Growth comes in many ways and while you might think because I work as a strength coach that most of the work I do with my clients is physical but in actuality all the big changes in my clients start with a shift in the way they perceive themselves and their surroundings.
Without going into too much detail I will just say this client is a triathlete who has been battling a series of different injuries and is having trouble learning how to bring down her intensity level during training until her body can properly heal.
Change work:
(this has been edited only for spelling and to preserve my clients anonymity)
Client- So I did
myself in at bootcamp- shoulders and neck is a mess
I think it was from
holding the weights in my hands, so I'm thinking I'm gonna save my last session
with you until I'm able to do a real workout
ActNOWFitness- Sounds
good,in the mean time work on "taking it down a notch" and moving but
not hurting
Client- I'm trying I
just honestly have no idea what 60% intensity should look/feel like
so proving to be very
difficult!
ActNOWFitness- Its
really simple 60% means 6/10 so if you usually do 10 of something now you
do....6 
leave 4 reps in tow
Client- what the hell
is "6" tho!?
ActNOWFitness- ...%60
of 100?
Client- i know the
numbers!!
I just don't know what
it should feel like
far to abstract
ActNOWFitness- no its
not, 6 *feels* like you could do another 4 but you don't
Client- oh ok
another 4 reps?
ActNOWFitness- exactly,
you know you could do another 4 but you stop
Client- so only do 6
squats?
well that's lame
ActNOWFitness- well
your rep range is usually 12 so modify that to 8ish
NOTHING lame about it
you become stronger by
listening to your body period
Client- Just feels like the lazy man's workout
ActNOWFitness- change
your outlook and heal
Client- I'm trying,
just not proving to be very successful i guess! haha
ActNOWFitness- this is
an opportunity not a punishment
Client- Easier said
than understood
ActNOWFitness- Learning
is confusing until it clicks
Client- Haha tell me
about it. I thought it'd clicked, or maybe it unclicked if that's possible.
Honestly I feel like I'm standing in front of a running treadmill and my brain
is screaming jump on- so I do and it just flicks me off like a piece of dust
a little frustrating
ActNOWFitness- Your at
a point where your body is directly telling you what must be done and until you
get on board...you suffer
Client- I've been
resting for 6 weeks!!!!!!!!!
sorry- not my
intention to vent at you
ActNOWFitness- bullshit,
you haven't been resting properly...you are still pushing too hard
don't take my word for
it, take yours
your bodies that is
Client- I have not!
bootcamp on thursday was the first time I'd been out to anything since the
accident
and I was on a deload
2 weeks before that with my hip
ActNOWFitness- Ok Ok
lets not get caught up in time tables and details. bottom line is your body
needs love that doesn’t mean do nothing but it does mean treat it like it’s
just learning to workout again.
Client- trust me! my
clothes are letting me know!
I refuse to go back to
square one!
not happening
ActNOWFitness- so you
put on a little fat, when you learn this lesson and heal up it will all come
off again, no rush...you still look fucking great so get over it *hug*
Every great athlete
has this same story, they get majorly injured and have to learn to take it back
to basics again and its one of the greatest lessons to learn
Client- Well thanks
for the support- I appreciate it. I just feel like I don't know what the heck
I'm doing or what to expect so hence feel out of control which is not a good
feeling at all
ActNOWFitness-Your
thoughts are a little inflexible at the moment, that will change and when they
do so will you
Client- Not sure what
you mean...
ActNOWFitness- Just listen to your trainer
darling and for now focus on %60
"I refuse to go
back to square one!" = inflexible thinking
Client- But that
thought is so depressing!
ActNOWFitness- Like I
said it’s not punishment, its opportunity. When I was in Peru I realized I am
to study NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) again and I thought awesome i'll
take the next lvl of NLP and then I was instructed to START FROM THE BEGINNING
AGAIN...at first I was like no way I know it already but now I know it’s going
to be awesome to start again and try and see it from a different
perspective...it’s a gift
Client- So you're
saying i could learn to see training from a different perspective?
ActNOWFitness- YES
Client- Ok,
no clue how that could be but I'm open to it
,
no clue how that could be but I'm open to it
ActNOWFitness- that’s
all you have to be right now is open to new ideas and concepts
Client- fair
ActNOWFitness- Now
here's what I want you to do...go to the top of this convo today and read it as
if you are your favourite athlete and your reading a convo between another athlete
and her trainer.
Client- so read it as
if I'm Simon Whitfield?
ActNOWFitness- Exactly
Client- ok....
but I have no clue how
simon thinks!
ActNOWFitness- no but
you can pretend and that’s enough
its called the
observer position
Client- but i need to
know the observer!
ActNOWFitness- nope
Client- otherwise i'll
be thinking like me
ActNOWFitness- go read
please and don't get caught up in details
Client- fine…
(2 min break)…wow I'm
a stubborn little bugger
hahah
ActNOWFitness- learn something?
Client- Yeah actually-
now i just need to believe it for what it is and not convert it into something
else
ActNOWFitness- good
girl
Client- It's hard to
see that as taking care of myself and not as wimping out and being lazy
but I'll try!
ActNOWFitness- but
"Simon" understands doesn’t he?
Client- I know! argh!
i have no comeback
ActNOWFitness- good
talk girl, you’re making progress
