Online Fitness Coaching – How to Choose the Best Option for You

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Guest Blogger: Matthew Collins

The world is a different place nowadays. Things have changed due to obvious reasons (the global COVID pandemic is what I mean), and in many ways they’ve changed for good.

People are working from home, industries have morphed completely, we’ve lost access to certain things we loved while gaining access to others that never existed before.  We’ve had to adapt.

The health, wellness and fitness industry is no different than any other these days.  We were pretty much shut down without warning.  And even worse, in a lot of places it went something like this…

  • shut down
  • open back up with restrictions
  • shut down again
  • reopen outside
  • shut down again

The result of this?

Tens of thousands of gym closures, hundreds of thousands of trainers out of business and millions more gym members who just wanted to work out to keep fit, learn about fitness and enjoy the motivational and social benefit of attending their fitness classes each week are also out of luck.

However, there’s another way that many people have adopted and many more people have yet to try to keep up with their fitness goals: Online Fitness Coaching.

What is Online Fitness Coaching?

I’ve been doing this a while now and I have to tell you, online clients tend to yield better results than in-person clients… sounds crazy, I know!

Online fitness coaching, especially in the day and age we are in today, offers so much value.  You get your fitness workout delivered online to your favorite device. You then log on and workout at a time that suits you, or, depending on the program you buy, you can join live online classes and work out with others. Kind of like a workout Zoom meeting. Each variation will appeal to some and not others, but there are programs out there to suit every schedule, fitness level and personality type.

You can opt to increase your commitment to your fitness by not only joining a class but working with a dedicated online fitness coach. They will be able to tailor workouts, eating plans and motivation to suit your needs and your unique situation.

These days, honestly, your average individual is going through some tough times.  People are feeling fat, lonely, depressed and they have no plan or hope in sight to get them out of this deep ditch they may have found themselves in. 

Online fitness coaching can help. If you lost access to your gym, or grew tired of the sporadic nature of the openings and closures of your fitness center, then online fitness coaching may be a fantastic option for you.

This way of fitness training or working out is great. It provides:

  • comprehensive workouts
  • a tailored approach
  • unrelenting accountability
  • support, structure and an overall approach to fitness that many people welcome

Online Fitness Coaching vs. Traditional Personal Training

Pre-COVID, in person clients tend to come into the fitness session ready to kick butt, get stronger, feel great and go back home.  Sounds good? Well, they then they proceed to do whatever the heck they want the rest of the week.  You see them 2-3x/week and when they aren’t with you, you’re hoping they come back with good behavior!  Often times, however, they’ll come back saying they partied, ate badly, and feel like they are starting from square one again. Which often, they are.

Online fitness coaching, when done right, doesn’t allow this nonsense.  A good coach is on your back DAILY, holding you accountable and making sure the necessary tasks get done to move the needle and to get you to the desired fitness level you want to achieve.

The only caveat – you, the client, needs to make this work.

When you hire any online fitness coach, you need to utilize them.  Reach out to them when you’re struggling with something.  Let them know, realistically, what you’re dealing with. They can tailor nutrition, workouts and even some kind words to help you through your challenges.

For example:

  • Do you have a question about the food you’re eating? Send a text
  • Are you unsure about the form for your squat? Send a video
  • Find you’re confused about meal proportions or selections? Send a photo

Get the feedback you need when you need it to avoid making the wrong decision. This is the type of support online fitness coaching can offer.

But, even a great coach isn’t a mind reader and needs you to be present in the situation.  Help them help you.   

Online fitness coaching, as with anything else, has different options based on what you desire and what your budget looks like:

  • Low price, low support
  • Mid-price, moderate support
  • High price, high support

Know what you need and what resources you have at your disposal when researching the fitness coach that’s right for you.

At its best, online fitness coaching can be an amazing thing.  It allows you to be catered to throughout the process, have a solid plan to follow and the support to guide you there every step of the way (depending on what service you select). 

At its worst, you’ll get a workout plan that doesn’t fit your body or your needs and leaves you in the same place you started.  That’s why research is key so you can maximize your potential.

Five Questions to Ask an Online Fitness Coach

If you’re ready to explore hiring an online fitness coach or online fitness program, here are some questions to ask:

What is included?

  • You’ll want to know which classes, workouts and programs are offered at the various pricing levels

What if my schedule changes?

  • Things change and you may find yourself busier or on a different work schedule. You may also start working out and decide that mornings or evenings or weekends are a better option for you. Learn how flexible this coaching program will be.

Do you have any references?

  • Although what matters is how you like the fitness program, the coach, perhaps the others in the program if it is a group program, but you may benefit from checking out the reviews or testimonials from past clients.

Do you support clients at my level?

  • Online fitness coaching can work for the very beginner all the way through to the elite athlete. Make sure the coaching program you are selecting is one that fits with and caters to your fitness level, and where you want to go.

What happens if I want to upgrade/downgrade/cancel?

  • Several online fitness coaching programs have different levels of services. Ask what happens if you sign up for one level and then decide you want to upgrade/downgrade. Typically it is no problem, but ask as each company operates differently.

The beauty is, in the challenging world we’re living in these days, you can maximize your fitness potential from the comfort of your home. 

No equipment? Don’t worry. I have clients who have zero equipment and they are making consistent progress.  The more stuff you have, the better (everyone likes variety and extra resistance), but it’s doable to transform your body inside and out with just you and gravity.

Get started today. You can always contact me first as you start to research your next online fitness coach. I’d be happy to talk with you and see how we may be able to work together.  The last thing you’ll do is regret it and the first thing you’ll do is start to love what you see in the mirror again.


Matt Collins leads The Fitness Accelerator. Learn more about Matt and his programs here www.dreambodyaccelerator.com


 

Keep Going Even When You Don’t Feel Like It. Five Proven Ways to Overcome Your Lack of Motivation

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Guest Blogger: Julie Germaine


No matter when in the year you are reading this article, have you stuck to your New Year Resolution to be healthier?

Every single one of us has moments where we feel like relaxing on the couch during downtime, rather than pursuing dreams or taking steps toward self-improvement. Even I sometimes feel unmotivated to exercise and feel my dedication to healthy eating sliding off the track. The trick is to know what to do when these moments strike so you can push forward and keep you’re your commitment to yourself to accomplish amazing things.

Long after the high of goal setting fades, the daily grit required to pursue and achieve those goals you set creeps in. You may wonder where your motivation has gone. The key is to tackle one day at a time.

Here are five proven ways to overcome lack of motivation and stop procrastinating so you can be successful this year.

  1. Spend 5 minutes a day on visualization techniques. This is somewhat like meditation, however rather than the clear mind that meditation strives for, the goal with visualization is to let your imagination run wild!
    Find a quiet, comfortable place to relax. Think about your goals, and how you will feel once you achieve them. Take in the pride and enjoy your excitement as if it’s really happened. Focus on the tingles moving through your body. Before you end your session, turn the situation around to force yourself to accept the regret that comes with giving up. This is definitely NOT how you want to feel, and it’s a good way to give yourself a kick in the butt to get to work to avoid this outcome.

  2. Get the momentum going in your favour. I truly believe that once you get the ball rolling, it’s so much easier to keep it going, so force yourself to just start… NOW! Even if you drag yourself through that first week of workouts, it’s better than doing nothing, and each day I guarantee it will get easier, and you will get better!

  3. Surround yourself with inspiring people. Good friends, reliable people in your life and athletic coaches (even virtual ones) are here to motivate you and help you remember all those reasons you started in the first place, so invest in your health and improve your chance of success by getting professional help from the get-go.

    As I mentioned earlier, we ALL start to burn out at some point. Make sure you have a program to fall back on so you don’t fall off the wagon altogether.

  4. Take baby steps. Your finish line may seem really far away and impossible to reach, but if you set markers along the way, you will have those milestones to celebrate. Boosting your confidence by reaching smaller goals will give you faith that you can really do this.

  5. Allow yourself REST – you’re not a machine!  If you’re tired, take a break, and don’t feel guilty. This doesn’t mean you’ve failed, it simply means you were going hard and needed a breather for a moment. Keeping positive about this detour will go a long way toward helping you feel happy with yourself and preparing you to work hard again.

I wish you the very best year. Keep your goals in front of you, take care of your fitness, your sleep and your nutrition and use some of the tips listed in this article. Let me know which helped you the most.


Visit Julie Germaine’s website for more information on nutrition, exercise and overall health to make achieving your fitness goals possible! www.juliegermaine.com


 

Did You Dominate Your Workout or Did it Destroy You?

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Guest Blogger: Matthew Collins


Sore two-days after your last workout? Delayed Muscle Onset Soreness (DOMS) is that itch that you can’t scratch… that sensation you get for the next few days after a seriously hard workout. That feeling novices fear and experienced trainees relish.

But is it actually a good thing?  Does it prove a good and effective workout was had?  If there isn’t any soreness following a workout, was it all for naught?


Personally, I kind of love being sore.

It most certainly tells me that I put in the effort and crushed that previous workout.  It tells me I didn’t dial-in the previous workout and my intensity is up there.  And I like to lift intensely.

But this comes with an asterisk almost every single time because the presence of soreness doesn’t equal efficiency in our program or our effort.

But let’s backtrack a bit here…

What is DOMS?

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. The following 2-4 days after a workout (hence the ‘delayed’) you feel soreness ranging from light to debilitating and soul crushing.  What would be an example of ‘soul crushing’? It’s hard to walk up or downstairs, it is hard to type, it is hard to get in or out of the car because all your muscles hurt.

When does this happen? What environment needs to be present in order to feel DOMS?

  • If you are a new trainee, you’ll almost certainly feel soreness after working out. Typically you should bank on feeling sore for the first few months of your fitness journey.
  • It also comes about when a more advanced trainee starts a new program – thus imparting new stimuli onto their body. The soreness is telling us “ahh I see you switched things up there… you got me good” (A good reason to take that first week slow and feel it out).
  • Another sure fire way to feel extra spicy is to accentuate the negative, or eccentric range of motion. This is the lowering or lengthening phase of a movement.

Think lowering a barbell after curling it up or descending toward the ground on a Romanian Deadlift.  The more the stretch is emphasized, the more the body will feel that stimuli and will be more “activated” or engaged.  That part of the movement is the most damaging to the tissues and will lead to more soreness later on.

When is DOMS a Warning?

The thing you need to watch out for, however, is soreness that lasts too long in duration, comes about too frequently, and soreness that is too intense.

Duration:  If you have a killer leg day and you are still sore a week later – you’re doing it wrong.

Frequency:  If you are sore all the time, week after week – you’re doing it wrong.

Intensity: If you are so sore that you can barely move – you’re doing it wrong.

Again, soreness isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but these factors can give us information about how things are going awry.

You Can Only Workout as Hard as You Can Recover

Most of us have different rates of recovery.  Some of us are natural freaks who can take anything given to them, chew it up, spit it out and ask for seconds.

Others look at weights and get fatigued.

Because of these differences from person to person, training programs needs to change accordingly.

10 sets of 10 at 90% RPE will be fine for someone who’s got 10 years under their belt lifting intelligently.

10 goblet squats with 10lb might be a soul crusher for someone who’s never lifted a weight in their life and has spent the last 10 years sitting at a desk.

Context is everything.  If you are sore for this long, you potentially need to get certain things in check, which I’ll touch on in a moment.

The same goes for frequency and intensity.  If these factors are skyrocketing week after week, something has to be adjusted.

Soreness is typically a result of inability to recover properly. To get the most rewards out of your fitness workout, you need to recover properly. Are any of the items on this list preventing you from recovering well after your workouts?

  • Are you sleeping enough?
  • Is your sleep quality awful (not long enough, for example)?
  • Are you eating to sustain desired results?
  • Are you drinking enough water?
  • Are your workouts way too hard for your current abilities?
  • Are you working out too frequently?
  • Are you working out too infrequently?
  • Are you too stressed?
  • Are you implementing too many intensity techniques such as slow negatives, supersets, giant sets, etc. and not enough of the basics?


And the thing is, when you listen to your body, you’ll see better results.  Progress happens when you leave the gym.  When you recover.  When your body heals and adapts.  If you’re never recovering, you’re never growing optimally.

When I dialed things back a tad, started to prioritize nutrition and hydration, and implemented recovery techniques such as walking, yoga, breathing, mobility and other things of the like my body started to behave a whole lot more.

I’m sure yours will too.

As a side note, if you DO have a case of the DOMS in the short term… do an extra-long warm up and get the blood flowing before a workout.  Blood is a nutrient transporter and can help the healing process.  It’ll also reduce the “sensation” of soreness so you can get a workout in.  If you are in the “fall down on the toilet” phase, opt for another body part until you’re recovered.


Matt Collins leads The Fitness Accelerator. Learn more about Matt and his programs here www.dreambodyaccelerator.com


 

New to Weight Training? These 3 Tips Will Help Get You Started

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Guest Blogger: Chelsey Hendriksen

You’ve heard about all of the benefits of weight training – increased lean muscle (AKA curves), higher metabolism and the ability to carry in your groceries in a single trip – but you’re a bit unsure of how to get started. I get it, it can seem totally overwhelming when you’re first starting out and diving into something new and that’s why I’m sharing three tips to help ease you into weight training so you can reap all of the amazing benefits.

Practice Good Form Before Adding Too Much Weight

In order to get the most out of your training sessions, you want to ensure you’re using the proper form so that you’re actually working the muscle the exercise is intended to use and also being sure you’re not doing something that can lead to injury. New movements take time to master and it’s important that you know the intended muscle you’re working on so you can be certain you’re performing the exercise accurately.

I know it can be tempting to just grab some dumbbells or jump under a barbell because that’s what everyone else is doing, but if you’re not executing the movement correctly, adding weight isn’t going to make it any better. If anything it’s going to lead to injury. Instead, practice the movements using bodyweight only at first. If you can, do them in front of a mirror or record yourself on your phone so you can see how you look throughout the movement. Sometimes something may feel right but when you see it on video, you notice things that can be improved upon.

Take your time, master the movements and increase the weight slowly and over time.

Start Your Weight Training With a Plan

Being prepared is crucial to getting optimal results in many things in life – workouts are no different. If you go into your training session without a plan and just ‘wing it’, you’ll most likely miss training essential muscles and likely overdo it on others. Yes, you may enjoy training certain body parts more than others but that doesn’t mean you can ignore other areas. A good training program is all about balance and ensures that you are progressing week by week.

The best way to see progress is to use progressive overload where you perform the same exercises (or variations) and increase the reps or tempo each week so that you’re constantly challenging yourself while simultaneously improving your form and technique.

If you are unsure of where to start there are a ton of free programs out there to help get you going, this one from Shape is 4 weeks long and is a great starter program.

Weight Training: Focus on Yourself

When you’re starting at something new, it can be very easy to become discouraged. Not being great at something right off the bat and having to practice consistently to see improvement can be mentally challenging some days. Social media displays everyone’s highlight reel and it can be easy to feel like you’re so much further behind everyone else.

Here’s the thing though – everyone starts somewhere. You can’t compare your chapter one to someone else’s chapter 9. People love to show the results but the process that goes on behind the scenes is where the real work takes place. Everyone gets discouraged. Everyone loses motivation at times. There will be days where it doesn’t feel worth it and that you are frustrated with your lack of progress. This is when you need to keep going. Progress isn’t linear. It’s not a straight line going up. There will be peaks and valleys. But as long as you keep showing up, you’ll keep making progress, even if you can’t see it every day. Be kind to yourself and keep a reminder of why you started at the forefront of your mind.

The truth of the matter is, getting started is the hardest part. New things tend to make us doubt our abilities but if you approach them with the right attitude, have a solid plan in place and a good attitude, you will be amazed at what you can achieve. That’s my personal favorite part of weight training, it’s you vs you. It doesn’t matter what the girls on Instagram are doing or even what the girl next to you in the gym is doing. All that matters is that you are doing this for yourself. So take the first step and let the journey begin.


Guest blogger Chelsey Hendriksen is the creator of the Macros Matter Method. Find her on Instagram: instagram.com/powerhousechels and learn more about her programs: https://sales.powerhousechels.site/macros