There’s absolutely nothing better than when a coach and client achieve something together.
The core of any training program is that of improving the client’s physiological and psychological state of readiness for whatever life throws at them.
When the majority of our clients start, they are in a state of unrefined talent. This could be due to years of being sedentary, a previous injury or simply just never having stepped a foot in a gym before.
The role of a Adaptive Strength (formerly Box33) Coach is to act as the important link between the client’s unrefined potential and their ability to actualise that potential. This begins with talent identification; baseline movement screens like the Functional Movement System (FMS) and strength tests. And then moves onto general physical preparation (refined talent) and ends with specialisation (high performance). The central bond in this continuum being general physical preparation.
But skilled coaching is often not enough. The client must be in an environment that is conducive and supportive of the client moving from their unrefined talent to refined talent. In other words an environment which is fun, motivating, challenging, offers variety, and focuses and rewards the journey.
What Is General Physical Preparation?
It is the ability to maximise the client’s physical capabilities and performances. It is the role of the coach to plans and designs programs that meet the clients individual needs.
A lot of Personal Trainers claim they do this. But, there is a big difference from training someone to sweat and feel tired and actually helping their clients’ long term to lose weight, get lean in all the right places, move better with no pain and look and feel great!
This takes a special skill set that must be valued and respected.
To move someone from unrefined talent to refined talent and then finally high performance a program must address the following elements:
- rehabilitation and injury prevention programs
- movement analysis – in-life and gym based
- strength and power development
- regeneration and recovery strategies
- mobility and flexibility programs
- specific conditioning and physical adaptation
- planning and monitoring the client’s workloads, stress and any other activity happening outside the gym that may have either a positive or negative impact on their general wellbeing.
These elements above have been confirmed by research time and time again as the essential building blocks for general physical preparation and preparing our clients for whatever life throws at them.
