Resistance training: Can we agree that meaningful goals and long term benefits lie beyond the next 6-8 weeks of any given exercise progression?
With this in mind, we owe it to ourselves and our clients to lay out and consider a plan for resistance training for the long term – for life.
Let’s say that an admirable goal for resistance training would be to express your maximum physical potential at some point in time.
[Let’s also suggest that we’ve moved on from slapping 1RM’s on clients across the board as the definition of this max, and that we’d instead consider their essence and function in defining it for each individual].
As with any long term goal, creating a pathway towards it throws up questions and challenges. In this case…
How can our clients express a true max potential of strength without movement quality?
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How can they refine movement quality without years of play, exploration and intentional practice.
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How can we support them in their practice and refinement of movement over time in a chaotic environment that doesn’t honour the individual?
The answer is to move away from entertainment in fitness; the show; and instead move our culture towards deeper meaning and connection to the process [as cliche and as that has become].
The process here is known…
Motor Control —> Muscle Endurance —> Strength Endurance —> Absolute Strength
There’s literally years of progression, exploration and refinement here. Progression that should be understood and corrected for as competency of the client builds, and therefore challenge for them shifts to the right.
Back to your plan…
Do this for every movement pattern in order to develop a deeper understanding and respect for the timescales and progressions involved.
Then, and this is the tricky bit, consider what needs to change in your current system in order to facilitate this progression for each individual that walks through your door.
This is a ‘once you’ve seen it you can’t un-see it’ scenario.
With that in mind, if you have no intention in guiding your clients towards meaningful long term progress, I wouldn’t touch this exercise with a barge pole.
If your will is to become a leading personal trainer, whilst you’re here be sure to check out our Level 3 Personal Trainer Course.