Let me start by stating the obvious: training in an online format is a whole lot different than training in-person. But that doesn’t mean you should skip any steps, and it certainly doesn’t give you permission to leave any stones unturned. TrueCoach has been the special sauce—the je ne sais quoi—that has positioned each coach in the driver’s seat on the path to success. The TrueCoach platform has helped athletes …
programming
Adjusting Training For Our “New Normal”
For the majority of us, gyms have reopened and we’re able to get back to a more normal form of strength training with ourselves and our clients. Unfortunately, this is a “more normal” training environment—not the “normal” training environment. With the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the safety guidelines put in place, we are presented with some unique and unprecedented constraints within our …
4 Steps to Assessing Clients
One of the biggest mistakes people make with remote coaching is not taking the time to accumulate enough data about your clients before you start building out their programs in an app like TrueCoach. As OPEX CCP coach Georgia Smith explained, “If you’re not doing thorough assessments with your clients, you’re ultimately just guessing when you design their programs.” In other words: Assess, Don’t …
Building Single-Leg Strength from the Ground Up: Part 1
Being strong and durable on one leg bodes well for all aspects of health and performance. Whether you’re an endurance athlete who runs a lot, an athlete in a field or court-based sport, or just looking to get stronger on one leg in the gym, this information is for you. In part 1, the focus will be on building single-leg strength with respect to the single-leg squat pattern. Then, we will tackle the single-leg …
Managing Your Athlete’s Recovery When Returning To The Weight Room
With the gyms beginning to open up again, we’ll probably see an influx of new members and people starving to get fit. Something akin to New Year’s resolutions will kick in but perhaps on an even larger scale. This will be a tremendous opportunity to take advantage of the increased demand for coaching, as people will be more discerning and selective about whom they choose to guide them. While this is a benefit to your …
Programming Strategies: Eccentrics, Isometrics, and Tempo
Coach: “Hey, [insert athlete’s name], let’s slow those down a bit.” Athlete: “I am going slow, Coach.” Coach: “Your training program calls for a five-second eccentric. You’re doing more of a two-second eccentric.” As a coach, I bet you’ve been here before. I bet there’ve been times, too, when you’ve questioned the why behind using eccentrics, isometrics, and tempo in your training programs. Let’s be …
4 Mistakes You Don’t Want To Make When You Start Coaching Again After Quarantine
We’re all grateful to get back into the swing of things. But there are a lot of things we have to keep in mind as we return to the gym and begin coaching clients again. Your clients are eager to get back into the gym, just like you’re looking forward to training them regularly again. However, don’t let your excitement distract you from the questions you need to ask yourself and your clients before you just jump back …
Can At-Home Training Strategies Be A Game Changer When Returning To The Gym?
For many of you, this is a very busy time. Clients are getting short notice on gym reopenings, there are new guidelines for how and when equipment can be used, and there will be an increased demand for your services as people crave guidance on the right way to get back under a barbell. This could be a make-or-break time for your business. How you navigate the situation could net some pretty incredible results for …
Pandemic Leads Gyms to Use TrueCoach and Adopt an OPEX-Model: And They’re Stoked About it
When one door closes, another opens: Never had this saying been more true than when you consider how the fitness industry has been thrown for a loop because of the global pandemic. Overnight, the door closed on crowded gyms and 25-person bootcamps and group classes—the bread and butter for many gyms. This has caused many small gyms to abandon old ways and adopt a more OPEX-style model—one that replaces generic …
Developing Your Training Philosophy
Few things are as overwhelming as trying to write a training program without having a training philosophy. One of the definitions of philosophy is “a critical examination of the grounds for fundamental beliefs.” You can have fancy templates and an exhaustive exercise vocabulary, but if you don’t have a philosophy that underpins your program objectives, then you are simply winging it. Step 1 to developing your …