CategoriesAssessment coaching

You’re Not Broken If You’re Asymmetrical. You’re Normal.

One of the more flagrant “mic drops” I toss down whenever I speak to a group of fitness professionals (remember when we used to be able to do that in person?) is that forcing people to adopt a symmetrical stance while performing basic lifts such as deadlifts or squats is more likely hurting people rather than helping them.

In fact, I’ll go a step further and tell them symmetry in the human body doesn’t exist and then yell something like “UNICORNS ARE REAL!” and walk away.

You know, to keep people on their toes.

Copyright: erllre / 123RF Stock Photo

You’re Not Broken If You’re Asymmetrical. You’re Normal

We need to stop thinking we’re broken if we display any degree of asymmetry.

It’s 100% normal, actually.

The human body is designed asymmetrically. If it were so deleterious I think natural selection would have fixed it by now don’t ya think?

Admittedly, I appreciate it’s a tough nugget to swallow…the whole “symmetry is a myth” thing.

I had a hard time tackling it myself. For years all I read was how we should strive for perfect balance and symmetry both statically (posture) and dynamically (think: maintaining a symmetrical stance during a set of squats).

However, the more I worked with people – with varying backgrounds, injury histories, and body-types – and the more I coached, the more I realized it was all B.S. Holding everyone to the same standard didn’t make sense.

The tipping point for me was my introduction to PRI (Postural Restoration Institute ®) a number of years back. Neil Rampe stopped by Cressey Sports Performance and did a 1-day workshop and opened my eyes to just how UN-symmetrical the body really is.

As noted above, it’s designed that way, in fact.

It helps us.

This was pretty much reaction

via GIPHY

Not long after Michael Mullin stopped by CSP several times and took the entire staff through a number of in-services which further slapped me in the face with the whole Morpheus “blue pill/rep pill, we’re asymmetrical creatures, open your eyes” schtick.

More currently, guys like Dean Somerset, Dr. Ryan DeBell, Dr. John Rusin, Dr. Stuart McGill, and Papa Smurf agree: The human body is all sorts of effed up.

But in a good way.

In some facets of life symmetry is the goal.

A ballet dancer needs to elicit “symmetry” when performing, as does a figure athlete or competitive bodybuilder when strutting their stuff on stage. No one ever won Ms. Olympia or Mr. East Lansing Stud Muffin with a yoked up right quadricep and a teeny tiny left.

But those examples aren’t necessarily the same thing as what I’m referring to in this post. Aesthetically, symmetry is visually pleasing.

90’s Mariah = pleasing

Crazy Eyes from Mr. Deeds = not pleasing

However, for performance or function, symmetry shouldn’t necessarily be the default goal or expectation.

It’s a hefty statement to make, and whenever I say something so seemingly egregious it often invokes a little push-back.

“Well, what about cars?” someone may blurt out. “If we don’t maintain alignment (symmetry) the car will start veering to one side or the other, causing additional wear and tear on the tires, and run the risk of further damage.”

To this point, I agree. Cars are designed by engineers and manufactured by computers and machines with precise precision to be replicated over and over and over again to (hopefully) ensure a quality product and return business from consumers.

The human body is not a Volvo.

This isn’t to insinuate the human form is any less fantastical, beautiful, intricate, or complex of a design. But, you know, we’re not some Clone Army to be replicated en mass.

Dare I say: This is a rare moment where “we are, indeed, all special snowflakes.”

During our Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint (dates are in the works for a return in early 2022!), Dean Somerset and I try to reiterate to attendees that asymmetries are normal and that, often, we’re doing a disservice to our clients and athletes by forcing them all into a standard, one-size-fits-all way of doing things.

 

It’s important to recognize everyone has variances in bony structure.

Using the hips as an example we know:

  • Pelvic structures differ person to person.
  • Femoral angles vary person to person.
  • Hip socket depth can vary (Scottish hip)
  • People have two hips (surprise!) and either side can have retroverted or anteverted acetabulums, as well as retroverted or anteverted femoral heads. All of which affects someone’s ability to flex, extend, abduct, adduct, externally and internally rotate the joint.

To that end, when coaching someone up on the squat why not use those variances to better set up your clients and athletes for success?

Much like what an optometrist does when fitting someone for a new pair of glasses, sitting someone down in front of that thingamabobber (<— I believe that’s the technical term) and flipping back and forth between lenses to see which looks and feels better – is this better, or is this? – why is the parallel approach all of a sudden wrong when trying to figure out the best squat stance for someone?

Shouldn’t it be our goal to figure out what stance feels more stable, powerful, and balanced? I’d make the case we’re trying to fit square pegs into round holes much of the time when we force people to use a symmetrical stance.

Why?

Especially when we know there’s a multitude of structural anatomical variance from person to person.

via GIPHY

But, How Do We Tell?

If you’ve somehow developed a mutant power of X-ray vision:

1) That’ll help

2) Can we hang out?

Performing a thorough assessment – something both Dean and I cover in depth HERE (hint, hint) – will provide a ton of feedback and help peel back the onion of what will be the right approach for someone.

You could also watch Dr. McGill take someone through a hip scour here:

 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve encouraged someone to use a staggered stance when squatting, or maybe to externally rotate one foot more than the other, and then they perform a few repetitions and they look up and say “holy shit-balls that feels so much better.”

And we hug.

Why would I disregard that?

We’re not causing irreparable harm by accepting asymmetry.

We’re just accepting people’s differences.

Categoriesfitness business personal training

The Hybrid Training Model For Personal Trainers

My man Gavin McHale is back with another excellent guest post this month. If you missed his last article on lead generation you can check that out HERE.

This month, as the title implies, is all about how personal trainers can (and should) lean into more of a “hybrid” training model that doesn’t rely on IN-PERSON training only and allows you to better leverage your time in order to 1) make more money and 2) resist the urge to throw your face into an ax from work overload.

Give it a read. It will make a lot of sense and I hope afterward it’ll provide some inspiration to you to make some subtle changes in your approach to the services you provide.

Copyright: michaeljung

The Hybrid Training Model For Personal Trainers

I climbed into my truck and sat back with a huge exhale. I had just finished another ‘day at the office’ and, as usual, I was absolutely exhausted. 

It was early afternoon, I had been up since 5AM and on the training floor since 6:30, eating and drinking coffee on the go. I was finishing up my 4th cup of coffee for the day, knowing it would affect my sleep but needing it to prop myself up for the evening full of clients that I had in about 4 hours.

via GIPHY

The ‘00’s Pop Punk’ playlist had played at least three times through on repeat that morning.

The plan was to whip home for some lunch and some work on the business before heading back to the gym – another few hours of client sessions on deck. In reality, I knew I’d get home, crush some food and pass out for the entirety of my time at home, barely dragging myself out of bed to get there on time.

I loved my training clients and I got to provide them with the best hour of their day on the training floor. 

And, by this point, I got to do it a lot. 

I had built my personal training business up to nearly 30 clients, with upwards of 25 semi-private and private training sessions a week. 

Business was buzzing… but the thoughts started creeping in…

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My girlfriend of two years and I barely got to see one another. When we did, I couldn’t even keep my eyes open for a full movie and had to leave any social gatherings by 9PM thanks to my 5AM alarm the next day.

How long was she willing to put up with an absent partner?

I knew I wanted to have kids at some point in my life, and I wanted to be the dad who could do school drop-offs and pick-ups and coach the sports teams; not the one who always ‘had to work’.

We loved to travel, even just for extended weekends. But I couldn’t enjoy my time away, panicking about lost revenue and possibly unhappy clients.

But the worst part was that I wasn’t making the money I knew I could be. I wasn’t having the impact I knew I could.

I was making a decent paycheck every month, but it was just enough to pay my bills and allow me a bit of freedom. I was pinching pennies and living paycheck to paycheck while working a ton, with a university degree and numerous certifications behind my name.

And honestly? I was just fucking tired…. ALL. THE. TIME.

It didn’t add up.

Especially since the only solution I knew was to take on more clients and do more of the same… something I didn’t have the capacity for without sending myself down a spiral to burning out and being single well before my 30th birthday.

That’s when I was forced to get creative.

I began by asking myself the one question every single service provider should start with (I was just a little behind the curve): How can I best serve my clients?

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(GIF added by me, Tony, because if nothing else I keep thing professional.)

I knew they loved their workouts and I loved working with them, but the majority of them weren’t getting the results they wanted because that 1-3 hours a week they spent with me would never offset the poor lifestyle choices they were making during the other 165+ hours every week.

Let’s be real, even though I loved doing it, grinding it out on little sleep and caffeine was not the best service I could provide. The cup I was pouring from… was empty and I didn’t have the systems in place to help them change their lifestyle beyond a couple sweat sessions a week.

And since I had no more capacity for more training sessions and they didn’t have the time to come to the gym every day,

I had to find a better way.

Enter, the Hybrid Training Model

This model created a win-win for me and my clients.

The win for me is that I got to stabilize my monthly income by charging for an entire package instead of session by session and got some of my time back, all while providing a better service to my clients.

The win for them? Straight up better results without having to schlep to the gym and back every day or pay thousands a month for a trainer.

This model would allow me to continue doing what I did best, training clients on the gym floor, but not have to live there, eating every meal out of tupperware, trying not to spill it on the turf and taking bites between coaching cues.

The hybrid model I built and refined since includes 5 key areas:

  1. In-person coaching
  2. Regular activity programming
  3. Nutritional guidance or intervention
  4. Belief and habit building
  5. Accountability

If you look at the traditional training model – the one that left me half sleeping in my truck at the end of the work day, I covered maybe 1 or 2 of those bases… at best.

And, in most cases, the trainer isn’t being paid for anything but their time spent in the gym with each client. You can say the pricing reflects programming time and nutritional information and accountability, but it really doesn’t.

When your clients are paying session by session, they see the value in having you in the room coaching them.

That’s it.

Your clients are also financially incentivized by this model to actually miss sessions. If they’re low on energy or just don’t feel like it, they’ll miss a session and either save money that month or stretch their current package out over a longer period.

Bottom line: your income is unstable and they don’t get the best service.

In order to build this model out and be able to market and sell it, you have to ask yourself a lot of questions and completely reshape the way you provide your service and charge for it.

1. In-Person Coaching

  • How often do they need instruction lifting weights? 
  • How often do they want to come to the gym?
  • Do you have the space and ability to do semi-private training with them?

2. Regular Activity Programming

Basically, this includes any part of the programming that doesn’t require you to be there, coaching them.

  • Can you program some or most of their workouts to be done on their own? 
  • Do they have a gym membership or access to equipment at home?
  • Are there parts of the program where they don’t need to be in the gym like walking, running or mobility work?

3. Nutritional Guidance or Intervention

Any type of transformational program is incomplete without some form of nutritional guidance. If they already trust you enough to train them, then you’re probably the best person to guide them through some basic nutrition principles.

For most general population clients and goals, this is simple habit building. No need to go too deep and risk moving outside your scope.

You can either build your own curriculum or outsource this completely. When I was coaching, I outsourced this to Precision Nutrition and set my clients up on their year-long ProCoach software.

4. Belief and Habit Building

My most successful clients were the ones who made massive mindset shifts throughout my program. Over the time we worked together, they became better versions of themselves, which provided the outcome they wanted.

In my opinion, this is a non-negotiable in any coaching program, especially if you want to stand out from the Pelotons and the Orange Theory’s. 

  • What do they need to learn to be able to shed their old skin and step into a new, better version of themselves?
  • Can you create a simple weekly or bi-weekly curriculum over 2-3 months that will allow them to do that?

5. Accountability

Finally, accountability is what they’re actually paying for.

Let’s be real – everything you (and I) coach can be found with a quick Google search if they know where to look. 

Information and even education is no longer valuable like it used to be. What is? Accountability and a safe space to fuck up and learn.

Plus, the more skin they have in the game (i.e. the more you charge for this full spectrum service), the more accountable they’ll be.

I’m not sure how many free downloads you have sitting on your laptop, but I have plenty that I haven’t even opened… no skin in the game.

In Its Simplest Form, This is the Hybrid Coaching Model

I won’t lie, this will be more work upfront for you. But, as I learned throughout this process, if you can “work hard once” setting everything up, you make your life a whole lot easier down the road.

This will allow you to charge a monthly price for the whole package and stabilize your pay while actually working less and giving your clients the best chance at seeing the results they’re looking for. 

No more never-ending selling of 10 or 20-session packages and no more needing to send out the same resources over and over to every single client who asks about keto or intermittent fasting.

You run the show and make sure all the bases are covered. They get the best of what you can offer and you get the most out of your time, energy and expertise.

About the Author

As a Kinesiology graduate, Gavin McHale quickly realized that following the traditional business model would lead to trading more time for more money.

Over the course of 8 years, Gavin built a 6-figure hybrid training business before founding the Maverick Coaching Academy in 2019.

Since then, Gavin has left the gym and gone all in helping other strength coaches build their businesses. He has made it his mission to fix the broken fitness industry and connect other amazing humans to the highest version of themselves.

IG – @gavinmchale1

The Coach’s Playground Podcast

maverickcoachingacademy.ca

Categoriescoaching fitness business psychology

Psych Skills for Fitness Pros II: Inside the Coach’s Mind Explained

In November my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, will be putting on a 2-day LIVE workshop in Boston that focuses on psychological skills geared toward fitness professionals.

I, admittedly, am a bit biased and think Lisa’s content is superb. I’ve stated on numerous occasions that what’s helped me develop most as a coach over the course of the past decade (+) is confiding in her and leaning into the idea that it’s the “soft skills” – empathy, compassion, listening, having a better understanding of the many layers of motivation –  where I had the largest gap to overcome in my growth.

And I wholeheartedly feel this is an area where most other fitness pros need to grow as well.

I’ve laid out in recent weeks the general outline of the upcoming workshop, but in hindsight can understand how my explanation may have come across as a bit nebulous if not incomplete:

  • Why do I need to learn about motivation?
  • I’m not a psychologist, why does this stuff even matter?
  • Did Tony mention something about a tickle fight?
  • I mean, what the heck am I walking into here?

Lisa was kind enough to go into much, much more detail on what you can expect from the upcoming weekend and how the information she’ll share will help you become a better coach.

Copyright: branche

Inside the Coach’s Mind – Explained

As a coach, your knowledge about programming, anatomy, physiology, getting people stronger, getting people leaner, and getting clients wherever they want to “go” is central to doing a good job. But your technical knowledge and acquired coaching skills aren’t the only tools you use. 

When you coach, you build a relationship, using:

  • Rapport.
  • Communication. 
  • Collaboration
  • Facilitation of change. 

You work hard to understand and help each client, with their own unique personality, tendencies, biases, and quirks. And, just as important, you are also a unique individual with your own tendencies, biases, and ways of thinking, feeling, and being in the world. In other words, you and your clients have a psychology – and that psychology directly affects the process and outcome of coaching. 

Psychology is the study of: 

  1. Cognition (Thinking)
  2. Emotion (Feeling)
  3. Behavior (Doing). 

Your psychology impacts how you: 

  1. Think,
  2. feel,
  3. and act about, toward, and with your clients.

In short, your psychology – and understanding it – matters.

In Volume I of Psych Skills for Fit Pros, we explored the nature of change, motivation, and the skills coaches need to facilitate those psychological phenomena. 

In Volume II, we explore the coach’s psychology:

  1. Your thinking style, strengths, and thinking “traps”
  2. Your emotions, unconscious tendencies, and processes
  3. Your professional boundaries, communication style, and self-care habits

You might be reading this and wondering, “What the heck does all this stuff have to do with me being a good coach?”

Good question. Two important reasons:

First, When you understand how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors “work,” you can see people, problems, and situations more clearly. When you are familiar with your own biases, blind spots, triggers, and stressors, you can more effectively separate your issues from The Issue at hand. 

Second, the constant variable in all of your work as a coach is you.

The clients change, the setting may change, the point in time and context changes – but there you are.

By developing awareness of how your mind works and how you impact coaching relationships and coaching outcomes, you develop personally and professionally. And as everyone reading this knows, personal and professional development are central to career-long growth, effectiveness, and enjoyment of the coaching profession. 

On November 6th and 7th, 2021, Volume II of Psych Skills for Fit Pros will be live at Ethos Fitness and Performance in Boston, MA. 

(Register Now)

Curriculum Overview: 

Day 1 (Full Day)

I. Introduction

A. Psychology in Coaching: Why knowing your own mind matters
B. Self-Awareness: A long game – but worth it personally and professionally
C. Mindfulness: Mental Preparation for self-awareness and effective coaching
D. Psychology 101: A Primer

II. Cognition

A. Thoughts, and how they work
B. Thinking styles, tendencies, and traps
C. How to identify thinking traps, and use clear thinking to coach effectively
D. Character Strengths
E. Application

  1. Identify and correct thinking traps to improve coaching
  2. Leverage your strengths to maximize coaching effectiveness
  3. Case Study

III. Emotion

A. Feelings, and how they work
B. Unconsciousness, and how it impacts coaching

  1. There-and-then (your past influences how you see the present)
  2. Transference in coaching
  3. Countertransference in coaching
  4. Content and process in coaching

C. Application

  1. Identify emotions and processes that influence your coaching, triggers for negative emotions and processes, and a plan for correcting unhelpful emotions and processes. 
  2. Case Study

Day 2 (Half Day)

IV. Behaviors

A. Your actions, and how they work
B. Interpersonal Boundaries
C. Setting the “Frame” for coaching: Enactment of your mission, goals, and values
D. Self-Care: maintaining physical and mental health for optimal coaching and thriving
E. Application

  1. Understand and outline your boundaries, coaching “frame”, self-care practices, and how those maximize your performance as a coach
  2. Case Study

V. Bringing It All Together

A. Your psychology is the most powerful tool you have for helping clients
B. Top Take-Aways
C. Beyond the seminar

  1. Strengths to leverage
  2. Blind spots and biases to work on
  3. More to learn

Who is This Seminar For? 

  • Coaches who have the nuts and bolts competencies of coaching (sets, reps, programming), and want to further their skills and effectiveness as a coach. 
  • Coaches who are open to looking within themselves, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and working on their own psychology, even though the benefits and payoff might not be immediate. 
  • Coaches who get that professional and personal development is sometimes a “long game” and that investments you make in those areas can take time to yield positive results. 
  • Coaches who know that psychology and mindset are just as important as physiology and fitness. 

Who is This Seminar NOT For? 

  • Coaches who need to focus on the nuts and bolts of coaching (sets, reps, programming)
  • Coaches who do not like thinking about, talking about, or looking within themselves, and who thinking psychology is not a part of fitness. 
  • Coaches who want continuing education to yield immediate benefit, and don’t want to focus on longer-term improvements and change. 

If this seminar looks like it is for you, 

Come to Boston and join us! 

(Register Now)

Where: Ethos Fitness and Performance, 46 Wareham St. Boston, MA 02118

When: Saturday, November 6 (Full day) and Sunday, November 7th (Half day)

Cost: $699

Register HERE

CategoriesMotivational rant

How to Prevent Burning Out as a Fitness Professional

I wanted to use a blog title that fit my personality more.

Like:

“Life as a Fitness Professional: See Brick Wall. Throw Face Into It. Repeat.”

But, you know, SEO and all.

Being a Personal Trainer/Coach Isn’t All Kitten Kisses and Rainbows

Forgive the nebulous tone out of the gate.

Let me be clear: I love what I do, and I wouldn’t have chosen to do it for the past 20 or so years if I didn’t gain some semblance of enjoyment from it.

[Although, truth be told, if Hollywood came knocking at my door tomorrow asking me to be the next Jason Bourne I’d peace out faster than you can say undulated periodization.]

I’ve been very fortunate and lucky (with equal parts hard work and insatiable consistency) building a career that not only provides an immense amount of pride and gratitude, but also satisfaction and sustenance.

Now, we could make the argument that being a fitness professional is a pretty sweet gig.

I mean, you get paid to hang out in a gym all day and wear sweatpants. There’s also a low-barrier to entry, which can be good and bad.

Good in that it allows people to pursue their passion without dropping $40,000 per year on a degree. Bad in that, well, there’s a low-barrier to entry.

Anyone can become a personal trainer.

via GIPHY

Additionally, I could go on forever listing all the other benefits to being a fitness professional:

  • You help and inspire people on a daily basis.
  • Free gym membership.
  • You more or less set your own schedule.
  • You can eat out of a Pyrex container and no one will judge you.
  • Did I mention you get to wear sweatpants to work everyday?
  • You get to wear sweatpants to work everyday.

There is a dark side, however.

While the numbers can vary, and it’s more or less an arbitrary, ball-park figure: many fitness professionals – personal trainers in particular – have a “life span” of 1-3 years.

Feeding that statistic, the average personal trainer makes roughly $32,000 per year, working a split-shift 60 hour per week schedule1 often with minimal (if any) benefits.

  • Spotty health insurance
  • No 401k plan. It can happen, but it’s rare.
  • Limited (if any) paid vacation.
  • But hey, you get to wear sweatpants.

While by no means a dirt poor scenario, there’s a reason a very finite number of fitness professionals ever hit the magical six-figure mark.

The ones that do often either work in a big city or in a very affluent area where people can afford high(er) price points for their services. Running the math, a trainer could work a 20-hour week charging $100 per session and easily make six-figures in a year.

However, that’s not realistic for most.

Not many can charge $100 per hour ($40-$50 is more like it), and not many are taking 100% of the profit. I.e., for those working out of a commercial gym, it’s often standard they take 30-50% of the cut (depending on what kind of “tier system” implemented).2

Not only that, cost of living has to be taken into consideration. Sure, trainers living in a more urban area can charge more, but they’re also paying $2000 per month to live in a closet (and $16 for a burger).

Another thing to consider is this:

This is NOT a “Demand” Career

Being a fitness professional means you’re in the service industry. How many people in the service industry do you know who are making bank?

Not only that…it’s not a “demand” career.

There’s always going to be a demand for funeral home directors, electricians, doctors, and, unfortunately, used car sales(wo)men.

Personal trainers and strength coaches? Not so much.

When the economy is stagnant people have a tendency to chop off what’s expendable. If it’s a matter of putting food on the table or paying someone 2x per week to take them through a killer front squat Tabata circuit while balancing on two kettlebells, what do you think is going to win out?

So, what can be done to not burn out and set the odds in your favor?

First: read THIS. <—The holy grail isn’t necessarily owning your own gym.

1) Grind, Hustle, [Insert Motivational Word Here]

To be honest, I hate the connotation of “grinding” or “hustling.” Every time I see a Tweet or IG status of someone saying how they’re up early “grinding” or how much they’re” hustling,” I want to jump into a live volcano.

I get it, though.

You’re reading anything and everything Gary Vaynerchuk has in print or paper and you’re listening to all of his podcasts.

I did too, for about three days. And then I got over it. His message, while good, just comes across as a broken record to me.

I don’t want to be Gary Vee, and I don’t think Gary Vee wants you to be Gary Vee either.

He works….all……the…….time.

Even he will admit he’s an outlier when it comes to work ethic and loving the grind.

There IS a degree of grinding and hustling that’s inherently conjoined to the fitness industry.

We work when others don’t.

Too, it’s a very, very, VERY saturated market…and you better bet your ass you need to do something to separate yourself from the masses (and by extension, begin to build a brand).

Being epically good at what you do is step #1.

This doesn’t require Twitter followers or a status update. It requires hard work, consistency, maintaining integrity, along with empathy and gratitude.

“Building a “brand” isn’t a social media illusion. Things like integrity, empathy, & gratitude (along with being good at what you do) count.”

What many refer to as “grinding” is just, you know, going to work. Like everyone else.

However, there’s a difference between going to work and actually going to work and taking pride in it…and working towards something bigger and better.

Learn and respect that difference.

2) “Brand” Building

It’s 2021: You better recognize that “building a brand” isn’t anchored on this idea that you need to optimize website SEO or hire a photographer to take nice looking photographs of you eating a kale salad next to a Ferrari so you can post them on your social media.

Renowned coach and speaker, Brett Bartholomew, shared a powerful message recently:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Brett Bartholomew (@coach_brettb)

As Brett notes, SOCIAL SKILLS are what’s missing in this industry; not more certifications and licensures. Brand building (and by extension, success) isn’t so much about putting more letters next to your name or having a 3x bodyweight deadlift.

It’s about CONNECTION and having the social skills necessary to build healthy and long-lasting client relationships & rapport.

NOTE: Anyone interested in that topic should come to Boston this November to attend Dr. Lisa Lewis’s 2-day workshop: Inside the Coach’s Mind. (wink wink, nudge nudge).

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

Social media is certainly part of the equation, however.

“But wait, Tony, didn’t you just say that social networks are a waste of time?”

Nope, that’s not at all what I said.

I said “do the work.”

Coach. Interact. Get people results. Get good at what you do.

CURATE RELATIONSHIPS.

Social media should serve as a complement to your brand. Not BE the brand. Pete Dupuis wrote an awesome article a few years ago on what Cressey Sports Performance did to build their brand.

“Believe it or not, we were open for business for 293 days before our Cressey Sports Performance website went live.  In fact, we strung together more than 1,200 days of operation before realizing we needed to get CSP up on Twitter.”

Anecdotally, I’ll be the first to admit I lucked out in this regard.

I helped build CSP from scratch, and both Eric (Cressey) and Pete encouraged me to build my own brand within a brand. I served as an ambassador for the CSP name, but was also able to leverage that to help construct the brand of “Tony Gentilcore.”

Having Eric and Pete in my corner helped, a lot.

It also helped that I jumped on the website and social media bandwagon before it became a “thing.”

I wrote my first blog post in 2006. I now have over 200o+ posts on this site. And this is not counting the hundreds of articles I’ve written on top of that for other websites.

It wasn’t until 2009-2010 that I invested in myself and hired someone to make a customized website for me.

Quick shoutout to Copter Labs on that front.

Nevertheless, I wrote hundreds of blog posts on my site and interacted with a lot of my readership before I “graduated” to being paid to write for other sites. I often joke that my high school English teachers would shit a copy of “Catcher in the Rye” if they knew I was a paid writer.

Moreover, once I started gaining more traction with my writing I started being asked to present at conferences and started to also be invited to gyms across the world to put on workshops.

Being transparent, open to other ideas, amicable, a good listener, and generally not an asshole have all served me well in growing my “brand.”

All of this to say: I now have other streams of revenue to not only bolster my brand, but to also help augment my coaching. I don’t have to be on the floor 30-40 hours per week (as it stands now, I coach 15-20 hours per week). What’s more, if COVID-19 taught us anything in this industry, it’s that having more “diversity” with your revenue streams is imperative.

  • In-person coaching
  • Distance/online coaching
  • Writing
  • Presenting/workshops (virtual *& in-person)
  • Affiliate income
  • Digital products/resources
  • Mentorships
  • And, sure, sponsorships and “influencing” can be tossed on the list too.

NONE of this happened over-night. And, if I were to be 100% honest: It’s only now – year 19 into my career – where I feel like I’m starting to “get it.”

Not be a Debbie Downer and all, there’s A LOT of noise out there. More and more fitness pros are out there vying for everyone else’s attention and a piece of the social media pie, and it’s becoming more saturated by the day.

It’s becoming harder and harder to make a name for yourself (if that’s what you choose to do).

However, it’s not an insurmountable feat to rise above the chaos.

The key, though: amazing, unparalleled, consistent content.

And not being an unapproachable tool canoe.

That helps too.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 9/27/21

Copyright: conneldesign / 123RF Stock Photo

STUFF TO CHECK OUT FIRST

1. Inside the Coach’s Mind Workshop – Boston (w/ Dr. Lisa Lewis)

I’ve long stated that the largest “gap” in knowledge for most fit pros isn’t the area of program design or the “x’s” and “o’s” of how to improve scapular upward rotation.

It’s the soft skills of coaching.

I.e., what’s going on in your head.

In more sage words…

…what’s really lacking in most fit pros’ repertoires is how to leverage your own way of thinking, feeling, and behaving in order to maximize your effectiveness as a coach, your rapport & working relationships with clients, and your own resilience and mental health.

This November my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, will be hosting Part 2 of her Psych Skills for Fit Pros course: Inside the Coach’s Mind.

Volume One covered motivation & behavior change.

Volume Two will go deep(er) into the coach’s psychology.

This live event will be held at Ethos Fitness & Performance in Boston’s beautiful South End district and it is NOT necessary to have gone through volume 1’s material in order to follow along. While everything is “connected” when discussing psychology, this will be new, stand-alone content covered.

For more information  – go HERE.

2. COACHED: Raise the Bar Conference – Early Bird Rate Ends This Week.

I’m excited to announce that I will be part of the Raise the Bar Conference. An event focused on the missing links in our industry: Communication, collaboration, connection, behavioral psychology, business & marketing skills, and much more.

When: February 4th-6th, 2022
Where: BioFit Performance, Oviedo, FL (Orlando area)

And more importantly who? Who will be presenting at this event?

I gotta say: This is undoubtedly one of the most stacked line-ups I have ever seen; even more than the 1990 Oakland Athletics.

The SUPER early bird rate lasts through the end of September so act quickly – HERE.

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Debunking Myths on Strength Training For Female Athletes – Erica Suter

As always, Erica comes in hot (but in a way that makes a lot of sense and is hard to argue with). The excuses most young female athlete make (but really, it’s mostly the parents) as to why they shouldn’t strength train are just that…

…excuses.

And lame ones at that.

Dr. Amy Bender on the Science of Sleep – Mike Robertson (podcast)

I’m obsessed with sleep.

It’s the one thing I feel most everyone needs to address before they utter the words “ice baths” or “organic acai berry extract” when it comes to recovery (and overall health in general).

Improving sleep hygiene is undoubtedly the “x-factor” for most people, and this podcast sheds a ton of light on it.

Are Greens Powders Healthy? – Abby Langer

Full disclosure: I personally use Athletic Greens on an almost daily basis, and have so since 2010. That being said, I DO NOT push them onto my clients or athletes.

I also eat a metric fuck ton of broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, spinach, and other “real” greens.

There’s no doubt some brands out there more nefarious with their marketing that others; some claiming improved body pH levels, detox properties, or, I don’t know, X-ray vision.

This was a good, fair read via Abby.

Categoriespersonal training

A Personal Trainer’s Credo

Principles?

Treatise?

Standards?

Maybe I should have used some other fancy schmancy word instead?

Whatever the case may be, if you’re a personal trainer what follows are some potent “rules” you should be following.3

Copyright: uladzislauzaretski

A Personal Trainer’s Credo

1. Write Programs For the Client’s Goals (Not Yours)

You may think it’s badass to be able to deadlift 3x your bodyweight or look like He-Man (and I’d agree4), but that doesn’t mean all your clients will feel the same way.

  • Some people will want to look good for an upcoming life event (like a wedding).
  • Some people may want to reduce their chronic lower back pain.
  • Some may want to not pull their hamstring crush the competition in their recreational softball league.
  • And others may have a goal to grow a lumberjack beard.

The examples are endless.

(I’m just gonna toss it out there that, not coincidentally, a healthy dose of deadlifting will likely be on the docket for every one of those goals).

Your job as the fitness professional is to write (safe & efficient) programming that caters to the person standing in front of you. Weird, right? Who would have ever thought that one of the best ways to improve client retention is to do that?

Note sarcasm.

2. Actually Do Your Job (Coach!)

Fitness business legend, Thomas Plummer, is famous for referring many personal trainers as “clipboard cowboys and girls.”

Meaning, many portray themselves as nothing more than glorified (and disinterested) rep-counters.

At a rate of $70-$100 per hour no less!

In my experience, what separates the great trainers from the sub-par ones is the fact the former actually does his or her’s job…

…they coach!

They routinely provide feedback, make adjustments, and progress/regress exercises according to one’s health & injury history, goal(s), as well as ability level.

In short: They give a shit.

3. Being a Hardo is Lame

I’ve never really understood those coaches/trainers who feel the need to showcase this incessant “hardo” I-am-going-to-beat-you-into-the-ground-now-KNEEL-BEFORE-ZOD! attitude.

via GIPHY

You do you.

However, it’s also been in my experience that most people, most of the time, don’t respond well to that sort of silliness. It may work for a week or two, but before long the schtick is going to get old.

As renowned strength coach, Mike Boyle, has routinely said throughout the years…

“Don’t be an asshole.”

Or, maybe Mike didn’t say that? But it sure sounds like something he’d say. Did Gandhi say it? Either way, it resonates with me.

Instead, I feel the more cogent approach is to unabashedly champion SUCCESS with your clients.

Demonstrate and focus on things they CAN do rather than what they can’t. 

I’m going to tell you right now, most people are not going to be able to walk in on day #1 and perform a pristine barbell back squat. If you’re the type of trainer who insists on forcing it onto everyone, you’re going to fail, and more to the point you’re most likely going to turn people off from training.

This is not to say that that individual may one day have back squats placed in their program. I love back squats and think they’re a splendid exercise for most people to master. That being said, it’s imperative to ensure you find everyone’s appropriate “entry point” to certain exercises and movement patterns.

A Goblet Squat is generally a better entry/starting point for most trainees over a back squat. The former will feel more natural and doable.

The latter will often be seen as intimidating and feel like fire ants eating away at their hips and lower back. Then again, this is where BEING A COACH comes to fruition. Ensuring the appropriate joints are doing the work and are loaded correctly during a squat (and that the client feels the correct musculature firing) is the job of the trainer.

You don’t have to be hardo to accomplish those things, though.

You can absolutely do it in a manner that’s accessible to the client and prioritizes success.

4. Wash Your Shaker Bottles (For the Love of God)

Self-explanatory.

5. Practice What You Preach5

Call me crazy but I like to actually test drive an exercise before I put it into a program for a client.

Likewise, it’s rare for me to put a “concept” into program – density sets, drop sets, 5/3/1, undulated periodization, rest/pause training, nunchucks – and not have experienced or toyed around with it myself.

How can I expect my clients to “buy in” to something if I myself haven’t done so?

Integrity is important to me and it’s something I don’t take lightly.

You shouldn’t either.

Categoriescoaching continuing education Corrective Exercise

5 Ways I Include Single Leg Training In My Programs

Single leg training isn’t sexy to talk, much less write about. In terms of excitement factor I’d rank it somewhere between a watching a NASCAR race and picking lint out of your belly button.

I can understand the cacophony of subsequent eye rolls and yawns that are being directed my way.

“An article on single leg training?! Come on, Tony. What’s next keto recipes?”

I get it.

However, hear me out.

Copyright: vadymvdrobot / 123RF Stock Photo

5 Ways I Include Single Leg Training In My Programs

Single leg training is important shit.

Now, more often than not whenever there’s an article written on single leg training it’s under the guise or in congruence with taking a massive dump on bilateral training (think: squats and/or deadlifts).

The implication being one should avoid bilateral or two-legged training in lieu of performing only unilateral or one-legged training.

I think it’s a stupid argument to have on par with which is better: Low-bar vs. high-bar squats? Or mint chocolate chip vs. mint Oreo ice-cream?

With deference, almost always, the appropriate answer to the single leg vs. bilateral debate (and, really, any question in the history of ever) is “it depends.”

  • Some people are more concerned with being brutally strong with the “Big 3”  and are only worried about optimal force production. If that’s the case bilateral movements should make up the bulk of training.
  • Conversely, some people, especially athletes, need to marinate in a diverse pool of movement. In that case single leg training is going to take precedence and play more of an integral part in their training and programming.
  • Are there people out there who debate ice-cream? Don’t be cray-cray.

Suffice it to say, here’s my take on the debate: BOTH are important, BOTH play a significant role in a well-balanced program, and BOTH should be used simultaneously.

If we’re being honest, though, we generally don’t have to pull any arms behind backs in order to convince people to perform bilateral movements like squats and deadlifts.

It’s pretty much bro-code.

Single leg work on the other hand?

Well, that can be a bit of a harder sell.

It’s unfortunate because even if someone’s goal is to be a brick shit house (or a house of shit bricks, I’m not here to judge) single leg training has many benefits, mmmkay.

Including but not limited to:

  • Joint health and integrity (I have yet to find an individual with a history of knee, hip and/or back issues who doesn’t benefit from a healthy dose of single leg training).
  • Improved balance.
  • Improved foot/ankle/hip stability. Or, stability in general.6
  • A fantastic way to train rotary stability (<— a fancy schmancy way of saying something will work your core).
  • Greater specificity to sport (and real life).
  • Improved strength & hypertrophy (depending on how it’s implemented).
  • Helps address weaknesses and imbalances from limb to limb.
  • Reduced wear and tear via less axial loading.
  • More exercise variety.

And the list can go on.7

Below are (some) ways I like to include single leg training in my programs.

1) Treat Single Leg Training Like Eating Broccoli

It’s just, you know, something that has to be done.

It’s hard for me to peruse the list I made above of all the benefits and not include some semblance of single leg training in a program (regardless of someone’s goal).

There aren’t many scenarios I can think of off-hand where it won’t help.

  • Be a better athlete? Check
  • Be a better lifter? Check
  • Beat Jason Bourne in a knife fight? Check.

All the bases are covered.

That said, one pet-peeve of mine and something I notice all….the…..time as a coach is that people tend to go way too heavy.

I’ll watch some guys grab the 80+ lb dumbbells and perform walking lunges and think to myself “why?”

But this is after both my corneas jump out of their eye sockets and then proceed to jump into a bucket of battery acid.

Their knees are caving in every which way and it’s evident most are unable to control the load. This kinda defeats the purpose of doing it in the first place.

Stop training your ego and lower the load.

I’d rather people use a load they can control and perform it for high(er) reps than to grab the heaviest weight possible and make perhaps do more harm than good.

ALSO…..

It’s my own preference as a coach, but I much prefer people to adopt more of a forward lean when performing lunge variations.

 

When you assume a more upright posture during lunges it makes it easier to crank through the lower back which can also result in excessive rib flair; I.e., a more unstable position.

The inner dialogue should be more “shoulders over knees” than “shoulders over hips.”

2) Potentiation (Or, Turning “Stuff” On)

I often have my clients perform a single leg movement before squatting or deadlifting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw

 

I find it’s a nice way to turn “stuff” on and to prime the body for the extracurricular shenanigans going down shortly thereafter.

Goblet variations are my go to here (less grip intensive): Goblet Reverse Lunge, Goblet Forward Lunge, Goblet Reverse TO Forward Lunge, Goblet Split Squat, Goblet Bulgarian Split Squat, Goblet Whateverthefuck.

 

The idea is to go LIGHT and to OWN the movement.

I like to use 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps per side.

Pants optional.

3) Adding Isometric Holds

If you really want to humble someone (and to make their glutes scream for blood mercy) try adding in some isometric holds.

 

I LOVE using these with my clients/athletes as it forces them to use sloooooow down, to stay more cognizant of body position, and it also aids in more time under tension.

4. Combo Movements

Another way I like to include single leg training into my programs is to combine two movements into one.

This is a fantastic way to make the movements a bit more challenging and also serves as an opportunity to stroke my evil strength coach beard (despite the fact I don’t have one).

You want sore, I’ll give you sore.

Goblet Step-Through

Rear Foot Elevated Kang Squat

5) Fake Single Leg Training

Least we forget single leg training can be too advanced of an option for some people. Whether it’s due to novelty or “just because” we can incorporate “fake” single leg options to help ramp people to the real thing.

I’m more concerned with setting people up for as much success as possible rather than making them feel frustrated.

In that light here are two excellent options I use all the time:

Wall Press RDL

Here, we can still groove a single leg hinge pattern, but in a supported fashion.

For those who have balance issues this is an excellent choice.

B-Stance Squat

 

With the offset (or B) stance, we place more load on the front leg. Again, this is a great option for those with stability/balance issues and who aren’t quite ready for actual 1-legged squats (you sadistic bastard).

CategoriesExercise Technique Strength Training

The Bar Every Gym Should Have: Safety Squat Bar

When Dean Somerset & I created the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint and the (Even More) Complete Shoulder and Hip Blueprint (both currently on sale for the next 72 hours at 40% off their regular price…wink wink, nudge nudge) our goal was to provide a resource for people to better connect the dots between assessment and performance

Too, it was to champion the idea that strength is corrective. It’s rarely necessary to send someone off to corrective exercise purgatory when their shoulder or hip is acting up. While it’s inevitable a swath of time & effort may have to be dedicated to proper breathing mechanics or improving scapular upward rotation, what I have found that often “sticks” the most and provides a greater “buy in” to rehabbing an injury…

…is to make rehab look and feel more like training.

Much of the time the “fix” is a matter tempering one’s training volume (most people are simply doing too much of something) or adjusting a specific exercise – stance, ROM, tempo – in an effort to better mirror one’s injury history and (current) ability level. <— FYI: Dean & I cover this extensively in CSHB 1.0 and 2.0.

If a part of the body hurts when someone performs an exercise it doesn’t automatically mean we have to cancel the exercise altogether.

Cancelling Nazis (and Birthday clowns)  = good.

Cancelling Squats = whoa, whoa, whoa…pump the brakes a bit.

The Bar Every Gym Should Have

This post is not meant to wax poetic on the back squat.

If you want to do it, cool.

If you don’t, that’s cool too.

No one outside of a competitive powerlifter (and maybe He-Man) HAS to perform a traditional barbell back squat. I think they’re a great option if your goal is to be brutally strong & athletic and you want to build an impressive physique.

They’re a tool in the toolbox.

I will say, however, the back squat (when performed with a straight bar) does tend to eat up a lot of lifters’ shoulders. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that straight bar back squats are more of a shoulder destroyer than the bench press any day.

Yeah, that’s right…I said it.

via GIPHY

I know the barbell back squat provides a degree of  prestige and “street cred,” and I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a time in my career as a personal trainer & strength coach where I’d ride and die with the statement that everyone, regardless of goal, sport played, or highest Scrabble score should have back squats in their program.

Alas, with age (and experience) comes wisdom.8

That said, I’ve always prided myself in taking a middle-of-the-road approach to most things in the health/fitness industry. I know some coaches who are adamantly PRO back squat and others who are just as adamantly against.

Which brings me to the point of today’s post.

The Safety Squat Bar (also referred to as SSB or Yoke bar), while still technically a back squat, has grown into one of my preferred ways to program (back) squatting into most people’s programs. I also take the stance that it’s a bar that EVERY gym should add to their equipment arsenal.

Why Your Gym Needs an SSB Bar

1. Shoulder Friendly

Back squatting with a straight bar requires a fair bit of shoulder mobility. Many lifters lack the requisite shoulder abduction & external rotation to be able to comfortably rest the barbell on their upper traps (high-bar position) or rear delts (low-bar position).

As alluded to above, part of the appeal for me is that SSB bar coincides very well with my mantra “strength is corrective.’

There’s an element of literal synergy here; the SSB bar still allows someone to lift heavy things. However, the obvious advantage of the bar is its design, and the fact that the handles are located in FRONT of the lifter.

There’s zero shoulder mobility required. To that end, if I am working with someone who’s shoulders don’t handle the straight bar well, I can have them use the SSB bar and continue to TRAIN without irritating the joint.

2. More Upright Torso

There will ALWAYS be a degree of forward lean when squatting. This is not to suggest a more forward leaning position when squatting is inherently wrong or deleterious.

However, back squatting lends itself to more of a forward lean compared to a front squat. As a result, and as a general rule, the more of a forward lean there is, the more “shear” loading will take place on the spine.

Photo Credit: www.PowerliftingTechnique.com

The high(er) bar position with the SSB bar allows for the torso to be more upright (similar to a front squat) and as such a bit more back friendly as well.

Personally speaking, I know when my deadlift volume is high I’ll revert to SSB squats for the bulk of my squatting during that particular phase of training because my lower back will take less of a beating and thank me in the long run.

3. Increased ROM & Upper Back Strength

Pigging back on the above point, because the high(er) bar placement of the SSB bar allows for a more upright torso it’ll also equate to a more robust range of motion for most trainees as well.

In addition, the high(er) bar placement will force the upper back to work overtime because that area needs to work harder to prevent the bar from “rolling” the shoulders over.

So, in effect…we can make the case that the safety squat bar recruits the upper body more (compared to traditional squats).

4. Reneges Upper Body Injuries

The SSB bar does a splendid job at opening up one’s TRAINABLE MENU in lieu of an upper body injury. Lets say you just had surgery on your shoulder and you’re in an arm sling for several weeks. Or, I don’t know, you got in a tickle fight with an Uruk-hai and ended up busting up your wrist.

Both situations make back squatting problematic if not altogether impossible.

Not with an SSB bar, though.

LOL.

You can still train your lower body.

Nice try.

5. Hatfields!

Last but not least, the SSB bar allows you to CRUSH “supported” single-leg training like Hatfield Split Squats.

 

I’m certain I’m neglecting to think of other cogent benefits, but that’s what I have at the moment. Feel free to forward this post to your local gym’s owner/manager so that you can start incorporating this SSB bar soon!

CategoriesUncategorized

All My Stuff Is On Sale This Week

Just so we’re clear, by “all of my stuff is on sale,” I don’t mean my stuff stuff.

My furniture, appliances, car, vintage t-shirts, and movie quality Chewbacca masks are off limits.

No, what I am actually referring to are my digital continuing education resources:

All of them are on sale at 40% off their regular price starting today through Saturday, (9/18).

Copyright: bobrovee

Why Am I Putting My Stuff On Sale This Week?

Is it to celebrate Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin while studying influenza (this week in 1928)? Or maybe it’s to celebrate the first non-aristocratic, free public school to open in Europe in Frascati, Italy (this week in 1616)?

Or, I don’t know, maybe it’s to celebrate the fact that the #1 movie this week back in 2003 was Robert Rodriguez’s Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

All are as good of a reason to celebrate and to subsequently put stuff on sale as any.

Alas, none of the reasons suggested above are the real reason.

The real reason is because this week, 40 years ago, in what I can only imagine was a lovely hospital somewhere in even lovelier Canada, Mrs. Somerset gave birth to none other than Dean Somerset – one of my best friends, non-sexual life partner, and long-time work husband.

I’ll refrain from any 40-Year Old Virgin jokes here, but suffice to say I am here to welcome Dean to his fourth decade of life; one more to go until that prostate exam!

(Or, wait, do they do it at 45 now? If so, shit, I only have a few more months left).

Anyway, like I said: All of the products Dean and I have collaborated on over the years are on Sale THIS WEEK ONLY (9/15-9/18) at 40% off their regular price:

Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint (👈 Click For More Details)

(Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint (👈 Click For More Details)

The Complete Trainers’ Toolbox (👈 Click For More Details)

 

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 9/13/21

Copyright: conneldesign / 123RF Stock Photo

STUFF TO CHECK OUT FIRST

1. Coaching Beyond Cues & Programming: Lecture and Movement Workshop Training Diverse Bodies & Identities – w/ Tony Gentilcore and Justice Williams

NOTE: Please reach out to Justice Williams HERE to register.

Sunday, Oct 3 | 1-4 PM EDT
Ethos Fitness + Performance
46 Wareham St. Unit 1A
Boston, MA 02118
Cost: $149

This workshop will focus on challenging the idea that all bodies require the same approach to fitness. Training participants through both lecture and movement components, we will explore together how to approach people, meet them where they are at, and join them on their fitness journey in a way that best suits them versus our ideas of goals or success.

2. Inside the Coach’s Mind Workshop – Boston (w/ Dr. Lisa Lewis)

I’ve long stated that the largest “gap” in knowledge for most fit pros isn’t the area of program design or the “x’s” and “o’s” of how to improve scapular upward rotation.

It’s the soft skills of coaching.

I.e., what’s going on in your head.

In more sage words…

…what’s really lacking in most fit pros’ repertoires is how to leverage your own way of thinking, feeling, and behaving in order to maximize your effectiveness as a coach, your rapport & working relationships with clients, and your own resilience and mental health.

This Fall my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, will be hosting Part 2 of her Psych Skills for Fit Pros course: Inside the Coach’s Mind.

Volume One covered motivation & behavior change.

Volume Two will go deep(er) into the coach’s psychology.

This live event will be held at Ethos Fitness & Performance in Boston’s beautiful South End district and it is NOT necessary to have gone through volume 1’s material in order to follow along. While everything is “connected” when discussing psychology, this will be new, stand-alone content covered.

For more information – dates, location, cost, & itinerary – go HERE.

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Hook Grip Mastery: Everything You Need to Know – Manny Buitrago

I’m too much of a wimp, personally, to use the hook grip; but it’s efficacy with regards to lifting things is well established.

This is an AMAZING article that covers everything you need to know on the topic.

The Right Way to Partial – Josh Bryant

Some view partial ROM lifts as a key component to developing maximal strength. Others view them as an act worse than drop kicking a baby seal in the face.

The answer, as always, is somewhere in the middle.

Josh does an excellent job at explaining the good, the bad, and the “when to do partials?” in this quick read.

Twenty Years of Reflection: Was it Worth It? – George Kalantzis

Photo by Anthony Fomin on Unsplash

George is a good friend of mine and some may recall the name because he’s written several articles on this site throughout the years.

George served as Marine in the years following 9/11 and spent time in both Afghanistan & Iraq. He reflects on whether or not it was all “worth it” now that our longest war has seemingly come to an end.