In the first part of this series, I offered brief details on how I designed exercise programs for select individuals to serve as examples. In the second part, I addressed the need for adjusting the program to cater to evolving needs of clients. This time around, the target of my writing addresses age, health, and preference as each relates to designing training programs.
Age is always a concern. The older a person is the more consideration I put toward age related difficulties. The younger a person is the more consideration I put toward lack of knowledge and mental/physical maturity in terms of working out. Each age group potentially presents a unique set of circumstance that must be accounted for. For example, older folks may physically be less able to do high intensity workouts. Younger individuals may not know their physical capabilities. Older folks accustomed to working out may be set in their ways and therefore less receptive to change. Younger folks may think “they know’ and be less receptive to change or criticism. There are other concerns as well.
Health is always a concern. From day one, I address this as well as age when designing a training program for a client. Some clients begin training with lower back issues or little lower body strength. Some clients begin training with imbalances in the body that he or she must resolve in order to prevent injury and in order to achieve success. High blood pressure, heart problems, allergies, and other special needs may come into play as well. As a trainer, I take all this and more into account in order to create a safe and effective training and nutritional program. Failure to do so puts the client at risk and is gross negligence on my part, both morally and legally.
Preference dictates everything to some degree, whether it should or not. Talk with me long enough about training and you will hear me say, “People only want to do what they want to do”. Seems like a “no shit” moment, right. Well, the client often does not see this. They only want to do certain things, even if it is not the most beneficial. Obviously, if a person wants to do circuit training versus traditional weight training, that is fine. That type of preference is fine as long as the person puts in the work. The problem lies when that same person will only do one or two types of circuits and has no interest in controlling their diet. That is a simple example, but I think you get the point.
Example 1: Age related
Client comes in with lower body strength problems. This client cannot squat down under their own bodyweight and get back up. This same client has high blood pressure. On top of that, this person has never worked out, so skills are an issue. Finally, this person is obese with little athleticism.
I design a training program. Part of the program calls for the person to do self-supported bodyweight squats and slow walks on the treadmill. This begins addressing the lower body strength issue, blood pressure issue, obesity issue, and skills issue. The skills issue is further addressed, as are the others to varying degrees, by the inclusion of a variety of exercises to educate the mind and the body in exercise.
Within a few months, the client can squat down under their own weight. The client graduates to using weight. Blood pressure and weight drop. Skills and overall strength increase.
Example 2: Health Related
See the previous example.
Example 3: Preference
Client comes in with previous, self-taught nutritional and exercise experience. This client’s approach is flawed. This is understandable but the client shows a serious resistance to change. While this client is accepting of new programming, the client is adverse to diet change. At that time, the client is around six feet tall and weighs 160 pounds. This client consumes 800 to 1500 calories daily, which is severely low for their weight. As a result, the client is not making gains, feel physical fatigue, mental fatigue, moodiness, and other ailments.
I help the client understand that increasing calories will improve the way the feel mentally and physically. At the same time, I help the client realize how their program design is flawed. I create a new program and help them adjust the nutritional strategy. It takes effort but the process begins.
Within a few months, the client gains weight while losing body fat. Mood improves, physical ability improves, skill set improves, and more.
I understand age, health, and preference related issues. When creating my own programs I confront them. When I pulled my lower back and my hamstring, I had to adjust my programming. As I grow older I adjust my programming. At 34 I cannot train the same as I did at 28, nor do I have the desire to. In terms of preference the training has changed as well. Now I train the back squat, deadlift, flat bench, and clean and press on the same day at the beginning of the week. It allows me to get the hardest and heaviest lifting out of the way early in the week. In 2008, I spread the major lifts over multiple days, killing each one. Today, I still go hard and heavy but in a different way. Back then, I might work my legs so hard that I could not walk right for week; stepping off a 3-inch curb would hurt. Today I have no desire to do that, nor a need, though I doubt there was ever a “need”.
The point of all this is that designing training programs takes thought. Mindlessly lifting weight, running, or practicing martial arts will likely yield results. However, these will not be the best results possible, in most cases. When programming for nutrition and workouts is on point, one can train less and still yield the best results. This equals less soreness, less time in the gym, less risk of injury, more time for other things, and a number of other benefit