Hey,
I first want to thank you for choosing me as your coach. I’m excited to embark on this stage of your fitness journey with you and will do everything I can to ensure that you succeed.
Not only do I want you to be proud of your accomplishments as we proceed, but I want you to enjoy the process. While remote coaching is a relatively new concept, I know that you’ll enjoy it.
Before we begin, I’d like you to please read through this short information package. In it is all of the information about your program and what you’re about to get in the coming months. I’ve laid out what I’ll be sending you and when you can expect to receive it in addition to guidelines for support.
Included in this package is also information on how the workouts are going to be presented to you and an explanation of all variables.
Thank you again for choosing me to help you on your health and fitness journey. I’m here for you every step of the way.
Stay nerdy, stay fit and stay awesome 🖖
- Mark
How Online Coaching Works
Workouts - Coaching - Support
In order to give you the direction, accountability and support that you need there are a couple different things to this program.
How the workouts are delivered
All programmes, workouts, education, resources and coaching are delivered through my coaching software. You should already have login details but if for any reason you don’t please give me a shout.
You can access your account online through your laptop, phone, or tablet browser. The software will scale up or down depending on what you’re using. Training routines, check-ins, progress stats, pictures, orientation, and mostly everything related to your programme/coaching will be delivered though this software.
There is also an app you have access to, although some of the features may be missing so it’s best to use the website directly. The app is great for checking in, recording workouts, easy access to downloadable’s and messaging myself.
If you haven’t done so already here are the links to the apps.
iOS
Android
If you experience any problems accessing your account, please email let me know.
Contacting Your Coach (thats me!)
Old School and New School ways to talk
I encourage automony with all my clients but I am still here to help you get to your health and fitness goals. So, if you have questions or just need advice you can get hold of me in various forms.
Online account/app:
This is the best way to get the help and information you need. Once downloaded and set up you’ll always access to your programme and instant chat. If I don’t get back to you straight away please don’t think I’m ignoring you. Its just me on my lonesome so I may be tied up with something else. I’ll aim to get back to you within 48 hours.
Email:
I respond to emails on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning. I only respond on these days as I feel email is a life suck and we should all strive to reduce the amount we use it. If you do send me a message by email please understand that I may not reply until the days I’ve mentioned.
Phone/Zoom:
Good old fashioned conversation! I try to chat with my online clients every couple of weeks to help people keep on track. If you have any questions that could take up lots of messaging it would be a good idea to wait until one of these talks.
Workout Jargon
The mumbo-jumbo explained
I wanted to quickly define some terms that will be used throughout. To give you the best workout possible, I give guidelines on a number of different factors beyond sets and reps.
Below are definitions of some terms used in workoutnese (my term for workout jargon) that I use to describe the different aspects of the program.
Rep
One performance of a single exercise.
Set
The number of repetitions performed without stopping.
Rest
How long your break is during sets of exercises
Complex
A group of exercise like a superset but with one piece of equipment. For example dumbbells. You try to complete all the exercises without putting the equipment down. These are fab at getting a lot of work done in a short amount of time. I also use these to burn calories and improve fitness.
Example Complex:
Dumbbell Bent over row - 8 reps
Dumbbell Deadlift - 8 reps
Dumbbell Shoulder press - 8 reps
Dumbbell Front Squat - 8 reps
REST for 90s and then repeat for the desired sets
Supersets
This is two or more exercise performed back to back without rest. Once all reps and exercises are completed that’s when you rest.
Example Supersets
Barbell Row - 8 reps
Bench press - 8 reps
REST for 60-90s seconds and then repeat for the desired sets
Please note - I call all combinations of exercises supersets as its easy to get to grips with. You may read elsewhere that its slightly different.
Density Sets
A group of exercise like a superset done at your own pace. These exercises are usually done for reps with a heavy(ish) weight. We set a timer for a set amount of time, and see how many rounds of each set of exercises you can perform in the time given. Like Complexes these are also fantastic for burning a lot of calories and getting loads done in a short amount of time.
Example Density:
TRX Row - 10 reps
Goblet Squat - 10 reps
Push-up - 10 reps
Kettlebell Swing 15 reps
Shoulder press - 10 reps
REST for 2-3 minutes and then repeat for the desired sets
Circuit:
A group of exercises performed either for reps or time completed back-to-back just like all the above. These are usually done with much lighter weight and mainly used to increase your heart rate like traditional cardio. Each exercise is usually sequenced in a way that you won’t feel much muscle fatigue in one particular are of the body. This means you can perform circuits for much, much longer than all the other forms of resistance training you’ll be doing.
Example Circuit:
Press-up - 45 secs
Squat - 45 secs
TRX row - 45 secs
Swiss ball hamstring curl - 45 secs
Plank - 45 secs
One arm dumbbell row - 45 secs (each arm)
Reverse lunge - 45 secs (each leg)
Dumbbell shoulder press - 45 secs
Farmers walk - 60 secs
REST for 60-90s seconds and then repeat for the desired sets
Gym Etiquette
The Do's and Don'ts of Gym Life
Because I won’t be with you in the gym all the time (never if you're an online only client), I feel that it’s important to ensure that you follow the unwritten rules.
You might notice others breaking these “laws of the iron” but I want you to get as comfortable in the gym as possible as quickly as possible. Here are the five most important rules to consider throughout your workout.
1. Respect the no-lift zone
Don’t ever lift a weight within 5 feet of the dumbbell rack. It doesn't matter if you're doing shoulder press, split squat, biceps curls, or goblet squats or anything else. Pick up your weights and take 5 giant steps back.
2. Avoid the “Ab zone”.
Most gyms have a designated area for mats, balls, bosu balls etc. Don’t bring heavy weights into that area. It’s designated for stretching and ab work. By taking up their space you force them to take up your space (see the next point).
3. Keep your mats out of the way.
Don't set up a mat in between two benches in the free weight zone and do crunches unless you want a weight dropped on your head. Even if the gym is empty set up your mat out of the way. Either stick to the “ab zone” or place your mat in a corner out of the way. Think proactively. Where might somebody want to work out over the course of your set? Don’t set up there.
4. Avoid walking in front of somebody else in the middle of a set.
If somebody is in the middle of their set NEVER cross their field of vision. Take the long way around if you have to. If you can’t take the long way around, wait for them to finish their set before walking in front.
5. Put your weights away.
This is a biggy. Don’t be that person we all dislike in the gym.
General Guidelines
Workouts - Safety - Sleep
Workout Guidelines
Training Sessions Must Be Short
Long training sessions (anything over 60 minutes (this is including the warm-up and cool down) are ineffective for the majority of people. Anything after 60 minutes is a recipe for overtraining, stagnation, and boredom. From what I’ve observed with clients, performance usually starts dropping after 45 minutes. A shorter session usually means laser like focus and higher intensity.
Training Sessions Will Be Intense (eventually)
Intensity is the most important variable for achieving the body you want. Some of the simplest ways to increase your intensity is to shorten rest periods and increasing the weight. Now, I’m not saying make yourself throw up (don’t be that person), think uncomfortable, not painful!
You should not be holding long conversations between sets, or play on your phone. Keeping rest period short and sweet makes your workout short and effective. Each workout will have specific guidelines on rest times so try to stick to them.
Training Needs to Be Consistent
If you want to see results, you must do work, and do it often. You can have the best training sessions in the world, but they will be rendered ineffective without consistency. The high level of frequency ensures a consistently elevated metabolic rate, and a tremendous surge of EPOC, which means you’ll be burning calories well after your body stops working out. Flashy fitness sites call this “the afterburner effect”.
Any activity is better than no activity – if there’s days where you think you have “no time” to workout, let me know and I will make something work for you on days where “you have no time”.
Recovery is super important
Usually, workouts will be 48 hours apart but this will depend on your goals. If you’re still sore/fatigued/exhausted on a training day, either take a rest day or take it a little easy. You can't expect to get personal bests everytime you go to the gym. Remember what I said about consistency. If you're unsure just let me know.
SAFETY
If I’m not physically there with you, it’s important you build upon the skill of “listening to your body”. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t push it; your body is usually trying to tell you something.
Good Pain vs. Bad Pain
Mild discomfort is part of the exercise process, and is necessary for the improvement of performance and physique.
The Burn is good pain. It should be short-lived and during the exercise only. Its the mild to intense burning sensation when you are working really hard during a set.
Fatigue after a workout should leave you exhilarated, but not exhausted. Fatigue that lasts days means you have been excessively challenged and your muscles and energy stores are not being replenished properly. Chronic fatigue is referred to as “over-training” and is not good.
Soreness is common, especially for muscles that have not been exercised for long periods of time, or when you perform an exercise you are not accustomed to. Soreness typically begins within a few hours, but peaks two days after exercise. This is referred to as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and is normal when beginning a new fitness program.
Bad Pain – Usually caused by the improper execution of an exercise. Nothing should really “Hurt”. Immediately notify me and/or a physician of any sharp or sudden pains, swelling, or any unnatural feelings in your joints or ligaments.
It is recommended to perform each exercise with NO WEIGHT to familiarize yourself with the movement pattern, and to mentally and physically prepare you for the tasks ahead. Warming up is a crucial part of injury prevention and prepares your body for exercise by lubricating your joints.
Notify me of any extreme soreness that may occur. Mostly, it’s counter-productive to train through soreness.
SLEEP
I could write about the countless studies of why sleep is important for you, your appetite, your mental health, your happiness, and especially your fat loss. But I’m not going to bore you with the science stuff. That’s not the approach I take with fitness.
Get 6-8 hours of quality sleep every night.
I can’t stress how important this is for both fat loss and muscle gain, especially when you’re in workout mode.
Your body, your workouts, and your goals will suffer because of a lack of quality sleep.
Have trouble falling asleep early? Form a sleep ritual. That means two hours before you want to go to bed, dim the lights, and unplug from all electronics. Try sleeping with your cell phone in another room. Replace the TV with some light reading.
Want to learn more? Check out this blog post all about sleep
YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS COMMUNICATION AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR, NOR DOES IT REPLACE, PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT. IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT WITH A PHYSICIAN OR OTHER HEALTH-CARE PROFESSIONAL. DO NOT DISREGARD, AVOID OR DELAY OBTAINING MEDICAL OR HEALTH RELATED ADVICE FROM YOUR HEALTH-CARE PROFESSIONAL BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU MAY HAVE READ IN THIS WEBPAGE. THE USE OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THIS WEBPAGE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. SEEK PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE PRIOR TO PARTICIPATING IN OR PRACTICING ANY EXERCISE, MOVEMENT, OR NUTRITIONAL PROGRAM DISCLOSED, SUGGESTED, OR REFERRED TO IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THIS COMMUNICATION AND/OR THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.