While at the gym the other day, I had some mixed emotions while watching one of the “trainers” take a client through a workout. Let’s examine both the pros and cons:
Pros
I have a lot of respect for anyone who does this for a living, especially if they got into it for the right reasons. Most trainers are going to work long hours, get paid an average (but not outstanding wage), and probably be in and out of the industry in a few years. It’s definitely not the easiest job in the world.
As well, people often think of all the glitz and glory of working with highly functioning people or strictly elite athletes. I hate to tell you, but it’s not always all that glamorous, especially when starting out. In the beginning, you take whomever you can whenever you can to make ends meet. You don’t have the ability to pick and choose who you want to train. Especially if you have other people underneath you within the business, it’s not just about you making money – you are responsible for your other coaches and their lifestyle as well.
It’s easy to criticize trainers if you’re not in the industry, or if this isn’t your sole means of employment. But making a living as a trainer? Well, let’s just say it’s not the easiest thing in the world.
Cons
While I can appreciate the hard work and dedication these people put in, there are certain things that just flat out piss me off. First off, I’m pretty sure one of the guys had little or no training experience, let alone a certification. The “training session” consisted of weighted lunges (she didn’t need any extra weight, believe me), ab machine crunches, and a host of other poorly chosen exercises. So while the exercise selection sucked, the coaching wasn’t any better. The people who lose in this equation are the people paying for the sessions, and the good trainers out there who get a black eye from being associated with this trainer.
Now, couple this with a total lack of professionalism when it comes to attire. A polo shirt is fine, but take the time to at least tuck it in. It’s no wonder why people think trainers are total idiots; if you look the part, people will assume it to be true.
If we want this profession to be elevated to a higher level (whether it’s strength coaching, training, therapy, whatever), not only do we need to act the part but we need to look the part as well. Get your education up to par. Read articles and books. Listen to high quality CD’s and DVD’s. Attend seminars. You get the point.
But once you have the education and the know-how, take the time to look the part as well. Shaving from time to time, dressing appropriately, and keeping yourself in shape all help to raise the bar.
If we want to be paid like professionals, it’s time to look and act the part!
Mike Robertson
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
I Reserve The Right...
…to market myself and my products.
A while back, someone was calling me out for “marketing” myself. I hate to tell you, but each and every one of us is being marketed to every second of every day. If you don’t believe that, you’re quite naïve.
Driving down the road the other day, I was repeatedly “marketed” to: Advertisements on the radio, billboards on the road, signs alongside the street, etc.
Watching the TV, we’re constantly marketed to via commercials; unless you have a DVR or TiVo, it’s part of the price you “pay” to watch TV.
Selling my products and services is a big part of how I make a living. I hate marketing myself, but it’s a necessary evil. If I don’t market myself, who else will? People don’t magically know when a product is released or a service is offered. Someone (and typically the person who created it) has to let people know.
Here’s the trade-off I offer with people who read my articles, my blog, or my newsletter – I promise to consistently deliver great information, essentially, FOR FREE. Will I plug my products and services from time to time? YES! I feel like this is a small price, though. On my website and blog alone I have over 70 free articles and around 100 blog posts for your consumption.
Most importantly, remember that you don’t EVER have to purchase one of my products. You can read every article, every blog post, and every newsletter and no one will ever make you buy a product – just like watching TV. Just understand that its part of my job to let you know that said products and services are out there and available, should you so choose.
I appreciate each and every person who takes the time to read my ramblings. Hopefully you can get past the “marketing” and enjoy the information I’m trying to disseminate along the way!
Stay strong
MR
A while back, someone was calling me out for “marketing” myself. I hate to tell you, but each and every one of us is being marketed to every second of every day. If you don’t believe that, you’re quite naïve.
Driving down the road the other day, I was repeatedly “marketed” to: Advertisements on the radio, billboards on the road, signs alongside the street, etc.
Watching the TV, we’re constantly marketed to via commercials; unless you have a DVR or TiVo, it’s part of the price you “pay” to watch TV.
Selling my products and services is a big part of how I make a living. I hate marketing myself, but it’s a necessary evil. If I don’t market myself, who else will? People don’t magically know when a product is released or a service is offered. Someone (and typically the person who created it) has to let people know.
Here’s the trade-off I offer with people who read my articles, my blog, or my newsletter – I promise to consistently deliver great information, essentially, FOR FREE. Will I plug my products and services from time to time? YES! I feel like this is a small price, though. On my website and blog alone I have over 70 free articles and around 100 blog posts for your consumption.
Most importantly, remember that you don’t EVER have to purchase one of my products. You can read every article, every blog post, and every newsletter and no one will ever make you buy a product – just like watching TV. Just understand that its part of my job to let you know that said products and services are out there and available, should you so choose.
I appreciate each and every person who takes the time to read my ramblings. Hopefully you can get past the “marketing” and enjoy the information I’m trying to disseminate along the way!
Stay strong
MR
Friday, August 24, 2007
Liftstrong Friday #6 - Brian Grasso
Brian Grasso of the International Youth Conditioning Association is one of the premiere coaches of young athletes. Brian is so passionate and committed to improving youth athletics that he’s developed the IYCA to help improve coaching of youngsters.
Brian’s contribution to the Lift Strong project is titled “The Art of Coaching.” Luckily for me, I’ve seen him give this presentation and it is awesome! Brian discusses several important topics in this piece:
- The Kaizen principle of small, incremental gains throughout a career
- Long-term planning for the youth athlete, not session-to-session smoke and mirrors
- The art of philosophy design
- And how to coach athletes of different motivation and skill levels
Quite simply, if you work with youngsters, you need to read this piece. While many are looking for the next “cool” thing to include in their training, it never hurts to go back to the basics, working on your coaching cues and communication skills. You could be the smartest coach on the face of the Earth, but if you don’t have the ability to communicate with athletes your coaching ability is going to be limited.
If you work with youth athletes, be sure to check out the IYCA web page and don’t forget to pick up a copy of the Lift Strong CD-ROM. All the proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society!
Brian’s contribution to the Lift Strong project is titled “The Art of Coaching.” Luckily for me, I’ve seen him give this presentation and it is awesome! Brian discusses several important topics in this piece:
- The Kaizen principle of small, incremental gains throughout a career
- Long-term planning for the youth athlete, not session-to-session smoke and mirrors
- The art of philosophy design
- And how to coach athletes of different motivation and skill levels
Quite simply, if you work with youngsters, you need to read this piece. While many are looking for the next “cool” thing to include in their training, it never hurts to go back to the basics, working on your coaching cues and communication skills. You could be the smartest coach on the face of the Earth, but if you don’t have the ability to communicate with athletes your coaching ability is going to be limited.
If you work with youth athletes, be sure to check out the IYCA web page and don’t forget to pick up a copy of the Lift Strong CD-ROM. All the proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Improving Posture via Strength Training
A concept that I’m asked about quite frequently is using strength training to improve posture. As Eric discusses in our Building the Efficient Athlete DV D series, the law of repetitive motion definitely comes into play. Of course we need to address posture via behavior modification, but strength training gives us a great return of investment as well.
In its simplest format, we can use strength training to counteract what goes on with us the other 23 hours of the day; but, the key is in proper exercise selection. If your “corrective exercises’ consist of bicep curls and bench presses, you’re not going to see much return on your investment. However, if you use better exercise selection including exercises like front squats, Zercher squats, face pulls, etc., you can use strength training as a viable means to correct posture.
Another question that’s always brought up is, “When can I go back to regular training?” The answer? Maybe never! This doesn’t mean you can’t include your favorite exercises, but maybe you need to decrease the focus on them, or only include them at certain points in your yearly plan. Here’s an example using the bench press.
We know that people like to bench press, especially powerlifters as it’s one of their competitive events. With the focus on bigger and better gear, many have shifted to twice weekly training for the bench press: a raw, full range of motion day, and a heavy lockout day. This can be extremely hard on the shoulders, especially as it reinforces rhomboid dominance around the scapulae. So what do we do here? Forget about training the lockout?
Instead, what you could do is perform “bench” training twice per week – one day still being a true bench press day, the other focusing on closed-chain, weighted push-up variations. This will still overload the triceps, while allowing us greater activation and strengthening of the serratus and rotator cuff. Do this for 3-4 months, and then take the last 2-3 months of training to focus on the lockout. After the meet, return to the push-up variations.
Better exercise selection reinforces better postures while lifting, but it also allows for better posture outside of lifting as well. In essence, when you have optimal alignment and strength train appropriately, the strength training further “cements” that ideal posture. You see the opposite as well; when someone has flawed posture, every lift they perform will be compensated for in some form or fashion, further cementing and reinforcing their flawed posture and movement.
Stay strong
MR
In its simplest format, we can use strength training to counteract what goes on with us the other 23 hours of the day; but, the key is in proper exercise selection. If your “corrective exercises’ consist of bicep curls and bench presses, you’re not going to see much return on your investment. However, if you use better exercise selection including exercises like front squats, Zercher squats, face pulls, etc., you can use strength training as a viable means to correct posture.
Another question that’s always brought up is, “When can I go back to regular training?” The answer? Maybe never! This doesn’t mean you can’t include your favorite exercises, but maybe you need to decrease the focus on them, or only include them at certain points in your yearly plan. Here’s an example using the bench press.
We know that people like to bench press, especially powerlifters as it’s one of their competitive events. With the focus on bigger and better gear, many have shifted to twice weekly training for the bench press: a raw, full range of motion day, and a heavy lockout day. This can be extremely hard on the shoulders, especially as it reinforces rhomboid dominance around the scapulae. So what do we do here? Forget about training the lockout?
Instead, what you could do is perform “bench” training twice per week – one day still being a true bench press day, the other focusing on closed-chain, weighted push-up variations. This will still overload the triceps, while allowing us greater activation and strengthening of the serratus and rotator cuff. Do this for 3-4 months, and then take the last 2-3 months of training to focus on the lockout. After the meet, return to the push-up variations.
Better exercise selection reinforces better postures while lifting, but it also allows for better posture outside of lifting as well. In essence, when you have optimal alignment and strength train appropriately, the strength training further “cements” that ideal posture. You see the opposite as well; when someone has flawed posture, every lift they perform will be compensated for in some form or fashion, further cementing and reinforcing their flawed posture and movement.
Stay strong
MR
Monday, August 20, 2007
Ankle Mobility with Bill Hartman
One of the most common questions I get is how to address ankle mobility. For those of you who have issues w/this, I’d advise checking out Bill Hartman’s ankle mobility video on You Tube. I’ve posted it below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxr9-IB0Rr4
Remember that when we’re talking about getting better mobility (aka dorsiflexion), a holistic approach is best. This can include actual ankle mobility drills, strengthening work for the tibialis anterior, static stretching of the gastroc, soleus, and superficial back line, as well as soft-tissue work. I’ve been using the Starr tool for my soft-tissue work lately, and really like the results it gives. You can find it here:
http://www.starrtool.com/
Being victim to multiple serious ankle sprains in my day, I think it’s going to help loosen things up and lengthen some of that built up scar tissue I have in my lower leg.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Liftstrong Friday #5 - Bob Youngs
Bob Youngs is not only a super strong powerlifter (he’s trained under Louie Simmons and totaled elite), but a smart guy as well.
Bob’s article is entitled “Seven Considerations for Goal Setting.” This article discusses why people don’t succeed, and how to use goal setting to help them achieve their goals. It’s not rocket science, but goal setting is one of those simple things that very few people actually use. When I was training strictly for powerlifting, I would set aside time after every meet to figure out what worked, what didn’t, and to start setting goals immediately for my next meet. This ensured that I was always focused on improving and getting stronger.
One part of Bob’s article that I really liked is his discussion of indicators. Dave Tate and Jim Wendler have talked about this as well, and if you haven’t figured out your indicators yet, you need to ASAP. What are indicators? Well, you need to read the article yourself!
Again, when I was more purely focused on powerlifting, I knew the exact range my competition squat and deadlift were based on my training indicators. If I could squat X amount of pounds for a set of 5, I knew within 10 pounds of what I was capable of come meet day. Not only does this decrease your stress level at a meet, but it gives you more confidence and allows you to perform better each and every time you hit the platform.
Pick up your copy of Lift Strong today!
Mike Robertson
Bob’s article is entitled “Seven Considerations for Goal Setting.” This article discusses why people don’t succeed, and how to use goal setting to help them achieve their goals. It’s not rocket science, but goal setting is one of those simple things that very few people actually use. When I was training strictly for powerlifting, I would set aside time after every meet to figure out what worked, what didn’t, and to start setting goals immediately for my next meet. This ensured that I was always focused on improving and getting stronger.
One part of Bob’s article that I really liked is his discussion of indicators. Dave Tate and Jim Wendler have talked about this as well, and if you haven’t figured out your indicators yet, you need to ASAP. What are indicators? Well, you need to read the article yourself!
Again, when I was more purely focused on powerlifting, I knew the exact range my competition squat and deadlift were based on my training indicators. If I could squat X amount of pounds for a set of 5, I knew within 10 pounds of what I was capable of come meet day. Not only does this decrease your stress level at a meet, but it gives you more confidence and allows you to perform better each and every time you hit the platform.
Pick up your copy of Lift Strong today!
Mike Robertson
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
People Power
No science here, just cold, hard truth: If you want to hit some big time PR’s in the gym, you better get some people around you to help!
Ever tried to plow through a really grueling workout by yourself? Sure, you might get about what you expected out of it, but don’t expect any super-human efforts. If you take the exact same situation and add in some motivated training partners or spotters, you’re damn near guaranteed to blow your old PR out of the water. The best explanation for this is the enhancement of the fight-or-flight response; you’d better fight to move that weight, or get your ass out of the gym before you’re ridiculed to death.
Next time you’re ready to move some big time weights, get some motivated people in there with you and watch the PR’s fall!
Mike Robertson
Ever tried to plow through a really grueling workout by yourself? Sure, you might get about what you expected out of it, but don’t expect any super-human efforts. If you take the exact same situation and add in some motivated training partners or spotters, you’re damn near guaranteed to blow your old PR out of the water. The best explanation for this is the enhancement of the fight-or-flight response; you’d better fight to move that weight, or get your ass out of the gym before you’re ridiculed to death.
Next time you’re ready to move some big time weights, get some motivated people in there with you and watch the PR’s fall!
Mike Robertson
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
