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America, I was working with a new client this past Saturday. She’s getting ready for the Oregon Ironman in 14 weeks. I told her that I’d blog on her, so don’t trip, America. We had a nice session – she got her butt kicked on legs, learned more about nutrition than she could remember, and pushed harder on cardio than she ever had before. In other words, everything she was doing up to this point was...how do I put this nicely...wrong! Now I’m not one to slam another trainer but I gotta say that if you’re a trainer of a competitor and you’re not providing structure and organization to his or her life, then you probably shouldn’t be doing this. Lemme see if I can explain this without offending anyone...if I take on a client and pretty much give that client free reign to do what ‘feels right’, then I need to get outta the game. I’m a trainer, a coach, a teacher – call it what you will, but my job is not to be your friend (at least not initially, and definitely not when I need to tell it like it is...) but a resource to facilitate progress and results. I’ve always said that there’s two Dave’s – Dave the everyday guy and Dave the Bodybuilder. If you ask me a question on competition – doesn’t matter what it is – Dave the Bodybuilder comes out. I can’t help it and I won’t apologize for it. I know what it takes to play this game. If you wanna play it with me and play it well, then we play by my rules. If not, well...there’s other trainers out there.
But back to the lecture at hand...I asked all of the usual questions when I’m interviewing a client and he or she is interviewing me. Just as they interview me to see if I’m a good fit for them, I interview them to see if they’re a good fit for me! I don’t accept everyone who knocks on my door. You’ve gotta have the right mindset first and foremost for me to take you on. Then our personalities have to mesh. Y’know how there’s just some people you can’t seem to talk to or don’t want to talk to? I’d be lying if I said that every single client I’ve had over the past 35 years has been a joy to train and work with. But I digress...
“So how can I help you, “ I asked? Funny story here, America...I watch the Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan all the time, and the first question he asks every single time he meets someone for the first time is “So how can I help you”? Smart man...N-E-Whoo...
“I want to get ready for the Oregon Ironman in 14 weeks,” she said.
“You did the Washington Ironman last year, correct?” I’d asked her that question during our email correspondence so I looked her up in the photo gallery.
“Yes.”
“And you didn’t do very well, did you?”
“No, not at all. I was extremely disappointed in my look.” We talked a bit about her placing, which isn’t important, but what IS important is that she didn’t look very good.
“Well...if I were your coach, I would not have put you in the contest in that condition. You didn’t look good. Did you have a coach or trainer or did you do this yourself?”
“I had a trainer, but I always felt like there was something missing in what she was saying. I never quite felt comfortable in what she was telling me, and sometimes it seemed like she didn’t quite know what to have me do.” Sidebar – here’s a teachable moment, America. If you feel like you’re not getting the service and attention you’re PAYING for, then look elsewhere. Friendship and loyalty only go so far. And remember, that gut instinct is powerful – if you don’t feel comfortable with what’s being said or done, then beat feet.
“So talk to me a bit about what you did (notice I moved off of her trainer – I didn’t know their relationship and didn’t want to make her mad, so I turned the conversation personal). What were you eating, how much, when, stuff like that. And then we’ll get into your cardio and training.” She had brought her log book from last year so I took a look at it. Just as fast as I moved off her trainer, I jumped back on. America, like I said, I don’t like to slam another trainer, but when things aren’t right, they’re not right! None of what this young lady was doing made sense. Carbs were waaaay too high going into the Ironman. Protein was at less than a gram/lb/BW. Fat was too high. Cardio wasn’t enough – typically less than 45 minutes/day and this was less than 2 weeks before the show, and she was told to keep her heart rate at about 60% to burn more bodyfat (read yesterday’s blog to see why this is wrong). I asked her if she was doing two sessions a day and she said no. Oh...and did I mention that she was only weight training three (3) days per week??? Getting ready for the Ironman??? You gotta be kiddin’ me, America!!! Oh, she lost weight, but was just a smaller version of herself going into the show. She sacrificed and lost a lot of muscle without losing much bodyfat.
“It’s no wonder you looked like you did. Your look onstage was pretty much the beginning of a pre-contest diet down. Ok...we’ve got our work cut out for us, but I think we can make the Oregon Ironman.” I always like to say “we”, America, because I’m in this with you. I have a vested interest in you. You are an extension and reflection of me, but more importantly, I want you to do well, to look well, and to be happy about your look. Long ago I had trainers that would tell me what to do, but never answer my questions as to WHY they wanted me to do it this or that way. I didn’t like that, and I don’t do that. I want to...no...I NEED to make sure you understand it is what you’re getting into. I need to ensure that you know what you can expect from me and what I expect of you. Am I a taskmaster? Yes, but I’ve never yet found an easy way to accomplish a hard task. If someone out there knows of a way, please let me know.
To net this out, America, I mapped out her nutrition for the next couple of weeks, at which point I’ll see her again and make necessary adjustments. Then we hit the weights for a leg workout. I seriously believe this was the first true leg workout she’s ever had. Her normal leg workout was 3 sets of lunges (light wts), followed by 3 sets of Romanian Deadlifts, finishing up with 3-4 sets of Smith squats if I remember correctly (light wts, high reps). We started with leg extension supersetted with leg curls. Six grueling sets later we moved to Smith squats...or should I say she hobbled over there. Her legs felt more sore and tired after the leg ext/leg curls than she’d ever felt after her normal leg workout. I simply said, “It’s called ‘intensity’ - something you did not have nor do last time.” I figured she might be good for 5-6 sets of Smith squats working up in weight to about 8 reps on her heavies, but she surprised me. She had good quad and glute/ham strength and banged out 8-9 sets, squatting almost bodyweight at her heaviest weight. We finished up with 4 sets of Hack squats, with the last set being continuous motion – no lockout at the top. The more the quads burned, the slower she went. I thought she was gonna cry, America – brought a smile to my face. Another convert! After all of that, of which I explained that she had done about 1/2 to 2/3 of our normal leg workouts, she banged out a hard 45 minutes in which I re-defined her cardio intensity. Poor girl...she was one tired puppy when she was done, but happy that she finally got the guidance she was looking for.
I then warned her, “You’ll probably be doing the ‘potty drop’ for a few days, so be ready for that. And be careful going up and down stairs as well. But not to worry...this too shall pass!” I finished mapping her out for her new 5 day split. As I said before, America, it’s really hard to map someone out on weights long distance when you have no idea how strong or weak they are, what their form and technique is like, where their head is at in all of this, or even if they understand our ‘language’. So I just wrote down the exercises I wanted her to do, along with the total number of sets. I told her to attempt to match the intensity of each bodypart to her leg workout – if she could do that she’d be doing well. I heard from her this morning – quads are already screaming at her, “What have you done to us?? This is NOT what we signed up for!!” Life is good...I’ve found my purpose in life!
Well, that’s about it for today, America. I’ve still gotta eat and maybe go sit in the hot tub and relax. I’ll get back to SO WAT next blog (unless I find something else to go off on...). As always, holla at’cha boi if you have any questions on training, nutrition, posing – time is winding down. Don’t wait until the last minute and be behind the proverbial power curve. I ain’t sayin’ nuthin, America...I’m just sayin’ what I’m sayin...peace!
The Dr.
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“I just make it do what it do baby...I just make it do what it do!” - Ray Charles
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Dr Buff
