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)

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work Uncategorized

Stuff to Read While You’re Stuck At Home Not Wearing Pants: 6/19/20

Copyright: maglara / 123RF Stock Photo

THE WEEKLY BRIEF UPDATE

1. I’ll start with a brief #achillesgate2020 update.

I had my first post op with my surgeon earlier this week and, once the faint Cheetos smell dissipated after removing the bandaging I had on for two straight weeks, the doc said everything looked swell.

I was quite shocked at the lack of blood and gore:

Stitches were taken out, rubbing alcohol never felt so lovely, and I was put into a short cast that I’ll be wearing for the next two weeks.

The goal now is not to be an asshat and do anything stupid to risk stretching the Achilles.

I guess that means I won’t be participating in this year’s Hunger Games.

2. Check out my latest podcast appearance on Coach Gethin Radio:

3. Oh, hey, have you checked out my new CORE @ Home platform yet?

It’s designed so that I can deliver workouts you can perform at home – pants optional – using minimal equipment.

You have two options:

1. Subscribe for FREE and receive one workout per week.

2. Subscribe for $29.00 and receive three workouts per week (in addition to special bonus content).4

My hope is that it helps take the thinking out of things and keeps people more accountable to workout more consistently.

For more information go HERE.

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

Twitter

Instagram

STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE AT HOME NOT WEARING PANTS

Motivation: Use the Motives That Move You, Right Now – Dr. Lisa Lewis

Motivations manifests from a variety of sources.

My wife’s, Dr. Lisa Lewis, latest article on Pez Cycling News digs deep(er) into what motivates people to do what they do and how you can stay more consistent with your health/wellness goals.

Adding Hybrid Personal Training to Your Business: An Interview With Pat Rigsby – StrengthPortal.com

If you’re a current gym owner (or aspiring to be one) Pat is the shit.

Listen to him.

The World’s Simplest Nutrition Approach – Tony Bonvechio

The K.I.S.S principle applies to pretty much everything.

Especially nutrition.

(and yes, eat the fucking apple).

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 4/13/18

It’s Friday.

Lets get right to it.

Copyright: wamsler / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT

1. Coaching Competency: DC

Spots are still available for my Coaching Competency workshop in Sterling, VA next weekend.

For $129 you get to hang out with me for seven hours, talk about assessment, program design, deadlifts, and LOLCat memes. This event has been approved for CEUs via the NSCA.

Go HERE for full details.

2. Strong Body-Strong Mind – Bonn, Germany

My wife and I will be in Bonn, Germany on Saturday, June 30 to put on our 1-day Strong Body-Strong Mind workshop.

I’ll be speaking to assessment, coaching up common strength exercises (squats, deadlifts), and how to better “match” your programs to your client’s abilities and goals.

Lisa will be discussing how to better manage client expectations, motivation, and how to adopt better mindset strategies for success.

And then we’ll have a beer….;o)

Spots are limited and the Early Bird rate is still in effect (but not for long).

For more details (including itinerary and registration) go HERE.

3. 2-Day London Workshop w/ Luke Worthington

After my workshop in Germany I head over to London to take part in a 2-day event (the weekend of July 7th) with my friend and colleague (and handsomest man alive) Luke Worthington.

This one is filling up fast…..go HERE for more info.

STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Complete Culture Blueprint – Pat Rigsby

If you’re someone who works with teams or maybe are in charge of a staff at a gym, or, I don’t know, are part of SEAL Team 6 and just looking for some solid information on how to develop better leadership skills and systems to breed a winning culture you can’t go wrong with Pat Rigsby’s new resource.

Pick it up now for $30 off the regular price.

What Is Power? And How Do I Increase It? – Joe Dowdell

Really, REALLY good article from good friend Joe Dowdell here.

Like, really good.

Strength Training For Women: Setting the Record Straight – Greg Nuckols

I hate Greg for being such an eloquent writer.

I love Greg for always writing such informative, well researched articles though. This is a must read.

Social Media Shenanigans

Twitter

Instagram

Categoriescoaching personal training

What Does Good Coaching Look Like?

“What does good coaching look like?”

It’s a question I’m asked often. And I can’t say I have a definitive answer. I’ve had coaches who were laid back and patient and coaches who were not that, and made a tornado look like a gentle Spring breeze.

Copyright: wavebreakmediamicro / 123RF Stock Photo

 

In health/fitness circles, much like athletics, there’s a gamut of coaching personalities. On one end you have those coaches who are more observant and calculated with their feedback, seamingly Obi-Wan’esque with their cues and commentary.

And on the other end you have those who, for lack of a better phrase, come across as bat-shit crazy.

To their credit (“their” = celebrity/tv trainers): they do motivate people, and they do get results. Kinda. And they’re on tv, so they clearly know what they’re doing. (<— note sarcasm).

Who am I to say which “version” of a coach is better than the other? There are success stories on each side of the spectrum. However, I find the most successful coaches/personal trainers, and the ones I respect the most, are those who get results, but are also empathetic towards their clients.

There’s a time and place to be the drill sergeant. But it’s a time that’s few and far between. And, just to toss it out there: if these so called “celebrity/tv trainers” many people look up to as the creme of the crop were so good and so effective, why then do a large percentage of their “clients” tend to regain their weight back?

But then the counterpoint can be made that many of these shows – like The Biggest Loser – only exist because the objective is to see who can lose the most amount of weight in “x amount of time.” In that sense, the coaches are doing their job. Very, very well mind you.

It’s a massive catch-22 of Hellerian proportions.

However, if you ask me…it’s less coaching and more a crash course in clusterfuckery. But I’m getting off on too much of a tangent. Shane McLean did me a solid and put together this excellent guest post today on the idea of what entails “good coaching?”

Enjoy.

What Does Good Coaching Look Like?

Recently, I was watching my 10-year-old son play his rec-league soccer game. To say they were getting beaten was an understatement, and everyone on our sideline was getting frustrated.

The coach was screaming at the kids, the refs and pretty much anything else that moved. In the second half, with the result absolutely in no doubt, one of our kids misplayed a ball and the coach snapped.

Copyright: franckito / 123RF Stock Photo

“SHIT,” he screamed, loud enough that everyone could hear. My oldest son thought this was hilarious, and I had to explain to him why this was not good coaching.

Swearing in front of children to get your point across is an example of poor coaching in my humble opinion.

However, people who haven’t been exposed to a lot of quality coaching in their lifetime may think all coaches behave like

  1. Middle school P.E teacher.
  2. Swearing soccer coach.
  3. Weight loss coaches on reality TV.
  4. Lou Gossett Jr in an Officer and a Gentlemen.

Or

  1. All the above

Warning- Colorful language alert.

 

Since becoming a coach, I have witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly side of coaching. I’m inspired by great coaching. However, I wanted to beat my head repeatedly on a brick wall when I witnessed this incident back in 2013.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=MmD_KbwX8IE

 

No coach who draws a paycheck should ever behave like this. Intidation and fear is not the way to get the best out of people, and it’s coaching at its worst.

Good coaching, on the other hand, mostly happens behind the scenes. It is out of the spotlight where a coach motivates, inspires and pushes the athletes or clients to become the best they can be.

With that in mind, I reached out to some experienced coaches and asked them to give their thoughts on what good coaching is and what it should look like. You may be surprised that it’s nothing like drill sergeant Lou.

1) Tony Gentilcore (The man needs no introduction)

Good coaching should like coaching. How’s that for playing the Captain Obvious card?

What I mean is: good coaching is ACTIVE. It’s about being engaged and present. When I coach, I coach at 90 degree angles; I’m moving, I’m like shark. If someone’s squatting I’ll take a peek from the front, from the side, and from the back.

I’m not just standing there passively counting out reps like a drone.

Also, to speak candidly, I think a lot of shitty coaches’ mask how shitty they are by playing the rah-rah, excessively boisterous card. You know the type: always yelling and being way too loud.

There’s a time and place for that kind of behavior or course, but I find the “good” coaches tend to be more mild-mannered, meticulous, and reserved in their style.

They’ll watch a set, let the client/athlete marinate in their thoughts for a few seconds, and then offer feedback. Less is better often than not.

What’s the best pieces of coaching advice you’ve received?

  1. “You have two ears, two eyes, and one mouth, use them in that order.”
  2. “It’s not about you, it’s about the client.”

2) Robbie Bagby, MS, CSCS, Pn1.

Good coaching is making and building a connection with the athletes or clients you train. It’s not just counting reps and throwing some exercises together and calling it a program. It’s training people with an intent to make an impact on their lives.

What’s the best piece of coaching advice you’ve received?

Clients don’t know how much you know until they know how much you care. This is something that I’ve heard from several others and I think it took a while before I realized how true it was.

You can have all the certifications and education in the world but if you don’t know how to treat those you work with, they won’t stick around for long.

3) Pat Rigsby – Father. Husband. Entrepreneur. Coach. Author

Good coaching looks a bit like good parenting. It’s a combination of everything from teaching and motivation to providing boundaries and developing habits…all with a focus on helping the client become a better version of themselves and ultimately achieve their potential. So, coaching is no one thing…it’s a combination of many things.

The best piece of coaching advice you’ve ever received?

That it’s not about what you know, say or do. It’s about what the client or athlete gets from the interaction. Did they improve? Did they move closer to their goals?

As a coach, your role is to facilitate the improvement of those you serve, not simply to collect information.

4) Lawrence Judd – Shredded By Science

Good coaching isn’t just about crunching the numbers. Appropriate exercise prescription and nutritional counselling are just a small part of a successful coach-client relationship – “Good Coaching” also considers client education, appreciates the value of effective communication and looks to empower the client in as many ways as possible.

The best piece of coaching advice you’ve ever received?

It’s very hard for me to pinpoint one single piece of advice – I’m fairly sponge-like when it comes to soaking up advice and information. However, I can honestly say that the tutelage I received from Dr. Mike Zourdos as a part of the SBS Academy completely revolutionized the way I write training programs.

I’ve also been incredibly lucky to spend time with the 3DMJ team, the Lift The Bar team and the other coaches who make up Shredded By Science – I’ve learnt countless things from all of them.

5) Nick Tumminello – CPT, author of Strength for Fat Loss and Building Muscle and Performance.

Coaching is about communication of your knowledge of the X’s and O’s of training and programming. So, “good coaching” looks like a good relationship between the trainer and the people they’re currently working with.

A good coach isn’t just someone who has great technical knowledge, but is also someone who recognizes how best to communicate with each individual in a way that they’ll buy into and get the cited about they’re training direction.

What’s the best pieces of coaching advice you’ve received?

The best piece of coaching advice I’ve received is from Bruce Lee. Although he was talking about different styles of martial arts, his advice to not be married to one style applies perfectly to the training and conditioning arena.

All training styles have different benefits and limitations, so taking a mixed approach to training – an approach that looks at different reasoning styles as mutually complimentary instead of as mutually exclusive – is ultimately a smarter approach.

6) Kimberly Mills – Personal Trainer/Nutrition coach

As someone who has had some outstanding trainers guide me toward my goals, and now as a trainer myself, it is my belief that a good trainer is someone who avoids cookie cutter programs where they are doing the same exact workout with each and every one of their clients.

Each client has different goals and different needs based on those goals. Each client also has other personal considerations (including exercise background) and personal exercise preferences that should also be addressed when designing their client’s program.

To me a good trainer/coach will take all these factors into account and develop an exercise program individualized to the client, starting the client where they are and guiding them towards their goals in a safe, efficient and effective manner that will help the client successfully reach their goals.

What’s the best piece of coaching advice you’ve received?

One of the best pieces of coaching advice I have received is from my mentor Nick Tumminello: When working with a client, instead of trying to fit individuals to certain exercises, you should instead fit the exercises to the individual.

What Do YOU Think?

Share your comments, opinions, stories in the comments section.

CategoriesMiscellaneous Miscellany

Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday: Greetings From Florida Edition

1. I’m in Florida as I write this – Jensen Beach/Stuart area in fact – and since my girlfriend and her mom decided to have a little mother-daughter “lets shop till we drop” marathon today, which I absolutely wanted no part of, I’ve had a nice, relaxing day to myself where I went to a local commercial gym to get a lift in, and now I’m sitting here in the outdoors area of a Panera in 80 degree weather loving life.

As it happened, I wore my Cressey Performance t-shirt to train this morning and was approached by a random woman who had nothing but great things to say about us.  I had just completed a set of squats and happened to make eye-contact with her when she looked at me and gave me a hearty thumbs up.

Acting all cool, at first I thought she was giving me some kudos on my squat technique, which would have been awesome, and a boost to my ego. But really it was the shirt she was impressed with.

I should have known better.

We chatted for about five or so minutes and she mentioned how she always tells people to read our stuff and that, despite being a regular ol’ kick-ass general fitness enthusiast and someone who just enjoys to train (ie: not a trainer), she really appreciated all of the content we provide.

It was just a really nice experience and simultaneously surreal.  It always amazes me how much of a reach we have at CP that a random person in Florida knew who I was.

2. And, for those who are reading and inevitably going to give me flack (maybe rightfully so) for doing some work while on my vacation, yesterday, per Lisa’s request, we spent the ENTIRE day out on the open ocean on our friend’s boat doing some serious fishing.

As you can see from the picture above (the one where I felt compelled to do my best Zoolander impersonation, and failed miserably) I wore what I felt was the most appropriate fishing shirt ever.  Who says guys never accessorize!?!?!

The game plan was to catch a great white shark, and get myself on the local news, but all I caught were a few measly Spanish mackerel.

Not quite Jaws, but close enough.

All wasn’t lost, though.  We caught so many (20), that we all went back, cleaned those bad boys out and ate them for dinner.

So today has been a “lay-low” day.  Like I said, Lisa and her mom are off shopping somewhere and doing whatever it is that women do when they shop, and I’m just sitting here outside getting some writing done and taking care of some email correspondance.

Tomorrow we’re heading to Port St. Lucie to check out the Mets spring training complex and to hopefully check out some of our CP guys in action.  Then, we’re off to Miami to visit some if Lisa’s friends and to REALLY get the party started.

Speaking of which:  this will be my first trip to Miami since I was a sophomore in college playing baseball.  I’ve never really had an opportunity to explore the city itself and know both Lisa and I will want to check out some sights and sounds, as well as eat at some fancy schmancy restaurants.

For those in the Miami area – any suggestions???

3.  As a quick reminder, I’m going to be speaking at my alma mater, SUNY Cortland, on April 1st.  I’m really excited to head back to my old stomping grounds and speak to the student body.  It’s a huge honor to be asked to come speak, and it’s my hope that those who attend will remember my name walk away with some newfound insight on assessment, anatomy, and program design.

While the talk with be geared towards undergrad and graduate students, it is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!  And it’s FREE.

For those looking for more information whether it’s directions to Cortland, where on campus it will be held, or taking bets as to what my walk out music will be, please contact Justin Kompf at [email protected] for more details.

4.  Looking a bit further down the yell0w-brick road, I’m happy to note that Cressey Performance will be hosting the next Elite Training Workshop on Sunday, April 21st.

This is undoubtedly going to be a huge event as the following people will be speaking:

Eric Cressey
Mike Robertson
Mike Reinold
Dave Schmitz
Steve Long
Jared Woolever
And some joker with the last name Gentilcore.

Additionally, there will be a bonus “business day” hosted by Pat Rigsby and Nick Berry on Saturday, April 20th.

===> Click here for more information and to register <===

5.  I’ve been very grateful in my career to get to the point where I’m now featured in the likes of Men’s Health Magazine on an almost monthly basis.  But in this month’s issue (April 2013) I’ve finally weaseled my way into an actual full-length, semi-feature article.

What’s it about you ask?  How to Get Tank-Top Arms:  13 Top-Level Moves on the BOSU Ball.

LOL – just kidding.

It’s actually on the one part of a program that most guys dismiss but can arguably be considered the most important:

The Warm-Up

Check out pg. 114-116 for more of the deets.  And yes, I’ll be more than happy to sign your issue if we ever cross paths.

5.  And finally, I’m really good friends with Ben Bruno, and since he also lives in the Boston area, it’s not uncommon for he and I to get together and train or just go out for some burgers* on occasion.

Of course, like everyone else, I read his stuff and love it.  Unfortunately I’m not one of those creative types that can sit in his evil strength coach lair and conjure up sadistic exercises that will make people hate life.

Ben, though, is a pro at it.

He can be a real a-hole sometimes.  Check out this single leg variations he posted up on his Youtube Channel today:

BRUTAL.  “Might have to give those a try sometime.”

Said no one, ever.

 

*  = and ice cream.**

** = okay, and pizza.  What?  Don’t judge us.  The ice cream is gluten free…..;O)

CategoriesUncategorized

6 Tips On Becoming a Better Fitness Professional

I’ve been toying around with writing a post providing tips and insight for new and upcoming trainers/coaches on how to become a better fitness professional for a while now, as I feel the ‘new class’ coming in often has an overwhelming sense of entitlement.

Not all of them, of course.  But a fair share.

For some, they feel that just because they’ve spent the last four years in school and completed a few internships, they’re entitled to a killer job that has them training professional athletes eight hours a day and provides them with full benefits and a Lamborghini.  Hell, throw in some stock options, too!

Sorry, hate to break it to you, it doesn’t quite work that way.

For others, they feel that all they need to do is find the perfect 15,000 sq. foot location, sign a lease, and the people will just magically appear readily handing over their money.

Again, you’re more likely to ride a unicorn to work this morning than that actually happening.

For a select few, however, they “get it,” and understand that it often takes YEARS of incessant studying, honing their craft, attending seminars and workshops, developing interpersonal relationships, building professional networks, and putting in some VERY long hours writing programs, scheduling, building a client list, and otherwise building their business (whether they’re a one-person show or part of a group or team of trainers/coaches) to become successful.

As luck would have it, Pat Rigsby dropped it like it’s hot last week, and shared some of his thoughts on the topic at his website:  www.fitbusinessinsider.com.

HINT:  if you’re a fitness professional and NOT subscribed to this site, you’re really missing out on a ton of FREE information that’s helped not only myself and countless others.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I figured I’d re-post Pat’s thoughts here, and then expound of them a bit with my own musings and diatribes.

Enjoy!

6 Tips On Becoming a Better Fitness Professional

If you want to become the best fitness professionals and run the best business in your area, here’s what you need to do:

1. Study Your Craft.

You need to be studying continually.  Becoming the best is a dynamic thing as every day you need to keep improving to either climb to the top or stay there.  Study everything you can that will assist you in getting your clients better results.

TG:  We had a staff in-service yesterday where myself and Chris Howard took all six of our interns and had them name a muscle that attached to the scapulae, as well as name an attachment point (distal or proximal), as well as name an action (as it relates to the shoulder).

Upon looking at some of their faces when put on the spot, you would think we asked them to swallow the red pill

I’m not gonna lie and say that I passed with flying colors (I held my own), but it was definitely a testament on how important it is to take it upon yourself to get better.

I’ve worked with people in the past who hadn’t picked up a book in years.  YEARS!!!  I can remember one instance where a male trainer I worked with a few years ago said to me during a casual conversation about attending a seminar, “I’m not going. I’ve learned all I need to know.”

He was a douche.

2. Practice What You Learn.

There are a bunch of internet jockeys out there that read enough that you’d think they could become PhDs, but reading or watching isn’t enough.  You need to put what you learn into action.

TG:  It seems that anyone with a digital camera and a Youtube channel can mold themselves into a fitness celebrity nowadays.  In reality, for many, it’s nothing more than a facade of BS.

One of the best ways to get better is to actually take what you learn, and apply it to a real…..live……person.  Unfortunately, as much as I love the internet, it seems that anyone who’s read Zatisiorky (and has 10,000 posts on some random forum) thinks they know what they’re talking about.

I’ve witnessed firsthand trainers who had all the book smarts in the world and could give Doogie Howser a run for his money, but when it came to actually coaching and applying what they learned to a real person, they were a walking ball of fail.

3. Become An Implementer.

It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about a marketing strategy or a cue for an exercise – learning it does no good if you’re not implementing.  Once you implement something, you can track the outcome and determine if you want to keep doing it or discard it.  But it starts with implementation.

TG:  Pigging back on my point above, what good is it to increase your knowledge base if you’re not going to use it?  For some reason, there’s often a disconnect between what we read and how we apply it.

I was talking with another trainer last week who was in town for a week observing, and he mentioned how many of the coaches at the facility where he works are complacent. He reiterated to me that they were all very bright guys, but that they rarely ever implemented what they read or watched into their programming.

Using an example:  he stated how they work with a lot of basketball players who, for the most part, are notorious for having poor t-spine mobility.

He suggested implementing the side lying windmill to help.

Nothing.  Nada.  No one listened.  The worst part:  many of the coaches KNOW that t-spine mobility is crucial for shoulder health (they all read the likes of Mike Robertson, Eric Cressey, Mike Boyle, Gray Cook, and maybe even myself), yet, they do nothing to implement what they learn.

I don’t get it.

4. Commit.

Being the best requires making a commitment – it doesn’t happen by chance.  You have to be willing to do the things others won’t. You have to be willing to study not just training, but business too. You have to be willing to find solutions to the things holding you back rather than settling for less. You have to decide to be better than everyone else and do what it takes to get there.

TG:  This is something I wish I would have adapted sooner rather than later.  Early in my career, I read nothing but t-nation, and various other websites/books/DVDs on training and nutrition. Basically if it didn’t help me attain knowledge to make people more badass, I didn’t read it.

Then, I slowly started to realize that I wasn’t really making a lot of money despite getting all of my clients results. I had NO idea how to sell myself.  Worse, unlike the paperboy from Better Off Dead (arguably the best movie of the 80s), I HATED asking people for money.  

It wasn’t until I started reading more books on personal development, business, behavioral economics, and the like, that things started to click.

Likewise, the sooner you realize that this industry is not just a 9-5 endeavor, the better of you’ll be. 

HINT:  Get up earlier.

5. Get Help.

No one gets to the top on their own. No one.  Mentors, Mastermind Groups, Business Partners, Strategic Alliances – there is no faster way to get to where you want to be than to get help.

TG:  I owe much of my success as a trainer and coach to people like Eric Cressey, Dr. John Berardi, Dan John, Mike Roberson, Mike Boyle, Optimus Prime, Bret Contreras, and numerous other people whom I know I’m forgetting (sorry!).

Make it a point to visit other facilities and watch other coaches.  Ask for help!   Better yet, help people yourself.

I’ve always been under the mindset that I’m NEVER that big of a deal that I can’t answer people’s emails. Weirdly enough, I’m always surprised when, after taking the time to respond to their email, people email me back just to say ‘thank you’ for responding.

I took it upon myself to reach out to random people early in my career – to the annoyance of a few – but more often than not, they WANTED to help.  So don’t be intimidated to ask.

6. Attend Live Events.

They provide 5 incredibly valuable things: A learning opportunity, Motivation from being around successful, dedicated peers and leaders, networking opportunities with people who can make you
better and understand where you’re at and a chance to get away from your business and work on it rather than in it.

TG:  Listen to the man…..attend live events.  It’s that simple.

Do those 6 things and you’ll set yourself apart from the crowd, guaranteed. I can promise you that most of your competition will never do more than 1 or 2 of those things and only a few will do as many as 3-4.  Commit to doing all six and you’ll quickly be on the path to being the best.