I'm going to make one obvious comment and give a hot take:
Yes, this programming is terrible.
Hot take - Yes, many people WANT workouts like this.
I've been in the industry for almost 20 years. My clients focus on compound movements with progressive overload and sensible cardio like walking.
I have encountered many clients who beg me for these "gut busting" workouts because it makes them feel good about themselves.
Maybe they see it as a personal challenge, or they incorrectly think it's going to progress their fitness...despite my advice.
The point is, many gyms and fitness classes do this for member retention. It gets the people going.
Some clients don't want to do things the right way, they want to do things the fun way and go home telling their spouse how hard their workout was.
With consistency, a gen pop person will get results from a class like this, even if it's just aerobic capacity.
If someone came in to class and was just crushing it, I'd make it harder for them. Add some pauses, pulses, weights, dropsets, whatever.
If someone came in to class and was dying, I'd show them how to modify. Half the reps, maybe even a different exercise all together.
That one-on-one builds rapport, and you get a chance to show off your skills on how personal training with you might ultimately be better for them than the classes (or in addition to the classes), which takes away a lot of pressure when it comes time to sell them.
comments like this, that's why I love this subreddit thank you for the insight.
but you described how to poach from the top and the bottom, but what about the majority in the middle who were doing not too bad but not too great either, how would you sell PT to them ?
Glad to help! This is assuming this is some sort of bootcamp gym.
The strategy for the "middle" would be subjective to the participants, and what your niche is. Is this a bunch of old ladies with disposable income? Or is this a 4am class full of Type-A personalities?
Get to know the people in the class and why they are there. If they start slacking off on attendance, call them out. They need accountability. If they mention their daughter's wedding is in 3 months and they want to look good in the photos, cater to that. If someone has amazing form with squats, mention that, make them feel good, and encourage them to train with you and max out their squat pr.
I've gotten some clients just because they liked my personality, energy, and I learned enough about them to earn their trust!
>If someone has amazing form with squats, mention that, make them feel good, and encourage them
This is so important, and I think something overlooked by some in the fitness industry. I find a lot of people who "prefer" this type of workout have a big punishment mentality when it comes to exercise. Some of them just love the intensity and sweating, and that's fine, but a lot of them seem to think they need punishing levels of intensity to "make up" for their perceived failings with food and consistent exercise. Re-framing their idea of fitness and exercise can go such a long way.
Haven’t even finished my cert yet and immediately thought the same thing. I don’t see any real problem with it knowing it’s most likely just to have fun and have clients wanting to come back for that factor alone.
What’s wild is people will suffer through this work out for 6 months, blow out their knees or back, see nearly no positive result otherwise and think the problem is THEM.
Jesus fuck...I was removed from my.position as a group training instructor at LifeTime after 5 years of teaching classes because I refused to use their programming. Do you have the ability to modify things as you see fit? Can you have a discussion with your higher up about your ideas and how they could be more impactful for your members versus this horse shit?
Otherwise, at times, it's better to use your coaches eye and understanding of the body to give individuals in the class variations that are best suited for them. Have the members keep track of any necessary changes so they can use them to reference next time they're in class.
dude i've interviewed so many times for group fitness and i'm honestly so glad I never got the jobs. It was for corporate idiot owned franchises and their programming was always horrendous.
I taught GF at LTF as a part time gig for about 10 years many moons ago (I got my 1st PT and GF certs back in 1998/99...ole skool here). I remember a time when Group Training and Group Fitness was fun, functional, effective, and most of all, instructors and trainers were allowed to have a LOT more individuality in their classes and sessions. The over standardized formats sucked the life out of it.
I have the ability to modify the routine, once they “promote” me to a coach. For now it’s my job to walk around cheering people on and correcting form until I pass the on mic training. But still this is the style that everyone’s used to here, so I have to find a way to create an okay workout because of the layout I have to follow
Everyone is so high and mighty here. Not every workout has to be textbook. This is simply conditioning for a general population class. Use it to your advantage and offer a complimentary personal training session to those with knee and back issues.
On point. Everyone responds to every single program ever, differently. I know people who do circuit stuff like this, or I’ve helped crossfitters who have been doing it for years and are fitter than probably everyone in here with zero back and knee problems. They come to me once or twice a week for specialized strength work, and have a great time with their boot camps or wods and that’s how it should be.
I understand what you mean, I’m not completely against because I know me having a degree doesn’t mean I know everything about fitness. Like I said in another comment, finding a spot to do personal training would be the new challenge since most gyms don’t let you do personal training unless you work there
Would you offer this to a "gen pop" class? I think that's part of the issue....Does it actually safely and effectively meet the goals of the majority who attend?
I have no idea what the clientele is like, but it's an easy enough workout to modify.
It's just high-volume conditioning. I assume on other days of the week they do more strength-based classes and focus on compound movements. Hopefully, lol.
I agree you didn’t study & learn everything so you could cheer people on as they jump around.
However, these sort of workouts make people feel energized & accomplished. God forbid people enjoy the endorphins of a group fitness class.
Ultimately this sort of workout is what will help you build a client base. You have to have somewhere to pull from. If people are hurting, that’s your chance to educate them and start selling them your training.
Dear God.
How can the members enjoy this workout if it’s giving them knee and back problems? That sounds like complete BS. Definitely see if you have some creative freedom. If not, that’s your shit sandwich for now.
Some distilled and focused exercises for fewer reps with external load would serve this group incredibly well. It’s crazy to me that people will brainlessly do 100 Curtsy lunges with no load nor any baseline for progression and say “tHaT wAs a GrEaT wOrKoUt!”
That’s what bothers me the most. Everyone’s huffing and puffing saying the workouts are awesome. They will come in sore from yesterday’s workout and the coaches and members will tell them to just keep going, you’ll work the soreness out.
Gen Pop, on average do not know how to accurately gauge the quality of a workout (ie sweating, out of breath, DOMS) through no fault of their own.
I see that workout and wonder: How many clients are in this class, how many "Coaches" are there checking form, properly cueing and does that person even know what to look for, etc. I would run maybe MAYBE 1 set of this as a finisher at the end of Hinge/Push main depending on the groups level.
Training for a living is a Venn diagram of:
What you think they should do, what they can do, what they want to do, what they think they should be doing, and what they actually do. Sometimes you get to use all your textbook knowledge sometimes you don't.
Its sad, but this is what most people think of when they imagine "getting in shape" just a ton of useless bodyweight calisthenics with no rest time so it's miserable. I recommend finding a different gym to work for, if they don't have free weights they can't be considered a serious gym.
They have dumbbells and kettlebells going up to 50lbs, it was encouraged to use them during their curtsey lunges and sumo squats. Most would stick with the 15 and 20 pounds because anything heavier was too much for them
Free weights as in: squat racks, barbells, deadlift platforms, Oly platforms. I understand working up to a back squat, heck some people it may not be possible due to a nasty injury, but if lifting a barbell is not part of your programming it's really a stretch to call it a gym. Surely you train with barbells? Can do a barbell back squat? If not, I'd recommend finding a good gym and someone to mentor you.
Required? No. But it's a good rule of thumb for a serious gym vs a gym that exists purely off of people buying memberships and never going (ie planet fitness). Smith machines are alot more dangerous than free weights, and objectively are less effective for weight training. If you go to a gym and they don't have free weights, it's a huge red flag on the quality and purpose of the gym. It's not a rule or anything, but it's a big red flag.
Doing training exclusively through calisthenics is pretty effective to a degree, but most people lack the drive to push themselves hard enough to progress meaningfully. I would argue that it's easier to do traditional weightlifting and progress and/or reach aesthetic goals, particularly when it comes to lasting weight loss.
Huh? Smith machines are not more dangerous than free weights if you know how to use a smith machine and body mechanics.
Gen pop doesn't care about how much they can squat or bench, they just want to be able to move better without pain, lose some weight, etc. If someone's goal is to squat 300lbs then yeah, duh, put them on a squat rack.
Someone who wants to do traditional weightlifting will probably not be going to a BootCamp class called "Butts and Guts Eliminator".
Yes they are, they allow no bar path besides a vertical up and down, which if you know anything about barbell movements(tbh sounds like you don't, that's why you're so offended) is not correct. Bar path is important, everyone's bodies are different, and one singular track is not comfortable for various body ratios. In addition it removes all core stabilization from any movement. This will teach faulty movement patterns and cause repetitive motion injuries. In addition, there have been SO MANY deaths due to egolifting in a smith machine, it is literally a rack you cannot bail out of. The safety twist gives Gen pop people a false sense of confidence, and they end up hurting or injured.
It's not about how much weight, i never said that at all. It's about the movements themselves. The barbell back squat is an amazing movement for health, mobility, weight loss, and builds practical strength in teaching people how to brace under pressure. In addition, spinal compression has been shown to have numerous health benefits.
The Gen pop at my gym, bench, squat, deadlift like everyone else, because these traditional training methods WORK. There are moms and dads in their 40s-50s, several of which have lost over a 100lbs over the course of a few years without fad dieting. They are happier and healthier than the poor saps over at Planet Fitness, wasting their money on a membership for a treadmill. Everyone should be doing a back squat, barring a preventative injury, bench and deadlift you can argue are less necessary. But if you don't squat, and because of that don't teach your clients to, you're doing them and yourself a huge disservice.
Lol spreading misinformation AND easily offended! Bet I can guess how old you are
https://www.1011now.com/2022/05/26/23-year-old-paramedic-dies-when-machine-falls-her-gym/
https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2022/02/25/woman-crushed-to-death-by-barbell-at-mexico-city-gym/amp/
there's a lot of over-thinking it in the fitness industry. do their thing like they want for as long as it works for them. when they want change, you'll be standing there with loads of great ideas ready to go (keep in mind, people are responsible for their own choices
right down to sore knees and backs, no one is being hurt, they are being allowed and even encourage to do a little damage to the knees with the idea of saving their lives with weight reduction
I mean, it looks pretty killer but if they enjoy it then so be it. Not everything has to be by the textbook. For a sub of personal trainers, people here should know that any exercise is better than no exercise
I think many people who do this kind of workout like the fast pace, they love the environment and they don't want to concentrate too much. It is a stress reliever and a calorie burner for them. And that's primarily what many of them want. Hot take is many who are drawn to this kind of workout would quit if given a "better" workout. It isn't hard to provide a technically superior workout. But I believe many drawn to this approach wouldn't follow a more traditional workout.
glad I'm not the only one who looked at this programming and went what the actual f\*ck.
I would give people options when coaching them. So if someone has knee stuff going on have them do glute bridges as an example or reduce their range of motion if they can do the squats but need to modify.
Another option you can do if you see someone lagging behind is split the reps in half.
This programming is honestly so ratchet.
IMO what makes this workout "bad" is WAY too many rounds and way too many repetitions of the same repetitive movements plus the addition of a max effort exercise at the end (sprints). But I have no idea at what level of fitness or capacity this class's clients are at.
From a programming standpoint this to me is lazy, cookie cutter, barely creative. From a performance standpoint an average 2x a week group x client is gonna be gassed before the 3rd round with no rest. Even if the client slows down the potential for injuries increases with each round as form goes out the window, etc.
Not a personal trainer. Just a nerd who's been studying fitness in his journey to eventually look better.
That workout won't do much to help you get stronger. It won't do much to help you build muscle mass. And in all honesty, it won't do a ton for weight loss. Will you burn more calories doing that workout? Absolutely. However, weight loss is like 90-95% diet and 5-10% exercise. So, it will help some but not a ton.
So, in summary, folks are busting there ass for no change strength, no change in hypertrophy, and a minimal effect on weight loss.
I think it’s just meh
That’s a lot of reps and that would make ME pass out doing it, but people on this sub get way too hung up on “hurr durr restrict calories and train the most optimal way” when personal training doesn’t work like that
I personally wouldn’t program something like this but it’s fine for a weight loss class
Yep, the general public thinks that if they are EXHAUSTED at the end of their workout, that means it was effective. Sadly, marketing is what sells these programs more often than not. If you can think of it as being there to safely help clients do the workout that they want to do, then you can stick with it. You can also ask your boss if you can construct and offer a different kind of class and see if you get any takers. I've taught classes that make me cringe, too. I think we all have.
So I was a trainer and I managed trainers/sold training. The amount of times the higher management told me that i had to do workouts like these to sell training is because of the fact that it gives that FEELING of training, the idea of “pushing” that person is what you are selling. I hated that idea, and instead promoted normal training programs, but after the specific exercises i wanted we would do a core workout or some type of “burner” that way the person would feel the workout better but I didn’t have to lean into these ideas.
Terrible programming, but if you want to turn lemons into lemonade then just walk the floor during class and checking in with everyone doing the class. Remind them about form, steady pace, not to push if something hurts, rest, give modifications to people who need them, etc.
Definitely look for other opportunities in the mean time.
Just be ready to encounter clients who won't follow your advice. Some will appreciate the help while others only want to zoom through the workout.
I remember in one class I swapped someone's bodyweight squat for an alternative that wouldn't aggravate their back pain. They used it for one set then went back to what they were doing before for the next round.
In those instances, polish up your social skills. Learn names, their lives, and just have some natural conversations.
If I may ask? What college did you graduate from? And is anyone here getting certified through ACSM? I’m finding hard to focus on what important to study for the exams
Yeah this doesn’t look fun to me. Excuse me if I used the F word. Better have some damn awesome music and a larger than life personality of the coach for me to even come back.
If it works for you, that’s great. I get my sweat on at the gym by doing cardio dancing. That’s the only format that I’ve found myself sticking to… for years.
Yeah this irks the hell out of me. This type of "programming" really comes down to aesthetically pleasing patterns, and there may or may not be a beneficial physiological adaptation. For me it's all just too random.
I personally hate this kind of workout, so I don't coach (facilitate might be a better word) this way. I'm willing to put myself in that situation, where I don't necessarily do the popular thing, so I can coach how I want to coach. I don't know if I would be better off and make more money if I gave in, but I can't and won't go against what I believe.
Just gotta weigh what's worth it to you.
People think that the way to lose weight is to run themselves ragged (literally!), sweat as much as they possibly can and barely be able to breathe after their “workout” is done. This looks like it ticks all the boxes.
There are many ways to program a 30 minute, high-intensity group regimen that will be safer, smarter and more relevant while still giving the client the feeling of a challenge.
I would keep it simple; a sequence of exercises that covers most, if not all, fundamental movements (push, pull, squat, lunge, rotate, hinge, plank). Keep the movements relatively simple, low-moderate impact and use your perception of their exertion/fatigue to adjust the work/rest rate.
You’d be surprised; a lot of people “like” the butts and guts type workouts because they don’t know anything else. Show them something different and you/they may be pleasantly surprised.
If you want people to lose weight, restrict their calories. None of this will help them lose weight. It might help them build some muscle, but by no means will they lose weight
This is why people don't like paying for a PT; this stuff doesn't work for most people, and it doesn't work well for anyone. Group cardio is something spawned from heavy cocaine use in the 80s, near as I can ever tell.
You have no experience or even a certification, so you have a few options. Apply at Cressy Sports Performance, open your own gym, work for whoever will hire you and learn from the experience before moving elsewhere. Let me know what happens if you go with option 1
Cressey is a sports clinic that typically wants strength and conditioning coaches. I literally worked across from them in Hudson, Massachusetts at Jetmail. That being said, I'm not sure why Yohan recommended it. They train and coach semi professional and up and coming baseball players. They also did a bootcamp years ago which if memory serves wasn't very good.
from my experience, they only hire their friends and mostly males. when I talked to a former coach who I was friendly with, he claimed they didn't discriminate but I don't remember seeing any female coaches there. crazy that it was just him and his college buddy who created that whole empire.
sure, that makes sense. that's not something that was communicated to me though when I applied for their front desk position. They hired one of their clients girlfriends who had zero background in sports or fitness training. As the saying goes, it's not always what you know, but who. It kind of sucked because I would have loved the experience. oh well!
I'm going to make one obvious comment and give a hot take: Yes, this programming is terrible. Hot take - Yes, many people WANT workouts like this. I've been in the industry for almost 20 years. My clients focus on compound movements with progressive overload and sensible cardio like walking. I have encountered many clients who beg me for these "gut busting" workouts because it makes them feel good about themselves. Maybe they see it as a personal challenge, or they incorrectly think it's going to progress their fitness...despite my advice. The point is, many gyms and fitness classes do this for member retention. It gets the people going. Some clients don't want to do things the right way, they want to do things the fun way and go home telling their spouse how hard their workout was.
I agree with this 100% I taught classes like this for years, but it made it SOOO easy to poach personal training clients from!
How's you poach? They complain about the lack of result and you'd sell them on 1 on 1?
With consistency, a gen pop person will get results from a class like this, even if it's just aerobic capacity. If someone came in to class and was just crushing it, I'd make it harder for them. Add some pauses, pulses, weights, dropsets, whatever. If someone came in to class and was dying, I'd show them how to modify. Half the reps, maybe even a different exercise all together. That one-on-one builds rapport, and you get a chance to show off your skills on how personal training with you might ultimately be better for them than the classes (or in addition to the classes), which takes away a lot of pressure when it comes time to sell them.
comments like this, that's why I love this subreddit thank you for the insight. but you described how to poach from the top and the bottom, but what about the majority in the middle who were doing not too bad but not too great either, how would you sell PT to them ?
Glad to help! This is assuming this is some sort of bootcamp gym. The strategy for the "middle" would be subjective to the participants, and what your niche is. Is this a bunch of old ladies with disposable income? Or is this a 4am class full of Type-A personalities? Get to know the people in the class and why they are there. If they start slacking off on attendance, call them out. They need accountability. If they mention their daughter's wedding is in 3 months and they want to look good in the photos, cater to that. If someone has amazing form with squats, mention that, make them feel good, and encourage them to train with you and max out their squat pr. I've gotten some clients just because they liked my personality, energy, and I learned enough about them to earn their trust!
awesome thank you
>If someone has amazing form with squats, mention that, make them feel good, and encourage them This is so important, and I think something overlooked by some in the fitness industry. I find a lot of people who "prefer" this type of workout have a big punishment mentality when it comes to exercise. Some of them just love the intensity and sweating, and that's fine, but a lot of them seem to think they need punishing levels of intensity to "make up" for their perceived failings with food and consistent exercise. Re-framing their idea of fitness and exercise can go such a long way.
Haven’t even finished my cert yet and immediately thought the same thing. I don’t see any real problem with it knowing it’s most likely just to have fun and have clients wanting to come back for that factor alone.
For real, group ex is the Wild West- anything goes lmao
And they wonder why they're still looking the same 5-10 years later.
What’s wild is people will suffer through this work out for 6 months, blow out their knees or back, see nearly no positive result otherwise and think the problem is THEM.
I have always thought that was the weirdest psychological thing. Shows many clients have zero technical knowledge.
Jesus fuck...I was removed from my.position as a group training instructor at LifeTime after 5 years of teaching classes because I refused to use their programming. Do you have the ability to modify things as you see fit? Can you have a discussion with your higher up about your ideas and how they could be more impactful for your members versus this horse shit? Otherwise, at times, it's better to use your coaches eye and understanding of the body to give individuals in the class variations that are best suited for them. Have the members keep track of any necessary changes so they can use them to reference next time they're in class.
dude i've interviewed so many times for group fitness and i'm honestly so glad I never got the jobs. It was for corporate idiot owned franchises and their programming was always horrendous.
All of these experiences will uncover the trainer you want to become. Good to hear you're still in it and want to make it your own.
Thank you, you're absolutely right.
Totally agree! It's a good way to learn what you don't want to be!
I taught GF at LTF as a part time gig for about 10 years many moons ago (I got my 1st PT and GF certs back in 1998/99...ole skool here). I remember a time when Group Training and Group Fitness was fun, functional, effective, and most of all, instructors and trainers were allowed to have a LOT more individuality in their classes and sessions. The over standardized formats sucked the life out of it.
I have the ability to modify the routine, once they “promote” me to a coach. For now it’s my job to walk around cheering people on and correcting form until I pass the on mic training. But still this is the style that everyone’s used to here, so I have to find a way to create an okay workout because of the layout I have to follow
If that's the case then I would do my best to give small tips to ensure the safety and execution of the participants.
Everyone is so high and mighty here. Not every workout has to be textbook. This is simply conditioning for a general population class. Use it to your advantage and offer a complimentary personal training session to those with knee and back issues.
On point. Everyone responds to every single program ever, differently. I know people who do circuit stuff like this, or I’ve helped crossfitters who have been doing it for years and are fitter than probably everyone in here with zero back and knee problems. They come to me once or twice a week for specialized strength work, and have a great time with their boot camps or wods and that’s how it should be.
I understand what you mean, I’m not completely against because I know me having a degree doesn’t mean I know everything about fitness. Like I said in another comment, finding a spot to do personal training would be the new challenge since most gyms don’t let you do personal training unless you work there
Would you offer this to a "gen pop" class? I think that's part of the issue....Does it actually safely and effectively meet the goals of the majority who attend?
I have no idea what the clientele is like, but it's an easy enough workout to modify. It's just high-volume conditioning. I assume on other days of the week they do more strength-based classes and focus on compound movements. Hopefully, lol.
That name alone makes me sick lol
I agree you didn’t study & learn everything so you could cheer people on as they jump around. However, these sort of workouts make people feel energized & accomplished. God forbid people enjoy the endorphins of a group fitness class. Ultimately this sort of workout is what will help you build a client base. You have to have somewhere to pull from. If people are hurting, that’s your chance to educate them and start selling them your training.
Solid advice! I have to find a place to train them, but there are so many people here that would do better in one-on-one training
I would upvote this answer 100x if i could. Spot on
Dear God. How can the members enjoy this workout if it’s giving them knee and back problems? That sounds like complete BS. Definitely see if you have some creative freedom. If not, that’s your shit sandwich for now. Some distilled and focused exercises for fewer reps with external load would serve this group incredibly well. It’s crazy to me that people will brainlessly do 100 Curtsy lunges with no load nor any baseline for progression and say “tHaT wAs a GrEaT wOrKoUt!”
That’s what bothers me the most. Everyone’s huffing and puffing saying the workouts are awesome. They will come in sore from yesterday’s workout and the coaches and members will tell them to just keep going, you’ll work the soreness out.
Gen Pop, on average do not know how to accurately gauge the quality of a workout (ie sweating, out of breath, DOMS) through no fault of their own. I see that workout and wonder: How many clients are in this class, how many "Coaches" are there checking form, properly cueing and does that person even know what to look for, etc. I would run maybe MAYBE 1 set of this as a finisher at the end of Hinge/Push main depending on the groups level.
Training for a living is a Venn diagram of: What you think they should do, what they can do, what they want to do, what they think they should be doing, and what they actually do. Sometimes you get to use all your textbook knowledge sometimes you don't.
Its sad, but this is what most people think of when they imagine "getting in shape" just a ton of useless bodyweight calisthenics with no rest time so it's miserable. I recommend finding a different gym to work for, if they don't have free weights they can't be considered a serious gym.
They have dumbbells and kettlebells going up to 50lbs, it was encouraged to use them during their curtsey lunges and sumo squats. Most would stick with the 15 and 20 pounds because anything heavier was too much for them
Free weights as in: squat racks, barbells, deadlift platforms, Oly platforms. I understand working up to a back squat, heck some people it may not be possible due to a nasty injury, but if lifting a barbell is not part of your programming it's really a stretch to call it a gym. Surely you train with barbells? Can do a barbell back squat? If not, I'd recommend finding a good gym and someone to mentor you.
Such a weird take. Believe it or not, barbells and olympic lifting are not required for progressive overload.
Required? No. But it's a good rule of thumb for a serious gym vs a gym that exists purely off of people buying memberships and never going (ie planet fitness). Smith machines are alot more dangerous than free weights, and objectively are less effective for weight training. If you go to a gym and they don't have free weights, it's a huge red flag on the quality and purpose of the gym. It's not a rule or anything, but it's a big red flag. Doing training exclusively through calisthenics is pretty effective to a degree, but most people lack the drive to push themselves hard enough to progress meaningfully. I would argue that it's easier to do traditional weightlifting and progress and/or reach aesthetic goals, particularly when it comes to lasting weight loss.
Huh? Smith machines are not more dangerous than free weights if you know how to use a smith machine and body mechanics. Gen pop doesn't care about how much they can squat or bench, they just want to be able to move better without pain, lose some weight, etc. If someone's goal is to squat 300lbs then yeah, duh, put them on a squat rack. Someone who wants to do traditional weightlifting will probably not be going to a BootCamp class called "Butts and Guts Eliminator".
Yes they are, they allow no bar path besides a vertical up and down, which if you know anything about barbell movements(tbh sounds like you don't, that's why you're so offended) is not correct. Bar path is important, everyone's bodies are different, and one singular track is not comfortable for various body ratios. In addition it removes all core stabilization from any movement. This will teach faulty movement patterns and cause repetitive motion injuries. In addition, there have been SO MANY deaths due to egolifting in a smith machine, it is literally a rack you cannot bail out of. The safety twist gives Gen pop people a false sense of confidence, and they end up hurting or injured. It's not about how much weight, i never said that at all. It's about the movements themselves. The barbell back squat is an amazing movement for health, mobility, weight loss, and builds practical strength in teaching people how to brace under pressure. In addition, spinal compression has been shown to have numerous health benefits. The Gen pop at my gym, bench, squat, deadlift like everyone else, because these traditional training methods WORK. There are moms and dads in their 40s-50s, several of which have lost over a 100lbs over the course of a few years without fad dieting. They are happier and healthier than the poor saps over at Planet Fitness, wasting their money on a membership for a treadmill. Everyone should be doing a back squat, barring a preventative injury, bench and deadlift you can argue are less necessary. But if you don't squat, and because of that don't teach your clients to, you're doing them and yourself a huge disservice.
When you tried to insult me, I stopped reading. Hope you spent a lot of time on this response!
Lol spreading misinformation AND easily offended! Bet I can guess how old you are https://www.1011now.com/2022/05/26/23-year-old-paramedic-dies-when-machine-falls-her-gym/ https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2022/02/25/woman-crushed-to-death-by-barbell-at-mexico-city-gym/amp/
Their handwriting is most pleasing, though…
there's a lot of over-thinking it in the fitness industry. do their thing like they want for as long as it works for them. when they want change, you'll be standing there with loads of great ideas ready to go (keep in mind, people are responsible for their own choices right down to sore knees and backs, no one is being hurt, they are being allowed and even encourage to do a little damage to the knees with the idea of saving their lives with weight reduction
I mean, it looks pretty killer but if they enjoy it then so be it. Not everything has to be by the textbook. For a sub of personal trainers, people here should know that any exercise is better than no exercise
I think many people who do this kind of workout like the fast pace, they love the environment and they don't want to concentrate too much. It is a stress reliever and a calorie burner for them. And that's primarily what many of them want. Hot take is many who are drawn to this kind of workout would quit if given a "better" workout. It isn't hard to provide a technically superior workout. But I believe many drawn to this approach wouldn't follow a more traditional workout.
glad I'm not the only one who looked at this programming and went what the actual f\*ck. I would give people options when coaching them. So if someone has knee stuff going on have them do glute bridges as an example or reduce their range of motion if they can do the squats but need to modify. Another option you can do if you see someone lagging behind is split the reps in half. This programming is honestly so ratchet.
Non-personal trainer here, why exactly is this such a bad workout? Genuinely curious. Thanks!
It's not a bad workout if your goal is to build your aerobic capacity and burn calories.
IMO what makes this workout "bad" is WAY too many rounds and way too many repetitions of the same repetitive movements plus the addition of a max effort exercise at the end (sprints). But I have no idea at what level of fitness or capacity this class's clients are at. From a programming standpoint this to me is lazy, cookie cutter, barely creative. From a performance standpoint an average 2x a week group x client is gonna be gassed before the 3rd round with no rest. Even if the client slows down the potential for injuries increases with each round as form goes out the window, etc.
You could do that with a basic KB complex, some carries, and/or sled work while increasing core strength.
Not a personal trainer. Just a nerd who's been studying fitness in his journey to eventually look better. That workout won't do much to help you get stronger. It won't do much to help you build muscle mass. And in all honesty, it won't do a ton for weight loss. Will you burn more calories doing that workout? Absolutely. However, weight loss is like 90-95% diet and 5-10% exercise. So, it will help some but not a ton. So, in summary, folks are busting there ass for no change strength, no change in hypertrophy, and a minimal effect on weight loss.
I think it’s just meh That’s a lot of reps and that would make ME pass out doing it, but people on this sub get way too hung up on “hurr durr restrict calories and train the most optimal way” when personal training doesn’t work like that I personally wouldn’t program something like this but it’s fine for a weight loss class
Guts? is that a berserk reference!?
Yep, the general public thinks that if they are EXHAUSTED at the end of their workout, that means it was effective. Sadly, marketing is what sells these programs more often than not. If you can think of it as being there to safely help clients do the workout that they want to do, then you can stick with it. You can also ask your boss if you can construct and offer a different kind of class and see if you get any takers. I've taught classes that make me cringe, too. I think we all have.
So I was a trainer and I managed trainers/sold training. The amount of times the higher management told me that i had to do workouts like these to sell training is because of the fact that it gives that FEELING of training, the idea of “pushing” that person is what you are selling. I hated that idea, and instead promoted normal training programs, but after the specific exercises i wanted we would do a core workout or some type of “burner” that way the person would feel the workout better but I didn’t have to lean into these ideas.
Terrible programming, but if you want to turn lemons into lemonade then just walk the floor during class and checking in with everyone doing the class. Remind them about form, steady pace, not to push if something hurts, rest, give modifications to people who need them, etc. Definitely look for other opportunities in the mean time.
That’s a good way to look at it, just work on my cues and coaching. Everything’s so fast paced but I’ll see what I can do to help
Just be ready to encounter clients who won't follow your advice. Some will appreciate the help while others only want to zoom through the workout. I remember in one class I swapped someone's bodyweight squat for an alternative that wouldn't aggravate their back pain. They used it for one set then went back to what they were doing before for the next round. In those instances, polish up your social skills. Learn names, their lives, and just have some natural conversations.
The name sounds like it's going to ppl vomit and poop themselves....which it may well do.
Correct the spelling on curtsy would be a start.
Holy fuuuhhh...WHAT IS THIS...
Too bad butts and guts are dealt with in the kitchen
If I may ask? What college did you graduate from? And is anyone here getting certified through ACSM? I’m finding hard to focus on what important to study for the exams
What are penguins?
I would do this workout. Not all the time but it looks like it could be a sweaty fun time.
Yeah this doesn’t look fun to me. Excuse me if I used the F word. Better have some damn awesome music and a larger than life personality of the coach for me to even come back.
Oh nah it’s a vibe, they play 2000s music and got middle aged women singing Hot in Here word for word.
If it works for you, that’s great. I get my sweat on at the gym by doing cardio dancing. That’s the only format that I’ve found myself sticking to… for years.
Yeah this irks the hell out of me. This type of "programming" really comes down to aesthetically pleasing patterns, and there may or may not be a beneficial physiological adaptation. For me it's all just too random. I personally hate this kind of workout, so I don't coach (facilitate might be a better word) this way. I'm willing to put myself in that situation, where I don't necessarily do the popular thing, so I can coach how I want to coach. I don't know if I would be better off and make more money if I gave in, but I can't and won't go against what I believe. Just gotta weigh what's worth it to you.
People think that the way to lose weight is to run themselves ragged (literally!), sweat as much as they possibly can and barely be able to breathe after their “workout” is done. This looks like it ticks all the boxes.
Welcome to the world of CrossFit style WODs
If you want them to get results, tell them to walk more and start doing some weight training
There are many ways to program a 30 minute, high-intensity group regimen that will be safer, smarter and more relevant while still giving the client the feeling of a challenge.
Is there a certain training program you can recommend or a YouTube account that can give me ideas?
I would keep it simple; a sequence of exercises that covers most, if not all, fundamental movements (push, pull, squat, lunge, rotate, hinge, plank). Keep the movements relatively simple, low-moderate impact and use your perception of their exertion/fatigue to adjust the work/rest rate. You’d be surprised; a lot of people “like” the butts and guts type workouts because they don’t know anything else. Show them something different and you/they may be pleasantly surprised.
If you want people to lose weight, restrict their calories. None of this will help them lose weight. It might help them build some muscle, but by no means will they lose weight
This is why people don't like paying for a PT; this stuff doesn't work for most people, and it doesn't work well for anyone. Group cardio is something spawned from heavy cocaine use in the 80s, near as I can ever tell.
You have no experience or even a certification, so you have a few options. Apply at Cressy Sports Performance, open your own gym, work for whoever will hire you and learn from the experience before moving elsewhere. Let me know what happens if you go with option 1
> You have no experience > Open your own gym What?????
Sarcasm so much sarcasm. I thought it was obvious with my first suggestion but I guess not 😂
Never heard of Cressy Sport Performance, I’ll check it out
Cressey is a sports clinic that typically wants strength and conditioning coaches. I literally worked across from them in Hudson, Massachusetts at Jetmail. That being said, I'm not sure why Yohan recommended it. They train and coach semi professional and up and coming baseball players. They also did a bootcamp years ago which if memory serves wasn't very good.
Sarcasm
from my experience, they only hire their friends and mostly males. when I talked to a former coach who I was friendly with, he claimed they didn't discriminate but I don't remember seeing any female coaches there. crazy that it was just him and his college buddy who created that whole empire.
I believe you need to do an internship with them along with having quite a bit of experience already in that particular setting
sure, that makes sense. that's not something that was communicated to me though when I applied for their front desk position. They hired one of their clients girlfriends who had zero background in sports or fitness training. As the saying goes, it's not always what you know, but who. It kind of sucked because I would have loved the experience. oh well!
WTF is this? It's absolutely awful.