First, my apologies for not being able to put up an earlier post, sandy knocked the power out and I’m left having to use a very old outdated lap top. Needless to say, it takes about double the time to do anything on this computer…

Working out has been a bit difficult but not impossible. My gym downtown lost power too, so I was left to workout at a local commercial gym. It’s cool to see enthusiastic gym goers but even better than that, it’s a goldmine for posts about what NOT to do as a trainer…J

3 BASIC Rules for Stretching:

Don’t TOUCH their private parts

Pretty self explanatory, but apparently if you’re a trainer, you’re allowed to put your hand on a clients butt or inner thigh?! Unacceptable!

If you can’t find a way to stretch whatever you’re trying to stretch without touching a “Naughty Zone” than you probably should look into a course on stretching, once you have the basics, I’d suggest going to take a course from Anne and Chris Fredericks at “Stretch to Win”, AMAZING people.

Don’t put your private parts near them

As a trainer you should be aware of perception, especially since you’re always showcasing your talent in front of perspective clients. So clearly DON’T put your crotch next to theirs, or anything that has a sexual innuendo. Today, I watched a trainer stand over his female client as she was doing hip bridges… Unfortunately I didn’t take a video…FAIL on my part.

Listen to them!

A stretch is supposed to focus on recovery and help them obtain mobility/flexibility correct? If you understand the basics of human anatomy and stretching, you’ll want the client relaxed (to a point), and to trust you. So why would a trainer keep pushing through a stretch when the client is screaming “it hurts, STOP!”???

As soon as you lose their trust in a stretch you won’t be able to get in the deeper stretches needed, especially if you’re focusing on “Fascial Stretching”. In short, listen to the client! If they don’t feel comfortable going further, stop where you are, gain their trust over the next few sessions and see if they feel comfortable going into a deeper range of motion.

Summary:

In general, just use common sense and always keep in mind that the stretches are FOR the client, not you. I apologize about not having pics, for now it takes WAY too long to find them and upload them.

If you’re in New York City or the Tri-State area, I hope you’re safe and doing well.

Stay Strong

Team Fusion.