Today I took a joint session for two of my clients. I have had sessions for both before as individuals, but this was the first joint session. Both clients know each other, so they were very happy to have the session together (saved them money!). What was different about this session was very interesting?
Having two people in a fitness session changes the dynamic of the session. You have two personalities taking part in the same session and they interact with each other. The benefit that I wanted to get from having a joint session was to force the two clients to push each other harder. I did this by forcing them to work together. One would be performing a uncomfortable 'stress' exercise (like the plank or wall squat) while the other had to complete a set task (20 shoulder press) before the other could stop swap over. While this does not sound like a taxing workout to begin with, as the sets progress the stress exercise begins to become very uncomfortable. The client in the stress position becomes very aware of the amount of time that the exercise is taking to complete, while the person completing the task is trying to finish the exercise as quickly as possible to try and relieve the others pain. The two personalities start to clash, as both believe the other can work harder. This anger becomes fuel for higher levels of effort, creating a cycle until both clients are working much harder than thought possible.
While the spiralling of anger at each other not working hard enough and being responsible for each others pain is good, it needs to be controlled to make sure it doesn't get out of hand. Stopping the exercise at the right time helps strengthen the bond between the two people, knowing they have battled through the same workout and have reached the other side. If left to continue too long, resentment can build, and may not dissipate once the exercise is over. Matching exercises where the clients are forced to work hard for the sake of the other with exercises that make them work together to achieve a goal creates a very good atmosphere and helps remove any feeling of resentment. I try to make myself the target of any negative feelings, as the trainer I am not there to be liked all the time, and if the best results can be gained via making my clients dislike me for a short period of time, so be it.
However feelings are during the sessions, I make sure that at the end, everyone is still friend and smiling, after all we train to feel good about ourselves and feel happier, not to get wound up.
Having two people in a fitness session changes the dynamic of the session. You have two personalities taking part in the same session and they interact with each other. The benefit that I wanted to get from having a joint session was to force the two clients to push each other harder. I did this by forcing them to work together. One would be performing a uncomfortable 'stress' exercise (like the plank or wall squat) while the other had to complete a set task (20 shoulder press) before the other could stop swap over. While this does not sound like a taxing workout to begin with, as the sets progress the stress exercise begins to become very uncomfortable. The client in the stress position becomes very aware of the amount of time that the exercise is taking to complete, while the person completing the task is trying to finish the exercise as quickly as possible to try and relieve the others pain. The two personalities start to clash, as both believe the other can work harder. This anger becomes fuel for higher levels of effort, creating a cycle until both clients are working much harder than thought possible.
While the spiralling of anger at each other not working hard enough and being responsible for each others pain is good, it needs to be controlled to make sure it doesn't get out of hand. Stopping the exercise at the right time helps strengthen the bond between the two people, knowing they have battled through the same workout and have reached the other side. If left to continue too long, resentment can build, and may not dissipate once the exercise is over. Matching exercises where the clients are forced to work hard for the sake of the other with exercises that make them work together to achieve a goal creates a very good atmosphere and helps remove any feeling of resentment. I try to make myself the target of any negative feelings, as the trainer I am not there to be liked all the time, and if the best results can be gained via making my clients dislike me for a short period of time, so be it.
However feelings are during the sessions, I make sure that at the end, everyone is still friend and smiling, after all we train to feel good about ourselves and feel happier, not to get wound up.
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