Friends, I need your advice...

Question for any and all who have dealt with teaching and/or running a group based GST session:

I am currently in the Marine Corps and we generally have "mandatory" workout sessions either scheduled in the early morning or around 1030 before lunch break. Of course, my peers and the others under us being Marines (ie obsessed with finishing a workout collapsed in a pool of sweat, blood, tears, etc. and not having a good workout unless it nearly killed you) their attention span and perspective on fitness is quite narrow. So, what would you suggest is the best way or method to go about running a group GST session for a bunch like this? Bear in mind I only have approx 45 mins to 1hr to run them through anything that even remotely benefits them. If you couldn't tell by the tone of my typing I am not exactly fond of the methods typically used.

I've thought of things like taking the most "bang for your buck" exercises and incorporating them in a few rounds a la circuit course fashion but i'm not really sure what that would entail. I appreciate any and all responses.

I would pick the easiest exercises to perform and learn. You obviously do not have time to form check much; then you would lose people's attention.

Do you have F1? If you do so you should consider posting in that forum. Then we can go much more into details.

Because type of workouts the marines do you would have to not go too hard on them, GST can be very taxing.

With that said I would probably start them on situps, hollow holds, planks and back extensions for core, and then normal rows, push ups, pull ups and dips by gymnastic standards.

I would do it as a follow-along class; you do it and they follow your tempo to the best of their abilities. You explain good form but cannot yourself correct it all the time.

I feel you- the Army has a lot of the same issues, and doesn't even execute fitness as well as the Marines.  I'd love to have a discussion on how to incorporate GST, but I really don't think it is feasible.  Good form is too subtle to teach easily, which means buddies aren't going to be able to form check each other.  There are also equipment limitations (weighted bars, Xiaopeng, weights/benches for Jefferson Curls, etc)

Honestly, the best thing you can do is maintain what you are currently doing, but twist it a bit for a strength/technique focus, rather than simply smoking them. 

A good way to get their attention is to do something they can't do, like a 1-arm pushup or SLS.  Most of them will be too weak, most of the rest will be missing mobility.  Then you start building them up to it.  Explain what you are doing, and why- i.e. Hollow body exercises will help build the core strength necessary to keep a rigid torso during the 1-arm pushup.  Tweak their form.  Work their mobility.

Above all, don't injure anyone.  That's the fastest way to lose the opportunity. 

Accept the limitations- you aren't going to be able to do this more than once, maybe twice a week.  Some of them will get it, and ask for more.  Many of them won't care for more than that hour you have them.

When I had soldiers to manage, myself and another Staff Sergeant taught a run class/practice session once a week.  It was really easy as far as "workouts" go, but by simple tweaks to form, as well as learning appropriate pacing, we produced an average improvement of ~40 seconds on our 2-mile times in 6 weeks, just in my squad alone.  One guy improved over two minutes, from failing to passing.  As I left that assignment, I put my buddy in for an award, on the basis of what he did for my soldiers. 

Demonstrating success with the weaker/slower soldiers is the best way to get more freedom to do more of this.  Getting people off the injured list is also huge.

The goal isn't to have everyone be awesome, but to have everyone at least good enough.

I found better success in grabbing a few people who cared than trying to get everyone to do what I do.  Results will get you more interest.

Focus on core.  If I was training the group, we would begin with 1 lllooonnnggg set of SL/PE1, then immediately into 2-3 sets of SL/PE2, then immediately into 2-3 sets of SL/PE3; no rest in between sets - merely switching to the other side.  I would probably then take them into alternating sets of HBR and ABR if time permitted.  

After that into 2-3 sets of pushups; but I would require them to first hold a 60sec static at the bottom position of the pushup, before everyone completing 10-20reps of full ROM pushups.  With everyone ALWAYS following my count.  If someone misses a quality rep, they repeat that rep while everyone else waits in the front support and then we resume counting together as a group.

Then over to the pullup bars for 2-3 sets of pull-ups beginning with a 30sec static chin hold over the bar then into 10reps following my count.

Then finish them off with 2-3 sets of SLS.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

.....I'm afraid of going to any group class taught by Coach, and yet slightly excited.

Coach Sommer said:

Focus on core.  If I was training the group, we would begin with 1 lllooonnnggg set of SL/PE1, then immediately into 2-3 sets of SL/PE2, then immediately into 2-3 sets of SL/PE3; no rest in between sets - merely switching to the other side.  I would probably then take them into alternating sets of HBR and ABR if time permitted.  

 

After that into 2-3 sets of pushups; but I would require them to first hold a 60sec static at the bottom position of the pushup, before everyone completing 10-20reps of full ROM pushups.  With everyone ALWAYS following my count.  If someone misses a quality rep, they repeat that rep while everyone else waits in the front support and then we resume counting together as a group.

 

Then over to the pullup bars for 2-3 sets of pull-ups beginning with a 30sec static chin hold over the bar then into 10reps following my count.

 

Then finish them off with 2-3 sets of SLS.

 

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I like this idea a lot; hopefully I can do this or something similar because at the same time I don't really want to interfere with my own progress on my Foundation work.. though I'm not sure my marines would very much appreciate me not sharing their misery 

Also, on the same token everyone within my unit really loves them partial rep movements, whether it is squats, push ups, pull ups (these are the ugliest with excessive kipping, "chicken-necking", pulling with elbow flexors first, etc.)

- They can love whatever they want on their own time. However when they train with me they will perform each and every rep to my standards. And I have absolutely no problem whatsoever counting and recounting reps until they get it right.

- Whether or not they appreciate it is irrelevant. They are marines; not children. Simply tell them to drop the bullsh*t and man up.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

^this is how my basketball coaches were.

Have someone recount rep 3 seven times over, makes you reeeeally focus on form when you've got 20+ reps to go...

Coach Sommer said:

- They can love whatever they want on their own time. However when they train with me they will perform each and every rep to my standards. And I have absolutely no problem whatsoever counting and recounting reps until they get it right.

- Whether or not they appreciate it is irrelevant. They are marines; not children. Simply tell them to drop the bullsh*t and man up.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

This is so refreshing to train under. These posts from Coach always remind me I'm in the right place.

I think Coach Sommer's suggestions are excellent, and the standard is quite high so try it yourself before leading the pt class:).
Be prepared to explain why you choose this method to your peers, and give your soldiers a progressive goal. Ie week one and two as listed, week 3 add helmet( makes all core excersises so fun..) week 5 add protective vest with half of the plates and so on. They are soldiers and should be be able to perform with gear on,,and it will also teach them how to produce force with stuff in the way.
Developing rotational strength is often neglect and will give serious bang for the buck, both as a force multiplier in close combat and injury prevention when doing fun and stupid stuff with lots of gear on.

If you also teach them in a classroom setting break it up every 30min with a set of your favorite foundation torture device with associated IM

Discussion comes later.  

Never explain anything in depth during the training.  You are leading the workout, their job is to complete the workout.

Note also that you cannot do justice to both your workout and their workout at the same time.  When you are training someone, focus on the job at hand.  Take care of your own workout later.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

So I took them through your suggested workout (albeit watered down bc not surprisingly they couldn't handle the fully rxd version) and needless to say everyone there had major dysfunction; no one could execute the SL progressions without saggy hips and slow controlled reps, they couldn't handle the basic hollow and arch positions so the rocks were atrocious, no one could hold a proper bottom PU hold for even 30 seconds and couldn't complete full 10 reps and same goes for the pull ups. I was short on time also so we finished with speed skater squats and they couldn't lower to the ground without losing balance. It was all quite amusing really and also satisfying... Is that too sadistic to say?

Coach Sommer said:

- They can love whatever they want on their own time. However when they train with me they will perform each and every rep to my standards. And I have absolutely no problem whatsoever counting and recounting reps until they get it right.

- Whether or not they appreciate it is irrelevant.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

This is now going to be writen down on a paper and pinned to a wall. At least a single reading a day and multiple readings throughout the training sesion (quickly while drinking those 2 gulps of water in between elements).

Thanks, Coach.

Coach Sommer said:

Focus on core.  If I was training the group, we would begin with 1 lllooonnnggg set of SL/PE1, then immediately into 2-3 sets of SL/PE2, then immediately into 2-3 sets of SL/PE3; no rest in between sets - merely switching to the other side.  I would probably then take them into alternating sets of HBR and ABR if time permitted.  

 

After that into 2-3 sets of pushups; but I would require them to first hold a 60sec static at the bottom position of the pushup, before everyone completing 10-20reps of full ROM pushups.  With everyone ALWAYS following my count.  If someone misses a quality rep, they repeat that rep while everyone else waits in the front support and then we resume counting together as a group.

 

Then over to the pullup bars for 2-3 sets of pull-ups beginning with a 30sec static chin hold over the bar then into 10reps following my count.

 

Then finish them off with 2-3 sets of SLS.

 

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I am running my team through this on Tuesday! Can't wait to see their faces...

... or mine when we do it

-Callum