First session: mobility check and a plan

In the first session I don't test how much you can do. I want to see how your body moves. We:

• talk about your goal: splits, flexibility, a strong back, fitness after childbirth, getting active again after an injury;
• look at your daily life: how much you sit, how you sleep, what training you did before;
• do mobility and flexibility tests;
• try 4–6 exercises that fit you, and I fix the technique on the spot;
• make a plan: what to do alone, how often, and when to make it harder.

This session is good for people who never trained, and also for people who trained before but stopped making progress. Maybe the splits don't move anymore, or the back is tired every evening, or you are afraid to start again after a long break. In all these cases I don't want to guess exercises for you. I want to see how you move, and 50 minutes one to one is enough for this.

If your doctor gave you advice about exercise, tell me before the session and I will put it into the plan.

The tests depend on your goal. Usually I check:

• forward bend standing and sitting: flexibility of the back of the legs and the back;
• deep squat: how the ankles, knees and hips move;
• lunge and split position: hip flexors and the difference between left and right;
• arms up against a wall: shoulders and upper back;
• turns of the upper body: mobility of the middle back;
• balance on one leg: stability and control;
• simple strength moves: glute bridge, plank, push-up against a table.

In every test I look at two things: how far you go and how you do it. In a squat, the depth is important, but I also look if the knees go inside, the heels go up or the back gets round. In a forward bend, I ask where you feel the stretch: in the thighs, behind the knee or in the lower back. This tells me what stops the movement: flexibility, strength or control.

I also compare the left and the right side. Almost everybody has a small difference. If it is big, we add exercises for the weaker side.

This is a coach's check, not a medical exam. It shows where your body is limited and what we train first. I write down the results, and after a month we repeat the tests and compare.

• A mat and about 2×2 metres of free space.
• A wall and a chair for support.
• Comfortable clothes, so I can see your knees and back.
• A phone or laptop on a stable stand, where I can see your whole body. I will explain how to put it before the session.
• Good internet.

You don't need special equipment. If you need a resistance band or dumbbells later, I will suggest cheap options.

Some tips to save time: check your internet 5 minutes before, put the camera on the side of the mat at waist height, and don't sit with a bright window behind you, because then I can't see your position well. With a laptop, use headphones or a speaker, so you can hear me when you lie on the floor.

After the session I suggest the format that fits you:

• training alone with the plan, if your goal is simple and regular practice is enough;
• personal training for a month: 4 sessions one to one, and I update the plan every week;
• stretching and mobility: single sessions of 50 minutes;
• a program in stages: for the knee, the shoulder or fitness after childbirth.

The plan is not a big PDF. It is a short list: 5–8 exercises, sets and reps, how many times a week, what to watch in the technique, and when to go to the next level. It stays in our chat. There you can also send me questions or a short video if you are not sure about an exercise.

You always decide yourself. After the first session you don't have to buy anything else.

I live in Thailand (UTC+7), and my clients train from Europe, Japan and the US. After payment we write to each other and choose a time that works for you: before work, at lunch or in the evening.

The time difference:

• Germany, the Netherlands, France: Thailand is 5–6 hours ahead, so morning and day in European time work well;
• Japan: only 2 hours, almost any time is OK;
• the US: 11–14 hours, depends on the state. Usually we train in your evening.

Sessions are in Russian or English, as you prefer.