T Nation

Clients & Fat Loss!

Bodybuilding
#1

Hey guys,
Thanks for taking the time to read this thread and hopefully reply.

I am a new trainer, and need some advice please. Don’t get me wrong I know my stuff, but still learning and will never stop.

What are some of the best weight loss approaches out there would you say? I’m not asking about nutrition. As far as training goes, what are the most effective and fun ways to losing weight?

What I’ve been doing with some of my more advanced guys is something like this:

WU 15 min bike with 5min in there of 30 seconds full out sprints and 30 seconds of easy pedaling.

Next time their in I?ll get a med ball and do some chest passes with them while they’re on the bike alt. with overhead throws.

After that we get on some heavy lifting all compound exercises. Number of sets, reps etc. always changes. I keep a huge variety to their training programs.

Guys any advice?

I want to give these people results.

Thank you.

#2

ok

Not a fan of anything intense prior to weightlifting. I say they need that glycogen for the lifting they should be concentrating on for that day.

Light warmup
weights
cardio if they want or better yet cardio on nonlifting days.

I don’t see any benefit to the ball thing. Warmups are just that. Don’t try to accomplish too many things at once.

I would vary the intensity of both the weights and cardio. Keep the body way off balance.

Monday–heavy weights/low reps
Tuesday–moderate cardio
Wed–lighter weights/more reps
Thurs–off
Friday–moderate/heavy weights
Sat–interval train
Sun–walk the dog

And 90% results will be determined by diet!

#3

sasquatch
Thanks Bud, that is exactly what I’ve been doing with my guys! I’m using something similar to the Total-Body Training
The 3-day-per-week, full-body workout
by Chad Waterbury" aproach plus their cardio. It’s been working for the most of them.

I have a guy who’s training with me 4 times a week and he does his cardio twice on his own. What I was thinking of doing with him is 3 x per week weights, plus the 4th session some sort of a circuit training, what do you think?

I agree on the Nutrition part, it’s HUGE!!!

#4

[quote]Russhyn wrote:
sasquatch
Thanks Bud, that is exactly what I’ve been doing with my guys! I’m using something similar to the Total-Body Training
The 3-day-per-week, full-body workout
by Chad Waterbury" aproach plus their cardio. It’s been working for the most of them.

I have a guy who’s training with me 4 times a week and he does his cardio twice on his own. What I was thinking of doing with him is 3 x per week weights, plus the 4th session some sort of a circuit training, what do you think?

I agree on the Nutrition part, it’s HUGE!!!

[/quote]

I like Chad and I also like working in planes. Horizontal and vertical push/pulls and splitting the legs. Just mixing it up every 4-8 weeks. I do occasional circuits to break things up. I’m a firm believer in changing things up, but only after I’ve done the particular exercises or programs strictly to evaluate their affects on me personally. Too much chaos and it becomes difficult to say what works and what doesn’t.

Newer the client is to working out the more chaos they can handle. After that I think they should settle in and evaluate programs and even exercises to see how they work for them.

I beleive in the journey

#5

Other than having them do cardio (HIIT is great, though ‘regular’ cardio isn’t bad either) and training their entire bodies 3-4 times a week, there isn’t really much you can do.

It’s up to them to eat right. They might be working out perfectly and doing the right amount of cardio, but if they’re eating too much, they won’t see any results.

#6

[quote]sasquatch wrote:
Hey Bud, Thanks again!

I agree with you once again! I always change things up, even the amout of rest that they get is always diff from workout to workout.
[/quote]
What sort of circtuits do you do with your guys if you don’t mind me asking?

#7

[quote]azul wrote:
Other than having them do cardio (HIIT is great, though ‘regular’ cardio isn’t bad either) and training their entire bodies 3-4 times a week, there isn’t really much you can do.

It’s up to them to eat right. They might be working out perfectly and doing the right amount of cardio, but if they’re eating too much, they won’t see any results. [/quote]

For sure man, “you work on your body more at a kitchen table than you do in the gym” I think JB said that one.

I always use it :slight_smile:

#8

[quote]Russhyn wrote:
As far as training goes, what are the most effective and fun ways to losing weight?
[/quote]

The single best cardio workout I put clients through in the gym, was hitting focus mitts. I’d bring in my own hand pads, and give the clients lightweight “cardio kickboxing” bag gloves, and we’d either do a 10-20 minute interval-type workout, or we’d intersperse a set of hand pads in between sets of weights.

It worked because it was A - a good overall workout, B - new, fun, and interesting (it took all of 5 minutes to teach “jab”, “cross”, “uppercut”, “duck”), and C - It was so unique that it was essentially advertising myself during the workout. Other gym members would constantly comment on how much fun it looked like, and would often ask for a session with me ($$$) just to hit the pads. Very important though, don’t leave your pads lying around the gym. They will wander off.

#9

[quote]Russhyn wrote:
sasquatch wrote:
Hey Bud, Thanks again!

I agree with you once again! I always change things up, even the amout of rest that they get is always diff from workout to workout.

What sort of circtuits do you do with your guys if you don’t mind me asking?

[/quote]

I like to keep my circuits shorter than full body. I think you get too fatigued to do justice to the last couple of exercises. Also, if you are in a local gym, it is hard to ‘maintain’ 6-8-10 spots for the full circuit.
ex:
1)Overhead press,squat,cable rows
–done in succession, sets of 8-12, aprox 1-1.5min between completed sets
2)dead,incl. bench,frt.squats
3)cleans,decline,arnolds–whatever!

I like them to incorporate different body parts to spare muscle fatigue–limit injury.

#10

[quote]Minotaur wrote:
Russhyn wrote:
As far as training goes, what are the most effective and fun ways to losing weight?

The single best cardio workout I put clients through in the gym, was hitting focus mitts. I’d bring in my own hand pads, and give the clients lightweight “cardio kickboxing” bag gloves, and we’d either do a 10-20 minute interval-type workout, or we’d intersperse a set of hand pads in between sets of weights.

It worked because it was A - a good overall workout, B - new, fun, and interesting (it took all of 5 minutes to teach “jab”, “cross”, “uppercut”, “duck”), and C - It was so unique that it was essentially advertising myself during the workout. Other gym members would constantly comment on how much fun it looked like, and would often ask for a session with me ($$$) just to hit the pads. Very important though, don’t leave your pads lying around the gym. They will wander off.[/quote]

Awesome Idea bud, Thanks alot!
I have a set of Pads at Home i’ll bring them in. I’ll let you know how that worksout.

Thanks

#11

[quote]sasquatch wrote:
Russhyn wrote:
sasquatch wrote:
Hey Bud, Thanks again!

I agree with you once again! I always change things up, even the amout of rest that they get is always diff from workout to workout.

What sort of circtuits do you do with your guys if you don’t mind me asking?

I like to keep my circuits shorter than full body. I think you get too fatigued to do justice to the last couple of exercises. Also, if you are in a local gym, it is hard to ‘maintain’ 6-8-10 spots for the full circuit.
ex:
1)Overhead press,squat,cable rows
–done in succession, sets of 8-12, aprox 1-1.5min between completed sets
2)dead,incl. bench,frt.squats
3)cleans,decline,arnolds–whatever!

I like them to incorporate different body parts to spare muscle fatigue–limit injury.[/quote]

Thanks for the tips bud, I’ll give this a shot!

#12

One more thing.

The gym that I’m at it’s very competetive here with all the Personal Trainers and sales. We have a total of 15 trainers here…

How do you stay unique and original. I mean I have picked up alot of awesome stuff here on T-Nation over the passed few years. Now i’m seeing other trainers using these exercises that they don’t even know how to properly execute. One of the trainers after performing one of the exercises had asked me what is the techincal tame for it and was his client doing it right?

I mean this is how I advertise myself as a trainer. I do what other’s don’t with their clients. What should I be doing? I don’t have a problem helping other trainers out, but where do I draw the line?

Thanks

#13

I own a studio out here and other trainers are allowed to use the facility for a small fee. My partner and I go through the same problem when it come to other trainers using our exercises without even knowing why or what they are doing it for…it just looks good. Just keep coming up with different combinations, angles and keep your clients fresh.

Being in a big facility,you can either swim with the fishes or rise to the top and do not worry about other trainers. Word of mouth will eventually get around and you will have more clients than you will know what to do with. I have almost maxed out here personally ranging between 40-55 sessions sold per week ( my partner averages 30-40). We have not or do not advertise…all word of mouth.

So keep doing what you are doing, get results out of people, be a motivator ans inspiration and you will find more success than you will handle…

And one more thing…DO IT QUIETLY…

Kerwyn.
THE PERSONAL TRAINING STATION INC.