Categoriescoaching

How to Curate A Winning Gym Culture

What separates good gyms or trainers from the mediocre ones?

Some would make the case it’s a certain style of training, access to state-of-the-art equipment and amenities, the results  their clients/athletes are able to achieve, or even their knowledge on topics like anatomy, assessment, program design, or, I don’t know, long division.

Don’t get me wrong: All of the above can help with separating yourself from the masses, but what really drives client loyalty (as well as woos new ones) isn’t the fancy equipment or the fact you’ve read Mel Siff’s Supertraining 47 times and can cite every page.1

No, what gives you the competitive edge is the culture you create.

Copyright: vadymvdrobot

How To Create a Winning Culture (<– Not An Exhaustive List, But You Should Continue Reading Anyways)

1. It Starts With You, Sherlock

Nothing wraps this message in a nice, neat, eloquent bow than something I read from Alwyn Cosgrove not long ago:

“A team that is tanking brings in a new coach and they totally turn things around.

A company like Apple, removes Steve Jobs, starts to take a nosedive, then brings back Steve Jobs as the leader and the company starts crushing it again.

Or alternatively, an assistant coach takes over a program when the head coach leaves, and even though that assistant is running the same system, that team never reaches the level of where they were before.

Why does this happen?

It all starts at the top.

It all starts with you.

It’s more than just the systems that were in place, it was the culture (or lack thereof) that was created.”

I think it’s safe to say everyone, at some point or another, has experienced the dichotomy between a good leader and a godawful one. It might be hard to put a finger on the exact characteristics that divide the two, but it stands to reason you know it when you see it.

Back in 1997 I earned a scholarship to play baseball at Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. I loved the the coach who recruited me to transfer there. During my recruiting visit he came across as someone who was a straight-shooter and someone who demanded (and received) the respect from his players.

I spent an entire weekend watching practices and hanging out on campus with guys from the team and there wasn’t one instance where they talked smacked behind the coach’s back.

They described him as someone who was strict, albeit fair, and as someone who stayed consistent with his expectations of everyone. He wasn’t someone who said one thing one day and did a complete 180 the next.

He exemplified leadership.

The guys enjoyed playing there and spoke highly of the program as a whole. And, as it happened, at the time, the team was coming off a successful 40-6 season and a Top 10 ranking in the Division II baseball polls.

Without going into too many details, I arrived in the Fall of 1997 and within a few months the coach who recruited me to come to Mercyhurst left to take over another program.

via GIPHY

I was bummed and more than a bit agitated. But I was confident I had still made the right decision (Humblebrag: I turned down a full-ride at a Division I school to go there) and that the team would still be competitive moving forward.

I was wrong.

The coach who was subsequently brought in was the antithesis of leadership. A ham sandwich would have been a better leader.

He was nothing but a blowhard and an egregious asshat.

By the end of his first (and only) season at Mercyhurst he had burned a lot of bridges with the players and administration at the school, not least of which because it was discovered he had lied about his previous playing and coaching career.

Keep in mind: This was the pre-internet days so it was the Wild West of making shit up. I mean, I once struck out Ken Griffey Jr three times in one game and also made out with Rosario Dawson once.2

Look it up.3

Anyways, as far as culture was concerned…the proof was in the numbers:

1997 Team: 40-6

1998 Team: 26-18.

Now, 1998 wasn’t a complete horror show of a season from a Win-Loss perspective (most teams would love to finish 8 games above .500)…but it was clear the vibe and culture of the program was tainted.

And, honestly, it was the first time I had personally witnessed how poor leadership bred a toxic environment.

Now, as a trainer or coach, think about how this parallels with gym environments you’ve been in? I’ve worked in places that gave zero thought or value in building great trainers, who gave two shits in providing any continuing education, and reneged on cultivating a winning culture, and it showed:

  • High turnover.
  • More concern over whether trainers hit quotas on packages sold rather or even how to hold a genuine conversation with potential clients.
  • General clusterfuckery.

Taking it a step further (and taking the corporateness out of the equation), what does it say about you as a fitness professional if you constantly show up late, you forget appointments, you aren’t prepared, and/or you show up dressed like a homeless pirate?

Leadership always and concretely starts at the top.

And, whether you work in a commercial gym or you’re your own boss, leadership and the culture you curate starts with you.

2. Stop Being a Cantankerous Curmudgeon

One of my favorite comedies of all-time is Grumpy Old Men.

In a nutshell the movie is based around two friends, John (Jack Lemmon) and Max (Walter Matthau), and their lifelong rivalry.

via GIPHY

It’s filled with “old guy” cliches, humor, and amazing Burgess Meredith (of Rocky fame) quotes.

The movie’s theme often reminds me of the fitness industry today and how it’s rife with the same antics and toxic hostility.

We expect a lot from our athletes and clients. We want them to show up and give us their undivided attention and full effort. Moreover, in many ways, we aim for them to be more responsible and to take accountability for their actions…

…to be leaders in their own right.

Yet, we (the so-called integrity police) will hop on Twitter (er, excuse me “X”) the second Dieselchest2277 has the audacity to disagree with us on anything from squat technique to achilles tendinopathy protocols to best keto recipes that taste like sawdust.

It’s kinda hard to develop a civil culture, one that’s respectful of other’s backgrounds and experiences (and opinions), if you have the temperament of a twelve year old. Or, more to the point, a cantankerous old man.

Grow up.

Recognize that not everyone has to agree with you and that maybe, GASP, you may be wrong or out-dated in your line of thinking.

This epitomizes good leaders.

3. Be Human. Not Superhuman

Lastly, I’m a firm believer that people don’t respond well when we demand perfection from them.

It doesn’t bode well for culture and camaraderie when you’re an insufferable douchehole and expect all your athletes and clients to be Captain America 100% of the time.

  • It’s okay if they’re unable to nail that hip hinge on their first try.
  • It’s not the end of the world if they miss a lift. (but it also shouldn’t be happening on a consistent basis)
  • Eating carbs isn’t a punishable offense.

Part of building a winning culture, especially a winning gym culture, is encouraging PROGRESS not perfection.

What’s more, I think relatedness is an underrated component of building a winning culture. Part of the reason why I think some of my clients like training with me is because I’m just as excited to talk about deadlifts and scapular upward rotation as I am There Will Be Blood quotes.

Client: “So, after this set of incline presses what’s next?”

Me: “I…DRINK…YOUR…MILKSHAKE!”

Client: “Huh?”

Me: “I DRINK IT UP!”

via GIPHY

Talk about movies, gossip about the latest season of The Bachelorette, go crazy and listen to boybands radio.

Show your human side. Be authentic to who YOU are. Demonstrate you’re vulnerable and that sometimes you’re wrong, aren’t perfect, and don’t know all the answers. Your athletes and clients will love you for it.

That’s the key to a winning culture.

Come Listen to Me Talk in Person About This Stuff

I’m heading to Europe this fall to put on two separate in-person workshops:

1. Coaching Competency Workshop – Prishtina, Kosovo: Saturday, October 21st

This will be my first visit to Kosovo and I couldn’t be more excited. Topics covered in this event range from how I assess clients and go about writing (strength) programing for gen pop clients to how to work around common injuries and trouble-shooting common exercises like squats and deadlifts (of course).

For more info and to register please email my host Dr. Rita Parashumti at: [email protected].

2. Building the Complete Fitness Pro – London, UK: Saturday & Sunday, October 28th & 29th

Full details (including itinerary) can be checked out HERE.

(NOTE: Very limited early bird spots are available for this event, so if you’re even remotely interested pounce NOW)

Categoriespersonal training rant

Gym Etiquette 201

A friend of mine and amazing writer, James Fell, wrote a clever piece recently titled Gym Etiquette 101 highligting some of the not-so-etiquette-like shenanigans many gym goers are violators of.

Give it a read. It’s hilarious.

After reading it myself I was inspired to shell out my own list of Gym Etiquette rules.

Admittedly I sort of live in a gym etiquette bubble at Cressey Sports Performance. We have the luxury of setting the standard, frowning upon, and “policing” many of the things that would otherwise be par-for-the-course at your typical commercial gym.

Case in point: here’s the sign that greeted all of our athletes and (non-athlete) clients when they passed through our doors circa 2008-2010.

We’ve since rescinding from making the sign public – we felt it didn’t bode well giving off a good first impression with parents – but the “rule” still exists.

Whenever I see a young athlete stopping a session to walk over to check his phone I’ll follow suite and say something to the effect of “unless you’re texting with Emma Watson about your plans for dinner tonight, get back over to the squat rack.”

Likewise you won’t see anyone at CSP get all huffy about sharing a piece of equipment. Yelling or grunting during a set is encouraged. If you’re not using chalk (and wearing lifting gloves instead) you’re a tool. And you can’t load up the leg press machine and then leave all your weights because we don’t have a leg press machine to begin with.

Nah-na-na-na-nah.

Similarly there are a handful of implied “un-written” rules as well. Like:

  1. Thurdays are generally reserved for Tony’s Techno Thurdays.4
  2. Eric will inevitably throw his hands in the air, say something along the lines of “this music is making my ears bleed,” and then put on Linkin Park radio.
  3. No direct arm work until you’re able to perform one strict, bodyweight chin-up (women) or five chin-ups (men).
  4. Tony has to coach with his shirt on. Which is BS.
  5. Don’t feed Tank! He’s like a Gremlin.

Pretty simple, right?

However, all of this isn’t to say I never have the opportunity to venture outside my little bubble and train at a commercial gym. I like visiting different gyms now and again, if for nothing else to have a change of scenery (and for the entertainment value).

When this happens I’m always amused as to some of the things that transpire and some of the etiquette rules that are broken.

It’s as if people’s social filter is somehow blocked when they’re surrounded by barbells and dumbbells. Or maybe it’s the plume of Axe Body Spray rendering people inert from giving a shit.

Either way here are some of my own thoughts.

Gym Etiquette 201

1. I can’t reiterate enough how annoying it is when people offer unsolicited advice. I’ve never done it personally, but have been approached by random people in the past who asked me a question or two. That’s different. If someone goes out of their way to ask you your advice or opinion on something, have at it.

If someone is minding their own business (especially if they’re wearing headphones) – and even if the exercise they’re doing resembles more of a mating dance than an actual exercise – keep your yapper shut. Move along with your life. No one cares.

2. However, for many new personal trainers who have to log “floor hours”5 at the start of their employment, offering unsolicited advice is kinda what you have to do to “recruit” potential clients.

Tread lightly.

Don’t he the guy or girl who approaches everyone within a two-mile radius to correct their technique. It’s one thing to offer some words of insight or encouragement to someone who’s obviously struggling or runs the risk of injuring themselves. It’s another thing to interrupt the guy deadlifting 400+ lbs (for reps) that he may be lacking some left hip internal rotation which may be affecting his Zone of Apposition.

“Here’s my card, we should talk.”

Have some “feel” and know when to pick your battles.

When I worked in commercial gyms I always found success showing people new exercises or a slight tweak to one they’re already doing, and then moved on. I didn’t linger like a creepoid and proceed to the awkward, “soooo, are you looking for a personal trainer” conversation.

They way I saw it: if I offered a quick ah-HA moment to a few people per day – which was no biggie since I was being paid for my time anyways – and didn’t make things awkward, at some point the law averages would dictate someone would bite and seek me out for my services.

I also offered “free” 15-30 minute tutorials where I broke down technique on a specific movement (squat, KB swing) or maybe gave a quick-n-dirty core training class and introduced people to deadbugs, Pallof Presses, or not sit-ups.

3. Another thing to consider – if you are an uppity douche and always insisting on giving people unsolicited advice – is to know what you’re talking about. This is especially true if you’re a personal trainer.

I once had a trainer come up to me at a commercial gym to inform me I wasn’t going down low enough on my squats and that I was leaning too far forward.

I had just completed a set of good mornings.

 

4. Hey guy who can’t walk past a mirror without doing one of those fake I-have-sweat-on-my-forehead-and-need-to-wipe-it-off-with-my-shirt-but-what-I’m-really-doing-is-checking-out-my-abs moves.

Once or twice you get a mulligan.

After that, stop it. You’re abs didn’t disappear. They’re still there.

5. I actually don’t care if someone makes noise when training. It’s a gym not a library. In a commercial gym, though, it can get a little controversial because some people take it a little too far.

I won’t name the actor, but I remember a few years ago I was training at a reputable high-end gym when, after a set of deadlifts, I heard the most audacious roaring coming from around the corner.

I had to go take a peek.

I was expecting to see some ginormous human being lifting a bulldozer. What I found instead was said actor finishing a set of DB presses with 50 lbs.

YEAH! You’re the man.

6. Like everyone else I Earth, I have a particular affinity towards water. And, I think it’s awesome you’re someone who takes their hydration so seriously that you carry around a gallon jug to ensure you’re hydrated to the best of your ability.

But do you have to fill up the entire jug at the gym when five other people are waiting in line at the water fountain?

7. I’m all for pumping yourself up prior to a big lift. But spare everyone the HEY EVERYONE LOOK AT ME WWE worthy entrance before every set.

Trust me: you’re not the Ultimate Warrior. And a 225 lb quarter squat isn’t impressing anyone.

 

8. Guys: just because a woman is in the free-weight area doesn’t mean she needs you to come “rescue” her and offer a spot with every single lift. She’s good.

9. Everyone (men and women): just because a woman is squatting or deadlifting doesn’t mean she’s automatically an athlete or is training for some sort of competition.

My wife has the best response whenever someone asks her “Whoa. You’re really getting after it. What are you training for?”

“Life. I’m training for life.”

10. We all have our biases and what we like to do. Meatheads like to lift. Yogis like to yoga. Pilates people like to pilaticize. Runners like to run. CrossFitters like to to perform scoliosis for AMRAP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T74Xek-pDLM

 

Just kidding CrossFit. Kinda….;o)

It’s all good. Whatever makes people happy and gets them moving is a win. Lets stop being so judgmental towards one another, attempting to prove one way is inferior to YOUR way, and trying to “one-up” everyone else.

It’s one thing if someone is paying you for your advise and expertise and have hired you to help them achieve a specific goal. If that’s the case you use whatever modality is the best fit for them, their goals, their ability level, and what you’re comfortable coaching.

Outside of that, mind your own business.

CategoriesMotivational

Why Gym Culture Is So Important

You’ve heard me mention it before, but it bears repeating: what I feel separates a good gym from a great gym is the notion of CULTURE.

There are a thousand and one gyms out there who hire the best trainers/coaches, have access to every piece of training equipment you could ever ask for, offer competitive rates, and spice things up with various amenities such as juice bars, WiFi, cafe, group exercise classes, yoga, pool, massage therapy, and maybe even access to steam rooms.

Although, if I were you, I’d steer clear of them. Trust me.

Yet, many often fail or have a less than stellar retention rate because they lack any semblance or culture or community.

Places like Cressey Sports Performance, Mark Fisher Fitness (in NYC), IFAST (in Indianapolis), Tuff Girl Fitness (in New Haven, CT), Movement Minneapolis (in Minneapolis), Results Fitness (in Newhall, CA), and yes I’ll even toss CrossFit into the mix here, are a speck of dust in comparison to some of the monstrosities that take up a city block.

None offer fancy amenities, may or may not even offer a place to shower, and are often set at a much higher price point compared to their big-box gym counterparts.

Yet, they thrive and have the most loyal members you could ask for. As Simon Sinek noted in his outstanding book Start With Why:

“There’s a big difference between repeat business and loyalty. Repeat business is when people do business with you multiple times. Loyalty is when people are willing to turn down a better product or a better price to continue doing business with you.”

Why the Loyalty?

Because every single gym above, in their own unique way, has placed a premium on building a culture where people want to train, want to spend their time, and more importantly feel empowered and encouraged by the staff and other members.

Training around like-minded people has a palpable effect on not only performance but overall experience too.

Take what happened last Saturday at CSP.

To give a little backstory: I’ve long championed the mentality that women should focus more on performance based goals in the weight room rather than things like scale weight or emulating a celebrity look or listening to anything the mainstream media has to say on the topic of women and fitness.

Most of it is unrealistic, toxic, and sets back women’s fitness 20 years.

I 100% feel strength training is the key to pretty much anything, even for more aesthetic based goals.

What’s more, using the popular analogy, strength training is a glass. Most people’s glass (men included) is far too small and they have little room to “express” any other qualities such as sprinting, jumping, hitting a golf ball 250 yds, deadlifting a tank, farmer carrying bags of groceries from the store to your apartment, fighting crime, or doing anything remotely athletic.

Strength training makes your glass bigger so that you can put more “stuff” into it. It allows you the freedom to not pull a hamstring just thinking about chasing after a taxi.

It allows for stuff like this to happen:

 

This is a video I took this past Saturday of four random women who train at CSP (admittedly, the first one, Nancy, is a current intern), the youngest of which is 15.

For the hell of it I challenged one of them to see if she could do a one-arm chin-up, and before I knew it several was lining up to try.

How baller is that?

None of them walked in on day one and said, “you know what Tony? I’d like to be able to perform a one-arm chin-up.”

But because we’ve built a culture where people (men AND women) love to lift heavy things and get after it, and because all four embraced the importance of hard work and bought into our way of doing things, it has allowed them to do stuff like this.

Because, why not?