client’s session invite
• Send a reminder to them the day before
their session (routines have changed for
everybody and it’s all too easy to get
days mixed up)
• Check with your client that they will have
enough space to move safely without risk
of hitting furniture or walls
• Check that they aren’t likely to get overly
distracted by running children or barking
dogs while they train!
• Request that your client position their
camera/laptop at around waist height
• Ask them to ensure they have sufficient
light shining on them, but not from behind
them (i.e. avoid having windows behind
them) which can cause silhouetting
• If running a multi-participant class or
small group training session, ensure
everyone’s microphone is muted in order
to avoid echoing
• Ensure your own room is well lit (with light
shining on you rather than from behind you)
• Make sure your own environment is
clean, tidy and quiet, and that you have
everything you need to run the session –
including your own water bottle!
It is worth taking a couple of extra minutes to
do a quick trial to make sure all the settings
work well enough for you to run a smooth
session and that the environment is safe for
your client.
Exercise prescription
When training via screen, you won’t be able
to fully replicate all of the exercises you
have done with your clients at the gym, but
you do have the opportunity to train them in
new ways that use different tools and focus
on bodyweight exercises.
Depending on the equipment available,
you may be able to maintain some gym
exercises, but remember that cueing will be
much more difficult. For this reason, it’s not
the best time to experiment with complex
new exercises, as technique and execution
tips can easily get lost on the way. What may
seem obvious to you, won’t necessarily be
for your clients, so be prepared to spend
more time when adding a progression or
showing a new drill.
When it comes to performing an exercise,
you must ensure you use a clear vocabulary
and demonstrate it from different angles.
Don’t hesitate to get your clients to mirror
It’s not the best time to experiment with complex
new exercises, as technique and execution tips can
easily get lost on the way
you and use their hands/fingers to feel the
movement as it gives them good sensory
feedback. Ask them to share what they feel
and be present (i.e. don’t just stare at the
screen while they do their reps!). Depending
on the type of exercises you are delivering, it
may be useful to follow up by sending them
a pre-recorded video of certain drills and
a recap of the key points. You may already
have these recorded, or you can send them
links to relevant YouTube videos.
If you decide you need equipment that
your clients don’t have, try to be creative.
Bottles, cushions, bags, sliding objects,
brooms… the list is endless and improvising
with these things can add some fun to the
training. Your clients will appreciate that you
are trying to go above and beyond to create
an uplifting yet effective session.
Bring your A game to your plan B
There’s no question that most fitness
professionals are ‘people people’ who
thrive on face-to-face interactions. While
online may not be your preferred method
of delivering training, the situation does
present the opportunity to shake things up
and show your versatility as a trainer.
This is a hard time for many of your clients,
and you have a huge role to play in helping
them stick to a healthy routine. You’ll have to
work harder to communicate your exercise
prescription and technique correction, but
with patience and enthusiasm you can make
virtual sessions as rewarding as your faceto-face
ones.
Guillaume Tual
‘Gee’ is a Sydney-based
movement and sport
conditioning specialist with
over a decade’s industry
experience. As a personal
trainer and Animal Flow instructor, he is passionate
about helping people improve their overall health
and fitness through movement at his Sydney-based
studio Peak Movement.
18 | NETWORK SPRING 2020