New Clients

[meanjoe1]

Hey all. For clients who are new to fitness how do you as the trainer determine how much weight should be used on each exercise you lay out for the client or do you let them decide?

[jules_d1]

after a while you'll get good at estimating how much someone can do. You should set the weight for them as they will probably go too light.

Start them off with a light set and gradually work up to a challenging weight. Its better to be too light than too heavy as you may injure someone.

[jdmalm123]

there's a bit of the art of guesstimation...after a few clients, you'll get better at it. Always start lower than you think! Some people have goofy coordination or severe imbalances...you don't need some newb dropping a 10-lb DB on his/her head on day one!

It's more important to get tham comfortable than worked out and sore in the beginning. Keep an eye on things like their posture and balance and whether or not they focus on what they're doing or stare at you chatting when they should be focused on lifting.

Some clients will do odd things that you want to clean up before you add weight such as grab the bar off center, awkwardly position their feet, auto-shrug on every move, etc

[meanjoe1]

Thanks guys. Very useful info in your posts. I appreciate the responses!

[Hottsauce]

find their 1rep max then do about 55-70% of that depending how hard you wana push them. While someone might beable to lift 33lbs easily for someone else it could be an entirely different story so to be safe always find their 1rep max and go from there

[Keltron]

Originally Posted by Hottsauce

find their 1rep max then do about 55-70% of that depending how hard you wana push them. While someone might beable to lift 33lbs easily for someone else it could be an entirely different story so to be safe always find their 1rep max and go from there

So you're saying that if you were just starting with a middle aged guy with a sedentary occupation who hasn't done anything active in the past decade, you're going to have him max out on bench on his first day?

[Simmo0508]

Originally Posted by Hottsauce

find their 1rep max then do about 55-70% of that depending how hard you wana push them. While someone might beable to lift 33lbs easily for someone else it could be an entirely different story so to be safe always find their 1rep max and go from there

lol

1RMs hardly ever come into play for a PTer. You aren't training powerlifters or competition lifters the majority of the time, if ever.

Strength coaches would use that sort of thing, and athletes that require such training, sure, but that isn't everyday PTing with little old Joanne with bad knees and whom needs to lose some weight.

[catheitz]

if you are going to do testing unless a trained athlete don't do 1RM! do at least eh 6 if anything but you do just get accustomed to estimating..alot of times you start of bodyweight anyways and get their muscles coordinated with a beginner workout protocol

[jules_d1]

Originally Posted by Hottsauce

find their 1rep max then do about 55-70% of that depending how hard you wana push them. While someone might beable to lift 33lbs easily for someone else it could be an entirely different story so to be safe always find their 1rep max and go from there

NO NO NO NO

Never get a new client to do a 1RM. they dont have the technique and could easily injure themselves. Their muscles/joints are not prepared for such a load.

Its crazy dangerous.

[Keltron]

Originally Posted by jules_d1

NO NO NO NO

Never get a new client to do a 1RM. they dont have the technique and could easily injure themselves. Their muscles/joints are not prepared for such a load.

Its crazy dangerous.

On first sessions with new clients, I generally like to take them to the squat rack, put two plates on the bar, have them mount it on their shoulders and then leave them there with their knees quivering while I go for a quick bathroom break.