Why Gyms SHOULD Have an Intro Program
About 4 years ago we noticed a problem with Group Coaching. TBH, we’ve noticed several problems but today we’re going to focus on the primary problem we see. Most of the time, folks that want to jump right into the group environment, lack the appropriate knowledge and skills to do so.
I’m not suggesting you have to be a rockstar athlete, or lift heavy weights, and you certainly don’t have to be in good enough shape to start. But, you do need to know some basics. These things include (but are not limited to):
- a baseline understanding HOW to PERFORM the exercises
- a general sense of why the program is constructed the way it is
- equipment knowledge / where the towels are
- how to navigate the app
- safety and etiquette
- the class schedule / how to book / cancel sessions
- where the bathrooms are
The list goes on honestly. Any quality gym will have an Intro Program that takes the time to answer these questions in a non, threatening way. In other words, not in a room full of people waiting for you to “get it” so they can get instructions on their workout that day. Super uncomfortable if you’ve ever had to do that 🙁
Putting the Cart Ahead of the Horse
A lot of gyms expect you to show up and crush your workout on day 1. This is fine… for a small percentage of the population. It’s counterproductive for 99% of us. Research tells us that less than half of the population is lifting weights. An often cited reasons include frailty (not wanting to get hurt) along with not knowing what to do.
In our Intro Program has been designed to specifically prepare you to train in a group setting!
How do we do that? We require all our athletes complete their intro program in a private setting… so they know exactly what to do when it’s time to join the group. This fosters learning and reduces the anxiety of being the new guy (or gal).
We make getting STARTED EASY!!! I cannot overstress the significance here.
Limitations of a More Traditional Approach
What if you don’t want to take the time (or spend the money) to go through an extensive Intro Program? “Can’t I just get to exercising”? Yes, you could certainly do that… at another gym.
At Brentwood Barbell, we think the intro matters for a few reasons:
- you are going to bring limitations and an orthopedic history to the gym with you, we want to address those issues in a controlled environment, one where we can apply a lot of attention
- you are (probably) not going to perform the core barbell lifts well, we don’t think it’s fair to turn your 1st group session into a private session while the other participants miss out on their appropriate coaching needs
- if you have goals, you should have a (somewhat) custom program to achieve them, going through the Intro Program allows our coaches to tweak a few things like exercise selection, start weights, volume/intensity, and scheduling to meet YOUR needs
- progress is more fun than not making progress and if you’re doing the same program, exercises, and training that everyone else is doing it, the stimulus may (or may not) be appropriate for you
OK, but WHAT is the INTRO Program @ Brentwood Barbell?
- 4 Private Coaching Sessions
- Sessions 1 & 3 (squat, bench press focus + pertinent accessory exercises)
- Sessions 2 & 4 (deadlift and press focus + pertinent accessory exercises)
- In-Body Scan (muscle-fat anaylysis)
- Pertinent Conditioning Assessment
- How to Use Trainerize (our coaches walk you through it)
- Nutrition Consultation (30 min discussion on how to eat to get what you want)
- 90 Day Goal Review Booked
It’s fairly extensive but our coaching staff have done hundreds of these at this point. And we can walk you through it too!
What’s Next?
The next step (if you’re ready) would be to BOOK a MEETING with one of our coaches. They will sit with you, get an understanding of your goals, resources, and limitations. After that, we will then set up your INTRO Program and you’re off to the races.
If you’re not ready to book but want to have a conversation, go ahead and join us on our FB Group: Strength, Health, and Nutrition in STL. We share a lot of ideas there!
Talk soon!
James