State of the Industry
Click the Play Button Below to Listen to Strength and Conditioning Experts Mike Boyle and Alwyn Cosgrove Discuss the State of the Industry
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I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences on what you think of the State of the Strength & Conditioning Industry so please take a moment and post your comments below. Thanks!
Comments
92 Responses to “State of the Industry”Speak Your Mind
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I liked the interview between Cosgrove and Boyle. could not agree more. I especially like the comments about needing the best teachers working with young athletes. I am biased because i work with high school and middle school athletes exclusively. It is easier to teach good habits to young people than to break the bad ones.
The discussion about changing one’s mind, learning is also great. I like to think of it as evolving. We know there is a better way than 1 or 5 or 10 years ago. However, it took that step back then to get to where we are now. That is real life. The knowledge base is dynamic.
Darryl
Hey Coach Boyle and Cosgrove,
I truly enjoyed the interview and I can speak on behalf of the trainers in their 20’s and thank you guys for all of the resources you have shared that have greatly accelerated the learning curve for passionate, ambitious fitness professionals who want to help people, but who don’t have the initial 20+ years in the trenches experience that you two do.
I remember when I first decided to make fitness my living as a senior in college in 2005… my first 2 books were Coach Boyle’s Functional Training for Athletes and Coach Verstegen’s Core Performance… and I soon followed by purchasing many of Coach Cosgrove’ products… without these tools there was no way I could have safely and effectively delivered life-changing results to my clients in such a short period of time.
And if I understood the main thesis of the call… it’s all about building a results-based business because no marketing tactic is more effective than social proof
crank it!
BJ Gaddour
Great interview. I agree with all of this especially the marketing online information and comments. I have learned that we still need to get in front of people. network in person, get referrals, and build relationships.
Dale Buchanan
http://supremeultimatefitness.com
Great to hear a coach speak the truth. I too have been in the field of human performance for 25 years. I have said for years that a middle or high shcool strength coach can make a huge impact on young athletes. Good strength coaches at the high school level are few and far between. I also agree with Mike on continuing to learn, no matter how long you have been coaching. Marketing is a must, but training is where the real results come from. We are in an ever changing field. The one thing that doesn’t change is consistant hard work! Thanks for speaking the truth. Train hard and smart and God Bless!
Scott Hines Sr. EdM, C.S.C.S. RKC II
Pro Performance Inc.
Great interview! Good to hear a coach with experience speak the truth. I too have been in the human performance industry for 25 years and have seen the changes. their are to many great marketers out there pushing products as if they know what they are doing when it comes to training. Marketing is a must, but results come from consistant hard work and scientific training. Again, thanks for the truth!
Scott Hines Sr. EdM, C.S.C.S. RKC II
Pro Performance Inc.
Dear Mr. Boyle and Mr. Cosgrove,
As a young coach, I’m always looking for resources to broaden my knowledge base. Wanted to thank both of you sincerely for the interview. It is not very often I get to hear such straight-forward, quality information without having to sift through less useful or perhaps biased info. In many ways, I’ve grown up in and around gym facilities and I couldn’t agree more with both of your comments regarding changes in the industry and Mr. Boyle’s comments regarding insecure fitness professional afraid of embracing change in their programming and/or training. Obviously, you’re both very successful and I’m sure that you will continue doing what you’re doing. As a dwarf, I’d like to thank two giants for lending me their shoulders.
Sincerely,
NLB
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Thank you for your insight. I’m as green as they get and I’m trying to gather as much information as I can. I plan to see Alwyn and Rachel speak in Chicago this coming January and I can’t wait.
Mike & Alwyn: Thanks for doing this interview!
Drea
Thank you for all your insight. No better advice could be given.
Great comment in reference to change. It is just based on the evolution of progress. With out change you can not learn or progress. Good example with the doctors from the 70’s.
To comment differently ….I think coaches who have a problem with how the state of the industry is in a way had to expect it. If people are going to produce the mass amount of DVD, seminars, etc their will be people that take that information and then easily apply it and combined with marketing you are able to pumpout numerous diluted professionals. Those professionals then need a way to compete with the others so marketing is a sure way. It is the accessibility of information that is the problem but it is also the accessibility of the information that is also the solution.
MB and AC -You guys are right on the money as usual and yes probably preaching to the choir.
My greatest regret is that I had not heard this interview before now.
As an aspiring strengthcoach (only 5 years in the Canadian Fitness Industry) I will only add my two cents.
1. The Fitness Industry is like the Wild Wild West. There are vey few qualified Personal Trainers (functional trainers) as opposed to machine operators. The rules are : there are no rules. the Industry is unregulated..I really like MB’s line that ‘ The idiots are at it again,,,,:)) ‘ Even in the US it seems that the ACSM are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. Yes, I confess that I have a few crackerjack box certifications (and only a couple of real value)but my Fitness Insurance is of the crackerjack box variety because the Insurance Industry knows very little about fitness insurance. But then the fitness Industry knows little about the Insurance Industry.
Fees range from $ 11.00 per hr to $ 250.00 per hr. There is a 50% turnover rate in personal trainers. No wonder when the guy who sweeps the floor earns more than the trainer.The gym owners and the public doesn’t care whether you have CSCS or a 30 minute cert offered by some of the gym owners. The latter really do not give a damn whether people become strong and healthy-most are just out to make money from gym memberships and selling sessions.
2. There has been more change in the last 3 years in the Fitness Industry than in the last 30 years. A calorie is no longer just a calorie. DVD’s are popular because most books are out of date by the time they are published.
Cardio no longer has any meaning. There are 3 different discriptions (names for the same exercise. Kettlebells which were used supposedly back in the 1930’s ? are now the rage. We know more than everyday about physiology.-we’ve just rediscovered the Turkish Get Up ( used 800 years ago ?) Paradoxically,FMS is largely believed to be a precursor to PMS by many fitness professionals with more than 15 years experience. Having 10 letters after your name with an MBA doesn’t necessarily translate into money in the Industry either. I know some trainers (little formal education-)making 6 figures and others who have difficulty landing a job but are actually more qualified than many in the Industry. And yes, the body-building mentality is healthy and strong in Canada with 2 large gyms (Gold’s and another) having recently opened outside of Montreal. In both cases I have first-hand knowledge of the “champion body builders’ still using the old meathead muscle isolation approach that I thought was dead a few years ago.
3. I am perhaps most astounded by the ‘dsyfunctional approach’ within the Industry itself. There is a lot of dissension in the ranks. There is fierce competition between many segments of the industry-eg. the athletic people and the weight management people. The hi-tech changes are unbelievable. The Internet has meant that the business gurus (as well as the fitness pros) have to go back to the drawing board to find out that their business approach- marketing and selling strategies are like core training- not the same as they believed a year ago. Things are changing too quickly.
4. Perhaps the safety/liabilty part of the industry remains the most shocking. In Quebec, 17 reported cases involved machine liablity-as opposed to trainer negligence. Personally I have always liked the stability ball- I think it’s a tremendous tool. I recently heard of a cheap PB bursting and the personal trainer doing chest presses sued the gym. Perhaps he hadn’t heard of the anti-burst balls (DSL) etc. which have specs that would perhaps have prevented the accident. He probably forgot to check the gym floor for nails. What’s wrong with spotting someone who even does DB presses even from a Bench? And recently I heard of a retired Judge who sued when he fell off of a stability ball.(only his bodyweight) Despite the fact that I read that 5 people each year are killed in North america on the bench press- I rarely see anyone use and/or have a spotter. Perhaps it is true…. ‘Plus ce que ca change plus que ca reste le meme. ‘
5. Speaking for myself I keep trying not to succumb to the’ fragile ego syndrome ‘ which seems to be rampant in both the Fitness and the Golf Industries.
All the best,
Gary W. Pitts
CGFI
Please keep up the good work and keep us informed.
It was nice to hear Mike emphasize the importance of proper training for young athletes. It saddens me to see 12-15 kids suffer from severe, lifelong sports injuries due to improper training and then suffer further from out dated rehab protocols. Children are the future, plant the seeds now
Hi Mike and Alwyn
I am a trainer from NZ, have been working in the industry for 17 years. What you describe depicts the NZ industry to a tee – the resistance to change, the minimum educational standards, and clever marketing with no substance and poor results,
But most frustrating is that trainers don’t know what they don’t know. Their confidence (or maybe arrogrance) in their own abilities is astounding.
Great job, I enjoy learning from your work and you have both had a major influence on how I do things and inspire me to keep improving. Alwyn, you are so funny!
Many thanks
Susan
My programs are constantly evolving – but I am sure I could be do things a lot better. It often feels like working in a vacuum over here.
Are we are a product of fitness incest?
I can always tell when a new issue of a fitness magazine, or a new information product is released, by the way trainers in my center train their clients. While I am impressed with the research that has come out of our industry, I remain concerned with our reckless abandonment of our basic knowledge – particularly when it comes to the general population.
Baby-boomers, of which I am one, are now poised to enter retirement. They have a tremendous amount desire to improve their quality of life. They generally don’t give a hoot about metabolic acceleration, interval training, kettle bells, etc. They don’t want to be sold on supplements (aka Prograde
. They want someone they can relate to -Someone who listens, who cares, who asks the right questions. The bottom line: Our success is based on our ability to create meaningful relationships.
Our success as personal trainers has less to do with our knowledge of the “latest and greatest” but rather on our ability to connect with our clients. We must be aware of what they want rather than what we think they need.
I make an unbelievable living as a personal trainer (coach, mentor, motivator, councilor, whatever). I have an insatiable curiosity and agree that we must be on top of our game. I would, however, like to see more emphasis on creating interpersonal relationships.
The ability to relate to our largest market will ultimately determine the success the vast majority of personal trainers will enjoy in the many years to follow.
This interview was incredible, especially the marketing part (been talking about it recently on my blog). Great stuff (although, I disagree with the one leg squats).
-Anthony
Thank you for a great interview guys. I had a conversation with the marketing guy at my gym recently. He was talking with the trainers about putting together a marketing package…”Let’s really sell training..our “brand”… “we’ll video you guys”…”we’ll do a photo shoot”…”and we’ll get it all up and running by the end of next week.” When I asked, “Yes, but what exactly are we selling?” He said, “Well, we don’t know that yet.” Needless to say, that was not the answer I was looking for…seems a little too much cart before the horse. So, I agree very much with the idea of focusing on our education and the product we’re putting out there. Thank you again for emphasizing the need for a quality product before random marketing.
Best,
Matt Semrick
Hi Mike and Alwyn,
Thanks for sharing this free audio. I would agree with BJ Gaddour that I have learned a ton from you two, particularly your Fat Loss products Alwyn. Thanks for sharing this info with our industry and for giving A LOT of info away for free. As you give IT (what you gave) will be given back to you many times over…its a spiritual law that can’t be broken.
Tyron
Nothing stays still for too long, that’s for sure. You guys in the US should come to the UK. For general popluation folks, we are in the Dark Ages when it comes to training.
You’re going to have good trainers and bad trainers, smart coaches and dolt coaches, qualified athletic trainers and those who never should have qualified. In the end, it’s up to the customer, client, athlete, and/or patient. Those are the people who make the decisions, and everyone has different goals and different methods of achieving them. It’s a laissez-faire attitude, and it sucks, but we can’t brainwash everyone into thinking the same way. Just keep communicating and helping people out. If they choose to accept your help/advice, great. If they don’t, that’s another one down the hole (and that’s my opinion, which doesn’t necessarily have to ring well with everyone.)
This was great, thank you so much for taking the time to do it. I especially appreciate the point you make about how the best coaches are needed at the junior high level or in the the early stages of athletic training and development. I by no means claim to know everything, but I often wonder what kind of an athlete I would be today if I had known then what I know now. It’s always fun to work with experienced athletes or people who are more advanced, but it really is important to work with beginners too and I am going to make it a point to do more of that myself. Thank you for everything you do, i’m looking forward to checking out your new program.
Hi, Mike i enjoyed your interview. I’m new to the fitness industry and yes i agree with reading, watching videos, and going to events. I just went to the club industry in Chicago,Il and i found it interesting to see all the new equipment and listen to some of the key note speakers like Jack Lalanne. I found it interesting when I offer a Personal Trainer to go with me and they decline saying that it was not geared for Personal Trainers but for the club owners or managers only. I disagree and still went because i felt it was still knowledge for me weather i was purchasing equipment or not. so i am already seeing trainers who have been in the business for some time having this type of mind set which is not good. Well thanks again it was great.
Mike,
I agree with your “revolutionary old school” approach to training athletes, especially for scholastic applications.
I, like you, have been “coaching” and training athletic teams for 30 years. I started in 1979 with a youth football team, where conditioning took a back seat to specific football technique learning. I went on to complete a BS in Physical education in 1983 (because this was the way to gain a position of authority in training in those days) then a MS in exercise science. Following stints in clubs, and personal training and other recreation fields, I am currently empoyed as an elementary school Physical Education teacher (k-5th) and Middle School Track & Field coach in West Virginia.
ALL OF THIS SAID to agree with your comment that the best trainers and coaches should be active in the adolescent and young adult populations. I validate my non-lucrative position to my peers as “being in the perfect position to enjoy the greatest of personal physical discovery phases of any time of a persons athletic and non athletic life” I say all of the time that my track athletes experience PR’s every meet (and sometimes every practice), how satisfying is that !!! Although I need to nail down a second job in order to enjoy the lifestyle I choose, I am convinced that after 30 years of living the trainer’s life, I am right where I should be. The disrespect that I endure from my employer (PE teachers have developed a bad reputation as babysitters and do nothings over the years….evidenced by our 30% overweight and obesity amongst youth in WV) and the community, does not harm my feelings nor deter my enthusiasm for teaching youth proper technique and methods. The proof is in the pudding.
Enough said, I will continue to read, learn, and change my mind regarding new concepts and delivery methods of fitness and training to make myself better for my students and athletes. Keep up the good work and keep experimenting with your programs in order to help make us better trainers.
Mr. Boyle & Mr. Cosgrove,
Right on guys 100%! I use to be one of those gym jock block heads that hardly ever trainined out of my box. Now days I agree that if you want to be in the know and cutting edge you have to change your old school ideas of training. What ever is your market we all have to remember that we are in the fitness wellness coaching and SERVICE business! We train clients every day from all walks of life to increase there performance and daily “life” movements. All of us want to live a long, strong and higher standard physical productive life. You cannot have “your pride in a box” when you are open to new learning and progressive methods that you guys from “Perform Better” teach every year. Keep on trucking
Thanks, guys. I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum… people entrenched in mind-sets from 30 years ago and others who are so trendy they can’t keep up (and have little or no impact on their athletes). Enjoyed the interview and look forward to continue to learn from/with you.
Mr. Boyle and Mr. Cosgrove,
Thank you for the great interview. I have a sports performance training center in Pittsburgh, PA that focuses on the exact points you mentioned. We work with the developmental athlete to minimize the risk of injury, reengineer movement patterns, work on flexibility, stability, agility, speed, strength, balance, positive mental approach, and power development. We “pound the rock” everyday here against the 1 rep max trainer, or in worse cases the Dad of a player that wants to help out his son’s team and has no idea what they are doing. We educate the public on proper protocol and implementation for their children, and let’s not forget they are children, not “little adults”!
We are coaches not trainers, and yes there is a difference between the 2. Instruction on proper body position, hip,knee, toe alignment and chest, shoulder, back position are CRITICAL to a childs welfare.
The industry has changed and people need to get out of the “Pumping Iron” days. We here at Athletic Element in Pittsburgh are going to change the mindset.
Thank you for your support.
Great interview. I have been in the business for the past 17 years and see a disturbing trend of gimmicks and the latest greatest piece of equipment. The lines are being blurred between performance training and fitness training with the likes of Crossfit and others. He said it best:
1. Continue to evolve
2. Focus on results
Keep spreading the wisdom.
Aaron Thigpen
http://www.Gamespeed.net
This couldn’t have come at a better time…good reality check to take time to learn and educate! It’s easy to get so caught up with daily acitivities that you overlook continuing education.
As you mentioned, the fitness industry is being bombarded with a bunch of junk products that a cleverly marketed but provide no substance. It’s good to know that there are resources like yourselves to provide quality and results based content!
As a former professional athlete myself I can relate to your comments on training pros vs. the younger clientele. Keep the pro’s on the field and really coach/develop the young guys! That’s the truth!
I have gained a lot of confidence and knowladge as a trainer because of your products and resources. Keep them coming and hope to meet you guys at a public event some time soon!
Thanks for continually challenging the fitness industry!
Ryan Riley
That was an awesome interview, that definitely lit a fire underneath me. I sincerely understand the frustration that goes along with the many changes in the fitness industry. As a professional you need to always have an attitude that embraces change; if not, you may not reach your full potential. With that said, the most frustrating part for me is the amount of unqualified trainers sabotaging the fitness industry. I’ve been fortunate to separate myself as being a pretty good trainer, but at the same time, its disheartening to see people crapping over the industry you love dearly-just to make a quick buck.
Thanks for making it available always great to hear thoughts on our industry.
Just listened to my mentor (of course Mike doesn’t know me) Mike Boyle speaking on the State of the Industry with Alwyn Cosgrove (another mentor and no, he doesn’t know me either). I’ve come to a cross roads in my career as a trainer and it hurts. Prior to this pain, I’ve been involved in the bodybuilding world in which muscles are the key ingredient of specific training philosophies. Currently, I’ve been more and more convinced this “way” is wrong. Over the last several years I’ve been on the road to correct this and it pains me that I’ve given pretty bad advice to many of my past clients over the years. Mike explained this same dynamic as a journey of learning so to speak. I’m now 49 years old and incorporate and teach my clients how to move their body, esp. try to help them move without pain if they currently experience it. Mike and Alwyn…I love the fact that even you guys are in the process of learning new ideas and you’re willing to admit it! Refreshing! I too love to learn and have been earning my Masters degree in human movement. It’s funny, trying to talk my current clients into changing their whole training game plan is quite a feat! That’s part of the pain though, but something that has to be done. I’ll continue to surround myself with mentors like Mike and Alwyn, read the most current books, listen to good advice from experts, watch current DVD’s, attend pertinent and relevant seminars and conferences on an ongoing basis far beyond my CEU minimum. The most painful part is that it took me this long to get it. Thanks for everything you do Mike and Alwyn. You both along with a list of other great coaches and mentors are chipping away at the old and turning me into more than just a bodybuilder.
Inspiring and educational interview! Thank you for your time. I couldn’t agree with you more. Change, is a way of always keeping things fresh. My clients love it. Some may moan and groan,but the end results in what counts.
Thank you again,
Strive to Be Yourself!!!
Martha M.
Great interview! Listening to Mike jsut solidifies my own view of the world of strength and conditioning. It’s an exciting profession, and I feel priviledged to be a part of it, and to bring the “results” to my athlete clients that they expect and deserve.
I can’t agree more on almost everything Alwyn and Mike had covered, and have always enjoyed listening to Mike at lectures and he is always willing to spend his valuable time with you to answere questions , even when I do not particular agree with something Mike’s says though his passion and approach makes me think and evaluate my own beliefs and method’s. Being an endurance sport coach road, MTB cyclists and moto riders as my main focus, should I feel comforted or alarmed that my segment/specialty of the industry fares no better than others? I find it unfortunate that so many coaches and trainers within our industry hold on to a training dogma, perpetuate misinformation in part due to, an unwillingness to learn and not being confident in their actual abilities as a coach. In so too many instances Alwin or Mike say exactly what I have said or thought before, in particular the part being willing to learn, always reevaluating your methods. One assignment I was given as a coach at USA Cycling at the OTC was to update the training manuals, that members and coaches can buy. To make a long story short and not to impersonate John Kerry. I had written the suggested changes backed up with research with at least 3 sources for each section to be updated, in every case everyone agreed with my suggested changes though they were never implemented as the reason was that we can’t do that as we will admit we were wrong. My response was that more is known now and methods should changed/evolve based on that, so similar to Alwyn comments. We all should feel fortunate that both Mike and Alwyn share their time and expertise, and encourage everyone to see them in person.
Scott Hackett
Leading Edge Sports Performance
“The Evolution of Endurance Performance”
I couldn’t agree more with this interview. I’ve never seen any one type of training work all the time and the mixture of different modalities works because variety is the key. But I think the greatest words spoken by Mike is that he learns and seeks out the best ( spend the time with the best). And the greatest words and the Honest words are “Don’t be afraid to admit you were wrong and be smart enough to try to find a way to better yourself and keep an open mind
Great job Coach Boyle and Cosgrove,
I by no means have experience or time in the industry. But for the short 13 years in the industry I believe you hit the nail on the head. I change my mind every day and keep my methods evidence based. Keep sharing and growing the Tribe!
Great interview guys! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and making me a better person.
Good Stuff from Mr. Boyle. I currently workout in a small stip mall club, and two out of the three trainers that work there aren’t even certified! WTF?! How does this continue to happen..? Maybe by 2020 we’ll have enough of a critical mass to really get people to listen up!
Gentleman, it is always a pleasure to listen to two people who are in the trenches and respected by their peers. I find the insight from this broadcast to be invaluable since it stresses getting better results with your clients versus becoming an internet marketing guru. The broadcast had a “back to basics” theme to it: have an open mind, stay up to date with various forms of continuing education and focus on results oriented training versus trying the latest training fad. Coaches Boyle and Cosgrove always bring things back to reality. Thank you!
Enjoyed the interview! As a personal trainer and now the Fitness Director for the Cooper Aerobics Cneter I can’t begin to agree more that you need to establish credibility with the marketplace. Unfortunately, our industry has been about fads and gimmicks but when it comes down to building a reputation and leader in the marketplace you need to establish your self as the go to person. Find your niche and become an expert at what you provide.
Mike & Alwyn,
Great interview! Very informative and I know all who took the time to listen and act on your suggestions will benefit from your perspectives and advice. I am new to the training field and will take all of your recommendations to heart. Thank you for making this available to all.