#SUCCESS-STORIES: FINDING THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR TRAINING
Long Lam
June 5, 2024
Personalization in training is not a new story but has not been truly appreciated in the fitness industry in Vietnam. #Success-Stories is a series of articles by STEEL, built on real-life stories, aiming to provide a closer look at the collaborative process of personal trainers and clients with different physical conditions, personalities, and lifestyles. Above all, it is a story of the effort to deliver tailored experiences, an ideal training environment, and optimal results for each individual. Because every person is a unique individual, and there is never a one-size-fits-all formula.
Nowadays, many people opt for self-training at home to proactively improve their health while also saving time and costs associated with going to a gym. However, not everyone can maintain this habit in the long run. A common issue faced by individuals who train on their own is the lack of clear direction, technical foundations, and a scientific approach to training, resulting in delayed or unmet fitness expectations.
Mr. Duc Viet, a 28-year-old currently residing in Saigon, is no exception. Despite being proactive and conscious about researching fitness and health-related information, after a period of self-training at home, he decided to seek out a gym for structured and proper guidance. Anh Việt's story, as narrated by Coach Thành Long at STEEL, sheds light on the importance of building a solid foundation and a personalized training program. It also highlights the clear benefits that such an approach can bring compared to self-training 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.
Mr. Viet is a remarkable customer with a high self-awareness regarding fitness training and health improvement. Previously, he used to go to the gym. However, since the outbreak of Covid-19, he switched to purchasing equipment, researching, and performing exercises at home. This posed challenges for him as it was difficult to verify the authenticity of information, and he lacked a companion to guide and correct any mistakes during his training. The result was a state of confusion, a lack of direction, and technical foundations, making his workouts less effective than desired. That was when he decided he needed professional guidance to reestablish the right path for his physical fitness journey.
Mr. Viet's goal is to gain weight, build muscle, and enhance strength. With an initial weight of 60kg, he has set a specific target to reach 65kg.
To focus on comprehensively enhancing body strength, I introduced Compound exercises with barbell movements such as Squats, Bench Press, Deadlift, etc. Since Mr. Viet already had a certain basic knowledge from his self-learning process before, I didn't spend too much time introducing him to these exercises. Instead, I focused on guiding him carefully through basic techniques, correcting minor mistakes, helping him understand the workout mindset, so he could execute them correctly from the beginning. Subsequently, during the Hypertrophy training phase to strengthen muscle foundations, I provided Mr. Viet with additional in-depth knowledge to gradually develop a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of training.
In terms of nutrition, my aim was to create an optimal menu in terms of quality while still ensuring Mr. Viet's comfort and palatability. I believe that's the decisive factor for him to sustain it in the long run. Therefore, I didn't impose a rigid diet and worked closely with Mr. Viet to optimize the menu based on the foods he enjoys.
I regularly discussed with Mr. Viet, from discussing workout knowledge to jointly identifying causes and solutions when issues arose. I am pleased that this also helps Mr. Viet progress quickly and develop a proactive mindset in self-healthcare, rather than relying entirely on a personal trainer.
Every customer at STEEL undergoes a physical assessment system, but this assessment only reveals results about the scientific structure inside the body. In parallel with this, trainers like me must spend time observing and understanding customers during the initial training period. The purpose is to grasp their strengths, weaknesses, potential, and training desires. Combined with the assessment results, this information forms the accurate foundation for me to develop the most suitable training and nutrition plan for each individual.
For Mr. Viet, after the assessment, I realized he faced difficulty with high-repetition training. Therefore, I had to consider adjusting exercises with suitable rep ranges that still demanded high effort to stimulate muscle development.
Additionally, another issue Mr. Viet encountered was a lack of sensation when training the chest, while the back and legs provided more feedback and demonstrated better effectiveness. For this reason, he didn't feel enthusiastic and interested in chest exercises compared to other workouts. In my role as a trainer, my task is to address this issue. After analysis, I found that the root cause lay in the insufficient volume and frequency dedicated to the chest given his physique. Consequently, I adjusted the number of sets and reps to optimize the training. This process doesn't happen just once or twice; it requires patience to monitor every small change in sensation and physique before finding the most suitable results.
After the initial phase of reinforcing technical foundations, I designed extended training phases lasting from 12-16 weeks to focus on helping Mr. Viet improve weaknesses while simultaneously maintaining existing strengths. This way, he could train his entire body evenly, discover untapped potentials comfortably, and enjoy the workout with a positive mindset.
Currently, after 5 months of training, Mr. Viet has exceeded his initial weight goal, reaching 68kg. His body is now healthier, with reduced fat and increased muscle mass. He continues, along with me, to set a new target of reaching 70kg.
In terms of mentality, I can clearly sense Mr. Viet's happiness and positivity during workouts. He consistently attends 4 sessions per week and genuinely enjoys his time at the gym. Compared to the time of self-training at home, I can see that he has found what he was searching for – the right direction in training and a companion to build a healthier and higher-quality lifestyle together.
Thank you for sharing Coach Thanh Long's insights!
