TRX Group Suspension Training Course (L1) Overview Experience

Spent my Entire Sunday yesterday at the TRX Training Center in San Francisco for the (GSTC) Group Suspension Training Course. Wanted to gain knowledge on how to implement TRX into the larger group training environment. If you have taken the (STC) Suspension Training Course, the (GSTC) is pretty much a refresher with the exception of the two group workout formats which you are introduced to.

There is TRX Body Blast which is Tempo and Rep based and currently my all time favorite TRX Circuit Training which is Time based. The first part of the day started out with a general introduction to the Suspension Trainer and a fun TRX Body Blast Workout. We then broke down each exercise step by step and took turns practicing our coaching cueing techniques with our partners. The second part of the day involved on a focus on Program Design and working together as a class in designing the TRX Circuit Training Workout which was a highly energized intense workout consisting of 4 rounds (60 seconds on each Exercise Movement) starting with a Lower Body Exercise Movement, followed by an Upper Body Exercise Movement, a Core Exercise Movement, then a Cardio Exercise Movement and a 1 minute recovery before proceeding forth with the remaining rounds.

When designing a TRX based group workout, you want to take into consideration the general population that will be attending your class as with the new year with the majority having set their fitness goals in toning up and losing weight, will generally be de-conditioned. There was another student in the class who was thinking of only herself and her level of athleticism who was suggesting a highly intensive exercise movement with the TRX which I personally consider an advanced athletic movement and would not be appropriate for a beginner client who is new to TRX. You want to retain your clients after each workout and to not discourage them with an advanced technique that would leave them struggling and out of breath!

Having completed 2 TRX Level One Qualifications the (STC) and (GSTC), I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge base into the Level Two Courses with the TRX Sports Medicine Suspension Training Course (SMSTC) as the next thing on my to do list.

1st Dan Kukkiwon Certificate

The above picture is my 1st Dan Certificate issued by the Kukkiwon (WTF) World Taekwondo Federation Headquarters which is the main governing body of Taekwondo Black Belt Dan Testing and Dan Certification, and is based in Seoul, South Korea. For many, getting your 1st Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo is not the End, it technically means you have mastered the basic and intermediate foundational techniques of Taekwondo and are deemed ready to proceed to learning more of the advanced techniques at the Black Belt Level.

TRX Group Suspension Education Training Course

Seven days from now on Sunday January 4th, 2015, I will be attending my 2nd TRX Education Course after 2 weeks, which will be the TRX Group Suspension Trainer Course. This course will focus on larger group Training workouts as in the TRX Body Blast and TRX Circuit Training Workout Routines.

TRX Pro Suspension Training Kit & TRX Core

 

Happy to to say that my TRX Pro Suspension Training Kit and TRX Core Kit has finally arrived on the day before Christmas!!

Early Christmas Gift :()

TRX Directory

Here is my updated bio profile on the TRX Directory Website! Looking towards adding additional Qualifications down the road. Have a strong passion for learning and educating myself with the various fitness trends that are out there and your always learning something new everyday! Please feel free to visit my webpage on the TRX Directory by clicking the following URL link below:

https://directory.trxtraining.com/trainers/92403?from_search=1

TRX Suspension Training Course (L1) Overview Experience

I had the opportunity of going to the TRX Training Center in San Francisco which is the Main Headquarters of TRX Based Professional Education thus offering numerous courses in various TRX qualifications such as (STC) Suspension Training Course, (GSTC) Group Suspension Training Course, (RTC) Rip Training Course, (SMSTC) Sports Medicine Suspension Training Course, and several other well known Education Courses. The Suspension Training course was taught by Kevin Defro, Overall a very knowledgeable and highly energetic trainer who has been active in the health and fitness industry for many years and really knows his stuff. Not only was I observing this Training Session to gain insight of various training modalities, but I was also attending the full day session to become a TRX Qualified Trainer in Suspension Training (L1- Level One).

The day started with a general overview of the Anatomy of the Suspension Trainer and identifying the key components which make up the Suspension Training device in addition to how to properly set up the trainer in various environments, whether outdoors or indoors. Kevin then spend the rest of day showing his various key exercises for the Upper Body, Lower Body, the Core, and stretches with the Suspension Trainer. Most importantly he stressed how important it is to practice your Cueing when training a client. So we spent the majority of the time alternating back and forth with our partners demonstrating a particular Suspension Training Movement which really helped overall.

Upper Body Exercises:
TRX Chest Press / Single Arm Chest Press
TRX Chest Fly
TRX Push-Up / Atomic Push-Up / Oblique Atomic Push-Up
TRX Power Pull
TRX Biceps Curl / Biceps Clutch

Lower Body Exercises:
TRX Hamstring Curl / Hamstring Runner / Hip Press
TRX Lunge
TRX Balance Lunge
TRX Squat / Single Leg Squat

Core Exercises:
TRX Overhead Back Extension
TRX Standing Out
TRX Sit-Up
TRX Plank on Elbows / Plank on Hands

Flexibility and Mobility Exercises:
TRX Long Torso Twist
TRX Seated Figure 4 Stretch / Standing Figure 4 Stretch
TRX Upper Back Stretch

Towards the End of the Day, Kevin gave a short lecture on SMART Goals and the basis of TRX Program Design. We were then separated into 3 Groups where each group had to design a TRX Workout Program for 3 various clientele with the first being a significantly overweight desk job worker with a sedentary lifestyle who sits on his desk 12 hours a day, the second being an everyday tennis player who wants to stay in shape, and the third being an elite college basketball player with the hopes of being recruited into the NBA. The next portion included a TRX Practical where each group had to present the various exercises we chose, why we chose them, and how we would regress/progress each exercise.

At the conclusion of this Education Training Course, I felt very knowledgeable enough to go out into the field and to teach others on the theory knowledge and practical application I learned from attending this course. I also plan on furthering my knowledge in the TRX Field especially by attending future (L2 – Level Two) Courses such as the (FTC) Force Training Course and (SMSTC) Sports Medicine Suspension Training Course. On more positive note, I recently just signed up for the (GSTC) Group Suspension Training Course which will take place in 2 weeks at the TRX Training Center in San Francisco on January 4th, 2015. Really excited and looking forward to learning the TRX Body Blast and TRX Circuit Training Workout Routines thus gaining more knowledge and practical hand-on application in using TRX in a big group setting!

National Academy of Sports Medicine

My journey to becoming a (NASM) National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer began with as a client myself. I had just finished middle school and was transitioning to my early years in high school. A visit to my physician showed that due to my sedentary lifestyle I was causing stress to my body where if I kept continuing down this current path it would put me at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease and becoming diabetic. I realized right there and then drastic changes to my current lifestyle needed to be addressed immediately!

I eventually hired a Personal Trainer over a 6 month period. At the start, I heavily disliked exercise but as each Personal Training Session progressed, I gradually became adapted to it! At the conclusion of that 6 month period I had dropped an astonishing 30 pounds of weight and continued to dedicate my personal time to fitness and working out daily thereafter.

Personal Trainers provide their clients with persistent motivational guidance thus supporting them in every in step along the way in achieving their ultimate potential goal. Having achieved a goal from a sedentary to more physically active healthy lifestyle, I felt the need in giving back to others who were in the same position I was back then, thus motivating them in the right direction.

My visionary goal is to ultimately one day become a NASM Master Trainer thus having mastered the researched based scientific concepts behind the OPT Optimum Performance Training Model and to further my own education learning into teaching to other prospective trainers of what I have learned down the road.

TRX Professional Education Course

Though I’m up early this Saturday Morning and giving up my usual sleep-in time, I’m super excited and pumped up for today as I will be heading down to San Francisco to attend the TRX Suspension Training (L1) Course to become an official TRX Qualified Trainer! Missed on a few opportunities throughout this year but I’m finally taking adantage of that free opportunity that I have this time today.

2014 Winter Commencement: California State University, Sacramento

With one more day to go, that big day in everyone’s lifetime has finally arrived. Walking across the podium and shaking hands with the faculty members and receiving your Baccalaureate Degree! Everyone one of us can surely attest as to what that great feeling was like back then.

Reflecting back to my High School Years, I had a High School Counselor tell me it was highly unlikely that I would succeed in higher education at the University level as my grades were academically below unsatisfactory and that I was better off by joining the military.

Fast forwarding to the present I’m finally graduating with my Bachelor of Arts Degree with a cumulative 3.4 GPA and looking forward to embarking in a new chapter in my life with a bright future ahead!

A final word of advice I can give is to never allow anyone to tell you that you have no chance of succeeding due to this reason and so forth. But most importantly I have proven this High School Counselor wrong as anyone is capable of achieving their goals and making that visionary goal a dream come true reality!

NPTI Module A Completed

My journey with NPTI National Personal Training Institute in Sacramento, began earlier this year in the Summer when searching for an institution which would offer a comprehensive hands-on practical approach towards Personal Training. Majoring in the Kinesiology Exercise Science Program at Sacramento State University proved not to be the answer as it was extremely difficult to get the required classes due to reduced funding and budget cuts and I was ultimately forced into transitioning to my back-up major which was Ethnic Studies. But after visiting NPTI and sitting in on a class, I was sold and knew right there and then that this was the place to further my educational learning of the Personal Training field.

The National Personal Training Institute is a State Approved School offering 500 hours of Practical Application and Theory in Anatomy and Physiology, Nutrition, Posture and Movement Analysis, Program Design, Individual and Group Training and Externships. The entire course curriculum is 6 months in its entirety, now some may think that 6 months is a long time, but I can assure you that time will fly by fast! The course is divided into 2 modules (3 months each), First Module “Juniors” and Second Module “Seniors”. On Mondays we had Physiology and Individual Practical Training, Tuesdays was Nutrition and Group Training, Wednesdays was Anatomy and Individual Practical Training and two Saturdays a months consisted of a full day of educational interactive learning through lecture and hands-on material, Career Development, Field Trips, and other great stuff!

Having recently completed the Physiology, Nutrition, and Anatomy Final Exams of Module A this week, as Juniors we looked up to the Seniors who showed us the ropes and to lead by example. And with the next Module coming up in 2 weeks, I am ready step up to that Leadership Plate as a Senior and to take on that same position thus reinforcing what we learned into the next Module with the new incoming Juniors.