In This Issue
– Robertson Training Systems Updates
– Testimonials
– Nutrition Tip
– Exclusive Interview: Julia Ladewski
– Upcoming Interviews
– New Articles and Blog Posts
– Schedule
Robertson Training Systems Updates
Indy Seminar DVD’s on sale one final day!
I’ve gotten a few random e-mails asking me to keep the sale around one more day, so TODAY is the last day you can purchase the Indy Seminar DVD’s at the discounted rated. After today the cost of the manual and the CEU package will increase $30, so if you’re interested purchase today and save yourself some cash!
Here are the links:
Purchase the 2008 Indianapolis Performance Enhancement Seminar DVD Series with .7 NSCA CEU’s
Purchase the 2008 Indianapolis Performance Enhancement Seminar DVD Series
Go to the Indy Performance Seminars home page
Several new articles up
I had several articles go up last week; here’s a brief recap of each:
I posted this article over on my blog earlier last week – this is what I talked about in the introduction of my Indianapolis and Aussie seminars. Essentially, I wanted to discuss WHY I do the things that I do as a coach, and the concepts that underline my training philosophy. I hope you enjoy it!
Your First Meet, Part II – Getting Diesel
Written for EliteFTS.com, this is the second article in my three part series. This article covers the basics of setting up a training cycle, implementing gear, and making sure you’re prepared leading up to your first meet.
Make the Posterior Chain Your Strongest Link
Written for FigureAthlete.com, this article details glute activation and strength training exercises. Women tend to more prone to knee injuries than men, so a well functioning posterior chain can help them stay healthy and look great!
Vacation starts Sunday!
Just a little heads up that after this Sunday, things are going to be on autopilot around here. I’m taking a two-week vacation with my family to Alaska, and needless to say I’m really excited to see a new part of the world and spend some QT with the fam.
With that being said, I’ve worked ahead a bit and you’ll still be getting newsletters (and hopefully blog posts) every week. As always, thanks for your support and try not to miss me too much!
Testimonials: Bulletproof Knees
“The manual is absolutely awesome!
The hardest part for me was getting through the design and function of the knee stuff in the beginning. My knees haven’t felt this good in 20 years; training has been easier now and far less painful. My 2 favorite sports are soccer and motocross and the manual has been a godsend. I will also use parts of the manual for soccer coaching, as I do co-ed u12 and it appears a lot of girls in this age range are prone to knee pain.
Like I said in the beginning, the first part was the hardest even though no amount of education is wasted. Thank you so much and I would recommend Bulletproof Knees to anyone, anytime.”
Mike Gove
Nutrition Tip
Fish Oil Rules
By John Berardi
I consider fish oil to be an essential supplement for fat loss. Data from the University of Western Ontario shows that fish oil supplementation increases lean body mass (during non-dieting conditions), increases BMR (by up to 400kcal/day), decreases inflammation, and improves the ratio of fat/carb oxidized (sparing carbs, burning fat). Recommended dose: Start with 6-10g per day of total fish oil (assuming 30% EPA and DHA).
If you like this tip and want to learn more about JB and his products, check out his Precision Nutrition website.
Exclusive Interview: Julia Ladewski
MR: Julia, thanks for being with us here today – it’s been a long time since we’ve gotten together! Please take a moment and introduce yourself to our readers.
JL: It has been awhile, Mike. Glad to be here! I’m a Strength Coach at a Division I University… been here for 6 years. I’m also a competitive powerlifter, although I’m taking a brief hiatus from competing because we are expecting baby #2! My husband and I have a garage gym where we (ok, mostly he) does personal training.
MR: What got you into the field of strength and conditioning? And where have you worked in the past?
JL: Well, I’ve always been into lifting. I started in high school and loved it. I actually started out as an Athletic Training major in college, but quickly realized that I didn’t want to be working with the injured athletes all the time. I wanted to be the one making them stronger and faster. Once I started competing in powerlifting, I knew this was something I wanted to do as a career. I started out as a student working in the Varsity weight room at Ball State. I spent a summer doing an internship at Athletes’ Performance in Tempe, AZ. That internship landed me a job at the University at Buffalo, where I’ve been ever since.
MR: You’re also a damn good powerlifter – how did you get into the sport?
JL: Once I was done playing college sports, I continued to workout, but with no purpose or goals. My husband (who I was dating at the time), started to get into powerlifting and I kinda followed along. I loved it! I finished my senior year at Ball State, where I was part of the powerlifting team. That really started my competitiveness in the sport and I continued competing with the help of my husband.
MR: One thing that always impresses me is when people continue to make progress within the same weight class. What have you done to keep seeing gains with little to no change in bodyweight?
JL: Well, for one, I didn’t really have any interest in putting on too much bodyweight. To move from 132 to 148 was a big jump. And all the 148 girls really weighed 160 out of competition. So, really, I would have to gain 25-30 pounds! And I just didn’t want to do that! So, I just continued to train, doing a lot of singles for my main exercise rather than higher reps. I kept getting stronger and was able to stay within 10 pounds of my weight class. So, I just stayed there. I have done a few meets at 148, weighing in around 140.
MR: How has your powerlifting background influenced your coaching philosophy?
JL: It’s funny you ask that because people automatically assume that just because I’m a powerlifter, I train all my athletes the way I train myself. That’s not completely true, but I do use a lot of the same concepts. We do a lot of box squatting. I also think it’s important to keep in mind that some female athletes don’t need to put on too much muscle, so like I mentioned above, I can get them stronger without putting too much extra weight on them. I also like to use dynamic work with the athletes rather than doing a lot of Olympic lifts.
MR: You’re also well known for your work with female athletes; what are many females doing incorrectly when it comes to training for sports?
JL: Not weight training at all!! I’m seeing more and more high school kids come into college with a little experience with weight training, which is good. But they are still afraid of big weights. It takes time to teach them that they can be strong and improve their game without looking like a bodybuilder. They all assume that’s how they will look after 4 years. I also find that a lot of females do a lot of extra long distance running on their own, which can ruin your strength and speed gains.
MR: You recently had a baby – CONGRATS! How has that influenced your training, coaching, and your life in general?
JL: Can you believe she just turned one?? Time has flown by! Well, it has definitely made me realize the important things in life. I used to spend a few hours in the gym training. Now, it’s an hour. I would much rather take my daughter for a walk in the park than sit around the gym and chit-chat. But I still train and I train hard. In fact, I started lifting about 3 ½ weeks after she was born and did my “comeback” meet when she was 11 months. I also get asked a lot about how I trained while I was pregnant and how I lost all the baby weight. I tell people that you still have to make time to train. At first, sometimes my workouts only lasted 30 minutes… but at least I got my workout in. I also had the support of a great husband who takes care of her all the time too. Now ask me this question again in a year when I’ve got two kids!!
MR: Who have been some of the major influences on you throughout your career? You’ve obviously worked with some big-time individuals over the years….
JL: You know, it’s hard to pick just a few. I think you can learn from anyone you have worked with. I couldn’t go without saying Louie Simmons as he was always teaching me and helping me learn about powerlifting and training. I’ve learned a lot from Dave Tate and Jim Wendler as well. And through Dave’s site, Elite Fitness Systems, I’ve been able to be in touch with a lot of great powerlifters and coaches who I’ve spoken with over the years and have learned tidbits of information from everyone of them. I’ve also worked with Cheyenne Pietri and Buddy Morris. And if you know Buddy, he’s a little too smart! And I think the important thing is that I’ve learned from everyone, but I continued to develop myself and not just conform to what someone else is doing.
MR: Here’s the grand finale, the big question: What’s one mistake you’ve made in your coaching career, and how did you address it or change your philosophy over time?
JL: Well, I think we’ve all made mistakes. And if we can’t admit that, then we aren’t very good coaches. My big mistakes were made early on and something I think we are all guilty of at some point. Too often I would take what another coach was doing and replicate it. Instead of knowing why they did it, I just wanted to know what they did. That didn’t last long. I quickly realized that I needed to understand the big picture.
MR: Julia, thanks for taking the time to be with us here today. How can my readers find out more about you?
JL: You can find me in a few places. First, my website – www.LadewskiStrength.com. Next is our blog (run mostly by my husband – lots of tips, videos, pics, etc.) – www.TheIronEdge.blogspot.com. And lastly, on the Q&A of www.Elitefts.com.
Upcoming Interviews
July 21st – Shawn Windle, Indiana Pacers head strength and conditioning coach
July 28th – Robb Rogers, Director of St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Indiana
August 4th – Pavel Tsatsouline, author of several books and kettlebell instructor (www.dragondoor.com)
August 11th – Buddy Morris, head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Pittsburgh (http://pittsburghpanthers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/morris_buddy01.html)
If you would like to submit a question for one of our upcoming interviewees:
1) Please send an e-mail to [email protected]
2) In the subject heading, please list the person your question is directed towards (i.e. Mike Boyle)
3) In the body of the text, list one or two questions you’d like to have answered.
We can’t promise that our interviewees can answer all questions, but we’ll do our best to get a nice mix of questions. Thanks for your support!