I can’t believe we still have to have this “debate” in 2025.
While it’s not nearly as prevalent of a thought process as a decade or two ago, there are still people out there under the impression that lifting appreciable weight – and therefore, by extension, squatting – will result in big, bulky, and stiff muscles.
Merely looking at a barbell will make you tighter than a crowbar.
I don’t even think that makes sense, but whatever…you get the idea.
The same people who fall prey to this mind-trap are the ones who likely still believe lactate acid causes muscle soreness, creatine is a steroid, starvation mode exists, and that Tom Selleck doesn’t have the sexiest and manliest mustache of all-time.
I could opine judiciously on why I feel the argument that lifting heavy/squatting makes you tight is a tepid and weak one at best, but I’m not going to because 1) this is blog post and 2) it’s not a dissertation (and I’m hangry and need to eat something).
Too, I can respect and appreciate that people are at the mercy of their milieu and can often succumb to the atmosphere, anecdotal experiences, and the echo chambers that feed into their biases.
I get it: You watch one too many Tom Brady documentaries and the idea of touching a barbell (or a tomato) makes you sick to your stomach.
Nevertheless, I do feel it’s a silly stance to take.
“Squatting doesn’t make you tight. Squatting like shit does.”
Make no mistake: There are many nuances to consider with regards to squat technique and what variation, setup, and execution will be best suited given an individual’s injury history, goals, ability level, genetics, and anthropometry.
I don’t think there’s any ONE best way to execute or coach the squat, and I lose a lot of respect for coaches and trainers who play all hoity-toity and think THEIR way of coaching it is the only way to do so.
Again, and this can’t be reiterated enough:
Injury/health history
Goal(s)
Ability level
Genetics
Favorite He-Man character
Anthropometry/leverages…
…all need to be taken into consideration when coaching up the squat.
The internet likes to argue semantics on bar position, hand position, depth, stance, what day of the week it is, barometric pressure, and a myriad of other things that may or may not matter when it comes to enhancing squat technique and performance.
For me, so long as the feet, ankles, knees, and hips are appropriately positioned and loaded (using all the info above as guidance), “neutral” spine is maintained, and we’re doing all we can to prevent any destroying back of pants…
…we’re (probably) accomplishing some good things.
Moreover, if you think about what’s required to pull off a decent looking squat:
We could make the case that everything listed above is a splendid way to “offset” sitting at a desk all day, particularly when you consider a loaded squat will nudge or force people to adopt a little more thoracic extension, which is rarely a bad idea for that population.
By contrast, squatting (and by proxy, lifting appreciable weight) correctly can be viewed as the opposite of making someone tight.
NOTE: For some more insights on how I address squat technique check THIS and THIS and THIS out. Oh, and if your favorite He-Man character isn’t He-Man you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself.2
What’s our obsession with making things hard or complex?
The Lost Art of Simple
I remember when I was a kid all I needed to entertain myself was my bike. I’d ride around pretending I was Knight Rider talking to my bike as if it were KITT.3
“Turbo boost KITT.”
And then I’d pedal faster.
“Oh snap, we’re under heavy fire and need to perform counter measures.”
And then I’d swerve back and forth between trees avoiding every heat seeking missile sent in my direction.
“KITT, eject, eject.”
This is when I’d point my bike in the direction of some sweet jump I’d have constructed, and, well, this would happen:
Nowadays you ask a kid to go outside and play and they’re looking at you as if you have three heads and wondering how that’s even possible without an iPhone in hand. It’s almost as if there has to be some form of technology or gadgetry involved.
A frisbee? No way.
A wiffle ball and bat? Pfffft, whatever.
A tree? Hahahahahaha.
The simple days of simple games are long gone. I mean, I know they exist, and I know there are kids out there still playing hide-n-seek, kickball, and pick-up basketball.
But it’s few and far between. Pokemon Go, seemingly, has replaced the playground.
I can’t help but notice the same parallel in the fitness industry. People (on both sides of the fence: fitness pros and non-fitness pros alike) seem to be under the impression that fancy or complex is somehow better than simple. And maybe even more tragic: many believe that better results are always a result of adopting complex methodologies over the simple ones.
Sometimes this is true. Oftentimes it’s BS.
I’ve had my fair share of other coaches coming in to shadow and observe for a few hours at a time. It’s always an honor and I am more than willing to accommodate. Sure they could spend their time reading Mike Boyle or watching any litany of fitness people on Instagram, but no, some choose to come in on a Saturday to watch people deadlift and listen 90’s hip hop.
One theme I am becoming more cognizant of is how surprised some coaches are about how “simple” my programming is.
There’s very little glitz and glam or shiny bright objects to pivot from the fact that all I really want is for my clients/athletes to become unapologetically brilliant at the basics.
People squat, people hip hinge, and people perform these things called rows, push-ups, and Farmer carries.
You may have heard of them.
Antiques to some, I know.
Furthermore, is my assessment process.
The idea of simple starts there. Unless someone is coming in with a lengthy injury history or is training for something super specific like, say, I don’t know, the Mime Bombsniffing Olympics, what advantage is there in making the assessment more complicated than it has to be?
Taking a more global approach is a fantastic starting point for most people. There’s no need to put them under a microscope. If anything, for most people most of the time, their “assessment” is nothing more than an opportunity to weed out “red flags” by taking a quick peek at hip IR/ER, hip flexion/extension, and other things like overhead shoulder mobility.
In a sense I’m trying to see what their passive ROM is, are there any limitations, and if so, 1) does it match their active ROM and 2) are there any test/re-test strategies I can implement to see an improvement?
To a larger degree (and stealing a quote from my friend, Luke Worthington):
“Can you do the thing that you want to do? Yes. Good. No. Let’s fix that.”
Here’s the Thing: 80% of my assessments are done on the gym floor. There’s only so much poking and prodding I can do on table before A) shit starts getting weird and B) the client starts feeling like a patient.
In reality the assessment should be a watered down training session.
I want to see them squat.
I want to see them hip hinge.
I want to see them get up off the floor.
I want to see them Sparta kick the wall.
I can glean way more information watching people move. And too, they get a taste of what a typical training session will be like with me.
It’s a very simple procedure that, when some coaches observe, comes across as super-duper minimal, and it throws them off, as if to say, “Really? That’s it?”
Yep, that’s it.
People want to train.
They could give two flying shits about their big toe dorsiflexion. Trust me.
Funny Side Story: I was once given a “bad” review at a conference I spoke at because in my topic, “Shoulder Assessment,” I didn’t demonstrate anything “new and innovative.” To which I was like, “Well, since when does shoulder assessment need to be new and innovative?” Why not take the mindset of doing the “boring” screens well?
Note to Self: Bring a flame thrower to next speaking engagement. That will add some innovation.
Going Back to Programming.
This is another component where I feel simplicity has its benefits.
The never-ending game of oneupmanship on social media many fitness pros play is exhausting. This is a conversation for another day, but the LOOK-AT-ME, performative vibe many take is absurd. I watch some of the videos people put up and all I want to do is say “Riiiiiigggghhhhttt.”
I also want to throw an ax into my face, but that’s besides the point.
Comparatively speaking my Instagram feed is probably batshit boring to some people.
A video posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on
I can hear the cacophony of “BFD” comments now. “Wow, cool Tony. You have your clients squat. What’s next: A set of chin-ups?
No, wait, Pallof Presses!?!?!”
Actually, yeah. Probably.
Call me crazy, but I’d rather educate and provide a rationale for putting up certain videos/pictures (cute cat pictures aside) than worry about whether or not I’m earning some fleeting social media credibility.
What’s more, you wanna talk about boring and vanilla? Grab two back-to-back programs of any client of mine and it’s a safe bet you’ll see more of a linear periodization approach, which is about as vanilla as things gets. Take my client Sara for example (the woman in the video above).
On the days she trains with me at CORE we tend to focus more on the coaching-intensive exercises like squats and deadlifts. We’ll first hit one of the two hard (generally, lower reps/mid to higher intensity loads) and follow suit with “everything else.”
Here’s how we approached her squats and deadlifts the past two months.
October
Sumo Deadlift (Weeks 1,3), Back Squat (Weeks 2,4)
Week
Sets
Reps
Load
1
5
2
85%
2
Hit 135×1
then
3×5
115 lbs
3
3×1 @90%
then
3×5
75%
4
Hit 140×1
then
3×5
120 lbs
November
Sumo Deadlift (Weeks 1,3), Back Squat (Weeks 2,4)
Week
Sets
Reps
Load
1
4
5
75%
2
135 x (2×1)
then
3×3 @
125 lbs
3
5
5
75%
4
145×1
then
3×2 @
130 lbs
If you pay particular attention to her squat progression, it’s more or less me ensuring she was doing more work each week.
Nothing magical or advanced at all.
And it worked.
She smoked a PR of 145 lbs this past Monday. While listening to Lil Kim. Because that’s how we roll.
Program design doesn’t have to be complex.
All it really comes down to is ensuring you’re coaching your clients well (<– a lost art in of itself) utilizing stances and grips and bar placements that suit their goals and anatomy…
…and that they’re placing a premium on doing more work over the course of several weeks/months.
Simple and Boring. It Works
I’m willing to bet your clients will prefer a simpler approach (if not thrive on it) once you give it a fair shot.
People tend to not need as much novelty as they think. Muscle confusion is a stupid concept. People need consistency in order to master movement.
You don’t always need to increase load. People need to earn the right to increase weight on the bar. Staying within a certain range for several weeks and accumulating volume is often a undervalued way to progress.
Try not to make assessment to much of a thing. Granted, if someone has a lengthly injury history you may need to go down some sort of rabbit hole to figure out what exacerbates their symptoms. And then attempt to address it. But more often than not people will appreciate you not putting them under a microscope. If you treat the assessment as more of a training session and not some sick game to point out every miniscule dysfunction and how much of a walking fail someone is, they’ll be less likely to think you’re a douche.
NOTE: I was perusing some of my old blog posts recently and came across this one. I re-read it and remember how embarrassed I felt when what I describe in the post below actually happened. I felt it resharing it would be a nice reminder to all fitness professionals to remember…you’re always being watched. Act accordingly.
I felt like an asshole yesterday. And when I say “I felt like an asshole,” I don’t mean in the rhetorical “haha, I did something goofy and feel like an asshole” sense. I straight-up felt like a heaping pile of asshole.
HINT: I was an asshole.
To get right to the point: I let a client down. And it was 100% on me.
I hope this will be a lesson to every fitness professional reading that you’re always being watched and that you’re always making decisions – whether directly or indirectly – that will affect your business and people’s perception of you.
However, before I dive into my assholiness from yesterday, I hope you won’t mind if I take a second to butter myself up and break down a scenario where I was less of an asshole.
I think it goes without saying most personal trainers and coaches – at one point or another, have experience working in a commercial gym.
Admittedly, it can (not always) suck. One of the biggest drags is many trainers are left fending for themselves in terms of harvesting their own clients.
This can be a daunting task for those new in the field, are a little more introverted, and otherwise inexperienced.
Whenever I’m contacted by someone asking me advice on this topic, my immediate response is:
“Act as if you’re always being observed or judged.”
A great example would be how you approach floor hours.
Most (new) trainers at most clubs are required/obligated to accumulate “x” number of floor hours per week. It’s more or less the fitness industry’s version of hazing or probation/purgatory, where you walk around the club feeling like a tool picking up after everyone else’s mess.
If I had to liken it to anything, it would fall somewhere between preparing your taxes and jumping into a shark’s mouth as far as things I’d rather be doing.
Anyways, when I had to do it I used it as an opportunity to get in front of as many people’s eyes as possible. I’d say hello, make eye contact, and occasionally offer some advice on technique, unique core exercises, or maybe strike up conversation on favorite GI Joe characters.
You know, cause I was cool.
All told I used my floor hours as an opportunity to provide a service and to reel people in as clients.
And speaking of clients, when I was with one, I’d always, ALWAYS make sure to give them my undivided attention. I’d be on-time, had my programs ready to go, and always prided myself on being more proactive, giving cues and feedback at all times. You know, coaching.
As a result, on many occasions, I’d be approached by other people asking if I had openings because they had been watching and observing me throughout the weeks or months prior.
Little did I know – at the time – that I was constantly be observed and judged.
It resonated with me then and it’s something, still, that’s important to me now. It never gets old when, after working with me for a handful of sessions, a new client mentions how much they appreciate my approach compared to past experiences they’ve had with other trainers and coaches.
They’re being coached rather than babysat for.
I don’t say this to be vainglorious, but interpret it as you will.
But Back to That Me Being an Asshole Part
All of this to say: we all fuck up from time to time. Or, maybe a bit more of a germane way to put it: have a slight lapse in judgement.
Most days I show up 10-15 minutes prior to clients showing up at CORE.
I had two clients scheduled to show up yesterday at 4 PM. 3:30 hit and I was still home prepping the day’s blog post and catching up on emails.
3:40 hit and, while I knew I was pushing my luck (my gym is only a mile from my apartment, but still a 10-15 minute commute that time of day), I had to post the article up on Instagram.
Priorities, right?
“Okay,” I thought to myself, “I’m probably going to be a teeny-tiny bit late. I’ll shoot my clients a quick email to let them know I’m on my way and that I’ll be a few minutes off.”
No biggie.
Feeling justified, I rushed out the door and headed to CORE.
I arrived at 4:03. Both clients waiting outside the side of the building trying to avoid the first oppressively hot day.
Joe, an accomplished businessman here in Boston (12,000 employees answer to him) who just started with me three weeks ago and has been an exemplary client – shows up on time every session ready to work his ass off – was the first to greet me.
“Hey man, it’s past 4 o’clock.”
“Yeah,” I said, “sorry I’m a little late.”
“Stop posting on Instagram and lets get to work.”
He saw my post. He called my BS.
What an asshole I was.
Joe wasn’t malicious or anything, or even that mad. I think. He didn’t even make me being late a thing. He said what he said, and we did, we got right to work. However, his matter of fact way of calling me out on my momentary hiccup really punched me in the gut.
And, honestly, it served as a nice wake-up call.
I’m better than that.
You’re better than that too.
Let this be a lesson: You’re always being watched.
How to Age-Proof Your Program Design Without Watering It down
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a guest post on this site and I figured it was long overdue.
Today’s post comes courtesy of Austin, TX based trainer and gym owner, Nathan Stowe. Nathan is a long-time friend and colleague of mine who has owned and operated his own jam – HERE – for a number of years. He’s worked predominantly with “older” populations for most of his career and knows a thing or two about how to train and write programs for them without treating them as if they’re going to break their hip just by looking at a barbell.
Age Ain’t Nuthin But a Number
I’ve been working with people over 50 on increasing their longevity for over 16 years—way before it was cool. In fact, Pat Rigsby once told me I might have the strongest solo training business in the country for this demographic…
And when I think about how it all started, it still makes me laugh.
I was only a month into my first personal training job, killing it on the sales floor thanks to my background—then I tore my ACL playing a game of “21” with a buddy. I walked home on it. My friend, ever helpful, said, “Well… maybe I should’ve gone to get the car.”
Silver lining? The injury gave me time to get my NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist cert. I figured I’d pair the education with the experience and become the go-to for banged-up clients.
Plus, the gym paid more per session if you had more certifications—so win-win.
When I came back, I was the “knee guy.”
And in a runner-heavy city like Austin, that meant I got a lot of reps with real clients. I found out fast what worked in the real world… and what was just textbook theory.
One day, my manager asked if I’d work with a client who had a back issue. I said, “Matt, I hurt my knee. I don’t know anything about the back.”
He said, “I know. But I trust you the most to figure it out.”
That line changed my career.
I found a guy online named Eric Cressey—maybe you’ve heard of him?
Note from TG: Never heard of the guy…🙃
I devoured everything he put out and got great results with that client. So Matt gave me a shoulder client next. I told him, “Now that’s even farther from knees.”
Same answer: “I trust you the most to figure it out.”
The deeper I dove, the more I realized this was it. I didn’t want to be the guy coaching from 5am–10pm every day. I wanted to be the specialist—the “jacked-up but not giving up” coach. Turns out, that meant working with a lot of adults who were free on Tuesdays at 10am and had real stuff to work around—past injuries, surgeries, chronic pain, or fear from all of the above.
And when you work with enough people like that, you start to notice patterns…
Here are five timeless training techniques I use with every client over 50 to make progress without breakdown—whether they want to deadlift their bodyweight in their 70s or keep jumping in their 70s with Parkinson’s (true story).
1. Use Volume Instead of Intensity As Overload
You’d be shocked how many people stall out (or get hurt) jumping from a 15 lb dumbbell to a 20 lb one. But anyone can go from 1 set to 2 to 3.
Or from 8 reps to 10.
We build strength by layering volume—quietly and safely.
2. Use Range of Motion for Overload
Most people in their 60s are tighter than a snare drum.
Rather than chase perfect form out of the gate, I let ROM be the progression.
Start RDLs mid-thigh → then to the knee → then below the knee → then finally to the floor. Same thing with step-ups or split squats—stack 2 inches of range per month, and in a year they’re moving like they’re 20 years younger.
3. Use Tempo for Overload
You noticing the theme here?
More time under tension = more adaptation without jacking up the weight. We’ll add longer pauses. Slower eccentrics. Controlled transitions.
It builds control, resilience, and confidence—especially in people who feel fragile.
4. Glutes and Abs First. Everything Else Later
We go all-in on glutes and core for six months.
Why?
Because most of my clients come in with knees that feel like cement and glutes that forgot how to contract sometime around 2007.
My go-to progression: Barbell Glute Bridge → Cable Pullthrough → RDL → Rack Pull → Trap Bar Block Pull → Floor Pull → THEN Squats.
All the while? We pair every movement with isometric ab work to control that pelvis and build true trunk control.
5. Push With the Body, Not Against It
Pushups. Landmines. Bands.
Anything that lets the shoulder blades move and the body find its own rhythm.
Once they can do a picture-perfect pushup? Then we talk dumbbells and barbells. I used to have shoulder flare-ups with half my clients by week 12.
Now?
I can’t remember the last time it happened.
These are just five of the tools I use daily. There are at least a dozen more I could list—and if you’re curious, I talk about all of them on my blog atStoweTraining.com.
About the Author
My name is Nathan “Nate” Stowe, and when I’m not being Ella’s dad or Laura’s husband, I dabble in personal training—helping people in Austin, Texas live longer and get stronger. I write daily, so if you liked this, you can find more at StoweTraining.com.
I am happy to announce I have partnered with the popular training app TrainHeroic to offer a new program to the masses titled Beginner to Badass.
To no one’s surprise (I hope given the title), the objective of this program is to serve as an introduction to strength training for those who have limited experience doing so. I.e., this program is not intended for the likes of Eddie Hall, Olivia Reeves, or, I don’t know jacked lumberjacks.
No, the ideal candidate for this program is someone who wants to learn to lift weights safely in a realistic manner – no IG influencer vibes here – and in a way that will inspire them to become more consistent, and as a result, competent in strength training.
What this Program Features
Structure: 12 weeks of programming done 3x per week to keep you safe and to help you develop the CONSISTENCY you need to be successful. Master the basics of strength training!
HD Video Guidance: I have recorded video demoes for every exercise so that you don’t have to play guessing games. Follow the video, check your form, lift heavy things
My Pecs: (👈 did I mention videos are in HD?) Videos are filmed in HD.
Expert Instruction: Each video comes with KEY COACHING CUES that are simple and to the point. I’ve been coaching people for over 20 years so you won’t be inundated with complicated concepts that require a phD in word vomit to interpret.
The TrainHeroic Platform: You will get seamless access to the program that you can take with you anywhere on your phone. No more PDFs or notebooks. Let the app be your guide to track your progress and stats.
If you’re a beginner and feel intimidated by the weight-room, or have no clue where to start, this program is designed for you. I’ll be there (in the palm of your hand) guiding you the entire time using exercises and principles I use with my in-person clients everyday.
In the same light, if you happen to have a family member, friend, colleague, or significant other who is looking to get started with a strength training program this would be an excellent choice because, you know, I am totally not biased…😉
This program will be on sale for $29 ($10 OFF the regular price) from today until July 18th.
Anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s is likely very familiar with the video game Super Mario Bros. I had my introduction to the game the morning of December 25, 1987 after spending half an hour going mental once I realized Santa had dropped off a Nintendo Entertainment System underneath our Christmas tree.
Back in those days each system came with a few “complimentary” games: Super Mario Bros and Duck Hunt. The latter of which was included if you also had the system that came with the Zapper Gun.
Anyways, Super Mario Bros has since had, I don’t know, 47 different iterations and has become a recognizable icon in our cultural fabric. As it happens my wife and I have a funny thing we do that’s a subtle reference to the game whenever we’re around each other and need a little “pick-me-up.” As an example she may hit up her Nespresso machine for a quick caffeine fix and I may inject an energy drink directly into my left ventricle.
What follows is often a sarcastic “bloop, bloop, BLOOP” sound that one of the two of us will make. You know, the same sound little Mario makes when he comes in contact with a Super Mushroom and becomes Super Mario.
Really, though, anything that provides a bit of a boost or “power up” can be substituted here. A large glass of water, a power nap, a zombie Apocalypse, anything.
Even your workout.
Your workouts don’t always have to be a grind or always make you collapse in a pool of your own sweat. There’s a time and place for that of course. Like I always say, lifting weights or training isn’t supposed to tickle. However I find far too many people fall into the trap where they’re more concerned with constantly killing themselves in the gym – be it because they feel that’s the only way to make progress, or worse, to win some sort of popularity contest on social media – rather than make a concerted effort to get better, see results, and/or work towards a legitimate goal.
Training with purpose or with a goal in mind is never a bad approach. That being said, every training session doesn’t have to be life or death. I think it was Paul Carter who came up with the idea of 80% workouts.
10% of the time you will feel like garbage. These workouts are the worst. It happens. It’s likely you’ll need a change of plan.
10% of the time you will feel amazing. You walk into the gym and feel like you could beat Jason Bourne in a fist fight.
80% of the time you’re just, you know, there. Nothing spectacular.
It’s those 80% “meh” workouts that matter most. You get in, do the work, don’t miss any reps, and move on with your life. Instagram doesn’t even have to know about it. It’s unsexy and boring, but it’s that consistent attack on being consistent that we should all strive for.
I don’t want to leave you hanging. What do you do when you walk into the gym, have an epic session planned, but one of those 10% days happen where you feel like a bag of dicks? On one hand you could just reverse trek, hop back into your Camaro, go home and crush a steak. On the other, you could still workout…but in a way that will enhance recovery and help you feel like a million bucks.
The Bloop, Bloop, Bloop Workout
The following are some Super Mushroom options to help turn you turn Little Mario into Big Mario.
Option 1: Glutes/Core/Bodyweight
I see Bret Contreras use the option often and it makes a lot of sense. Your glutes and core musculature tend to be harder to fatigue and can generally handle a little more volume without it affecting your subsequent training sessions.
Plus most people could use some additional work in those areas anyways.
Here’s a favorite circuit I like to use myself (and with my clients):
A1. Band Resisted Hip Thrust x 15 or Frog Pumps x Infinity (<— 25-50+ reps)
A2. TRX Row x 10-15
A3. Bodyweight Squats x 15-20
A4. Yoga Push-Up Complex x 5/side
A5. Birrdogs w/ Band RNT – x10/side
A6. Half Kneeling Hip Hinge Matrix – x3-5/each/side
The idea is to perform in circuit fashion with 60s rest at the end. I like to shoot for a total of five rounds. Total work time = roughly 10-15 minutes.
Option 2: I’m an Athlete Tony, Treat Me Like One Dammit!
Alternatively we can implement what’s referred to as a Neural Charge Workout.
What’s a neural charge you ask? It’s simply a way to train the CNS in an efficient and non-ball busting way (<=== how’s that for science?).
Implementing more of this type of training is a great way to not only help with recovery, but also to improve inter and intramuscular coordination, increase recruitment of high-threshold motor units, increase rate coding, and lets be honest: it’s just plain fun.
As well, I’d even argue it’s a great way to decrease joint stress (as your utilizing (mostly) concentric based movements), not to mention there’s an obvious metabolic component as well. And it gets people more athletic.
Nevertheless the basic premise is this: Pick 5-6 exercises or drills and perform them as explosively as possible in circuit fashion. I should also note that it’s important to allow full recovery between each exercise. So when I say circuit fashion it’s not like you’re going to rush through it. And you’re not going to perform many total reps. I’d say 3-5 max.
A1. Band Resisted Broad Jumps – x3-5
A2. Med Ball Floor Stomps – x3-5
A3. Sprinter Step-Up – x3-5/leg
A4. Explosive Push-Up to Box – x3-5
Height of the boxes (or steppers) will vary here depending on ability.
A5. HAS (Heavy As Shit) KB Swing – x3-5 (you know, heavy)
This is where I may swing the beast around like a boss.
What’s listed above are just options. You can substitute anything you’d like in their place: box jumps, Heidens, 10 yd starts, pressing variations vs. chains, or whatever.
The important thing to consider is alternating between upper and lower body exercises, and if you’re going to include things like med ball work, core specific work, OLY lift variations, sled work, and the like, you need to put some thought into the order.
From there, as noted above, you’re gong to cycle through the exercises (making sure to recover between each) for a specific number of rounds or for a specific amount of time. Six rounds takes me around 12-15 minutes which is just about right in my book.
Remember: the idea here isn’t to hate life and train until you shit a liver. If anything after this type of session you should feel refreshed and ready to take on the world. This is what I mean by Bloop, Bloop, Bloop. You should feel energized and good after this session.
There’s a bit of autonomy and personal preference with regards to exercise selection, but I’d caution against going overboard. Stick to “easy” stuff for no more than 3-5 repetitions. Try to shoot for no more than 15 minutes of work and GO HOME.
Congratulations on (pick whichever pertains to you):
(A) Recently graduating college with a Health Science, Health & Wellness, Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology, or History in Shakespearian Literature degree.6
(B) Switching careers from accountant, computer programmer, or, I don’t know, professional mustache grower…to strength coach.7
(C) Passing your weekend personal trainers course.
Welcome to the industry. Happy to have ya.
Guess what: You’re not that special.
It’s time to get to work.
Chances Are…
You decided to enter the industry under the guise you’d get to wear sweatpants everyday (a definite perk) and make a boatload of money.
You’d put in your dues for a few months at a local commercial gym, build a client roster, charge anywhere from $60-$150/hour, and then graduate to doing stuff solely online and, fingers crossed, eventually reach the holy grail and become a social media influencer.
Some dork is all of a sudden an “influencer” because he has abs and posts shirtless pics of himself standing next to a Black Hawk helicopter?
How’d all that work out a few weeks ago when Facebook and Instagram went down for several hours and everyone’s influencing world came to a screeching halt?
Okay, I don’t mean to come across as a jaded, cantankerous curmudgeon. It’d be a bit hypocritical of me to poo-poo on the power of social media altogether.
I do owe much of my career to my website/blog/biceps.
That said, I’d be remiss not to offer a little dose of tough love and urge upcoming fitness professionals to heed the following piece of advice.
Social media is fleeting.
Think about: there’s nothing, nothing, preventing Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, hell, even MySpace (that still exists, right?) from pulling the plug tomorrow and reneging their platforms. I mean, granted, the likelihood of them abandoning billions of dollars in potential revenue is about as likely as me winning Kumite.
But still, it could happen.
And then what? The only thing you’re left influencing is a big fat NADA.
To be clear: I am not insinuating you should ignore the power of social media or not to use it to help grow your brand and/or business.
I am, however, in a not so subtle way, underlining the dangers of putting ALL YOUR EGGS into the social media basket.
What Will Separate You As a Fitness Professional From the Masses is to Not Be Like the Masses
I’m often asked by upcoming fitness professionals what they need to do to get to where I am in my career? What business books should they read? Marketing? Writing? No, wait, maybe they should invest in taking a course to optimize their SEO?
But I’d be lying if I said my mouth doesn’t usually end up agape, flabbergasted at the question.
I’ve been a coach for 17 years and feel I’ve only just now started to figure shit out. It’s so frustrating because we live in a society that feasts on entitlement; that if you just read “x” book or take “y” weekend course, the world owes you a six figure salary and a roster of professional athletes.
One piece of advice I always give, and it’s an unpopular one is this…
“Spend – at MINIMUM – a year working in a commercial gym.”
I did this for the first FIVE years of my career and wouldn’t change a thing. Eric Cressey did the same thing. Mike Robertson too. Cassandra Forsythe, Dean Somerset, Jon Goodman, heck, I even think Mike Boyle has reminisced over long, arduous years as a commercial gym trainer as the cornerstone of his prominent career as a trainer and coach.
Many of the top names in the industry share the same common denominator: (former) commercial gym trainer.
For me it was the only way to marinate myself in misery.
It was hard getting up at 3:45 in the morning twice a week to open the gym at 5 am.
It was hard working at such a low salary and to try to make ends meet.
It was hard working long hours, holidays, and weekends.
It was hard to learn how to “temper” my coaching style to meet the needs of my various clients.
It was hard dealing with different personalities and learning how to motivate people.
It was hard. All of it.
Misery is a strong word to use in this scenario (really, I was just aiming for a good alliteration). However, it seems appropriate.
Those initial years helped make me resilient and prove to myself that I could “make it.”
Coaching people, in person, provided me with so many (life) skills that helped shape my career. Possessing the ability to break down someone’s squat and honing my scapular upward rotation assessment skills have proved invaluable.
But equally as invaluable has been the ability to hold a conversation and partake in small talk.
“Oh my god, YOU like Balrogs too? Did we just become BFFs?.”
Shit, get back in task Tony.
Focus, focus.
What the hell am I trying to say?
Get off Instagram?
No.
I am not here to rag on your desire to grow a brand on social media or to build an online business. Go for it. But both have a higher degree of actually happening if you concentrate on doing one thing; the thing many upcoming fitness pros fail to understand and respect.
Back pain can be tricky. First off, anyone who’s ever dealt with it (pretty much everyone) knows it’s no fun. Second, there’s no overwhelming agreement as to what actually causes it. One person says weak glutes, another says tight hip flexors or hamstrings, and yet another may point to a bad hair day (NOTE: read this footnote, it’s a doozy —>).8
Third, if the stock photo I chose is any indication, back pain can also put a real damper on what can only be described as an Old Spice or Abercrombie & Fitch ad shoot.
In my career as a personal trainer and strength coach I’ve worked with hundreds of athletes and clients battling low back pain. It comes with a territory as a fitness professional. I’ve tried my best to arm myself with the best skill-sets possible (within my scope of practice) to help my clients work through their low back shenanigans. I can assess – not diagnose – and try to come up with the best game plan possible to address things.
And, to be honest, addressing one’s lower back issues can be mind-numbingly simple.
In short:
“Find what movements hurt or exacerbate symptoms, don’t do those movements, and then find movements that allow for a degree of success or pain free training.”
I’d be remiss not to mention Dr. Stuart McGill’s work here. Not only is he one of the world’s Godfathers of spine research, but he’s also one of the world’s best mustache havers.
He’s co-authored hundreds of studies and written several books on the topic of low-back pain – with Ultimate Back Fitness & Performance (now in it’s 6th Edition) and Low Back Disorders being his flagship pieces of work.
Speaking of Ultimate Back Fitness & Performance, look who makes a cameo appearance on pg. 289 in the latest edition.
HINT: It’s a bald strength coach whose name rhymes with Macaroni Flentilzore
For the Record: TG Life Bucket List
Get to a point in my career where Dr. Stuart McGill not only knows who I am, but emails me out of the blue and asks permission to use a picture of me in his latest book update.
Appear in a Star Wars movie.
Become BFFs with Matt Damon
My bedtime becomes 8 pm.
I’d have to say, however, that his most “user friendly” book is Back Mechanic. In it, he breaks down his entire method for “fixing” low back pain covering everything from spinal hygiene, assessment, corrective exercise, and strength training.
I’m not going to belabor anything, you can purchase the book and peel back the onion on his protocols (seriously, the assessment portion is gold).
I’ve noticed a trend in recent years, though. Dr. McGill has done so much for the industry and his work is so ingrained in our thoughts as fitness professionals that I feel the whole idea of “avoiding spinal flexion (sometimes at all costs)” has bitten us in the ass.
Yes, avoiding spinal flexion is a thing, especially if someone is symptomatic and flexion intolerant.9. It’s that point, though, “avoiding spinal flexion” that has gotten the best of us for the past decade or so.
We’ve done such an immaculate job at coaching people to know what “spinal neutral is” via prone planks, side planks, and birddogs, and then used strength training to engrain that motor pattern, that (some, not all) people transitioned into more extension-based back pain because they lost their ability to move their spine into (pain free) flexion.
Dr. Ryan DeBell discussed this phenomenon recently where he discussed his own back pain history. He started as flexion intolerant, trained himself into “spinal neutral,” (which is what you should do), started to avoid all flexion like an episode of Emily in Paris, and after awhile, extension-based movements & positions started to hurt…because he was locked into extension.
As a corollary, I see this quite often myself: someone comes in to see me and both flexion and extension based movements hurt. It’s so frustrating for the person and I can understand why.
My job, then, as the coach is to garner confidence and self-efficacy with my client/athlete and work with him/her on what I know tends to work….find movements that do not hurt and work from there.
Dr. McGill has his own version of the “Big 3,” or his go to exercises when first starting with a low-back person:
The Curl-Up (I.e., not a sit-up)
Side Bridge or Plank
Birddog
Even when we master those movements, which are often very challenging for people when performed right, I’ll stick with them for a couple of weeks and just up the ante with appropriate progressions.
Lets take the birddog for example.
Birddog w/ RNT
The band adds an additional kinesthetic component where increased stiffness or engagement occurs in the anterior core and glutes. Truthfully, it’s not uncommon for me to START with this variation so the person can feel what their limbs are doing in space.
Birddog – Off Bench
Doing the birddog off the bench takes away a component of stability (feet off the floor) and forces people to slow the eff down and learn to control the movement. If they don’t, they fall of the bench. And I laugh.
Your Spine, Move It!
Going back to the assessment for a quick second, it’s not uncommon for me to assess someone and to find that their spine doesn’t move. Whether it’s because of a faulty pattern or they were coached to avoid flexion at all costs (even when asymptomatic) it’s as if their spine is Han Solo frozen in carbonite.
One screen I like to use is a the toe touch drill. When someone bends over to touch their toes there should be a consistent curvature/roundness of the spine. Often, what I’ll see is more of a “V” pattern where they’ll bend over, but instead of seeing a nice curve I’ll see their lower back stay flat throughout the movement; as in zero movement.
This can be just as detrimental as anything else. It may or may not be a root cause of their low-back pain, but I know it’s a red flag I’d like to address.
Segmental Cat-Cow
Below is a drill I’ve been using more and more with my low-back clients. We’re all familiar with the Cat-Cow exercise, where you round and arch your spine moving through a full-ROM.
Cool, great. The human body is great a compensating, and unless you have a keen eye for detail it’s easy to assume that if someone can round and arch their back they’re good to go. But
But are they? Often, if you SLOW PEOPLE DOWN it’ll become abundantly clear that they may move well in certain areas of their spine (thoracic), but not in others (often lumbar).
Coaching them through the movement – point by point, segmentally – is a fantastic way to hammer this point home and to help nudge them to move their spine in a slow and controlled fashion.
Give this one a try with some of your clients. COACH THEM. This drill doesn’t require more than two passes (up and down) per set, for a total of 3-4 sets. Helping them understand that they are allowed to move their spine – assuming it’s pain free – is a sure fire way to set them up for long-term healthy spine success.
Final Note (Because, #douchebagswillbedouchebags)
To appease the hoity toity internet warriors, couch coaches, and fitness influencers who have never coached an actual person (let alone a ham sandwich) out there. All of this DOES NOT insinuate that I am not ALSO using regular ol’ strength and conditioning to address things. All of the drills showcased above are just entry-level ideas or starting points.
I’m actually a massive fan of introducing unloaded rotational and/or spinal flexion/extension movements into the mix as well as loaded exercises such as Jefferson Curls to help build more resiliency within the spine and the musculature that supports it. In addition I’ll introduce things like tempo deadlift and squatting variations, various hip/low back dissociation exercises (I.e., other hinging alternatives), as well as a consortium of single leg exercises to help build overall strength.
As I always like to say…
You need to lift shit to fix shit.
It’s usually not a one or the other scenario. Both sides of the spectrum (motor control strategies and lifting heavy shit) need (and should) be considered.
What separates good gyms or trainers from the mediocre ones?
Some would make the case it’s a certain style of training, access to state-of-the-art equipment and amenities, the results their clients/athletes are able to achieve, or even their knowledge on topics like anatomy, assessment, program design, or, I don’t know, long division.
Don’t get me wrong: All of the above can help with separating yourself from the masses, but what really drives client loyalty (as well as woos new ones) isn’t the fancy equipment or the fact you’ve read Mel Siff’s Supertraining 47 times and can cite every page.10
No, what gives you the competitive edge is the culture you create.
How To Create a Winning Culture (<– Not An Exhaustive List, But You Should Continue Reading Anyways)
1. It Starts With You, Sherlock
Nothing wraps this message in a nice, neat, eloquent bow than something I read from Alwyn Cosgrove not long ago:
“A team that is tanking brings in a new coach and they totally turn things around.
A company like Apple, removes Steve Jobs, starts to take a nosedive, then brings back Steve Jobs as the leader and the company starts crushing it again.
Or alternatively, an assistant coach takes over a program when the head coach leaves, and even though that assistant is running the same system, that team never reaches the level of where they were before.
Why does this happen?
It all starts at the top.
It all starts with you.
It’s more than just the systems that were in place, it was the culture (or lack thereof) that was created.”
I think it’s safe to say everyone, at some point or another, has experienced the dichotomy between a good leader and a godawful one. It might be hard to put a finger on the exact characteristics that divide the two, but it stands to reason you know it when you see it.
Back in 1997 I earned a scholarship to play baseball at Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. I loved the the coach who recruited me to transfer there. During my recruiting visit he came across as someone who was a straight-shooter and someone who demanded (and received) the respect from his players.
I spent an entire weekend watching practices and hanging out on campus with guys from the team and there wasn’t one instance where they talked smacked behind the coach’s back.
They described him as someone who was strict, albeit fair, and as someone who stayed consistent with his expectations of everyone. He wasn’t someone who said one thing one day and did a complete 180 the next.
He exemplified leadership.
The guys enjoyed playing there and spoke highly of the program as a whole. And, as it happened, at the time, the team was coming off a successful 40-6 season and a Top 10 ranking in the Division II baseball polls.
Without going into too many details, I arrived in the Fall of 1997 and within a few months the coach who recruited me to come to Mercyhurst left to take over another program.
I was bummed and more than a bit agitated. But I was confident I had still made the right decision (Humblebrag: I turned down a full-ride at a Division I school to go there) and that the team would still be competitive moving forward.
I was wrong.
The coach who was subsequently brought in was the antithesis of leadership. A ham sandwich would have been a better leader.
He was nothing but a blowhard and an egregious asshat.
By the end of his first (and only) season at Mercyhurst he had burned a lot of bridges with the players and administration at the school, not least of which because it was discovered he had lied about his previous playing and coaching career.
Keep in mind: This was the pre-internet days so it was the Wild West of making shit up. I mean, I once struck out Ken Griffey Jr three times in one game and also made out with Rosario Dawson once.11
Anyways, as far as culture was concerned…the proof was in the numbers:
1997 Team: 40-6
1998 Team: 26-18.
Now, 1998 wasn’t a complete horror show of a season from a Win-Loss perspective (most teams would love to finish 8 games above .500)…but it was clear the vibe and culture of the program was tainted.
And, honestly, it was the first time I had personally witnessed how poor leadership bred a toxic environment.
Now, as a trainer or coach, think about how this parallels with gym environments you’ve been in? I’ve worked in places that gave zero thought or value in building great trainers, who gave two shits in providing any continuing education, and reneged on cultivating a winning culture, and it showed:
High turnover.
More concern over whether trainers hit quotas on packages sold rather or even how to hold a genuine conversation with potential clients.
General clusterfuckery.
Taking it a step further (and taking the corporateness out of the equation), what does it say about you as a fitness professional if you constantly show up late, you forget appointments, you aren’t prepared, and/or you show up dressed like a homeless pirate?
Leadership always and concretely starts at the top.
And, whether you work in a commercial gym or you’re your own boss, leadership and the culture you curate starts with you.
2. Stop Being a Cantankerous Curmudgeon
One of my favorite comedies of all-time is Grumpy Old Men.
In a nutshell the movie is based around two friends, John (Jack Lemmon) and Max (Walter Matthau), and their lifelong rivalry.
It’s filled with “old guy” cliches, humor, and amazing Burgess Meredith (of Rocky fame) quotes.
The movie’s theme often reminds me of the fitness industry today and how it’s rife with the same antics and toxic hostility.
We expect a lot from our athletes and clients. We want them to show up and give us their undivided attention and full effort. Moreover, in many ways, we aim for them to be more responsible and to take accountability for their actions…
…to be leaders in their own right.
Yet, we (the so-called integrity police) will hop on Twitter (er, excuse me “X”) the second Dieselchest2277 has the audacity to disagree with us on anything from squat technique to achilles tendinopathy protocols to best keto recipes that taste like sawdust.
It’s kinda hard to develop a civil culture, one that’s respectful of other’s backgrounds and experiences (and opinions), if you have the temperament of a twelve year old. Or, more to the point, a cantankerous old man.
Grow up.
Recognize that not everyone has to agree with you and that maybe, GASP, you may be wrong or out-dated in your line of thinking.
This epitomizes good leaders.
3. Be Human. Not Superhuman
Lastly, I’m a firm believer that people don’t respond well when we demand perfection from them.
It doesn’t bode well for culture and camaraderie when you’re an insufferable douchehole and expect all your athletes and clients to be Captain America 100% of the time.
It’s okay if they’re unable to nail that hip hinge on their first try.
It’s not the end of the world if they miss a lift. (but it also shouldn’t be happening on a consistent basis)
Eating carbs isn’t a punishable offense.
Part of building a winning culture, especially a winning gym culture, is encouraging PROGRESS not perfection.
What’s more, I think relatedness is an underrated component of building a winning culture. Part of the reason why I think some of my clients like training with me is because I’m just as excited to talk about deadlifts and scapular upward rotation as I am There Will Be Blood quotes.
Client: “So, after this set of incline presses what’s next?”
Talk about movies, gossip about the latest season of The Bachelorette, go crazy and listen to boybands radio.
Show your human side. Be authentic to who YOU are. Demonstrate you’re vulnerable and that sometimes you’re wrong, aren’t perfect, and don’t know all the answers. Your athletes and clients will love you for it.
That’s the key to a winning culture.
Come Listen to Me Talk in Person About This Stuff
I’m heading to Europe this fall to put on two separate in-person workshops:
1. Coaching Competency Workshop – Prishtina, Kosovo: Saturday, October 21st
This will be my first visit to Kosovo and I couldn’t be more excited. Topics covered in this event range from how I assess clients and go about writing (strength) programing for gen pop clients to how to work around common injuries and trouble-shooting common exercises like squats and deadlifts (of course).
For more info and to register please email my host Dr. Rita Parashumti at: [email protected].
2. Building the Complete Fitness Pro – London, UK: Saturday & Sunday, October 28th & 29th
Full details (including itinerary) can be checked out HERE.
(NOTE: Very limited early bird spots are available for this event, so if you’re even remotely interested pounce NOW)
But I had a real asshole moment recently, and I think it can serve as a teachable moment for many coaches and trainers out there who may be reading.
My abject assholiness affected me so much that it prompted me to go stand out on the ledge of a mountain, look out at nature, pontificate on my life, and ask someone to snap a picture of it.
That’s just a random picture I was hoping would add a sense of scope and grandeur to this post; some deeper meaning that would make all of you be like “whoa, Tony’s got something important and salient to write about today, I have to keep reading.”
NOTE: I was gonna photoshop an eagle on the shoulder or maybe a massive spaceship out in the horizon, but felt it would have been a bit of overkill.
Anyway, did it work?
You’re still reading so I’ve hooked you somehow…;o)
Fuck This Intro, Tony. How Were You An Asshole? For the Love of God Get to the Point.
I receive emails each week from people asking me random training questions or maybe to inquire about my services.
Here’s an email I opened a few days ago:
“I’m a 37 year old man looking to transform my body. I’ve done CrossFit, Orangetheory, paleo, Atkins, fat burners and had personal trainers throughout the years……….”
There was more to the email, but the rest of isn’t pertinent to what I want to talk about.
I read the first sentence and I have to be honest: I didn’t have enough eyes to roll.
I immediately became judgmental and couldn’t help but have the theme music from Jaws reverberate in my head.
Not because I wanted to eat him or anything. But because I’m always a bit leery and skeptical when the following scenario plays out:
Random person reaches out.
They ask for my help (which is always welcome and a massive compliment).
But not before detailing (s)he’s done everything – every diet, every workout program, every trainer at the local gym13, every supplement – with little to nothing to show for it.
In this particular instance I couldn’t help but wonder “why has this person been through so many trainers and has tried so many different things, yet is still stymied as to why they’re not getting results?”
What are they hoping I’ll do (or say) differently?
Generally when I see a laundry list of workout programs and diets staring me in the face I tend to question one’s ability to commit and stay consistent with something for longer than a week.
“I’ve been working out for a week and still don’t look like Henry Cavill. Pfffft, whatever. I’m out.”
Moreover, and this a comment from one of my followers on Twitter:
“I wonder what these people, deep down, really want. Are they genuinely searching, still hoping that you could provide the approach that will (finally) work, or they just want to add you to the long list of what did not work?”
It’s a legitimate question.
Half of me would like to sit here and say “yeah, I’m the shit. I’m a good coach and feel I can offer a bit more in way of experience and guidance. BICEPS!!!”
The other half of me is a bit more humble.
There are a plethora of other coaches and trainers who are equally as (if not more) qualified, and I doubt I’d say or do anything that drastically different than anyone else this person has worked with prior.
Many coaches can break down deadlift technique.
Many coaches can discuss simple nutritional strategies.
Many coaches are program writing ninjas.
Many coaches are equally as obsessed with 80’s cartoons.
It behooves any fitness professional to be competent in any of the above, and I do feel what separates the great ones from the subpar ones are their ability to deliver quality programing and coaching.
Maybe the gentlemen who sent me that email was cursed with a lineage of incompetent and lame trainers?
Maybe he’s the problem and is a serial program hopper and lacks discipline?
As it happens he and I came to the conclusion I wasn’t going to be a good fit anyway due to scheduling conflicts and availability.
But the interaction gave me pause.
I’m sure many of you reading have had a similar experience, a similar inner dialogue, and similar initial (irrational?) snap judgement of a potential client.
Here’s Something to Consider
Most people don’t really care if you’re able to write world class training programs, or if you’ve worked with numerous professional athletes and celebrities, or if you place a premium on continuing education, or that, I don’t know, you can make a killer Creme Brulee.
It’s great if or when they have access to a trainer/coach who can do all of the above and knows their ass from their acetabulum.
But do you want to know, above all else, what people REALLY want when they hire a personal trainer or coach?
The difference maker for most is the connection that’s cultivated with their coach. Knowing the x’s and o’s of program design and improving scapular upward rotation are grand skills to have. But can you find other ways, other than the nerdy fitness stuff, to tether a more meaningful connection with your clients?
Can you have a regular conversation with them?
Are you able to talk about things other than fitness? Books? Movies? Who’s gonna win Charity’s heart in the latest season of The Bachelorette?14
Do you know the name of their pet(s), or children, or spouse, or favorite He-Man character?
Do you take the time to stress simple gestures – greeting them by name when they walk in the door, sending out thank you notes for being awesome clients, sending a text to say “good job” after a killer workout – as a way to demonstrate you appreciate them and their support?
Do you have the skills necessary to build autonomy (give them more choice in their programming), competence (avoid making them feel inferior or like a failure when they train), and relatedness (helping them feel as if their part of a community)…all of which help foster increased compliance and motivation with exercise
Do you play sick 90’s hip hop beats when they workout?
There are a thousand other examples to consider here.
The point being: Rather than think the worst out of the gate and assume the person standing in front of me or at the end of an email is lazy, the better approach will always be to re-frame things and figure out how I can differentiate myself from the masses.
How can I help them gain traction?
The answer is rarely centered around my ability to write a training program that would be Mel Siff’s wet dream, or my ability to regale them with big words like reciprocal inhibition, gluconeogenesis, or vastus laterialis.
