Grip is not just about how hard someone can squeeze.
Coach Tarek breaks down three traditional grip orientations coaches use all the time: pronated, neutral and supinated. These positions describe what is happening through the hand, wrist and forearm, and they show up across pressing, pulling, machine work, dumbbells, chin-ups and kettlebell training. đź’Ş
The full Video of the Week goes deeper into the next layer: open-hand versus closed-hand grip. That distinction helps coaches understand how a client is actually interacting with the handle, which can change tension, control, rhythm and endurance in strength and dynamic movement.
Sometimes a client needs to create more tension through the handle. Other times, especially in kettlebell work, they may need to stay more relaxed so the bell can move with better rhythm and timing.
Watch the full Video of the Week here: https://youtu.be/WS6MJCz3tlk
Learn more about FTI’s coach education and training solutions here:
https://functionaltraininginstitute.com/courses-and-certifications/
What do you see most with clients: gripping too hard, too loose, or not knowing when to change?
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The Functional Training Institute is Australia's Number One Functional Training Education Company.
The Functional Training Institute (formerly known as the Australian Institute of Kettlebells) delivers premium and comprehensive functional training workshops and specialised circuit classes to fitness professionals, sporting organisations, fitness facilities and the general public. The workshops are aimed at providing the highest quality instruction in the art and science of functional training.
10/07/2026
A coach can often read pressure before the athlete has the words for it.
It might show up in the way a player responds after a mistake, the way communication changes when momentum swings, or the way a group starts to carry the emotional weight of the moment. That is why the conversation between Gareth Baber, Jay Hedley and Coach Tarek is so valuable for coaches who want to understand performance beyond the physical plan.
Jay’s point speaks to the athlete’s relationship with pressure. Are they fearing the moment, or can they stay open enough to find possibility inside it? Gareth’s point speaks to composure. Can the athlete still access skill and decision-making while the pressure is present? Tarek’s point speaks to the group. What is the collective state doing to the way people respond?
These are practical coaching questions. They help coaches look beyond the drill and better understand state, meaning, connection and response.
Use VIP20 and explore Mental Skills Training Level 1 here: https://functionaltraininginstitute.com/high-performance-mental-skills-for-sports-fitness-coaches-level-1/
07/07/2026
The physical plan can be clear, well structured and appropriate for the person in front of you.
Yet a client may still struggle to follow through once the session is over. An athlete may prepare well, then lose clarity after an error. A coach may recognise that something is changing, while wanting a more practical way to respond.
High Performance Mental Skills Level 1 is a six-week live online course designed for sport and fitness coaches who want to work more confidently with pressure, communication, focus, behaviour and performance response.
Hosted by Tarek Michael-Chouja and Jay Hedley, the program connects practical mental skills to the real environments coaches work in: sessions, competitions, team settings and the conversations that influence what happens next.
The next intake starts 22 July 2026, with live weekly sessions from 4:00–6:00 PM AEST. đź§
Learn more about Level 1 here https://functionaltraininginstitute.com/high-performance-mental-skills-for-sports-fitness-coaches-level-1/
03/07/2026
Holding the kettlebell by the horns keeps the bell close to the body, but the squat and curl place different demands on how the client organises around it.
In a goblet squat, the horns can support a stable front-loaded hold. From there, the coach may be looking at posture, breathing, bracing, depth and whether the client can stay connected to the bell without the torso folding forward as they move through the squat.
In a goblet curl, the same hold supports a different movement task. The focus may shift to the arm path, wrist position, shoulder control and whether the client can move the bell without leaning back, swinging or using the trunk to complete the repetition.
The hold is the same, but the coaching focus changes with the movement. đź’Ş
Illustration credit: Pheasyque.com
Why do some athletes become clearer when the game gets harder?
Coach Tarek Michael-Chouja and Jay Hedley are joined by Gareth Baber, Head Coach of Nissa Rugby in France and former Olympic gold medal-winning coach of the Fiji Rugby Sevens team, for a powerful conversation on pressure, culture, standards and performance.
Gareth shares a grounded look at what it takes to lead in high-pressure environments, from building shared purpose to helping athletes prepare for the moments where skill, composure and decision-making are tested. This episode is a strong listen for coaches, trainers and athletes who want to better understand the mental side of performance.
What stood out to you most from this conversation?
FTI recently delivered Movement Preparation and Integrated Movement Coach education in Bangkok, Thailand, in partnership with FIT Thailand . đź’Ş
Led and translated by FTI Master Trainer Presenter Kelvin, the course brought together close to 20 students and professionals from health, wellness, fitness and sport.
The focus was practical coach education that can be taken straight back to the floor. Coaches explored how to prepare the body for movement, connect mobility, activation and control, and help clients and athletes enter training with more intent.
Movement preparation is more than getting warm. It helps a coach see how someone is moving, what they can access and what may need to be organised before the main work begins.
We are very excited to announce that FTI is returning to Bangkok from 30th November with a five-day mentorship education package. Coach Tarek and Kelvin will revisit Movement Preparation and Integrated Movement Coach, while expanding the program to include Recovery Training and Movement & Longevity.
The education will again be translated into Thai by Kelvin, creating another hands-on opportunity for local coaches to build practical skills they can use with real clients and athletes.
To learn more or register your interest, reach out to your local FIT Thailand representative.
A few weeks ago, FTI delivered Strength, Barbell and Hypertrophy training with the EW Indonesia team and Fitness First Indonesia . đź’Ş
The sessions focused on practical coach education across strength principles, barbell training, hypertrophy application and real gym-floor coaching decisions.
That means looking at how clients create tension, how movement changes under load, where technique begins to break down, and how coaches can make better decisions around progression, control and exercise selection.
It was a strong few days of learning, coaching and practical application with the EW Indonesia team.
We are excited to keep building on this in July, with more education coming to EW Indonesia, including REHAB FX, Strength and Power Training, and more.
If you would like to learn more or get involved, reach out to your club representative.
19/06/2026
The next High Performance Mental Skills intake is now open.
For sports, fitness and performance coaches, there are moments where the physical program does not explain everything.
An athlete can be prepared, capable and technically skilled, yet still struggle when pressure rises, confidence shifts or the moment starts to feel bigger than the task.
This program is designed to help coaches better understand and support that layer of performance.
Across 6 live online sessions, Coach Tarek Michael-Chouja and Jay Hedley will guide coaches through practical mental skills tools that can be used inside real coaching environments.
Tarek brings his experience in functional training education, coach development and the connection between the inner game and outer performance.
Jay brings more than 20 years of elite mental performance coaching experience across Olympic, professional and international sport, with a deep background in mindset, identity, communication and performance under pressure.
Together, they will explore pressure response, state management, confidence, communication, consistency, decision-making and athlete ownership.
This is not about turning coaches into psychologists. It is about helping coaches better support the human side of performance that already shows up in sessions, games and client behaviour. 🎙️
18/06/2026
After our conversation with Andrew Cipriano, a few ideas continue to stand out.
The episode explored the mental side of performance through culture, communication, state and athlete ownership, and it gave coaches plenty to reflect on beyond drills and tactics.
Jay spoke about the shift from external authorship to internal authorship, helping athletes move away from relying only on outside validation, pressure or opinion, and towards greater ownership of how they think, respond and perform.
Andrew’s idea of “state before performance” was another key moment. An athlete may have the skill, understand the plan and prepare well, but if their state shifts under pressure, the performance can shift with it.
Tarek’s reflection on stepping back and letting athletes play without making judgments brought the coaching lens into focus. Sometimes the work is not about adding more instruction. It is about creating the space for athletes to think, decide and build responsibility through the game.
This is where mental skills become practical. They are not separate from coaching. They live inside the moments where confidence drops, pressure rises, communication misses or ownership needs to grow. 🎙️
12/06/2026
Coach Tarek recently spent time at Beyond Activ in Thailand, connecting with fitness, wellness and performance leaders from across the region.
FTI Global has been involved with Beyond Active since 2019, and it continues to be a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with industry friends, meet new people and be part of the conversations shaping the future of fitness education.
Tarek was joined by Jacq, FTI Global’s Global Head of Education, and was also there as part of the StickFit Global team, supporting their work across cognitive training, group training and seniors training.
It was a few days filled with great conversations, plenty of laughs and some memorable moments with people who care deeply about where the industry is heading. 🔥
A big thank you to everyone who made the event such a valuable experience.
What do you enjoy most about fitness industry events, the learning, the networking or the people you meet along the way?
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