I am often asked, "How exactly do you train clients over the telephone? It seems so abstract: how is it that you are able to elicit big gains on such a consistent, across-the-board basis and amongst all ages and among people with such varying degrees of fitness and un-fitness?"
47 years of experience helps. In that time I have developed an intuitive sense in all things fitness-related and this has empowered me with an intuitive ability to tweak progress through the manipulation of the "three levers of progress," i.e. resistance training, cardiovascular training and nutrition.
The fourth lever of progress is the psychological element and my interaction with the client/student is a case study in applied psychology: I get a sense of the trainee and become attuned to their situation.
The biggest mistake made by personal trainers nationwide is they try and jam square pegs (their clients) into round holes (their system) and the end result of this one-size-fits-all approach is that a very small percentage of their clients reap the results they sought or had come to expect. Most clients drop out within the first month. They quit because they are unable to adapt to the stringency and inflexibility of "The System."
I too have a system. However an integral part of my system is a strategy called 'creeping incrementalism' wherein the trainee is initially taught a sound technical base using light weights and high reps. Cardio modes are simplistic; duration is short, intensity is mild and overall the trainee is encouraged to develop a 'feel' for the movements and the techniques before we push the intensity accelerator to the floor.
Modern Personal Trainers basically have one speed and one system and typically throw their clients into the proverbial deep end of the pool in session one on day one, allowing no gradual acclimatization. I am flexible, pliable, mobile and nuanced. In our initial nutritional strategy we start broad and easy before becoming narrow and focused. Zen Master Suzuki was once asked, "What is the best way to train the mind?" He replied, "Give your cow a large pasture to graze in." That sums up my initial approach towards an "eating strategy." All things fitness-related will become increasingly more intense and focused over a protracted period of time as we delve ever deeper into the process. Once easy benchmarks are established we stair-step our way ever upward, using innovative periodization tactics applied to all three disciplines. This week I offer a 'snapshot' of a new client in his 1st week...
Don from Dallas
A father of three boys, this 39 year old, ex-Division II football player ballooned up to 300 pounds (from 230) over the last four years. He wrote me seeking help and seemed ready, willing and able to make a dramatic change. I felt he was smart and determined. I will guide the reader through my initial contact with Dan and onward through his first training session...
Mr. Gallagher,
I bought your book The Purposeful Primitive. I am a father of 3 boys ages 15, 10 and 3. All are very active. My two older sons wrestle at a fairly elite level so I suggested that they let me train them. My 15 year old is about 118 pounds and has gotten progressively stronger using your 3 day per week Purposefully Primitive method. His cleans and squats have really improved. My 10 year old is doing "body weight" work, dips, push ups, pull ups, swings with a 15 pound kettle bell and some squats with a curl bar (very light, good form). Doing this has brought into sharp relief the degree to which I have let myself go. I am nearly 300 pounds and stand just 6 feet tall. I am sure I am courting diabetes, heart disease and a number of complications that come from being this heavy. Although I do not let them know, being this heavy dominates my mind. They can plainly see my lack of conditioning when we are throwing the football outside or wrestling in the living room. So I find myself avoiding these things and this is what I cannot stand. I played Division II college football and as recently as four years ago I raced mountain bikes. I was about 230 when I raced and I loved it. I have all the equipment I need - A stationary bike, a water rower, kettlebells, a two year membership at a local fitness club (ironic) and an Olympic weight set. Most of all I have reached the point where not doing anything is not an option. My health is impacting my job, my family and almost everything I come into contact with. I am asking for your help as it is plain to me that I need a "coach" to break out of this. Any consideration you could give this would be appreciated.
Hey Don,
My approach for you would be to use "power walking" combined with a purposefully limited menu of weight training exercises. We would "underpin" the training with a nutritional approach that would have you eating lots of lean protein and fibrous carbs. You sound extremely motivated and that is the single most important factor. How is your work situation? Would it be possible to do some early morning cardio? It is ideal if you are able to start your day (before breakfast) with 30 minutes (we can build up to this duration) of cardio exercise. Perhaps we could use the stationary bike or water rower as walking outside in the dark this time of year is out of the question.
Okay Don, if you have the situation, desire and are really ready to take this down, we can shave off a massive amount of fat while simultaneously adding functional muscle...I look forward to hearing from you. Don committed and after a lengthy phone conversation he took his first workout and relayed his initial workout results...
My first day of training was 11-18-08 and I weighed 287 pounds. Day I Cardio was riding my stationary bike for 30 minutes: this was a long 30 minutes! I tried to stay between 80 and 90 RPM on the pedal stroke. I kept waiting for the initial thigh burn to go away (back when I was mountain biking, after about 20 minutes the burn used to go away) - no such luck today! My heart rate stayed at around 138 - 144 for most of the ride. The last three minutes I started to feel like I could catch a groove-but I was too gassed. I rested until my Heart Rate came down to about 118. My cardio stats were...
Duration: 30 minutes, 35 seconds
Average Heart Rate for session: 144 beats per minute
Percent of Age-related HR maximum: 79%
Calories burned in 30 minutes: 545
I then started to lift...
My e-mail comments: Great job on the bike ride. We actually might need to back that duration down a tad. I need you to take a 60 second Heart Rate test: next time you ride the bike, at the end of the session MAX OUT! Go as hard and as fast as you can and peak you heart rate. Stop and dismount. At the instant you finish the sprint, look at your heart rate monitor: what does it say? How many beats per minute are you at? Exactly 60 seconds later take a second heart rate reading. Subtract the two numbers. If, for example, when you 'peak out' the heart rate at 177 beats per minute, and exactly 60 seconds later your heart rate is at 150 beats per minute, that is a 27 beat per minute drop. The bigger the drop the better shape the person is in. The less the heart drops, the less fit the individual. Over time we want to create ever bigger 60-second heart rate drops. Let's check the 60-second drop rate now, at the beginning of our journey.
Prescription for the next session: reduce duration to 25 minutes @ 75% ARHR max
...After my cardio bike ride I performed the three lifts as we discussed: the 'no-weight, ultra-deep pause squat, the paused bench press and the Sumo deadlift...
The ultra-deep pause squats were a lot harder than I thought they would be...
Set I 20 reps - not bad, I was thinking
Set II 16 reps - my thighs were burning!
Set III 11reps - I felt really fatigued! I actually did 13 reps but my form was so bad on the last two that I did not count them.
My e-mail comments: Progressive resistance training requires we create muscular stress; without "hard" and "stressful" there is no muscle growth. These squats are difficult because your torso weighs a lot: it's one thing for a 100 pound woman to not have too much difficulty doing ultra-deep pause squats - what does her torso weigh? Maybe 50 pounds? What does your torso weigh? 150? 200? Make sure the torso remains vertical during the ascent! Don't allow bad form to creep in. If you start to come up and the legs fail to push you through - then FAIL! End the set right there! Yes you can squeeze out more reps using bad form but we don't do that as that ingrains bad habits! A lot of your leg fatigue on the second and third set can be traced back to your pre-workout bike ride: you pre-fatigued your legs. Next time I would strongly suggest you lift first (which will boost the heart rate) then hit the cardio afterwards.
Prescription for next session: 3 sets of 20 reps
Barbell Bench Press with a pause
Set I 135 x 10 reps
No problem - per your instructions I "pulled down" on the bar rather than just lowering it. I paused each rep for a full 1second count. I made a complete contraction at the top.
Set II 135 x 10 reps
I was definitely feeling weaker on this set - but all reps were completed and all 10 reps were locked out solid at completion.
Set III 135 x 10 reps
First 8 reps were solid; paused and locked out completely - the last two reps were shaky but completed and form stayed true.
Great bench pressing! Pulling the poundage down makes it harder which is exactly why we do it! After the pause, explode that poundage upward. Inhale mightily on bench descent, (ditto the squat) inhale like you were trying to suck all the air out of the room.
Prescription for next session: 145 for three sets of 8 reps
Sumo Deadlift
Set I 135 x 5 reps
Set II 135 x 5 reps
Set III 135 x 5 reps
All three sets were comfortable and rock solid. These felt good. I could have gone heavier but I was happy concentrating on form - for now.
My e-mail reply: Big guys like the Sumo: I suspect you are a natural squatter and puller. Remember: we treat the Sumo as if it were a 'reverse squat.' At the start, look up, torso erect; power the bar off the platform using leg power alone: knees are forced out on ascent and descent. Lower so slowly that when the plates touch the platform they barely make a sound. Fire erect!
Prescription for next session: three sets of 5 with 165 pounds
Nutritional Prescription: Replace as many refined carbs, sugar and starch calories as possible with protein calories and fiber calories. Don't slash calories! I want a three pound bodyweight loss this week - no more, no less! Weigh today and in seven days come in three pounds lighter! You may have a ½ day "cheat day." Give me 6.5 days eating 'clean' and you can take Friday, Saturday or Sunday afternoon and have pizza, beer, sweets, whatever - just get back on the wagon the next day. PS - I DO NOT want more than a three pound weight loss. If you cut weight too quickly you'll lose muscle. Our goal is not body weight loss our goal is body fat loss. The goal is to melt off fat while simultaneously building muscle and power. Cutting calories too much too quickly destroys the metabolism. Eat! But eat mostly protein and fiber! Some fat is fine but if the meal has saturated fat in it avoid bread and starchy carb calories. Try and ditch manmade refined foods. Give me three pounds this week - no more no less - no matter what!
Anyone wanting to become a 'phone-train' client of Marty Gallagher can contact him at MGSO@embarqmail.com.
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