The Ultimate Group Training Workout
By Ryan Ketchum, Founder of Vertex Performance Systems
I have to say that in the past 8+ years as a trainer I have written well over 1000 group training workouts and programs.
Programming and designing workouts is one of my absolute favorite things to do as a trainer. It gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling inside!
Enough about the warm and fuzzies though.
Let’s get to the good stuff…
…the things that make a group training workout one for the ages. That one special workout that people remember for a lifetime.
What is it?
What are the things that go into the ULTIMATE GROUP TRAINING WORKOUT?
It’s probably not what you think. It’s not about finding the perfect movement patters or even the set and rep scheme.
In a group training workout there is one thing that comes to mind when I think of my most epic group training sessions….
FUN!
That’s right. Fun.
Group training is about the community and the atmosphere. People don’t just choose it because it is a cheaper version of personal training.
They choose it because they like being around people that are going through the same things as themselves and they enjoy the community.
My best group training workouts were often the ones that I came up with on the fly or right before the session because I was inspired by something I read of saw that morning.
Now, don’t get me wrong….
…I can already here the fitness elitists out there bashing me for not programming out all of my workouts and periodizing them along with a movement assessment.
That stuff is important too.
But, it’s not really what your clients care about.
First, they want the results they are seeking. (That could be anything from fat loss to just a place to go workout)
Second, they want to have fun and enjoy fitness.
Sure, there are the top 1-2% of people that have really big goals of competing in something at a high level but most people simply want to go through the process.
Now, let me get back the point…
Your workouts need to be fun and inspiring.
That doesn’t mean beating people into the ground or making them puke every time they workout. It simply means that there is a certain energy and atmosphere during the workout that brings out the best in people.
Looking back at those epic workouts I have run I can think of a few common variables in all of them:
1) I brought some serious energy to the workout. When I was excited about it the clients go excited about (or scared to death!).
2) They moved at a quick space. It didn’t have to be ‘no rest, just go’ but it was planned and programmed to keep the clients moving. Downtime isn’t always a great thing in a group training workout.
3) It had some type of fun new movement or variations. I always tried to spice things up and experiment with new movement variations during these workouts. It kept things fresh.
4) Many times there were performed in one big group using minimal equipment. Often times my favorite workouts were around the holidays when I would run free workouts for our clients and their friends/family on our off days. I would have groups of 75-100 people in 1800 square feet doing bodyweight only movements and simply crush them during the workout.
So, how did I get the inspiration for these epic workouts?
I can also bring that back to one common theme…
…I always looked through my training resources (you have those right?) to get some inspiration.
I would dig through programs I have bought, videos I had saved and membership sites that I belonged to so that I could get some ideas and it sparked creativity.
Looking at other trainers creative programs or exercises always sparked some creativity and excitement into my own programming.
That is exactly why I am offering up the Group Training Playbook for just $19.95 for short period of time.
I want you to have that same spark of energy and excitement about your group training workouts.
When you get stuck in a rut this Group Training Playbook is your resource!
