I Have Insurance. Why Would I Work With A Coach?
The case for coaches on your rehab team.
I like sports so here's a sports analogy.
Rehab is best accomplished with a team approach.
Your doctor, physiotherapist, chiropractor or (insert registered rehabilitation profession); they are like the head coach.
They have a lot of responsibilities. They are extremely knowledgeable and have a unique set of skills that put them in the position of head coach. But their resources, especially time, can be limited. When they have a big team they can not spend multiple hours a week with every single person on the team. They would get burnt out.
A fitness professional who is educated in the rehabilitation realm, is like the assistant coach. They are more involved in the day to day activities. They have the time to make changes in coordination with the guidance of the head coach. They also develop the entire athlete or client, not just the problems (pain, etc) that have already been identified. They communicate with the head coach to inform them on the progress of the athlete, so that adjustments and further care can be provided.
Without the assistant coach, the head coach could have athletes (clients) who are struggling to progress. Maybe they are struggling with accountability. Maybe they are struggling to maintain an active lifestyle in their rehab.
Without the head coach, the assistant coach could hit roadblocks that become out of their scope. Maybe it's its a treatment or diagnosis they are not qualified to provide. Maybe it's knowledge about a particular issue.
When working together, fitness professionals and health care providers can all succeed. And more importantly the client succeeds.
So yes, if you have insurance you don't need to also work with a coach to solve your problem. But with a good team, I believe it to be a results multiplier that gets you a better return on your investment. Especially if you want to live an active lifestyle.
The Pain Solution Does Not Need To Be Your Weight
Your weight is probably not the only source of your pain.
The physical pain you may be experiencing does not need to be attributed to the weight on the scale.
Here's why: You did not become that weight overnight. And people can experience pain regardless of weight.
Injuries can occur from doing too much too soon. Like trying to squat too much without adequate recovery and adaptation.
So if weight was supposed to be the cause of pain, then you would have to have dramatically changed your weight. And fast. I really doubt this is the case for most people.
Your body is adaptable. That includes your body weight.
Pain is not as simple as saying that if you lost 20lbs your pain would be gone.
It's a false narrative that can promote unhealthy diet culture and lead to people not getting the treatment and care they need because of their weight.
Pain has multiple factors worth investigating. Thankfully the activities that can influence weight loss can also influence pain (sleep, stress, physical activity, nutrition). Weight loss may help your pain, but it's probably not the only thing going on.
If you want to lose weight while reducing pain, great. If not that is totally fine as well.
Judging Choices
Who are we to judge?
We have no business judging people's choices.
As we continue to deal with the pandemic and more gym closures, the comment of "Why are gyms closed but fast food restaurants are still open" continues to be spread by the fitness industry.
It's a bullshit comparison that needs to stop.
Gyms are not more essential than people's access to food. The quality of the food at those places is irrelevant.
I want gyms to be open. They allow people to improve their health. But we all need access to food. It's a basic human need.
And the narrative is full of judgement and assumption.
It assumes you are going there to make "bad" choices.
Those same "bad" choices could be made at a grocery store. Yet no one is complaining that those are open.
Is getting that Happy Meal for your kids after a challenging day of online learning "bad"?
Is getting that $1 coffee "bad"?
Is a homeless person getting their first meal in days "bad"?
People judge those places because they assume the food is unhealthy.
You know what else is unhealthy? Not having any food.
People judge the people who go there because they assume the people who go there are unhealthy.
You know what is also unhealthy? Judging and shaming people.
We have no business judging peoples choices. We don't know their story. We don't know why they made that choice.
We can help people improve without judgement. It requires compassion and understanding.
Never Stop Learning
Find people who are committed to learning.
I recently asked a coach what the intended outcome was of something they were telling someone to do to address elbow pain.
This was the response:
“Why should I know that? If it helps, why do I need to know the why behind it? I’ve helped hundreds of people reduce and completely cure their pain. I don’t know the science behind it. Do you see a problem with that?”
Yes. Absolutely. 1000000%.
If someone doesn’t understand what they are telling you to do, how can that information be trusted?
At best it's a shot in the dark that could provide some benefit.
At worst, it is misinformation that could be harmful. It could be sending you down the wrong path. It could make the issue worse.
It’s the responsibility of a coach to learn. To say I don’t know, but I will find out.
We will never know everything. But we can also never stop learning.
When we don’t know the answer or solution it’s our responsibility to send clients and members to the people who are best equipped to help.
Does your coach say they have all the answers? That they have the cures?
If so, RUN!
Professional Coaching
What is professional coaching?
There’s fitness (trainers and coaches, ass and abs), and there’s healthcare (doctors, insurance, and the healthcare system).
Between those two things, there is a HUGE gap.
In that gap live people who doctors don’t have time to help (because we are asking them to do too much), and fitness trainers who don’t know how to help (because they can work around “it”, but they can’t fix “it”).
In that gap are people who went to therapy for their back pain, and when it got better and they eased back into activity, it came right back.
People who went to therapy week after week, month after month, for their knee pain, and still can’t run.
People who have shoulder pain, and are told “just stop lifting overhead”.
People who want to say “yes” to being active. “Yes” to all the activities they enjoy.
These are my people. The people I want to help.
This is why I invest time, money and energy learning from companies like @activelifeprofessional.
Those people in the gap are worth it. If you are one of those people and are still struggling, I am here to help.
All the Solutions
No one has all the solutions.
Someone has told you they have all the solutions to your problems. How is this possible?
I don’t believe it is.
I believe there's more power and trust in saying “I don’t know” than there is in saying “I have all the solutions”.
Sure someone may have some solutions. But do they have every solution?
That can’t be possible. Eventually, there will be a problem that they cannot solve.
Chronic Intensity
Are you experiencing too much intensity?
If everything you do is at high intensity, where is your variety?
I used to coach group classes where consistently everyone would be so exhausted that they would drop to the floor, unable to form a complete sentence. I will no longer do that.
If every workout you do leaves you rolling around on the floor, is that variety? Or is it just different versions of the same thing?
Sure maybe there is variety in the movements that you do. But where is the variety in intensity?
You probably don’t need as much intensity as you think. Absolutely not every training session.
High level athletic teams don’t even constantly practice or train at high intensity. They have optional days. They have walk-throughs. They have film sessions. They have deload weeks. They even have rest days.
To make improvements in training we need to recover. If you aren’t feeling recovered from the previous day's training, you would probably benefit from reduced intensity. Especially your training is affecting other aspects of your life, like your mood, energy and sleep. And absolutely if your training is leaving you in pain.
Cost-Effective Movements
Are you getting the most bang for your buck in your training?
What movements in the gym give you the most bang for your buck?
What movement in the gym requires a lot of time and effort with minimal reward?
I want cost effective movements.
There is very little that is free.
Your training likely costs you time, money and energy.
I want to squeeze as much out of that as possible.
With that investment you deserve to be rewarded.
Maybe you only have so much time for your training.
Is it cost effective for you to spend 20 minutes of your training session learning the Snatch and Overhead Squat? Or would it be more time effective to work on the squat and press in that same time period. Two movements that you are comfortable enough with to effectively challenge yourself with.
The time, money, and energy you put into training should be cost effective.
This isn’t to say it should be cheap.
This is about returned value.
Any movement could be functional. But sometimes the investment into a movement may not give you the return you are looking for.
A good coach will assess you, learn about your goals and find the most cost effective program with movements that provide you the most benefit.
The Monitor Says You Burned “X” Calories…
Are calories burned accurate? Or important?
The monitor on the exercise machine says you burned 30 calories, is that true?
Probably not.
Unless you and the conditions of training fit a formula.
A common question people have when using exercise machines that display a number of calories is if that equates to calories burned.
Concept2 (popular rowing erg manufacturer) states that their formula for calculating calories on a monitor is based on a 175lb individual.
Are you exactly 175lbs?
Probably not. And that's ok!
It’s also ok to not think of calories when doing a workout. I would encourage that.
Because why do calories need to be a metric of effort? When programming for clients I have largely stopped using them. There are other metrics like distance, time, watts, perceived effort etc. Calories are just another option for a unit of measurement. Sure there can be some different performance outcomes when training using different units of measurements but that's a different discussion.
You do not need to look at “burned” calories to feel successful in your training. This idea can lead to the feeling that you need to “burn” calories to earn the calories you consume. Which is an unfortunate mindset. Because calories aren’t inherently bad.
Could Vs. Should
Should you lift that weight?
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
The day's workout has some strength movements in it. The workout instructions call for you to build toward a heavy set of 3. Maybe it's back squats. Maybe it’s bench press. Maybe it’s an olympic lift like a clean and jerk or a snatch.
When you are feeling great you would feel confident about lifting 100lbs.
But last night you didn’t sleep well.
You are sore from the previous day's workout.
You had a stressful day at work.
You can lift 100lbs. But should you?
What’s the risk and what’s the reward?
Are you a competitive athlete who will be rewarded with trophies, medals and money?
If so, there would be many situations (not all) that I would say yes, go for it.
But that’s 0.0001% of the population.
Here’s a guideline you can follow:
Is it Instagram worthy? Would you be proud to send it to a coach?
Some days that weight will be 100lbs. Other days maybe 90lbs, maybe more, maybe less.
And that's ok.
The weight you should lift is the weight that you can be proud of for your effort that day. It’s not the weight that matters. It’s the effort and quality you put into it.
Feeling Good Isn’t Enough
Does rehab stop when you feel good?
Rehab doesn’t end when the pain stops.
I’ve been that coach that heard someone was pain free after an injury and let them load a barbell with pre-injury weights. That’s not who I am now.
You strained your hamstring playing soccer on the weekend.
You are eager to get back to what you normally do in the gym. You want to get back to deadlifting, squatting, running and anything else your workout could bring. And of course you want to get back to playing soccer.
You are in pain so you go to get some rehab work done. Maybe that’s physiotherapy, maybe it’s chiropractic, maybe it’s massage therapy. Through a combination of manual therapy techniques you are able to be pain free, which is fantastic!
You can go through your day pain free now. You are back in the gym doing your normal activities.
So are you done? Are you back to 100%?
The healing time of a muscle strain can range from 1 week-6 months. Maybe you feel great at 4 weeks but your tissue healing still needs more time.
You need more time to heal and a graded return to sport or activity. You need measurables to assess your strength levels relative to your pre-injury state. This likely doesn’t happen by feeling pain free and then jumping in on a fitness class and going 100%. But this can happen with a team approach in your rehab (that includes knowledgeable coaches).
Rehab doesn’t need to be an endless loop. You don’t need to always bounce between injured and pain free.
It may take more time than you want it to. But the results will last longer too.
Preparation Over Perfection
How perfect do we need to be?
We aren't prepared if we are perfect.
How we do things is important.
How we move in the gym is important.
But if we search for perfection we will find ourselves underprepared.
Life is not perfect.
Outside of a vacuum, or a simulation, there is no perfect movement.
If the goal is to prepare yourself for the many tasks that life will throw at you, you will need variety. You will need imperfect conditions.
Many people get halted in their journey for improvement while searching for the perfect conditions.
The perfect amount of sleep.
The perfect nutrition.
The perfect technique.
But then the process never gets started because those perfect conditions are not found.
Search for improvement, not perfection.
You Don’t Need To Snatch
Are specific exercises that important?
This isn’t about the Snatch. It could be about the Clean and Jerk. Or Muscle Ups. Or any specific exercise.
You don’t NEED to do any specific movement.
Especially if it doesn’t align with your goals.
Doesn’t matter how “functional” people claim it to be.
There is no proof that a snatch will make you any more fit and healthy than a kettlebell swing.
There is no proof that a back squat will make you any more fit and healthy than a lunge.
Sure there are theories. That “Insert” movement also does XYZ and “insert” movement does not.
There can always be those debates.
But there are SO many ways to develop your health and fitness. You don’t even need to touch a weight or go to a gym.
The key is that you find the thing for you and your goals. The thing that you are going to commit to.
Maybe it’s barbells. Maybe it’s rock climbing. Maybe it’s running. Maybe it’s dancing.
All that matters is that you do it, that you enjoy it, and that you are seeing the results that you want.
Sure if you want to come compete in the sport of Olympic Lifting, you should probably snatch. It would be really hard to compete without that skill. But if you don’t want to compete, there it is just another movement.
And yes, you don’t even need to do burpees.
Beliefs and Success
What is a crucial component of success?
What is the most important component variable in your success in training?
Your beliefs.
If you believe it will work, if you feel confident with the plan, this will lead to the highest likelihood of success.
The details of the plan and process are important, but they are not the most important. Your beliefs are what matters.
If you are going through a rehab process and believe strongly about the use of a specific thing or exercise, this will greatly influence your success.
If you are choosing an exercise program and believe strongly about a certain form of exercise, this will greatly influence your commitment to the process and the results that come from that.
If you do not believe in what you are doing for training or for rehab, changes need to be made.
Maybe something is unclear about the purpose of certain things. A good coach could help clarify that to help you believe in the process.
Maybe there are movements in your training program that don’t align with your goals. A good coach could optimize the movements in your training program to make them specific to you.
Maybe you aren’t seeing the results of the rehab program you are on. A good coach could help clarify expectations and timelines to increase your understanding of the purpose, while also trying new things that may work better.
You don’t need to settle for something you don’t believe in.
You Get What You Tolerate
Are you too tolerant?
If you are consistently experiencing pain when working out this post may be for you.
You’ve been working out consistently for years. You love it, it's an important part of your life.
But there has always been a movement that has caused you pain.
Maybe it’s running, maybe it’s squatting, maybe it’s deadlifting.
You have always pushed through the pain. You’ve tried rest, you’ve tried ice, you’ve tried some exercises you found on youtube.
Nothing has been the solution.
So you continue on, tolerating the pain.
Eventually your pain tolerance even increases. But you are still in pain.
You need someone to ask some important questions.
Are you over-stressing your body?
Do you have some restrictions that could affect those painful movement patterns?
Are there factors outside of the gym that influence your pain?
These questions (and more) will lead to a better path towards solving your problem.
Training with a small amount of discomfort or pain can sometimes be appropriate. This is why I give specific pain tolerance directions for my clients that are specific to the issue we are trying to solve. Sometimes it’s below a 4/10 for perceived pain. Other times it could be to move in 100% pain free ranges of motion.
But if we are only ever experiencing pain, with no positive changes, then we need to find a different path.
Moving Poorly
When is it ok to move poorly?
PSA: If you have been going to the gym and are currently experiencing pain with certain movement patterns this post is likely not for you. But I may still be able to help you. Just in a different way.
For anyone who is inexperienced in exercising or maybe even have never exercised before:
I would rather you move poorly than not move at all.
This isn’t to say that you should put 300lbs on a barbell and have at it.
This is about the fear of movement.
The fitness industry can be so polarizing saying that certain movements will cause you pain.
Or that you need to move a certain way. And it can lead to people being afraid of starting what could be an extremely fulfilling process.
But here’s our reality: so many people are not moving. And so many of the claims that people read and hear are not true.
Move. It’s good for you. With proper progression and activities you enjoy, you will feel better.
Maybe your knees move in different ways when you squat.
Maybe your back rounds a bit when you deadlift.
Maybe your arms don’t lock out when you press.
When you are new to movement, I am ok with all of those things.
This isn’t to say that we aren’t going to try to improve how we move.
But not a single person is perfect. It would be absurd for a coach to expect movement to be perfect.
Not sure where to start? Let’s chat.
“I’m So Weak”
Are you weak?
This is one of my least favourite gym sayings. It can also be heard in the rehab world.
It’s unlikely to be helpful to you and unlikely to be helpful for others.
First: There is no defined quantity of what is strong and what is weak. Sure, each of those words has its own definition. But at what point is one weak? At what point is one strong?
Are you strong when you can deadlift 100lbs? 200lbs? 300lbs? 600lbs?
And if you can’t lift any of those weights are you weak?
Let’s replace “I’m so weak” with something along the lines of “I’m going to make it a priority to get stronger”.
Let’s say you can deadlift 300lbs and you say that you are so weak. The person next to you who just joined the gym can deadlift 50lbs. I doubt they will feel great about themselves when they hear that.
But I believe we can all unite around the idea of wanting to get better at something.
So let’s all make sure we aren’t referring to our starting point as weak.
Goals Based Coaching
How should you be coached?
Changing how someone moves has to be about their goals.
Prescribing a movement to a client has to be about their goals.
There is so much absolutism in the fitness industry.
“You need to squat below parallel”
“Your posture needs to be this way”
“You should never round your back”
“You need the olympic lifts to develop your functional fitness”
For so many reasons these statements don’t make sense.
I believe the fitness industry needs more goal based coaching and less absolutism.
If a client is going to be told to do (or not to do something) there needs to be a reason or logic behind it. And that can’t be because it worked for some random person.
What you do for training needs to be related to your goals. Unfortunately many coaches never get to the stage of learning what those goals are.
Olympic lifts help you feel stronger and more confident? Let’s do them.
Olympic lifts make you angry and leave you wanting to skip the gym. That’s a no for me dawg.
Squatting below parallel gives you back pain? And it’s a priority for you to address it? Oh we are addressing it.
Squatting below parallel gives you back pain? But you couldn’t care less about your squat and there are other squatting variations that feel better for you. Ya let’s do those.
Without knowing what your goals are, we could be going in circles.
Knowing what your goals are, we can find the right path to achieve them.
Fail Fast
Is failure bad?
When you find failure, you can find areas to improve.
When you improve those areas, you find results.
More failures = more results.
Failure is so often viewed as a negative thing. It can sometimes even lead to people giving up.
Failure isn’t enjoyable. It’s uncomfortable.
When we can embrace that discomfort we will be more likely to experience success.
Banners And Flags
Why pride flags are important in gyms.
How many gyms have banners of their favourite equipment companies?
Maybe it’s Rogue Fitness. Maybe it's Tydax. Maybe it’s Eleiko.
But they haven’t or even won’t put up a pride flag.
Putting up that banner took time and effort. It was a choice to put it there.
And it has little to no influence on the client or member.
I doubt someone will walk into a gym and say “Oh they must use Rogue equipment, this gym is for me”.
Put up a pride flag. And understand what it means and why you put it there. Make it about the client or member. Make it a welcoming and inclusive space.
@safegymtraining