What Is The Accelerate Strength "Out Of The Box" Training Program?
Since the recent government mandated closure of gyms and public gatherings many of our clients have moved from in person training with us at Accelerate Strength to our “Out Of The Box” training program.
This program continues to deliver on our promise of a Better, Stronger and Healthier, You with thoughtful strength and conditioning programming designed to build your fitness with minimal equipment access and is available to anyone around the world, the only thing you actually need is an internet connection.
While some have seamlessly incorporated the workouts into their day others have struggled to find a routine outside of the gym. Some may think it’s not possible to get a good quality workout at home or might not understand how it all works so here we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions to come through our inbox over the last couple of weeks.
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Are you stuck waiting for things to return to normal? Waiting for gyms to reopen before restarting your workout routine?
Perhaps you’re skeptical as to whether you can get a good workout if you’re not actually doing it in a gym?
We’ve had lots of questions about our “Out Of The Box” program and what it entails. Below we dive into everything you need to know about “Out Of The Box” including:
Online workouts VS in the gym sessions: What do you get from an online class and how does it compare to completing sessions in the gym?
Effectiveness: How does the intensity level compare to sessions done in the gym and how effective is training from home?
Equipment and space to train: What equipment is needed and how much room do I need to complete the workouts?
Time commitment: How many workouts can I do and should I do per week and how long does each workout go for?
Training on your own: How is training at home by myself different to being guided by a coach online?
BELOW ARE 10 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & OUR ANSWERS ABOUT OUR LIVE ONLINE VIRTUAL TRAINING SESSIONS:
1. What is the “Out Of The Box” training program?
Our “Out Of The Box” training program is for those looking to follow a strength and conditioning program designed to be completed with minimal equipment and space from home. What is included in the program?
Programming and coached classes to follow 7 days of the week including a mobility workout every week day.
The workout can be tailored to you based on experience level and the equipment you have access to
Coaches will walk you through each session giving context for the workout and provide movement coaching as needed
Each session is 1 hour and includes a warm up, strength training and conditioning. Each session builds on the sessions before so expect to see incremental progress consistently
You have access to the library of previous workouts to look back on and complete should you not make the live sessions
“I find I push myself as hard as if I was in the gym because I can see everyone else working out with me”
Samantha
2. Will I get the same benefit following a program at home as I will in the gym?
The short answer is yes, let me tell you why…
Most people come to train with us to become a better, stronger and healthier version of themselves. This means decreasing body fat percentages, improving strength and building capacity. These goals don’t change because the government has mandated gyms to close for the meantime.
The way we go about it and the access we have to different tools changes in the short term but you still have access to your coach who is your biggest asset at this time.
We too love the sound of barbells dropping, the fan of the airbike getting cranked over and the fist bumps after every workout but don’t forget we can still achieve the goal of becoming better, stronger and healthier without these things.
One thing we do love more than the sound of these things though is making progress and getting results.
“I’m finding the online workouts have a similar atmosphere to working out in the gym. I’m enjoying the variety and also amazed at what you can do with just one dumbbell”
Dean
3. Does the “Out Of The Box” program cost as much as the in person training?
Yes, and we’ll tell you why. Working out at home isn’t any less valuable than working out in the gym.
The value in our group classes and PT sessions has never been about the equipment. It has always and will always be about the coaching and instruction you receive.
We strongly believe the value in what we offer is in the coaching and this the key to your success. Whether this is performed in person or online via live video workouts doesn’t matter. We will still hold you accountable to showing up, moving well and assist you in modifying or tailoring sessions based on the current needs you have.
4. Are workouts at home as intense as workouts in the gym?
Again the short answer is yes! In fact many of our clients have commented on exactly this. Thinking initially they would not reach the same intensity they could get in the gym. Here’s what Maria has to say about the intensity of our workouts:
“I did have doubts that it would work for me but have actually been really enjoying them”
Maria
When we program movements in the gym we factor them into what we can a W-E-S scale. These letters stand for Weightlifting, Eccentric component and Skill. The harder a movement is, the heavier it is and the more skill required the less intensity can be applied. For example performing a heavy snatch or clean and jerk will need to be more precise and thought out than performing burpees or push ups as fast as you can.
What can you gather from this? The movements you will perform outside the gym with limited access to equipment will have far less weightlifting, eccentric and skill work involved. This means we can increase the intensity of workouts quite easily so you will always get a good session.
5. What if I just wait till the gym opens back up?
We’re looking forward to this day just as much (if not more) than you are! The risk of waiting for this to happen is losing all the progress you’ve made and falling out of the routine of showing up.
Let’s face it we know that showing up gets easier the more we do it and we will gain momentum. This also works in the opposite way too. While it might be tempting to sit around and not train for a little while we actually don’t know how long current shutdowns will last, so you might be sitting around for 6 months. This will be extremely hard to come back from if you choose to do nothing until the gym reopens again.
Our online sessions will continue to move you forwards, keep you in contact with your friends in the gym and in momentum with your training so when we reopen you pick straight back up where you left off or are even stronger in different areas.
We don’t know exactly when we will get to open our doors again so until then, this is your ideal option!
“The workouts are great, they break up my day working from home and have kept me sane during this social isolation”
Jill
6. What if you don’t have any equipment?
No machines, no barbells, no equipment? No problem!
We don’t blame you for being a little skeptical because we were too!
The one thing we realise as coaches is this enables us to utilise different training principles. Rather than load up the weight to get stronger we can play around with time under tension and holding positions to build strength, rather than use barbells to lift weight we can actually lift objects we’re more likely to come across in our daily lives.
We’ve trained clients with dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, just their bodyweight and even their pets! We will get as creative as you want us to and will help make anything work for you.
This is the importance of having a coach to work with you. We’ve seen and worked with many clients to achieve exactly what you’re working towards so have a great range of tools and experience at our disposal.
“The class was awesome. It exceeded my expectations because I honestly didn’t know how I would find an online class”
Hanaa
7. Can I just workout with videos at home? There’s tons of workouts on YouTube whats wrong with them?
Yes there definitely is! And even more now with the situation we find ourselves in.
The issue here is watching these cookie cutter workouts will seldom get you the same results you're able to achieve with a coach and group accountability.
You see these workouts have been on youtube before we were shut down and if they worked for you then (which they didn’t) then you would already be doing them.
While these videos can be great motivators what you fail to get is a customised approach and feedback. You don’t have someone watching you train to ensure you’re moving well and providing feedback as you go. The trainer in the video doesn’t know (or care about) your goals or needs but your coach does and will be there with you every session to help you as required. A pre recorded video will never render the same kind of results you will get from interacting with your coach!
8. What if I don’t have enough space to workout?
Most, if not all of the exercises we program require little to no space. We will also program alternates for those who do have the space to do them or have access to local parks or home gym set ups.
If you’re struggling to find space you can book a call with one of our coaches to run an online assessment of your training area and we can provide input to how to best utilise the space. Things like coffee tables, chairs and bookcases have now become training tools and are moveable and can clear up valuable floor space and wall space to complete our program. We won’t let anything stand in the way of a good session!
“It’s easy and you don’t need much equipment. At the end of the day you’ve got nothing to lose in giving it a try”
Andy
9. I’m just going to walk and run to stay fit for now, is that good enough?
Firstly it’s great you plan on moving. However we feel it’s simply not enough to do just that.
Our goal is to build better, stronger and healthier people.
While aerobic exercise like running and walking is one piece of this puzzle the other equally important piece of the puzzle is the strength training. Muscle mass is very hard to build but very easy to lose if not lifting external weights or using your bodyweight as resistance when you exercise.
Muscle mass increases our daily metabolic rate which means you burn more calories while at rest, helps you maintain a better posture, increases your energy levels and keeps your bones dense and strong.
This doesn’t mean stop walking and running but it also certainly doesn’t mean stop strength training either.
“I was afraid the technology might not work and didn’t know how I could modify workouts with different weights and equipment etc but everything is going really well!”
Kalman
10. I’m finding it hard to set aside time and a space to train in with my family at home all the time is this normal?
It certainly is. This is a new situation for all of us and one nobody has planned for. We’re fully prepared to work with you to get you training despite any limitations and family distractions.
One way to help with this is to designate a space in the house which is purely dedicated to exercise and training for the meantime. One that works for the entire family. Having a go-to spot in the house can help everyone prioritise this need and also respect the space when it’s being used.
Not only does this ensure you can do your daily workouts, but helps to set boundaries for what is important during a time where boundaries and personal priorities have been blurred by doing literally everything in our homes!
We can’t emphasise how important it is to maintain as close to a normal routine as possible right now. Your training is no exception to this. Training is a vital element for many of our clients in maintaining stress and anxiety and maintaining control over this aspect of your life is as important now as it ever has been!
“It’s good to have a routine, I find it sets me up for the day to be really productive”
KaLing
Here’s the short version of what you need to know!
We host 3 live training sessions and 1 mobility class daily. If you miss one of these session the recording will be available from previous days to follow along at home.
The coast is the same as you’re not paying for equipment, you’re paying to be coached and held accountable.
The workouts at home will be just as if not more intense than the workouts in the gym. Less access to weights and fancy gym equipment means simpler movements need to be performed which we can do with more intensity.
Waiting for the gym to reopen is not the best way to go during this time. We’re helping people just like you train remotely, stay on track with their training and reduce the stress and anxiety this situation is causing everyone.
Following Youtube workouts is better than nothing but doesn’t compare to receiving coaching from your coach. Coaches will always provide more value than a do it yourself workout at home.
You don’t need a very large space to train or access to any equipment.
Running and walking is good for building cardio but it won’t help you get stronger. The best way to do this is to follow a structured program which uses a range of different muscle contractions to do so.
If you need a hand setting up a space to train from home we’ll jump on a video call with you and help to set it up. Depending on what you have access to our coaches will be able to tailor the workout to your needs.
If you’re reading this I think we can agree training is not an option, it’s a necessity, especially during a time like this. Although training in front of your computer or phone is a slightly different experience to training in the gym we’re 100% confident it will be a positive experience for you like it has been for our clients!
Still have questions or concerns? Most people do before they try their first session. If you’d like to learn more or chat with one of our coaches please enter your details below and we’ll be in touch ASAP...