Of course it’d be beneficial to include multi-joint movements, but those types of movements typically require more skill and a greater physical capacity.

Starting out, maybe you do go with some kickbacks…The point is really just to show them something that they believe they can succeed at. That’s always a good place to start.

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Training overweight or obese clients can be challenging, not only from a programming standpoint but from a psychological standpoint as well. I think the key is to be supportive and be adaptable.

Don’t try to fit your clients to your program or values, but instead do your best to accommodate their needs while still helping them to achieve their goals. When you succeed, it can definitely be a rewarding experience.

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As much as I hate to admit it, I think a machine-based resistance circuit is a great place to start with a lot of overweight/obese clients. You don’t have to harp on technique too much and the client can focus on a very straight-forward progression: increasing weight or # of reps. Plus, you can get a great metabolic effect if you program it right.

All you really have to watch for are machines that might put your client in an awkward position. Leg presses, prone hamstring curls, etc. probably aren’t appropriate. From here, just work on developing trust and your client’s self-efficacy before progressing to more challenging exercises.

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There’s a cost/benefit to every exercise and it’s likely to be different for every person you meet, whether obese or not, but I have to admit that I use some single-leg work – mainly step-ups/downs and split squats w/ balance support.

Obviously this isn’t something I would start out with (well, maybe step-ups on a 6" box) and I agree with Mike’s point here, but if progressed right, single leg work can really provide a benefit.

Sprints and box jumps, on the other hand? Uh…no

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I’ve made the mistake of having an obese client perform side planks. It actually wasn’t all that bad, and I’m glad I didn’t try front planks first, but regardless, I haven’t tried them again since then.

Again, I think that core work is really important for improving the way an overweight/obese client moves and feels, but you just have to be very conscious of their situation and how you can effectively program in your progressions and, especially, regressions.

For example, planks can be regressed by using a bench (e.g. “incline planks” or something) or using the smith machine. I also like different chop progressions using a cable machine.

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This is key. I’ve experimented a lot with warm-ups for overweight/obese clients and I’m still experimenting, but my goal is always the same: find the simplest possible way to achieve the necessary effect.

I’ve found that anything requiring much core stability, balance or multi-joint coordination is probably going to be a little more intense than necessary for a warm-up.

Some methods you might build on for a solid warm-up:

  • Use a wall – You can perform ankle mobilizations, standing hip abduction, wall slide variations and probably a lot more. Plus, the wall gives great proprioceptive feedback.
  • Use a smith machine – Granted, I’m usually training in a fairly under-equiped gym, but I can’t overhype the smith machine if you’re in a similar situation. Thoracic mobilizations, lateral step-overs, modified scapular push-ups, etc.
  • Be a minimalist – Sometimes it’s best to keep it simple and just choose a warm-up that roughly mimics the movement(s) you’ll be performing or else just focus on activating the muscle groups specific to your workout, rather than trying to get it all in.

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In general, I think you have to be very careful about what you choose to stretch. Think about why the muscle might be stiff in the first place – there’s “good” stiffness and there’s “bad” stiffness.

For example, stiff rectus femoris and/or hip flexors might be providing a little extra stability for the pelvis and preventing excessive femoral internal rotation while walking. Weak hip flexors have been associated with patellofemoral pathology, which is something that obese individuals are at greater risk for. In other words, this isn’t the type of stiffness you want to aggressively target.

On the other hand, maybe their pec minor, upper traps, and levator scapulae are stiff because they sit at a desk all day, or more specifically, they are apical breathers. This is definitely the type of stiffness you want to consider relieving as best you can. Just going through some quick breathing exercises can help a ton.

Beyond that, I think this just goes back to the options for support you give your overweight/obese clients. You can do a lot with an adjustable bench and a smith-machine without making your clients feel awkward.

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This is true. Another issue is the positions that foam rolling can put them in – i.e., hyper-extended shoulders while rolling out the glutes/hamstrings or lumbar hyper-extension while rolling out the quads.

I still think working on tissue quality is important in terms of improving how they move and feel, though, so I’ve tried to come up with some work-arounds:

  • Provide options – I use a variety of tools for release with my clients – tennis balls, two baseballs wrapped together with athletic tape, a 3" pvc pipe, and an 8" foam roller. Experiment with what works best for them.
  • Get creative – For example, I’ll have my clients use the taped up pvc pipe to release the quads while seated. The big issue here is support – think of equipment that offers different points of support for them to use while releasing. If it puts them in a bad position, don’t continue with it.
  • Be efficient – Always ask yourself whether the juice is worth the squeeze. Focus primarily on the big “problem” areas and figure out a way to hit those as quick and easy as possible while still getting an effect. In my experience, those are IT band/Quads/Upper traps region.

Last thing: Overweight or obese clients typically value discretion. Try to find a discrete area of the gym to perform this stuff, or have them do most of it at home, if possible.

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Nelson & Weinsier (1992) showed that when even when FFM was accounted for, there were significant differences between the resting energy expenditure of lean (n=81) and obese (n=132) individuals.

This might indicate that excess body fat has a greater effect on total energy expenditure than has previously been accounted for.

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The idea here is that weight loss should also come with improvements in body composition. A lot of people will tell you that muscle is more “metabolically active” than fat, but this isn’t necessarily true.

Muscle has been shown to burn about 6 kcals per pound/day at rest, while fat burns about 2 kcals per pound/day. However, adipose tissue metabolism is not fully understood and its metabolic activity might be underestimated.

The most important reason for preserving fat-free mass is that it directly contributes to one’s functional capacity. This allows you to maintain physical activity at a progressively higher intensity as you lose fat mass. Increases in physical activity can increase muscle metabolism to 11 kcal per pound/day.

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