Training with Consistency
How do we get the most out of our clients when training them and then educate them enough to take what they have learned and deliver it in their own sessions?
A common buzzword thrown around a lot recently is “consistency” and it is so very true. With consistent training, progress and results will come sooner.
This applies to anything in health & fitness - If you eat consistently well you will also see results much sooner.
When It Comes to Training…
In regard to training, it is also true that the more consistent one is, the quicker the results will come.
So how do we build consistency into our sessions?
Ensure the same level of intensity is achieved throughout the session.
Structure similar reps for the entire session to allow the client’s expectations to be satisfied; however, different sessions can warrant different rep ranging but consistency should be achieved throughout an entire session.
Try and encourage them to train consistently over the course of a 7-day week; therefore, based on their individual needs and weekly schedule, encourage the right amount of days to be trained on. The greater the frequency, the greater the results.
Be consistent with which body parts are trained. If all emphasis is focused on legs, these will obviously improve but leave other body parts in their wake. Encourage an even, consistent spread of training days over various body parts.
What dictates whether a client will achieve consistent training?
Their goals
Their time
Their trainer
Their program
Goals
A client’s goals will determine how often they will train. If they are training for a bodybuilding competition then they will train often. If they are just chasing general health and fitness then they may only focus on 3 days a week. The goals will dictate how often they train, hence how consistently they train.
Time
Time is a big factor inhibiting many clients’ abilities to train regularly. We all have limited time to get to a gym or train outside therefore how do we maximise what time we do have?
If a client can only spare three days a week to train, then my recommendation to them would be to spread this out to every second day where possible, this then provide a window no greater than 2 days before they are training again. As can be seen by this example consistency is still achieved over the course of a week.
Trainer
A personal trainer should be responsible for building the level of consistency into the client’s training to a point where they then transfer this into their own training. Each session should reflect a new body part to be trained and each week should be different in the way this body part is trained. Even though the methods may differ, the same body parts are being targeted hence consistent training is achieved. This can become a habit of the client if they train often enough with the same trainer.
Program
Programs have a big role to play in consistent training. When a program is built for a client, we will have asked the obvious questions of how many days they want the program structured for. This evidently indicates how often and how consistent a client will train outside of any personal training sessions.
A program is then designed to ensure consistent reps and sets are met, volume is achieved, desired intensity achieved, target body parts hit, strength built and overall goals met. A program is such a powerful tool in building consistency in a client’s training and thus achieving their goals.
Summary
Once a client realises that regular, consistent training has far greater benefits then sporadic or inconsistent training, they will no doubt restructure their existing training regime to encompass a far greater and more consistent one which will eventually provide quicker and greater results.
The quicker the result the better reflection on the trainer, and this then provides the trainer with greater long term clients, as they know you achieve results.