Gotta Give Them Cake Sometimes

As trainers and coaches, we know what is best for our clients. They come to use for professional advice and we are supposed to disseminate that information as appropriate. We do deadlifts because your ass and hamstrings are weak, we do pallof presses and planks to protect your spine and we do squats because, well...

While this is all well and good, a lot of our clients have been doing the same routine or same type of exercises for years, if not decades. Old habits die hard, and people will often be hesitant when they start training the right way. 

You need to make them feel comfortable with this new "style" of training that you are presenting to them, and you can do that with treats. What do I mean by that? 

Well, you gotta give them cake sometimes. 

What I mean by this is, throw exercises at these clients once in a while that they just like. Something fun that they will actually enjoy. Don't do something that is seriously stupid like Bosu Ball Overhead Pistol Squats, but find an exercise that they will enjoy and they will derive some benefit from; however small. 

Let them hit the pec deck for a few minutes at the end of a workout to "burn it out". Do some high rep resistance band triceps extensions, or some straight leg barbell sit-ups. These are exercises that won't hurt your client or exacerbate anything too much, and will remind them enough of the "good ol' days" of doing a chest only day and then crushing some sit-ups that they will be happy with it. 

One of my favorite tricks to use for this method is high rep barbell curls, known to some people as Poundstone curls. 

This is a video of pro strongman Derek Poundstone doing curls with a 40 pound axle for about 350 reps. Most clients will be ready to be done by the time they hit 30-40, so don't expect too much out of this. Their arms will feel super pumped up which will, unfortunately, make them think it's an amazing exercise. 

Does it work? Certainly! Does it need to be a part of everyones daily session? Nope.

For an added benefit, try using fat grips on a standard barbell to challenge the forearms and get a little bit of that "armor  building" that Dan John always talks about. 

Anyone have any other tricks they use in similar situations? Post in the comments section!

Have a great weekend and go lift some heavy shit!