Practical Advice for Adding Cardio to Your PT Sessions to Enhance Clients' Results

Following on from Part 1 of our basic programme writing series, we’ll now look at the cardiovascular aspect of your client’s programme....

Interval training is more effective than steady state cardio

• For most clients, we recommend training CV after the resistance component has been completed.

• This is because for most client’s goals, the resistance training will be the most important part of the programme.

• This will obviously change if the client’s goals are CV or endurance based.

 

Steady State CV:

• Steady state CV refers to exercise where the heart rate is maintained at a consistent level for an extended period of time (20 minutes +).
  
  
• This type of exercise is typically performed at a consistent, moderate intensity throughout the workout. 

Interval Training:

• Interval training involves alternating periods of high-intensity exercise with periods of lower intensity or rest.
  
  
• The high-intensity intervals are typically short, lasting anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes, while the lower-intensity intervals or rest periods allow for recovery.

 

 Interval Training vs. Steady State Continuous CV Training

 

• Generally, we will look to start beginners off doing some steady state cardio
and progress the workload intensity to interval training as their capability advances.

• In an hour long programme, we suggest to do between 10-20 minutes of CV training.

Benefits of interval training:

Interval Training will benefit the client more by:

• Working at a higher intensity so that the workload is achieved in a shorter period of time.

• Involving the client more in the workout as they need to concentrate on the work:rest intervals.

• Increasing their metabolic rate and keeping it elevated for a longer time period once training has ceased.   
     
   This will impact the number of daily calories burned.

• Spending less time overall doing CV, as most clients get bored doing long periods of CV.

• Lowering the incidence of overuse injuries.

 

 

Stay tuned for part 3 of my program design series coming to you soon, and in case you missed it – here is part 1.

 

From Injury Prevention to Performance Enhancement

Following on from Parts 1 & 2 of our essential tips for PT programme writing series, we’ll now look at the best ways to begin and end your client’s programme.

1. The Warm Up

Tips for Delivering an Effective Fitness Class

 

If there's one thing that EPTI know about… it's group training!!!

We specialize in group training, and it's a key part of our Master PT Diploma. Our Personal Trainer graduates are equipped with the skills to teach large groups of clients, thanks to the qualifications included in the program.

Group training sessions, whether they are being run indoors as a “circuit” style session, or outside, as a “bootcamp” style workout, must still follow the basic rules of programme design that we looked at in our previous program design articles 🔑 Every effective training session should consist of three key components:

1️⃣ Warm up and dynamic stretching to prepare the body for exercise

2️⃣ The main conditioning phase, where you challenge your body and work towards your fitness goals

3️⃣ Cool down and post-workout stretching to help your body recover and reduce the risk of injury.

Now, we’re going to tell you about a little trick we use for our group training, which help keep our sessions consistent and balanced in terms of providing instruction and giving motivation to the group... 💫 The Circle of Awesome Instruction:

When we hold any group training session with multiple training stations, we apply the circle of awesome instruction to the work interval of each exercise station.

So, if we were to apply this to a 45 second station:

1. 0 – 10 seconds —> SET UP:
Give clear instructions & teaching points

2. 10 – 30 seconds —> WORK THE ROOM:
Give teaching points, make corrections and start bringing in some motivation

3. 30 – 45 seconds —> BRING IT HOME:
Time to let your personality shine through, get louder substituting teaching cues with motivation & encouragement.

Get a timer so you can watch the participants. don't stay rooted in the same place looking at your watch counting down time.

By splitting the work interval roughly into 3 sections, we find that we’re able to provide the group with enough coaching tips, get in and correct those individuals that need our help, and still make time to ensure that the group is motivated to work at 💯%

 

 

 session during the EPTI Master Personal Trainer Diploma course.

 

The EPTI Master PT Diploma is the fitness industry gold standard in Personal Training qualifications and features popular CPD courses such as Circuits Instructor, Kettlebell Instructor, Suspension Training Instructor, Outdoor Functional Bootcamp Training Instructor, and Boxing Padwork Instructor.

 

 

Identifying Your Fitness Strengths and Using Them to Your Advantage

One of the first things you need to consider when building a fitness business is ‘What is my USP?'

USP = Unique Selling Proposition

Your USP is what you offer your clients that your competition doesn’t (or can’t), and why someone should do business with you over every other personal trainer out there?

If you don’t know what your USP is I strongly urge you to think of one, and fast!

Without a USP there is nothing separating you from your competition.