What I Like about Personal Training

I started personal training in 2008 because I love helping people in the gym.  I grew-up with a passion for working-out and weight training.  I always read magazines like Flex and Musclemag.  I understand that most normal people don't cram their head full of exercise concepts.

I like the idea of helping people get into better shape so that they have one less thing to worry about as they do something meaningful with their lives.  Physical fitness isn't the whole package but you don't want to limp around like a casualty when you're trying to help others.

Many people stick their head into the gym and see a confusing jungle of chrome and iron and shaved heads and tattoos.  My job as a personal trainer is to guide them through the gym and make sure that they get a good, safe, effective workout

I feel good when my clients tell me that they are more confident and stronger.  I know that the hard work they put in at the gym will pay off for them.

No matter what they do with their muscles

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

Tom

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Leg Routine

Here's a really good leg workout which will hit all the major leg muscles:

Tom

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Off-Season Training for Linemen

Lift Basic - Lift Heavy

Playing on the offensive line is all work and very little glory.  Your job is to make the Quarterback, Kicker and others look good.  Success on the line demands brute, explosive power.  Off-Season is when you build this power.  The weight room is where it happens.

The Squat

 

Let's start with the basic barbell squat.  Use the squat rack at the gym for safety.  Do a warm-up set with a weight that you can do about 20 reps with (20 Rep Max).  Do 2 sets of 12 with this lower weight.  Now change up to your 10 Rep Max weight.  Do 4 sets of 10 with that weight.  Watch your form:  Back straight, heels glued to the floor, go nice and deep. 

 

Standing Calf Press



 

Now that we've hit the big upper-leg muscles with squats, we're going to focus on the smaller calf muscles.  Calves are super-important to a lineman as they deliver a lot of the driving power he needs to push forward.  Standing Calf Press is best done on a machine like the one pictured above.  If you don't have a nice calf press machine you can stand on any secure edge and hold a dumbbell in your hand.  Calves seem to like higher reps and lower weights.  Be careful about going gonzo with heavy weights on calf exercises.  Do a couple of warm-up sets with shamefully low weights before you get into the working sets.  So - 2 sets of 15 reps to warm-up.  Then ramp-up the weight to your 12 Rep Max and do 4 sets of 10 reps.  If your calves aren't burning like lava; you're doing something wrong.  Don't bend your knees or wiggle your hips when doing this exercise.  It should be just your ankles flexing.  Let the weight push your heels nice and deep; then drive your toes down to push the weight back up.  Some people fuss about "toes-in" or "toes-out".  I promise you; that when some rabid linebacker is trying to blitz, you won't be thinking about toe-orientation on the standing calf press. 

 

 

Bench Press

 

 

 

Legs are done.  Time to work on upper body.  Bench Press works the big chest muscles (Pecs).  Pecs are what you use for controlling that defensive lineman who is hungry for a sack.  Do some push-ups to get ready for the Bench Press.  After 2 sets of 15 push-ups you'll be sufficiently warm for the bench.  Set the weights so they are at your 10 rep max.  Have a spotter handy or set the safety bars in case you're not quite as butch today as you thought you were.  Grab the bar with a symmetrical grip.  Wrap your thumbs around the bar.  Lower the bar until it just touches your chest then drive it upward to full extension.  You're going to do 3 sets of 8 reps with the 10 Rep max weight.  Don't dawdle between sets; 45 seconds is about right.

 

Seated Cable Rows

 

 

Next-up is back-work.  Hop onto the seated cable row machine and make sure that the little v-grip handle is hooked-on.  We can debate the merits of different handles for this exercise in another post.  I just like the feel of the close-grip-V-handle like the one pictured above.  Set the weights on a humble level for a smooth and easy warm-up set.  Knees slightly bent, back nice and straight.  Amp-up the weight for your working sets.  Pick a weight that's at your 12 Rep Max and do 3 sets of 10 reps.  No rocking back and forth - make your lats do the work.  Full extension of the arms, then steady pull until your elbows are well-back.  This exercise should be gritty hard work.  Yeah, your hands should hurt.

 

Military Press

 

The Military Press can be done with a barbell as pictured above or dumbbells or on a machine.  This works your shoulder muscles.  Start with the weight at the level of your collar-bone.  Back nice and straight, press the weight straight overhead until your elbows are locked-out.  To start - grab a light pair or dumbbells and blast out a nice and easy warm-up set.  Load up a barbell with a modest amount of weight (like about 15 Rep Max).  Now, do 4 sets of 10 reps with that weight. 

 

Close Grip Bench Press

 

Tricep time.  You just gotta have strong triceps to thrive on the line.  These muscles are for pushing and shoving.  There are tons of excellent tricep exercises but we'll start with the Close Grip Bench Press.  Everything is the same as Bench Press except for two things:  you'll be using much lighter weights and you'll hold the bar with a much narrower grip (thumb-tips should almost touch when you point them at each other).  Lower the bar to your chest and then press slowly upward until elbows are fully extended).  Use a lighter weight and go for 4 sets of 12 reps.


EZ Bar Curl

 

 

 The EZ Bar curl is a superb bicep exercise.  Load-up the old EZ bar with a couple of plates, grasp the bar at the knurling as pictured above.  Stand up straight and lock your elbows in to your sides.  Start with bar resting at your thighs and slowly curl straight up.  Lower, repeat.  Use a moderate amount of weight (aim for your 12 Rep Max) and go for 3 sets of 10 reps.

 

 

 Decline Crunch

Let's not forget about abs.  If you're in the gym - find a decline bench.  Set the decline about halfway.  Climb in and lock your feet under the pads.  Curls up using ab strength and slowly lower all the way.  Repeat.  Don't pull on your head.  Do 100...or as many as possible.  Every day that you workout - try to add one more crunch.

 

How Often?

Do this routine 3 times/week - max.  Your body needs 2-3 days in between workouts to recuperate and grow.  Feel free to do cardio (treadmill or bike etc) on the other days.  You'll do this routine for about 6-8 weeks.  After that, you will be ready for a split.

 

Nutrition?

Stick with good clean calories.  Fresh fruit and vegetables.  Lots of lean meat (chicken breast, beef).  Tons of cold-water fish (tuna, wild-salmon, sardines).  Wholesome carbs like oatmeal.  Nuts like almonds and walnuts.

 

Summary

I designed this workout for my client and friend Spencer.  He's an offensive lineman for the Fredericton High School Black Kats, one of the best varsity football teams in Atlantic Canada.  I hope that he enjoys this program and I hope you do too.  Here's the recap:

 

Squat  4 x 10

Standing Calf Press  4 x 10

Bench Press  3 x 8

Seated Cable Row  3 x 10

Military Press  4 x 10

Close Grip Bench Press  4 x 12

EZ Bar Curl  3 x 10

Decline Crunches - 1 set of max

 

 

 

Tom

 

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

 

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How to Get Fat

1.  Eat Like You're Still 16
I know that you could jam down a whole large all-dressed pizza when you were 16 and it wouldn't touch you.  Guess what?  Your metabolism isn't 16 anymore; its 36.  You can't pig-out any more.

2.  Take the Elevator
I know that you're in a hurry.  I know that you don't want to get sweaty at the office.  Listen - leave a few minutes early, lather-on some extra anti-perspirant and take the stairs.

escalator - but you get the idea

3.  Skip Breakfast
I know; brekky is a hassle.  You want a few extra minutes of sleep.  Get something ready the night before.  Leave it on the table or the counter where you can easily get it ready.  Eat oatmeal for breakfast.  You just plop some quick oats into a cereal bowl, pour in some hot water and wait a few minutes.  Lots of slow-burning, complex carbs to power you through the day and fibre to keep you from snacking on crap.

Keep Checking Back...for some more hot tips on how to get fat or how not to get fat.

Tom

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

When Do I Train?

Good Question

Recently, in between sets, one of my clients asked me: "When do you train".  At first it seemed like an easy question but as I thought about it I realized that my own training is pretty chaotic.  Since I'm a part-time personal trainer and full-time Army Officer and father and husband I have to be creative to get my workouts in.

Hoisting Plates

I load and unload weight plates for my clients.  This can get pretty labourious if you're talking about a big dude who lifts a lot.  Actually, I'm proud to have a female client who lifts a lot too.  Racking and unracking 45 lb plates for an hour is work.

The Running Clients

I run with my running clients.  Thankfully, they are beginners but a 3-5km run does burn a few calories and justifies buying really nice shoes.  The running trails near my gym are infested with bears and even though I don't tend to take clients running during normal peak bear encounter times, its not easy to relax.

The No-Shows

Sometimes a client inexplicably fails to appear for their workout.  This is a good opportunity for me to blast some iron.  If I am still expecting more clients later, I try not to get sweaty and gross but its possible to get a few sets in.

Lunch-Time Training.

Normally, I loathe training at lunch but the outdoor pool on base is open for lap-swimming at noon and I tried that yesterday.  What a blast - I'm going to do that more often.  A great workout in the sunshine.

Father-Son Training

My oldest boy turned 13 last year and has been itching to get into the weight room.  He completed the Teen Weight Room Orientation Course and has been coming to the gym with me often.  Sometimes I am busy with a client but I see my son jacking iron across the gym and I see that he likes it.  If he still has any energy left after my client leaves, we do some training together.  He's an avid hockey player in a competitive contact division, so he needs all the strength and muscle he can get.

The Basement Gym Workout

Like any fitness-guy, I have a weight set in my basement.  A nice rack, decent olympic barbell set and a bench. I do love working out down there...but.  Its noisy you know.  If you jack iron early in the morning or late at night when the kids are sleeping; you wake people up.  My younger kids love to be with me when I'm working out.  Doing bench presses with the blur of kiddies whizzing-by on roller blades or having a raucous game of basement ball hockey is...different.  My wife suffers the same fate when she pops a Jillian Michaels DVD into the computer and unrolls the mat.  The sight of a 2-year old trying to imitate his Mom, trying imitate Jillian Michaels - hilarious.

On the Road

I travel a little with work or kids' hockey and I love trying out the fitness rooms of hotel gyms.  Some are really decrepit and I love to complain about it when I'm checking out.  Some are not bad for a quick workout.  It gives you a chance to try some new machines (like treadmills with integrated TVs!)

The Saturday Morning Walk

My wife and I walk on the walking trails in downtown Fredericton most weekends.  This is really great and a 4-6km walk doesn't hurt either. 

Bootcamp Training

I run some private bootcamps.  These can be a good workout for the trainer too.  They tend to involve a lot of running and a lot of exercise demos by me. 

That's My Answer

I train whenever I can.  If I can, I just pick a muscle-group that seems fresh and ready-to-go and get in a fast hard workout.

Tom

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later