A clipboard can hold the workout, but it can’t read the man standing in front of it.
Before each personal-training session, I write out a plan. However, that plan is only a starting point. Once a client arrives, the most important part of his workout happens before we begin chasing sets, repetitions or heavier weights.
In fact, give me ten minutes with a man over 40, and I’ll usually know whether the workout on my clipboard still makes sense.
First, I Look for What Changed
First, I compare how the client moves today with how I have seen him move during previous sessions. Can he squat, hinge, kneel and get down to the floor as comfortably as usual?
Sometimes everything looks normal. However, his hips may appear stiffer, his balance may be slightly different or one side may not move as freely. Therefore, blindly following the original workout could mean ignoring valuable information his body is already providing.
This doesn’t necessarily mean something is “wrong.” Instead, it means today’s body may need a slightly different route toward the same long-term goal.
Next, I Watch How His Body Solves Problems
Next, I observe what happens as he moves through fundamental positions. For example, when his arms travel overhead, does his lower back arch excessively? When he squats, does his weight shift noticeably to one side?
Although the body is remarkably good at finding ways to complete a task, it sometimes borrows motion from another area. Consequently, those compensations can influence which exercises we use, how much resistance we add and what we address during the warm-up.
Instead of immediately adding weight, I may change the position, adjust the range of motion or choose a different variation. As a result, the client can train productively without forcing a movement that doesn’t fit him that day.
Finally, I Read the Person
Finally, I pay attention to facial expressions, body language and general energy. After all, clients don’t always announce that they slept poorly, feel mentally drained or are carrying unusual stress.
Nevertheless, those factors can affect coordination, effort and recovery. Therefore, good coaching involves reading what a client may not be saying and adjusting the session without abandoning its purpose.
The goal isn’t to make every workout easier. Rather, the goal is to apply the right challenge at the right time.
The Plan Serves the Person
The federal Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans emphasize the importance of regular aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. However, consistency becomes much easier when training is appropriate for the individual instead of being dictated by a rigid template.
That’s especially important for busy men over 40. Although the long-term plan matters, your readiness, movement and life outside the gym can change from one session to the next.
At Scardino Fitness, personal training in Broadview Heights begins with a plan—but it never ends there. Ultimately, if I blindly follow the paper, I’m not coaching the man standing in front of me. I’m simply coaching the plan.
And the plan isn’t the one who has to perform the workout.