Last year around this time, I went out to Omaha Barbell (OBGYM as it's lovingly known as) for a lecture and coaching seminar. It was awesome! Bret Carter and his wife Amber were amazing hosts, the gym was awesome (tons of Elitefts equipment, and really set up for all strength athletes), and teaching and coaching some new peeps was a blast.
When Bret approached me earlier this year about coming back, I was like, HELL YEAH! And when he said it would be with Ed Coan, I was like....... uhhhh......
Pretty dang awesome if you ask me! I met Ed a few years back at a Learn to Train seminar. Crazy that our paths never really crossed until then with as long as we've been in the sport. But to share a platform with him is pretty sweet. And he doesn't really live all that far from me, so we caught the same flight out on Friday and I trained while he helped the big boys with some squat and bench work.
Saturday,the morning coaching session was run by Ed, as myself, Bret and a few others helped out. We worked squat, bench and deadlift technique for over 3 hours. A lot of great tips and tweaks were handed out. Sometimes it just takes a different cue or a minute change to make a big difference for someone.
Quick lunch break (cold chicken and sauteed zucchini for me) and we were back at the gym for the afternoon lecture portion. Sometimes a more formal setting is nice, but we went informal to keep the conversation open since we just spent 3 hours lifting and coaching. Instead of me talking on specific points (that maybe no one cares about), I wanted the attendees to ask questions and get answers on their burning questions.
We talked about:
- Finding weak points in your technique and how to correct them
- Finding the right accessory movements
- Training volume, intensity and programming
- Baseline diet and nutrition guidelines (calories, macros, etc)
- Carbohydrates for performance and aesthetics
- Quality of food (protein, carb and fat sources)
- Adjusting nutrition based on your progress and goals
Ed joined in for the last 30 minutes to share his perspective on training and periodization. I would definitely say that a whole lot of knowledge was shared. Lots of great questions were asked.
Wrapped up the evening with some dinner (steak and broccoli for me) and some funny stories. These seminars usually wipe me out pretty good, so it was a chill night with an early flight Sunday morning.
Thanks Bret and Amber for hosting us at OBGYM!! Oh, and they've expanded the gym too! Lots of space, more room to move some big weights! Definitely the place to be in Omaha.
And thanks Ed for sharing your platform and knowledge with me and everyone that attended!!