Categoriespersonal training

Do You Need to Train People In-Person In Order to Write About Training People?

I’m not at the facility today.

As I tap these words on my keyboard I’m sitting in my apartment at the dining room table with the cat right beside me serving as a reliable writing companion. I’m sipping on some tea. I also have some ambient “chill” music playing in the background. And I may or may not be wearing pants.

I’ll leave that up to your imagination, you saucy minx!

Put another way, I’m not at “work” today. Truth be told: as of early September I’ve been staying home every Monday. And prior to that, for the past few years I’ve taken both Tuesday and Sunday off as well.

Yeah, I know….sweet schedule.

Don’t hate the player, hate the game.

My schedule hasn’t always been so open and friendly. When Eric (Cressey), Pete (Dupuis), and I first opened up Cressey Sports Performance back in the summer of 2007, all three of us worked six days a week, many times seven.

It was a grind; a necessary grind; a grind we happily accepted in lieu of the BIG PICTURE: To grow CSP into one of the best training facilities in North America.

I’d like to think we succeeded. gggggk9;;;;;’hhhhlllll[[[ (<— my cat just got up, walked across the keyboard and says hello).

As the years passed, we grew. In more ways than one.

The facility grew, of course. What started as a rundown 2600 sq. foot facility in the corner of an indoor batting facility grew to what is now a 15,000+ sq. foot facility.

Our personal and professional lives also grew. All three of us are now married (or about to be), in addition to starting our respective families. Pete has an 8-month old. Eric and Anna are expecting twins (TWINS!!) next month. And Lisa and I are, well, not quite there yet…..;o)

Professionally, Eric is juggling upteen million things at once. I’ve known him for over a decade, lived with him for two years, and even today I still wonder if he’s half-cyborg. The man is a machine.

Pete, Vice President and business manger, to his credit, is the unsung “rock” of CSP. There aren’t many small businesses – let alone in fitness – that can back up saying they’ve seen consistent and continued growth financially despite a less than consistent economy.

Tossing myself into the mix, I too have seen a growth professionally. When I first started out in this industry I would have slapped you in the face if you told me at some point down the road I’d be paid to write for some of the most well known fitness publications out there.

And I would have slapped you twice if you told me I’d get to the point where I’d be doing public speaking without hyperventilating into a brown paper bag (let alone people would pay to come see it).

As Larry David would say: things are pretty good.  Preeeeeeeety, preeeeeeeety good.

Bringing my thought process back to the point above, though (the part where I said I’m not at “work” today or tomorrow), I wanted to clarify and elaborate a bit.

I’m going to go back on Wednesday and inevitably someone’s going to say, “hey Tony your pecs are looking extra pecky today how were your days off?”

I’m not a douche. I’ll play along and say something like, “they were great! Thanks for asking.”

However, here’s what I actually did this morning. On my “day off.”

– Woke up at 5:3o.

– Made an epic omelet for breakfast and ate it while watching The Daily Show.

– Wrote the latest program for my Premium Workout Group on WeightTraining.com.

– Wrote five programs that were due today for athletes at CSP.

– Performed two separate phone interviews with other writers from WomensHealth.com on articles they’re  writing on box jumps and common core training mistakes.

– Answered emails from distance coaching clients. A lot of emails. It never ends.

– Washed some dishes.

– Wrote this blog post.

– And once I press send I’m heading over to Boston University Strength & Conditioning to get my lift on.

And then, this afternoon, I plan on hitting up my favorite coffee shop to catch up on some writing deadlines for T-Nation and MensHealth.com.

So, is it really a day off?

Granted I’m not physically at the facility coaching people (today), but I’m not sitting at home on the couch crushing Netflix either.

Which parlays into another discussion altogether, and something I brought up on Twitter yesterday:

This phenomenon happens more often than you’d think; people who write about fitness and write about how to train people, yet don’t train anyone in real life. Ever.

As one commenter noted yesterday:

“I wouldn’t want a surgeon that only played Operation.”

I may come across a bit jaded in saying this, but this is something that really irritates me at times. Grinds my gears if you will.

Don’t get me wrong: I think there’s a difference between someone who reports fitness and knows their limitations as opposed to someone who pawns him or herself off as a fitness authority and pretends they know what the hell they’re talking about.

As my good friend, Bryan Krahn, noted:

It’s my #1 pet peeve and you can spot it in their work/programming. AKA: The Fitness Expert.”

And my other good friend, Peak Performance NYC owner, Joe Dowdell, agrees:

“You can spot frauds a mile away from their unrealistic and/or poorly designed training programs.”

People who write about fitness and don’t actually train people (or worse, never perform their own programs) write garbage like this (which I saw recently on a popular site):

A1. Deadlifts 5×10
A2. Chin-Up 5×10

*** 60s rest in between sets.

This was an “advanced strength” program and there was more to it, but this was as far as I made it before my eyes started rolling to the back of my head.

A Few Thoughts

1. If “advanced strength” is the goal, why is it asking for sets of ten? I’d be inclined to keep total reps for each set under five. Three most likely.

2. Deadlifts are a very grip demanding exercise and pairing it with another grip demanding exercise like chin-ups makes no sense.

3. Know what else doesn’t make sense? Allotting 60 seconds of recovery between sets. Again, if strength is the goal, no one outside of Superman is going to recover remotely close enough between sets. And for 9 out of 10 people their last set is going to be significantly lower compared to the first.

Performance and technique are going to be compromised.

I’m half surprised the author didn’t give people a choice between “resting” or juggling a few chainsaws between sets. You know, to make it more hardcore.

The Point Is This

Speaking personally, I feel there’s a degree of integrity involved with fitness writing. Yes, there’s a minute case of the pot calling the tea kettle black here, as I am spending less time physically coaching people and more time at home writing. But I’ve also spent twelve years working 5-7 days per week, amassing thousands of client contact hours (<— don’t worry, in a non-creepy way) coaching people face to face.

I still spend 25+ hours a week coaching.

I’ve been fortunate enough to get to the point where I can spend less time at the facility if I choose to do so (which also means less commuting in my car, 40 minutes both ways), and I’m thankful for that. If I wanted to I could make my living doing nothing but writing, making fitness products, and uploading pics to LOLcats.

However it’s important to me – as someone who does write about fitness and how to train people – that I actually train people. It’s sounds silly, but I feel it gives me a bit more “street cred” compared to some (not all) fitness writers who don’t train anyone. And it certainly provides me more credibility than www.JackedGunzFatLossJedi.com. For the record. That’s not a real site. I think.

Taking this train of thought further, this also explains why I’ll promote internet programs like Eric Cressey’s High Performance Handbook, Bret Contreras’ 2×4 Program, John Romaniello’s Superhero Fat Loss, Molly Galbraith’s Modern Women’s Guide to Strength Training, or Neghar Fonooni’s Lean & Lovely program without blinking an eye.

BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY TRAIN PEOPLE!!!!!

To be clear…….

This DOES NOT imply that one MUST train people in order to be a fitness writer. I know many, many people whom I have a lot of respect for who consistently put out great content who don’t train anyone in person. More importantly, their clients get results (which at the end of the day counts for a lot).

UPDATE: another point to consider (as someone noted after I posted this on Facebook) is that just because someone does train people in person, doesn’t mean anything either.  There are plenty of trainers who train people in person and can create sweat, exhaustion, and a bucket of DOMS…and that’s about it. There’s very little progress or adaptation being made.

Plus, we live in an era where more and more people can work from home. It’s hard to fault anyone to jump on that train and to ride it for as long as possible.

But the ones I know don’t pretend to be someone they’re not. They don’t write about topics they have little experience with. They know their limitations and they seek out (and give credit) to others for help and insight. And THAT’s where the distinction lies.

Also

1. They don’t refer to themselves as a “fitness expert.”

2. And they sure as shit don’t write programs that make no sense.

3. I’m totally not wearing pants right now. I win!!!

CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise Exercise Technique Motivational personal training Rehab/Prehab Strength Training

A Response to Anyone Who Feels Deadlifts Are Destroying Everyone’s Spine

A HUGE thank-you to Bret Contreras for his contribution to this post. You’re my boy blue!

A little backstory.  A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away A few years ago – back in 2010 – I wrote a blog post in response to someone claiming that deadlifts were “one of the worst things you could do for your spine.”

The comment was made by a TA (Teacher’s Assistant, not to be mistaken for Total Asshat) in a University setting, and the student who overheard the comment reached out to me and asked for some commentary.

I happily obliged.

You can read the original post HERE.

Even though I wrote that blog coming up on four years now, it’s still one that gets a lot of “love” and frequent comments.

Today I want to share the latest comment (another deadlift detractor) that was posted up two days ago by a physical therapist (and I assume a pilates enthusiast based off some of her wordplay), as well as mine, and subsequently, Bret Contreras’s, response.

I understand that some people will think to themselves, “What’s the point? If someone who’s clearly educated and is a practicing therapist feels deadlifts are the worst thing since Hilter (my words, not the therapist’s), do you really feel writing a response will change their mind?”

It’s a valid question, but my response is simple.

These types of posts are important for other fitness professionals since they’ll undoubtedly hear these types of arguments over time and they need to know how to respond.

So to begin lets take a gander at the therapist’s comments. Again, it may help to read the original post HERE.

I’ll preface this by saying that, giving credit where credit’s due, she kept things “civil” and refrained from using ad hominem attacks, which was refreshing to say the least.

In addition, she used her REAL name in the comments section (Meggen Lowry.  I wasn’t going to include the name here, but since people can see it in the comments section anyways, why not?), which was a nice change of pace and sure beats hearing from the likes of PowderPuffPrincess or JackedGunz84.

In doing a quick Google search, Meggen’s a well educated professional who works with a very specific population (pre-natal/post-natal clients, as well as those in a rehabilitative setting), which is relevant and gives context into her point of view.

Anyways, lets get to the meat and potatoes!

Posted on TonyGentilcore.com 4/27/14:

1) Your attitude and arrogance makes for an unpleasant reading experience.

2) Pilates uses limb loading, and can create significant loads through your spine but tends to be done in better postures and positions that support the spine and reduce downwards strain on the pelvic floor. Try it. You might find it isn’t for wussies.

3) Osteogenesis (bone adaptation by means of increased bone laydown) in response to loading is not a phenomenon unknown to researchers and physical therapists.

4) The problem with ‘educators’ like yourself is that you use the collective terms “spine” and “back” when talking about individual components of those structures. Deadlifts do not strengthen your whole spine. They are not good for your back.

The erector spinae will be strengthened (and possibly injured) with a dead lift, nobody is denying that.

The vertebral bodies themselves will experience adaptation and increase in density also. The intervertebral discs, however, will suffer. Under such huge compressive forces the nucleus pulposis will be ‘squished’ backwards and the annular fibres of the posterior portion of the disc will tear under strain. Those discs are not replaceable….

5) Intra-abdominal pressure is far far greater with a deadlift than any other exercise you mentioned, and increases even more if the person holds their breath. Intra-abdominal pressures of that magnitude cause significant detrimental strain to the abdominal wall, predisposing it to herniation. Even worse, it causes even greater strain to the pelvic floor, stretching and weakening the pelvic floor muscles and predisposing them to urinary incontinence and prolapse.

Until you show me some research (preferably not 20-30 year old research) demonstrating intervertebral disc and pelvic floor adaptations to dead lifts, proving that the annular fibres of the discs are not broken under strain and the pelvic floor is not weakened and lowered, I’m still going to advise my clients against them.

WHEW! And there you have it.

I’ll admit it:  when I first read all of that the other day my first reaction was as follows:

LOL – Just kidding.  I’m not going to kill anyone.

I was a bit “miffed,” but I think that would be anyone’s reaction whenever someone questions your training philosophy and beliefs.  Strength coaches defend deadlifts; yoga instructors defend downward dog; pilates instructors defend reformers; bodybuilders defend fanny-packs and benching with their feet up. It’s just how the world revolves.

Even so, I was bit taken aback by some of Meggen’s comments.  Sure, she brought up some valid points (addressed below), but she also seemed, in my opinion, to have a very narrow-minded mentality – especially for someone who’s a physical therapist.

I mean, in checking the Mission Statement of the establishment where she’s employed you find the following text:

In addition to home visiting, we offer exercise classes carefully designed and delivered by physiotherapists for people whose bodies are vulnerable to pain and injury because we believe movement can be the best medicine if you perform exercise tailored to the shape you are in.

How can someone who’s company’s Mission Statement says “we believe movement is the best medicine if you perform exercise tailored to the shape your are in” completely disregard a basic, human movement pattern – the deadlift – and deem it and all its iterations “dangerous” or “risky” or gloss over them because of the potential for spinal stress?

That seems a bit harsh and shortsighted if you ask me.

Isn’t that the point of exercise – to stress the body, including the spine?

Any competent coach will assess his or her client/athlete, progress them accordingly – based off their training experience, injury history, etc – and provide the minimal essential strain to stress the body so that it will come back stronger.  It’s called adaptation!

In my experience, those who disregard certain exercises or movements and/or poo-poo them altogether typically (not always) are those who’ve never performed them themselves in the first place.

Calling a spade a spade, these are also the same people who have no idea how to coach said movement(s) well.  So, as a result, the exercise becomes too “risky” and everyone else who uses it is wrong.

Meanwhile if we were to take Meggen’s company’s Mission Statement and apply it to real life, we’d realize that the deadlift, like every exercise ever invented by human beings, can be regressed and tweaked to fit the abilities and needs of each individual.

Using a quick example: Look at me hinge from the hips, load my glutes, maintain tension in the upper back and lats, keep a “neutral” spine, and reduce “stress” on my spine below.

This is a deadlift, too.  Not all deadlifts have to be max effort, full-exertion, grind it out movements. And while it (should) go without saying:  a properly executed deadlift – done with a neutral spine – is a far cry from the eye sores you see a lot of trainees performing.

The two can’t and SHOULD NOT be lumped into the same category (which is what I feel many people, not just Meggen, are doing).

Okay, so lets break down Meggen’s comments. I’ll re-post her point-by-point breakdown below followed by my response (if I have one) and Bret’s.

1) Your attitude and arrogance makes for an unpleasant reading experience.

Tony:  You know what.  You’re right.  I re-read the post again and I can see how someone would come to that conclusion having never read any of my stuff before. I did come across as a bit of an a-hole, and I apologize for that.

Not that it’s a hard defense, but it was FOUR years ago that I wrote that post, and I’d like to think that I’ve grown as a person (and writer) since then.

Having said that, I “get” that my writing style isn’t for everyone. Touche.

Bret: As somebody who is very well-versed with industry leaders in strength & conditioning, I can say with confidence that Tony might be the most humble of the bunch. 

Tony’s Response to Bret’s Response:  Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

2) Pilates uses limb loading, and can create significant loads through your spine but tends to be done in better postures and positions that support the spine and reduce downwards strain on the pelvic floor. Try it. You might find it isn’t for wussies. 

Tony: And, Pilates should be held under the same microscope. Just like deadlifts, Pilates, too, can add undo strain or stress on the spine when done incorrectly.

Can you honestly sit there and tell me that performing hundreds of repetitions of any Pilates exercise – even if supported and done in alignment – won’t “stress” the spine?

I actually know quite a few Pilates instructors, most of which understand the importance to strength training, who recognize that it can hurt people when done incorrectly.

The key term you use is “better postures and positions,” which I assume means alignment.

YES!!!  Alignment is key.

This is something I discuss quite often. It makes no sense to debate over which comes first or should be prioritized – mobility or stability – if someone isn’t in (optimal) alignment.

Note:  it should be highlighted that there’s no such thing as true alignment or neutral or symmetry.  It doesn’t exist, because the human body – based off our anatomy – is designed to be asymmetrical.

I 100% agree with you on this point.  So, tell me again, if a deadlift is performed correctly, with a neutral spine, it places too much stress on the spine?

And, as far as your comment “Try it (Pilates). You may find it’s not for wussies.”  I did!  

You can read about it HERE.

Funny thing:  I like to try things that I write about.  In fairness, the Pilates post was written well after the post we’re all discussing here.  But still, I feel like I should get a gold star or something.

Which begs the question, Meggen:  what’s the parallel you’re trying to make between a modality which was originally designed to treat injured dancers and……deadlifts?

More specifically: deadlifts, when performed correctly and by healthy individuals with no contraindications?  Even more specifically:  deadlifts, which have been utilized by thousands of physical therapists (past and present) to help people get stronger and move more efficiently.

Also, when was the last time you performed or even coached a deadlift?  When was the last time you ever prepared an athlete for a long, competitive season?  When was the last time you coached ANYONE interested in performance?

I hate to break the news to you, but deadlifts are kind of important in this regard.

Context is important here.  I understand – and respect – the population you work with (pre and post natal women, and those in a rehabilitative setting), and deadlifts may not be a good fit for some of YOUR clients.  I doubt that’s the case entirely, but still…….you know your clients better than me.

There are ways to regress the deadlift and to teach someone how to groove a proper hip hinge pattern.  It takes coaching, it takes times, and it also takes not deeming an exercise too “risky” because you’re not familiar with it.

Like I said above, not all deadlifts have to be loaded with 400 lbs on the bar. You can’t equate all deadlifts as being equal. What I’d do for someone who’s in pain, de-conditioned, has little to no training experience has chronic back issues, and moves like the Tin Man is COMPLETELY different compared to someone who’s healthy and otherwise “good to go.”

Take THIS post I wrote not too long ago on how to groove the hip hinge.

Lets try not to toss the baby out with the bathwater.

Bret: Most strength coaches borrow from Yoga and Pilates and incorporate various drills into their warm-ups and corrective exercise regimes. We’ll use anything that’s effective, as S&C is all-encompassing.

The same cannot be said of trendy modalities that pick and choose what’s included and what’s excluded and fail to tailor programming to the goals and needs of the individual.

Pilates can definitely be progressive in nature and isn’t always “wussy,” but if maximum power, strength, or conditioning is the goal, then you’re going to have to jump, sprint, lift heavy, and move around more. 

3) Osteogenesis (bone adaptation by means of increased bone laydown) in response to loading is not a phenomenon unknown to researchers and physical therapists. 

Tony:  Cool, we’re on same page. 

Bret: Agree! Perhaps you’d be interested to know that the highest bone densities ever recorded are in powerlifters (see HERE and HERE), and that high load exercise is more effective than low load exercise in increasing bone density (see HERE). 

4) The problem with ‘educators’ like yourself is that you use the collective terms “spine” and “back” when talking about individual components of those structures. Deadlifts do not strengthen your whole spine. They are not good for your back.

The erector spinae will be strengthened (and possibly injured) with a dead lift, nobody is denying that. 

The vertebral bodies themselves will experience adaptation and increase in density also. The intervertebral discs, however, will suffer. Under such huge compressive forces the nucleus pulposis will be ‘squished’ backwards and the annular fibres of the posterior portion of the disc will tear under strain. Those discs are not replaceable….

Tony:  Again, I think you’re equating deadlifts done incorrectly (which if that is the case, I’ll agree with you 100%) with deadlifts that are progressed appropriately and with progressive overload in mind.  They are not the same.

And, not for nothing, a 1994 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that in a study of MRIs of 98 asymptomatic individuals, 82% of those MRIs came back as positive for a disc bulge, protrusion, or extrusion at one level.  And, 38% actually had these issues at more than one level.  You can read the free full text HERE.

I bring this up because, as this study shows, there’s a fair number of people walking around out there with disc bulges who are asymptomatic and show no signs of stress or pain.

What prevents (most) of them from reaching threshold is appropriate strength training, attention to tissue quality and movement impairments, and, yes, things like positional breathing and pelvic alignment (but that’s obvious, right?).

It’s not a death sentence, and we shouldn’t go out of our way to demonize certain exercises and to toss them aside because of personal ignorance.  

As fitness and health professionals we can’t place people in these “no stress” bubbles, cower in the corner every time we ask them to do anything challenging, and expect them to get better.

As noted earlier, any competent coach will assess their client, progress them accordingly, and provide a minimal essential strain to STRESS the body so that it comes back stronger. 

Using a population you (Meggen) may be more familiar with, HERE is an article I wrote about training women through their pregnancy.  These were HEALTHY women, with no major injuries and dysfunctions, and both of which had been training with me for a few years.

I’m not sure if you’ll read the post (don’t worry, I won’t be offended), but hopefully you won’t cringe at the thought that both women deadlifted throughout their entire pregnancies.

Here’s Whitney at 32 weeks:

Here’s Cara at 33 weeks:

NONE of these lifts were even close to what either woman could do when not pregnant. The objective was to maintain a movement pattern and training effect, do what felt comfortable, and prepare them for something a helluva lot more strenuous…..giving birth!!

In addition, because I had been training both women for two years, progressing them accordingly, I had full confidence that they would be able to deadlift up until “game time.”

And, as it happens, both had seamless births (coming from a guy, that seems a bit wonky as I recognize that giving birth is anything but “seamless”) with no complications or ramifications afterwards.  

It’s BECAUSE they strength trained (and yes, we did diaphragmatic breathing and tons of core work, too) that they were able to bounce back so quickly.  I believe both were back in the gym within a week after giving birth. 

Bret: Do you have any research to support your claim that deadlifting with a neutral posture leads to disc herniation?

I’m very well-versed in spine research, and I’m unaware of any such research.

I believe that with proper deadlifting, the erector spinae will be strengthened, the vertebrae will be strengthened, and the discs will be strengthened too, in concordance with Wolff’s law of bone and Davis’s law of soft tissue. 

Nevertheless, the spine is very good at handling compressive loads when in neutral postures, and shear loading is limited in neutral spine deadlifting as well. If you round your spine close to full flexion when deadlifting with heavy loading, then lumbar intervertebral discs can indeed herniate and ligaments can be damaged.

However, now we’re talking about a different exercise (roundback deadlifting, not neutral deadlifting). An exercise is judged based on how it’s supposed to be performed, not how jackasses screw it up.

We could also speculate about the effects of performing Pilates maneuvers with improper form, but this wouldn’t imply that the exercises should not be performed with proper form.

5) Intra-abdominal pressure is far far greater with a deadlift than any other exercise you mentioned, and increases even more if the person holds their breath. Intra-abdominal pressures of that magnitude cause significant detrimental strain to the abdominal wall, predisposing it to herniation.

Even worse, it causes even greater strain to the pelvic floor, stretching and weakening the pelvic floor muscles and predisposing them to urinary incontinence and prolapse.

Until you show me some research (preferably not 20-30 year old research) demonstrating intervertebral disc and pelvic floor adaptations to dead lifts, proving that the annular fibres of the discs are not broken under strain and the pelvic floor is not weakened and lowered, I’m still going to advise my clients against them.

Tony:  So 20-3o year old research, even if it’s applicable and still very much referenced by many other fitness professionals, isn’t relevant to the topic at hand?  Why not?  

Besides, good luck finding ANY research which states exercise doesn’t stress the spine. Walking stresses the spine.

Unless you tell someone to lie down their entire life, it’s impossible not to put the spine under some strain.

Research is more Bret’s wheelhouse, and I’m sure he’ll satiate your appetite for something more “up-to-date,” but it’s my hope that this conversation will help shed some light from our (mine and Bret’s) point of view.  Neither of us are therapists, nor claim to be. We don’t diagnose anything and we don’t “treat” our clients and athletes. That sort of stuff is reserved for the likes of you.

We do, however, both recognize the importance of bridging the gap between the strength and conditioning world and the physical therapy world.

Going out of your way to state deadlifts aren’t beneficial because of the “perceived stress” they cause not only widens that gap, but flies in the face of pretty much every physical therapist I’ve ever dealt with.

I don’t expect this to alter your mindset, and I am in no way stating that I’m completely correct and without my own biases, but I hope it challenges you to think a little more outside the box.

Bret: If you’re going to deadlift, you better hold your breath until you pass the sticking region.

Failing to do so would reduce IAP and therefore reduce spinal stability, which could compromise spinal posture and lead to injury.

I agree that IAP will be extremely high during deadlifting. However, strength coaches first introduce deadlifting to clients with light loads, ensuring proper mechanics.

Each week, loads are increased so that the body has the ability to build up in strength. This is the essence of progressive resistance training. We also program multiple exercises that will further strengthen the abdominals, the erectors, and the glutes, which will further help prevent injury. 

I’m aware of no research showing that deadlifts lead to increased incidents of hernias.

You can speculate that deadlifters might be at greater risk for experiencing hernias, but the role of exercise and occupational lifting on hernia risk has been debated, with both sides providing great arguments (see HERE for references).  In my experience as a personal trainer for well over 15 years, I would say that proper deadlifting does not significantly increase hernia injury risk. 

When you deadlift, the muscles of the TVA, multifidus, diaphragm, and pelvic floor (sometimes referred to as “inner core unit” muscles) contract to produce IAP. Essentially, a pressurized cylinder is formulated via contraction of each of these muscles (a few more assist, but this is beyond the scope of this article).

The pelvic floor muscles draw upward and inward, which increases the IAP and stabilization. As you can see, the pelvic floor muscles will be strengthened and not stretched out.

Women tend to notice improvements in incontinence after learning proper resistance training, including deadlifts.

If their pelvic floor muscles draw outwards, then they are exhibiting a dysfunctional pattern and need to be taught proper pelvic floor biomechanics.

Research shows that 78% of women who exhibit flawed pelvic floor mechanics can properly contract the pelvic floor muscles after basic instruction (click HERE for an article on this topic).

Women who properly contract their pelvic floor musculature will properly stabilize during deadlifts, Pilates, and other exercise. Women who don’t will improperly stabilize during deadlifts, Pilates, and other exercise. The IAP doesn’t blow the pelvic floor outwards during the deadlift like you propose, nor does it force the diaphragm upwards. Rather, it’s the proper mechanics of the core muscles that creates the high IAP. 

 

In summary, you have failed to issue an evidence-based response, and I believe that your unfamiliarity with the deadlift exercise is biasing your beliefs.

Just as you recommended that Tony give Pilates a try (Note from Tony:  I did! See above), I recommend that you start learning about deadlifts and experimenting with them in the gym.

From the various hip hinging drills, to single leg RDLs, to partial deadlifts such as rack pulls and block pulls, to full range deadlifts such as conventional, sumo, and trap bar deadlifts, to various variations such as Romanian deadlifts, stiff leg deadlifts, and snatch grip deadlifts. 

Since you’re making the claims that proper deadlifts damage discs, abdominal walls, and pelvic floors, the burden of proof is on you.

You can speculate all you want, but bear in mind that if this were true, all powerlifters would have wrecked spines, hernias, and incontinence. This isn’t the case at all; quite the opposite. But they’re loading the spine to the maximal limit.

Research shows that there’s a u-shaped curve with regards to low back pain and exercise. Sedentary folks and individuals who perform strenuous exercise have increased pathology and low back pain, whereas those in the middle are more healthy and comfortable (see HERE and HERE).

Therefore, a few days of strength training per week utilizing basic strength training exercises such as squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts, planks, push-ups, and rows will generally improve back health and structural integrity. 

CategoriesMotivational personal training

An Open Letter to (New) Fitness Professionals

I know for some this may come across as nothing more than me playing the role of some ornery old man yelling at you to get off his damn lawn.

And it some ways, you’re correct.

I like to think, though, that after 12 years of doing what I do, logging thousands of coaching hours, writing for various fitness publications, speaking all over North America (but going global later this year!), and helping to run a thriving training facility, that I may know a thing or two about what it takes to become “successful” in this industry.

I’ve noticed a trend of other people tossing up their two-cents up on the interwebz lately, giving their sage advice to upcoming trainers and coaches, and I figured I’d take the opportunity to toss my hat into the circle too.

– Try to get eight to nine hours of sleep every night (good luck doing this if you’re an entrepreneur).

– Don’t be an asshole.

And there you go. Follow those two rules and you’re golden.  You’re welcome.

Okay, I’m kidding…..but in some ways I’m not.  Consistent, quality sleep is HUGE. And I try my best not to be an asshole in everyday life – I don’t flip out and get all “road ragey” if someone doesn’t move their car within 1/100th of second of a light turning green, I pay my taxes, I hold the door open for people, and I always make sure to put the toilet seat down.

It seems to be working well.

In all seriousness, what follows (in no particular order) are a few off-the-cuff remarks and insights that, in my experience, many upcoming personal trainers and strength coaches should follow or adopt.

Lets just address the “well, duh!”one’s first:  be punctual and show up on time, dress like a professional (trust me:  no one is impressed by your tribal tattoo on your upper arm. Stop wearing cut-off shirts to train clients), smile, wear deodorant (smelly), don’t be a Creepy McCreepypants and be all “touchy feely” with your female clients only to ignore your male clients, write PROGRAMS not workouts, be attentive, shakes are one thing, but don’t eat a meal while training a client, and would it kill you to call you mom every now and again?

1.  Understand That You’re Going to Suck At First.  Like, A lot

When I graduated college and started my internship (and subsequent first job), I thought I knew everything there was to know about training people.

I read all the books I was told to read, wrote all the papers I was told to write, took all the tests I was told to take, and graduated Magna Cum Laude, thank you very much.

Besides I had been lifting weights since I was 13, played four years of college baseball, and had a six pack.  Come on…..I got this!

I was one cool cat.

That is until I had a real, live person plopped down in front of me and was told to take her through an assessment and write a program.

[Cue crickets chirping]

I panicked.  I fumbled over my words.  I had sweaty palms.  I was a mess.

Thankfully I got through the session in one piece and didn’t set the clients hair on fire or anything.  It was then, at the tail end of that first session, when I knew I didn’t know jack shit.

In some ways, twelve years later, I feel I still don’t.

I am grateful for my undergraduate experience, as I’m sure many of you are. That said: no book or paper or lecture or test prepares you for what happens in REAL life.

I embraced my suckage and took it upon myself to grow each day, week, month, and year.

Experience and DOING IT is the best way to learn and get better.  And that comes with time.

Likewise, speaking for myself: I made a concerted effort to read everything (ie” not textbooks) I could get my hands on (articles, websites, blogs), attended seminars, and started to develop my own network of other fitness professionals.

I didn’t do it alone.  I sought out help!

You’re going to suck at first.  How and how fast you improve is up to you.

2.  Placing Too Much Precedence on Letters Over Experience

We’ve all seen it before: Someone hands you their card and they have the entire alphabet following their name.

Joe Schmo, MS, CPT, CSCS, USAW, AT, CrossFit – Level II, World of WarCraft (Honorable Kills: 47+)

In addition, these are also the same people who hand you their resume and list every seminar they’ve attended since 2006.

I’m not knocking this, especially considering what I mentioned above.

But it’s a dangerous precedent when someone becomes more infatuated with adding letters next to their name than they are in actually coaching people.

In the grand scheme of things, letters don’t really mean anything.

Collect those letters, if that’s important to you……..but don’t downplay the important of experience.

 

3.  You’re Not Going to Train Professional Athletes on Day One

I can’t tell you how many guys and girls enter the industry under the impression they’ll be training professional athletes on their first day, as if some head strength coach is going to casually hand over a million dollar arm to a newbie with no experience and who got a C- in Exercise Physiology.

Um, no.  It’s not gonna happen. You’re more likely to look out your window right now and see a Centaur fighting a T-Rex.

I don’t know why this is the case, but many incoming trainers and coaches throw their noses in the air at the thought of training “regular” people. As if it’s beneath them.

Let me tell you a cold, hard, FACT:  those “regular” people help pay the bills.  And, as Pete Dupuis, fellow Co-Founder and Business Manager of Cressey Performance wrote in THIS excellent post, they’re often the most rewarding people to train.

Besides, there aren’t many people who “make it” training professional athletes alone.

4. Not Having a Website

It’s today’s digital age, you’d be crazy not to have a website or “home-base” to direct people to who want to seek out your services.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy – especially in the beginning – but it should have a Bio, Services Offered, Testimonials, and if you have it, a Media Page highlighting any local or national exposure you’ve received (articles written or appeared in, Podcasts, etc).

You can easily set one up for FREE.  I’d suggest going through WordPress.

As an aside, a website could also serve as another source of revenue stream.  Listen, no one enters a “service industry” and expects to be making a six-figure salary. It rarely happens.

That said, running a popular and successful website can morph into a decent passive revenue stream if done correctly. It often takes YEARS to happen, but things like affiliate sales, distance coaching services, as well as writing and speaking opportunities can manifest over time.

We’re getting a little a head of ourselves, though. The objective of a website is to pimp and to give people easy access to YOU and what you’re all about.

5.  Stop Making Things So Damn Complicated

During my commercial gym training years I used to chuckle at some of things I’d see. Watching some of the other trainers train their clients would oftentimes be more entertaining than going to a matinee at the local theater.

I’d see 45 year old women jumping back and forth on BOSU balls, guys bench pressing with chains (with ONLY chains), and many, many, MANY other comical things under the supervision of a trainer.

I don’t fault some trainers for doing this.  When you’re part of an establishment with 70 other trainers, anything you can do to garner attention and separate yourself from the masses is going to enter the equation.

I’d argue, though, that the BEST thing to develop more leads and to gain more business is to get people RESULTS!

Even back in the day, my mantra was to get my clients really, really good at squatting, deadlifting, push-ups, rows, chin-ups, single leg work, and carries.

Of course, much of this assumes you know how to COACH these things well, which is an entire different discussion altogether.

Even so, stop making things so complicated! Focus on the basics, get your clients really good at doing the basics, and I PROMISE you’ll have all the business you’d ever want.

6. Not Walking the Walk

One of my biggest pet peeves when I worked in the commercial gym setting was listening to some (key word: some) brag about how hammered they got the night prior.  Mind you, these conversations were going on right before meeting up with clients.  Worse, they’d be conversations WITH clients.

I never quite understood this.

What kind of message does this send to the client?

“I know you’re paying me upwards of $70, $80, $100+ per session to help get you healthier, but before we do that let me tell you all about how I couldn’t walk up the stairs to my apartment last night!”

Similarly, on several occasions I’ve heard stories of how some trainers and coaches don’t even train themselves!

This is absurd.

Would you hire a lawyer who didn’t pass the Bar Exam?  Would you take advice from a financial planner who declared bankruptcy?

I know this will come across as harsh, but if you’re a trainer or coach……fucking lift some weights!!!

I’m not one of those people who feels one has to LOOK the part (although, it definitely helps), as there are a plethora of guys and girls out there with impressive physiques who are about as intelligent as a ham sandwich.  At the very least you should be practicing what you preach.

You should be exercising – especially if you’re paid to show other people how to do it.

Categoriespersonal training Program Design

The Concentric-Only Deload

Today’s guest post comes from Dallas based personal trainer, and frequent regular/commenter on this site, Shane “The Balance Guy” McLean.

He covers a topic that I feel many people recognize, but don’t necessarily understand: the deload.

There are a million and one different ways to approach the deload – reduced volume, reduced axial loading, nixing compound movements for more traditional isolation work, placing more emphasis on “fun stuff” like biking, hiking,or recreational sports for a week, actually taking time off and resting, and/or walking underneath a rainbow to name a few. 

Shane discusses one way which many trainees and coaches tend to overlook or dismiss altogether: concentric only training.

I hope you enjoy it!

How many times has your body been beaten up by squats, bench presses and chin ups? For most of us, getting after it and ignoring discomfort is a way of life.

That’s because you love it.

Against your better judgment you arrive at the gym, walk up the stairs and Ohhh….. My…….. God your legs are screaming at you due to the tough workout you crushed yesterday.

You contemplate walking right back down those stairs and finding a nice safe corner to weep in. Most serious exercisers have had these moments from time to time.

But wait, hang on and get out of that corner. Haven’t you heard about deload training?

Deload training involves taking a week off or reducing your sets and reps for a week while maintaining the same intensity before moving into your next training phase.

My take on deloading is little different, however. Let me explain.

When lifting weights, we typically use three types of muscle contractions: concentric, eccentric and isometric.

Isometric muscle contractions are when the muscles produce force but there is no change in the length of the contracting muscle. Think of this like a tug of war between opposing muscles. Examples of this are front planks and side planks.

Isometric exercises are great for reducing age-related muscle losses after a period of inactivity and when joint movements are painful. These types of exercises are useful in a rehab/physical therapy setting.

Plus, when planks are done right they provide for an awesome midsection.

Isometrics are also used in the strength world to overcome sticking points in the major lifts. For instance using a press against pins at a sticking point in your bench press. This isometric move can be performed for several seconds to overcome a weakness at a particular joint angle.

When we eliminate weak points, you can bust through plateaus and gain more strength.

However, isometric exercises can cause higher than normal blood pressure spikes. If you suffer from high blood pressure, these are a no-no. Furthermore, due to no muscle movement, isometrics doesn’t strengthen the muscle through its entire range of motion.

Isometrics has its place, just not for deload purposes.

Eccentric contractions involve the muscle lengthening while under tension due to an opposing force (gravity or added resistance) being greater than the force generated by the muscle. Think lowering down from a chin up/squat (slow eccentric) or the preparation for a plyometric movement like power push-ups or squat jumps (fast eccentric).

As fewer motor units (functional unit of muscle contraction) of the muscle contract during the eccentric phase, the muscle can generate 1.3 times more tension than the concentric (lifting) phase.

This increase in tension leads to our size and strength gains when the weight is lowered under control and through a full range of motion. Eccentric contractions are essential for your awesomeness.

Just don’t tell the guy who’s half-assing squats at your gym.

The drawback for lifters is that eccentric contractions can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness (pain you feel 24-48 hours after tough training), muscle swelling and decreased range of motion.

[Histochem Cell Biol. 2002 Jul;118(1):29-34. Epub 2002 Jun 18.

Eccentric contractions leading to DOMS do not cause loss of desmin nor fibre necrosis in human muscle.

Yu JG1, Malm C, Thornell LE.]

If you’ve ever had trouble using the bathroom or walking up stairs after leg day, you can relate.

Last but not least, there are concentric contractions. Concentric contractions happen when force generated by the working muscles overcomes the resistance, and the muscle shortens.  Think of pushing the bar away from your chest or flexing your biceps hard while doing curls.

Like eccentric contractions, concentric contractions are essential for increasing your muscle capacity and mass.

Here’s the kicker. Using just concentric contractions can help lessen the pain of muscle soreness caused by DOMS, as pointed out by a 2006 study in, “Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism.”

Now imagine for a moment exercising while minimizing your eccentric contractions. Presto, you have the perfect deload training.

My version of deload training can be plugged in between training phases as recovery, as a one-off training or when you want to add variety to your current routine.

Deload training recommendations

1.        Most concentric dominant moves are not overly technical, but you must have mastered the basics of pushing, pulling, hinging and squatting.

2.        Choose moves with little or no eccentric movement, such as plate pushes, sled/ prowler pushes, step ups, medicine ball throws, kettle bell swings and resistance band exercises like chest presses and rows.

3.        The repetitions should be in the 8-12 range. When done for time, do 20-30 seconds of maximum effort.

4.        As a guideline, keep the rest periods between exercises and circuits to 60- 90 seconds. If you need more rest, take it.

Here is my one of my favorites.  Complete this as a circuit for a total of 3-4 circuits.

Let the fun begin.

1. Medicine ball squat toss, 8-10 reps

Cues- Use proper squat from.  Release ball quickly. Imagine the ball is a hot potato.

2. Overhead medicine ball throws, 8- 10 reps

Cues- Strong step forward and when releasing the ball, encourage yourself to “spread your fingers apart’ on release.

3. Kettle bell swings, 30 seconds

Cues- On the down swing the wrists must “smack” the inner thighs. On the upswing squeeze the butt and take a sharp breath out. Tell yourself to “squeeze and breathe”. My favorite cue of all time.

4. Power resistance band rows

Cues- Quarter squat position, stand tall and squeeze the butt. Use a quick pull. Elbows don’t travel past the torso.

5. Plate push

Cues- Push away from the floor. Tell yourself you’re running on hot coals.

When using this instead of your usual deload/recovery, do this no more than 3 times per week.

When plugging this in for fun or to aid with delayed onset muscle soreness, just do one time.

Your body will thank you.

About the Author

Shane McLean is a Dallas based personal trainer and is also known as The Balance Guy.

You can also follow him on Twitter HERE.

Categoriespersonal training Program Design Strength Training

“How Much Weight Should I Use?”

Do any of you have a question or statement that, when blurted out, automatically sets off your inner Jaws theme music playlist?

For guys it could be something like, “hey, wanna go see the latest Julia Roberts movie?” or worse your girlfriend comes home and says, “I know what we could do tonight instead of watching Game of Thrones. Lets talk about our feelings!”

For the ladies some prime examples could be “babe, do you mind if the guys come over to play some cards?” or “was that good for you?”

There’s no right or wrong answer here.  We’re all human. It’s in our nature to get annoyed on occasion.

I hate to say it, but for me there’s one question that sometimes (not always) sets me over the ledge.

“Tony, how much weight should I use?”

I feel guilty because it’s a question, especially for those who aren’t seasoned veterans in the weight room, is applicable and is a reasonable one to ask. Moreover, as a strength coach it’s my job to guide people and point them in the right direction.

Sometimes I have to fight back the urge to say something along the lines of, “if you can do more reps than what’s called for, it’s too light.  If you can’t, take some weight off.”

But then I’d just be an a-hole.

On the flip side, I do feel that people – trainers and coaches included – tend to make things waaaaaaay more complicated than they have to be.  This isn’t a question that should involve some advance algorithm or a degree from NASA.

In my latest article for BodyBuilding.com I try my best to break things down and explain how I approach the “how much weight should I use” conundrum.

Click Me <—– But Gently, I Did Legs Yesterday.

CategoriesMotivational personal training

Finding Your Niche as a Trainer or Coach

Not to rub it in or anything, but as I type these words I’m sitting poolside here in the Dominican Republic.

I’m on vacation!!!!

And while yes, I snaked away for a little bit to hop on the internet for a few minutes…….it’s all good, because Lisa is currently enjoying a cocktail…..;o)

We arrived here this past Saturday afternoon, and since then it’s been nothing but beach, pool, naps, and lots of delicious local delicacies (that is: if you consider an all-you-can-eat-ice-cream-buffet a delicacy.)  Holla!

It’s been an amazing trip so far. Every morning Lisa and I have been getting up early to move around a little – this morning it was sprints on the beach (the old men walking around in their Speedos were big fans of Lisa) – and the rest of our days are spent doing whatever the heck we want.  Hitting up the buffet, going for walks, reading on the beach or poolside, and people watching.  OMG – the people watching is EPIC.

Life is hard.

Nevertheless, I planned a head beforehand, and made sure I was still going to be able to provide some content while I was away.  Ie:  I bribed a few friends to fill in while I was away…..

Today I have a guest post Michael Anderson.

Enjoy!

I know that this post won’t apply to everyone who reads Tony’s blog, and that’s ok.

I know there are a TON of trainers and coaches (both new and seasoned) who read this blog for insight into training, exercise and maybe one of roughly seven million adorable picture of Dagny sleeping that Tony has saved on his computer.

Note from TG:  Well, since you asked……..

My topic today is going to be aimed at those new fitness professionals; I want to talk a little bit about how to “find your way” in this crazy world we call Fitness.

I found this industry a little bit late; I went back to school for Exercise and Health Science at 25 and just knew that I wanted to work with pro athletes.

I couldn’t see myself doing anything besides working with the Celtics and training Paul Pierce. Then, I moved on to thinking that the University setting was where I wanted to be; there’d be nothing cooler than being in a college weight room all day.

I’ve worked with athletes at every level (Olympic -> little kids) as well as every variety of general population client in multiple settings (even a gasp CrossFit gym), so I think I’ve developed some insights that will help you out.

Professional Sports

This is where everyone thinks they want to go, which is why it kind of sucks. You’ve got a thousand people applying for the same assistant strength coach job with a pro team, so they will take whoever is willing to work for the least amount of money.

 

If you’re actually able to get that job, you’re following whatever program the head coach is writing or you’re over-seeing the veterans while they do what they “know” is best for them after years of weight training.

Head coach jobs don’t open up very often, so you end up being an assistant or associate coach for a long time.

On the awesome side, you’re working with the best of the best. You get to see how elite athletes train and how they move on a daily basis. Watching this sort of thing gives you an amazing insight into what great movement looks like and what sort of training works with athletes of this caliber.

I’ve been consistently surprised at what athletes of this caliber are actually doing (right or wrong) in the weight room.

College Athletics

I spent a year at Boston University Strength and Conditioning, and loved it.

I got to be around high level athletes on a daily basis and worked with a really strong group of coaches. The athletes we had there didn’t have the entitled sense of “I’ve made it”, even the Olympians we had in the gym.

These are athletes who come in to work hard and understand what strength and conditioning can bring them.

You also have a ton of “touches” with athletes so you have space to experiment and see what works with different athletes at different times of the year; some of the coolest new research comes from college strength and conditioning.

The downside is the amount of red tape you deal with in the college setting (rules, regulations, sport coaches, sports med, blah blah) and the limited amount of time you actually end up seeing these athletes in the weight room.  Like pro sports, the money isn’t fantastic because everyone wants to work there, and the room for growth can be limited because people don’t vacate their jobs very often.

High School Sports

This can be a really cool position to hold, but tough to find.

There’s not a ton of money in most high schools, so you have to tailor your search. A lot of high schools don’t even have real weight rooms, so finding a job is tough. The ones that do, though, can be really rewarding and fun places to work.

My buddy went to a local private school with one of the best-equipped weight rooms anyone has ever seen, with a powerlifting team and a coach who uses the Westside Barbell system with fantastic success.

For most people this wouldn’t constitute a full-time job, but would make a great addition another coaching/training position. One of the downsides is that you get high school athletes and end up spending a lot of time teaching the basics over and over, and all the athletes end up leaving you before you get to see them at their best.

Private Facility

I currently work in a private training facility (THIS ONE) and it’s pretty cool.

We work primarily with post grad (prep year) and high school athletes and see a lot of regional kids after school.

Being in a private facility allows you to do whatever kind of training you want with the athletes and you don’t have to adhere to the rules/regulations of a college or a pro team. It also allows you to reach a broader range of people then you do in any other setting; you can get pro athletes, semi-pro, recreational, high school and just normal general population people all training together under one roof.

The downside, as the CP guys would attest to, is that it is a business at the end of the day.

You have to be sure enough that you’re as good as you say you are and then worry about where to get the clients from.

To open a private facility takes time, patience and money. Getting a job in one means you have to be really good. These places run off of their reputation and tend to hire very carefully. If you get to work at a good one, chances are high that you’ll get to see/work with some pretty high level athletes.

CrossFit Gym

Yeah, I’m including this too. Deal with it.

One of my best friends runs a CrossFit gym and I’ve coached some classes for him and loved it.

I wrote a blog post (HERE) on my own site about the direction that I feel CrossFit is headed.

While there are still very “CrossFit-y” gyms out there, there are quite a few headed in a much more traditional strength and conditioning direction.

Working in the right CrossFit gym is sort of a “best of both worlds” scenario: you get access to all of the fun toys that hardcore strength gyms have, but you get to work with gen pop clients that will be really grateful for the help you’re giving them.

When you’re doing this day in and day out for years, you come to really appreciate what it means to change someone’s life and have them be grateful for it. One of the other good things is that CF gyms tend to pay full-time coaches a little bit better than other gyms do.

The downside is that the market is so saturated that it’s tough to separate yourself from the herd; which is something I think will change soon. You also can’t stray too far from the CrossFit brand because that is what will bring people into the door in the first place. But if you know a CrossFit gym with good programming and coaches that you trust, it’s a pretty cool place to work.

Commercial Gyms

We have all done it.

Regular ol’ gyms are where you need to cut your teeth a little bit in this industry.

I personally learned a TON about myself, my style of training and how to get people to understand what they need to do to achieve their goals.

You can talk at someone till Tony pulls 600, but if you can’t make them understand then it’s not worth squat.

It can either suck or be awesome, depending on the gym that you’re in. It’s become more and more common to have big commercial gyms that have a room full of fun toys, but still have stairmasters and arc trainers out front.

In a facility like this, I could have a solid little career.

In a place where you’re not allowed to deadlift or make noise or have fun, it’s a little bit tougher.

At the end of the day, being in a place like this comes down to who your co-workers are and whom you’re training. I was lucky during my commercial gym career: I had some amazing co-workers and I trained some really fantastic people with whom I had great success. Don’t count out commercial gyms, there are some good ones out there.

Conclusion

There’s no perfect situation for anybody, that’s why we have all these options. In my humble opinion, I’d say that the most important factors you should consider when finding your place in this industry is your co-workers and clients.

Don’t ever catch yourself thinking that you’re “too good” to work with normal Joes or that it’s beneath you or you’ll spend a lot of time trying to get somewhere that you might not even like.

Have a great day and go lift some heavy shit!

Author’s Bio

I was an asshat and forgot to ask Mike to send his updated bio.  Until he does you can reach him with any questions, comments or notes of affection at [email protected]. You can also visit his website:  http://commercialgymtrainer.blogspot.com/

CategoriesMotivational personal training

Beyond the Clipboard: 4 Keys to Surviving as a Trainer

A short while ago I was asked by the higher ups at BodyBuilding.com if I’d be interested in writing a piece geared towards personal trainers.  In their words:

“We really want to see a piece targeted toward personal trainers that teaches coaches to coach. It can be based on tips to run a successful personal training business and what it takes to build a name for yourself. The personal training world is full of hacks and posers, but guys like you, who know what the hell you’re doing, can formulate a playbook to dominate the business.

It would be very interesting, to say the least.”

I wrote the article and submitted it to “my guy” with a side note which said, “I kinda went off.  I hope you can still use it.” It was one of those rare instances where, once I sat down to write, the words just spilled out and my keyboard took a beating. And, well, I don’t really remember much after that – I think I blacked out.

In any case, they did end up using it and below is the intro with a link to the rest of the article.

As always, I’d greatly appreciate any social media love you can offer.  Share it, Like it, Tweet it, Twerk it….do whatever.

Thanks!

I recently heard an ad on sports talk radio in Boston, that proclaimed the need for qualified personal trainers is at an all-time high (Thanks type II diabetes and trans fat!). The spot ended with this bombshell: “Certified personal trainers who get X certification, on average, earn a six-figure salary within …” I can’t remember how it ended because I was trying to avoid wrapping my car around a telephone pole from laughing so hard.

I don’t doubt that personal training is one of the fastest-growing professions. It’s simple enough to see why: People go to college, get an expensive degree, and then discover there are no jobs in their field. Many then opt to become a personal trainer because they like to lift and there are few roadblocks to halt their newfound passion.

Continue Reading….