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Like a lot of coaches, I have a handful of “pet” phrases, cues, and quotes that I tend to bring out. When I’m talking to my clients or having a conversation there are a few that seem to come up pretty regularly. Usually I don’t notice it or think it’s that obvious until a client starts mimicking one back at me (this is right before I they end up doing extra push-ups). It’s not that I can’t think of something original to say, trust me, it’s that these cues work.
One of my favorite lines that you’ll never hear me apologize for using is “Strength is a skill”. I use it a lot, tag most of my emails with it, and firmly believe it. I’d like to claim that I originated the quote, but I know that I heard it from someone back in the day, but I honestly can’t remember who coined the phrase (if anyone knows then shoot me a line). Regardless of its root, I think this quote best sums up my training and life philosophy in one succinct message.
Read more on Strength Is a Skill…
All right, it’s time to finish up this series on how to clean up muscle tightness and dysfunction issues using Self-myofascial Release (SMR).
*****For an idea of what SMR is check out the first post in the series here. To learn a couple of quick lower body techniques that will have your back and knees feeling better go for the second article here.*****
As I went over in those two posts, SMR is pretty awesome for working on the big muscle groups of the lower body and fixing a lot of issues. What most people don’t know is that you can do it on the upper body as well and really get into some tight spots that can result in shoulder, elbow, or neck pain, headaches, and general a lack of growth and mobility.
Read more on If It Hurts Just Put Your Balls On It! Part III…
In my last post I went over the basics of what self-myofascial release (SMR) was and how it is basically the second coming of sliced bread, or the ill nana when it comes to helping you get more flexible and cure some little aches, pains, and dysfunctions. If you’re lost, check out the intro post here.
When it comes to SMR most people are familiar with working on their lower body, often the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and even the dreaded IT bands. This isn’t very comfortable but it’s totally awesome for recovery. Since that stuff is widely available, I’m not going to focus on those areas. Today I’m going to cover how to work on a couple of spots that don’t see as much love from the typical gym rat but may be the spots that are holding you back.
Read more on If It Hurts Just Put Your Balls On It! – Part II…
When you push yourself in the gym or on the playing field for any length of time eventually you’re going to get some aches and pains. As a performance coach I always have clients bitching about being sore and walking in with some variation of “my elbow/shoulder/knee/pussy hurts!”. Sometimes this is just a result of a hard game or training session, sometimes it’s a client trying to be lazy, and sometimes there’s actually something wrong. The bottom line is that if you’re taking things to the limit then sooner or later something’s going to hurt. As a result of dealing with this type of thing a lot in my own training as well as working with clients, I’ve gotten pretty good at playing “Mr. Fix-it” when my clients have a minor situation.
Read more on If It Hurts Just Put Your Balls On It!…
Holy crap, finishing this list has been a long time coming! I’ve been taking a break from writing while focusing on some sudden changes in my face-to-face business and taking advantage of the opportunities there-in. My apologies, as I should have finished this series of posts first!
Anyway, in case you missed it, I recently turned 31 and in light of that have compiled 31 things I’ve learned about life, strength and conditioning, business, and relationships. Here’s Part I and Part II.
And now, let’s finish the list!
Read more on 31 Things I’ve Learned in 31 Years – Part III…
In honor of my recently-passed 31st birthday I’ve come up with 31 things I’ve picked up over the past 31 years. I posted the first eleven here. On to the next ten!
Read more on 31 Things I’ve Learned in 31 Years – Part II…
Not to date myself, but I recently celebrated my 31st birthday. There’s no real societal significance to the 31st birthday. I mean, it’s not like number 16, where you’re allowed to get your driver’s license here in the States. It’s not nearly as exciting as 18 where you sign up for Selective Service (if you’re a male) and immediately go to your nearest convenience store to purchase the Taboo Trifecta (a lottery ticket, a pack of smokes, and a Playboy). Number 31 is especially not as cool as Number 21, which is the legal drinking age in the U.S. and you go out with your buddies to abuse yourself with newly-legal-for-you-to-purchase alcohol.
***As a side note on Birthday Number 21, speaking as a long-time Door Man: Trust me, the bouncer at the door is not nearly as excited as you are for your birthday. Do not expect him to be. He might be a little more interested if you’re female and decided to celebrate by wearing a really low-cut shirt, but honestly even then he just wants you to shut up and go in the bar.***
Any way you wanna slice it Number 31 pretty much just marks off another year. However, the occasion of my birthday has given me some cause and time to reflect a little bit. In that reflection I sort of haphazardly started coming up with a list of observations, ideas, and things I’ve learned over the past 31 years. At first I thought I might be able to come up with a good “Top 10″ list, but soon I found it swelling to the point where I’ve had to cut it down to get 31 things in 31 years.
Without further adieu and in not much of a particular order, here they are 31 things I’ve learned in my 31 years.
Read more on 31 Things I’ve Learned in 31 Years – Part I…
I don’t watch a whole lot of television, but last night after the monster Easter feast I sort of plunked down in front of the tube, three-quarters asleep, and zoned out for a while. After a little bit of channel surfing in my carb-induced stupor I came on one of these entrepreneurial shows that sort of caught my interest.
Chef Bobby Flay, of Food Network fame, has apparently got some sort of reality/competition show (Google tells me that it’s fittingly titled: “America’s Next Great Restaurant”) that takes entrepreneurs in the food business and puts them through a variety of challenges, with the winner earning a restaurant chain.
Given that I’m a fan of both food and business, as well as having worked in the bar industry for a long time, this actually kept my attention.
Read more on Know the Wisdom In Your Limitations – Make It Happen Monday…
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and researching into the act and art of outstanding coaching lately. You see, that’s the difference between a decent personal trainer and a great performance coach: The “Coach” title. My objective in my field is to not only maximize my clients’ response to training itself but to enhance their lives and overall “game”, whether that’s football, track, martial arts, or being awesome at life.
Read more on The Best Scholar or Cheerleader Isn’t Always the Best Coach…
Ok, so that’s a pretty loaded title for Make It Happen Monday but what I want to talk about today is becoming a lost art. There’s an old saying that goes to the effect of “you were given two ears and one mouth, and you should use them in that order”. Most everyone has heard this saying before, but how many people really apply it? It seems that the ears are getting lost in the flapping of everyone’s mouths.
Read more on Use Your Parts – Make It Happen Monday…
