FLEXIBILITY
3 Simple Ways
to Include Flexibility in Your Personal Training Workouts
By Daniela Goode
exercises, many people overlook the importance of flexibility training when setting their overall fitness goals. Considering that flexibility is known to be one of the primary components of fitness, it is interesting that so many trainers exclude it when planning their clients’ programs. Perhaps this is due to the unfortunate perception that flexibility is not an important factor in developing physical capacity, or a lack of understanding of how it is related to enhanced performance. Another possibility is that some personal trainers may feel they lack the specific skills and ideas necessary to incorporate flexibility training in an effective and engaging way. Whatever the reason, we cannot continue to ignore the impor-
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tance of flexibility training. It is crucial to maximizing our clients’ functional potential, and achieving the overall mobility required for optimal performance and everyday life. Here are 3 simple ways to include flexibility with your personal training clients this year:
1. Plan For It If you want your clients to place value in flexibility training, you
have to treat it with the same level of importance as the other ele- ments in their program. Take the time to select appropriate flexibility exercises for each client, and actually write them into the plan. When stretching becomes a part of a written training program, there is a higher likelihood that the stretches will be performed. Furthermore, the simple act of writing them down can also contribute to the sense of accomplishment that comes from completing a planned workout.
34 canfitpro JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
ith all the different types of workouts being promoted at this time of year, it is easy to lose sight of the most basic components of a balanced fitness program. In the shadow of cardio, strength training, and high intensity
2. Do It With Them Guiding your clients through the flexibility exercises you have programmed will ensure they actually complete them, while also giving you a few moments to do something good for your own body. In addition, the special camaraderie that is built while you spend this time with your clients can help develop the trust and familiarity that lead to increased client retention, renewal, and referrals.
3. Do it For Them While you can’t actually stretch on someone else’s behalf, you can
incorporate assisted stretches to help them train for flexibility. These techniques allow your clients to develop optimal range of motion in a way that is effective, feels great, and requires very little effort. One key suggestion is to choose stretches that target multiple
muscles at the same time. This will help maximize the effect of each movement, especially if you only have a few minutes to train for flexibility during each session. In our Thai Yoga Stretching series, some of the combination stretches we recommend include supine twists, forward folds, and passive circumduction at the hips and shoulders. Whichever option you choose for incorporating flexibility training, remember to create a specific plan for it within each client’s program, and to also educate them on the benefits of flexibility to their personal fitness goals, overall mobility, and the activities of their daily lives.
Daniela Goode is a Kinesiologist and Wellness Educator whose passion lies in using movement to foster vibrant health. She has taught a variety of wellness courses throughout Canada. As Co-Director of Navina Thai Yoga Therapy School, Daniela creates powerful learning opportunities by incorporating key principles of Fitness Training, Yoga Therapy, and Functional Rehabilitation. Email Daniela at daniela@
navina.ca or visit
www.navina.ca.
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