Believe it or not, it took less than $20,000 to get my gym, THIRST, up and running. It’s a little over a year old now, and it’s still going strong. Point is, you don’t have to be a millionaire to start up your own gym. Here’s how I did it with THIRST.
Two decades of working in this industry—and even longer being part of it as a lifter—has shown me a lot of great things, but I’ve got a few suggestions as well.
While putting together a training presentation for a local high school, I gave some thought to the things I wish someone would have told me in high school. I probably wouldn’t have listened anyway, but here they are.
Leaving competition behind, either temporarily or permanently, doesn’t mean your training should stop being achievement-based. You just need to learn to set different goals.
Your clients are all looking for a combination of guidance, accountability, and a relationship with a coach. It’s your job to figure out which of the three they need and how to best deliver it.
For many people who are passionate about health and fitness, the idea of opening a gym is a very enticing one. These four clues can help guide you in determining if it’s the right move to make.
To improve the CTP protocol, I’ve made a few tweaks so that you introduce a unique pain technique through one round and then switch it each time.
If you plan on chasing unicorns, don’t hold your breath, because they don’t exist.
While it may seem like a simple, quick way to gain more clients, competing on price is usually recipe for failure.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced lifter, an iron sport athlete or a triathlete, stepping on stage at the Olympia or opening a gym door for the first time, you are going to face some mental battles.
Every gym has its own unique qualities at the start, but for those of you who want to start a strength or athletic training facility, use this guide for the best approach to equipment purchases.
The first year is tough, and that’s when most trainers fail. If they stick with it they start to break through their second year — but only if they put in the ground work their first year.
My last year as a personal trainer I averaged over 40 billable training hours a week and sometimes did over 60 hours a week. The tactics I used to get to that point are now the basis of our trainer development program.
I recently made a transition from someone who had a decent amount of experience and was relatively advanced in one sport, to someone who is a true beginner in another sport. It’s taught me a lot about training and shooting.
If you feel like you’re spinning your wheels, give one of these a try: Intensity-Based Hypertrophy Wave, Working Set Volume-Based Hypertrophy Wave, or Exercise Volume-Based Hypertrophy Wave.
If the social theory holds true, then in order for powerlifting itself to make progress, individuals within the group will have to give up a little something of themselves to push the sport further.
If you ever want to be a top-ranked lifter, you’re going to need all three of these things.
We ran the first variation of this setup in preparation for our last powerlifting meet and it resulted in around 1,400 pounds of total PRs spread amongst nine different lifters.
The first month we opened we had around 30 members, two trainers, and I worked 80+ hours a week.
You can come up with a lot of excuses to explain your plateaus or you can follow this advice and find a solution.
Changing the culture or environment of your team is not easy but it may be the single-most important factor for your success. Here are three things to get you started.
Over five years of owning a facility, through the survival stage and growth phase, I’ve learned a lot. Good and bad, owning a gym is a…
You may decide to use one or all three of these options to best set up your facility for profitability. What’s your plan?
I am going to describe the similarities between three money management strategies and their application to your time in the iron game.
The concept is simple but undergoing this challenge will feel anything but easy.
The techniques of top bodybuilders may look fun. They may entice you. But first, you need to earn them.
Participating coaches include; Swede Burns, Clint Darden, Julia Ladewski, Brandon Smitley, Joe Schillero, Ken Skip Hill, Zach Gallmann, Matt Ladewski, Shane Church, David Allen, Casey Williams, Dani Overcash, David Kirschen, Sheri Whethem, Ken Whethem.
With the help of David Allen and Scott Stevenson, I have turned my six months of recovery into a period of growth and new training insight.
This is a great training facility in Memphis, Tennessee owned by strength coach, athlete, and EliteFTS columnist, David Allen.
In the weeks leading up to my vacation, I intentionally out-trained by ability to recover in attempts to spur super compensation. Here’s what I learned.
You may be hearing these four tips for the first time or you may need a reminder of things you already know — it doesn’t matter. Whether you’ve done two meets or twenty, avoid these mistakes at all costs.
The advice of other business owners will be an invaluable asset to growing your company— but only if you’re listening to the right people.
Your health and fitness goals will require many sacrifices. Here’s how to ensure you don’t lose the things that truly matter.
The path of continual progress includes some these important programming specialties: don’t add techniques you are ready for and don’t become stale.
I feared a life without training. When I saw that fear become a reality, I knew it was time to seek professional help.
Is your program letting you down? These three aspects of Triphasic Training will repair the damage of repetitive incompetency.
After a competition season of pushing my body beyond its limit, I was no longer making process. Here’s how I’m turning things around for the future as I start my off-season.
Ever wonder how collegiate athletes manage time between scholastics, sports practices, and lifting? Here’s how S&C coaches can help and develop a better relationship with sport coaches.
Deloads are extremely useful for making continual progress from harsh training. When the time comes for you to back off the weights, make sure you do it the right way.
If your intensity level and explosive base are lacking, this 21-week meet prep program will help where max effort and dynamic effort work could not.
Follow these weightlifting programs to increase your speed and endurance.
David Allen, Justin Harris, and Josh McMillan break down mental and physical barriers to success.
Choosing how you view the outcome, will determine if you advance in your goals.
Team elitefts shares tips and tricks to get the most out of knee reinforcement.
Learn everything you need to know about business from Donald Trump, Tony Soprano, and David Allen.
No BS guide to packing in your food without having to resort to the drive-thru.
Drive that bar off your chest like you’re wearing a C4-laced bench shirt.
In a world in which society is more connected than ever before, where has individual connectivity gone?