The Education of a Strength and Conditioning Coach
Motivate your pupils to become the best version of themselves and the TEAM will dominate on the field.
No One Makes It Alone
It’s a long way to the top so find the main players who’ll walk beside you to make you better along the way. It’s easy to find people that look impressive but are they really everything they say? Are they all fluff with no substance?
Why the Teacher Is as Important as the Lesson
As athletes and lifters, many of us have been fortunate to have had a great coach in our lives—we are collectively thankful. Without someone like this in your life, would you tweak squat form to go from a 500-pound squat to a temporary 365-pound squat? What if that 365-pound squat evolved into a 700-pound squat?
To Master, With Love
The world was a wiser, kinder place with Master in it. Now his body is dead. I guess it’s up to me, then, to live up to his legacy.
How to Coach a Successful Seminar
For my wife Julia and me, strength for the general population is the area that we felt we could help and influence the most. The following is a list of helpful points that has aided us in providing successful seminars to our attendees.
WATCH: I am Clint Darden
“I don’t need a psychiatrist. Give me a squat rack and a deadlift platform and a bench and a couple of Atlas stones, and that’s my psychiatric chair right there.” Everyone needs a safe haven, and elitefts coach Clint Darden has found his at the House of Biceps in Cyprus.
WATCH: DIY Sissy Squats
Want to mix up your home gym training session with the equipment you already own? Grab your rack, a pair of elitefts Pro Light Bands, and a pipe, and we’ll get you all set up in no time to do some sissy squats.
Vincent Dizenzo's BAMF Program
A few weeks ago I blogged about how I was mistakenly looking for a one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with my injuries, and my circumstances are different. But with the help of four friends (and my wife), we came up with a BAMF program. Here it is.
WATCH: Matt Rhodes on Getting His Foot Through the Door
“People I knew got my foot in the door, and I got myself through the door.” Morehead State strength and conditioning coach Matt Rhodes shares his story of how he made his way into the collegiate strength and conditioning world.
The Physical Requirements That Make a Rugby Player Great
In January 2017, Marc Keys and I embarked upon a labor of love to develop a questionnaire investigating what the various groups of people who make up the rugby industry think are the key elements of the physical preparation of the rugby player. Here are the results.
Introducing New Team elitefts Coach and Columnist Tony Montgomery
elitefts has “given me my life that I have now.” As a coach and columnist, Tony Montgomery will continue to live, learn, and pass on the passion that got him doing what he does now to others. Welcome to the team, Tony.
WATCH: Table Talk — Dave Tate and Joe Sullivan on Working Full-Time and ...
It doesn’t matter if you’re planning on coaching part-time or full-time; coaching is a job that requires time, passion, and a deep love of the sport — no matter the paygrade. If you’re only in it for the glory or money, you’re not going to last long.
Top 5 for January
Here are the articles, blogs, and logs that were clicked, read, liked, and shared the most for January: Operation Be Less Fat, GHR Methods You Should Be Using, Extra Bodybuilding Workouts for the Powerlifter, a Six-Week Wave Bench Progression, and more! Find out too, a couple of things we’re compiling for February.
2018 in Review
2018, you were a great new chapter. You’ve put me in a good place with my training, my clients’ training, and the team’s training. 2019, see you soon.
OSU's Urban Meyer Announces Retirement
Offensive coordinator Ryan Day, whose leadership led to the first three victories of this season, will be the new head coach.
Earn Student-Athlete Respect with These Principles
You can prescribe the best programming out there, but if your group of student-athletes do not believe in it or you, then it’s never going to work.
Learn to Train X — What It Really Means to Live, Learn, and Pass On
In rant fashion, Dave Tate breaks down the components of the famous “Live, Learn, Pass On” philosophy that has shaped his personal journey, as well as the overarching mission of elitefts.
WATCH: Coach Shoop's Impact on Dave
Continuing their conversation, Shoop and Dave talk about the past and what brought them back together.
WATCH: Coach Shoop Visits Dave Tate
If you’ve read Under the Bar you know who Bill Shoop is — he’s the high school football coach Dave credits with changing his life forever.
Swede Burns: Powerlifter, Coach, and Poet
Swede Burns is readying the release of his new book, a book of poems. Each poem puts forth feelings of intimacy and despair, unveiling a new layer of Swede; one the public isn’t so familiar with.
A Letter to the Next Me
I’ve often heard people ask the question, what would you tell a younger you? This is a great question all strength coaches should answer.
So You Want to Be a Strength Coach?
I have outlined some things that I believe will serve to help aspiring strength coaches and young strength coaches thrive in this industry.
144 Things I Love and Hate About Powerlifting
Every lifter has their own reasons to love or hate this sport. Here are mine.
WATCH: Come Train and Learn with Legend Steve Goggins on September 26th
This training camp with Steve is set up with a limited attendance and a non-formal format. We designed it with this format so you can learn all you can from Steve and so that Steve can help tap into what YOU need to do to become better.
Loyalty Issues and Disappointing Clients
When a client doesn’t want to take your advice, what do you do? How do you handle someone who won’t trust your methods but still wants your results?
A Brand New Start: Advice for Taking Over A Program
Your actions from Day One will determine the success of your program and athletes. Know your philosophy and have a plan for executing it.
Learning Things the Hard Way
Learning not to do stupid things will take you further in this sport than any training method.
How to Develop Through Coaching Others
Guiding younger lifters isn’t only about giving back to the sport you love — when you do it correctly, you grow, too.
Managing the Dynamics of the High School Athlete
As strength and conditioning coaches, we need to adapt to every athlete who walks into our weight room.
LISTEN: Showing Loyalty and Earning Trust with Evan Marcus
The Head Strength Coach of the Minnesota Vikings explains the importance of buy-in with professional athletes.
Summer Training for Football (with 8-Week Program)
Like no other sport in America, football relies on a productive off-season to dominate in the fall.
Know What You Don't Know, Execute What You Do
At the Sports Performance Training Summit, Dave Tate defines Live, Learn, Pass On for coaches.
Leadership Values to Be a Better Coach
The presenters at the Sports Performance Training Summit didn’t only explain the virtues needed to be a great coach—they demonstrated them.
Dave Tate Shapes Future of SPTS Presenter
He attended a seminar of Dave’s 15 years ago as a nobody. Today he’s presenting for elitefts.
Surviving Reno: International Travel for a Bigger Total
If you want to become the best, go learn from someone even better.
Stupid Training Tools: Balance Training
Why risk serious injury and a possible concussion for “bragging rights”?
WATCH: "Westside Louie is a Flip Floppin' Know-It-All SOB!"
Darden replies to a reader's commentary.
An Open Message To All Competitors And Coaches
Recognize your role, accept your responsibilities, and quit making excuses to hide your flaws.
The Repercussions of Psychological Abuse in Sports
Helping boys become young men does not require verbal brutality.
Having the Courage to Put Your Program Under the Microscope
Being open to criticism from an experienced coach may be what you need to build a better program.
How to Deal with Difficult Coaches
Clashing with challenging coaches or parents? Here are the most effective strategies to help cope with them.
3 Things You Should Always Do as a Strength Coach
In the days of the entitled millennial, nothing ruins a young person quite like giving them something they did not earn.
Two Diseases and the Deadliest Words for Coaches
The best coaches are the best thieves and this is something else I stole from Brian Cain.
If I Could Do It All Again, Part 2
Thank goodness we got away from jogging a few laps before a ground—based warm—up.
Have You Earned Your Title as Coach?
You don’t just get called coach as a title. It is something that is earned.
Tough Questions for Aspiring S&C Coaches
I have had the privilege of mentoring numerous interns trying to become a strength & conditioning coach
Guide to Becoming a Strong(er) Exercise Science Student
It is one thing to sit in class and get a degree, but it is going to take more than a piece of paper to set you apart.
By the Coach for the Coach: The Trip
Each year for the CSCCa conference, my staff and I take a road trip.
LTT IV: Thursday Youth Coaching Session
Anyone can learn the science, the research, and the X’s and O’s, but a great coach leaves the kids smiling.
EFS Classic: Top Five Lifts for Football
If you’re a football coach or a strength coach for football, check this out. It may give you some ideas.
How to Find the Right Nutrition Coach
Please make sure your diet coach has your health as their No. 1 priority!
The Four C's of Coaching Young Athletes
In examining my current and past young athletes, four things have made me successful in training this demographic.
How to Be an Awesome Coach
What makes for an awesome coach? Here are the top eight things I came up with.
