5 EXERCISES TO BOOST YOUR CLIENTS CONFIDENCE

It goes without saying that exercise is good for your health. As trainers we know the benefits of different modes of training and how to apply training principles to bring about different outcomes for our clients. Outside of the gym and personal training services there are many apps, magazines, and websites offering fitness services. These services are heavily marketed and can use complex exercises that will take time to master before real results are seen from the training, if at all in some cases.

Delivering a service to the consumer market must first be in demand, of a high standard, deliver good customer service, and provide value to the buyer. In our case the buyer is the client and we need to ensure they are getting good value for their money. If we looked online, specifically Instagram and followed some of the less qualified or educated influencers we would find a library of exercises that are being carried out for attracting followers, would their followers actually benefit from some of these exercises? Possibly, but in most cases they could cause more harm than good.

In this post I am giving you 5 exercises that will provide results for your clients looking to transform their bodies, get stronger, leaner, or lose fat. I will focus on the exercises and why we need to teach our clients these exercises, I will be covering rep ranges in a future post and how we can utilise them to bring about different outcomes by applying evidence based programming. The exercises we will discuss in this post are all compound exercises, meaning they recruit more than one muscle group to complete their action. These exercises recruit high levels of muscle fibres and will have larger motor units due to the size of muscle, fibre, and their associated range of movements. What this relates to for the client is that, they will see changes quickly, they will burn more fat, they will get stronger quicker, their physique will change rapidly, as a result, their self esteem will increase, their perceived ability to train will be heightened, they will become mentally tougher, and their confidence will grow each week. These five exercises will literally change the lives of some of our clients. So, here are the five exercises we all need to teach our clients:

1. Barbell Bench Press

Considered one of the best upper body strength building exercises there is and a primary lift in the sport of power lifting, the bench press is an exceptional lift. As we know, for the wider fitness market, Monday is international chest day and training in peak times will be difficult to get quality bench time.

The barbell bench press specifically targets the pectorals, while having a secondary benefit to the triceps brachii and anterior deltoid. This exercise will help add depth to your clients anterior physique, when they look in the mirror six weeks down the line, the will be walking taller and more confident.

3. Barbell Deadlift

A king of exercises for many strength athlete, the deadlift primarily focuses on the erector spinae, gluteus maximus, and hamstrings. A superior exercise for developing posterior strength and a foundation to building back strength, a strong back is important for building a good squat as well as protecting your spine from the day to grind of modern life. The deadlift will add strength and mass to its prime movers, giving the client the popular strong not skinny look.

4. Bent Over Row

An old school exercise that has stood the test of times as the fitness industry has changed. The bent over row targets the trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and rear deltoids. This poster chain exercise will add strength to the upper back and help build a thick look to the clients body. We all know someone in the gym who consistently trains chest but neglects their back muscles, this is not great programming and for those neglecting opposing muscle groups it will lead to; poor posture, pain, and injury. Balance out your client with effective programming and equal weighting to anterior and posterior exercises as required.

5. Standing Military Press

Rome was not built in a day, if your client wants round defined shoulders that a gladiator would be proud of then the military press requires time in the rack. Specifically targeting the deltoids with assistance from triceps brachii, the military press will help provide your client with a strong set of shoulders.

Completing these exercises with good form will give your client a very strong anatomical foundation as they begin to train more frequently and with more advanced training systems that you will use as part of their programming. As part of their anatomical advantages for building muscle and burning higher levels of fat, they will produce the athletic strong physique that is portrayed in the fitness industry and what most clients are aiming towards or aspire to have. A win win situation, as the client will have the results they are looking for, and you will build a strong foundation. It goes without saying that starting out cautiously with lighter weights while good form and core strength is built before you go full in for 5×5 on some of the exercises. More on rep ranges in a later post though. In the meantime, those of you studying our level two fitness instructor qualification will want to be in the gym practising, teaching points, muscle groups, and joint actions as you improve your own form in these five exercises. For those of you who would like more information about our Personal Training courses in Leeds, head over to our website, if you require any more information please drop us an email, or, call our enrolment team.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the read and highlighted a few things that will help your own development in the fitness industry.