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Vigor Life Podcast

Luka Hocevar is the owner of the nationally renowned Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance gym in Seattle and founding father of Vigor Move & Live in Slovenia, featured in Men's Health, Stack Magazine, Onnit Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, and on CBS. As a leading fitness and personal development coach this Vigor Life podcast is an extension of what Luka coaches every day and will provide tips, stories, motivation and inspiration to help you forge daily habits for a better body—through fitness,…

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EP 231: The Art of Smart Programming & Why Most Training Systems Fail w/ Joshua Clay

Joshua is someone I followed and saw doing, creating, and sharing some great education on program design, coaching and is a real coach. This made me reach out and get him on the pod to dive into the science and art of program design, coaching, and how to build a successful career and build an online coaching business. I’m so glad I did because it was full of gems and insights for coaches. Tune in.…

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EP 230: The Art and Science Of Group Training Programming & Coaching w/ Kevin Carr

Whether he is working as a coach or therapist, Kevin’s goal is to help people move better and become more resilient so that they can excel at the activities that they love. Kevin has amassed a wealth of experience in the field of sports performance and personal training since starting at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in 2008. Working with everyone from US Olympians looking for a competitive…

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EP 229: Nutritional Periodization & Training Alignment To Get Lean, Muscular, & Improve Performance w/ Jon Heck

Jon Heck is a nutritionist, strength coach, business owner and a podcast host. He spent 9 years working in NFL and Division 1 college football strength and conditioning and then launched his coaching business Hammer and Chisel Performance full time. He walks the walks, and practices what he preaches, he is 6’7 300+, lives a bodybuilding lifestyle as well as competing in strongman and powerlifting.…

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EP228: The Unseen Nutrition Roadblocks, Gut Health Reset, Using Food To get Healthy w/ Dr. Dwayne Jackson

Dr. Dwayne N. Jackson is a dad, athlete, health specialist, medical educator, scientist, and entrepreneur. He has over 12 years of university education in exercise/human physiology, medicine, and nutritional biochemistry. Dr. Jackson holds a PhD in neurovascular physiology and has been educated at top academic institutions in North America including the University of Ottawa, the University of…

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EP227: The Truth About Aggressive Dieting and Why It Works, & The Science of Nutrition Adherence w/ Martin MacDonald

Martin is a clinical performance nutritionist, motivational speaker, educator and CEO of The Mac-Nutrition Collective, a syndicate of companies dedicated to the furthering and promotion of evidence-based nutrition. Having previously been a Registered Nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition, holding a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science and postgraduates in Sports Nutrition and Clinical…

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EP 226: The Science & Art Of Building Muscle for Beginners, Intermediates, and Advanced w/ Eric Helms

It was great to finally get Eric on the show and talk in depth about muscle building for beginners, intermediates and advanced trainees, especially the longevity of it and what the science and art (experience and wisdom) show. This is a very insightful discussion regardless of where you are in your training journey. Eric Helms is: Ph.D. in strength and conditioning from Auckland University of…

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EP 225: Dr. Spencer Nadolsky On The Truth About GLP-1’s, Weight Loss, and Strength Training

I’ve known Dr. Spencer Nadolsky for well over a decade and he’s been my go to resource when it comes to GLP-1’s and any peptides that help with weight loss, metabolic health, health and performance in general. It was great to catch up and get the truth about GLP-1’s from an expert that is helping clients in the real world, daily. Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, a board-certified family and obesity medicine…

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EP 224: How To Build Athletics and Aesthetics, & Creating A Successful Coaching Business w/ Gareth Sapstead

Gareth Sapstead is a strength and performance coach, author, and the founder of EPT Lab. For 20 years, Gareth has worked with Olympians, world champions, and high-performing professionals who all had the same problem: plenty of drive, but no margin for guesswork. His work focuses on building strength, health, and physiques that don't fall apart when life gets busy, because results that can't be…

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EP223: How To Supercharge Your Thinking, Future-Proof Your Brain & Stay Share At Any Age w/ Dr. Tommy Wood

I was really excited about getting Dr. Tommy Wood on the show. This topic is close to my heart with both my parents having Parkinsons disease, and my Mom passing away with it a couple of years ago. Not only is Dr. Tommy an authority on this topic, he communicates it extremely well, and is also at the University of Washington, which makes him a neighbor. Dr. Tommy Wood is an Associate Professor of…

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EP 222: The Principles & Strategies To Become An Elite Coach & Build A Successful Career w/ Dr. Sean Pastuch

Sean has become a good friend and it’s taken me too long to get him on this podcast. His has built a very successful business in Active Life and we dive into what it takes to become successful and build a great career in the fitness industry. Dr. Sean Pastuch, DC, grew up around the fitness, health, and wellness industry. And when he graduated Chiro school, he ended up opening a clinic and a…

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EP 221: How To Implement Agile Periodization, Coaching, and Fitness Business w/ Mladen Jovanovic

Finally got my Balkan brother Mladen Jovanovic on the podcast to talk about agile periodization, constraint based coaching, coaching principles and how to think “bottom up” and not just “top down” when it comes to training clients. We also dive into best approaches to open a gym with a small group training model. Mladen Jovanovic is a physical preparation coach from Belgrade, Serbia. He has worked…

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EP 220: How To Develop Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World w/ Brad Stulberg

I’ve read every one of Brad’s books and his latest “The Way of Excellence” is my favorite (which says a lot since I’ve got incredible value from all of them). This is Brad’s second appearance on the podcast and I’m always grateful for our conversations and the insights and clarity he shares. In this episode of the Brad and Luka delve into the concept of excellence, exploring its biological roots,…

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EP 219: Program Design For Different Goals, Coaching “Challenging” Clients, Flexible Dieting, Coaching Cues with/ Cody McBroom

Back with Cody McBroom as we hit up our monthly coaching roundtable diving in depth into questions we receive about program design, coaching, nutrition, mindset, and business. Cody McBroom is a Father, Husband, Online Trainer and Sports-Nutritionist, and the Founder/CEO of Tailored Coaching Method, a Coaching Company that helps Average People Achieve Above-Average Physiques. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL…

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218: How To Build Athleticism, Boost Performance, Reduce Injuries, and Why 10 x 10 Sprints Work w/ Derek Hansen

It’s always a pleasure having a conversation with my friend Derek Hansen as we dive into athleticism, injury prevention, the many facets that influence human performance, as well as why an electrical power plant may be influencing the San Francisco 49ers performance ;) Derek M. Hansen has been a world renowned sport performance consultant and advisor to some of the top organizations, teams and…

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EP 217: Conjugate Training and Westside Barbell Lessons To Build Strength For Life (For Anyone) with/ AJ Roberts

It’s been a while since I’ve had my brother AJ Roberts on the show. I love that this time around we are talking training, the conjugate method, Westside Barbell and everything in between. AJ Roberts is a world-record powerlifter who has bench pressed over 1,000 pounds in sanctioned competition and spent more than two decades in strength sports. He coaches athletes using conjugate-based systems…

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EP 216: Strength & Conditioning, Hybrid, Transformation Program Design Insights and Wisdom (Part 1) w/ Cody McBroom

I have Cody back on the show and we dive into the nuances, contest, insights and wisdom of strength and conditioning, transformation, and hybrid programs program design, templates, and much more. Cody McBroom is a Father, Husband, Online Trainer and Sports-Nutritionist, and the Founder/CEO of Tailored Coaching Method, a Coaching Company that helps Average People Achieve Above-Average Physiques. IN…

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EP 215: Why You’re Not Safe From Cardiovascular Disease If You’re Fit & Other Longevity Myths w/ Joel Jamieson

Always a pleasure having my brother Joel Jamieson back on the show and this time we dove deep into cardiovascular disease and the many misconceptions around it. Joel had his own experience of dealing with it even though he is as fit as can be for his age. 8 out of 10 friends we sent to have an angiogram had blockage without having any symptoms, while also being fit - which is why this is a MUST…

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EP 214: Programming Around Pain & Making Gains In Strength & Performance When You’re Hurt w/ Dr. Justin Farnsworth

I have been following Justin for a while now and wanted to get him on the show to talk about something everyone deals with - programming and training around pain. We dive into principles and then go into examples in training that people often deal with, including myself. Dr. Justin Farnsworth has been both in the training, performance, and physical therapy space for over two decades. He’s a Doctor…

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EP 213: The Biggest Nutrition Coaching Mistakes & How To Build A Successful Online Coaching Business That Lasts w/ Cody McBroom

This was a great full circle episode as I had Cody come on the show for the first time after 8 years when he was a coach at Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance (for almost 7 years). He’s since built a successful online coaching business that has helped over 2,000+ clients transform. We catch up and dive into the mistakes of nutrition coaching, the proper approach to get clients to a sustainable…

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EP 212: The 6 Characteristics Of Lifelong Health, Performance & Building An Unbreakable Body with/ John Rusin

It was great to have John Rusin back on the show after some years, and with the release of his new book the timing was perfect for us to catch up and talk training. We dive into specifics of the training sessions, how to implement the methods, and nuances of the system and how to use it. Dr. John Rusin is an internationally recognized strength coach and injury prevention expert known for his…

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EP 211: Building The Team Sport Athlete From The Ground Up w/ Mike Robertson

Mike Robertson is a close friend and someone I’ve learned a lot from in the last decade and a half and continue to. We’re both curious and love coaching so anytime we talk I’m fired up as we could go on and on about what we’ve learned, what’s working, what’s new, approaches to training, and anything in he fitness and performance realm. This time we talked about how to build a team sport athlete…

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EP 210: Longevity Laws To Look, Feel, and Perform Your Best After You’re 40 w/ Joe Defranco

Always great having my brother Joe Defranco back on the show and this time we dove deep into the longevity laws of looking, feeling, and performing your best after you’re 40. Joe DeFranco is a world-renowned strength & conditioning coach and the owner of DeFranco’s Gym. For the past two decades, athletes from across the globe have hired Joe because of his remarkable ability to improve strength,…

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EP 209: Training to Look, Feel, and Perform in The Top 1% If You’re Over the Age of 35 w/ Eric Bach

It was great to catch up with Eric as I’ve known him for a decade in which time he has gone from a successful in person coach, to hybrid coach, and finally fully online while building a 7-figure online coaching business. The Bach Performance Look Great Naked Protocol is built to you look, feel, and perform your best without living in the gym. Since 2013, they’ve served over 1200 CEO's, founders,…

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EP 208: Why Switching Exercises Often Works, Kettlebell Training, & Standing Out Online w/ Adriell Mayes

Great to have my brother @everygotdamndre back on the show while visiting Seattle for our Built To Last Gym mastermind as we dove into the most effective training methods, why he trains the way he trains and programs the way he programs, the reason he often turns down big brand deals, what he believes in when it comes to lifestyle and nutrition, as well as how to stand out online. IN THIS EPISODE…

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EP 207: Building A Successful Coaching Career, What Is a Coaching First Gym, and Social Media BS w/ Andy McCloy

It’s always a pleasure to have my brother and business partner in Built To Last Gym Mentorship Andy McCloy on the podcast, where we get to talk about coaching, gyms, and the industry. Andy McCloy is the owner and founder of BCI Sports Performance and Fitness in Madison, Alabama. Over the last 24 years BCI has become a leader in the youth sports performance industry. BCI has trained thousands of…

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EP 206: How To Get Client Results w/ Nutrition Coaching & Build A Powerful Online Business with/ Andy Morgan

I’ve known Andy for over a decade and he’s always impressed me with his knowledge and how we helps people transform through his coaching model. When I found out how he runs his businesses and the level he has built it to I knew I wanted to have him share more of what’s “under the hood” of the way they deliver coaching and the systems that have built the business. Andy started Ripped Body in 2011…

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EP 205: What Works and What Doesn’t When It Comes to Muscle Building; Science and Practical w/ Brad Schoenfeld

Was great to finally have Brad on the show and chat about muscle building, strength, what studies show and what coaches know. We dive into what matters in building muscle and what doesn’t, as well as what research may not have caught up with but anecdotally works. Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, is an internationally renowned fitness expert and a leading authority on muscle hypertrophy and body composition…

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EP 204: The Power of Culture On Teams, In Business & Family, Writing Skills, & the Future Of Coaching Education w/ Martin Rooney

One of my closest friends and Mr. Coach and Culture is back on the pod for the 4th time—Martin Rooney. We dive into how to turn around the culture of a team, business, or family. As a proud Girl Dad, Martin shares values that helped raise four strong daughters. We also dig into his first fiction book, Blood Feud: Raising Cain . Martin is a fitness expert, entrepreneur, and founder of Training for…

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EP 203: The Power of Coaching and What Really Helps Clients Transform For Good w/ Jen Widerstrom

Jen is a kindred coaching soul and a true coach. She’s been a group trainer, American Gladiator, head coach of Biggest Loser replacing Jillian Michaels, online community builder, magazine cover model, celebrity trainer, and now a lead coach for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Pump Club. We dive into coaching, career lessons, and fitness industry insights. She's been a go-to expert in entertainment,…

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EP 202: The Science of Being Athletic For Life, Weight Loss Drugs, & the Future of Coaching with/ Dr. Mike Israetel

With Dr. Mike, it’s impossible not to have an insightful, thought-provoking, and entertaining conversation. We dove into lifelong athleticism, common mistakes in returning to rec sports, and injury prevention. We also covered weight loss and performance drugs—and how they’ll shape the future of health and coaching. A must-listen episode! Dr. Michael Israetel, PhD, is the cofounder and Chief…

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EP 201: Lessons From 200 Vigor Life Podcast Episodes That Will Help You Succeed

I wanted to do this as the 200th episode but didn’t want to mess up the flow as I was shooting some great episodes, so it got 201st place. With that being said I wanted to share the insights of what I learned since starting the podcast almost 7 years ago. I’ve had some incredible guests over the years, there’s 250 hours of eduction on the show, and I’m thinking about how to do the next 200…

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EP 200: How To Build Freak Athleticism From High School to the Pro’s & Become A Superstar Coach w/ Mike Guadango

I’ve known about Mike for 20+ years since I watched Defranco’s YouTube of him doing crazy feats in the gym. Since then he’s becoming an incredible coach and gym owner and has trained some of the most elite athletes and champions. His knowledge, experience and wisdom are extremely valuable and we dive into all aspects of athletic development, coaching and communication. Mike is currently a Coach,…

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EP 199: High Performance Coaching for Entrepreneurs and Building A Powerful Online Brand w/ Dan Go

I met Dan 16 years ago in a Mastermind for gym owners as he ha a gym in Toronto and I had just started mine a year ago in Seattle. We have stayed in touch and it’s been amazing to see the journey and Dan’s success, eventually moving to online and being prolific, while building an incredible online coaching business for high level entrepreneurs. Dan Go specializes in helping entrepreneurs get lean…

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EP 198: The Principles Of Athlete Development From High School to the Pro’s w/ Eric Cressey

Eric Cressey has been a friend and someone that has set the highest standard in coaching and being a pro at the highest level; and someone I have learned from and continue to learn from. I connected with him and started learning from him when I was still playing pro basketball 20+ years and flew out to Birmingham, England to attend a live event. Eric Cressey is president and co-founder of Cressey…

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EP 197: The No BS Guide To Upgrading Your Mindset and Life w/ Paul Mort

Catching up with my close friend Paul Mort is always insightful, loaded with value, combined and combined with a lot of laughs. If you want to get better as a father, husband, business man, and human, and achieve your goals, then this is a can’t miss episode. Paul Mort is a two time UK Master Coach of The Year, world class coach, and international speaker. A straight talking, high performing…

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EP 196: How To Become Extremely Productive & The Dark Side of Discipline w/ Craig Ballantyne

I’ve known Craig for over 15 years and met him when he was one of the first successful online coaches in the fitness space with Turbulence Training. Since then Craig has become one of the most sought after business coaches helping people get a lot more done in less time and cutting out all the BS that doesn’t matter. When Craig first started his entrepreneurial journey, he was just a dumb farm boy…

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EP 195: Off Season & In Season Basketball Sports Performance, and Becoming A Great Coach w/ Zack Zillner

Zack is someone I knew of and followed through our network and the great work he does. We were formally introduced to by our mutual friend, Megan. From there we connected in Austin, TX then I went on the Coach Em Up Podcast which he co-hosts, and hit it off. He’s an incredibly smart, experienced, and successful performance coach that has been with the University of Texas women’s basketball for 7…

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EP 194: Debunking Nutrition Myths, The Truth About Overcoming Weight Loss Plateaus, & GLP-1 Insights w/ Allan Bacon

I’ve been excited about having a conversation with Allan as I’ve been following him for a while and love his approach to coaching and education when it comes to nutrition and fitness. I specifically wanted to dive deeper into his thoughts on nutrition coaching, weight loss plateaus, as well as insights on GLP-1’s. This episode is packed full of value and insights for any person looking to improve…

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EP 193: Building and Maintaining Strength & Athleticism in Pregnancy/Postpartum w/ Brianna Battles

Having this conversation with Brianna was so impactful as my life partner, Wytia, is currently in week 28 of her pregnancy and is an woman dedicated to fitness and staying athletic and this pregnancy has been very challenging for her. I talk with Brianna who is an expert in the field of continuing to be an athlete postpartum, as we discuss and dive into the so many misconceptions of training…

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EP 192: The Busy Guy Off Season Strength Program, 4 Traits of Elite Athlete & Coaches, How To Implement Plyometrics Q & A

I answer 4 questions in depth from in person clients, DM’s I received, comments to some of my posts, as well as a nutrition coaching scenario from a client I’m coaching. I love doing these episodes and sharing real world examples, programs, and coaching that I’m doing in the real world. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: => If you had a period of time where you could train more (3 months) to build…

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EP 191: 20 Years Of Wisdom To Be A Better Coach & Build A Better Coaching Career w/ Dean Somerset

It was great to catch up with Dean as we haven’t talked in a while since he was busy being fully booked as a coach 40-50 hours a week (and what he’s been doing for 20 years!). We talk about how to become a great coach and build a successful career in the industry. We’ve hosted Dean for seminars and workshops both at my Vigor Ground location in Seattle, as well as our Slovenia locations (one of the…

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EP 190: Becoming A Great Coach vs. A Social Media Influencer, and Building The Life You Want w/ Jason Brown

Jason and I have had a cadence of doing a podcast a month talking about program design, both offline and online, coaching, career success in the fitness industry and much more. This time around the conversation to why Jason is leaving social media and focusing on other aspects and laser focusing on the audience that he’s served rather than trying to become “bigger” with a larger audience. This…

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EP 189: How To Become The Most Obvious Choice & Grow Your Business w/ Jon Goodman

I’ve known Jon for over a decade and he’s been a guest of the show many times, and every time we have a conversation he shares a lot of wisdom and insights. Jon has served 100,000+ entrepreneurs, coaches and trainers with his content, whether its his books, articles, courses, or mentorship, and has been a force in helping people impact clients and grow their business. He just launched his new book…

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EP 188: How to Build A Results Based Training System For Your Coaching Business w/ Andy McCloy

Andy McCloy is not only a great coach, the owner of the most successful gym in Huntsville Alabama, and one of my closest friends, he’s also my business partner in the Built To Last Gym Mentorship we launched last year. While in town to work on some projects and our upcoming mastermind in Austin, TX, we sat down to discuss how to build a successful training system for your gym, coaching business;…

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EP 187: Principles & Skills For Coaching Greatness (Building An Elite Career In Fitness) - Part 3

I decided I wanted to start sharing principles and skillsets that build the greatest coaches and careers in the fitness industry. This is not a list from 1 to whatever. This is my personal insights, notes from other great coaches, books, things mentors shared with me, and much more. This will be an ongoing series of at least 3 episodes (if not more) as I want there to be something anyone can come…

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EP 186: Principles & Skills For Coaching Greatness (Building An Elite Career In Fitness) - Part 2

I decided I wanted to start sharing principles and skillsets that build the greatest coaches and careers in the fitness industry. This is not a list from 1 to whatever. This is my personal insights, notes from other great coaches, books, things mentors shared with me, and much more. This will be an ongoing series of at least 3 episodes (if not more) as I want there to be something anyone can come…

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EP 185: Principles & Skills For Coaching Greatness (Building An Elite Career In Fitness) - Part 1

I decided I wanted to start sharing principles and skillsets that build the greatest coaches and careers in the fitness industry. This is not a list from 1 to whatever. This is my personal insights, notes from other great coaches, books, things mentors shared with me, and much more. This will be an ongoing series of at least 3 episodes (if not more) as I want there to be something anyone can come…

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EP 184: 5 Training Mistakes Killing Your Progress & The Best Conditioning For You

I take down notes when I talk to clients or when people reach out to me asking for advice. I created this episode from the questions I get and the struggles people have when reaching a plateau, and seeing what they do that gets them in “trouble.” Most people make these training mistakes that hold back their progress. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: => Why trying to make great progress when it’s…

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EP 183: Create Better Results For Clients with These Program Design Insights

Every once in a while I like to do an episode on program design and share insights on writing better programs. Whether you’re a coach or you’re a fitness enthusiast that wants to get better results, I share a process of how to design a program that will improve your looks, performance, help you feel better, while being able to give you longevity in the weight room (this is about the long game). IN…

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EP 182: The Blueprint For Nutrition Coaching Results & How Macros Inc Built A Successful Coaching Company w/ Brad Dieter

I was so glad to finally connect with Brad at the Evolve Conference where we both spoke. We had dinner and realized we were both hoop fanatics, loved the fitness industry and were obsessed with our craft. It was is important that we did this episode and it was an absolutely packed episode of value! Brad Dieter is a scientist and entrepreneur whose goal is to help address preventable disease. He…

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