As gym owners and coaches, we’re always looking for ways we can make things at our gym better. And, sometimes we simply just need to make sure what we’re doing is actually working. Don’t overlook the fact that getting strong takes patience and you simply can’t rush you way through it. Might as well enjoy the journey, right?
After testing some strength and conditioning numbers for a few of our MOVE group training members, we feel confident enough to say you can get ridiculously strong and fit in a group training environment. Or should I say, the right group training environment.
Why Elite 8?
Fast forward a bit to when we had several members approach us after years in our MOVE training program looking to take their training to the next level. Each of these members knows first-hand what great results they can get with our group training and they have no intention of ditching their bread and butter training program. They did, however, want to step it up for a bit and try something new.
We tested a new program, Elite 8, in order to help some members achieve even better results in strength and conditioning. To say it was a success is an understatement. We actually ran a second round earlier this year and it was just as successful. Here’s a glance at some of the pre and post numbers. Amazing, really.
Train Hard. Train Smart. Be Consistent.
All members in our Elite 8 training groups are also members of our MOVE group training program. They were all injury free and they were willing to put in the work. Don’t forget that last part. Willingness to stick to the program and show up no matter what they felt like doing in the moment.
We required all members of Elite 8 to show up twice each week to these 90-minute group sessions. We also required they train at least one other time during the week. Each member was in constant communication with the coach to track progress and ensure results. As you can imagine a few people had to adjust their nutrition to make sure they were eating enough to get stronger. 😉
Lessons in Strength and Conditioning
One Elite 8 member, Amy Carey, shared these lessons in strength and conditioning with me and they were just too good not to share. No matter how and/or where you train…and who you train with (though we all feel that part is important), you can probably learn something below, or at least it’s a gentle reminder that you’re doing awesome.
Getting stronger doesn’t mean…
- Using heavier weights at higher reps
- Completing the strength sets faster
Ask for help.
- You likely can do that heavier weight if someone is spotting you
- A spotting partner let’s you focus on the movement vs figuring out what to do when you get stuck
Be methodical in how you move up in weight.
- A fixed amount each set and each week – even a little counts
- So what if you can’t do all the reps, get in what you can at the higher rate and do more next time
Cardio is important, but lifting does more.
- We did shorter metcons, but I got stronger all the way through
- The cardio got easier even as we went through and added more reps
- We all got faster – classes of 90 min vs 2 hours….
A little peer support goes a long way.
- Encouragement from the team can give you the push you need to go further
- They can do it, so can I (a little competitive streak in all of us…)
Kevin was great – his positive attitude and encouragement provided a much needed boost when we all got tired. I’d definitely do ELITE 8 again!
Consistency and Community
Notice how she emphasizes things like importance of slowing down in order to ensure you’re using proper technique. Plus, how consistency {SHOWING UP} likely matters more than most other things. And, don’t forget the power of community, support, and encouragement you get in a group environment when you’re hanging out with others who have similar goals.
In fact that’s community is one of the best parts of our entire MOVE group training community.
This is from a brand new member and we’re so proud of our community members for welcoming everyone exactly as they are.
“Getting up at 4:15am was terrible, but honestly not as bad as I thought it would be. I love that I am sitting at my desk right now and my workout is done for the day.⠀
I know it is only day two, but I am really loving the gym so far. First off, Kevin was great with me today. Getting down on the floor for any exercise is nearly impossible for me, as I have bad knees and combined with being so overweight, getting up and down is really tough. He was able to amend each exercise so that I could participate but also didn’t need to get down on the ground, that was huge.⠀
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Second, I love the encouragement from all the members. I have NEVER been to another gym where strangers are high-fiving me and telling me I did a good job at the end. I know that may seem like a little thing, but I walked out of your gym today smiling and feeling proud of myself.⠀
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Thank you, and I am actually looking forward to my next workout!”
If you currently train solo and it’s getting stale, maybe it’s time to get a coach or find a training partner. If you’re training in a large group where you feel like a number, you aren’t getting any coaching or just can’t connect with others, maybe it’s time for a change.