ASAP Classic Podcast with the late Roger Schwab who passed this past March 2024. 

ROGER HAD BEEN A PIONEER IN WEIGHT TRAINING FOR DECADES. HE WAS COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S FIRST STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH (PENN STATE 1964-1965) AND THE MAN WHO INTRODUCED THE NAUTILUS TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT SYSTEM TO PHILADELPHIA IN 1976. FROM 1976 TO 2015, HE WAS THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF MAIN LINE HEALTH & FITNESS, RECOGNIZED BY MEN’S HEALTH AS THE FINEST WORKOUT IN THE UNITED STATES. ROGER WAS ALSO NAMED BY THE MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE TOP PERSONAL TRAINERS IN THE U.S.

ROGER TRAINED BOTH THE U.S.A. WOMEN’S OLYMPIC SWIMMING AND FIELD HOCKEY TEAMS. HE ALSO TRAINED MIKE MENTZER FOR THE 1978 MR. UNIVERSE AND THE 1980 MR. OLYMPIA COMPETITIONS, AND SERVED AS HEAD JUDGE OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF BODYBUILDERS, PROFESSIONAL DIVISION, FROM 1978-1982.

A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER IN THE PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION OF SPORTS RELATED INJURIES, ROGER HAS CONDUCTED IMPORTANT RESEARCH INTO THE PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION OF INJURIES OF THE SOFT TISSUES OF THE LUMBAR AND CERVICAL SPINE. HE IS ALSO THE AUTHOR OF OVER 100 ARTICLES IN NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS ON STRENGTH TRAINING AND BODYBUILDING, AND PUBLISHED THE ACCLAIMED BOOK, “STRENGTH OF A WOMAN,” IN 1997. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE PHILADELPHIA JEWISH SPORTS HALL OF FAME FOR EXCELLENCE IN SPORTS/MEDICINE IN 2008.

IN 2012, ROGER INTRODUCED X-FORCE “NEGATIVE ACCENTUATED” EXERCISE IN THE U.S. HE IS CURRENTLY THE OWNER-OPERATOR OF X-FORCE PHILADELPHIA, AND IS A LECTURER AND FEATURED SPEAKER ON THE BENEFITS OF “ECCENTRIC” TRAINING IN STIMULATING A SYSTEMIC PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECT.

In this episode of the ASAP Podcast, brought to you by SpecAthletic The Sports Flooring Professionals, Ed Cicale traveled to Philadelphia to visit the Mainline Health and Fitness Training Center in Byrn Mawr. Founded by the passionate strength trainer, Roger Schwab, Mainline Health and Fitness evolved from a small 1,200 square-foot facility to a whopping 35,000 square-foot behemoth. The conversation with Schwab uncovers the rich history behind the center's transformation and the unique approach towards strength training it offers.

Starting operations on Thanksgiving Day in 1976 as Mainline Nautilus, the gym was equipped with only nine machines. Inspired by his personal strength training journey, Schwab took the initiative to elevate his small fitness center. It wasn’t long before they expanded to include 120 Nautilus and Med-X machines, Nautilus medical testing machines, and a complete line of X-Force machines from Sweden, hailed by Roger Schwab for delivering the most effective workouts, brings a "wow" factor unseen in other fitness equipment due to its unique design for stimulating negative training.

Schwab elaborates on the benefits of X-Force machines, particularly for negative or eccentric training, citing how the technology has contributed significantly to the success of his fitness center over time. The remarkable physical transformations witnessed by clients, insists Schwab, are a testament to the efficacy of the X-Force equipment. This forward-thinking approach to fitness has not only garnered positive responses from patrons but has notably tripled business for Mainline Health and Fitness.

Wrapping up the episode, Cicale commends Schwab for his innovative and dedicated approach to fitness and strength training within the Mainline Health and Fitness Training Center. Tune in for an insightful look into one of the most incredible centers in the country and the inspiring story of its founder, Roger Schwab.

RIP Roger

In this episode of the ASAP Athletic Strength and Power podcast, our host, Ed Cicale, engages in an insightful conversation with Ethan Reeve, a prominent name in the strength and conditioning industry with deep ties to wrestling. This episode, sponsored by The CBD Healthcare Company, covers vast areas related to athlete conditioning, personal athletic experiences of Reeve, and his coaching philosophy.

Reeve, a seasoned professional with an illustrious wrestling and coaching career, illustrates the influence of wrestling on strength training. He underscores the need to teach correct training methodologies to young athletes, the art of making athletes tougher and more agile, and applications of these insights on all sports and training programs. He includes wrestling as a support sport to football, highlighting the physical fitness, tenacity, and kinesthetic awareness it imparts. 

Harnessing his vast professional wisdom, Reeve shares valuable advice for coaches, stressing the need to progressively build the strength of athletes, emphasizing on their technique over merely amplifying their maximum weight. Though his approach extensively prioritizes athleticism, he acknowledges the necessity of power building, wrapping up every session with an athletic activity.

As a former four-time SEC champion, Reeve also provides us with an in-depth reflection on wrestling as an integral part of physical training, describing it as an anaerobic sport that inherently fortifies several muscle groups. 

Get inspired and educated from our conversation with Ethan Reeve as he unfolds his expansive experience in the health and fitness realm. This podcast is filled with wisdom accrued from a distinguished career and Reeve's enthusiasm for assisting others in their fitness pursuits. It's an essential listen for budding coaches, athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

Ethan is currently Director of Strength and Athletic Performance at Mondo Sports Flooring and encourages all to contact him:  [email protected]

 Former President of the CSCCa | MSCC, SCCC | 44 years as a Coach in College and High School

One of the main reasons that the ASAP~Athletic Strength And Power Podcast is sought out by top professional, collegiate and high school coaches and athletes is because of our vast connection to many of the most brilliant strength, conditioning and speed coaches in the USA.  Our advisory board consists of many of the top professionals in the field. 

In this ASAP 'CLASSIC' Podcast, we lean on the expertise of Matt Krause. He was the  Director of Baseball Strength & Conditioning of the Cincinnati Reds for eleven seasons. Krause followed that by spending seven seasons as the New York Yankees' Director of Baseball Strength Performance.  Matt knows the special needs of the baseball player and that there is a fine line to training the player properly and training him to the point of over training. When you work with multi-million dollar athletes, future Hall of Famers and Major League Baseball All-Stars, there's no room for error.

Today, he's the Administrative Director of the Professional Baseball Strength & Conditioning Coaches Society. Join us today for an information-packed podcast on training for baseball players.... useful for players at any level

https://www.specathletic.com/

• the Cincinnati Bearcats opportunity