Over this past weekend, Coach Joey put down the weights (only for a minute) and picked up the books at the annual Perform Better Conference in Providence. This conference not only keeps Joey’s CSCS certification active, but teaches him tons of new things he can bring back to the gym for better workouts, better nutritional advice, and better overall health. Below are the top 5 takeaways from the conference that you can take into your own life.
1) Connections – Making connections at one of these top notch seminars is a funny thing. I met and reconnected with so many amazing coaches over the weekend. Some were “famous” in the industry, some were just attending, and some in between. While this will not lead to more sales for someone like me, it goes far beyond the sales or money making possibilities. Having a great network around you is one of the most important aspects of a successful and fulfilling and happy life.
2) There are some easy ways to drum up business and community outreach that doesn’t take thousands of dollars just a little bit of courage and connection with local businesses and restaurants. Be on the lookout for me at some local great places soon! Not only is this a great opportunity to promote the gym, but hopefully it will lead to some pretty cool local recommendations for you all to check out!
3) Have some confidence and go after what you feel you deserve and work really hard for. It was a wake up or kick in the butt talk about putting in the work and making sure you get the results you are working for. Just like in the gym, you get back what you put out.
4) Geeky tip(s):
a. Mobility before stability- You need to be mobile (having joint range or motion) first, then we can make that joint stabile from teaching it how to “Brace” or get strong. When we lose mobility, we tend to slow down and have degeneration.
b. When working on stability, the simple act of breathing out hard gets most people to brace their core pretty well. This can be used in many aspects, even a setup for a deadlift. After you breathe out hard and feel that “brace” you can keep it and get a small breathe in and pull.
c. Fat loss training still needs high reps, speed(power) work, heavy work and mid rep work. A good fat loss program will have all the above, just like we have at Jtab! (funny how that works, right!?)
d. The simple cue of trying to pull apart a band or anything you’re holding onto, will help engage your lats more, especially for those that have difficulty working that area.
5) Taking “diet” breaks more often than you think will usually lead to better adherence and results. It’s not normal to be “dieting” for 3 years straight. Not only is it not normal, its super detrimental to your hormones and health, and can actually have the opposite effect of what you’re trying to do. Eat above maintenance for a few days/weeks and then go back to base or below base level. A few days break can help keep your body on it’s toes, and burning fat and calories.