An Interview with Mike Guadango

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

Growing up I was always active but always hurt. Because of this, I spent a lot of time in physical therapy and the chiropractor. Once I started using both of them, obviously I started noticing a difference. And to top it off, I was ALWAYS a HUGEEE Sly and Arnold fan growing up. Always being the smallest kid in class made me admire the biggest dudes there were haha.

Years later…

I like lifting and training so why the f*ck not? I now have a BS in Exercise Science with a concentration in Exercise Physiology, I’ve been with Joe DeFranco for about 7 years and been working for him for about a year and a half. I’ve also studied under James “The Thinker” Smith and Buddy “The Legend” Morris out of Pittsburgh.


2. What, in your opinion, is the biggest problem you see in the strength and conditioning industry?

I’m not one to really bitch about the problems with “society” and shit like that. But I guess my biggest problem would be how any dick can be a “trainer” and claim to know more than the next one just because they’ve read a few books and maybe even have their CSCS. This is a bullshit cert FYI. Some people actually need to dumb themselves down in order to get it.

Needs to get with the Times!!!!!!!!!!

3. You recently release a quality nutrition bar, FOCUS FOOD for training. Could you give my readers some insight into why you felt the need to produce your very own bar?
(no comment)


4. Apart from Joe D, who has had the biggest influence on you as a coach?
I’d honestly have to say “The Thinker” is. During my time at Pitt, he really worked with me and took me “under his wing” or as we jokingly say, “gave me the red pill.” He exposed all the problems with my way of thinking without telling me how stupid I really was haha.

Don’t get me wrong, I f*ckin’ LOVEEE Buddy Morris. In fact, I got VERY close with him. He’s like my twin, only older, bigger, and he might be a bigger asshole than I am. But I think James really influenced me to change my mind set about things more than anyone.

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5. What are you all-time favourite books in the following areas:
- Strength Training: Supertraining (Still working on getting through ALL of it haha…I think we all are!)

- Physical Therapy Rehabilitation: You know, I can’t say that I’ve read entire books with PT, I kind of take what I need out of them and continue to reference back to them.


-Nutrition: Metabolic Typing Diet and Eat Right 4 Your Type have some pretty interesting stuff in it. They’ve got their ups and downs.

-Business: I don’t worry about business stuff. That’s not my gig.

-Random: When I was younger I read the book Jonathon Livingston Segal. And at that time I was battling injuries. Much like anything else, my situation twisted it to be about things that I needed. It made me feel like I could accomplish anything if I just put my mind to it. In a way, it helped give me the work ethic I have now.


6. What would be the single most important advice on nutrition that you could give someone?

Just because something works(ed) for someone else doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you. Everyone is different; everyone has their own way of responding and evolving to virtually every single stimulus. This is what makes us individuals.


7. You are a fairly high level baseball player also. How much do you feel strength training has contributed to your baseball performance? Also what areas are the most important for a baseball player to work on in terms of strength training in your opinion?

Without my training, I wouldn’t have done half the things I did. It definitely was a reason I had such a good collegiate career. Speed, power and velocity all went up due to my strength training regimen.

Since baseball players are orthopaedic f*ucking messes it’s necessary that they’re properly maintained from a prehab/rehab standpoint, before, during and after training. Otherwise, there’s no point in training at all.


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

Haha there’s no short way to answer this question without being vague.

I assess by analysing general movement patterns for any biomechanical issues. And the design of the program is determined through that.

Assuming there are none, then time frame, availability, dedication and money (unfortunately) must be discussed.

I will write programs accordingly. Like I said earlier, every athlete/person is different. For me to give different people the same blue print would be completely irresponsible. Each person requires different needs. Sorry for completely dodging that question but I wasn’t about to give you a 10page f*cking answer haha.


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

Squats. Wanna get someone strong? Put some heavy sh*t on their back and squat it. Wanna get someone tough? Make em squat it for high f*cking reps!

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

As Thinker says, “Be a sceptic.” Form your own opinion. Cuz as you know, there are wayyyy more sh*tty people out there than there are good.



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

MG: I’m actually starting my own website:

http://www.freakstrength.com/

Another great video from Teds Talk

Alan Russell on regenerating our bodies

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Stay Strong,
RB

Can we eat to starve cancer?

Here is a great talk on some new techniques to treat cancer, and also about some of the best foods to eat to defend yourself against cancer.

Stay Strong,
RB

This is for "BUNKIE"

Today was my Testing day, or as Eric Cresseys calls it Moving day.

I have put a solid ten months of strength training in this year. I experimented with Joe DeFrancos Westside for Skinny bastards for 12 weeks at the start of the year and have to say I made big gains. Then experimented with Wendlers 531 for 12 weeks, and the last 12 I experimented with self designed program influenced by Eric Cresseys Maximum Strength.

So, you guys are still probably wondering about the title. Who is "BUNKIE". Bunkie is Steve Bunker, a strength and conditioning coach at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning. He runs Mikes second facility at North Androver, MA. Think about the coolest guy in the world that you know, and that is who Steve is.

When I interned at MBSC, Steve looked after me from day one. He bought me a bicycle, so I would not have to walk to the facility. He also had me over for thanks giving dinner with his family.

Last June of this year, me, Cedric Unholz, and another friend of mine Stephen Bennett tavelled to Rhode Island to the Perform Better Summit. Who do you think gave us housing, food, and transport over those few days in Boston. Thats right, Bunkie. To put into words what Bunkie did for the three of us that week would not do him and his family justice.

So, I dedicated my testing day today to Bunkie. His passion for strength training, powerlifting, and his family is an inspiration. He is the reason I wanted to be stronger. When I was over last June Steve was preparing fro a meet, and we all went to North Androver to do a lift. Steve's two sons Drew, and Craig came is well to lift. I was so envious of Drew, and Craig. I would love to be able to go to the gym to lift with my father.

Steve walks the walk. His trains hard, eats well, gets to bed early, is up a the crack of dawn to train athletes and clients, and makes his family his number one priority.

These lifts are for you Bunkie:

190kg Deadlift

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145Kg Squat

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40kg Chin Up x 2

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I also tested my bench and got 107.5kg but the camera died!

Stay Strong,

RB

My Stroke of Insight

My classmate on my NMT course Bre O'Connell mention this video to me. It really is an amazing and brilliant story about neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor's experience of her very on stroke . Its only 20mins, so when you get the chance watch it.

Enjoy,

RB

My Stroke of Insight

Super-sets. Tri-Sets, Quad-Sets, Straight sets,Energy Systems, and my thoughts

Do you pair your Main Lifts all of the time, some of the time or never? Why? Why not?

I had a great discussion with Patrick Ward (who is starting to become a mentor), and with my good friend Cedric Unholz. We got onto the topic on the alactic system for strength and power athletes.

The alactic system as we know is our ATP CP system. It is used for all out maximum efforts in strength, power, and speed. Depending on who you read this system only has a life of 7-10secs, before it starts to ask for help from the anerobic system. It then takes depending on who you read again 3 or more minutes for it to replenish fully. If we want it fully replenhished?

In thinking then of programming super-sets, tri-sets, and quad-sets for strength and power athtletes, does it make sense? Now for the discussion I am only talking about the programming of Main Lifts here. I think yes and no.

If we think about the energy systems use throughout a match (eg. hurling, football, soccer), we know that we get a contribution of all three systems throughout the entire match. I think sports like the above would fall under the alactic-aerobic caterogies.

So in this line of thought I ask the question again do super-sets, tri-sets, and quad-sets make sense when training the big lifts.


What would make more sense:

Eample 1:
A1: Deadlift 5x1 @ 90% - alactic
A2: Bench 5x1 @ 90% - alactic
A3: Mobility - active recovery - aerobic

Example 2:
A1: Deadlift 5x1 @90% - alactic
A2: Push Ups 4 x12 - anerobic
A3: Mobility - active recovery - aerobic

Example 3:
A1: Deadlift 5x1 @ 90%
A2: Mobility - active recovery - aerobic

Eample 4:
A1: Deadlift 5x1 @ 90% - alactic
A2: Mobility - active recovery - aerobic
A3: Bench 5x1 @ 90% - alactic

Example 5:
A1: Deadlift 5x1 @90% - alactic
A2: Mobility - active recovery - aerobic
A3: Push Ups 4 x12 - anerobic

I think they all make sense.

Lets like at each example more closely:

Example 1:
In this example we have to alactic lifts back-back. I dont really think there is anything wrong here with this example. My only question would be is one lift taking away from the other as the intensity that they are being performed at is pretty high. I don't this model would work well for a powerlifter, as I do feel that one lift may take away from the other. I would say there maybe some gobal fatigue going from a heavy deadlift to a heavy bench. But how much of a difference??

Example 2:
I think this example also works well, and when looking at the energy systems involved it looks like a good model for a field/court player as all three energy systems are worked. Again my only question would be is our lower body main lift (alactic system work) being compromised by the gobal fatigue of the upper body assistance work (anerobic system work). This brings another question tough. Do we want some fatigue going into are next set of Deadlifts? This would seem to replicate the energy demands on the field and court and would seem to make sense in that regard.

Example 3:
This is just pure alctic development. One Max effort and relax. This method is ideal for powerlifters, olympic lifts, and a lot of track and field events were one all out effort is required. I think this can a have a lot of benefit to a field and court athlete to when you are in a phase where you are really trying to emphasis power/speed/stength/alactic processes. A model I actully like is cleans 1 rep every 60-90secs for field/court players

Example 4:
I think would make more sense then example one as there is a recovery period between both efforts I think model would work fine. But is there still some negative effect one from lift to the other? Does the difference really matter if we are talking about field/court athletes and not powerlifters etc.

Example 5:
I really like this model for a field and court athlete. I this reflects the demands of the biochemistry of field and court sports very well.


When I listen to Dan Pfaff he talks about always trying stimulate the similar biochemical processes in the weight room that will carry over to the sport. Thats way I think it is important for us to consider these concepts.

I think also it depends on what time of year we are taking about. Patrick brought up the point that in the one phase tri-sets, quad-sets are useful for building work capacity if that is the goal, where as in another phase, straight sets with some active low intensity rest is what we would do to refine those alactic strength and power qualities.

This is just some thoughts to chew on. I dont think there is an all out right or wrong way. I agree with Patrick that there is an optimally way depending on what time of year and phase you are in.

As always people,

Stay Strong,

RB

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