Q&A – conducting lessons and organizing stations
1. Why use equipment in a Strength and Health Class – isn't your own body weight enough?
Bodyweight exercises are a great start, but equipment allows you to safely and precisely adjust the load, teach proper technique, and work on symmetry. Machines stabilize the position, allowing beginners to focus on movement rather than balance.
The equipment also facilitates personalization: in the same class, everyone can practice the same movement pattern in a variant adapted to their abilities.
2. How to assign equipment to movement patterns in practice?
We work on 6–7 patterns and select equipment according to the lesson objective:
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Squat (legs): bench squat, goblet squat, leg press.
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Hip hinge (back/glutes): incline with a stick, RDL with a light load, hinge on a machine.
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Pushing (chest/shoulders): bench press, machine press, dumbbell press.
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Pulling (back): TRX/band rowing, machine rowing, assisted pull-ups.
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Core (stabilization): plank, anti-rotation with rubber, hollow hold.
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Carry: Farmer's walk with light dumbbells/kettlebells.
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Locomotion/jumping (advanced): stride march, step-up; jumps after building control.
3. Machines or free weights for children and beginners?
Students begin with the simplest movement control: body weight + resistance bands + exercise machines. Exercise machines allow for safe adjustment of range of motion, load, and track feel. Free weights are added once technique is stable and the student understands safety rules.
We do not perform 1RM tests on children - we base our progress on RPE/RIR and purity of technique.
4. How to set up the machine for student height – step by step procedure?
1) Position: adjust the seat/backrest so that the joints work in their natural range (knees and elbows do not "lock" in the final phase).
2) Grip/grip position: adjust so that your shoulders are long and your wrists are neutral.
3) Range of motion: start shorter, gradually lengthen it as you control your technique.
4) Test reps without weight: check your lane and comfort, only then add minimal resistance.
5) "STOP" signal: sharp pain, tingling, dizziness - stop and report to the teacher.
5. How to organize station work in a class of 24–30 students?
Divide the class into 6–8 small groups (3–4 people) and set up 3–4 stations: squat/leg, row/pull, push, core/carry. Each station has a clear description:
exercise,
number of sets/repetitions,
technical guidelines and progression criteria.
Rotation every 4–5 minutes, 2–3 circuits in total.
The teacher circulates between stations, corrects technique and records observations in the Passport.
6. How to select a load without a 1RM test?
The rule is: "2-3 repetitions in reserve" (RIR 2-3) and a subjective RPE scale of exertion of 6-8. We learn to read the signals from the body: if the technique breaks down or the breathing is chaotic, we reduce the load or return to a simpler version.
Progress in small steps: +5–10% only if the previous session was technically clean.
7. What are the key safety rules for equipment?
Health and safety briefing and pre-launch demonstration.
The “STOP to acute pain” rule.
No weight competition – technique and control are key.
Maintaining core tension (bracing) and a relaxed pace, especially in the eccentric phase.
Placing loads in designated areas and clear paths in transition zones.
8. What to do if there are fewer positions than groups?
We use an “active” rotation: one group works on the machine, the second performs a variation with a band/bodyweight of the same pattern, the third prepares the station and practices the “dry” technique.
This means no one is standing in line and the teacher can focus on corrections.
9. How to incorporate the Power Passport and the application into classroom practice?
After each lesson, students (or the teacher) enter their exercises, sets, perceived intensity, and brief notes on technique. Every 4–6 weeks, we conduct short tests and update the plan.
The app suggests progression and reminds you about homework (e.g. 2x plank per week).
10. How to end a lesson: hygiene, order and a short summary?
The last 8–10 minutes are devoted to an organizational cool-down: cleaning the stations, cleaning the upholstery, a quick entry in the Passport and one sentence of reflection (“what did I do better today”).