5 exercises every personal trainer should include in their client's workout
It is the job of a personal trainer to design safe and effective workout programs for their clients that will help them achieve their fitness goals. While there are many different exercises you can include in a workout program, there are certain exercises that every personal trainer should consider including in their client's workouts. These exercises are described below.
1. Squats
Squats are a fundamental exercise that should be included in every workout program. They are a compound exercise, meaning they involve multiple joints and muscle groups, including the hips, knees, and ankles. Squats help to build strength in the lower body and core, and they can also improve mobility and stability. Squats are a versatile exercise that can be performed using bodyweight, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, or other equipment. By incorporating squats into your workout routines, they can help build strength in major muscles, improve mobility, and achieve their fitness goals.
It is important to be careful when performing squats to avoid the potential for injury. Proper form is crucial to ensure that the muscles are being worked correctly and to prevent strain on your body’s joints. Appropriate weight selection is also important as using too much weight can lead to injury or strain on other muscles that should not technically be used in the exercise. When performing this exerciese, be sure to listen to your body and stop the exercise if there is any pain or discomfort.
2. Lunges
Lunges are a compound exercise that targets the lower body and can help to build strength and stability in the legs, hips, and core. They can also improve balance and coordination. There are many variations of lunges that you can include in your workout routine, such as stationary lunges, walking lunges, and reverse lunges, as well as adding weight while performing this movement such as dumbbells or a weighted barbell. You can also incorporate variations such as curtsy lunges, jump lunges, and lateral lunges to add variety into your workouts. In addition to building strength, lunges can also help to improve cardiovascular endurance and burn calories by focusing on speed and number of repetitions rather than how much weight you can hold while performing. By incorporating lunges into your workout routine, you can improve your lower body strength, stability, and coordination greatly. It is a great exercise to use when training all of your clients.
3. Push-ups
A push-up is a classic bodyweight exercise that targets the upper body, including the chest, triceps, and shoulders. It involves starting in a plank position with your hands on the ground and your body straight, and then lowering your body down towards the ground by bending your elbows and lowering your chest towards the ground. There are many variations of push-ups that you can incorporate into all workout routines, such as traditional push-ups, incline or decline push-ups, plyometric push-ups (also known as "clap" push-ups), diamond push-ups, and single-arm push-ups. The best thing about push-ups is they can be easily modified to fit any skill level. They can be done on your knees at first till you build up enough strength to do them fully in a plank position, and from there vary the type of push-up to target different muscles in your arms, back, and shoulders. Doing push-ups should never become dull or stagnant with so many variations to perform.
Push-ups are a functional exercise that can help you in everyday situations by improving your upper body strength and endurance. This can help you with tasks such as lifting boxes, carrying groceries, and even just pushing open heavy doors. In addition to these benefits, push-ups will also improve your posture and core stability. By incorporating push-ups into your workout routine, you can improve multiple areas of your body which will help you in every day activities to prevent injury.
4. Planks
A plank is a bodyweight exercise that targets all of your core muscles. It involves holding a stationary position for an extended period of time, with your body and straight and back flat and supported by your forearms and toes. There are many variations of planks that you can incorporate into your workout routine to add variety and challenge. Some variations include traditional planks, side planks, reverse planks, plank walkouts (walking your hands out in front of you and then back to your starting position), plank jacks, (jumping jack movement while in a plank position), and plank up-downs (alternating between a plank and a downward dog position).
Planks are a great exercise for not only building core strength and stability but can also help to improve posture, reduce back pain, and increase flexibility in the hips and shoulders. Planks can be performed by a person at any level of fitness as you can vary up how long you hold the exercise or if you cannot hold it on your forearms and toes, you can go down to your knees until you build strength to move to your toes. Planks are a must in every workout regimen.
5. Deadlifts
A deadlift is a compound exercise that targets the lower body, core muscles, and specifically your lower back. It involves lifting a weight, usually a barbell, off the ground by extending the hips and knees. There are several variations of deadlifts that you can incorporate into your workout routine, such as traditional deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, and trap bar deadlifts. Deadlifts are an extremely important exercise because they help to build full-body strength and improve muscle balance, coordination, and stability. They are also a functional exercise that can improve your ability to perform everyday tasks such as lifting heavy items. However, it is extremely important to perform deadlifts correctly in order to avoid injury and get the most out of the exercise. This includes using proper form and technique, starting with a weight that is appropriate for your strength levels, and gradually increasing the weight as you progress. By performing deadlifts correctly, you can safely and effectively build strength over a wide range of muscles throughout your body.
Conclusion
In summary, squats, lunges, push-ups, planks, and deadlifts are five exercises that every personal trainer should consider including in their client's workouts. These exercises are considered fundamental movements that target multiple muscle groups and can help to improve strength, stability, and mobility. By incorporating these exercises into your client's workouts, you can help them reach their goals while performing common exercises that