MARCH 2016

GROUP TRAINING TIPS AND TRICKS

LANCE GOYKE, CSCS

LANCES BASIC LAYOUT

WHY YOU SHOULD OFFER GROUP TRAINING
I think you should be selfish and look at what you can get out of it. Ask yourself how it can make you a better coach
or person. These are, to me, the main hidden benefits of doing larger group training classes:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Make your cuing quicker, more concise, and more creative on the spot.
Explore how you can use situational constraints as cuing tools.
Better understand exercise selection and how logistics can come into play.
Get to know a variety of humans.

WORK TO REST PROTOCOL

I generally prefer programming work:rest over sets x reps because the convenience allows the session to run more
smoothly. Generally, there are three work:rest protocols that I will pick from, which I will repeat for 20 minutes
due to the half hour length of our bootcamp classes.
30 SEC WORK : 30 SEC REST GLYCOLYTIC-AEROBIC
Nice balance of fatigue accumulation and aerobic system stimulation
45 SEC WORK : 15 SEC REST AEROBIC
Helpful, but can seem boring because fatigue does not accumulate to the same degree
15 SEC WORK : 45 SEC REST ALACTIC & AEROBIC
Clients must be proficient and have decent levels of strength and capacity to do work
FINISHERS
These will accumulate more fatigue than the main session protocol. This allows me to spend most of the time
giving them the adaptation that most of them need (i.e. strength, coordination, and aerobic fitness) while ending
on a note that kicks their butt so they feel tired after the session.
HOW TO CONTROL THEIR TRAINING ADAPTATIONS
In addition to just picking a work:rest protocol, you can:
1.
2.

Modulate the energy you pump into the session (e.g. yell more, adjust music volume)
Put out different weights or implements for them to pick from instead of just leaving them to their own
devices
Lance Goyke, CSCS
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3.

Change the complexity of the movement theyre doing

a. What are you trying to accomplish?
i. Complex movements make them slow down
ii. Simple movements allow them to get tired and exert themselves

EXERCISE SELECTION

Category

Example Exercises
Simple < ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Complex
Subcortical < --------------------------------------------------------------> Prefrontal

Simple, bilateral lower

body

Prowler/Sled

Trap Bar Deadlift

2-KB Front Squat

1B

Upper body push

Floor Press

Push Up

Push Up to 1-Arm
Support

1C

Unilateral lower body

Split Squat

Single Leg RDL

Forward Lunge

1D

Upper body pull

Inverted Row

Sled Row

Bent Over 1-Arm

Row

1E

Core

Quadruped Walkout
from Knees

Bear Crawl

1-Arm Plank with

Diagonal Reach

Finisher

Feeling-focused

Prowler Races

10 1 Ladder with
Medicine Ball
Thruster

Plank Circuit

Finisher

Fun-focused

Wall Handball

Wall Soccer

Spikeball

Main Session Lifts

1A

Lance Goyke, CSCS

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EXAMPLE DAY 1
MAIN SESSION
EXERCISES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Prowler Push
Push Up
Alternating Reverse Lunge
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift (SLRDL)
Inverted Row
Bear Crawl

WORK:REST PROTOCOL

40 seconds of work
30 seconds of rest
3 times through the circuit

LOGISTICS

OTHER NOTES

Everyone picks a station to start at and follows the

board to know where to go next. I usually try to make
it a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation, as
opposed to everyone bouncing around everywhere
like a game of ping pong.

I might plant myself around the bear crawls, reverse

lunges, and SLRDLs initially since people are more
likely to need help with that. It is unlikely that I will try
to adjust Prowler pushing technique.
Heres an example of how I might adjust from my
normal layout. I usually use this kind of template if I
have over 12 people show up. Having six exercises
instead of five compensates for most equipment
limitations I might encounter.

FINISHER
Medicine Ball Slams

20 seconds of work
10 seconds or rest
8 rounds through
Things I try to be cognizant of
o Encourage high intensity maybe by giving specific people specific weights to use
o Pump in some energy Nice job, lets go you guys.
o Give them a 2 second countdown so they know how long they have left

Lance Goyke, CSCS

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EXAMPLE DAY 2
MAIN SESSION
EXERCISES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Trap Bar Deadlift

Alternating DB Floor Press
Split Squat
Chin Up
1-Arm Plank

WORK:REST PROTOCOL

30 seconds of work
30 seconds of rest
4 times through the circuit

LOGISTICS

OTHER NOTES

Same organization as before. I also have to make sure

our semi-private training isnt overrun with people
needing trap bars for deadlifting if Im going to take
two or three of the three we have.

Now I will probably focus my coaching around the

people doing the deadlift. The floor press is generally
self-sufficient if theyve done it before. Even the split
squats are a little more stable in the grand scheme of
unilateral lower body exercises, so, if desired,
someone can really push themselves on this program.
Also important to note: Im never married to what I
write down. For example, if someone cant do a 1-arm
plank, then I will have them do a regular one.
These exercises would be too difficult for most to do
for 45 second work periods, so I would likely stick with
a 30s:30s for this list.

FINISHER
Planks around the world

30 seconds of front plank

30 seconds of right side plank
30 seconds of right single leg bridge
30 seconds of left single leg bridge
30 seconds of left side plank
Front plank for as long as possible
o Gives the option of variability in that if theyre feeling good, they will do the last plank for longer.
If they are tired, they will quit earlier. And thats okay.

Lance Goyke, CSCS

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EXAMPLE DAY 3
MAIN SESSION
EXERCISES
1.
2.

Trap Bar Deadlift (6 reps)

Explosive Push Up (8 reps)

x 15 minutes

WORK:REST PROTOCOL

1.
2.

BB Front Squat (6 reps)

Explosive Inverted Row (8 reps)

x 15 minutes

Heres an example of how I might use sets x

reps instead of work:rest.
I help them pick a weight that they can do for
x number of reps.
We repeat for 15 minutes, going back and
forth between exercises and resting
whenever needed.
After 15 minutes, the two groups switch.
We usually wont do a finisher if we do this
Escalating Density type of training.

LOGISTICS

OTHER NOTES

If I have a small enough turnout and the necessary

equipment, I might just put together two or three
exercises and have them go back for 15 minutes like in
this example day. These days are more fun because
people start lifting heavy stuff, but they can be a pain
to set up if your weights are on the other side of the
gym like at our place.

I do this sparingly now since class sizes are getting

larger. Larger groups are harder to quality control with
really heavy or fast stuff like in this day.
This works best when you have more experienced
clientele who have internalized the more complex
motor patterns you want to use.

One thing thats really nice about this way of setting

things up is that not everyone is working at the same
time, so you can coach somebody while other people
are resting.

FINISHER
None

Lance Goyke, CSCS

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