Too Easy, Too Hard, Functional Movement, Progress

If you have taken years to get into horrible shape it is going to take a ton of hard work, many months, possibly years, and you are going to be incredibly sore afterwards sometimes.  If you just want general health running, swimming, and yoga might be sufficient. If you want to be strong and healthy though soreness is something you learn to live with.

I just got off the phone with someone who was sore after her first workout.  This is not uncommon.  She said it took her three days to walk relatively normal again.  That is unfortunate that she was in that much pain and that she could not walk normal.  I did not work her hard at least not in my mind.  She was perfectly fine during her entire workout.

I have a client who is 60 years old and can keep up with people in their mid 20`s with endurance and blow them away with her strength.  My system works for older people, younger people, people with no athletic background, all the way up to Iron Man Triathletes, and Muay Thai fighters.

It saddens me a little bit when other trainers say a trainer should not do something with someone on their first day.  Yes certain things should not be done on the first day but certain things should.  I want to have a baseline to show progress.

My general baselines are the Functional Movement Screen, weight, body fat, strength via 1 arm dumbbell rows, strength via pull ups usually with the help of not one but two resistance bands, speed via fast steps onto my 2 1/2 inch platform, and endurance via burpees unless they have horrible knees.

If someone can do 8 burpees but are completely gassed at 30 seconds and then a month later they can do 32 burpees in 2 minutes that is 400% progress.  These are the types of things that I can say look you did this now look what you can do.

I have had people tell me that it is too easy or too hard.  Usually in my professional experience and yes I am a professional this is what I do for a living people who think it is too easy are not pushing themselves hard enough.  Also most of the time when people think it is too hard they either do not let me know they are working too hard or more likely they want amazing results without putting in the work.  Maybe they bust their butts in the gym but do not know their way around the kitchen.  Sometimes someone will eat impeccably, train religiously, and still not get results because they drink like a fish every weekend.

I thought I was going to have 10 sessions today but I guess nine will have to do!

If you like this I would be thrilled if you would share it with your friends.

Thanks,

Nathan Jordan
Jackhammer Strength Training
Proud Member of Fitness Revolution Nation
Getting Better 1 month, 1 week, 1 set, and 1 rep at a time.