Dear Fitness Trainer
Dear Fitness Trainer,
I love people who inspire others to be healthier, to get more out of their life and to enjoy the journey. This absolutely includes fitness trainers : )
Unfortunately, sometimes, as people work to be fitter, the get injured. This, of course, sucks because they are putting time and energy and often money into fitness to be able to get more out of life, not watch from the side lines.
In my office I see definite patterns of injury that are a result of exercise. I would love to share with you my insights so you might be able to head these injuries off at the pass, keep you clients coming back to class and building on success.
1. One of your most vulnerable students is the one who has a desk job, maybe a commute, so sits most of the day, with an athletic history and competitive nature. This person is going to have tight hip flexors and a weak core but they can muscle through the work out and will, so as to get as hard of a work out as they can. **** For this client it is important to not use cues like “level 1”, “level 2” or modified because they will always choose “level 2” or non-modified, even if their form goes to heck to get it done. Instead, I might suggest you cue them where to feel the exercise. Take a boat pose for example: help your clients understand that the muscles meant to be working are the abdominals and if they feel the strain in their back or gripping at the hips, then, to get the benefit of the exercise they must bend at the knees or lower one or both legs until the discomfort is back into the stomach where it should be. You can use humour and call the pose with toes touching the “hockey player boat”. It is important that you are watching form and not trying to get in your own personal minute in a boat pose. Correct for rounded spines, raised traps and watch for anyone trying to stretch through their back after the exercise.
2. Especially for participants new to fitness, never assume they understand your cues. Standard cues like: “retract your shoulders”, “pelvic tilt”, “tighten your core” mean nothing if you do not have that body awareness and understanding. Get creative with ways to help them understand but they must understand.
3. Even if you are cueing brilliantly, never assume that the participant is listening. She or he might be thinking through their grocery list or distracted thinking about a sick parent. It is your job to keep them present and safe, physically help them and gently guide those shoulders away from their ears or track their knees over their toes.
4. I alluded to this before but please remember you are not there for your own work out.
5. If it was up to me there would be no more “sit ups”. Again, in general, we are dealing with a population with shortened, tightened flexors anyway. Let’s strengthen the core in length – plank and all it’s glorious variations are perfect. If our action muscles get strong without our foundation muscles there to stabilize us, injury is likely. Plus, with those postural muscles stronger, you set them up to have less damage done during all of those hours sitting.
6. Share, and remind yourself of, the importance of mobility and flexibility exercises. Calorie burning and strength building exercises are important but without mobility and flexibility we cannot age well.
7. Continually get feedback on where your participants are feeling an exercise. If in a hinged tricep extension their back is screaming more than their triceps…modifications are required. You won’t know if you don’t ask.
So there you go, 7 thoughts for you to take back to your gym or studio or park. I hope that serves you and those who you serve; keep up the great work,
Your Partner in Health,
Angela Macdonald
Great article!