personal training – Tony Gentilcore

How Much Weight Should I Use? (revisted)

There are few questions that illicit my inner Jaws theme music than the title of this blog post. Other nominations include

Hey, do you do CrossFit? – DA NUM

So I saw something on Instagram about this detox tea that supposedly makes you shit out your spleen, but whatever. I heard it’s totally healthy and worth it. Thoughts? – DAAAAAA NUM

Babe, can you empty the dishwasher? – DA NUM, DA NUM, DA NUM, DA NUM, DA NUM…

Admittedly, it comes across as a bit weird and hoity toity that I’d roll my eyes at such an obvious question I’d receive given what I do to pay my bills. I mean, would an accountant be so crass as to be annoyed at a client asking whether or not they deducted business expenses from their taxes? Would a family doctor not expect to be pelted with questions about cholesterol or how to manage diabetes on a daily basis?

Would Han Solo be irked about constantly bragging about completing the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs?

I think not!

It all comes with the territory and is part of the job.¹

To that end, I try my best to be a reliable source of information for my clients and I try to keep things as simple as possible. We live in an era where OVER information is a thing and it’s not surprising to me that so many people are confused and seemingly paralyzed over something as inane and common sense as to whether or not an apple is viewed as a viable snack (and that eating it, despite (evil word) glyphosate!, you won’t cause you to grow a third nipple).

One question I receive on an almost weekly (if not daily) basis is ~~can your pecs cut diamonds?~~ how much weight should I be using on this exercise?

Again, it’s a very relevant question to ask given what I do for a living, and one that, unfortunately, takes a little time to answer. When working with people in person I have this handy protocol I like to call “coaching” where I’m able to give them instant feedback on a set-by-set basis.

I’ll tell them to increase/decrease/or maintain weight on any given exercise as I see fit.

Sometimes I give them a sense of autonomy and allow them to choose how much weight feels comfortable to them (and allows them to execute good form), and then we just make an effort to increase the load in subsequent sessions.

The idea is to give them a maximal training effect using the minimum effective dose without causing harm or pain. Challenge people, encourage progressive overload, but not to the point where they feel like they can’t feel the right side of their face during their workout.

Pretty self-explanatory stuff. Also, here’s a hint: if your client can’t feel their face, please call an ambulance.

Where things get tricky is when people are on their own and don’t have someone telling them what to do.

What then?

Here Are Some Options/Considerations/Whathaveyou

For Beginner Lifters

I like two options:

1. Pick Something

As I alluded to above, just have them (or you yourself) choose a weight that you KNOW can be done with good technique and feels “doable” to them. The research is pretty hefty on this front…

…beginners can use as low as 40% of their 1-rep max on any given exercise and still see strength gains.

In other words, they can look at a dumbbell and get stronger.

You DO NOT need to load them very aggressively at the start. The goal should be to acclimate them to what it feels like to be under load and to build familiarity with the exercise.

Progress from there.

2. Provide a Rep Window

Once the initial shock of lifting heavy things has passed and you’re gaining some competence then what I prefer to do is give a “rep-window” to adhere to. In simplest terms let’s say someone’s program says to perform three sets of bench press at 8-12 repetitions (the rep window).

The goal would be to stay with the same load until the upper rep limit is attained on every set. This could take anywhere from one session to several weeks. With the latter it may look something like this:

Week 1

– Set #1: 175×12
– Set #2: 175×10
– Set #3: 175×9

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDVuQi4gdtk

Week 2

– Set #1: 175×12
– Set #2: 175×10
– Set #3: 175×10

Week 3

– Set #1: 175×12
– Set #2: 175×12
– Set #3: 175×10

Week 4

– Set #1: 175×12
– Set #2: 175×12
– Set #3: 175×12

NOW the weight can be increased 5-10 lbs. and you start the process all over again.

ADDENDUM: While this approach works very well 95% of the time, one thing you have to consider is that some people will invariably undershoot themselves. You’ll give them a rep range to follow (8-12) and they will follow it (increasing load accordingly), but they’ll end up using a load that they can easily perform 20 reps with. Alas, it’s human nature to take the path of least resistance. In this case what I like to do is to toss in a pop-quiz of sorts and to test them to see if they’re pushing themselves enough. On their last set I’ll instruct them to do an AMRAP (As Many Sets As Possible) set. Ideally, if they’re locked in it should look something like 12-10-9-8. If they’re fudging it, it will look something like 10-10-10-17.

Cue death stare here.

For Intermediate Lifters

To set the tone, to me, an intermediate lifter is someone who has had at least 2+ years of (serious) strength under their belt. Meaning, they’ve made a concerted effort to consistently train with barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, machines, not Orange Theory for a minimum of two years.

At this point we’re likely past the point of utilizing a rep window to direct loading and we need something that takes into account day to day and week to week fluctuations in energy levels, stress levels, and general fuckery.

As I have been known to say in the past: some days we show up to the gym feeling like Thanos with all the Infinity Stones in hand and we can push the envelop with our training. Other days, not so much.

The stronger one gets and the more stress they’re putting on their body, the more important it is to understand that the “juice” isn’t always going to be there and that sometimes it’s just a matter of getting some quality reps in rather than hitting a pre-prescribed load or rep range. To steal a saying from a long-time colleague of mine, and owner of Bonvec Strength (located in western Massachusetts), Tony Bonvechio:

You need to teach people how to load themselves rather than telling them.

One tool to accomplish this is using the RPE or Rate of Perceived Exertion (although I prefer to say Effort) system.

Popularized by renowned strength coach, Mike Tuchscherer, the RPE system is a rating system that describes how hard or how much effort you should be applying to a lift.

Generally speaking it looks like this:

RPE 10: Maximal, no reps left in the tank

RPE 9: Last rep is tough but still one rep left in the tank

RPE 8: Weight is too heavy to maintain fast bar speed but isn’t a struggle; 2–4 reps left

RPE 7: Weight moves quickly when maximal force is applied to the weight; “speed weight”

RPE 6: Light speed work; moves quickly with moderate force

RPE 5: Most warm-up weights

RPE 4: Recovery; usually 20 plus rep sets; not hard but intended to flush the muscle

An RPE below four isn’t important.

So for example I may write in a program something like this:

A. Work up to 1×5 @ RPE 8 on Deadlift

B. then accumulate 15 total reps at 90% of top set above (3×5 or 5×3)

In this case if someone ends up ramping up to 1×5 @ 275 on their deadlift (at an RPE 8), then that means they’ll follow that with 3×5 or 5×3 at 90% of 275 which is 245-250 lbs. In this scenario I know that all subsequent repetitions are likely going to be “fast,” clean, and pristine and give the lifter an opportunity to accumulate training volume that won’t destroy him or her in the long-run.

To quote Coach Tuscherer:

If the RPE system seems awkward at first, don’t worry. You’ll get used to it and be able to use it quickly. An easy way to gauge the RPE of a set is to ask yourself how many more reps you could’ve done with a particular weight. This tends to be tough for the training hotheads who always want to go heavy but also for the timid who are afraid to push themselves. You must be disciplined to use this method effectively!

Is this approach perfect and a panacea for everyone. No. But I do find it provides a sound base for trainees to work off of and teaches them to listen to their bodies.

But like many people, I just haaaaaate repeating myself. I can thank the PTSD I got from working at Hollywood Video while in college and having to incessantly repeat myself on a Friday night to annoyed customers that Shrek 2 wasn’t available to rent. ↩︎

January 8, 2025January 8, 2025 Tony Gentilcore

personal training

Vetting Your Personal Trainer

I became a personal trainer and coach back in 2002. Shows like Alias and 24 were all the rage, *NSYNC still had Justin Timberlake, and The Two Towers was rocking my world. So much so that I went to the theater to see it like four times.¹

Admittedly, it seems like eons ago. I mean social media didn’t exist back then. Or Warby Parker for that matter!

Needless to say in the 20+ years I’ve been in “the biz,” I’ve seen my fair share of good trainers which make me proud to be in the industry, and bad trainers who make me sometimes want to light my face on fire.

I could sit here and type endlessly about the traits I feel any “good” trainer should encompass: a basic understanding of anatomy, movement, and program design would be a swell start. Do they look the part? As callous and nebulous as it may come across – what does looking the part even mean? – my friend Bryan Krahn hits the nail on the head:

“In the fitness industry, appearances matter. Now, that doesn’t mean six-pack abs or muscles the size of boulders need to be prerequisites for the job. But your trainer should be healthy with a physique that suggests some level of mastery in his chosen field. If they talk the talk, they should walk the walk.”

Do they dress professionally or as if they just stepped out of an MMA class? Are they punctual? Are they prepared and organized? Do they take the time to ask questions and perform some semblance of an initial assessment? Unfortunately I’ve witnessed a few trainers in my time do nothing more than demonstrate how to insert the pins on various Cybex machines as part of their “thorough assessment.”

Why not just make paper airplanes for an hour?

Are they friendly, personable, able to exhibit some empathy, and maybe most important of all, just generally a non-douchy person to be around? Because, lets be honest, no one wants to train with an asshole, much less pay for it.

All, I believe, in a slightly tongue-in-cheek way, are relevant questions and observations to note when deciding who to hire as your personal trainer. I find it weird how some people are more diligent with who changes the oil in their car more so than who’s in charge of telling them what to do with their own body.

Some Other Stuff to Consider

Finding the right personal trainer that fits your goals and needs can be just as much of a nuisance as car shopping. Granted few things are as annoying as car shopping – save for an uncontrollable eye twitch or yet another Taylor Swift song about breaking up with a dude (all of our fingers are crossed Travis) – and you (generally) don’t have to deal with the shady salesmen antics when seeking out a quality trainer.

However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be on guard and go out of your way to be a more proactive consumer when hiring a personal trainer. Consider many people shell out upwards of $60-$90 per session (sometimes more depending on one’s location), it only makes sense to try to get the most for your personal training buck.

Two Questions to Ask a Trainer

Omitting the obvious questions such as “are you certified?(1)” or “do you have any references/testimonials to share?(2)” or “what’s your favorite hip hop album of all time?(3)” here are a handful of less common (albeit no less important) questions to ask a someone you’re considering in hiring.

(1) = Being certified is a “must have” when vetting a trainer. Gold standard certifications in the industry are NSCA, ACE, ISSA, NASM, and ACSM. Also, I believe any trainer who has gone through the Show Up Fitness course(s) is more than qualified as well.

(2) = Just having a few letters next to their name doesn’t mean much. Do they place a premium on continuing education? When’s the last time they attended a national conference? What’s the last book they read? Do they have a list of current clients you can contact about their own experience with this trainer? All are pertinent questions to ask, and questions any trainer should be able to answer without hesitation.

(3) = anything by Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, Gang Starr, or not anything past 1996 are acceptable answers here.

“Do You Workout Yourself?”

I understand it comes across as a bit uncouth or oxymoron(ish) to ask a trainer/coach if (s)he workouts. It’s analogous to asking Jason Bourne whether or not he knows where all the exit routes are when he enters a room, but it’s unsettling how often this happens.

Before co-founding my own facility in 2007 I worked in numerous commercial gyms beforehand, and it amazed me how many colleagues never worked out.

I’m not referring to looking the part (I.e., fit), which has already been covered above.

I’m referring to personal trainers who literally do not exercise themselves!

It’s a blunt question to ask, but if you’re going to spend good money hiring a trainer, do you really want someone to be in charge of your body who doesn’t practice what they preach?

“What’s Your Training Philosophy?

Likewise, it’s also smart to ask what a trainer’s general training philosophy is.

Are they someone who places an emphasis on strength training or are they more endurance based?

Do they include a thorough assessment – movement screens, going over injury and training history, etc – as part of their approach? If not, I’d say “bye, Felicia” and shop elsewhere.

More importantly, if they’re a competitive powerlifter, bodybuilder, figure competitor, or CrossFitter (to give a few examples), do they have the ability to separate their own training preferences to yours?

What good does it do you if you’re interested in improving your deadlift and squat numbers and your trainer has you performing a “bicep day” because it was his bicep day?

Or maybe you’re goal is to add some strength training to help you prepare for a half marathon. If so, why are you doing all these crazy MetCon workouts and kipping pull-ups?

The point is: your trainer should cater to YOUR training towards YOUR needs and goals. Not their own

Bonus: One Question a Trainer Should Never Ask You.

I can’t begin to tell you how many times I heard this question being asked when I worked in various commercial gyms.

A client would walk in, greet their trainer, and the trainer would then ask….

“So, what do you want to do today?”

Um, isn’t that what you’re paying THEM to figure out? That’s like me walking into my accountant’s office and him looking at me and saying, “so, you read up on all those new tax codes?”

This comes down to my comment above regarding organization and preparedness. Whomever you hire should have a game plan.

They should be writing programs not workouts!

This isn’t to say they shouldn’t ask for your feedback or insight on any given day – maybe you were up late the night prior with a sick kid or you had a long day at work and were thiiis close to ending your boss’s life – which may require tweaking that particular day’s session.

However, in the grand scheme of things, they should be prepared a head of time. With few exceptions they shouldn’t be “winging it.”

And, as you can guess, I was a massive hit with the ladies. ↩︎

November 14, 2024November 14, 2024 Tony

Program Design

Subtle Tricks to Increase Motivation With Personal Training Clients

Being married to a psychologist has it’s disadvantages:

I have to talk about my feelings.
All
of
the
time

There are some perks, however. Most of what “drains” me as a coach isn’t so much the x’s and o’s of writing programs or the ability to figure our what may be the root cause of someone’s shoulder pain. Those are pretty much second nature at this point in my career.

No, what drains me the most is figuring out people.

Specifically, what motivates one person to workout (and stick with it) as opposed to what makes the next person do the same?

It’s a quagmire to say the least, and often takes far too much mental gymnastics for my liking.

Copyright: seventyfour74 / 123RF Stock Photo

Autonomy = The “It” Factor to Getting Results

This is where my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, comes in.

Before we met, anytime I worked with someone who seemingly lacked discipline or “chutzpah” to get after it in the gym…I’d often resort to some tough love.

I’d assume (s)he didn’t want it enough and my default was to question their work ethic. I wouldn’t be a dick or anything, but I also didn’t go out of my way to demonstrate much compassion or empathy.

When my wife and I started dating I’d often bring up work with her and I’d attempt to commiserate on how this client wouldn’t work hard during their session or how that client just seemed to not care about getting results or how it just really, really sucked that I had to wear pants.

I’d be all like “what the hell!?!” and then throw a chair through a window or something, and then she’d be all like…

via GIPHY

and then say something like:

…“you know, maybe you just need to do a better job at learning about what actually motivates people?”

And this was when I was first introduced to the Self-Determination Theory.

There’s no need to go too far into the weeds. All you need to know about SDT is that it was popularized by psychologists Edward Deci & Richard Ryan and that it revolves around…

“a macro theory of human motivation and personality that concerns people’s inherent growth tendencies and innate psychological needs. It is concerned with the motivation behind choices people make without external influence and interference. SDT focuses on the degree to which an individual’s behavior is self-motivated and self-determined.”

The three main components are:

Competence
Autonomy
Relatedness

For the sake of brevity I’m going to hone in on autonomy or the power of choice.

In short, people don’t like to be told what to do.

In the fitness industry this comes across as bit absurd given that that’s exactly why most people hire us in the first place.

However, one of the biggest changes I’ve made in my coaching philosophy – in no small part due to my wife’s nudging through the years – is working on autonomy and offering clients more choice in their programming.

It’s not only made a profound difference in helping clients stay motivated to workout, but it’s also helped to expedite their results and progress.

Here’s a few suggestions and examples.

1. Allowing Them to Choose the Main Lift of the Day

I live in a bit of a strength & conditioning bubble. Most people who start to work with me already know what they’re getting themselves into.

They’re going to lift heavy things and they’re going to listen to some EDM while doing it.

via GIPHY

One “trick” I’ll use – especially with beginners – is to let them choose their main lift of the day. If performing some squats will fill their training love tank that day, that’s what we’ll do.

Likewise, if they want to deadlift, we’ll deadlift.

The only exercise I’ll say a hard no to is kipping pull-ups.

I’d rather them jump into a shark’s mouth.

But can you see the inherent advantage this approach provides? If you have a client who’s having a hard time with motivation or just can’t seem to get “jazzed-up” for a particular session, maybe all you need to do is give them a bit more choice.

Assuming, of course, you’re taking into consideration their goals, injury history, and ability level.

2. Choosing the Variation of a Particular Exercise

It’s squat day.

[Cue the cacophony of moans]

Admittedly, not many people – outside of the truly masochistic – draw a sense of butterfly kisses and rainbows from squat day.

That being said, another trick to employ is to allow clients to choose what variation of a particular exercise they’re going to perform that day.

Squat

Box Squat
Back Squat
Front Squat
Goblet Squat
Landmine Squat
2-KB Front Squat

There are many options; and we haven’t even discussed things like ladder sets, drop sets, rest/pause sets, or even tweaks that can be made with stance, tempo, or even utilizing speciality bars (SSB, Duffalo, Cambered, etc).

Giving clients some say on the variation they’re going to perform that day is a game changer in terms of creating more “buy in” in that session.

3. Free Time

Another tactic I use often to help increase motivation is to give clients a 5-10 minute “window” at the end of their session to do whatever they want.

Most of my male clients choose to do some additional arms or “Gun Show” work.

Most of my female clients choose to do some additional glute or “badonkadonk” work.

And, not coincidentally, most of the wizards I work with prefer to use their time pecifying their pecs.

Science.

#dumbledoreisswole

All told, this approach serves as a nice compromise. So long as the client completes what’s on their program – and does what I want them to do – I am more than happy to give him or her some free time and choose their fate at the end of the session.

If they leave with a bicep or glute pump, and are happy, I am down with that.

There’s obviously a lot more that can said here, but I’ll defer to the expert on motivation, my wife!, in this case. Her popular course, Psych Skills for Fitness Pros is now offering open enrollment at $60 off the regular price.

There’s a degree of bias here, so take this however you wish…

…but THIS is the shit most fitness pros need to be educating themselves on. Yes, it’s important to know anatomy, assessment, and the intricacies of effective program design. But what really separates the good from the great is understanding people and how to navigate the human psyche.

Click HERE, choose your preferred payment method, and enter the coupon code PSYCH24 to receive your discount.

April 2, 2024October 17, 2024 Tony

coaching

What Most People Want When They Hire a Personal Trainer

I’m not an asshole.

But I had a real asshole moment recently, and I think it can serve as a teachable moment for many coaches and trainers out there who may be reading.

My abject assholiness affected me so much that it prompted me to go stand out on the ledge of a mountain, look out at nature, pontificate on my life, and ask someone to snap a picture of it.

Hahahaha. Just kidding.

I didn’t do that shit.

That’s just a random picture I was hoping would add a sense of scope and grandeur to this post; some deeper meaning that would make all of you be like “whoa, Tony’s got something important and salient to write about today, I have to keep reading.”

NOTE: I was gonna photoshop an eagle on the shoulder or maybe a massive spaceship out in the horizon, but felt it would have been a bit of overkill.

Anyway, did it work?

You’re still reading so I’ve hooked you somehow…;o)

Fuck This Intro, Tony. How Were You An Asshole? For the Love of God Get to the Point.

I receive emails each week from people asking me random training questions or maybe to inquire about my services.

Here’s an email I opened a few days ago:

“I’m a 37 year old man looking to transform my body. I’ve done CrossFit, Orangetheory, paleo, Atkins, fat burners and had personal trainers throughout the years……….”

There was more to the email, but the rest of isn’t pertinent to what I want to talk about.

I read the first sentence and I have to be honest: I didn’t have enough eyes to roll.

via GIPHY

I immediately became judgmental and couldn’t help but have the theme music from Jaws reverberate in my head.

Not because I wanted to eat him or anything. But because I’m always a bit leery and skeptical when the following scenario plays out:

Random person reaches out.
They ask for my help (which is always welcome and a massive compliment).
But not before detailing (s)he’s done everything – every diet, every workout program, every trainer at the local gym¹, every supplement – with little to nothing to show for it.

In this particular instance I couldn’t help but wonder “why has this person been through so many trainers and has tried so many different things, yet is still stymied as to why they’re not getting results?”

What are they hoping I’ll do (or say) differently?

Generally when I see a laundry list of workout programs and diets staring me in the face I tend to question one’s ability to commit and stay consistent with something for longer than a week.

“I’ve been working out for a week and still don’t look like Henry Cavill. Pfffft, whatever. I’m out.”

Moreover, and this a comment from one of my followers on Twitter:

“I wonder what these people, deep down, really want. Are they genuinely searching, still hoping that you could provide the approach that will (finally) work, or they just want to add you to the long list of what did not work?”

It’s a legitimate question.

Half of me would like to sit here and say “yeah, I’m the shit. I’m a good coach and feel I can offer a bit more in way of experience and guidance. BICEPS!!!”

The other half of me is a bit more humble.

There are a plethora of other coaches and trainers who are equally as (if not more) qualified, and I doubt I’d say or do anything that drastically different than anyone else this person has worked with prior.

Many coaches can break down deadlift technique.
Many coaches can discuss simple nutritional strategies.
Many coaches are program writing ninjas.
Many coaches are equally as obsessed with 80’s cartoons.

It behooves any fitness professional to be competent in any of the above, and I do feel what separates the great ones from the subpar ones are their ability to deliver quality programing and coaching.

Maybe the gentlemen who sent me that email was cursed with a lineage of incompetent and lame trainers?

Maybe he’s the problem and is a serial program hopper and lacks discipline?

As it happens he and I came to the conclusion I wasn’t going to be a good fit anyway due to scheduling conflicts and availability.

But the interaction gave me pause.

I’m sure many of you reading have had a similar experience, a similar inner dialogue, and similar initial (irrational?) snap judgement of a potential client.

Here’s Something to Consider

Most people don’t really care if you’re able to write world class training programs, or if you’ve worked with numerous professional athletes and celebrities, or if you place a premium on continuing education, or that, I don’t know, you can make a killer Creme Brulee.

It’s great if or when they have access to a trainer/coach who can do all of the above and knows their ass from their acetabulum.

But do you want to know, above all else, what people REALLY want when they hire a personal trainer or coach?

Connection.

via GIPHY

No, not that kind of connection you weirdo.

The difference maker for most is the connection that’s cultivated with their coach. Knowing the x’s and o’s of program design and improving scapular upward rotation are grand skills to have. But can you find other ways, other than the nerdy fitness stuff, to tether a more meaningful connection with your clients?

Can you have a regular conversation with them?
Are you able to talk about things other than fitness? Books? Movies? Who’s gonna win Charity’s heart in the latest season of The Bachelorette?²
Do you know the name of their pet(s), or children, or spouse, or favorite He-Man character?
Do you take the time to stress simple gestures – greeting them by name when they walk in the door, sending out thank you notes for being awesome clients, sending a text to say “good job” after a killer workout – as a way to demonstrate you appreciate them and their support?
Do you have the skills necessary to build autonomy (give them more choice in their programming), competence (avoid making them feel inferior or like a failure when they train), and relatedness (helping them feel as if their part of a community)…all of which help foster increased compliance and motivation with exercise
Do you play sick 90’s hip hop beats when they workout?

There are a thousand other examples to consider here.

The point being: Rather than think the worst out of the gate and assume the person standing in front of me or at the end of an email is lazy, the better approach will always be to re-frame things and figure out how I can differentiate myself from the masses.

How can I help them gain traction?

The answer is rarely centered around my ability to write a training program that would be Mel Siff’s wet dream, or my ability to regale them with big words like reciprocal inhibition, gluconeogenesis, or vastus laterialis.

Nay.

Rather, it comes down to building a connection.

Sometimes I need a swift reminder of that.

July 19, 2023 Tony

coaching rant

5 Traits of a Successful Coach

Ask ten different people their opinion on what traits or characteristics make for a great or “successful” coach – in this case strength coach, personal trainer – and you’re bound to get ten different answers and iterations.

5 Traits of a “Successful” Coach

Some people will use adjectives like strong, looks the part, experienced, knowledgable, professional, motivating, or “destroy the back of my pants scary.”

Others will use less germane markers such as bald, has an epic beard, or sleeps with a copy of SuperTraining underneath his or her’s pillow at night.

All are important (some more so than others) and all can be used to describe many strength coaches – or any kind of coach for that matter.

It should go without saying, but this is not an exhaustive list.

Today, though, I’d like to cover some less obvious characteristics I feel constitutes a great strength coach and/or personal trainer. Some are based off of my own personal experiences, while others fall into the camp of “it’s true because it’s my blog, and because I said so.”

1. Coaches Coach

Seems like an obvious point to start with, right? But it amazes me how many “coaches” out there don’t train anybody.

Like, ever.

Such is the paradox of this technological age we live in. The internet has made everyone into an expert or authority all because 1) they say so and/or 2) because # of followers = the pantheon of expertise.

Listen, having thousands of followers on Twitter or Instagram is impressive. Anytime you have that many people interested in what you have to say, you’re obviously doing something right.

But don’t call yourself a coach or “expert” if you’re not actually coaching people.

And this is where things get little murky and where the weeds get a little higher.

This isn’t to disrespect or devalue those who make a living online. I get it. We live in the 21st century and if nothing else, the pandemic taught us that we should be ready, willing, and able to pivot to the online space when needed.

I have many friends and colleagues who do really well for themselves coaching people in a distance based fashion:

They’re able to help more people this way.
They get people results.
I can’t bemoan that.

I do it too.

However, I also still spend 15-20 hours per week in my studio coaching athletes and clients in person. That’s still very important to me. It keeps me fresh and in touch with my coaching skills. And I can guarantee many coaches online who are crushing it were FIRST doing so with in-person coaching. If you can’t coach a deadlift in person, the likelihood you’ll be able to do so over a WiFI connection with someone hundreds of miles away is pretty slim.

Moreover, if I’m going to sit here and write blog posts and articles about how to train people, I better be practicing what I preach.

But that’s just me, I can’t speak for everyone.

That’s a degree of integrity I am not willing to give up.

2. Embrace Your Coaching Style

I always gain of sense of entertainment when other coaches come to observe me coaching. I think many are surprised to recognize that I’m fairly tame in my approach.

Sure, I’ll get animated, crank up the music, and pump people up when it’s needed and warranted. But for the most part I’m about as laid back as it gets. What can I say…

…it’s my inner-introvert living it’s best life.

To be clear: No one – coaches, pirates, airplane pilots, Orcs – is 100% introverted or extroverted. We’re all a mix-n-match of the two. What I find unfortunate is that it’s the more introverted side of the spectrum that tends to get society’s consternation.

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Introversion is often seen as aloofness or worse, a weakness. When all it really means is that some people are mentally drained in more social environments and need a little more ~~kitty cuddles~~ “me time” to re-charge.

As such, those who are more introverted are often forced to be something they’re not…much to the detriment of their comfort level, happiness, and ability to not toss their face into a brick wall.

Extroversion – while having its own set of advantages and disadvantages – is seen as a strength and preferred trait in our society.

We introverts have a ton to offer as coaches – we tend to be better listeners and are more patient as an example. I’d encourage anyone who falls into this camp to embrace their introversion, understand that compromises are going to have to be made of course (read my article linked above), and that preferring to hang out with a book on a Friday night is total boss status.

3. Pull Coaching vs. Push Coaching

It’s been pointed on many occasions in recent years – especially by the likes of Nick Winkelman and Brett Bartholomew – the power of using EXTERNAL (as opposed to using internal) cues when coaching – particularly when working with beginner or intermediate level lifters.

To Summarize:

Internal Cues = Specific bodily actions or what it’s doing in space.

External Cues = Intent, distance, or an action.

Exercise Internal Cue External Cue

1. Deadlift “Chest up.” “Show me the logo on your shirt.”

2. Squat “Knees out.” “Spread the floor.”

3. Bench Press “Arch your back.” “Meet the bar halfway.”

4. Sprinting “Extend your hip.” “Push the ground away.”

External cuing tends to have more “sticking” power and resonates more with most lifters. Nick Tumminello has a nice way of putting it:

“Speak client, not trainer”

Taking things a step further, I really love the idea of “Pull” coaching vs. “Push” coaching – a concept I stole from my good friend and colleague Tony Bonvechio.

Pull Coaching = Helping someone solve their own problems…listening to understand, asking questions, paraphrasing, suggesting options.

Push Coaching = Solving someone’s problems for them…telling, instructing, giving advice.

Both scenarios have efficacy and have their time and place. However, I’d argue we need more of the former compared to the latter. As a coach I want to EDUCATE my athletes and clients to be their own best asset; to figure shit out if I am not there. I don’t want them to have to rely on me for everything.

Like:

When to add weight to any given exercise.
When to temper their workouts and when to push themselves further.
How to make simple exercise substitutions if equipment availability is an issue.
To understand why burpees (and kipping pull-ups) are straight up dumb.
And, do I really need to remind you to g0 Watch Beef on Netflix? FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!!

You know, the important stuff.

I think far too many coaches and personal trainers push at the expense of pull. Strive to empower your clients by making them more competent and encourage more autonomy (making their own choices).

4. Insatiable Desire to Get Better

Dan John sits in the front row whenever he attends a workshop or seminar. Mike Boyle still attends numerous events every year and is never afraid to backtrack or admit when he’s wrong. Ali Gilbert is the same. Eric Cressey just bragged the other day he’s listened to 25 books on Audible this year.

On 2x speed (the psychopath).

All of them have decades of coaching experience, and all are still striving to get better.

Who in the holy f**k are you?

You’ve got it all figured out huh? No need to continue to learn from others, right? It’s YOUR way or the highway? Everyone else is a moron? Got it.

A-hole.

5. Lets Stop With the “Grinding” and “Hustling”

While it’s a bit more toned down now, I’m so sick of seeing stuff like this.

We see them on social media all the time.

The “Grinders.”

The ones who are soooooo busy and soooooo swamped and have sooooooo much more of a work ethic than everyone else.

Listen, I can appreciate people with work ethic. And I’ll be the first one to champion hard work and the notion that nothing happens without some degree of sacrifice, uncomfortableness, and inconvenience. And yes, long-ass hours.

But please, spare us the inspirational quotes and grandstanding because you happened to get up before 5 AM two days in a row or, I don’t know, haven’t eaten a carb since March.

Grinding is four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Grinding is raising a child as a single parent. Grinding is going through intensive chemotherapy and still putting a smile on your face. Grinding is listening to your co-worker brag about their CrossFit workouts and attempting to keep your eyes from rolling out of their sockets every time (s)he waxes poetic about how you’re going to die tomorrow for drinking a Diet Coke.

It has nothing to do with how superior you are because you avoid seed oils or because you train eight clients per day, six days per week.

Speaking of which:

To the “rise and grinders”…I love the work ethic, but there’s only a finite # of hours per week you’re an affective coach.

You’re not the same coach at the end of the day as you are at the start. You’re not the same coach at the start of a week as you are at the end. Touting the early wake-up times and hustle mentality isn’t the long-term flex you think it is.

It’s not a coincidence most trainers/coaches putter out after two years. They inevitably hate life.

I understand bills need to be paid, and I want to reiterate that I also understand there will be a window of time where long hours are going to happen. But be cognizant that there are only a finite number of hours where you’re an affective coach and where you’ll inevitably burn out.

There’s is a healthy balance and I hope you can find it.

June 21, 2023 Tony

personal training

The Lost Art of Saying I Don’t Know in the Fitness Industry

“I don’t know.”

Three words a large swath of fitness professionals have a wretched relationship with.

Copyright: salamatik / 123RF Stock Photo

The Lost Are of Saying “I Don’t Know”

The prevailing thought, it seems, is that admitting ignorance is a sign of weakness or that you’ll somehow lose credibility points for not knowing the answer to a client’s question…

…as if the fitness industry’s equivalent of Unella is stealthily lurking somewhere to shame walk you down a corridor for not memorizing every delicate step of the Kreb’s Cycle.

Shame, shame, SHAME!!

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Listen, there are some things a personal trainer/coach likely should have a firm grasp on:

The muscles of the rotator cuff?…✅
How to program around low back or knee pain?…✅
How many calories in a gram of protein?…✅
Who Mel Siff is?…✅

But you can’t expect to know EVERYTHING about anything:

Where’s the Levator ani located?…🤷‍♂️
And, more importantly, what the hell is the Levator ani?…🤷‍♂️³
What are the benefits and pitfalls of concurrent periodization?…🤷‍♂️
What’s the atomic number of Adamantium?…🤷‍♂️

Maybe you knew the answer to all of the above, and if so, can we hang out? But if not, and on the off-chance someone in your life – whether it be a client, colleague, or your second cousin on your stepmother’s side – asked, and you didn’t know the answer, how would you handle it?

Rather than play hero, pretend to be an all-knowing smarty pants Spartan Jedi Wizard deadlifting demigod, and manufacture some false, pseudo-intellectual response…I’ve found it to be best practice to be honest with clients.

Simply put, to say…

“I don’t know.”

This bleeds of authenticity and I’ve found that, 100% of the time, clients appreciate and respect the honesty. Kind of like when you do someone a solid and let them know they’ve got something in their teeth.

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I’ve never lost a client because I was unable to answer their question regarding the functions of the psoas muscle or, I don’t know, the efficacy of heart rate variability training in undertrained grizzly bears.

Namely because 1) I TOTALLY KNOW WHAT THE FUNCTIONS OF THE PSOAS ARE and 2) the latter is ridiculous.

But too, it just never happened.

If I don’t know the answer to a question or a client asks to dive deeper into something I have little expertise in, I’ll say “I don’t know,” followed by “but I know someone who does. I’ll ask them.”

This happened to me not long ago.

I had a client express interest in learning more about the Olympic lifts. Up until that point she and I had been working together for several months focusing on the basic barbell lifts – deadlift, squat, bench press, etc.

She was a stark newbie when she walked into CORE the first day but had made a ton of progress in a short amount of time. It wasn’t long before she started asking whether or not I’d be willing to add OLY lifts into her programming?

(cue crickets chirping on my end)

Full Disclosure: I don’t have a lot of experience performing – let alone teaching – the OLY lifts. I even wrote about why I don’t include OLY lifting in my programs HERE. TL/DR version: I’m more qualified to fly an Apache Helicopter than teach a passable barbell split jerk.

Without blinking an eye I connected her to a handful of coaches in the Boston area more equipped to help her out.

And it couldn’t have worked out more splendidly.

She sent me the most gracious email a few weeks later saying how much fun she was having and that she had “found her people.”

Some people reading may say something to the effect of “dude, Tony, you lost a client. That’s the opposite of what I want to happen to me.”

Touche.

In the literal sense I did lose a client.

However, what do you think is the likely outcome when she’s approached by one of her family members or friends or colleagues asking if she knows of any reputable trainers in the area?

She’s going to refer them to this guy that’s what’s going to happen.⁴

If There’s Two Things to Remember From This Post…

1. Your clients won’t care that you don’t know the answer to something. Saying “I don’t know” is the responsible response.

Followed by “but I will try my best to find the answer for you.”

2. Don’t think pointing your clients towards other fitness professionals (especially locally) is a poor business decision. In my experience every time I’ve done so has resulted in the same client referring more people to me. Once they understand you have their best interests in mind they’ll often reward you with unabashed loyalty.

3. Just to be clear: I don’t know shit about fuck when it comes to the Kreb’s Cycle.

April 19, 2023 Tony

Motivational personal training

The Most Important Metric of a Training Program Is…

[Cue EPIC drum roll here]

First…lets first delve into what’s not important:

Access to special, fancy schmancy equipment.⁵
Being anal about nutrient timing/intake.⁶
Posting a picture or video of every workout and every exercise you performed on Instagram.⁷
Following the programs elite lifters do.⁸
The whole BS notion that muscle confusion is a “thing.”⁹

And Those Things That are Important. But Really Only Kinda-Sorta Important. Actually, We’re All Just a Bunch of A-Holes Who Like to Argue Over the Internet

Exercise selection
Exercise order
Exercise technique
Goal(s). Powerlifting vs. bodybuilding vs. OLY lifting vs. CrossFit vs. Fat Loss vs. Mechagodzilla
Training history/age
Past and current injury history
Ideal number of sets/reps
Time of day to workout
Length of workout
Best exercises to make your pecs cut diamonds

[EPIC drum roll is still cued]

Facetious tone aside, all of the things mentioned above are important and play an important role in program design.

However, there’s one metric that seems to always get overlooked.

And that is…..

Attendance

“The most important metric of a training program’s success is…attendance. People need to show up”

You can write the most baller scientifically-based program addressing all the criteria listed above that’s based off block periodization with meticulous percentages written in, laminated with Vladimir Zatsiorsky’s¹⁰ chest hair, and none of it will matter if people don’t show up.

Make no mistake…getting people to “show up” is a skill in of itself.

Of course, the monetary commitment to hire a personal trainer or coach is enough to motivate most people to “show up.” But even then it’s often a crap-shoot, let alone entices someone to invest their time (and in themselves) long-term.

There are numerous, outside-the-box factors that often come into play:

The ability to listen to and validate someone. Are you a trainer/coach who likes to “win” or prove to everyone how smart you are and how you’re always right? Better, less uppity communication skills can have a profound impact on your sales and retention as a trainer/fitness business.¹¹
It’s not about you. It’s about THEM. Get your clients to talk about themselves.¹²
Take the time to introduce your clients to one another. Maybe you have two clients who really enjoy squatting or, I don’t know, old-school Jean-Claude Van Damme movies. Either way, introducing client A to client B often helps build camaraderie and community.
With regards to program design: It’s not necessarily about choosing the best exercise possible to entertain people. Rather, it’s about choosing the most appropriate exercise(s) to better set people up for immediate and long-term success. These are really boring.
“Think trainer, speak client.”¹³You in your head: “Dan is really crushing his posterior Mediastinum on those squats.” You to Dan: “don’t arch so much in your lower back.”
Design for your space. You don’t always need all the bells and whistles to impress people. Audit your equipment. Almost always, the less you have, the better your programs will be. Most people don’t need as much variety as they think they need anyways.
Strive to make your clients autonomous.
Play more Wu-Tang. Just, because.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I do feel serves as a delicious amuse bouche in helping fitness professionals understand that it’s not always about credentials, certifications, and deadlifts.

Getting people to show up via other means is often the key to effective program writing.

December 2, 2022 Tony

coaching

How to Guarantee Your Clients Will Have a Hard Time Actually Getting Results

If you train people for a living, read this.

Copyright: ruigsantos / 123RF Stock Photo

Don’t Guarantee Results

It’s seems counterintuitive, maybe even borderline asinine, not to guarantee your clients results, right? I mean, what the hell are they hiring you for?

HINT: It’s not to trade baseball cards or tickle fights.

I had a new client start with me recently and within ten minutes of her initial assessment she was relaying a story of her previous coach telling her she’d see results in “x” weeks.

Guaranteed.

Guess what didn’t happen?

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I don’t know about you, but I’d hate to set myself up for that kind of standard or expectation as a coach. Unless their goals are any of the following….

Cut diamonds with their pecs.
Build a deadlift that shakes the ground all the way down in Kentucky.
Become a world class hugger.

…I’m not guaranteeing anything, let alone within a specific window of time.

When a new person shows up to CORE I have zero insight into their work ethic, degree of compliance, or any other outside factors that may or may not come into play (family responsibilities, work schedule, Andor marathon watching schedule).

Don’t get me wrong: There should always be an open dialogue and some form of communication with regards to goal setting. But don’t set yourself (or your client) up for a trap by guaranteeing results.

So, Uh, Since We’re Talking About Goals

It behooves any coach to encourage their client to be more specific with their goal setting. Having realistic and tangible goals in sight helps nudge more intent and purpose.

It keeps people more invested in their training.

Just be careful of someone being too vague (“I want to lose weight”), unrealistic (“I want to add 100 lbs to my deadlift in two weeks”), or downright batshit crazy (“I want to pet a Unicorn”).

Lets us a too vague example.

Too Vague = “I want to lose weight” or “I want to get stronger.”

Neither is a bad goal. They’re just both vague as shit. It’s like me saying something to the effect of “I want food” when asked what I am in the mood for for dinner.

When someone suggests a vague goal like the ones above I’ll usually try to dig a bit deeper:

“Why do you want to lose weight/get stronger?”
“What’s prevented you from achieving those goals in the past?”
“How will attaining those goals make you feel once you hit them?”

Peeling back the onion with follow-up questions reveals quite a bit. The person soon understands they need to switch gears and latch onto something more concrete.

Which serves as a nice segue to…

Try to Encourage More Performance Based Goals

I’ve been a champion of this approach for a number of years now.

Setting performance-based goals is a game changer.

For example, with many of my female clients, instead of allowing them to default to the “I want to lose weight” trope, I’ll encourage them to pick a performance-based goal to train towards instead:

Perform their first strict, unassisted chin-up
Deadlift their bodyweight for five reps
Perform ten, strict pushups from the floor.
Beat Wonder Woman in a fist-fight.

Setting a performance-based goal makes things so much clearer from a programming standpoint. First off, it makes getting rid of the superfluous foo-foo bullshit easier. Secondly, and most important, is that it gives people purpose in their training.

There’s a WHY behind the madness.

Each exercise, exercise order, load, set/rep, and rest period is curated for the sole purpose of hitting that goal.

To steal a famous quote from strength coach, Dan John:

“The goal is to keep the goal, the goal.”

Either your training program is bringing you one step closer to hitting your goal, or…it’s not.

What I find, more often than not, is when I can get a client to marry him or herself to training for a performance-based goal, the work and effort involved often results in them hitting that aesthetic goal anyways.

It’s a win-win.

The dose of empowerment is priceless.

Set Up Process Goals

This is so simple it’s absurd.

Basically, process goals are smaller, more bite-sized, DAILY, goals people should try to hit that will compliment their ability to hit “big rock” training goals.

I mean, how “strong” is someone going to get if they’re routinely only getting 4-5 hours of sleep a night? What are the chances someone is going to “lose weight” if their idea of a veggie is a piece of lettuce on top of their double bacon cheeseburger?

Setting up 2-3 process goals – getting at least seven hours of sleep a night, shooting for 3-4 servings of vegetables per day, eating out less – for people to strive for every day is a great way to not only keep them on task, but provide an unparalleled sense of accomplishment as well.

As they check off hitting each goal per day, they gain more and more confidence and sense of “holy shit, I can do this.”

Build Autonomy, Competency, and Relatedness

These are just fancy-schmancy ways of saying people want to have a sense of freedom/choice in their training, they want to feel like they can do shit, and they want to be part of a community.¹⁴

Autonomy: People don’t like to be told what to do. When someone is told what to do or not to do, the human response is something called reactance.

They revolt. Go against the grain. Tell you to go fuck yourself.

Basically, they do whatever it is you told them not to do anyway.

Admittedly, when someone is paying you to be their coach, there’s a degree of “do what I tell you to do” that comes with territory.

However, I’d encourage any coach or trainer to build a level of CHOICE into their programming.

Maybe your client gets to choose what variation of deadlift they perform that day.
Maybe you let them choose if they want to use dumbbells or kettlebells for certain movements.
Maybe you give them a 5-10 minute window at the end of their session to do some additional glute training.

That sense of freedom/autonomy will undoubtedly build a greater degree of compliance.

Competency: This is easy. People don’t like to fail. I’d argue failing is good and part of the growing process, but that’s besides the point.

People want to feel like they can DO stuff. For example, if someone has little experience strength training, what’s the likelihood they’re going to feel great about barbell back squatting on Day #1.

Now, I’m not saying a good coach can’t teach someone how to back squat in a matter of minutes.

It’s very doable.

However, what I am saying is don’t be a dickhead. It can be intimidating for some people to place a barbell on their back, and you’re not doing them any favors by force-feeding it.

I feel the squat is a valuable pattern everyone should become competent with. That doesn’t mean everyone has to start with a barbell on their back.

Goblet squats are a splendid starting point for many people. Once they’re comfortable with that, we can progress accordingly.

Relatedness: Keeping this one brief, going out of your way to build a culture where people are surrounded by like-minded individuals and they can be themselves is paramount.

Don’t Be Scared to Dish Out Some Tough Love

Bringing this whole discussion full-circle: Remember that new client I mentioned above, the one who told me her previous trainer guaranteed her results?

She asked me an obvious question:

“When do you think I will see results?”

My response:

“If you kinda-sorta train, you’ll get kinda-sorta results.”

This was a (maybe not so subtle) hint that it’s up to HER.

You get out of training what you put into it.

As someone’s coach I’ll be there to support them and help augment their training experience. However, it’s also important to relay the message that part of the onus on them, too.

They have to take ownership and responsibility.

November 22, 2022 Tony

coaching personal training

Training Athletes vs. General Population Clients

A few years ago, while presenting at the NSCA Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, I mentioned to the crowd that I don’t work with a lot of athletes anymore.

By choice.

Training Athletes vs. General Population Clients

Instead, I explained that currently 90-95% of my clientele are made up of general population clients.

You know, “normal” people.

What’s more, I noted that I actually preferred training them over professional athletes.

There was a cacophony of crickets chirping and cold, blank stares. You would have thought I had just told the crowd I had given up everything just so that I could go walk the land and practice kung-fu.

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During the subsequent Q&A later that day I had a handful of people approach to ask ~~if I was okay and whether or not I needed medical attention for saying something so blasphemous~~ me to further elaborate my comment from earlier:

“So, uh, you said you stopped training athletes to work with general population clients.

Like, why?”

Here’s What I Said

Before I peel back that onion, I think it’s important to address the elephant in the room.

I think the overlying credo in the fitness industry is that once you get to the point where you’re working with (professional) athletes or celebrities you’ve somehow “made it.”

You’re elite.

You can now write your memoir.¹⁵

Quick Aside: I also feel there’s a tendency for people within the industry to give more credence or credibility to certain certifications over others. For example if someone is a CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) they’re obviously smarter and more qualified than a lowly CPT (Certified Personal Trainer)….and they can probably walk on water.¹⁶

Certifications are great and all (and necessary to some degree), but I guess I fall into the camp that tries not to place too much weight on the letters next to someone’s name, and more so on their experience and overall track record.

I get it: Training Gary from accounting doesn’t attach itself to as much prestige and luster as, say, an NFL player or Zac Efron.

However, as my friend and colleague, Mike Connelly, eloquently stated back in the day:

“We all train people. Whether or not they get paid to play a sport does not change their “peopleness” nor does it impact your status as an elite trainer. You either know what you’re doing or you don’t and there is plenty of both on either side.“

Training professional athletes and actors has its benefits and setbacks, as does training general population clients.

I’ve been fortunate to work with people on both sides of the fence.

I can tell you that throughout my career I’ve been every bit as excited watching one of my female clients nail her first strict, bodyweight chin-up as when I was watching an athlete of mine make his Major League debut.

Fun Tony Factoid: I watched one of my former athletes make his Big League debut the night of my Bachelor party.

Anyways, far be it from me to tell you which is the better fit or more rewarding route to take.

All I can do is speak for myself.

Speaking of which, how about I finally STFU and get to the meat and potatoes of the post.

“Tony, why did you CHOOSE to not work with pro athletes?”

Here’s What I Actually Said

1. You’re not my Mom, you can’t tell me what to do.

2. The truth is I still do train athletes. My previous coaching position was at an institution – Cressey Sports Performance – which is known for working with a metric boat load of professional athletes.

Especially overhead athletes.

So, in effect, me switching gears and not training (professional) athletes at the same abundance was very much a result of that.

I simply am not around them as much compared to the past.

Rest assured, though, if Mike Trout wanted to train at CORE I wouldn’t turn him away….;o)

3. When I decided to leave CSP and open up my own small studio in Boston I knew the demographic I’d be catering to the most would be normal, everyday, all-I-want-to-do-is-to-be-able-to-pick-my-kid-up-and-not-hate-life people.

Partly because of the location of my studio, and partly because that’s what I wanted to do.

Don’t get me wrong: I loved working with athletes – and I still do.

However, as far as absolute joys in my life are concerned, outside of a good tickle fight, a heaping bowl of ice-cream, or rough-housing with my 5-year old, I have always gotten more out of helping “regular peeps” nail their first 2x bodyweight squat or helping someone finally conquer his or her’s chronic low-back pain.

I wanted to get back to former and the joy it brought me.

So that’s what I did.

Bye Felicia.

Besides, I don’t feel there’s any less pedigree of coaching involved at accomplishing any of the things mentioned above compared to improving someone’s VO2 max or vertical jump from 31 to 32 inches.

In fact, this quote from Vince Gabriele sums things up nicely:

“I get more satisfaction helping a level 3 become a level 7, than a level 8 becoming a level 9. The former is so much more rewarding.“

4. Also, if I really wanted to be honest with any young fitness professionals reading:

There’s more general population clients out there in the world than there are professional athletes. It’s an inevitable mathematical likelihood that, despite how important you feel you are and that only the elite of the elite can (and should) be privy to your superior training methodologies, you may, never, work with professional athletes.
But if you do, training athletes can provide a level of prestige that can be leveraged to garner more business.¹⁷ That said, and I think a lot of gym owners will agree with this, it’s general population clients that pay the rent and often result in more consistent revenue.

Something to think about.

And That’s That

If anything I hope this little rant resonates with those who may struggle with the notion that they’re “less qualified” because they don’t work with athletes , models, actors, or clowns.

That’s a bunch of hogwash.

Maturity in a trainer/coach is revealed in ‘the process of progress’ rather than who’s connected to it.¹⁸

November 4, 2022 Tony

personal training Program Design

Why Attempting to Set PRs Every Week is F&*#!@# Stupid

Attempting to set a PR every single week is silly.

It’s an approach to training I have long advocated against (and a hill I will die on). Well, that and saying Sydney Bristow is the best character in television history…;o)¹⁹

Training to get stronger isn’t necessarily about hitting PR’s on the regular. In fact, if you break down the training programs that most really strong people follow, they’re only hitting an actual PR once, maybe twice per year. And that’s even a stretch.

Today’s guest post by personal trainer Lance Goyke (whom I first met back in the day when he was an intern turned employee at IFAST in Indianapolis) helps to shed light on why chasing weekly PRs likely isn’t going to do you any favors.

Why Attempting to Set PRs Every Week is F&*#!@# Stupid

“PRs never look pretty.”

Well they could look pretty good, but most people don’t have the discipline for that kind of training.

If you’re the type of person who often has two weeks of awesome training followed by two weeks of remedial rehab, then it’s likely you spend too much time testing strength instead of building strength.

In this article, we’ll talk about strength, how it’s not quite what we think it is, and how striving for strength prevents you from actually building strength. I’ll give you a few examples of how biomechanics can change during max effort lifts, hopefully leaving you with a new, healthier, and more effective way to approach your training.

What is Strength? How Do We Measure It?

Strength is “the capacity of an object or substance to withstand great force or pressure”.

We measure it using the weight we lift in a training session, but that’s only an approximation of force production. And there are two types of forces: internal and external.

Internal forces sum to become an external force. Using deadlifting as an example, the calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles (internal forces) all combine into pressure through the feet (external force).

Internal forces combine into a single external force during deadlift

We mostly picture muscles and tendons producing forces, but the joints and ligaments do as well. Though bones and ligaments don’t shorten like muscles, they also don’t collapse under heavy loads.

Err, well, hopefully they don’t collapse. “Bend and not break” as they say!

I find it helpful to think of these bones and ligaments as really good isometric contracters, i.e., they maintain length even under load. It reminds me of hitching a deadlift or putting an Atlas stone in your lap. They won’t pick up the weight for you, but it sure is nice to have a short break in the middle of the rep.

Since muscle is the only thing we have that changes length and can actually move a weight, we should aim for more muscle force production.

But setting PRs isn’t about training muscles, it’s about lifting weight. And this has consequences.

Anatomy of a Personal Record

When attempting a (literal) max effort lift, there are two main factors that decide the outcome:

Mindset
Biomechanics

The strongest people in the gym are good at mindset: I will get this done at any cost. If you don’t think you can lift it, your brain puts the brakes on your muscles. You don’t have to be totally insane, but you do need to believe that it’s in the realm of possibility.

Biomechanics is harder to predict.

Even isolation exercises like lateral raises hardly occur in isolation. The intricate web of neurology means that moving one joint moves all the others.

During a PR attempt, your brain gives commands and listens for feedback. You might go into a bench press with the intention of keeping your shoulders set down, but when the weight slows to a near stop, your brains says, “BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES! SHRUG THE SHOULDERS! LIFT THE BUM!” And before you know it, you’re doing an Unsupported Decline Press from Shrug Position instead of a Bench Press.

We’ve all seen someone do this, but why does it happen?

Technique Changes During PR Attempts to Temporarily Increase Force Production

If the pecs, deltoids, lats, serratus anterior, and triceps can’t stabilize AND press the weight, a useful strategy is to shrug the shoulders, jamming the shoulder into the acromion process while stabilizing the rib cage and clavicle with the neck muscles. This not only removes stress from the primary muscle groups of the lift, but also subtly changes the length of these working muscles. If the pecs are getting weaker because they’re getting shorter, let’s just elevate the clavicle to lengthen them and our force production capability will return.

But this comes at a cost. The shoulder joint wears out, rotator cuff gets injured, and the neck stiffens. All for a temporary increase in weight lifted.

And it’s difficult to argue that you’re even getting stronger! Yes, you might lift more weight, but most of that came from passive tissues instead of muscle. Even if you don’t get injured, are you planning on training your glenoid labrum to lift more weight next time? I hope not.

This type of technique change works for testing the max weight you can lift, but it’s not building strength.

Learning Technique Consistency

When a lifter tests strength by compromising biomechanics every week, she never learns how to maintain technique under duress.

Undesired Response to Increased Intensiveness

With time and extreme discipline, however, technique stays pristine even in the most difficult sets:

Desired Response to Increased Intensiveness

Many moons ago, I was having trouble staying consistent with training. I wanted to lift, but I had this two-week cycle of feeling good vs. joint pain. I stayed “broken” until I became strict about periodizing my training intensity and maintaining technique during really heavy sets.

If your training oscillates between wonderful sessions and remedial sessions, learn to be more consistent with technique across all sets and remember to deload your training monthly.

Examples of How Technique Changes During Max Effort Attempts

To cement this idea as a reality, here are three more examples of how changes in technique can prevent you from building strength. These will increase in complexity as we go along.

Deadlifting with Hitching Into Lockout

There are three main ways to lock out a deadlift:

Squeeze glutes (good)
Squeeze the low back (bad)
Hitching (you do what you gotta do)

Using the glutes keeps the spine neutral. Using the low back muscles arches the lumbar spine, introducing tons of wear and tear.

Hitching a deadlift is when the lifter briefly rests the bar on the thighs while trying to lock out.

Here’s a timestamped video showing a clear hitch, though it’s difficult to nit pick when the weight is 937lbs (@ 6:12).

This has many advantages for lifting more weight:

Short “rest”
Squat knees underneath the weight for support
Shorten moment arm on glutes
Increase moment arm on quads

If you hitch to lock out your deadlift, you’re deloading the glutes and hamstrings.

Squatting with Forward Weight Shift

Shifting forward at the bottom of a full squat is a common compensation for squatting more weight. You see it a lot with Olympic weightlifting due to the mobility demands of the sport.

Here’s a timestamped video example (@ 2:58).

This does a few things to help the lifter:

Stretches the quads and calves, stimulating a strong reflex which helps straighten the knee
Short break time with the butt and hamstrings resting on the calves and ankles
Removes stress from the glutes and hamstrings
Helps maintain a vertical torso

The biggest long-term issues with this forward weight shift are that the lifter is more likely to experience knee overuse injuries, hip mobility limitations like butt wink, and inconsistent performance. The latter is an especially important topic in technique-intense Olympic weightlifting: if you only get six attempts at a meet, you don’t want to miss one because of technique.

Additionally, quad overuse often makes people feel persistent tightness. They search for quad stretches, perform some, then feel better for a few minutes until the tightness returns.

You can still get the stretch reflex benefit out of the bottom of the lift even when avoiding a forward shift. Sitting down and slightly backward to full depth stretches the quads and calves, but also increases the stretch on the glutes and hamstrings. This is one reason why posterior chain exercises like the Romanian deadlift and good mornings can improve your squat.

Bench Press with Torso Twist

Alright, I wanted to throw in one complicated scenario: twisting the torso on a bench press.

Up until now, all of our compensations have been pretty symmetrical. But there’s asymmetry in the real world. Time to take off the training wheels.

When attempting a max effort bench press, the sternum will often move to the right. This changes a few things:

The right abs go into overdrive
The left ribs and elbow flare out
The left shoulder rises up due to this rib position
The bar tilts and twists, loading the right side even more
The lifter makes a face that’s not usually very cool (obviously most important)

Here’s a timestamped video showing the right sternum twist (@ 1:29); you can see it on rep 7, hard to not see on rep 8, and impossible to ignore on the 9th, failed rep.

Here’s a timestamped video showing the left elbow flare and bar twisting (@ 1:59).

And here’s a timestamped video showing both; the sternum start noticebly twisting on rep 15 (@ 3:29) and it’s really easy to see the left elbow flare on the failed rep.

And briefly, notice that it’s harder to nitpick mistakes in this 675lb bench press (timestamped @ 5:00).

We contort ourselves this way because of the normal asymmetry in the body. The heart on the left supports the left rib cage flaring. The big liver on the right supports the right abdominals. And because everything is connected, these asymmetries permeate all the way through our limbs.

This is a tough compensation to fix. You might consider warming up with some dedicated shoulder mobility exercises. Utilize more unilateral training like the split squat. If this problem is unfamiliar, you might find it useful to slow down as this gives you time to notice when mistakes happen (it’s usually around the sticking point). As you get more proficient, you can speed up.

In any case, you’ll need to be disciplined about your technique when you’re exhausted.

Building Strength vs. Testing Strength

Hopefully by now you have a better idea of how your body might compensate during a max effort lift. Remember: it’s okay to try hard! The point is that technique must remain pristine if it’s to be considered training.

Save the strange body conformations for your personal record attempts. And give yourself time to train between testing sessions.

I like to push my clients hard on week 4 of a 4-week training program. This gives 3 weeks to practice technique and acclimate to the training volume, preparing well for testing your body and mind.

Perfect technique does not mean the lift is light and easy. In fact, it should be harder to do because the muscles are reaching their limit and your brain must override your body’s instincts. This is real discipline.

I’ll leave you with a bulleted list of tips.

Guidelines for Building Strength

Test strength at most one out of every four weeks
“Testing strength” does not mean a single rep maximum, but a max effort for the pre-planned training program set and rep scheme
Train like a bodybuilder; aim to feel the right muscles working
Using less weight doesn’t mean you’re detraining; strength can fluctuate up to 18% in any given day
Don’t forget to deload your training roughly one out of every four weeks
Don’t forget to train endurance
Use cardio to speed up your recovery from strength workouts

And remember: spend more time building strength than testing strength.

About the Author

Lance Goyke, MS, CSCS has been a personal trainer and strength coach for over ten years. He’s currently working remotely with clients all over the world, including at Google, America, Scotland, and New Zealand. In addition to coaching, he also produces educational fitness writing, videos

June 10, 2022 Tony