Sunday, March 28, 2010

Are Conventional Running Shoes Getting you Injuried?

For many of us in the Strength and Conditioning and Physical Therapy field, we are getting used to the idea and potential benefits of bare foot running. For many (especially the speed limping community) its a hard concept to grasp.

Hear is a link to a great video on barefoot running that a friend of mine Bret Contreras posted on the Strengthcoach.com Forum

The Barefoot Professor

In the video you will see that barefoot runners never strike the ground with their heel, they are known as fore-foot skrikers. This style of running (fore-foot striking) is a far more efficient, and safer way to run then the common heel-striking style of the many runners we see out the footpaths everyday.

Conventional running shoes (asics, etc) that most people wear force's them to heel skrike. Heel striking is not a good thing as the video above explains.


Ever since the release of Christopher McDougall's book Born to Run, barefoot training has exploded in the fitness industry among many top coaches and therapists. In McDougall's book he shows that the more expensive the runner the more likely you are to get injured! Check it out, it is well worth the read.

Now before you throw away your runners and start doing a barefoot lap of honour around the neighbourhood, be warned that you need to be progressive with your barefoot running training.

Make sure to check out the video.

Stay Strong,

RB

Sunday, March 21, 2010

An Interview with Joe Heiler

1. Joe thank for your time. Could you give my readers your background, and how you came to be a Physical Therapist?

My father was a football coach and a health/physical education teacher so I’ve always been around athletics and the weight room. I’ve always been interested in how the body functions. I had my share of injuries when I was younger too so I’ve spent time in physical therapy. Luckily I worked with one of the best PT’s around, and she was way ahead of the times so I got to do some pretty cool things that really made it interesting for me. I knew from 9th grade that this is what I wanted to do.


I graduated from Grand Valley State University with a B.S. in Health Sciences and then from Central Michigan University with a M.S. in Physical Therapy back in 1998. I currently work at Great Lakes Orthopaedic Center in Traverse City, Michigan practicing orthopaedic and sports physical therapy. About two years ago I started the website SportsRehabExpert.com and my life has been crazy ever since



2. What, in your opinion, is the biggest problem you see within the Physical Therapy field today?

I can’t speak for other specialty areas, but in the world of orthopaedics and sports medicine, we aren’t trained to look globally and assess patterns of movement. We learn in isolation, maybe because that is an easier way to break things down, but ultimately it needs to be integrated into a more regional interdependent approach.

By regional interdependence, I mean how impairments in one region of the body can influence the next, or even two or three joints away. I think many of us realize that this is occurring but we need a system that will help us to identify these relationships in our evaluation, and then guide us when developing our plan of treatment. This is why I’ve gravitated toward the works of Gray Cook and company, with the Functional Movement Screen and Selective Functional Movement Assessment. It’s a constant reminder that the site of pain is not necessarily the cause of that pain. It’s ok to treat the pain using modalities and manual therapy, but we also need to identify and treat the source(s) of the pain for long term success. Looking at patterns of movement help us to do this.

I am glad to see that this idea is gaining much more footing over the past few years especially within the American Physical Therapy Association, but it still frustrates me that physicians order VMO strengthening for everyone with knee pain and physical therapists still go along with it. As if strengthening one muscle will solve everything. I haven’t isolated out the VMO in years and my patients with knee pain do just fine.

Now that more people in the medical profession and sports performance arena are catching on, the next big thing has been “strengthen the gluteus medius”. Sufficient gluteus medius strength is necessary to prevent femoral internal rotation and adduction (valgus collapse) which is a step in the right direction compared to training the VMO. It’s still not enough though.

We need to take it a few steps further and realize that inner core function is needed for segmental spinal stability, the outer core can then do its job to stabilize the trunk and pelvis, and now the gluteus medius has a stable base from which to control the femur. Did I mention having full spine and hip mobility is a prerequisite as well? That’s a whole other can of worms that I won’t get into right now, but hopefully you can see where I’m going with this.



3. Could you give my readers some insight into your typical day?

Work is relaxing for me. I’ve got three young kids so when I’m home its total chaos!

I’m usually working on my site or reading from 5:30-6:30am and then again 9-10:30 or so at night. I also put in 40 hours a week in the clinic. I’m in a great situation in that I get to work closely with a group of orthopaedic surgeons, and a great group of like-minded and driven therapists. We put a lot of emphasis on treating patients one on one, and have ample time to do more in-depth evaluations. From time to time I’ll run some strength and conditioning clinics, do FMS testing with some of the local athletic teams, and I’m the strength and conditioning coach for a local football team.

Keeps me plenty busy, but that’s good. I’m fanatic about always learning more and then trying to implement that knowledge into what I do for the best possible results.



4. Sometimes there seems to be a huge gap between some physical therapists and strength and conditioning coaches. How in your opinion can this gap be bridge?

We just need to communicate better, and put egos aside to do what is best for the athlete. It goes both ways where either side doesn’t want to take the suggestions of the other. I do some of both but I’m a physical therapist a whole lot more than I’m a strength coach, and I know I better listen to their concerns. I’m not in their weight room all day, or in their class with 40 kids at a time. I may have the best exercises in the world but if it doesn’t fit in with what they have available and time constraints, then it really doesn’t matter.

I do think the knowledge gap is closing though on both sides which is great. Sites like Mike Boyle’s – Strength Coach.com, hopefully my site, and organizations like the NSCA are really trying to bring both groups together. There is a lot of overlap between rehab and performance training, and it’s that common ground that we need to take advantage of. I think there are certain principles we can all agree upon.



5. Who has had the biggest influence on you as a therapist?

I would have to say Gray Cook. I’d been searching for the answer to the question, “why isn’t what I learned in school and these other courses I’ve taken getting me the results I want with my patients and athletes”? I heard Gray speak at the Perform Better Summit about 5 years ago and knew I found my answer. I bought his book right then (Athletic Body in Balance), and luckily ran into him in the airport on the way home. He was nice enough to answer a few of my questions and since then I’ve been picking his brain as often as I possibly can.

I use the Selective Functional Movement Assessment with just about everyone who comes in the door, and the FMS with all of the athletes returning to play. I’ve just had good success using these programs, and Gray is a guy that never stops trying to learn and improve on things.



Gray Cook


6. What are you all-time favourite books in the following areas:

Strength Training:
I grew up in the Arnold Schwarznegger era so the “Encyclopedia of Body Building” was my favourite. Probably not the politically incorrect answer but that was my guide early on in my training days. Nowadays, I would say anything from Mike Boyle. I already mentioned “Athletic Body In Balance” from Gray and also his “Secrets” DVD series along with Brett Jones and Lee Burton.


Physical Therapy Rehabilitation: “Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Disorders “– Shirley Sahrmann/”Ultimate Guide to Low Back Performance” – Dr. Stuart McGill


Nutrition: “Fast Food Nation” (scary stuff), otherwise I don’t read too much on the subject. In this country it’s hard to know whom to believe, and I think a lot of the research is influenced by outside money and interests. Besides, if you know fruits and vegetables are good and processed foods are total crap then you’re on the right path. There’s my mini-rant for the interview.


Business: “Think and Grow Rich” – Napolean Hill. I need to read more in this area for sure and am planning on looking at Thomas Plummer and Alwyn Cosgrove’s stuff. I’ve heard Thomas speak and he is a riot!


Random: The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People - Stephen Covey, and Fighting Back – Rocky Bleier (had to throw in a good true sports story)



7. What do you do to for your continuing education (Seminars attended etc)?

In the past year I’ve taken the Level II Selective Functional Movement Assessment from Gray Cook, did the week long Rehab Specialist Mentorship at Athletes Performance in Arizona, hit the Perform Better Summit in Chicago, and most recently Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization ‘A’. The DNS course is based on the work of Pavel Kolar, and is taught by an American PT and a therapist from the Prague School in the Czech Republic. It was a fantastic course and in my opinion, really builds on what Gray and Dr. McGill have been teaching.

This next year I plan on doing more with the Prague School and also with Titleist Performance Institute.



8. What resources that are out there, would you recommend to young up and coming coaches (Podcasts, Websites, Blogs, Products)?

Functional Movement Screen (functionalmovement.com)



Strength Coach.com/Functional Strength Coach 3.0



Strength and Conditioning Webinars.com



International Society of Clinical Rehabilitation Specialists.com


9. If you could pick one exercise, and one exercise only, what would it be and why?

Correcting the individual’s respiratory pattern would be the number one exercise. We know that proper diaphragmatic breathing enhances activation of the inner core (transversus abdominus, multifidi, pelvic floor, and deep cervical flexors). If stabilization cannot be achieved at the most basic levels then all other patterns of movement will be adversely affected. I love single leg squats but how effective are they if the athlete collapses into flexion with each rep? I also really like Turkish Get-Ups and other kettlebell over head exercise, but again we’re asking for trouble if the spine is cranked into extension every time the shoulder flexes. Stresses increase in the lumbar spine, stability is compromised in the shoulder, and power is lost.

Was that cheating naming my other favourites?

Proper Breathing - Cruical for everyone

10. Could you give my readers a basic summary of what your methodology on rehabilitation is (eg. FMS, SFMA, Janda)?

I use the SFMA as part of my evaluation process because I believe that an understanding of regional interdependence is crucial to getting patients better long term. Local approaches can be used to improve the situation quickly, and there is nothing wrong with that. Personally I like a lot of what Shirley Sahrmann does and when it comes to backs, I’ll use some of Dr. McGill’s methods. But to solve chronic pain issues and to prevent future injuries, we need to implement strategies that enhance patterns of movement. These patterns of movement are what connect distant regions of the human body, and they happen all day every day.

I spoke about it earlier concerning treating the knee. Sure I could strengthen the VMO and glute medius and tape the patella medially and I probably could get some immediate relief. That athlete will probably return to their sport, but the pain will be back. I know ultimately we’re in this to make a living, but ethically we need to do what is best for our patients. Solving their problems long term is in their best interest. I think addressing patterns of movement (using the SFMA model) is that answer.

So, in a nutshell, restore mobility where mobility is lacking. Then stabilize the segments that need to be more stable. That is how we restore functional movement.


11. Last question, what advice would you give to physical therapists, like myself getting into the field?

Read as much as you can, take continuing education courses, and make connections with other clinicians, coaches, performance enhancement specialists, etc. You have to have a love of learning and a desire to be the best you can be to be. Part of this is being smart enough to realize that there is always someone out there who knows more than you. Seek out those people in your field. Michael Boyle said something a few years ago that has stuck with me: “if you read one hour per day for an entire year, you would be more knowledgeable than 99% of people in your field.” I think he is absolutely right on, and it’s something we should all aspire too.

RB: Joe , thank you so much for your time. Where can my readers find out more about you, and any projects that you may have coming up?

JH: Check out http://www.sportsrehabexpert.com/ for more information on the Functional Movement Screen and Selective Functional Movement Assessment, Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, interviews with guys like Stuart McGill, Eric Cressey, and Mike Boyle, corrective exercise videos, and lots more. It’s only $1 to join for 14 days so you can’t lose for giving it a try. Stay on for only $9.95 a month (that’s only $.33 per day). That’s pretty much my project for now, trying to stay on top of what is new and exciting in the world on sports rehab and injury prevention.
Thanks Robbie!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

An Interview with Mike Robertson

1. Mike thank for your time. Could you give my readers your background, and how you came to be a strength and conditioning coach?

Sure thing Robbie! I was actually a guy who loved sports growing up, and I realized later on that strength and conditioning was a natural way to take my performance to the next level.
During my masters program in college, I realized that I could merge these two loves into a job that I was passionate about. I was an assistant strength and conditiong coach at Ball State, and I’ve been in the field ever since.



Mike in Action as a Powerlifter



2. What, in your opinion, is the biggest problem you see within the fitness industry today?

There are two really big issues, in my opinion:


- Too great a focus early on with business/marketing
- Not enough desire to really be great.


I was in the field for 6 or 7 years before I started getting interested in business. Now, it seems as though many coaches want to come out and immediately release an information product, or start their own gym. There’s a natural lineage and progression that should be followed if you want to be successful.

The other issue is that so many people in the field aren’t really passionate about what they do. I don’t see this as much in strenth and conditioning as I do with personal training, but so many people are just in it to make ends meet until the get a “real job.”

I wake up everyday knowing that I can make people better. Whether it’s coaching them in the gym, teaching them something with my blog/newsletter/products, I realize that I can make an impact every day. If you think about it like that, how can you not be passionate about what you do?


3. You recently open up your own facility (IFAST) with Bill Hartmann recently (Congratulations by the way). How have you found this experience?

It’s interesting. Bill and I are both technicians – we love training and coaching people, but we definitely aren’t seasoned businessmen.

What I’ve found is that we’ve been extremely successful thus far because we’ve gotten results. Our clients get stronger, lose body fat, and generally feel better overall. It’s not sexy, but being effective at what we do has provided us some lag time until we develop our business acumen to the necessary levels.


It coincides with our previous point – too many people are focused on selling, business, etc., that they forget about just being good at what they do. If you’re good, people will seek you out and want your services.


The next step for us is bringing our business and marketing up to speed, which is what I’m currently working hard at.


4. Who has had the biggest influence on you as a coach?

As a coach, it would be hard for me to say anyone other than Bill. I tell our interns that every single day I’m in the gym with Bill, I learn something that makes me a better coach.

Beyond that, Bill is someone who has such a vast range of abilities, it’s hard not to learn from him. People know he’s a fantastic physical therapist and his assessments are second to none, but the guy knows every joint of the body pretty well, his programs are sick, and the thing he really gets that a lot of people miss the boat on is energy system training.

I’ve been lucky to learn from a ton of great coaches, trainers, and therapists in my day, but Bill is far and away the most influential to me.


Bill Hartman



5. Sometimes there seems to be a huge gap between some physical therapists and strength and conditioning coaches. How in your opinion can this gap be bridge?

It all comes down to communication, learning, and a real focus on briding the gap.

In a perfect world, therapists and coaches know enough about each others job to make any transition seamless. Too often, we want to argue about stuff like this – “this is a therapists job,” or “this is the coaches territory.”



It’s bullshit.

I don’t claim to be a therapist, but I’m going to read therapy books. If I don’t understand what they’re trying to do, how can I help? How can I further the post-rehab process when the athlete is back in my hands?

The same goes for therapists. If they don’t understand my goals as a coach, how can they rehabilitate them in the safest and most efficient manner?

There’s a definite crossover, and that’s what people don’t seem to understand. There isn’t this clearly defined line in the sand that says – therapy ends here, strength and conditioning starts here. There’s overlap, and it can only be done successful when both parties are willing to expand their knowledge base and work together.


6. What are you all-time favourite books in the following areas:

Strength Training: Science and Practice of Strength Training – Zatsiorsky, Reactive Training Manual - Tuscherer

Physical Therapy Rehabilitation: Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndrome – Sahrmann, Both of McGill’s books

Nutrition: Precision Nutrition – Berardi, Naked Nutrition Guide - Roussell

Business: 4-Hour Work Week – Ferriss, Crush It – Vaynerchuk, E-Myth - Gerber

Random: If it’s not in my fields of interest, I probably won’t read it. Outliers by Gladwell is the exception, though.


7. What do you do to for your continuing education (Seminars attended etc)?

I generally attend about 1 seminar every month. I read for one hour every night, either about business, personal development, or strength and conditioning. I also typically review a dozen or so websites daily for training/coaching information. Plus, I still coach a minimum of 30 hours per week. That’s down from the 50 or 60 I was at 4 months ago, but it’s still pretty significant!

8. What resources that are out there, would you recommend to young up and coming coaches (Podcasts, Websites, Blogs, Products)?


While I don’t agree with everything on there, I think the Strength Coach website is probably the best out there right now. I also think Elite has some quality materials from real coaches, and T-nation still has the occasional piece that’s good for coaches/trainers.

For blogs, I review a ton everyday. Bill Hartman, Eric Cressey, Mike Boyle, Alwyn Cosgrove, and just about anyone who actually trains people for a living.
I don’t really listen to too many Podcasts, as there are only so many hours in the day. I think mine (In the Trenches Fitness) has some quality content, as do the Strength Coach Podcast and The FitCast.


9. If you could chose one exercise, and one exercise only, what would it be and why?

You realize I hate this question, right?
I would have to say some sort of squat – either a front or back squat. Total body development, strength, mobility at damn near every joint. It’s hard to argue against squatting.



10. Could you give my readers a basic summary of what your methodology on training is (eg. how do you assess, and design, and periodize programs)

This could really be an entire interview in-and-of-itself.

Let me give you a brief, bullet-point synopsis:

- I evalute every client I work with. Without an assessment, we’re just guessing.

- The assessment gives you the exact information you need to develop a great programming. When you take a clients needs (from the assessment), and pair it with their goals, you should have a great idea of what it will take to get them on the path to success.

- Periodization is really based on the client – their training age, level of development, needs, goals, etc. I think too often we try and progress too quickly, versus focusing on technical mastery of exercises. Beginners need to stay on basic programs a lot longer than you think. It’s not sexy, but if they learn the basic motor skills (push-ups, lunges, squats, bends, pulls, etc.) then everything you do from that day forward is much easier.


11. Last question. What advice would you give to young coaches, like myself getting into the field?

Don’t expect succes to be fast or easy. It takes time to build a solid, sustainable coaching base. If you’re passionate about what you do, it shouldn’t feel like work. You should be energized about the idea of learning, or about helping a client improve his/her physique or athletic skills.

I’m telling you, if you’re passionate about what you do, it’s going to be hard to hold you down. Use your passion to become the best coach possible, and you’ll do just fine.

If you’re in it for the money, it won’t take long for you to be moving on to the next profession.


RB: Mike, thank you so much for your time. Where can my readers find out more about you, and any projects that you may have coming up?

MR: The best place to find out more about me is my website, http://www.robertsontrainingsystems.com/. There you can read my free blog and articles, download my Podcasts, and even sign-up for my free newsletter. For a guy that “sells” stuff, I give a ton away for free!

As well, if you’re interested in the gym, definitely check us out at http://www.ifastonline.com/. It’s not updated nearly as frequently, as it’s a more “static” site.


Friday, March 12, 2010

Book Review: Metabolic Typing Diet


This is a book that I have been meaning to read for a long time. I finally got my hands on this book last month.

One Mans Food is another Mans Poison!
The basic premise of this book is that everyone is an individual with their own unique biochemical make-up. Thus everyone needs different nutritional requirements for optimal health. What is good nutrition for one person, will not be optimal for a second person, and may make a third person sick! One mans food is another mans poison.

Modern medicine is a symptoms based model.
The book talks about how modern medicine is a symptoms based model. By this Wolcott means instead of your doctor getting to the under lying cause of WHY you have the symptoms you have, they just give you a drug (with a lot of side effects) to cover up the symptoms.
He also said the alternative medicine has the exact same problem. Instead of prescribing you a drug, they just prescribe a herb or vitamin to slove your symptoms. Again this is not getting to the under lying cause of your illness.


Autonomic dominance and Fast and Slow Oxidizers
Wolcott talks about peoples biochemistry being dicated by what branch of the autonomic nervous system dominantes their make-up: symphatic or para-symphatic.
He goes on to talk about another important issue that dicates an indivduals biochemical make-up. Is the person a fast oxidizer, or slow oxidizer. By this he means that fast oxidizers digest food at a faster rate then a slow oxidizer. Thus, this means that a fast oxidizer does better eating food that takes longer to digest (eg. protein). While a slow oxidizer would do better with foods that take a shorter time to digest (eg.carbs).


The 3 Metabolic Types
Wolcott talks about the 3 types that people fall into. The Protein type, Carbo type, and Mixed Type. Proein type: more protein and fat than carbs. Carbo type: more carbs then protein and fat. Mixed type: equal amounts of carbs to protein and fat. He also says that with these 3 types that everyone is still different and individual. For instance, you may have two Protein types in front of you, but one of them might be better at handling carbs then the other. Therefore even though both are protein types, there marconutrient (Protein,carbs,fats) ratios would be different.


Fine-Tuning
There are a lot of ways to fine tune your optimal diet, that Wolcott goes over in the book. I won't get into here as I would be writing about it all day.



Conclusions:
I think that this is a great read, even though at times it made me very depressed. By this I mean, it seems that so many people are ill, chronically ill, dying, dead, or on medications. It seems a lot of this could be avoided if people just ate better, exercised (proper exercise NOT jogging and destroying your joints) more, and just had a overall better lifestyle.


Doctors (not all, but the majority), just treat symptoms with drugs with huge side-effects. The quality of are food has decreased drastly over the last century. Sugar (especially high-corn fructose syrup) is prevalent in so many foods. Obesity, diabetes, cancer, depression is out of control. See what I mean about depressing.



Things a took away from the book:
  • Everyone has individual nutrtional needs
  • Eat all 3 marconutrients at every meal (eat a protein, a carb, a fat)
  • Limit startchy carb intake. Although carbos types can handle more startchy carbs, they still should not over do it on the startchy carbs
  • 4 things that can lead to pain and illness: biomechanical (posture), biochemical (nutrition), psyhcosocial (emotional well being), Enviroment (friends, family, work, where you live
  • Most medications do more harm than good



Stay Strong,

RB

Saturday, March 6, 2010

A Weekend with Leon Chaitow


This past weekend I had the pleasure once again to attend a seminar by Dr. Chaitow. Last October Dr. Chaitow took our NMT class for the European version of the torso and pelvis. This past weekend we had the European version of the cervical spine.

We cover a lot of material in the 2 days. I will have to review my audio files to be able to report a more thorough review.

It was a great weekend!

RB

Thursday, March 4, 2010

An Interview with Brad Kaczmarski

1. Brad thank for your time. Could you give my readers your background, and how you came to be a strength and conditioning coach?

I, like most, started out by playing sports. In junior high, we started training for basketball and I enjoyed the training process. Overtime, I learned to enjoy the training process as much as the sport itself. When my sports career ran it's course, I continued to enjoy the training process.

Half way through college I switched my major to Exercise Science. I spent two years as a college Strength and Conditioning Coach. I then when to work at Velocity for a year, bounced around a few personal training facilities (hated it), spent a season with both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Tampa Bay Buc's. I've currently been a high school Strength Coach for 4 ½ years now, along with some personal training on the side.


2. What, in your opinion, is the biggest problem you see within the fitness industry today?

Too much information to quickly. It's great to learn, but it seems like we spend to much time learning from others and not from doing the training our selves.

3. You work mainly with high school athletes. Could you give my readers some insight into what it is like to coach this population?

Every situation is different, so it's hard to say, but I'm sure there are some similarities across the board. For one, you have to establish and train proper movement. You also have to remember that not everyone shares the same excitement about training as we do. The bell curve is an appropriate view here, because a few of the kids hate it, most are indifferent, and a few just love it. You have to try to get that central area to at least come back. Then if you can, try to get them to get better and start to enjoy that process.

4. Who has had the biggest influence on you as a coach?

My dad definitely, for getting me into working out.
George Delp, who spent countless hours opening the weight room for me during his free time.
Eric Klein for teaching me a lot about college strength training.
Mike Boyle collecting and testing everything, and then giving out what he's learned.
Gray Cook for making movement health simple and testable.

5. What are you all-time favourite books in the following areas:

- Strength Training:
o Total Training for Young Champions
o Advances in Functional Training

- Physical Therapy Rehabilitation:
Gray Cook's book, video series and FMS seminar

- Nutrition:
Paul Chek's collective work
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Eating for Life, for it's simplicity

- Business:
The Power of Full Engagement

- Random:
Joel Osteen's books. Regardless of what you believe in, I think it's good to believe in something.

6. What do you do to for your continuing education (Seminars attended etc)?

I've gone to the NSCA Conference a few years, and I attended Gray Cook's FMS most recently.

7. What resources that are out there, would you recommend to young up and coming coaches (Podcasts, Websites, Blogs, Products)?

Strengthcoach.com and Strengthcoachpodcast.com are great usable info

8. If you could pick one exercise, and one exercise only, what would it be and why?

Ha, I don't know. The Clean would make the most sense, but I'd probably do a Sled push/push combo.

9. Could you give my readers a basic summary of what your methodology on training is (eg. how do you assess, and design, and periodize programs)?

I try to always start and end with simple balance. Am I doing something with: Flexibility - Strength - Conditioning. If so, then I'm moving the right direction.
Beyond that, I have a few templates for strength training. If you can only strength train 2x's a week, I do full body. Three times a week, you can do full body or upper/lower split. Four or more times a week, I usually do some sort of upper/lower split. With-in all of those, I usually start with supersets of antagonists. Then I move on to tri-sets, so I add a core into the set. Then I'll move on to a giant set or big circuit.

10. Last question, what advice would you give to young coaches, like myself getting into the field?

You don't have to know everything and you'll drive yourself crazy if you think you need to before you begin training people. If you can find something or someone to follow, and you can learn, do it. Keep learning, but give yourself a break and don't expect to be great at this field until you are in your 40's or 50's. Remember, most sports coaches lives take that path, we just put to much pressure on ourselves to be experts too soon.


Brad , thank you so much for your time. Where can my readers find out more about you, and any projects that you may have coming up?

I don't do many projects right now, but my website is www.BradKazStrengthandConditioning.com