Dan John – Training the middle-aged client

The following is an excerpt from Dan John’s lecture, Training the Middle-Aged Client.   When we start working with the middle-age client, the boomer generation, I think one of the things we have to do, first and foremost, is to clearly solve the problem in our own heads as fitness professionals, and then from there, give the answer. For the boomer generation, I have three questions.

1) What is your goal? 

Coach Stevo reminds me, if you only have one goal, you have an 80% chance of achieving the goal. If you have three or more, your chances are as likely as if you had no goals at all. Focus on one single goal.  Stevo is my accountability buddy. One of my goals for the last couple of months has been this simple thing: Every time I have an alcoholic beverage or any beverage with calories, I have a glass of water with it.  It’s such a simple thing to do and it works fabulously.  My next goal is going to be to practice eating slower. It’s weird because it’s a hard habit to keep going when we’re in this ‘rush, rush, rush’ kind of world.

2) Will this goal expand your life for the better in most ways? 

You know, the funny thing about a fitness goal is it could shrink your life down.  It could un-knit you a bit. I always say to people, “Take some quality time to make sure your fat loss, your fitness and your achievement goals are somehow going to expand the bulk of your life.”

3) How old are you? Is it reasonable for someone your age to achieve your goals? 

If it’s a body composition goal, almost universally the answer is going to be yes. At the same time, as you age you do lose the opportunity to do certain things. For example, I can’t play Division I football. Why? I don’t have the eligibility, though I still think I can play. I would love to do it, but I am beyond that in my life because I’ve already used my eligibility, and I don’t think too many universities would be interested in a 56-year-old outside linebacker.   Here’s also what I’d like for you to consider for every middle-age client. It’s called Planks as a Program. In other words, push. Do your PUPPs—pushup position planks. I’d love to see you do a two-minute pushup position plank. For the pull, lie on your back, stick your elbows and heels in the ground and try to raise your whole body up by driving your elbows straight into the floor. We call this the batwing plank. For the hinge, call it whatever you like. I’ve seen it called the pelvic tilt, the hip thrust or what urban candidates call the supine bridge. It was a life-changer for me as an adult and the same for many people I work with. For the squat, you know what I’m going to tell you. Get your goblet squats in. For loaded carries, do your suitcase walk.  Here’s my point in this. No matter how you just answered those three questions above, I know if I can just get you to do those five basic human movements—push, pull, hinge, squat, loaded carries—I’m going to support your goal somehow.  The easiest way to do it is with very little movement at all—just like planks. That’s the answer to our problem today.