Mike Johnston is the newest member of the EFS Q/A staff. He is not your typical lifter, though. Mike is a professional strongman, an elite level powerlifter and a physical therapist. This is certainly a strange combination. But it all works well because Mike is able to draw on a lot of experience and knowledge from each of his endeavors. This makes him better at everything that he does and those that he lifts with and coaches. Read on for a better glimpse into Mike…
EFS: First of all, give us a little background on your lifting and strong man participation.
M.J.: I started lifting when I was 12 years old and got my first set of weights at 13. These were the old school plastic weights that we all started out with. I basically did the bodybuilding workouts that most everyone did; training six days a week and did more overtraining than training. I started powerlifting when I joined the Marine Corp but nothing too serious. When I began college, I tried my hand at Olympic lifting but found that I was so tight (due to my bodybuilding background) that my range of motion was incredibly limited.
Here’s a great story about how I got interested in being a Strongman. During college, I would drive down country roads and I would pass these stone walls that seemed to have been there since the dawn of time. Everyday I would pass this old, torn apart wall and there was this huge rock that had fallen off of it. This thing had to have weighed 250lbs. After passing it several times, I finally pulled my pick up truck next to it and tried to put the rock into my truck bed. This is something I had seen numerous times on TV. It wasn’t easy, but I finally got it in the bed of the truck.
After I got out of college, I got a job in Columbia, South Carolina and started training at Marc Bartley’s gym. He and Donnie had a bunch of strongman equipment so I started playing around with it. In 2002 I did my first strongman event and qualified for Nationals. This same year I hosted a strongman meet. I did this at Marc Bartley’s gym on one condition; that I participate in the 2002 IPA Nationals. This was my first meet in a long time and I totaled 2005 in the 242 class. In 2004, I won the Lightweight North American Strongman National Championship. I recently traveled to Finland for the WPO meet and totaled 2238 and have squatted 970, benched 556 and deadlifted 722. This was done at 242.
EFS: Who has influenced you and who has helped you?
M.J.: Gerry Martin as he gave me my first strength coaching position at the University of Connecticut. He opened my eyes to other things in the industry and pushed me to look at different aspects of training.
For Strongman, Willie Wessels has been a great influence in both training and in inspiration. Willie is a great powerlifter and strongman and has overcome a lot of obstacles on his path.
Marc Bartley and Donnie Thompson have pushed me and have helped me get better. I am the third guy in their rotation; they are both extremely strong (and a lot bigger than me) so I’m always forced to handle heavier and heavier weights. This is both a blessing and a curse. But it seems to have worked out so far.
David Tiberio was a mentor and an advisor in college for physical therapy. He has helped me a great deal and has allowed me to follow my own path.
EFS: How did you get interested in physical therapy?
M.J.: This is kind of strange. When I came out of Marine Corp, I went to UConn and was planning on being a nurse. I was quickly talked out of it and was considering physical therapy. It’s kind of weird in that I had no real “push” to get into the field. It was kind of by accident and I love the job. Because of my athletic background, I feel like I can draw on a lot of different methods and experiences.
EFS: What are the most common mistakes that you see strength coaches and trainers make?
M.J.: They forget about the very basics of strength, i.e. squat, bench and deadlift. Instead they push the newest gadget. While gadgets have their place, they are simply small tools. They don’t necessarily help build the foundation, but they do make good accessories.
EFS: Sounds like someone watches Bravo.
M.J.: I’m not afraid to accessorize as long as the basics are in place!
EFS: What mistakes do you make in your own training?
M.J.: Sometimes I train too heavy (this is a result of training with Donnie and Marc) which affects technique, I have certainly made some poor decisions at meets in regards to my attempts. Finally, I was the poster child for overtraining when I first began, but I don’t think that’s too uncommon.
EFS: Not at all. What words of wisdom can you share with other lifters?
M.J.: Stick to the basics and perfect your technique. I know this doesn’t sound too trendy, but I am a fairly advanced lifter and I am always looking to perfect my technique. Now don’t take this the wrong way and be so adamant about your technique that you never increase the weight on the bar.
Also, don't be afraid to learn new things, but always be skeptical. As you grow more experienced you will know a scam when you see one. But this is not always apparent when you are a younger lifter. Talk to those around you and those in your sport.
EFS: What are the most glaring weaknesses that you find in athletes?
M.J.: This is not going to be too specific but blatant weakness and lack of anaerobic conditioning. There are some people that can barely do a push up. You’re an athlete! Do a push-up!
EFS: I’m going to print that on a t-shirt. A couple of months ago, we had talked about squatting and how beneficial it is to everyone, from athletes to senior citizens. Why is this?
M.J.: Squatting is an everyday activity. By strengthening your legs, whether it be for football or for getting out your car, you will be better. There is no better exercise than the squat for doing so. It requires balance, coordination and strength in every part of your body. It is simply one of the best exercises one can perform. Of course, the loading and parameters for an athlete and a senior citizen are going to be different. But the principles remain the same.
EFS: What is the biggest obstacle you face when training athletes?
M.J.: Misinformation, although I don’t blame the people for bringing it to my attention. The fact that they actually took some time to read something or research it shows that they care. But at the same time, it’s a pain having to answer a question about why I don’t use X gadget or Y training philosophy. What I have a real problem with is that many of the things people read they think that it is gospel. No matter how crazy the idea or the exercise, if it’s in print it becomes gold.
EFS: How do you deal with hesitant and/or stubborn coaches that don't agree with your program?
M.J.: I sway them with a combination of science and a circus side show. It helps to know the lingo and be able to perform at a high level. I also provide ways to integrate changes into an existing program, so they don't have to throw out their whole program; it gives them a level of comfort. Diplomacy reigns supreme.
EFS: So you think that it helps to actually be able to perform most of the movements and even do them at a high level?
M.J.: Without a doubt.
EFS: That’s a very interesting concept. I will look into that further. A strength and conditioning coach that is both strong and conditioned.
M.J.: Your sarcasm is not lost on me.
EFS: I’m glad you noticed. What advice would you have for those wishing to become a part of the industry?
M.J.: Read everything with a skeptical eye and train with ferocity or in the words of Mao Se Tung, "Civilize the mind but make savage the body." I would also advise them to study philosophy of the ancients. (Lao Tzu, Sun Tzu and Seneca come to mind.)
EFS: I like that saying.
M.J.: I knew you would.
EFS: Finally, how do you explain your system/program to your athletes so that they understand what they are doing?
M.J.: Again, I lead by example whenever I can. I can't always train with them, but when I can, I do. When dealing with rehab, I explain in laymen’s terms the anatomy and the physiology and why a given exercise is applicable. You are talking to people who have little background in this aspect, so you can’t talk to them like they are your colleagues.
EFS: So you learned how to communicate with your audience? Very interesting idea; I will have to make a note.
M.J.: You are full of sarcasm today.
EFS: Full of something else, too if you talk to my critics. Thanks for doing this interview and taking some time out of your day.
M.J.: My pleasure.
You can ask Mike Johnston questions on our EFS Q/A as well as visiting his website: http://www.scstrength.org
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