What strength training methods work FOR YOU?

This entry was posted on February 15, 2010 by Mike Robertson. It was tagged with Training.

Dave Draper Dave Draper

At the IYCA Summit this past weekend, Jason Ferrugia and I were talking shop about what off-season protocols we use with our clients to get them as strong as possible.  This topic immediately turned into the following realization:  It's funny how polarized we can become within the strength-training community.

Some guys swear by linear periodization.

For other if it's not heavy sets of 5's, you're doing something wrong.

And of course, we always have Westside for life.

However, the longer you do this, and the more you've experimented with things, the more you realize how little all of that matters. 

While guys are apt to argue about it for days upon end in an Internet forum, the fact-of-the-matter is the longer you do this, the more you realize what works best for you.

If someone, somewhere hadn't gotten results from a training system, do you think it would still be around?

And when you stop to think about it, how many guys have gotten great results using linear periodization?  Or a 5x5 protocol?  Westside?  Or even a block periodization style routine?

At the end of the day everything, by-and-large, will work.  The issue, then, is finding what works best for you

The hardest part of all this is when you realize that just because something has worked in the past, doesn't mean it's guaranteed to work again in the future.

So now I'm intrigued - what are your current goals, and what program are you following do get the job done?

And even more importantly, is it working?  If not, it may be time to recalibrate a bit.  Feel free to leave your thoughts and feedback below!

Stay strong

MR

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The RTS 2010 Manifesto

This entry was posted on February 08, 2010 by Mike Robertson. It was tagged with Random.

The RTS 2010 Manifesto The RTS 2010 Manifesto

Today's post is going to be a little bit off-the-cuff.  I've got a few things that I know I want to address, but how they all come across is going to be interesting!

I've never written a manifesto before, so I think this is going to be one part manifesto, one part mission statement, and one part motivational piece.  If nothing else, it's going to be something along the lines of me thinking out loud, and you getting to see where my heads at nowadays.

If you've been with me for any extended period of time, you've seen a lot of changes. 

My thoughts on training and coaching have changed. 

The website has changed. 

My career path, to a degree, has changed.

But in all honesty, I think I'm right where I need to be. 

So here goes: The RTS 2010 Manifesto.  We'll begin with the website, because that's kind of the hub for everything I have going on online.

 

The Blog

As you can tell, I've been putting a ton of time and energy into the blog.  What once was a sporadic and haphazard event has become much more focused and direct.  My goal is to post at minimum four times per week, and at most five times per week.  I would like to think that one those weeks were I only get four posts up, I'll fill in the gaps with some quality newsletter content and Podcasts.

My goal is to make this blog a discussion piece and resource for strength coaches, personal trainers, and high-end fitness enthusiasts.  I see the readership growing almost daily, and that motivates me to continue taking things to the next level.

 

The Podcast

Last year, I purchased a Mac with the goal of creating a Podcast.

Almost one year to that date, I've now developed 22 Podcasts with some of the best and brightest in our industry.  If names like Dan John, Brett Jones, Eric Cressey and Michael Boyle mean anything you to, then this Podcast is right up your alley.

One point of contention that I get in regards to the Podcast is this:  A few people (and in all honesty, it's probably only one or two) get pissed when I don't "call out" interviewees.  And I'm going to tell you my stance on this, once and for all.

Many of the people I interview are not only great coaches, but people I often consider close friends as well.  In the course of a discussion with a friend, would you ask them to qualify every statement?  Or "call them out?"

If you do, I'd imagine you don't have many friends.  I also imagine that's why you have nothing better to do than criticize me on an Internet forum.

My goal with In the Trenches Fitness is to talk to a variety of people within the industry, to see what makes them successful.  If they are successful, but use techniques or methods that I don't necessarily use or agree with myself, who am I to judge them? 

If they get results, I want to know why.  Maybe I'm missing something, and there's information out there I can be using to get better results.

My goal over the next year is to release 1-2 podcasts every month.  I already have some fantastic coaches lined up, so I'm really looking forward to chatting with them.

 

Online Training Services

Last month, I offered my "Help Pierre Help Haiti" training discount.  I discounted my online coaching services by 50%, and as such, took on 16 new clients.  All of the proceeds ($7700 in all), went to the Pierre Garcon Haiti Relief Fund and the Red Cross.

As you can imagine, this has put a tremendous strain on my time.  Was it a great idea?  I think so.  Has it gone to a great cause?  Absolutely.

Is it kicking my ass in the process?  Yes. ;)

As such, I've closed my online training services for the time being.  In the future, I'm going to open this up four times per year, to a limited number of clients.  Doing so will help me better manage my time and resources.

 

Product Development

In October of 2009, Eric, Bill and I released Assess and Correct.  Not only was this by far the most comprehensive product we'd ever pulled together, but it's been our most successful as well.  If you're still on the fence, take a moment to review the testimonials we've received from some top-flight people in our industry.

My goal in 2010 is to release at least one, if not two new products.  As I've mentioned before, my first release will be the Single-Leg Solution (SLS).  The SLS is not only going to cover my thoughts and rationale behind using single-leg lifts in my programming, but the exact progressions and coaching cues I use as well.

I feel strongly that there's a lot of misinformation out there on this topic.  Hopefully The SLS will bring the pendulum back to the middle a bit, and give us better perspective on how to effectively use single-leg lifts in our programming.

 

Newsletter

Last year I made a big move with my Newsletter; instead of simply interviewing coaches, I made a focused effort to infuse more of my own knowledge and experience in writing the pieces.

Needless to say, the result has been fantastic - my subscribers have gone through the roof, and I feel like I have a perfect avenue to express my "bigger" thoughts.  The blog is perfect for quick hit information, but the newsletter affords me more time and space to really flesh out my ideas.

Again, if you're not a subscriber, I would definitely check it out.  Just for signing up you'll receive access to the following:

- A one-hour video presentation that I gave last year on the topic of low back health and effective core training,

- My Self-Myofascial Release manual, and

- The Insight from the Experts PDF, and

- Access to all of my previous newsletters!

This is really a no-lose proposition, as I typically only send out one e-mail per week (except for VERY specific exceptions).

 

Article writing

With all the new ventures I've taken on over the past two years, something had to give.  In the past year, I probably wrote fewer articles for external websites such as T-Nation than any year past.

My goal this year is to write at least one article for external sites per month. Along with that, you'll also notice that I do quite a few interviews and guest blogs, but my goal is to help spread my word by going outside the confines of the RTS website a bit more.  Stay tuned.

 

Video clips

As I write this, I'm in the midst of reading Gary Vaynerchuk's "Crush It" and realizing just how important video content really is.

You can find a ton of exercise video clips on my You Tube page, and I'm going to use Tube Mogul to get my information out to more and more sites.

But beyond simply posting exercise video clips, I'm also going to make a concerted effort to create more video blogs that discuss things we're doing in the gym.  I think this will make for great content, as well as immediately improving what you're doing in the gym.

 

Affiliate Marketing

This is one of those sticky issues that tends to come up quite often, and for good reason - there are a lot of shady internet marketers our there whose only goal is to get rich quick using affiliate programs and dodgy sales tactics.

Here's my view on affiliate marketing - yes, I will use affiliate links in my blogs posts or newsletters.  With that being said, however, here are my quick and dirty rules for affiliate marketing on my site:

  • I will never promote a product that I haven't reviewed myself.
  • The product has to be great.  The question I always ask myself is, "If there was no commission associated with this product, would I still promote it?" If the answer is yes, then it's acceptable.
  • I always question the person behind the product.  If I don't like, trust AND respect them, I won't promote the product.
  • Finally, would I be comfortable recommending this product to a close friend or family member?  If not, I won't promote it.  Period.

I believe in complete transparency here, so going forward here's my take on affiliate marketing:  If there's a link in my blog, newsletter, etc. that goes to a product, you can assume I will make an affiliate commission on it.  Some times I will, and some times I won't.  Again, I will promote great products regardless of whether I get a commission (ala Dan John's book and DVD's, products at Elite Fitness, etc.).

And in that same vein, I understand 100% if you don't want to follow that link.  If you want to go directly to the source to purchase the product, I get that.  Some people just aren't comfortable with affiliate marketing in general.

Just keep in mind that at the end of the day, I provide a ton of great content for free. I hope that if a specific product I recommend can help you achieve your goals, that you would help support me in return.

Sorry if that got a little long-winded, but that's my take on affiliate marketing, once and for all.

 

Coaching and IFAST

At the end of the day, coaching is my first love.  I absolutely love helping clients and athletes develop the body they've always dreamed of.  I was reminded of this the other day when I was taking two young brothers through their workout - just seeing them wanting to improve themselves immediately took my energy through the roof.

My goal in 2010 is to absolutely kill it at IFAST.  I want to be a better coach in all respects; I want to better understand programming, client psychology, and how to effectively communicate my thoughts and ideas to clients.

I also want to let the entire city of Indianapolis know that IFAST is where it's at.  I'll be attending a Cosgrove Business Seminar later this month to take my business knowledge to the next level.  I know we provide a great service, but I also understand we're fighting a losing battle if we're not getting people in the door.

 

Summary

I want to wrap this up by telling you a quick story, and the thought process that led me to writing all this.

After watching my Colts lose the Super Bowl this past weekend, I was absolutely crushed.  Those of you who know me know that I'm a huge fan, and 100% committed to the team.

Now I know what you may be thinking - it's stupid to get that tied to a game or sporting event.  But that's not the point of all this.

The reason it hurt so bad was because I was committed.  So many times we go through life at 50% commitment; hedging our bets just in case something goes wrong. 

Unfortunately for me (or maybe fortunately, I guess it depends), that isn't in my DNA.

When you are 100% committed to something, you see the highest peaks when things are going your way.  On the flip side, you can also see the depths of despair when the bottom falls out.

But for me, I can't do it any other way.  If I'm not 100% committed to my goals or what I'm doing, I' short changing not only myself, but the people I'm working and associated with as well.

At the end of the day, I'm 100% committed to what I'm doing both here and at IFAST.  If I can help clients, athletes, readers or listeners achieve their goals, then I know what I'm doing is working.

I have no doubt that 2010 is going to be our best year ever.  Those of you who know me personally know that 2009 had a lot of ups and downs, but I also know that the lean times help you realize what you're really made of. 

If nothing else, the hard times have firmed up my resolve and intensified my focus.  Be on the lookout for a kick ass year in 2010!

All the best

Mike

P.S. - If you've enjoyed this, please forward it on to someone else.  Re-tweet it, post the link on Facebook, or e-mail it to a friend.  I hope I can help them the same way that I've (hopefully!) helped you.

Comments (10)

More Assess and Correct Feedback

This entry was posted on February 06, 2010 by Mike Robertson. It was tagged with Products.

Assess and Correct Assess and Correct

A few days ago, I received a testimonial for Assess and Correct.  So far, the feedback has been nothing short of amazing - but this particular e-mail happened to be from the one and only Adam Campbell of Men's Health.  Needless to say, I was pretty excited to hear he liked the product so much!

Assess and Correct is the most useful physical evaluation tool I've ever seen. It's like having instant access to the knowledge that Hartman, Robertson, and Cressey have gained through years of experience studying anatomy and human movement, and working with real people.

But most important, it's presented in a way that you can put it to use immediately. In fact, the design of the manual is genius because you're given a series of simple tests to identify postural and movement problems, followed by smart exercise progressions--which you can tailor to a client's ability-to correct any issues. So it's a powerful tool that will help any coach create more effective training plans, customized to an individual's true NEEDS. The upshot: Assess and Correct will make any fitness professional better at what he or she does.

One other note: Because I'm a fitness journalist, the authors offered me a free manual for review (common in the industry), but I had already purchased it. When they tried to refund my money, I requested that they not. The reason: I found the material to be so valuable that I felt like I SHOULD paid for it. I'm not sure there's any testimonial I could give that's better than that.

Adam Campbell
Fitness Director, Men's Health

If you haven't picked up your copy yet, head over to the Assess and Correct website.  There you can see all the feedback we've received, as well as video clips that demonstrate just how easy the program is to use.

All the best

Mike

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Examining the Turkish Get Up

This entry was posted on February 06, 2010 by Mike Robertson. It was tagged with Training.

Turkish Get-Ups Turkish Get-Ups

As I alluded to in my Dan John podcast from a few weeks ago, we're using more and more Turkish get-ups (TGU) in our programming.  Obviously, it's a fantastic exercise, but it's got me thinking more and more about why it's so great.

When you break down a get-up, here's a short list of benefits I can think of:

-       Improved shoulder stability (especially in the low traps and rotator cuff)

-       Improved thoracic spine extension

-       Improved core strength/stability

-       Improved hip mobility in multiple planes

-       Improved hip extension

And while that's all fine and dandy, I think if we simply look at those isolative points, we're missing the boat to a degree.  Here are some of the reasons I like to include Turkish get-ups in my programming.

1.     Break the monotony!

So much of what we do in the gym is purely front-to-back or side-to-side.  With TGU's, it breaks that monotony.  It's not only good for our bodies, but for our brains as well.

2.     A Fantastic Diagnostic Tool

While a great initial assessment is important, we also need to adopt the "always assessing" mindset.  Quite simply, we're always watching our clients and athletes move from the second they walk in the door. 

TGU's not only give us a better idea of how they move, but also the limitations they suffer from, and asymmetries that we should be working to address.

3.     Regaining our athleticism

As I mentioned above in #1, so much of what we do in the gym is regimented and strict.  While a maximal deadlift is friggin' cool, it's definitely not the most athletic thing I've ever seen. (And yes, I'm sure powerlifters everywhere are going to be fuming all over the Interwebz after I write this one!)

Athletics force us to react to different situations, and adapt to them.  This is one of the major benefits of TGU's - they put us in a much more dynamic environment and force our body's to adapt and overcome.

As you can see, I'm a huge proponent of the TGU and it's something I'm going to be employing heavily in upcoming programs.  If you'd like more information on the TGU, I'd highly recommend checking out Brett Jones and Gray Cook's Kettlebells from the Ground Up DVD and manual at Dragon Door. 

You can also find out more about kettlebell training in general from the two podcasts I've linked below (because I know everyone likes free stuff!):

Dan John podcast

Brett Jones podcast

Stay strong

MR

(Robertson Training Systems is an Affiliate for Dragon Door)

 

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