Workouts Worthy of "Selling" as a Trainer

[KingJustin]

So I decided to be a trainer.

I have shadowed a couple of the "head" trainers, and when they are trying to sell services, they take a client through a grueling session. Usually 50 sets of the same muscle groups, all 15 reps, every set taken to failure, with no rest in between. They do this not strictly to sell a routine--they think it works.

I have a little more integrity than to do that. So, I was trying to think of good workouts to give people to make them feel like "oh **** yoz I gots a mad good session" while at the same time delivering something that is actually going to help someone build muscle/lose fat/increase strength, etc.

I don't really buy into failure training (with a few exceptions), so I'm looking for some stuff that is going to leave someone exhausted and fatigued, but without doing just pump training.

My plan was:
Warm-Up - Dynamic stuff
Strength/Weights - (?????)
Cardio - Complexes
Cool Down - 5 minute Walk/Jog/Elliptical
Stretches

Any ideas for weight stuff to keep someone moving a bit and make it EXCITING?

[Con]

Circuits?

[nddillon]

Not really sure what you are looking for.

But getting a workout going for people who have no idea what they are doing is rough. I would suggest not just starting out with the big compounds but try to evolve their workout into such.
Example, week one do lunges, week two split squats, week three front squats, then they might be ready for the whole form of squats.
Example, week one, hypers, 2 rack pulls, 3 straight leg dead lift, 4 deadlifts
1-side lat raises,2 machine military press, 3 arnies, 4 then OH Press
This gets them to the big compounds, keeps them interested, makes them learn new movements and form and changes enough so they think its new and exciting while not too much so that they are over worked in the same week and are getting the major muscle groups throughout the routine.
Ya follow?

Also BGB is constructed to do pro/antigonist movements in which you could superset.

[Bikkstah]

You're a CPT asking us how to train people?

[Built]

You're a CPT asking us how to train people?

DON'T KNOCK IT!

I wish they ALL did this!

[KingJustin]

You're a CPT asking us how to train people?

Hmm, would you like to look at how I train myself?

It's not like I don't really know how to transform someone's physique, add strength, improve stamina, etc, etc better than anyone else I train with. It's just that I don't know how to "sell" a routine. People like the "omg i'm so tired and PUMPED, i bet i got a hella good workout!!" idea. I don't like training to failure, for the pump, etc. I like training for results. But, my way of getting results might not leave someone feeling like they did as much.

I'm looking for some ideas about how to give someone a good workout that makes them leave excited about how good the workout was.

I like the idea of antagonist supersets a lot. I might also do some EDT.


Side note: the guy that did 50 sets, all to failure, has 2 more sessions. And they are both with me. He was so excited about how DESTROYED his chest/triceps/shoulders were when he left. He told the guy, "I'm gonna be sore for like 2 weeks!! awesome workout!!" I have to train him the next 2 sessions. I am having a serious moral dilemma haha. I think I'm going to be forced to take him through the same exact workout, but for back/biceps/traps.

[phatmonky]

You're a CPT asking us how to train people?

You've obviously not had a lot of experience training people new to working out in a manner that makes them want to keep working out.

I swear, people are iditos and you just have to go with it. The pragmatic result is they eventually do things totally right.

Example is the women I have got in the gym. They have 25 years of life experience telling them all kinds of myths about working out. You can't just change everything or:

1> they think you are wrong
2> they don't feel like it'll work because they don't OMG FEEL THE BURN
3> they want to do something else because everyone else is doing it.

I got a girl doing a fully body routine of only compound movements to get her into working out. She hated it, not because it wasn't working, but I didn't add any direct arm work (curls,etc) and was only doing weighted abs once a week.

She always whined about not doing abs each workout despite me explaining the lack of ability to spot reduce fat.
In the end what did I do?
Add in curls and split a small ab workout into the three workouts a week. In the end, it's a worthless change and she's spending more time for little to no reason, but she FEELS like she's doing something to lose the belly faster.

As a trainer, he's going to have to find the mix between proper working out and that mental X factor. It's harder than just knowing how to workout.

[phatmonky]

Hmm, would you like to look at how I train myself?

It's not like I don't really know how to transform someone's physique, add strength, improve stamina, etc, etc better than anyone else I train with. It's just that I don't know how to "sell" a routine. People like the "omg i'm so tired and PUMPED, i bet i got a hella good workout!!" idea. I don't like training to failure, for the pump, etc. I like training for results. But, my way of getting results might not leave someone feeling like they did as much.

I'm looking for some ideas about how to give someone a good workout that makes them leave excited about how good the workout was.

I like the idea of antagonist supersets a lot. I might also do some EDT.


Side note: the guy that did 50 sets, all to failure, has 2 more sessions. And they are both with me. He was so excited about how DESTROYED his chest/triceps/shoulders were when he left. He told the guy, "I'm gonna be sore for like 2 weeks!! awesome workout!!" I have to train him the next 2 sessions. I am having a serious moral dilemma haha. I think I'm going to be forced to take him through the same exact workout, but for back/biceps/traps.

The secret to this type of guy is to do things all normal heavy workout, but add a "burner " set at the end for him to feel the pump.

3x5-6 bench + 1x20 at a low weight. It burns, won't kill his progress due to overtraining, and keeps him quiet.

Just do it on the major movements and he'll leave sore. So just 3 times during the whole workout.

[Outshine]

Do you really want to end up training people who only care about the pump and soreness? I mean, if you "sell" them a workout like that, that's what they'll pay you for and expect from you. If you then go on to train them for results (not pumps and soreness), they'll be like "WTF? I haven't had a good workout since that first one. Screw this guy."

I think you should sell them with knowledge. Explain training for results VS training for the pump. Explain why soreness is not an indicator of growth or a good workout. Explain how some trainers use that nonsense to sell themselves, and how you don't.

Then explain what REALLY works, and how you know exactly how to put that stuff into effect so that your clients get the best results in the best time frame while other people get nowhere but feel sore.

Maybe it's just me, but if I was some clueless guy looking for a trainer, that's what would make me leave excited.

Just a thought.

[Sensei]

Example is the women I have got in the gym. They have 25 years of life experience telling them all kinds of myths about working out. You can't just change everything or:

1> they think you are wrong
2> they don't feel like it'll work because they don't OMG FEEL THE BURN
3> they want to do something else because everyone else is doing it.

I got a girl doing a fully body routine of only compound movements to get her into working out. She hated it, not because it wasn't working, but I didn't add any direct arm work (curls,etc) and was only doing weighted abs once a week.

She always whined about not doing abs each workout despite me explaining the lack of ability to spot reduce fat.
In the end what did I do?
Add in curls and split a small ab workout into the three workouts a week. In the end, it's a worthless change and she's spending more time for little to no reason, but she FEELS like she's doing something to lose the belly faster.

As a trainer, he's going to have to find the mix between proper working out and that mental X factor. It's harder than just knowing how to workout.

Absolutely true, even for some collegiate athletic teams.

I think you should sell them with knowledge. Explain training for results VS training for the pump. Explain why soreness is not an indicator of growth or a good workout. Explain how some trainers use that nonsense to sell themselves, and how you don't.

Then explain what REALLY works, and how you know exactly how to put that stuff into effect so that your clients get the best results in the best time frame while other people get nowhere but feel sore.

Maybe it's just me, but if I was some clueless guy looking for a trainer, that's what would make me leave excited.

Just a thought.

It's a nice idea and it WILL work for some, but more people than you probably think will dump the trainer and either find someone else or give up training all together.

[RedSpikeyThing]

why don't you do a standard routine with lots of compounds and add in something like tabata thrusters at the end?

[nddillon]

So what did you end up doing?

[Chubrock]

KingJustin is a smart guy so for those who think he's an idiot for asking this, think again. He's got a very legit situation on hand. You can't start out training top level athletes that are only interested in getting bigger, faster and stronger. It doesn't work that way. You've got to take the good with the bad.

[Rodzilla]

IMO, keep it simple for them. Push/Pull away they go in 45mins.

[Bikkstah]

I was just curious, I didn't understand the question, I didn't mean to come off as sarcastic. I know what you're saying though, people think the longer they're in the gym and the more sets they do, the better off they'll be. Like yesterday I watched this guy doing 135 on flat barbell bench when I came in. When I left 1.5 hours later, he was still just eeking reps out. I had done a full workout, cardio, stretched out, swam, and sat in the sauna and this guy was still just "blasting" his chest.

[KingJustin]

^^ thanks chubs

There's a lot of concerns.

Girls are afraid of getting buff. It's hard to convince them in 5 minutes that weight training is going to help them reach their goals when they have thought otherwise their whole life.

People want to "keep moving" and don't like dead time. When I'm working out, I'm in no rush. I'm chilling out for about 3-5 minutes between most sets and then cranking out a few reps. So far, the people I've trained have been getting antsy after 30 seconds of rest.

The other thing is people expect (1) to really get a pump and fatigue their muscles (2) to feel really sore the next day, and (3) to get in an exhausting cardio workout. If I don't give all that their likelihood of using me as a trainer isn't as good.

The other thing that has frustrated the hell out of me is that people will not listen to anything I say regarding form. After I harp on something 5x, explaining it well with absolutely no change in form, I see visible frustration and then move on.

I don't like my job.

[bjohnso]

Maybe print out some studies that prove muscle soreness and training to failure are not necessarily conducive to a good workout.

[bjohnso]

The other thing that has frustrated the hell out of me is that people will not listen to anything I say regarding form. After I harp on something 5x, explaining it well with absolutely no change in form, I see visible frustration and then move on.

I've had this before. God damn it frustrates the hell out of me. I wish they would just lower the ****ing weight and do it right.


****.

[Maki Riddington]

A trainer has no business asking for routine ideas on the Internet. If you need to ask random people you better start hitting the books a bit harder.

[smokinHawk]

for a CPT i believe they should find out the goals for that person then make a routine to help them achieve their goals
very simple, but i dont know of any CPT to do that.

[bill]

kJustin You have to realize most people don't care about getting big or strong. They are not at level (beginners) to push hard enough on movements to need 3-5 min or even 2 between sets. I think as a beginner, I would want quality basic routines with emphasis on movements and how the body works. Injury prevention and some basic tips on nutrition, related to my goals. You go showing to many things and people 1. won't comprehend 2. if they do have no reason to come back to you.

[nddillon]

Have you talked to Built? See if she has any ideas on making BGB into a beginner/pumped version to hold the attention of your clients and keep you from stabbing them.

But I still think supersetting pro and antigonists movements together should work.

A trainer has no business asking for routine ideas on the Internet. If you need to ask random people you better start hitting the books a bit harder.

Did you even read the thread?

[KingWilder]

for a CPT i believe they should find out the goals for that person then make a routine to help them achieve their goals
very simple, but i dont know of any CPT to do that.

most I know do, or maybe it's just me

I don't like to waste time explaining things to people who don't want to listen or force what I like to do on someone else

it's always best to have them do what they enjoy, otherwise they won't stick around

also, for Justin: during the "rest time" between things why not have them stretch so they feel like they're doing something instead of sitting around?

[Maki Riddington]

so I'm looking for some stuff that is going to leave someone exhausted and fatigued, but without doing just pump training. Any ideas for weight stuff to keep someone moving a bit and make it EXCITING?

Did you even read the thread?

I will explain myself again as apparently my reading skills are somewhat lacking.

I feel that a trainer/coach has no business asking people on the Internet for program ideas to leave potential clients "exhausted and fatigued."

To me that shows a lack of experience that could be clearly increased by reading more. In other words, invest in some self education. It will pay your bills.

[Guido]

Did you even read the thread?

I think Maki knows what he's talking about since he basically makes a living off of it. If that's not enough incentive to learn how to do things right, then I don't know what is.