NASM Program design and "Which Squat?"

[RyanA]

Hello everyone. I've been registered and lurking here for some time now. The site is great and I feel like it's given me an edge breaking into the fitness business. I've been a bartender for 13 years, but I passed my NASM-CPT cert about two months ago. I ended up getting a job at a gym that seems like a great place to work. I'm really stoked.

Anyway, so I started last night and it was just a training shift on the floor. I haven't been trained in their assessment protocols or been through their trainer orientation yet; I'll get that next week. I'm nervous about training people, but I figure that's normal. There is some pressure from coming up with effective and fun programs. I know I can do it, but it will be great to get a few clients under my belt.

My question(s) is directed towards everyone, but I would especially love to hear from NASM-CPT's.

1. How closely do you follow the NASM training model? I think it is a good strategy, but it seems to start off slow (i.e. boring), too slow for some clients. At their workshop it seemed like the balance, flexibility, core training works as a great warmup for the resistance part of the workout and can also be worked into the resistance part as well. Any thoughts?

2. Let me introduce you to the King. The Squat. How do you train it to your clients? I have Starting Strength and think the squat illustrated there is considerably different from NASM's. If I'm not mistaken NASM"s squat seems to be a feet parallel and hip width versus SS's feet out 30 degrees and and the feet shoulder width. I think (because of what I've read) the squat as outlined in SS is a fundamental movement. Do you use the same stance for barbell and bodyweight? Any thoughts?

Thanks for reading. Double thanks for responding.

-Ryan

[John Izzo]

Originally Posted by RyanA

1. How closely do you follow the NASM training model? I think it is a good strategy, but it seems to start off slow (i.e. boring), too slow for some clients. At their workshop it seemed like the balance, flexibility, core training works as a great warmup for the resistance part of the workout and can also be worked into the resistance part as well. Any thoughts?

2. Let me introduce you to the King. The Squat. How do you train it to your clients? I have Starting Strength and think the squat illustrated there is considerably different from NASM's. If I'm not mistaken NASM"s squat seems to be a feet parallel and hip width versus SS's feet out 30 degrees and and the feet shoulder width. I think (because of what I've read) the squat as outlined in SS is a fundamental movement. Do you use the same stance for barbell and bodyweight? Any thoughts?

Thanks for reading. Double thanks for responding.

-Ryan

Hey Ryan,

Welcome to the forum and welcome to the world of personal training. When I first began my training using the NASM protocol, I felt the same way you did. The OPT model is great, but I think for the average individual, it may be irrelevent to the trainer.

Let me put it to you this way: every person that comes to you seeking fat loss will have some sort of postural distortion. After you do a few assessments in your lifetime, they will be easy to spot on the next person, without having to actually go thru the structured assessment version. If someone has a big gut hanging over their pants, chances are they will have APT. If they sit on their asses all day, they will have upper cross and PPT. Some cases will vary between the distortions. Alot of the stuff nowadays, I incorporate into movement prep work (like you mentioned). It replaces the conventional "5 minutes treadmill warm-up" that is so common in gyms, and trains the client to address these components.

Most of the OPT was written (IMO), to really take the trainer's hand and walk thru the assessment process. I am on the fence with that...I view it as the same as memorizing terms for a test--(just to pass the test and never really learning the terms.) Once you are comfortable with finding postural distortions, I am sure you will use the assements less and find that the common devaitions are shared by all. In the longrun, the movement prep work will become a staple in your exercise programs.

For teh squat, I teach the squat using a chair for an absolute beginner. I teach above parallel, to parallel, and below parallel depending on:

-injury history
-comfort level
-strength/core
-ROM/activation

Again, nothing is written in stone. If you want to teach your client to go below parallel, ask yourself "why". If they show the ability to descend without causing compensations in the rest of the structure, then go for it. If they find it difficult (or pain) stick with a 1/4 or to parallel.

Hope this helps.

[Leigh P.]

I just wanted to back up John and think he pretty much nailed it.

I love the basic model of the focus of postural distortions and progression of movements of the NASM, but in the end it is all guidelines and you have to do what is best for your situation and for your clients. I think the NASM is one of the best certs you can get and I am proud to sport it, but that is certainly not where the education or the buck stops. It is merely my technical means to an end.

Keep reading, then read some more, then train some more, and rinse and repeat.

[RyanA]

Thank you for both of your responses. I'm excited to get to work. From what my new coworkers tell me the gym has so many members that it's difficult to not get clients.