Execution of an Exercise
January 5, 2009 by TODCoaching
Filed under Health and Fitness, personal training
BLABTT
Ever wondered how as a personal trainer, fitness instructor or sports coach how a technique or explanation could be simplified so that a client or athlete will remember key points of the exercise.
Much has been written over the years on technique, tempo, best use of an exercise; no articles have pieced these all together and made it easy to understand the execution of an exercise.
The old adages of KISS (keep it simple stupid) and EDIPP (Explain, demonstrate, imitate, practice) do hold true and in fact BLABTT was an element within the EDIPP Principal lecture on, Should personal trainers touch their clients?
The delivery of an exercise has to be covered from both points of view that of the trainer and that of the client.
Trainers need to understand that clients will listen to their every word and pick up on everything the say and relay, whether it be right or wrong in relation to all fitness matters.
Clients need to be confident and ask when they are not sure or need to confirm a specific point.
Exercises need to be broken down into six easy steps which trainer and client alike will remember (client) and manage (Trainer).
BLABTT
This should be used in conjunction with EDIPP.
Remember this method does not just lend itself just to weight training, it can equally be used for running, cycling, plyometrics, body weight, dynamic/static stretching.
B-Body- cover the position of the body, where it should be in relation to the exercise being conducted and how it should be held through out the execution of the said exercise. Contraindications should also be covered as well as bad technique corrected.
L-Legs- again explain the position of the legs and how they perform during the exercise and muscles targeted if the exercise is targeting the legs, again coaching points should be covered.
A-Arms- Simply put, where, what and how in relation to position, muscles targeted, covering coaching points and technique.
B-Breathing- this is sometimes a difficult thing for clients to master, everyone knows breathing is a normal function that happens naturally; but give someone a bit of weight or place them under some form of pressure or exertion then breathing goes to pot, it gets faster, slower or they go hypoxic, hold their breath, clients need to have proper technique explained to them and how they should breath during the eccentric, concentric and isometric phases of any exercise.
T-Tempo- Most people just lift weights as fast as they can without proper technique or thought to what they are actually doing. Clients need to be educated in relation to the benefits of tempo and how and when to use various options.
T-Technique- this is the final phase where everything comes together. This is where coaching points need to be re emphasised and a final demonstration given.
The above may sound exhaustive and long winded, but by using this simple procedure when dealing with the execution of an exercise or method, you will ensure that you get the fundamental basics right from the start.
By getting them right you will see greater rewards as the client progresses with you.
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Author; Brian Fernie Dip PT, FIOS, CMT
Back to Basics - Nutrition
Back to Basics
There are 24,000 different diet books on the shelves today. Magazines tell us about the latest celebrities doing no carbs, all carbs or some carbs. Confused? You’re not alone! Lets get back to basics.
Why do we need to eat? We are made up of trillions of living cells. We make 3 million new cells every second. The physiological reason why we eat is to provide our bodies with the vitamins, minerals and nutrients it needs to make the cells that make up our bodies. It makes sense then that the food we eat needs to be full of life and nutrition if it is going to serve our body well.
Processed, pre-packaged fast foods have little to no nutrition left in them. These foods are cooked to high temperatures to kill bacteria and to get them ready for a long shelf life. This process actually kills off nearly all the good enzymes and nutrition. So when we eat these foods, we are not providing our body with what it needs to make healthy cells – the only use for these foods is as stored fat!
So what should you eat? Quite simply, it takes life to give life. Food which is or has been alive and is minimally processed by humans, which includes all your vegetables, salad, fruit, beans, pulses, whole grains, fish, meat and plenty of water. If it’s fresh it’s good! Unlike processed food, the body breaks down fresh food slowly, utilising the nutrition and releasing calories at an even rate so that they don’t store. Fresh food also keeps us fuller longer, reducing our desire for sugary or processed snacks. So before you eat, ask yourself this question: how is this food serving my body?
Processed food is popular because it fits in with our busy lifestyle. But eating fresh is easier than you think – preparation is the key. With shops open 24 hours a day and delivering to your door there is no excuse for not having fresh food in your home. Most supermarkets stock prepared fresh vegetables, which although not quite as good as unprepared, allows you to make a stir fry quicker than you can order and fetch your take away!
Eating fresh, vibrant foods is not a diet – it’s a lifestyle. Eating with family and friends and enjoying the taste of our food is extremely important. That’s why no food is ‘banned’. If you stick to the 80/20 rule where you eat fresh, healthy foods 80% of the time, your body will be getting what it needs to be strong and healthy and will be able to cope with the other 20%.
For more information on all you have read please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Kate Walker - Sutton Coldfield Personal Trainer
e-mail – katewalker@lifestyle-pa.com
web - www.lifestyle-pa.com