A Process for Creativity in Exercise Selection
The goal of the process is to match intent with strategy to create an exercise then coach the exercise with proper execution. An exercise is the loading of tissues for mechanical and physiological benefits. Positions are the shapes in which the body is placed to target specific muscles to move bones and to be able to target as much muscle mass as possible.
The process of exercise selection can be overwhelming without a process. Choosing exercises should have a purpose and we should explore our creativity based upon that purpose instead of choosing exercises and rationalizing them later. We tend to choose exercises based on certain loading abilities and associations instead of a specific intention.
The Exercise Creation Model has a three tier process to create an exercise. The first tier and foundation is position, second tier is fitness qualities, and the top tier is variations. This tier system was created to evaluate and analyze a thought process for exercise selection, ways to progress, and subtle strategy changes. There are many ways to progress, in which you can change position, change fitness quality, or add a variation.
The Exercise Creation Model will help you be more individualized with your clients/athletes, have a guide for exercise selection and program design, and explore various ways to strategize and execute an exercise.
The UPCOMING Training Model & Implementation Online Course will go into more detail and take you through strategies and execution for exercise selection, as well as training principles and model development.
Base First Tier: Positions are used to target specific muscles to move boney structures. Positions include, but are not limited to:
Middle Second Tier: Fitness Qualities
Peak Third Tier: Variations
Three Tier Process for Exercise Creation based on Intent-Strategy- Execution
Example of Process with the exercise created being a Bilateral Squat based on the Intent- Strategy and follow through with Execution. I first choose a bilateral stance position for a two foot ground reference and sagittal plane dominant position. Second I add a six second tempo for the eccentric phase. Lastly, I choose an anterior loading placement, cue the client to find their heels, and add a band around the knees (from the front) to teach client to posterior shift. The exercise is created from the bottom up based on the client, goal, direction of progress, and real time modifications. For more information on Squat Progressions check out Lucy Hendricks Article.
Another Example of the creation process with the exercise created being a 3 Point Contact 1 Arm Row. First I choose a prone position. Second I choose a rep/set scheme that is focused towards the client’s hypertrophy goal. Lastly, I focus the attention on the stance leg (left leg in picture) and reaching with the arm on bench (right arm in picture). The exercise is created from the bottom up with a connection between the trainer’s training principles and client goals (and abilities).
That’s why Lucy Hendricks and I created a workshop that is 100% hands-on!
Have you ever attended a seminar where they picked you as an exercise demo? For 5 minutes, you get to feel what it’s like to be coached by the instructor. You get to respond to their verbal and manual cues, which allows you to feel what your clients will need to feel.
Out of all the other attendees who didn’t get coached, you’ll be more successful getting your clients to execute that exercise correctly.
This workshop allows you to be coached, demo, practice coaching, and walk through some troubleshooting with every single activity! Instead of 5 minutes of personal attention, you’ll have a whole day of movement and hands-on learning.
If you’re wanting your staff under one consistent model, this is the workshop for you and your employees. Learn to develop movement standards where everyone gets to develop their own training talent and skill following the same principles.
Going through our Consistent Training Model will allow you to manage multiple people in one session while keeping the coaching quality high. You will creatively increase your client’s movement repertoire by altering load placement and performance variables to drive adaptation in each plane of motion.
50% Complete
There is an overwhelmingĀ amount of information out there, so I put all the best resources from the most trusted professionals in the industry together in one place. Download this free resource guide,Ā so you can save time searching and start learning from the most respected minds in the industry.