Following on from Parts 1 & 2 of our basic programme writing series, we’ll now look at the best ways to begin and end writing series, we’ll now look at the best ways to begin and end your client’s programme.
1. The Warm Up
A dynamic warm up will mobilise joints and muscles
This should be done prior to working out, and in most cases will precede the resistance component of the programme that I talked about in Part 1 of this blog.
Include:
• Pulse raisers to gently elevate heart rate and to prepare the body for training. This need not be longer than 5 mins unless you’re training an older adult. As your client becomes more experienced, they will require less time to do this.
• A X-trainer, treadmill or rower is an excellent choice, since they work muscles over the whole body.
• Dynamic stretches mobilise the joints & muscles and help to address muscular postural issues. We need to focus on “opening up” tight areas of the body and to “fire up” muscles that spend much of the day in a relaxed position.
• This needs to be done to ensure the muscles operate optimally and to prepare them for the workout ahead.
2. The Cool Down
Post workout stretches help maintain or develop flexibility
Perform this once you have completed the CV part of the programme as I discussed in Part 2 of this blog.
Include:
• Pulse lowering exercise to regress the heart rate and prevent blood pooling in the body.
• The cool down can be done with the same piece of equipment that the main CV workout was done on, or you may wish to switch your client to a stationary bike, since only the muscles in the lower body are used and this will help with lowering heart rate.
• Static stretches of the muscles worked throughout both the resistance and CV parts of the programme.
• Hold for between 10-15 seconds to maintain flexibility of a muscle; and double this to 20-30 seconds to develop flexibility. We would aim to develop flexibility in muscles that have become tight as a result of postural imbalances in the body.
If you have any questions or would like more information about the personal training courses that EPTI offer, please contact us today.
Dedicated to your success.
Toby Clay
