CategoriesMotivational

Personal Training/Coaching/Writing: Why You’re Not That Special

Sorry for the slight gap in between posts from last week to today.  While I’d like to sit here and say something honorary like I decided to prep my food for the week, or I don’t know, I spent my Friday morning reading scripture to orphans, what I really ended up doing was making the mistake of watching my very first episode of The Walking Dead.

What started as “oh, I’ll just check out one episode, and then get some work done,” turned into a Walking Dead marathon where I had season one completed by Saturday afternoon, and I’m already 3/4 of the way through season two as I type this.

How did I not start watching this show sooner??????  I mean, what’s not to like about it?  It’s zombies for crying out loud!  Zombies walking. Zombies running. Zombies attacking. Zombies getting shot.  Zombies getting a pitchfork thrown through their eyeball.

I can’t tell you how many times I’d be sitting there watching, and out of no where I’d yell “ohhhhhhhhhh snap. Lisa?  LISA???????  You HAVE to see this!!!!

As you might expect, she’s just ecstatic that I’m obsessed with this show at the moment (slight sense of sarcasm there).

But enough of that. My goal today wasn’t to sit here and type away on why zombies are the awesome. Although, lets be honest: that would make for an entertaining post.

Instead I want to exercise a massive brain dump on a topic that comes up every so often (maybe once every week or so), and something I’ve let marinate for quite some time.

I receive a fair number of emails on a daily basis from people asking questions ranging from why their [insert body part here] hurts to programming questions to my opinion on certain fitness related books and DVDs

And everything in between.

Too, I also receive a fair number of emails from people asking me for career advice.  Specifically I’ll get emails that sound similar to this (Cliff Notes version):

Tony,

How did you get to where you are today?  I’m a new trainer and I’d really like to get my name out there more. How do I get more clients?  How do I go about starting a blog or trying to write for places like T-Nation or Men’s Health?

While I’m always humbled to get such emails, and I always go out of my way to write back a detailed and positive response, there’s still a teeny-tiny percentage of me that wants to do nothing but face plant my forehead into the keyboard and yell out any number of expletives.

What I want to say (but don’t, because I don’t want to come across as an a-hole) is something along the lines of this:

How about understanding that I’ve been working as a personal trainer/strength coach/business owner for about a decade! That I spent the first five years (FIVE years!!!!) working in corporate fitness (and a number of shitty commercial gyms) trying to get better at what I do, working with as wide of an array of clients as I possibly could.

The way I saw it the only way I was going to get better was to expose myself to as many different types of people as possible; whether it was a 15 year-old kid who was only there because his parents forced him to be and could barely perform one push-up, or a 88 year old grandmother who wanted nothing more than to be able to pick up her cat without throwing her back out.

Part of that entailed getting up at 3:45 in the morning every Monday and Thursday to drive 45 minutes to work so that I could be there to open the doors for people who did nothing but walk on a treadmill and stare at a television.  Awesome.

The other days were spent closing the gym at 8 PM, only to drive home 45 minutes so that I could write programs for an hour.

No one ever talks about stepping outside their comfort zone, either.  While I don’t regret working in corporate fitness and various commercial gyms for five years, I knew that in order to grow as a professional I needed to take the next step and learn to “spread my wings” so-to-speak.

This involved packing up all my things – on a whim – to move to Connecticut into an apartment with some dude named Cressey.

Talk about a leap of faith.  I had no idea what the heck I was getting myself into, but I knew I had to take the chance.

Then, throwing myself another curve ball (on a whim), a year later, I quit a pretty sweet job to move  yet again. This time to Boston.

I arrived in Beantown with no job in sight and a dwindling back account.  But things worked out in the end because I was willing to start at the bottom of the totem pole (again), work crappy hours for a less than stellar wage, and not bitch about it.

I was adamant in making myself better through coaching my tail off and helping people reach their goals.

I still did my part: continued to read, attend seminars, and started to explore the idea of writing a blog (and eventually articles) while other colleagues were stuck in neutral and would do nothing but brag about how wasted they got the night prior.

Then, in 2007, we opened up Cressey Performance, which wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. We literally started from scratch building a successful business from the ground up.

Five years later, I’m only just now feeling as if I’m hitting my stride and starting to “get it.” But I also understand that I still have a loooooong ways to go, and that I’m no where near where I want to be.

The key point to take home here is that it wasn’t a matter of just showing up and expecting things to fall into place.  I didn’t pet a unicorn and things just happened.  I worked my ass off to get to where I am today! And you know what?  I know I have A LOT more work to do before I feel like I’ve accomplished anything.

As far as the whole writing thing is concerned, lets put things into context. If you want use writing as a way to get your name out there – whether it be starting a blog or possibly writing for other fitness sites – great!  I think that’s a wonderful goal to stive for.

The best piece of advice I can give anyone in this regard is to just write!  Quit talking about it, and do it.

As a frame of reference, I was talking about this with Ben Bruno over the weekend, and he made a pretty solid point. He had 26 articles published on T-Nation last year, at an average of 2500 words per article.

That’s 65,000 words, which, for those wondering, is a metric shit-ton of writing.

Throwing myself into the mix: I had six articles published on T-Nation, which is no where near as prolific as Ben. But giving a little credit where credit is due, I also did a lot more writing on my blog comparatively speaking, and published 204 blog posts last year.

Holla!

On average I’d say my posts run anywhere from 800-1500 words per.  For the sake of brevity, lets keep it on the conservative side and say I average 900 words per post.

That’s 183,600 (mostly grammatically correct) words!!!!!

* Or the equivalent to one Bret Contreras blog entry.

And that doesn’t take into consideration the amount of writing I did for the likes of T-Nation.com, Livestrong.com, Greatist.com, Men’s Health, and everything else I’m completely drawing a blank on at the moment.

Now, I’m not suggesting I’m anywhere near the same stratosphere as Malcolm Gladwell, Stephen King, or JK Rowling as a writer (who is?). But I’m not hesitant in vociferously stating I’m a much better writer than I was a year ago, let alone six years go when I first started.

I mean, come on –  I just used the word “vociferously” in a sentence. That has to count for something.

And, don’t be one of those people who goes out of their way to read all the “go to” texts on becoming a better writer like On Writing Well, Bird by Bird, or to be bit more specific in the realm of fitness writing, How to Get Published: Writing Domination in the Fitness Industry.

 

While all are fantastic resources, and ones that I recommend all the time, none of them will ever trump the act of actually sitting down in front of a computer screen and writing.

I think it was William Faulkner (or maybe Kurt Vonnegut) who, when standing in front of a room full of writing majors and asked what piece of advice he’d give on how to become a better writer, just simply said, “write.”

And while many people don’t like to hear it:  you often need to write for years (and for free) before anyone actually reads your stuff, let alone pays you for it.

Just to reiterate:  I’m always more than happy to help people out and to offer advice and words of encouragement, and I’d certainly be the first one to state that I don’t have all the answers.  I just wish more people would take a step back and understand that it takes a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and yes, sometimes years in order to become “successful.” At least a lot more than what I can offer in one simple email response.

As Malcolm Gladwell states in his phenomenal book, Outliers (which I feel everyone should read at some point in their life), it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate and purposeful practice in order to become good at anything.  It doesn’t just happen.

So, have you even sniffed 10,000 hours?  1,000?  What about 100?  Don’t expect things to just happen. You have to work your ass off and put the time in just like everyone else. You’re not that special.

CategoriesProduct Review

How to Get Published: Interview with Lou Schuler

Today I have something really cool to share.

1. I get a lot of emails from other trainers and coaches on how to go about getting published. In a perfect world we’d have no wars, everyone would have a million dollars in their bank account, cars would run on hugs, and every one would get their first article published on the first try.

Of course, neither of those things are going to happen.  Although if you’re one of the few who DID happen to get their first article published on the first try, I officially hate you.

Anyways, when I originally started writing, I kind of flew by the seat of my pants and just hoped that things would work out.  I had my fair share of disappointments – rejection is never easy – but thankfully, I was VERY lucky in that my writing style fit very well with the likes of places like T-Nation and Wannabebig.com.

Even still, I pretty much learned as I went and had no real sense of guidance. Writing never was – and still isn’t – easy for me.  Which is why I’m STOKED to tell everyone about How to Get Published: Writing Domination in the Fitness Industry.

Three big wigs in the industry – Sean Hyson, John Romaniello, and Lou Schuler – have just released what I believe to be to GO TO source for anyone looking to get published.

Any and all questions/concerns/insights as it relates to writing for fitness publications – the writing process, how to pitch to magazines, how to build a successful blog, etc –  is addressed here.

2.  FREAKIN LOU SCHULER was kind enough to do an interview for my blog today.  Even if you’re not someone looking to get published, and are just someone who likes to toss around heavy things, Lou is an encyclopedia of information – not to mention a Jedi when it comes to writing – and I hope you stick around and read it nonetheless.

Other than that, there’s no real sales pitch from me.  I think it’s a solid product, and it will help A LOT of aspiring writers out there.

If I had access to this manual five years ago, I’d probably be running my own country by now

Tony Gentilcore: Lou, first off I have to say THANK YOU for taking the time to make a small cameo appearance on my blog.  As someone whom I’ve looked up to for most of my career, it’s a huge honor.  It’s kind of like having He-Man or Captain Planet stop by.

Lou Schuler: Except in this case, He-Man is half the size and twice the age of the guy whose blog he’s visiting.

TG: Secondly, and this is completely off-topic, THANK YOU (again) for writing the New Rules (of Lifting) series.  I can’t begin to tell you how much time those books have saved me from having those awkward conversations with friends, family, and complete strangers when they inevitably ask “so, uh, you’re a trainer right?  What do I have to do to get into shape?”

Those books are such an invaluable resource, and well, I just want to give you some respect knuckles for writing them.

LS: Thanks!

TG: Okay, with that out of the way, lets get to the nitty gritty. What’s you’re biggest pet peeve as an editor:  run-on sentences or using their instead of they’re? Or, feel free to rant away on anything here.

*Pulls up chair, grabs a vat of popcorn* This is going to be good.

LS: Those things are easy. An editor can fix them in seconds. The real problems are structural and logical.

The hardest thing for a less experienced writer to understand is how difficult it is to make a good argument. It’s easy to go on your blog and write something like, “What do nutritionists know? Have you ever seen a room full of nutritionists? Half of ’em are fat!”

That works in a conversation with a bunch of people who already agree with whatever you’re going to say. But it’s not going to convince a broader audience.

First off, what’s the proof that nutritionists, on average, are overweight? Second, is someone automatically wrong if she’s not a certain shape? Only people with a BMI below 25 or a body-fat percentage below 15 are capable of understanding complex information about human biology?

A few years back you’d hear low-carb advocates say things like, “The government promoted low-fat diets, and what happened? Everyone got fat!” But for that argument to work, you have to show that people actually followed the government’s advice and cut fat below 30 percent of total calories, or whatever level would prove the point.

Then you’d have to show that the people who cut their fat intake below that threshold were the same ones who gained excess weight during the time the government advocated that kind of diet.

As I said, most arguments only work with people who already agree with you. If you want to write for a bigger audience, you have to work harder to make your points. You have to be a step ahead of the “yes, but …” response.

TG:  You hit the nail on the head right there! This is something I had to learn first-hand once I started writing for places like Livestrong.com, and Men’s Health.  T-Nation is one thing where I can use a certain language (shit, poop, just lift something heavy for the love of god), but when writing to a broader audience – as you noted – it gets a bit trickier.

What was the impetus behind writing the How to Get Published e-book?  Was it out of frustration in dealing with today’s writers (especially with the advent of social media making it easier to get one’s name out there)? Was it because more and more fitness professionals are looking at the possibility of writing to help build their career? I’m sure there’s no one specific answer, but I’d be curious to hear your thoughts.

LS: I’ve been thinking about it for years. As you know, I’ve always offered advice to anyone who asked. But I worried that if I pulled all my best advice together and charged for it, there was a risk of selling false hope to people who would do everything right but still wouldn’t get what they wanted.

I can explain how to put together a good article or book proposal, but I can’t guarantee anyone that they’ll get published at T-nation or see their name in Men’s Health or end up with a published book. It’s still a tough, competitive, and unpredictable business.

Nate Green came up with the idea of working with Sean Hyson, who’s in charge of the fitness coverage at Men’s Fitness and Muscle & Fitness. He thought Sean and I could create a truly useful and valuable product for all the fitness and nutrition pros who want to write for magazines. If the goal is to get their names and their work through the gatekeepers of the fitness media, why not have the gatekeepers show them how to do it?

Nate also put us together with Pat Rigsby to help us on the business side.

A few months later we teamed up with John Romaniello. Sean and I know our own business, but for the most part we depend on the existing distribution system to make sure people see it. Roman knows how to create his own distribution system. He’s had far more success online than either of us.

That’s when we knew we had a product that would address everything our audience wants to learn how to do. I can explain the basics of writing. Sean can describe the mechanics of putting together an article — from pitch to publication — in more molecular detail than I’d ever attempt. And Roman can show how to get attention from your work, and eventually make money off it.

There’s still the warranty problem. I know my advice works because I’ve seen enough people use it successfully. But that doesn’t mean the next trainer to come along can take the same advice, use it in exactly the same way, and get the same result. It’s like a line I once heard in a country song: “Life ain’t nothin’ but a poker game. No two hands ever play the same.”

TG: One memorable quote I remember I heard you say once  – when offering advice to upcoming fitness professionals looking to get published – was that “when the fitness industry is ready for you, it will let you know.”

That quote really resonated with me, and it’s something I’ve gone onto use with other’s in the industry when they ask me advice on how to go about getting published in places like T-Nation, Men’s Health, and other reputable health and fitness resources.

Can you expound on that a bit?

LS: When you’re on the outside you can’t hear the conversations people have on the inside. You just want to get through the gatekeepers. But over time, as you build a body of work and a solid reputation, you realize those gatekeepers you thought were ignoring you are actually paying attention. When they need you, they find you.

The key is to have what they need when they need it. That takes time, effort, practice, coaching — all the steps to success in any field.

There’s also an element of luck. But that’s true of everything in life. Nobody achieves any level of success and prominence in any field without a mix of talent, hard work, patience, and the pure luck of being in the right place at the right time. All of us have stories of being in the right place at the wrong time, or being unprepared for an opportunity that came along.

Failure is just pre-success. And success, when it happens, is never as orgasmic as you thought it would be. A fitness pro may be thrilled the first time he gets that call from Men’s Health, but it doesn’t last. The process is always more rigorous than you thought it would be.

TG:  OMGYOUHAVENOIDEA!!!  Well, you do, but I couldn’t agree more. When I first started writing I was always under the impression that you submit something, it gets published, you kiss a few babies here and there, and everyone increases their level of awesome.

It’s not quite that easy, to say the least.

I can’t even begin to imagine how many query letters, proposals, and articles you’ve received in your lifetime from people looking to crack publication.  What are some of the more common mistakes people consistently make?

LS: Most trainers who approach magazines fail the “square peg, round hole” test. You specialize in kettlebells, or sandbags, or bands, and you don’t stop to think of your specialty through the eyes of the editors. Do the editors assume their readers have access to that equipment? If they do, do they think their readers want an entire program based on it?

Forget what you need. What does the magazine or website need? If you can provide it consistently, over time, the publication will eventually worry about your needs. At that point, their needs include your contributions, and it’s in their best interest to make you happy.

It won’t happen fast, smoothly, or predictably. And it won’t happen at all for most people. But it does happen.

TG: The writing process for me is not easy. I fret over every word and sentence, and it takes a lot of mental energy for me to make my work have some semblance of pacing and “flowiness” to it.  And even then I’m still never 100% happy with what I end up with.

It wasn’t until I started reading more books on “writing” that I learned I wasn’t alone, and that there are many writers who are similar to me.

I know what’s made me a better writer is, well, writing. And I also read a lot (fiction, non-fiction, the Kama Sutra, etc).  What are some other tips or insights you can offer that may help people hone their craft?  I always LOVE hearing other writers talk about their “process.”  

LS: If it’s easy, you’re not doing it right. You’re just typing. Expressing ideas, sharing information, providing detailed instruction — those things are hard, and they’re supposed to be hard.

My process would probably scare people away. Just to answer your questions, I’ve cut so much that I started a file called “interview leftovers.” It’s already over 500 words, which may be more than the actual interview so far.

If you see an article with my name on it in Men’s Health, I can guarantee it’s the third or fourth draft. Nobody but me sees the first draft. I write what I want to say, I sit on it for a couple of days, and then I focus on what the magazine needs. I tune out the writer in my head and listen to the editor.

That’s the easy part. Then I go back and look at the emails I exchanged with the editor, and see that the “finished” article is 50 percent too long. At that point it may actually be pretty good, and cutting it is like giving myself surgery without anesthesia. Sometimes I show it to the editor, knowing it’s too long, just to see if it’s on the right track. If it is, I pull out the bone saw and go Gettysburg on my own work. If it isn’t, I start over. Either way, that bone saw comes out eventually.

An entry-level writer doesn’t have to worry about these things the way I do. No editor expects a clean draft from someone who doesn’t know what it’s supposed to look like. But from the editor’s point of view, there’s no reason to work with someone like me, at a premium price, if I can’t get pretty close on the first try. I’m only worth what I’m worth if I’m worth it.
The applicable lesson is this: You only play with your A game. Whatever your best effort is, that’s what your editors expect. Anything less and you’re cheating them, which means you’re cheating yourself, because editors talk.

TG: Do you feel it’s necessary for someone to have “x” number of years experience before seeking out publication?

LS: No. It’s when you have X amount of knowledge and skill that you’re valuable. Look at your business partner. If there were rules, Eric would just be breaking in now, instead of being one of the most sought-after guys.

Note from TG:  Excellent point! Eric (Cressey) got his first article published at the age of 23.  But he’s a robot, and a freak of nature.

TG: Rapid Fire:– Most OVERrated fitness topic to write about?

LS: How to lose the last 10 pounds? I mean, we all know what it takes. You have to make yourself so miserable you’re ready to shoot heroin into your eyeballs to make the pain go away, knowing the fat is going to come back anyway because no one can sustain a starvation diet and a death-march training program.

 

But you can’t put that into an article. So everyone tries to find variations on the theme of cutting carbs and doing more intervals, which is how you lose the 10 pounds before you get to the last 10 pounds.

TG: – Who are some of your favorite writers (they don’t have to be fitness related).

LS: Don’t worry, they aren’t!

Michael Lewis is a guy with expertise in one field — finance — who went on to become one of the best journalists of our era. Not only does he write about finance in a way that makes sense to math-challenged people like me, he’s written groundbreaking books about baseball and football. He knows how to tell stories that make us care about people we’d never meet and issues we’d never confront.

Bill Bryson is another amazing storyteller. Chad Waterbury sent me a copy of At Home: A Short History of Private Life, one of the best nonfiction books I’ve ever read. While Lewis tells us the stories of our times — why the economy nearly collapsed, why the games we watch aren’t decided by what we think we see — Bryson tells us how we got here, how “our times” came to be.

Then there’s Steven Pressfield, who’s at yet another level of storytelling. I’ve had Gates of Fire sitting on my shelf for years. It’s a novel about the battle of Thermopylae — the real battle, not the quasi-fascist cartoon from the movie 300. But it didn’t occur to me to read it until Mike Nelson sent me a copy of another Pressfield book, called Do the Work. Do the Work is nonfiction, a guide to just getting shit done. I was so impressed that I wanted to check out Pressfield’s fiction, and remembered Gates of Fire.

Like all good writing, it starts out by challenging you. It takes a while to settle into the world of Greece in 480 B.C. All those damned Spartan names sound alike at first. But it rewards you for sticking with it. The story has a depth and resonance you don’t get very often from fiction or nonfiction.

TG:  Awesome, thanks so much Lou.

WHEW – now THAT was an interview.

–> How to Get Published:  Writing Domination in the Fitness Industry <–

CategoriesUncategorized

Miscelleneous Miscellany Monday: My Writing Process, People Are Awesome, How Real Men Bake

1. I wanted to start things off this week with a pretty cool email I received a while back:

Tony – You are a busy guy and I respect that, but I decided to shoot you at least one e-mail ’cause you inspire me as a trainer, writer, and a person in general.

I wanted to ask you: How do you write? This is such a difficult and broad question for you, but could you tell me a bit about your writing process. What I’m inspired by is that a) you have a lot of material, b) you have lots of funny stuff in your articles. How could I improve my articles in those areas? More fun and more material.

First off, THANK YOU for such kind words.  I’ve stated it before, and I bears repeating….it’s somewhat surreal for me at times that my writing reaches so many people and that there are a handful out there who don’t think I suck. I sincerely appreciate the support, and it’s my hope that I only get better.

With all the sappy stuff out of the way:  This is a topic I’ve elaborated on in the past, but as far my own writing process is concerned here are some basic truths:

  • I don’t really consider myself a “writer” in every sense of the word. Sure, I spend a large portion of my free time writing and I do get paid to write, but it’s still something I have yet to accept.  Vonnegut was a writer. Hemingway was a writer.  Me? Not so much.  I’m just some dude who lifts heavy things, tells other people to lift heavy things, and has an uncanny ability to throw two coherent sentences together in a somewhat amusing, entertaining, and intelligent fashion.  Poop!
  • It’s definitely NOT easy for me. While I’ve gotten a lot better over the years, and have seen a definite growth in my writing style, it’s no cake walk for me.  For some, writing is a seamless activity – like writing a check or clipping their finger nails – and the prose they write comes across as easy and fluid.  For me, however, writing is about as easy as giving an elephant a bath. I fuss over every word and sentence, and sometimes it takes me hours just to write one page.  That is, of course, assuming I can think of anything to write in the first place.
  • I just try to be myself.  Being myself completely changes the dynamic of the writing process for me.  Being myself allows me to write in a way that comes across as if I were sitting across the table from someone just shooting the breeze.  Because of this, I think my writing resonates with a lot people and I’m able to get my message across more effectively.  I think where a lot of “writers” fail is that they try too hard to be someone (or something) they’re not, and their writing comes across as such – stiff and robotic.
  • Invest in yourself. It wasn’t until maybe two years ago that I came to the realization that writing was a viable source of income for me, and something that I really enjoyed doing.  To that end, I signed up for a Creative Non-Fiction writing class this past winter which allowed me to explore the writing process with other writers.  And can I just say how relieved I was to know that there were others out there who struggled just as much as me.
  • As well, I began to purchase books on writing.  On Writing Well is a book that helped me a lot, as did It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences. But the grand-daddy of them all, the book that really knocked my socks off, kicked me in the mouth, and really opened up my eyes was  Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.  Get it, and thank me later.
  • In the end, you just need to write. The only way you’re going to get better at writing is by, well, writing.  Poop jokes optional.

2.  Just wanted to give a shout-out (WHOOT WHOOT) to two of my online distance coaching clients, Conor and Brandon.

Conor: Joined the 300 bench press club this past weekend.  Crushed it in fact.

Brandon:  set a new squat PR (375 lbs) this past weekend in his powerlifting meet.

To both gentlemen, I offer you a WHOOT WHOOT and a “This is Sparta kick……….”

3. A sign that people are awesome:   I came home Friday to a frantic girlfriend. I walk in the door and she immediately says, “something bad happened.” At first I thought maybe she heard they were making another Sex in the City movie. They’re not…..WHEW.

Anyways, she explained that she somehow lost the rent check and had no idea where it went. Between the time she left the apartment to run some errands and when she reached in her pocket to deliver the check, it disappeared.

We thought maybe she dropped it on the sidewalk or accidentally put it in the mailbox along with the other mail. Either way, on my way out to walk to the bank to cancel the check, I see an envelop with my name (and address) on the cover in the entrance way to our building. In it was the rent check with a note that said “found this on the sidewalk on Beacon St. Be well – Sue”

Whoever Sue is……THANK YOU!!!

 

4.  For those looking for something to pass the time during your long commutes to and from work (or you just need to quench your nerd fix for the day), check out On Target’s Movement Lectures, which a partnership between Gray Cook, Lee Burton (the founders of the Functional Movement Screen), and Laree Draper.

As of right now, they’re offering 44 audio lectures (with typeset transcripts) from some of the brightest minds in the industry, and the list is going to be growing monthly. I’ve already listened to a handful, and have had my mind thoroughly blown.

5.  Look for a new t-nation.com article from me shortly.  I just submitted one late last week, and while I can’t say I’ll be Ben Bruno’esque with my writing frequency (the guy is a freakin machine), I will say that with the facility a bit quieter for the next few months, I should have the opportunity to get a lot more writing done in the foreseeable future.

6.  It’s no secret I’m a heavy advocate for eating whole, REAL, foods.  The less processed the better if you ask me.  Still, there are numerous people (and nutritionist for that matter) who, despite knowing better, like to push off things like 100 calorie snack packs as viable “healthy” options.

Taking it a step further, when it comes to Western medicine, while not always the case, you’re more apt to find doctors pushing the latest pills rather than educating their patients.

For those still not convinced that food can be a powerful healer, check out THIS latest post over on Mike Reinold’s blog titled Food as Medicine.  Awesome stuff.

7.  And lastly, this was a picture my brother-in-law sent me that made me split out my omelet this morning.

CategoriesUncategorized

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: Red Meat Scare x2, Fitness Writing, and Food Principles

The Red Meat Scare: What Do We Make of It? – Dr. Jonny Bowden

I’ll admit to two man-crushes:  Matt Damon and Jonny Bowden.  After this post, however, the good doctor might have just taken the  man-crush thing to a whole new level.

In short, there’s this “study” (HEAVY emphasis on the quotations) that came our recently out of Harvard which stated that those who eat red meat will spend eternity in fiery pits of hell…..forced to watch repeat episodes of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

 

Okay,that was a slight exaggeration. But needless to say, this so-called study did not have many nice things to say about red meat.  And, true to form, much of the mainstream media ran with it citing headlines like:  RED MEAT IS GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!

Inevitably, as a health c0nscious individual yourself – and presumably a meat eater (no offense to any vegetarians or vegans reading) – you’re going to hear some backlash from friends, family, and colleagues chastising you for having the audacity to eat red meat.2

Save your breath, and have them read this article from Dr. Bowden.

And, while you’re at it:  have them read THIS article from Adam Bornstein, too.

The Ten Commandments of Strength and Conditioning Writing Practices – Bret Contreras

I was completely floored (and humbled) to be included in such an insightful, honest, and thought provoking post from Bret. Much like Bret, I continue to grow and learn as a fitness professional, but it’s still nice to know that there are plenty of people out there who appreciate my work and don’t think I’m an asshole…..;o)

Thanks Bret

 

Gremlins, Pareto, & Food Principles – Oh My – Steve Troutman

My “Stuff You Should Read” posts are definitely one of the more popular (running) series that I offer here on this site.  And, as such, I do get my fair share of people contacting me to see whether or not I’d be interested in “showcasing” one of their own posts. I’m not going to lie:  much of what’s sent to me is poop.

It isn’t so much that their work is sub par – generally speaking most of the content is on point.  It’s just HOW people contact me that rubs me the wrong way at times.  It’s usually like this:

“Hey….would you be interested in posting one of my articles on your site?  I’ll be your BFF if you do!”

There’s no, “hey Tony, I really like your stuff, been a fan for a while now…..”

or

“You’re the smartest, most attractive man I have ever laid eyes on.  Here’s an article on fish oil……”

None of that. Oftentimes, it’s just someone writing me out of the blue assuming that I’ll be more than happy to send traffic their way.

Now, I’m not suggesting that they need to kiss my ass (okay, maybe a little), but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to demonstrate that you’ve read some of my stuff and know what I’m all about. Articles on the benefits of crunches – which is something someone sent me – won’t fly.

Anyways, Steve contacted me a while ago and came across like a really cool dude. Not only that, it’s obvious (after perusing a lot of his work) that he knows his stuff and is passionate about what he does.  More to the point, the article he sent me – on some common food principles he advocates to his clients – was EXCELLENT!!!!  I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

CategoriesUncategorized

How to Write For Fitness Mags

Q: Tony…love the blog!

Real quick, what would your suggestions be on how to get featured in magazines like Mens Health? I have a blog and am going to be writing locally in Philadelphia.

I wrote a Masters Thesis on Golf Biomechanics…and now I love to write about physiology and fat loss….any advice is much appreciated!

A: Great question, and it’s a topic that I’ve been meaning to dive into for quite some time now since I receive one of these emails every few weeks or so.

In light of this, and before I offer my own thoughts, two of my good friends – Mike Robertson and John Romaniell0 – recently wrote similar posts that I feel would be great starting points.

HERE Mike offers some sage advice to a young up and comer with some lofty goals.

And HERE, Roman writes an amazing response to someone who clearly made a major boo boo.

Now, I am in no way insinuating that either of the two scenarios above are relevant to YOU – I checked out your blog and you seem like a good dude who’s approaching things the right way, and with a sense of humbleness I might add. A rarity nowadays – but I felt it was a nice way to open up the conversation to other fitness professionals who may be reading this and wondering the same thing:

How can I become more of a bigger deal?

In all honesty, it comes down to one simple fact: When it’s ready for you, the industry will let you know. In other words, when you’ve put out enough great (good doesn’t cut it here) content, and have put in the time and effort to hone your craft, the higher ups in the industry will seek you out.

Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t happen over night. I had my first article published on t-nation.com in the spring/summer of 2006 (a big deal in it’s own right) after having been rejected a handful of times.  Before that, I had been writing articles FOR FREE for various websites in an effort to just get my name out there.

In fact, my first article ever published was a two-parter titled You Are What You Eat that appeared on a small, no-longer existing website called RuggedMag (which, coincidentally enough, was run by a few dudes you may have heard of:  Joel Marion, Eric Cressey, and John Romaniello).

Trust me, don’t read it.  It sucked.

Which brings me to my first piece of advice.  While a blog is a nice start (more on this below), it’s in your best interest to reach out to other sites/publications/local newspapers/etc to write for them…….FOR FREE.  Editors are ALWAYS looking for unique content, and if you approach them with some solid ideas, you’ll undoubtedly garner some attention.

An important note however: PLEASE actually take the time to familiarize yourself with whatever publication you’re going to pitch to. The last thing you want to do is pitch an article idea on How to Swolify Your Biceps when their target demographic is middle-aged women who train on BOSU balls.

That said, above all, content is king. Having a blog that’s informative and consistent is important!!!!  People need easy access to YOU and what you have to say. In my case, I did it backwards.  I was published on t-nation before I started a blog.

I think I had a handful of articles published before I put two and two together and realized that everyone who read them had no way to contact me.  Yeah, that was a brain-fart moment if there ever was one.

I started small, opening an account on blogspot. On a good day I had like 30 views.  I wouldn’t be at all surprised if 25 of them were my mom.

Soon thereafter, an opportunity came up where I “graduated” to The Boston Herald (a client of mine worked for them and she reached out to me when they needed someone to write their fitness/health blog).  Those who are long time readers of this site may remember the good ol’ Step-Up Blog days.

And this is where Men’s Health comes in.  You see, not surprisingly, you don’t just say “Hey, Men’s Health, I want to write for you!”  It’s not quite that easy.  Remember what I said above:

When it’s ready for you, the industry will let you know.

I had been writing a blog for close to two years (and had a handful of articles on t-nation) before MH even gave me the time of day. I liken it to the hot chick in high school whom I sat next to in “Home Room” for four years, but never had the balls to ask out.  Then, one day, I had a “get your damn hands off her” moment.

Except, that’s a horrible analogy and instead of punching Bif in the face, all I did was respond to an email one of their writers sent asking me if I’d provide a short blurb on an article he was writing on gynecomastia (AKA:  man boobs).

I know, not the sexiest topic in the world……but I was in baby!!!!

Apparently their then fitness editor, Adam Bornstein, had been reading my stuff for a while and eventually reached out and asked if I’d be down with providing some expert insight? Does Dolly Parton sleep on her back?  Hell yeah I’d be down.

What started as a blurb here and there (holy shit, my name is in the second paragraph of page 57!!!!) turned into writing a handful of 15-Minute workouts, which then turned into my first full-blown article that should appear in the mag in a month or two.

The key points to remember, though, are that when you ARE given the opportunity, you need to do a few things:

1.  Be concise and, I can’t stress this enough, know the target audience.  For instance, how I write on t-nation (as well as this blog) is completely different than how I write for publications like MH or Livestrong.  You won’t find me making any references to poop or drop kicking kittens with the latter examples.  Believe me, I tried. They weren’t fans.

2.  When given a deadline, do your best to meet it – especially in the beginning.  I’m sure both of my editors – Adam Bornstein (now at Livestrong) and Bryan Krahn (for t-nation) are LOL’ing right now, because I’m notorious for procrastinating.

But they also know I’m coaching 8-10 hours per day as well as have other responsibilities like writing programs, running my own side business (blog, consulting, other writing endeavors, crushing protein shakes), as well as being the best boyfriend in the history of the world.

Needless to say, they’re both VERY accommodating and understanding (not to mention ungodly good looking and smart).

Of course, all of that is jumping the gun a bit.  The real question is how do you get your foot in the door in the first place?

  • Keep up with the blog. The only way to get better at writing, is to write.  At the expense of sounding like a broken record, content is where it’s at.  If you write amazing content, people will find it and read it.
  • Again, write for free. It seems you’re already doing that, so run with it.
  • Moreover, it never hurts to reach out to editors. Hey, you never know! Pitch them ideas that you feel would be a good match for their respective publications, but at the same time, you need to be unique and as to the point as possible.  Remember, they get dozens (if not hundreds) of inquires a day.  So, in the end, you need to somehow separate yourself from the masses.
  • If you choose to go down that road, though, I’d highly encourage you to be professional, to-the-point (don’t write a dissertation), and maybe most important of all, don’t make any grammatical errors. As an example, nothing turns an editor off more (and makes you come across as a little douchy) than not knowing the difference between their/there/they’re or you’re/your.
  • Do a search on Google for “query letter,” and start there.
  • As well, as far as ideas are concerned, make sure you have several to share rather that just one or two. Editors like to have several options to choose from.
  • Additionally, in terms of exposure and how it relates to income, LOCAL media trumps national media any day of the week.  The fact that you’ve already got an “in” in the Philly area is pretty freaking baller.  This isn’t to say that MH isn’t something to strive for, but don’t underestimate the power of local media and the exposure that that can bring you.

And that’s about all I have to say at the moment.  My apologies if my thoughts were kind of all over the place on this one, but hopefully I was able to shed some light and point you in the right direction.  I’m sure there are some major points I forgot to mention, and maybe others would like to chime in, but like I said, you’re definitely on the right track, and you’re doing the right things. Hopefully, in the end, it will all work out.