15 Essential Training Methods Every Personal Trainer Should Know
As a personal trainer, you know that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to fitness. Each client is unique, with their own individual needs, goals, and preferences. That's why it's important to have a range of training methods in your arsenal, so you can tailor your clients' workouts to their specific needs. By offering a variety of training methods, you can keep your clients motivated, prevent plateauing, and help them achieve their fitness goals. We'll explore 15 different training methods that you can use to give your clients a range of options and keep their workouts fresh and challenging:
Heavy weight training: This method involves lifting weights close to your maximum capacity, typically 80-95% of your one-rep max, to induce muscle hypertrophy. For example, performing squats with heavy weights to develop stronger and bigger legs.
Pros: Lifting heavy weights can induce muscle hypertrophy and increase overall strength.
Cons: Heavy weight lifting can put stress on joints and increase the risk of injury if proper form is not maintained.
High-volume training: This method involves performing a high number of sets and reps for each exercise to create metabolic stress and promote muscle growth. For example, performing four sets of 15 reps for bicep curls to exhaust the muscle and promote hypertrophy.
Pros: Performing a high number of sets and reps can create metabolic stress and promote muscle growth.
Cons: High-volume training can be exhausting and may increase the risk of overtraining if not properly managed.
Supersets: This method involves performing two different exercises back-to-back with no rest to increase intensity and create a greater muscle pump. For example, performing a set of tricep pushdowns followed immediately by a set of bicep curls to work opposing muscle groups and increase the intensity of the workout.
Pros: Performing supersets can increase the intensity of the workout and improve muscular endurance.
Cons: Supersets can be demanding and may not be suitable for beginners or those with limited training experience.
Drop sets: This method involves gradually decreasing the weight used for an exercise as you reach muscle failure to continue stimulating the muscle fibers and promote muscle growth. For example, starting with heavy weights for bicep curls, and then decreasing the weight by 10-20% with each set until you reach muscle failure.
Pros: Drop sets can help to push the muscles beyond failure and promote muscle growth.
Cons: Drop sets can be fatiguing and may increase the risk of injury if performed too frequently or with poor form.
Pyramid training: This method involves gradually increasing the weight used for an exercise and decreasing the reps performed for each set to challenge the muscles in different ways. For example, starting with a light weight for bench press and performing 15 reps, then gradually increasing the weight and decreasing the reps for each subsequent set.
Pros: Pyramid training can challenge the muscles in different ways and promote muscle growth.
Cons: Pyramid training may not be suitable for those with limited training experience, as it can be demanding and requires proper form.
Circuit training: This method involves performing a series of exercises in a circuit with little or no rest between sets to improve endurance, burn fat, and promote muscle growth. For example, performing a circuit of squats, lunges, push-ups, and pull-ups with minimal rest between each exercise.
Pros: Circuit training can improve cardiovascular endurance and burn fat while also promoting muscle growth.
Cons: Circuit training may not be suitable for those with injuries or limited mobility, as it can be high-impact and demanding.
Rest-pause training: This method involves taking short rest breaks during an exercise to enable you to lift more weight and stimulate muscle growth. For example, performing a set of bicep curls, resting for 10-20 seconds, and then performing another set to failure.
Pros: Rest-pause training can enable lifters to push past plateaus and stimulate muscle growth.
Cons: Rest-pause training can be demanding and may not be suitable for beginners or those with limited training experience.
Pre-exhaustion training: This method involves performing an isolation exercise before a compound exercise to fatigue the targeted muscle group and promote muscle growth. For example, performing leg extensions before squats to fatigue the quadriceps and make the squats more challenging.
Pros: Pre-exhaustion training can help to target specific muscle groups and promote muscle growth.
Cons: Pre-exhaustion training can be fatiguing and may not be suitable for those with injuries or limited mobility.
Time-under-tension training: This method involves extending the duration of each repetition to increase the time the muscle is under tension and stimulate muscle growth. For example, performing slow and controlled reps of bench press, taking 4-6 seconds to lower the weight and 2-3 seconds to lift it.
Pros: Time-under-tension training can increase muscular endurance and promote muscle growth.
Cons: Time-under-tension training can be demanding and may require longer rest periods between sets.
Negative training: This method involves emphasizing the eccentric (lowering) phase of an exercise to create more muscle damage and stimulate muscle growth. For example, lowering the weight slowly during bicep curls to create more tension and stimulate more muscle fibers.
Pros: Negative training can create more muscle damage and stimulate muscle growth.
Cons: Negative training can be demanding and may increase the risk of injury if performed with poor form.
Isometric training: This method involves holding a static position to increase strength and improve muscle definition. For example, holding a plank position for 30-60 seconds to engage the core and improve abdominal muscle definition.
Pros: Isometric training can improve muscular endurance and improve muscle definition.
Cons: Isometric training may not be suitable for those with injuries or limited mobility, as it can be demanding and requires proper form.
Partial reps: This method involves performing an exercise through a partial range of motion to increase strength and overcome a sticking point. For example, performing partial reps of squats in the bottom half of the movement to improve strength and overcome a weak point.
Pros: Partial reps can help to increase strength and overcome sticking points in a lift.
Cons: Partial reps may not be suitable for those with injuries or limited mobility, as they require proper form and can put stress on joints.
Forced reps: This method involves continuing to lift with the help of a spotter once you have reached muscle failure to stimulate muscle growth. For example, performing a set of bench press until failure, then having a spotter assist with a few more reps to push the muscles even further.
Pros: Forced reps can help lifters to push past plateaus and stimulate muscle growth.
Cons: Forced reps can be demanding and may not be suitable for beginners or those with limited training experience
Progressive overload: This method involves gradually increasing the weight, reps, or sets over time to continue challenging the muscles and promote muscle growth. For example, adding 5-10 pounds to your bench press each week to increase the weight you lift and stimulate muscle growth.
Pros: Progressive overload can help lifters to continue challenging the muscles and promote muscle growth.
Cons: Progressive overload requires proper form and may not be suitable for those with injuries or limited mobility.
De-load training: This method involves reducing the intensity or volume of your workouts for a week or two to allow the muscles to recover and avoid plateauing. For example, taking a deload week every 6-8 weeks to reduce the weight and reps of your workouts and allow the muscles to recover before increasing the intensity again.
Pros: De-load training can help lifters to recover from workouts and avoid plateauing.
Cons: De-load training may not be suitable for those with limited training experience or those who are not lifting heavy weights.
By offering a range of options to your clients, you can keep their workouts interesting, challenging, and effective. By tailoring your clients' workouts to their individual needs and goals, you can help them achieve the results they desire and maintain their motivation over the long term. With the training methods above in your toolbox, you'll have the flexibility and knowledge to create personalized workout plans that get results.
