Personal trainers who utilize the outdoors as a part of their program may have concerns about training in poor weather or confusion on what to do in the rain. The rain may dampen spirits, but there are people who show up to train in the rain. Some rules of thumb to use when exercising outdoors in the rain is to make preparations for such a scenario, keep your clients moving, keep them off the ground as much as possible and to make it an enjoyable experience.
Make Preparations and Announcments
The National Strength and Conditioning Association suggests that you, as a personal trainer, should make your clients aware of possible activities you are willing to do and see if it is OK with them as well. In this case, you should make sure your clients are fine with training in the rain, at least to some extent. If you are primarily an outdoor instructor, keep track of the weather and inform your clients on your decision to hold classes in the rain or not. Tell them to come dressed appropriately if they choose to come and to bring additional clothes if need be. Consider your surroundings, too. There might be patio or place for cover nearby to go in and out of the rain to exercise for example.
Keep Them Moving
According to Curt Lox, author of "The Psychology of Exercise: Integrating Theory and Practice," training in the rain can be cold and mentally exhausting on the clients if they are not engaged enough or performing the same exercises. Mike Smaltz, director of Platoon Fitness, suggests switching up exercises continuously to keep their minds off the rain and to keep their minds focused on the activity at hand. This also increases the temperature of their bodies, and the rain can become a positive by being a refreshing sensation.
Keep Their Bodies Off the Ground
According to Mike Smaltz, director of Platoon Fitness, try to keep your clients off their backs and faces as much as possible, or their mood can quickly die. It might be fun working out in the rain, but performing sit-ups or "supermen" may not be the best idea. Your clients' clothes become water-logged when they are lying on the ground in the rain, and they become drenched. It is fine if you put them on the ground at times, but do not keep them there for to long.
Make It Fun
If you have a personal training session outdoors in which a person -- or a group -- show up despite the rain, they want to be there. They see it is raining, and they want to train. According to Curt Lox, author of "The Psychology of Exercise: Integrating Theory and Practice," make it an experience in which they feel as if they are training for something vigorous -- but don't go overboard -- and make light of the situation. The more you get into it, the more tolerable it becomes for you as well as you are not exercising and staying warm.
Safety
There are different factors to be concerned about depending on the season. Be wary of wet leaves in the fall, as they are slick and can cause some injuries from slipping and falling. Have your clients -- and yourself -- wear multiple layers in the winter to avoid becoming sick and to keep warm. Also watch for icy conditions. Be considerate of additional weather conditions that may follow the rain in the spring and summer. Cancel your session or move inside If you see lightening.
References
- "NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training;" National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2003
- "Platoon University: Outdoors Instruction Manual;" M. Smaltz; 2010
- "The Psychology of Exercise: Integrating Theory and Practice, Third Edition;" Curt Lox, et al.; 2010
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