As I see it, there are three directions that this profession can go. I know I favor one and I’ll explain why.
If you do not follow these principles in your programming, you are building a house out of sand.
On my 40th birthday I reflect on the things I learned for each year of my life.
The passing of my father led me to look at myself and think about the kind of legacy I’m going to leave.
The people who really don’t know what the fuck they are doing are the ones that are taking the business from you because you are too wrapped up in the wrong things.
How can you sell your vision when it’s difficult to score your vision? Start with goals!
You took a step forward and now it’s summer. This time of year means nine weeks of strength and conditioning bliss and nine weeks of scheduling, programming and executing our own version of “the master plan.”
You can have an amazing battle plan but if you can’t support it with beans and bullets, it’s worthless.
With a clinic and meet scheduled on back to back days, I was surrounded by influential members of the strength community and made a few discoveries.
There’s a simple system to getting your athletes on board with your program’s principles and goals. It starts with an acronym — FORM.
There’s nothing wrong with trying the newest, flashy technique, but if you don’t know how it will help your team, stick to the basics.
These six missteps of sports training could keep your athletes small and weak — or worse, injured on the sideline.
This problem started to creep up on us several years ago and I only see it getting worse.
The key to breaking my long-term training plateau was turning to someone with more knowledge and training experience than me. He knew exactly what I needed.
In an endless flow of meaningless words, latch onto the lessons that challenge your mind and dictate your actions.
Located in Lorraine, Ohio, this facility is definitely top notch with more equipment than you can dream of! Past professional Highland Games athlete Mark Valenti is doing things right by providing an outlet for all strength disciplines.
In this profession, you are going to experience career limbo. Sometimes you don’t know where you’re going next — or if you’ll even have a job next season.
Through a recent trip, I had the privilege of seeking guidance from two coaches I admire and whose knowledge can benefit any young strength coach looking to make their mark in this industry.
If you spend all your time in high gear, you need to find a way to downshift. This technique is what works for me.
Instead of telling you about the event, I’ll do you a favor: here is an eight-hour video of every presentation.
The success of your program depends on your ability to balance what your head coach wants to do, what you want to do, and what your team really needs.
This three-part competitive conditioning challenge will leave you searching for a puke bucket. Can you handle it?
If we want to get better, if we want to improve the future of our profession, we need to be honest with ourselves. We need to understand and address the real issues.
Whatever your plans are for breaking into this industry, forget them. It’s never going to work out how you plan.
We have known for years that the Glute Ham Raise (GHR) was regarded as one the best movements for the posterior chain (lower back, glutes, hamstrings and calves).
There are obstacles to overcome for effective online coaching. If you’ve considered working with a coach from a distance, here are the things you’ll need to do for an optimal working relationship.
By designing his training program to address each of his technical, mental, and muscular weaknesses, I was able to help Dario claim the record he deserved.
Breaking into this profession is difficult and requires determination and sacrifice but if you’re in it for the right reasons, that won’t be a problem.
These 10 coaching mistakes can hurt you, your team, and your entire program. Are you making any of them?
How prepared are freshmen athletes for the rigors of strength and conditioning at the collegiate level? A recent survey asked this question and the results are in contention.
I have made the mistake of letting other programs distract me from my own. It is a waste of time and effort and I vow to never do it again.
It isn’t the squats. It isn’t the cleans, nor the reverse hypers or pull-ups.
The emphasis is always on the athletes, but keep in mind, in order to be a productive leader, you must go through what you’re asking others to do.
The three laws of motion are the roots of athlete programming. Find out how to apply these rules and improve your athletes.
GPS tracking for sport’s performance may seem overwhelming at first, but I have found with the right data and tracking methods, proper technology will yield improved performance.
Remember all those things you wish you would have known when you started? Maybe we should do more than laugh at the guy across the gym doing machine decline iso-lateral presses.
Discourage injuries through coaching basics that will appropriately prep your athletes for the field and weight room.
Get more out of your standard barbell and dumbbell set by the swivel of a bolt and the tightening of a wing nut. It’s that easy.
Build your winning culture the same way you build in the weight room: every session, every set, and every rep leading to game day.
With summer programming for athletes, control what you can control and don’t sweat the rest.
Can proper implementation of unilateral exercise produce healthier, higher-performing athletes?
In your search of what is new and exciting, do not forget the principles that are proven to produce success.
With all the new technology for improving athletic performance, strength coaches should remember why they are there in the first place.
In constant strive to get better as a coach and staff, these six things will prove useful.
Proper communication and behavior requires a firm understanding of your surroundings and of those with whom you interact.
Are you blowing your interview by blowing off your preparation?
In this industry, you start at the bottom and work your way up. Level your expectations, respect those who give you the opportunity, and be ready to sacrifice for the profession you love.