SUCCESS-STORIES: FINDING THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR TRAINING
STEEL Team
April 25, 2024
Even though the idea of personalised training is not new, the Vietnamese fitness industry has been slow to fully adopt it. The #Success-events series of articles by STEEL is based on real events and aims to show how personal trainers and clients with different physical issues, personalities, and ways of life can work together and communicate. It mostly has to do with how we find the best training environment, meet the needs of every customer, and make sure that everyone has the most success possible. Since no two people are exactly the same, there is no one solution that works for everyone.
Nowadays, a lot of people choose to work out at home since it's more convenient than going to the gym, which saves them time and money. Having said that, not everyone is capable of consistently exhibiting this behaviour. I Those who want to train on their own frequently encounter difficulties such as unclear instructions, inadequate knowledge of exercise science and technical aspects, and sluggish or unsatisfactory training results.
Duc Viet, a 28-year-old Saigonese, is no different. Viet is proactive and concerned about learning about health and fitness. After some time of self-exercise at home, he decided to join a gym to get some systematic direction and instruction. Let’s join STEEL Coach Thanh Long and Viet's story, which will help you understand how important it is to build a strong foundation and a personalised training plan, as well as the real benefits it may offer compared to practicing at home.
Customer Profile:
- Age: 28 years old
- Fitness Goals: Weight gain, muscle building, overall health improvement
- Training Duration: 5-6 months
- Initial Fitness Condition: Weight approximately 60 kg, self-training at home with a focus on self-study in nutrition, lacks clear direction in training.
Viet is an exceptional client because he has a keen awareness of his own fitness and health needs. He used to frequent a gym, but ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, he took matters into his own hands by purchasing exercise equipment and training at home. He had a tough time with this since he couldn't be sure the information was genuine and he didn't have anyone to help him out when he made mistakes practicing. The practice failed to produce the expected results because he became disoriented and lacked a solid technical foundation as a result. When he realised he needed help figuring out his physical training regimen, he sought out a professional.
Viet's fitness goals include bulking up physically, including increasing his weight, muscular mass, and strength. Beginning at 60 kg, his goal was to reach 65 kg.
Viet has already established a good basis via individual practice therefore I didn’t spend much time explaining to him compound exercises. Mr Viet already had a solid foundation from solo practice, therefore I didn't spend much time introducing complex movements to him. I advised doing barbell exercises, such as Squats, Bench Press, Deadlift, and so on, to increase whole body strength. With an excellent basis, Viet was able to complete the exercise perfectly from the start. I spent time carefully coaching him through the foundations, correcting minor mistakes and ensuring he understood the overarching purpose. Then, when we were in the Hypertrophy training phase, I provided him with more advanced material to help him build a stronger muscular foundation and progressively establish a more comprehensive training philosophy.
When it came to nutrition, I prepared a high-quality yet pleasant meal, allowing Viet to follow it comfortably. I did not press him to follow a routine that I've established myself, but rather engage regularly to optimise the menu based on the foods he enjoyed.
Reviewing training materials and identifying the source and solution to problems were two of the many topics on which Viet and I had frequent conversations. I was overjoyed because this not only sped up Viet's recovery, but it also encouraged him to stop relying on the physical therapist and start taking proactive measures of healthcare.
While STEEL conducts a physical checkup on all customers, the results are limited to scientific aspects of the body. During early training, personal coaches must conduct research and understand their clients. The primary goal is to understand one's own strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and motivation. In combination with the checkup results, the information is used to design a tailored training and nutrition plan for each client.
After evaluating Viet, I discovered that he struggled with high reps. So, to encourage muscle development, we talked about modifying exercises with the right amount of reps amplitude while keeping the effort level high.
Furthermore, Viet shared that he did not feel much when performing the chest exercises, whereas the back and leg workouts produced more sensation and they were more effective. Because of this, he lost enthusiasm and interest in the chest section . As a coach, it is my responsibility to address this issue. After investigating the rooted issue, I realised that the amount of volume and frequency applied to the chest was not in line with the body's condition. I then adjusted the number of sets and reps to achieve optimal results. This procedure wasn't seen once or twice, but rather required patiently monitoring every minor change in mood and body. Finally, I found the best solution for Viet.
Following the initial phase of consolidating his foundation, I designed training phases lasting from 12 to 16 weeks to help Viet improve his weaknesses while maintaining his existing strengths. This enabled him to exercise his entire body evenly, discover his own untapped potential, and remain comfortable and happy while working out.
Viet has reached a weight of 68 kg after five months of training, surpassing his first target. He also has a leaner and stronger physique. We are now setting a new goal to hit 70 kgs in the coming days.
I can observe his upbeat mood when practicing. He workouts four times a week and enjoys his gym time. Viet agrees that training with me proves more productive than self-practicing at home, indicating that he has found the appropriate direction in training and a companion to establish a better and healthy lifestyle.
