Last week I went over what I felt was not so good in my State of the Industry Address Part 1.
This week we’ll go over the good stuff, and there is a lot. Maybe more good than bad.
But let me back up.
I said last week that the industry has changed since I started way back in 1989.
Back then there was very little education, resources and training. We did the best we could but it wasn’t easy.
The internet barely existed so you couldn’t Google something. It was only a year old and there wasn’t much on it.
I realized the value of learning from experts, but how could you do that?
I was working 40 hours a week at the Sheriff’s Department, training my ass off and running a business 40 more hours a week. How do you find time to go and learn from people?
Easy. Bring them to you.
I started running seminars at TPS by flying in experts in the field like:
- Dave Tate and Jim Wendler
- Fred Hatfield
- Svend Karlsen
- Mike Miller
- Rob "The Dutchman" Kaman (Muay Thai)
- And more
to teach at TPS. I learned and my clients and members got to as well. This made learning easier.
The industry also was very different.
There were not many private Strength and Conditioning facilities or Training Studios. Most trainers worked in commercial gyms and a lot had little knowledge.
One on One Personal Training was the rage and people dropped cash on it like it was no big deal.
We learned this was a losing business model that leads to burnout and offers, at least in my opinion, less results than groups.
We ended up being like a friend, and counselor to clients.
Sure it’s great to be friendly with your clients but at the end of the day your job was to get results and they paid for that. I bet that many who have been around as long as I have will agree that most of them wanted to do a lot of talking and not a lot of training.
They would also want to finish whatever story they were telling you before the next set was supposed to start.
It’s changed in other ways but those are two big differences from where we are today.
The State of the Industry Address Part 2-the Good
First up in my list of good changes is the internet.
Yes, I know that the internet is on the bad list as well.
The internet is a funny thing. There is more nonsense and misinformation on it that you could calculate.
BUT
There is also a wealth of FREE and paid information there too. EliteFTS is a perfect example of FREE and excellent information.
You just need to know where to look and also to be able to disseminate the good from the stupid.
You can pick up your phone and read an article, watch a video or look at a program from an expert instantly.
You can also sign up for a paid site that will teach you almost anything you want to know?
Wanna learn Photoshop? There’s a site for that. Wanna get a college degree from your couch? There’s a site for that. You get the idea.
The internet. I hate it. I love it.
Next up on the State of the Industry Address Part 2-more good
The types of facilities.
We now have gyms and training centers staffed with coaches who actually know what they are doing in their specialty.
Today, we have small training centers staffed with professional coaches that are experts in their specialties. If you live in a metropolitan area it is a good bet that there is a facility near you that has a coach who is qualified to teach you whatever you want to learn in the strength/fitness area.
That is AWESOME.
For example, I have clients travel frequently on business and they used to stress out because they would not be able to train in the manner they are used to on the road. There just were not many places to do it. I’d have to write an “On the Road” program. They didn’t like it, but it was the best we could do. Now, all I have to do is turn on the Google machine (if I don’t know of a place where they are going) and give them a few options to go to. Yes, a few options.
More Good in the State of the Industry Address Part 2
Professionalism
Back in the day there were not too many of us in the field that did this out of passion.
Many “trainers” did it to make a few bucks on the side and they came and went. For years. It was kind of like Real Estate sales used to be, or waiting tables.
You did it to make ends meet.
Now, we see college educated professionals that have passion making this a career.
They dedicate the time and energy to intern under great coaches and develop their craft. The value of having people who are educated, AND interned with great coaches cannot be understated. They took the time to go and learn (for no pay) from someone much more knowledgeable than they were.
They are dedicated and not doing this to make ends meet, they are doing it out of a passion for it.
Even More Good in the State of the Industry Address Part 2
Availability of Knowledge
This may seem like a continuation of the internet, but it really isn’t.
Back in the day your resources for information were muscle mags and going to the library to look for stuff.
It wasn’t easy.
I remember trying to find information besides bodybuilding magazines in the 80’s and there wasn’t much. Now, you can get an eBook or a real book that was written by someone that knows their shit.
Here’s a few examples:
-
531 -
M2 Method -
5th Set -
The Complete Guide to Using the Safety Squat Bar -
Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide
And that is just a few!
If you want to learn how to do things right, you have resources easily available to you for a small investment.
Skip the latest supplement and buy a book.
More Good:
Distance Coaching
This is good and bad. Everyone is a coach nowadays.
Let’s focus on the good. Years ago if you wanted a coach it was hard to find one.
AND
They were usually far away so, that’s a nonstarter.
Now, you can go to the coaches website, fill out a form and get a program.
Again, let’s focus on the good.
There are some coaches who give everyone the same program and no feedback.
There are others who are in touch with you.
Swede Burns is an example. He’s got a thriving virtual coaching business and you are actually able to talk to him. He is not just sending you a pdf that is the same as everyone else’s.
At TPS we have two options for distance coaching.
The first is Online Training. You “meet” with your coach via phone or Skype, get screened and then a program is designed FOR YOU.
You shoot video of your lifts and your coach meets with you via phone or Skype and reviews and makes corrections.
We also offer a lower priced option that offers you the ability to get your program and post video to our private page where our coaches give feedback on your lifts and make suggestions and adjustments to your program as needed.
There is more to it than that but you get the idea.
I can’t imagine how much better (not beat up) off my body would be if I knew how to do things properly when I was younger. A great online coach will do that for you.
Be sure to do your homework when choosing a coach.
Don’t just pick the one with abs, or a big bench. That doesn’t mean they know how to write and adjust a program.
PS:
Look out for our new project under development now-I’ll make announcements as we get close.
You’ll be AMAZED at what you get for about $10 a month.
That’s wrap it up for my State of the Industry Address. There is much more good and bad, but no one wants to read 5000 words, so I just hit the biggest ones that are in my mind today. Maybe in 6 months I’ll have a different opinion. Thanks for reading.
Ask me a question-Be sure and Type to Murph in the header Find me on Google-search for Total Performance Sports Malden, Mass. The Best Gym in Boston, Facebook too. Oh, yeah, follow us on Instagram too. TPSMalden SHARE THIS! #bostonsstrongest Vincere vel mori
Ask me a question-Be sure and Type to Murph in the header Find me on Google-search for Total Performance Sports Malden, Mass. The Best Gym in Boston, Facebook too. Oh, yeah, follow us on Instagram too. TPSMalden SHARE THIS! #bostonsstrongest Vincere vel mori
