PT BUSINESS
Adapting Client Training With Breathwork
Picture this: your client arrives at their session in a bad mood, carrying the weight of a stressful day. Sticking rigidly to your planned workout may not yield the desired results. In such moments, as a trainer or coach, your ability to adapt becomes critical. Instead of pushing through a conventional workout that may exacerbate your client’s stress or fatigue, introducing a modality like breathwork can transform the session and enhance your client’s wellbeing.
Why Breathwork Matters
Breathwork offers a powerful way to centre and calm your client, creating a space for them to reset mentally and physically. By integrating different breathing techniques, you can guide your client towards improved focus, stress reduction, and emotional balance. Breathwork doesn’t just serve as a temporary fix; it has lasting effects on the nervous system, mood, and overall health.
Incorporating breathwork into your coaching practice elevates your role beyond that of a trainer who simply delivers physical results. It demonstrates your commitment to the holistic wellbeing of your client. This soft skill fosters trust, respect, and a deeper connection with your client, helping you stand out in a crowded field.
Applying BreathFIT Techniques
Stress-Reduction Sessions:
When a client is visibly stressed, begin with techniques like diaphragmatic breathing or cadence breathing. Encourage your clients to inhale deeply for five seconds, and exhale for five seconds. Cue them to take a soft and gentle breath instead of forcing it, and focus on expanding their midsection with each breath.
Ensure your client is not contracting through their neck muscles or clenching anywhere, and also not making any noise while breathing. This exercise can take anywhere from three to five minutes.
Breathing Awareness:
Many clients unconsciously hold their breath throughout the day, particularly when stressed. Observing and coaching them to breathe with awareness during their workout can lead to immediate improvements in their energy levels and focus.
Does your client tend to breathe through their mouth at rest or during low to moderate intensity exercise? As a coach it is important to assess your clients breathing patterns to ensure healthy breathing. Pay attention to whether their shoulders move significantly as they talk as this may indicate shallow or chest breathing.
To strengthen their diaphragm and activate their parasympathetic nervous system, encourage your client to try walking for 3 minutes while breathing only through their nose a few times a week. This form of walking meditation is great for improving overall breath control and getting some fresh air.
Enhanced Recovery:
Use breathing exercises like the ‘Rock and Roll’ technique to release tension in the midsection. This can help clients feel physically and emotionally lighter, setting a positive tone for the rest of the session.
To begin, have your client assume a neutral position. As they inhale, instruct them to tilt their pelvis forward and relax their stomach and belly. As they exhale, guide them to bring their belly button towards their spine and curve through their lower back.
Emphasise that the movement should originate from their pelvis, not the shoulders. Encourage your client to perform at least 20 repetitions to find their rhythm. After a short break, have them repeat the exercise two more times.
Elevating Client Trust and Respect
Equipping yourself with tools beyond conventional training demonstrates a genuine investment in your client’s overall wellbeing. This creates a deeper bond and a sense of trust that goes beyond physical results. Clients are more likely to stay committed to a coach who understands and addresses their emotional and mental states, not just their physical goals.
Adapting your sessions to include breathwork when needed allows you to:
- align your coaching with your client’s immediate needs
- provide tools for long-term stress management and recovery
- cultivate a reputation as a well-rounded, empathetic professional.
Conclusion
In moments of stress or low energy, your ability to pivot from conventional training to breath-focused modalities can make a significant difference to your clients’ experience and progress.
Arming yourself with these soft skills, positions you as a coach who prioritises the whole person, not just the workout. The respect and trust you build through this approach will not only enhance your client relationships but also set you apart as a truly adaptive and impactful coach. Good luck!
Hays Daewoud
Hays is the founder and CEO of Australian Combat & Exercise. He has 37 years of martial arts experience. Hays was inspired to enhance boxing education after witnessing unsafe practices in the industry, so he partnered with sports scientist Dr. Luke Del Vecchio to create the Boxing CS3 Course, which emphasises technique and progression. Since then, Hays has expanded course offerings to include strength conditioning, bodyweight training, breath work, and more. He actively refines his practice and presents seminars both nationally and internationally in the health and fitness sectors.
