I have coached and/or mentored for more than four decades.  I have seen a lot of different situations that I could usually recall from other incidents and draw upon a conclusion that has previously worked, or at minimum, I knew WOULDN'T work.

A person with experience is NEVER at the mercy of anyone with a theory.

One of the biggest differences that has occurred over the span of my  Gym Teaching career has been the introduction of Parents who know more about coaching than the Coach they hired.

Walls, Glass, and Fences are placed around the playing area not so much as to delineate the lines of competition, but to keep parents OUT of my practices!

I won't go into the details of "how great a coach" I am, nor will I talk about ALL the Super Stars that now play at the PRO level.  I don't have to!  But, I have a solid track record and people seek me out even to this day, to gain insight into the Strength and Conditioning field and they MUST look hard for me.

I don't advertise, I don't self promote (unless you call this self promotion) and I certainly DON'T take everybody.

You must QUALIFY for my team.  Just like any athlete would for a specific sport they play.

The biggest "take away" from this is that people will come and they won't make my team.  They will badger, cajole, and promise me things to allow them on.

Why?

Because you go where the BEST coaching is available.  Simple!  You don't go at the beginning to where the best coach is to be friends, or where the coach will allow me to do my own thing.

Nope..you go to where the Best coach is to help YOU become the best YOU can be.

My son plays Hockey on a GOOD DAY an hour and a half away from "Home Base" no less than three times per week.   We battle traffic, we take our lives in our hands to play in Stockton California.  Why? Because it isn't for the wonderful ice rink, nor the crimeless area that is Stockton.  NO!  WE go that pain in the ass DISTANCE for the BEST coach at this level, in Derek Eisler.

I figured, that if I apply the same principles to my son's hockey that others apply to training with me, then Coach Eisler will have the latitude to make my son the BEST that he is capable of being.

Good to GREAT coaching requires the proper mixture of Positive Reinforcement AFTER Negative Reinforcement.  Fear comes before respect!  Argue all you want, but it's 100% right on.

I'm not saying punch and mistreat the participant, BUT...a good BARKING or some well placed sarcasm isn't only good to use, it's EXPECTED in my programming.

The proverbial "chirp" is then followed by words of encouragement AND praise.

Then the BEHAVIOR is cemented in the participants HARD WIRE!

People have said that I am so O.G. that I haven't an idea what O.G. is.

(I looked up "O.G." and yup...that's correct) Regardless, I don't like it when I am commanding my charges to do something in a particular method and someone comes in and doesn't like my administration of the task.

I have also said and done things in this more recent era of "Softness" that has become the American Way that have gotten people's panties all twisted up to the point that they wanted me out!

Unfortunately for them, I own the gym and the program.  Since I do, the option of me going anywhere else or stopping what has worked over the decades are equidistant between slim and fuck off.

That leaves the only other logical option, GET OUT!!!  It's voluntary!  For every ONE or TWO participants that don't like my style, I have not 100's but over the decades...1000's of people that have benefitted (and called me 30+ years later to tell me) from it.

Basically, if you want ME to change, you aren't going to be happy!

However, you certainly can QUIT and find some Snowflake abiding coach that your PERSONALITY meshes with much easier.  Because after all...isn't that what YOU want?  The easy way???

To the hard-nosed coaches out here....STAND your ground, especially if you KNOW you are doing the right things.

I've been BARKED at and called horrible things.  I'm ok and not scarred!

I've said things that have either pushed or pulled the right button to a kid's greatness.

Parents!  Stay the fuck out of the arena.  Your concern is going to ruin it for your kid AND the rest of the team!!!

Lil' Johnny and Suzy will be fine!  No they'll be better because they won't need YOU to hide behind.

 

 

Today's Training:

Bench: 5x10 @ 180

Incline Bench: 5x10@160

OHP: 10x5@100

DB Lateral Raise: 3x30

Upright Row: 4x10@80

Sprint I: 10x10 yards @50%

Sprint II 5x50 @50%