Martin insisted he stop using them altogether. Peter feared that if he did that, he would lose muscle along with fat. Martin explained to his client that real, lasting results would be possible only if Peter took complete responsibility for his progress instead of relying on supplements. “If Peter believed in the fantasy that a supplement would get him [to his goals], his failure would be almost 100% certain,” says Martin.
The trainer needed to bust a few other myths—such as “All carbs are bad” and “Endless cardio is the best approach for fat loss”—so that his client could begin with a solid, knowledgeable foundation. “We started out by going over Peter’s perceptions about his goals, how he thought he could reach them, and many details about nutrition and exercise,” explains Martin. “I taught him the facts and the science behind them.”
Movement variability. The two trained together four times per week, and Martin spent a good portion of the initial sessions ensuring that his client understood how to move well. “I went over technique in lifts and let Peter experience how to use his muscles to work more effectively and to avoid using compensations to do the work,” says Martin.
One of his goals when teaching movement patterns was to focus on progress and not necessarily perfection. “The foundation need not be perfect, but it should allow long-term high-level goals to be reached,” the trainer says.
Aside from running a business, Peter was very involved with his church. These commitments resulted in long days that took a toll on his energy and health. Knowing this, Martin aimed to make sure the training program was carefully crafted so it didn’t add to his client’s stress levels. “Not every session was set up to crush him,” he says. “Many were designed to allow his body to recover.” Some of the sessions focused on developing functional movement patterns in various planes of motion, while others emphasized strength training for muscle hypertrophy, recalls Martin.
An educational approach. The trainer’s reliance on science and education paid off for his client.
“Peter has gained more than 10 pounds of muscle and has lost over 20 pounds of fat,” says the proud trainer. “His waist has decreased more than 4 inches, and his chest has increased just as much. His strength increase has been huge. He has doubled the amount he lifts, even with slower and more controlled movements. His core strength has improved so much that I’ve used him in some of my core exercise video demos.”
Martin adds that he has been impressed with Peter’s consistency and dedication to making such a remarkable transformation. While the client came to him with a significantly different perspective based on the information he received at his previous gym, Martin was able to earn Peter’s trust through fact-based education.
“That’s why educating clients and making sure they understand everything are important for success,” advises the gym owner. “Consistency, science, common sense, trust and time are all required to achieve body transformation.”