Kat Wilson Interview

May 2010

For the past 2 years, Kat Wilson has been one of the leading female trainers at Club Lime and has since taken up a new post at Elite Physique.

Kat undertook her initial PT Training at Elite Physique in the early days and we welcome her back to the Elite Physique Team in 2010.

In addition to her duties as a Personal Trainer, Kat also competes in powerlifting and has made a name for herself in Figure Competition as well.

She competes in the 56kg class and has recorded a 145kg deadlift. 

Elite Physique’s resident web guy, Kettlebell Glen, recently sounded-out Kat about her training philosophy and her thoughts on what it’s like to be a successful Personal Trainer, as well as her return to Elite Physique.  

EP:      What sports have you coached or currently work with?

KW:     I have worked with athletes in sports such as basketball, soccer and swimming and I am currently training a number of Rugby players, powerlifting and running athletes.

EP:      Personal Training in particularly Strength Training is a male dominated arena.  How have you been accepted amongst your peers?

KW:     I’ve never had a problem.  I don’t try to make it into something special or to think that I’m that different.  We all have the same goals; to make our clients better.

EP:      How have male athletes responded to you?

KW:    At first, it was difficult around male athletes.  Once they knew of my accomplishments in powerlifting, it became easier.  And once they realized that they knew what I was talking about, they were sold.  It took some time, but I have no problems now.

EP:      Do the coaches of these athletes treat you any differently?

KW:     Female coaches seem to bond a little better with me.  They can sit down and talk to you normally.  The male sports coaches are very polite and have always treated me with respect.  There is a difference, though.

EP:      Do you feel like being a female in this profession has made it easier to work with female sports?

KW:     I think females are generally easier to work with and I think they respond better to me. They can relate better.  They do listen better; guys tend to be hard-headed and are more ego-driven.

EP:      What are the psychological differences when training women?

KW:     With my female clients, I have to put things in perspective and alleviate their fears of getting to big.  That’s the big one.  They also want to know why & what.  Why this will make them feel better, manage their weight or be a better athlete.  This allows me to show them that what they are doing is not bodybuilding, but training for purpose, with functionality in mind.

EP:      What about physically?  Do you do anything different?

KW:     For the most part, it’s about the same.  I have noticed their knees tend to buckle in when performing lower body exercises like squats and deadlifts.  This is something that I am consistently working to correct with my female clients.

EP:      What strength coach or trainer has had the most impact on you and why?

KW:     Billy for sure.  He taught me a lot and believed in me.  He always encouraged me as an Athlete and a Trainer.

I learnt from everyone at Elite Physique.  Right from the start I was taught good habits that allowed me to become successful as a personal trainer.

Since then, many have impacted me including Louie Simmons, Dave Tate and the staff at Elite; especially trainers like Paul & Belinda.

EP:      What are three things that you took away from Billy that you think have helped you the most?

KW:     The first thing to stand out with Billy is his presence with the client.  He is always giving them full attention and making that person feel important.  He gives his full ability to each person he trains.  His programming is excellent.  I try to incorporate some of his philosophies with my clients.  Finally, he taught me a great deal in regards to lifting mechanics.

EP:      What are the most common mistakes that you see trainers make?

KW:     Providing a one size fits all programming mindset.  This means specific needs are not being addressed. It’s important that programming is individualized.  You need to find what works…sometimes its trial and error…for the person you’re working with.

EP:      What tips and tricks can you share that have made your training programs better?

KW:     Don’t be afraid to keep it simple for your younger, non-experienced clients. Give them time to learn the exercises and gain some body and posture awareness.

EP:      What are the most glaring weaknesses you find in experienced clients and athletes?

KW:     Rear torso, glutes, hamstrings & body-awareness.

EP:      How do you correct these weaknesses?

KW:     For torso training, I have found isometric exercises and anything they do on their feet to be good choices.  Also, having them handle some relatively heavy weight in their compound exercises will also yield good results.  They have to learn to stay tight to lift the weight.

For the glutes and hamstrings, Glute Ham Raise and Reverse Hyperextension are frequently used.  Also Good Mornings, Kettlebell Swings and Romanian Deadlifts are also great choices.  I also have them perform some of these drills as part of their dynamic warm-up to increase their volume on these exercises.

In regards to body awareness, this will come over time, but you have to be constantly coaching them and giving them cues, something I learned from Billy, who believes in coaching every rep.  You have to keep them focused on what they’re doing and what they should be feeling during an exercise.

EP:      Are there any exercises that you feel every person, regardless of sport, should do?

KW:     Generally, some sort of hip dominant exercise and upper body posterior strength movement.

EP:      How often do you have your clients’ squat?

KW:     Normally I encourage my clients to perform at least two hip dominant exercises per week, sometimes three.  It depends on where they’re at in their program. 

EP:      Do you do some kind of torso training every training day?

KW:     Yes, with varying intensities.  For example a heavy squat & press day means more intense rear torso work.

EP:      What advice would you have for those wishing to become part of the Fitness Industry?

KW:     Know what you're getting into before you do it. The hours, the politics, the club managers, coaches, clients, athletes; these are things that you must know about before you get started. Gain as much experience as you can in regards to strength, speed, running, conditioning, etc. Be well rounded.

EP:      How do you explain your system and philosophy to your clients so that they understand what they are doing?

KW:     Every day or every week I try to teach them something new. Whether it's about the program or about anatomy and what muscles we're focusing on and why. It has to be a constant learning process. So we may take time throughout the workout or during the stretch and reinforce different ideas, so they understand what's going on.  It’s a work in progress.

EP:       And before we wrap up, just so people know what you've achieved.  What are your best lifts in the squat, bench and dead?

KW:      My bench is my worst.  I can press my body weight, 55 kilos.  My Squat is 125 and I've pulled 145 in the dead.

EP:       The squat and dead numbers are impressive and you've lived to tell the tale.

KW:      Yeah, I'm proud of those achievements.  A lot of sweat and plenty of tears at times, but the results made it all worthwhile.

EP:      So, that horrible myth that girls get big and bulky from lifting heavy weights is way off the mark.  You're only a slight build, more on the skinny side if anything.  As A-Bomb would say you could do with a few burgers.

KW:    Yeah, like most girls I have good and bad days, but for the most part I do the best with what I've got.  Fortunately, I've had some great mentors and I try to encourage my clients to have patience and committment.  They're the keys.

EP:      Well, thanks Kat for taking the time to do this interview; much appreciated.

KW:     You’re welcome!

EP:      And welcome back, it’s great to have you on board once again.

KW:     Thanks for that.  It’s great to be back.  It’s like I’ve been away for a little while, gained some valuable experience and then returned home. I’m comfortable here and everyone’s been so supportive.  Thanks.