Be the best dang machine trainer in the world!

I remember my good friend and fellow performance coach Jeff Higuera saying “if you believe in machine based training, then be the best dang machine trainer in the world.” This stuck with me, not because I believe in machine training but because I believe that there is a place for all of us to coexist in this training world. There are so many different training methods and beliefs out there: functional training, west side, bilateral or unilateral, stable or unstable, cross fit the list can go on and on. As a trainer and a coach it is vital that we believe in what we do wherever we fall in this spectrum. I do not think it is our role to tell everyone else that they are wrong and they need to do it our way! I know many people who do things different from me who are booked solid, get results from their clients and make a positive impact in the training world. These people are educated in what they do, believe 100% in what their programs, and their clients buy in to what they do. So, who am I to tell them that they are wrong when they are getting the desired results for their clients? Not my place, not my role. We can disagree and with each other in this field, in fact I think it is healthy and needed in order for each of us to grow. At the same time, we can respect each other’s believes and all exist in this training world where we all seem to be right but all seem to be wrong at the same time!

As a trainer/coach we should have these 4 things in our training programs:

1

.     Know the why: One thing that I always tell a new trainer is to know why they are doing a specific exercise. I remember getting started in training 8 years ago and being so excited and overwhelmed with all of the information out there in regards to training. Looking back we had people doing drills and exercises that we really had no reason for. They were something that we saw and thought was good for our client but we did not know the why. If you know how to teach squats, push-ups and pull ups then teach these drills to the best of your ability. As your “tool box” expands you will have more knowledge to expand your exercise selection with your clients. If you are constantly learning then you will constantly be expanding the list of exercises that you have available to you.

2

 .       Safe and Effective: Our roles as trainers and coaches are to help our clients move, feel and perform better. If your exercise selections are safe, effective and help your clients to perform in their desired task then it is a good program. Coach your clients on these exercises that you have them doing to the best of your ability and watch them improve in these areas.

3

.       Progressive:  In my opinion this is what training boils down too. Do you as a trainer know how to take a client from where they are to where they want to go in a progressive manner? This takes time and planning as well as knowledge of how to regress someone when needed and when to progress them when they are ready. Taking time to write down your progressions for the major movements in your program is a good place to start with progressions. We always tell new trainers to write the exercise for a 100 year old lady and for a NFL football player as well as everyone in between.

4

.       Belief: Do you the trainer and the clients believe with every ounce of your sole that the program that is in place is great? If so, and they meet the criteria above then go for it! I believe in our program with all my heart, I know that it produces results for our clients and the proof is out on the field of play every time one of our athletes goes out to compete! More importantly our athletes and corporate athletes believe in what we do, and feel that they are unstoppable when it’s time to perform. This belief is the key to success in a training program.  Which takes me back to the beginning, if you believe with all of your heart in training people on machines then “be the best dang machine trainer in the world!”

Happy training!

Coach Hunter Wood