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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Click Here to learn more about Mike Boyle’s Training programs >>
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!
Mike Boyle coached thousands of athletes and constantly improves his coaching knowledge to bring athletes the best possible coaching experience. Coach Boyle is a nationally recognized strength and conditioning coach and has worked with the following teams and organizations:
- The Boston Bruins (NHL)
- The Boston Celtics (NBA)
- The New England Revolution (MLS)
- The Boston University Men's Hockey Team (NCAA)
- The Boston Breakers (WUSA)
- Boston Blazers (MLL)
- 40 ice hockey medalists from the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympics
- Over 20 1st, 2nd and 3rd-round picks in the NFL draft
- Multiple athletes in men's and women's World Cup Soccer and Summer Olympic Games
- Athletes from the PGA, MLB, United States Tennis Association and World Boxing Association
Thank you for the interview. It just confirms what I believe and are trying to do.
I also have experienced the effect of people unwilling to change due to fear of appearing to have been wrong. What I always state is that I am continuously looking for the most effective way to get the results I want. If that means to change the exercises/techniques I am coaching/using then so be it. It is then more a case of being more effective in the future than being wrong in the past.
Great interview! Really good stuff. Was a good listen at 4 in the morning when I couldn’t sleep. Mike has great experience and it’s nice to hear his point of views on some great questions.
Great interview to listen to.
For me it all boils down to that if you want to develop athletes in an everchanging/evolving society then you must also develop and evolve as a Coach.
Amen!! You guys hit the nail on the head.
I guess I’m going to have to put my chainsaw down and find a better way!
- Fred
No play button for me! Hope to catch the interview
Got it now
It takes a great minds to speak their minds and for that I thank-you. Mike, we are preaching the same tune here in Canada – I educate at the university level and have been trying hard to teach students in first year how to think critically about the industry we are in, how to evaluate practices and the ‘gimmicks’ and trends they see and what it truly takes to be an effective coach. The Human Motion Team supports you and endorses both yours and Cosgrove’s philosphies, plus our own. Would love to chat someday.
Yours in strength & health,
Carmen Bott MSc. CSCS, RKC
http://www.carmenbott.com
Guys
Great stuff nothing like 2 of the best coaches in the world giving insight to what they believe. As coaches evolving is the key to our athletes/clients success and its nice to see even the great caoches always learning and evolving as well. Great examples of how to be a coach. Thanks guys!!!!
I have to agree with one point that was mentioned at the end. I used to love reading, but am finding more and more that DVDs make learning easier and more rapid. What I used to be able to read in weeks I can now learn in a matter of hours. I take notes as I watch and add this to my ongoing learning summary.
Thanks for the great interview guys!
Great job! Thank you Mike and Alwyn. In my brief
period of time in the Fitness Industry I have learned that change
or EXERCISE CORRECTION is an ever evolving constant. We all
need to stay EDUCATED, abreast of these changes and pass them
on to our clients as quickly as we learn them. I know my client base expects no less.
mikek/wsymca
I live in Newfoundland, Canada so it’s hard to find to good mentor’s and seminar’s to go to but guys like you Mike, that develop great products such as strengthcoach make it much easier for guys like myself to grow and develop into better trainers. The interview was great and I really like what you said about trainers and coaches making excuses not to travel to seminar’s. I just forked out a nice chunk of change to travel to an FMS course in Ontario and I can’t wait! All the other trainers I work with, except the guy going with me, think we are crazy for spending that kind of money on developing our assessment skills. They will be the first ones asking questions when they see me screening all my clients.
Keep up the excellent work
i agree 100 percent thank you
I agree with mike on several important points. Continuing eduction as trainers is key. DVD’s, reading and seminars is an exellent way to arm yourself with current knowlege and info to make you a better trainer. There are alot of gimmicks and marketing scams in our biz and we have to educate our clients to beware. Great interview..Kudos to Mike and Alyn
The interview was very good. In my experiance some coach’s will not change as they feel that their athletes will think them lacking in knowledge and not as good as they make out to be. We can not progress without experimenting and makeing mistakes for the good of the athletes, not for ourselves.
That was a very good inteview. It was convincingly confirmed to me when he said we need to “think outside the box” and learn new things. I agree with DVD’s and seminars, esp. during these economic trying times when you really don’t have time to drop your full time job and go to school and yet supporting your wonderful bride and 5 beautiful kids ages 7 to 17, then volunteer to coach track & field & XC kids (apprx 100) in the community. I’m ready and willing……. Great job! Thanks for both of you and we need more of this stuff!
WOW !!! I love U guys and always have!!!
2 of the best of the best, when you guys talk, I listen.
From day 1, alwyn has been my mentor and coach
his emphasis, be f**ng AWESOME at what you do and the business will grow
To this day, the biggest reason why my gym has remained successful is because of the results, it was always the best way to get the word out
I am grateful and always indebted to you guys both, alwyn, especially, you know that you have done more than change my life, but you are probably the man most responsible for GIVING me the life I have now.
From my heart, thank you guys!!
–Z–
Great interview with the two legends in the fitness industry! I first saw both of you last year at a Perform Better Event in Long Beach and I knew from the beginning that it was you guys that I wanted to learn from! Not being afraid of change and admitting your mistakes is a trait I respect about you both and a lot of trainers out there are too stubborn or pig headed to do this. Thanks for you insight and wisdom!
Thanks for the interview! Much appreciated!
Everyone needs to focus on the PRINCIPLES of physiology and neurology. If you really understand the principles (big rocks), you can play around with the rest of it then (details). Leverage is key. Change is not evil. Passion is a requirement.
Rock on
Mike T Nelson PhD ( c)
http://www.ExtremeHumanPerformance.com
personally, it was 20 yrs ago I walked across the BU football field and asked Mike if I could train as a high school kid, because I was tired of the bodybuilding gym, I remember practicing my hang cleans in my parents basement. If you define industry; commercial production and sale of goods. If you define profession; an occupation or career, it’s been a long road and I bill myself as a professional. Thanks Mike
The biggest thing that stood out was the explanation of admitting when you’re
wrong and being transparent about the fact that we are all still learning everday
in this industry.
The more “credentials” I get or the more I read the more I know that I didn’t know
as much as I thought I did, which inspires me to continually evolve through growth
and maturity into the industry.
I just recently hit 10,000 training hours in seven years and have even been
featured and contributed to some nationally recongized magazines,
yet I still feel like my learning has just begun.
Thank you both for your wisdom and inspiration.
Rob Williams, MS, CSCS, PES
Awesome stuff! we need more info like this and less hyped up BS
I have been in the industry as long as Mike, and I although I agree that continuing education is a must, I see an industry that is finally raising standards through the colleges and universities that are offering outstanding educations. These graduates, well-educated fitness experts, are setting the trend for the rebirth of fitness studios and more individualized gyms that offer personal training in the true sense of the word.
As a result of a better-educated trainer, the consumer will become more educated and will begin to insist on training that is correct and appropriate.
The best marketing for these trainers who are making a difference in people’s lives with training that leads to strength and functionality and ultimately, health is the union of the health care industries (providers and insurance companies) and the fitness industry.
Correct application of fitness techniques must and will become a recognized necessity for every individual, and every good trainer will have ample work.
By applying what I’ve learned from Cosgrove’s Fitness Business DVD and the continued wisdom of Mike Boyle, I have continued to thrive during this economic downturn. Although truth to be told, Starbucks and Apple seem to be doing just fine. So, QUIT BLAMING THE ECONOMY, take personal responsibility, and do what you need to do to get better! (Rant over, sorry….)
All so true. Just wanted to add that one main reason athletes still tend towards all these bodybuilding type workouts that don’t help them is because training environments aren’t as readily available: so many gyms don’t care to olympic lifting bc there are no platforms but tons of complicated nautilus type machines to choose from: there normally aren’t indoor tracks most places where you can work on sprint form, running form but tons of ellipticals/treadmills etc where you don’t learn how to run which doesn’t make sense because these other equipment is actually simpler!
Hi Guy’s,
Thanks for the insights! Having been a speed and performance coach for 22 yrs. you guy’s are dead on when it comes to change being a constant. I previously was against weight training for speed until I spent a week with Boyd Epley from U. of Neb. last year. Now, weight training is a large part of every sport I train.
You guys have been training people since I was born and I’m the dwarf Mike talks about on the call. When I read your stuff, when I watch the DVDs I feel like I have a much better view of things.
I want to thank you both because thanks to you I don’t need super marketing strategies to get clients because the ones I have, enjoy their training so much that they get me clients without me asking for them. And I can have the life I want and I enjoy it with my wife.
Thanks
Hi Mike, I am running my own PT business here in Dubai, UAE and you hit the nail right on the head bro regarding, not reading books or keeping up with the latest discoveries in the fitness industry can hurt you business and PT skills. Since I’ve been here it is hard to get to any seminars so I have to rely on DVDs and books. But they do a pretty good job granted the right book is read, so thanks for the reminder and motivation to stay on top of your skills. At the end to the day we call should love what we do and what better way is there to prove our love besides fortifying our passion with proper struggle for it. Thx bro great job…..
Thanks for the interview gentlemen. Awesome stuff as always from two of the “good guys”. I have been training myself for 20 years and now am in the process of starting up my own biz and want to work with young athletes. I have been to seminars, training and business, got the certs, and got the DVD’s, Now it’s just about taking action, constant learning and adjusting things on the way.
Fantastic information! You guys are the best, and you get straight to the heart of the matter. No BS. Thanks! Bob
http://www.totalcyclingperformance.com
Great interview…….. just awesome to listen to you Mike and Alwyn. Always seems that you bring something new to the table.
I totally agree with you guys when it comes to learning/changing or whatever you want to call it. There is a huge danger in just sticking one thing and not choosing to evolve or change as you learn new stuff.
To bad there are Coaches/Practitioners out there that are not even willing to listen to what other experienced Coaches have to say.
Its like you said Mike, the people that aren’t willing to change are usually those with a low selfconfidence level.
Keep up the great work guys, and I’m looking forward to the new books and DVD sets coming out.
This is great stuff from Mike Boyle interview. I am the food coach, how to fuel your body, mind and soul with energy, endurance and performance with all the food groups. Check out my website at http://www.glamfoodsllc.com
My kids play hockey, they have plenty of fuel during the game. It took me 4 yrs to have my kids understand what good eating does to the body, your body does crush when you eat natural foods.
Great interview. I have purchased many of Mike’s products and use his principles often. However, I would really like to hear more about why Mike does not like Crossfit. I personally love Crossfit but I do appreciate the dangers associated with some of it’s programing. For example, I have difficult understanding why doing power cleans at 35% of your 1 rep max for 30 reps as fast as possible is ALWAYS wrong for any experience level.
Being known for excellence requires four things:
money, clients, location, experience
You need all of them.
If you dont have these, then nothing else matters.
Asking for help and asking for money is easy.
But we need to be competent.
Also, delegation is a massive thing that those who are wanting to understand these concepts and help the industry, need to understand and apply.
And this audio has brought this to light for me.
The only training I have is from the Army.
I need more training and constantly be better.
Immersion is something that I have been neglecting.
I would like to be a student more often and learn to adapt and get better results.
Its not all about the money after being in the industry for 3 years tomorrow!
I am 48 years old and have been an athlete my entire life and have a degree in Exercise Physiology. I’ve studied nutrition for 29 years and find your subject matter interesting. I recently went to hear a doctor speak about athletes and nutrition. One would think athletes live long healthy lives and he proved with substantial documentation athletes being put at a high risk and longevity is not necessarily in the cards. Over and over long term nutritional deficiencies were documented resulting in injuries and accelerated aging in some cases.
My own personal experience by 40 I was strong yet the “other systems” in my body were suffering from toxic overload and lack of nutrition. I thought I ate well enough after years of reading everything I could get my hands on.
I’ve interviewed a lot of personal fitness trainers and find their is very little education around nutrition, detoxification, nutritional whole food powerful supplementation and recovery. Elite athletic endeavors place the body at risk paradoxically and my question to you in the State of the industry is what are you doing to help the athletes be more informed and protected long term?
I have three boys competing in football ages 10, 12 and 14. Many kids are getting sick as their immune systems are getting challenged later in the season. My boys on the other hand are being fed high levels of nutrition and understand hydration, sleep etc. There is NO WAY these boys could be expected to just eat their way healthy. Hence, we supplement with powerful whole food “tools”/supernutrients.
Where is the focus on this as well. The 50-70 trillion cells (more or less) athletes have as you well know are amazing and can collectively produce powerful tissues to make up powerful muscles performing at amazing levels. To handle the breakdown and building up as you well know requires tremendous work and resources nutritionally.
I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Thank you in advance for considering my request.
Warm regards,
Celeste Goodhue
Was very interesting would like to learn more?
thank you to both of you guys for a great topic and interesting point of views. you guys are true legends in the industry and we are better because of your collective work and inspiration. please read closely what i write but don’t think for a minute I’m criticizing you, its more of a blanket to us all within the industry.
we are at a pivotal time in regards to movement. many folks are finally making inroads towards building their specific concepts and genres. you have the outdoor fitness movement, and the metabolic style workouts, the functional, hyper technical guys , the then you have all the alternative trainers that say they rebel against it all. they all spend hours railing on why they are right and why climbing trees is better than rolling around on a swiss ball or they say that powerlifting is the only way to build power etc etc etc.
i subscribe to bits of the experts in all of these and then decide what to “strain out ” and what to keep.they are allies in a bigger picture of the fundamental underlying reason why most of us do what we do. To get people moving and be healthier!
Each of these genres could do better by stopping to analyze and criticize everyone that doesn’t follow their particular belief. I get constant emails from different trainers who say they are supplying interesting content but almost all the time is 100% self serving. sell sell sell by putting others down within the industry instead of collectively gathering forces and striking out against video game manufacturers of schools who cut their PE program or gather and demonstrate at the capital to make wellness and health a priority.
I find myself doing that very often as well and want to change. I’m always worrried about gyms doing poor jobs of mentoring or certain genres that spread cult like followings that seem wrong. But the time has come for us all to gather and fight the bigger fight. We are lucky, we are “in the know”. we have already dedicated our lives to movement and action. In my opinion, Childhood Obesity isn’t go down if we think that a certain genre is all generalist’s that cause injuries and we rail against them. It will go down when we all decide to make a concerted effort together!
Remember the scene in Braveheart when William Wallace(mel gibson) comes to the nobles in Scotland after he has been cleaning up the English and defeating them in battle. He walks in and the nobles are all fighting amongst themselves and Wallace and his crew just turn and walk out much to all their disbelief.
How can you fight the enemy when we fight amongst ourselves constantly?
So thanks again for the great topic, it has certainly spawned some interesting feedback and here is mine. Please take it as constructive as that is what its meant to be. Took a perform better seminar with Mike years back in RI and it helped forge my path.
Peace
Good words of advice and well designed question’s,these vehicles that are used to communicate too the masses is also a great key to improving that area we have chosen,that of fitness and health,so thanks a lot and can’t wait for the next entry,kia ora:)
Guys,
That was awesome!! You have covered several areas that I am looking forward to developing for myslef.
A quote I read yesterday that fits here is, “Success stops when you do!!” Continually learning, growing and changing are essential to be successful.
I have been in teaching for 20 years in Kitchener/Waterloo Ontario and recently I have been developing a performance training business as well and Mike you are so right when you talk about teaching the young ones to develop your teaching skills. They need so much direction and it is great to work with a blank slate.
I love it when I have students who have never been in the weight room before and they want to learn how to do box squats or other exercises. It is so much fun!!
Gentleman, thanks for continuing to lead this industry to higher levels!!!
Best regards,
Michael Galasso
area # 1 to improve – proofreading…lol
Just had a listen,Im sure both trainers are very good but having looked up some of the training methods it seems like another one of these train 3 days a week using full range of motion situations.
Also there is very little real information given away here
Im not a trainer myself but am interested in these things and as far as strenght goes I have had very good results using static contraction training,I dont have to train very often but the results keep getting better each time.
I agree strongly on all the topics covered in this interview. I am in an area where there are so many so called performance coaches that are limiting themselves by their arrogance or ignorance. They take the “nitch” approach to their training.. (the speed guy, one sport only guy, and yes the vertical jump guy) Its sad to see the field cheapened to this degree. Then there are the specialty coaches (pitching, batting, catching, fielding, QB) for these kids and with no skills test to see if they have the proper movement mechanics to achieve whats being taught.
This was a very informative interview and all who listened were the ones who except change and perfect our craft by changing with the game!
Congrats!
Jason Stanford,MS PES, CES
Infinite Sports Performance Inc.
http://www.EnhanceYourLimits.Com
Mike,
Thank you, this really has given me some great insight. I an 56 years young and been in the buiness for about 5 years. I was from the old school but really changed after the summit in Rhode Island a few years back.I am constanly looking for better was of training myself as well as my clients.
I will be looking forward to seeing you in Fairlawn, N.J. soon.
Emilio Adames
Welcome to the world of science and trend. Things are always changing and we are continually learning.
Thanks for sharing your interview!
Eileen Yard
Course Instructor
National Personal Training Institute
Great interview guys. I also learn a lot when I attend the Perform Better seminars and on occasion hear you and your colleagues disagree or present different perspectives. It’s great to hear from the people who take the research and the profession seriously.
Kevin Burgess
S & C Coach Nashua High South Lacrosse
Asst. Coach and S & C Coach Alvirne High School Hockey
awesome stuff!
we need more coaches like yourselves that share their info so all coaches can become better at what they do!
its whether coaches listen and implement what you say.
if we didn’t have coaches like you two, their would be a lot of coaches out there clueless!
both of you are on top of my “do as they do” list.
thanks a ton!
Coach Mike & Coach AC,
I always enjoy listening to both of you (at conferences, audio…)
For as long as I can remember you have both stayed with one single vision and message
and that is to
ALWAYS SEARCH FOR THE BETTER WAY!
Great message.
Thanks & Peace-
Matt Jennings
i’m listening now and just want to say i appreciate your emphasis on education. i come from an academic background, and teach for Exercise ETC for trainers to get cec’s. but your openness to re-thinking your own methods is one of the main lessons not only for trainers but for life.
thanks.
Hey Mike,
Thanks again. Just a quick question. You said that you stopped doing reverse crunches. Is this because of the loading that happens in the lower back? It’s lack of functionality? Did you replace it with another exercise. Would love to buy you a couple beers for your time. If you have a paypal account, I can kick you a little rythem.
Thanks!
Pauly P
http://www.pisanitraining.com
I myself have changed what I do through the years. Why? I have read books, gone to seminars, and watch DVD’s. These things have forced me to reconsider and rethink many of the things I do. This HAS made me better at what I do. I have to admit that throwing certain things out while adding new things may not sit well with clients, but if I can get them through that first block, and they see results then it was worth it. I think it needs to be said that the day to day training is also a place where rethinking happens. I would add that asking yourself three questions on a weekly basis will help you stay on track.
What am I doing?
What works?
What doesn’t?
Sometimes you just have to stop banging your head against the wall and move on.
Hi guys,
I too have over 25 years experience in sports medicine and performance, and have been attending Perform Better Seminars for years. In fact, I brought a newly licensed Physical Therapist to Long Beach to introduce her to philosophies beyond “straight leg raises and short arc quads”. I agree with Alwyn that the field is relatively young and those of us that take the time to listen to the leaders in our industry and are willing to take a fresh new look at what gets better results are still the minority. We are still “Facing the Giants” of gym science that admittingly is frustrating at times, so I find comfort and affirmation in also agreeing with Mike that I can only focus on my circle of influence and let our “real world results” do the talking. Thank you both for all you do.
Maureen Corristan LAT,ATC,CSCS,PES