NSCA National Conference 2019 Review

NSCA National Conference 2019 Review After 13 years, back in the nations capital. That means no TSA cattle calls and pat downs for this gut! Fun story: The very 1st NSCA event I ever went to was the 2006 National Conference in Washington DC. I wasn't even certified, had just started working (ie I was super poor) and went for a single day (they used to have single day ticket). Highlight was Dr. Pearson handing out string before his presentation as a prop to demonstrate why hypertrophy is important. The string represents the muscle tissue. As you fold the string over onto itself that's the same as thickening of the muscle cell...ie muscle cell … [Read more...]

UMBC Sports Performance Seminar: A Review

  Most "fitness" seminars and continuing ed events are thinly veiled revenue streams junk. But the one day "Sports Performance Seminars" that colligate strength coaches put on are almost universally always good. WHY? Because the speakers at these events actually DO what they're talking about. Unlike "fitness" events, the strength coaches product is PERFORMANCE. Not a certification or gadget. Strength coaches, sports scientists and physical therapists are on the floor or in the clinic or in the lab, with athletes under the bar or on the table, 9-12 hours a day most days of the week. You're learning from people who have REAL WORLD … [Read more...]

Does Online Training Actually Work?

This is a Facebook message I got a few weeks ago.. Jackass "Friend" From College: "Online Training? WTF? There's no way you can train people without being there. What a crock of sh@t. Way to rip people off." *Full disclosure, this was the follow-up after I told him I couldn't write-up a 16 week mesocylce, to "get ripped for the summer" for free. But we could set up Online Coaching for the next three months and then reevaluate. Yeah, I do see the irony, at least to me, that a 16 week mesocycle pulled completely out of my ass, based on knowing NOTHING about this person would be better than 3-6 week cycles based off of an assessment and feedback. But that's just … [Read more...]

2018 Coaches Conference Review

CEU's Everyone in the fitness world knows what CEU's are. They're those things that, much like a ninja, creep up on you silently then strike you down. For the uninitiated: CEU's= Continuing Education Units No matter the certification, you'll need em to keep it. CEU's are: Education: so you stay on top of your knowledge and skills and remain active in the community Revenue stream: for the certifying agency The 2015-17 NSCA Recertification Period: AKA My Time of Dying In the pre kid period, CEU's were of no consequence. I always had so many, so early it was just a matter of report them and send the money. Not So Fast My Friend Then kids … [Read more...]

Is Coaching Dead? AKA: Rise of the Machines!

Enter The Age of Technology: With explosion of athlete assessment tools in the last decade, everything from movement assessments (FMS), train-ability assessments (HRV), genetic assessments to immediate power output assessments (catapult) training variables and physiology can easily be measured. On the cheap and in, or almost in, real-time. When I first read about the Omegawave (HRV monitor), from Charlie Francis forums, the cheapest model was 10K. Now you can get a fairly reliable HRV app on that magic box that lives in your pocket for under $100, and that's the better ones out there. You can get a crappy one for FREE... These are all INCREDIBLY powerful … [Read more...]