It’s all about context….
As I coach I pride myself on applying the knowledge I have learnt to help each INDIVIDUAL achieve their desired result. Years of research onwards and findings have NOT changed. We still look at a client and take into consideration a list of factors, which ultimately determine what type of program they should be running through.
Let’s say a new client ‘Bob’ walks through the door. We find out what Bob wants, we get a run through of his history (training, injuries, lifestyle, habits) and we take him through an initial screening, where we dive into simple movement patterns which help us to determine movement deficiencies and issues that we can provide drills to improve and reduce their risk of injury to yield greater results. Now without running Bob through this process…….we have NO IDEA what he needs. We put Bob at high risk of injury, increasing movement deficiencies and ultimately making his training life a whole lot harder. No one wants to make their process towards a result any harder, nor should they want to be in a higher risk of obtaining injuries. This is the FIRST example of how we make a program ‘individualised’.
SECOND…..genetics!!!! You MUST understand this from DAY 1 of training…..we are all different. Here’s is my all time favourite example to use with squatting. Most of us are on instagram or Facebook right? Most of us have probably seen those crazy asian weightlifters……they squat like 200 kg’s for reps with a smile on their face, but they only weigh a mere 50kg!!! It’s crazy right. Now I never take credit away from them because they work their absolute ass off and earned it….but they are MADE TO SQUAT! Short legs and torso, means shorter distance and greater power (remember this is obviously in combination with their hard work, programming and muscle fibre make up). Now compare this to someone who’s tall. They have LONG ass femurs, the distance to squat increases so creating power and strength already becomes harder. Maybe we have someone with long shins, so squatting to full depth becomes even more difficult. Now these just some of the many variables that will changes EVERY individuals movement patterns.
Over the years of coaching my list is still growing! Im still learning more and more about the amazing human body and how different everyone is, so I have an open mind. Unfortunately what my open mind doesn’t have time for is b*&ls$#t! The BS of training everyone the same, or forcing positions that they shouldn’t be in or……well the list goes on!
The point here is that its important to focus on yourself. Never look at someone else and compare. Aspire to someone but always think, are you realistically able to achieve that with what you have? Are you setting a realistic timeline? Just make sure you take into account factors that will influence your outcome.
Sometimes you gotta put yourself before others…
Coach Cal