Case: How to Get Strong
Read time 4 mins
What does the coaching process look like? How can I help you to train more effectively?
Jami’s problem was long hours at work, unstructured training, and not keeping track of his workouts. Sometimes stress was also creeping up on him and that needed balancing.
This is a story about who Jami is, how we approached his problem with a precise, minimum-effort solution, and what outcomes we got after the first 10 weeks.
I wanted to share with you what my coaching process with a client looks like. Jami wanted to increase his strength, especially in bench press and deadlift, and to move better on a tennis court.
Coaching process
The process can be characterized by these steps:
1) Collecting background information
2) Discussing the background info and setting goals
3) Creating the plan and
4) Executing and monitoring it. Based on the rising information and Jami’s feedback we made adjustments so that his plan was adapted to his other responsibilities.
Background information
Jami filled out an information form before we met remotely. The point is to collect relevant information to create a personalized plan. In the meeting, we discussed his background and goals in detail, and what would be feasible in his case.
Jami is a 34-year-old chief of staff at KPMG. His work often requires him to work long hours which makes recovery from training more challenging. He also plays tennis recreationally and occasionally runs or goes cycling in addition to going to the gym.
He has experience in going to the gym two to three times per week but the training hasn’t been very structured or systematic. We wanted to change this and equip him with a robust, but flexible plan to follow.
2. Discussion & Setting Goals
We narrowed down his goals into developing the bench press and the deadlift as well as gaining muscle.
Based on his overall life & work situation and the twice-a-week tennis, we concluded two gym sessions per week is sensible for him. I used this information to create a plan and an entry point for him to start with.
3. Creating the plan
Due to the number of weekly training sessions and his stressful work, the overall training volume was kept on the lower side. The plan included twice a week of bench pressing and deadlifting, once-a-week squatting, and supplementary exercises for muscle growth.
The training plan was autoregulated. This means we used a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) as a measure of intensity. In other words, I didn’t give him predetermined training weights but he estimated how hard a set felt on a scale of 0-10. This required some self-reflection and learning but Jami picked it up fast.
4. Execution & Monitoring
Jami updated his training diary through the TrueCoach application. He also uploaded videos of the main exercises so I could assist him with the technique and assess if his training was challenging enough.
This part of the process requires commitment and communication from the client. It was a pleasure working with Jami since he provided me with enough information to do my job well.
Through this monitoring, I was able to follow his recovery closely. If his training numbers were going down, we made changes. During the first five weeks, we changed very little because his numbers were progressing so well. After five weeks we changed some exercises, sets, and repetition schemes to have variability in the process.
Training Outcomes
After 10 weeks of training, we wanted to test his one-repetition maxes again. Jami had tested them one week before we started the coaching process.
Squat
His squat went from 120 to 130 kg. We did not emphasize the squat so much because the deadlift was the main target. We were both still very happy to have an increase of 8.3 %.
Bench press
His bench press stayed the same, 110 kg. After the fifth training week, we had a discussion and decided to take a step back and focus more on technique than the one-rep maximum.
We implemented a lot of paused bench presses with the emphasis on using his legs to drive up the weight (Yes, in bench press one uses the legs as well). With this decision, we both feel he can develop his bench press in the future a lot better.
This remains to be seen but sometimes it’s important to take a step back so you can take two steps forward.
Deadlift
Jami’s deadlift went up from 140 kg to 175 kg which was an amazing result. This 25 % increase in weight surprised us both even though I knew he had a lot in him.
His strength, technique, and confidence in the deadlift increased a lot during the 10-week plan. I was happy to hear that he wants to hit 200 kg in the future which is his next long-term goal.
Muscle Gain & Cycling Power
Jami reported that his weight went up by 3 kg during the process. He told me a negative side effect of the whole thing is that all his shorts are now small. Which is pretty nice if you ask me.
He hasn’t noticed a difference on a tennis court but cycling has been easier because of having more strength. Strength training has been shown to improve work efficiency and time to exhaustion in professional cyclists (1).
Reflection on the process
Overall, we were both extremely happy with how the process went. Especially when considering he only trained strength twice per week.
In the future, I would do some things differently now that we have more information to act upon. For example, strengthening the upper part of his bench press, which stalled his performance. In his case, I also suspect training bench press three times per week would also help.
Jami noticed in single leg exercises that his other leg is much stronger. This is likely the result of him playing badminton, tennis, and other one-sided sports for a long time. It’s not a problem but it is something to pay attention to in the future.
Can’t wait to see how much more he can progress. Below you can see what Jami had to say about the experience. You can also sign up for a coaching consultation below through the link.
References
Sunde, A., Støren, Ø., Bjerkaas, M., Larsen, M. H., Hoff, J., & Helgerud, J. (2010). Maximal Strength Training Improves Cycling Economy in Competitive Cyclists. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(8), 2157–2165. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181aeb16a