In this week’s episode, we’re talking about the importance of the COACH part of the title. This is something I’m VERY intentional about with TRAINING2XL because I take the role and responsibility of a coach very seriously (as all coaches should). 

I am very particular when it comes to my title (strength & conditioning coach vs personal trainer) for a couple different reasons and that is what I dive into in this episode. I share why it’s important to me to hold this title, and I also share some experiences I’ve had playing for different coaches in my athletic career and how some of their words and actions have impacted me in both positive and negative ways. 

As with most topics on CHALK TALK, this isn’t revolutionary but I do think it’s something worth discussing to acknowledge how impactful it is to be in a position to guide and lead others. If you are a coach or an athlete on the receiving end of coaching, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section, or feel free to share them via email to [email protected]. 

If you are a coach looking for some support and guidance yourself in your role, I have spots open for 1:1 Mentorship, so check it out and let’s chat!

CONNECT WITH TRAINING2XL:

Website: www.training2xl.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/training2xl/ 

Coaching Foundations Course: https://www.training2xl.com/coaching-foundations-course 

1:1 Remote Programming + Coaching: https://www.training2xl.com/shop/remote-programming-coaching 

1:1 Mentorship Intake: www.training2xl.com/11-mentoring

In this week’s episode, we discuss the concept of work-life-balance - does it exist? Is it the same for everyone? Does it look different from person-to-person? I think it’s important that we understand that we all operate in very different ways which will then reflect how we choose to live our lives each day, week, month, and year. 

I have unfortunately experienced burnout on multiple occasions and truthfully, it’s not something I’m proud of at all because it’s the opposite of what I share with my athletes, team, and community. That said, as a solo-entrepreneur, sometimes it is inevitable because everything is riding on you. I wanted to share some of my personal experiences with “work-life-balance”, and shed some light on things I’ve learned about the concept and some strategies I use to ensure I’m doing what I can to fill my own cup as I do for others. 

I think everyone has their own version of WLB and it’s important to understand that everyone has different priorities which will reflect what they make time and space for in their daily lives. I don’t believe there’s one right way - as with most things in S&C … it depends on a lot of different factors.

Would love to hear what work-life-balance looks to you, so feel free to share in the comments below, or send me an email!

CONNECT WITH TRAINING2XL:

Website: www.training2xl.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/training2xl/ 

Coaching Foundations Course: https://www.training2xl.com/coaching-foundations-course 

1:1 Remote Programming + Coaching: https://www.training2xl.com/shop/remote-programming-coaching 

1:1 Mentorship Intake: www.training2xl.com/11-mentoring

In this week’s episode, we discuss the role and importance of the ‘needs analysis’ when building a program for an individual, or group of individuals. This is one of the most important steps in the process when working with an individual to help guide them towards their desired goals and outcome. 

The needs analysis is not only a time for you to collect relevant information, but it also gives you the opportunity to begin the process of establishing a connection with the person which will help immensely when leading them on their journey. Not only will you collect information about their injury/ health history, but you’ll also get a chance to learn their current habits, what makes them tick, how they spend their off-time, and more - all important information to collect. 

Data and information should always help inform choices, and the needs analysis provides you with a time to do an initial intake, consultation, and assessment which all serve as different elements in the process. 

If you’re a strength coach, personal trainer, or movement professional and you want to refine your process of collecting and utilizing information when programming and coaching different individuals, the Q2 Cohort of the Coaching Foundations Course opens up in May, or you can get in on the Practical Programming Course now!

CONNECT WITH TRAINING2XL:

Website: www.training2xl.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/training2xl/ 

Coaching Foundations Course: https://www.training2xl.com/coaching-foundations-course 

1:1 Remote Programming + Coaching: https://www.training2xl.com/shop/remote-programming-coaching 

1:1 Mentorship Intake: www.training2xl.com/11-mentoring

In this week’s episode, I wanted to share some reflections and lessons I’ve learned in my 14 years as a strength and conditioning coach. I’ve had a lot of growth as both a coach and a human in these past years, and I thought it might be helpful to share some of them because I know there were a lot of moments I felt alone. 

I breakdown 10 lessons that seem to be prominent ones in my experience as a coach, and as I write these show notes, I’m already thinking about a couple I would’ve added to that list (maybe a part two can come in the future). One of the most important lessons is to continuously believe in yourself in the fiercest way possible. You always have to have your own back because your journey is yours (but having a strong team around you is also incredibly important as well!). I wanted to share some of these experiences in hopes that someone listening may resonate with it, or feel a little less alone. Though some of these were hard lessons, I truly believe each experience has shaped me into the coach, business owner, and person I am today, so I wouldn’t trade any of them. I think challenges and different experiences are how we continue to grow and evolve as professionals. 

I really love this industry and I want to do my very best to leave it better than I found it. If you’re feeling alone in your journey as an S&C coach, athlete (in sport or in life), or movement professional, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] - I’d love to be a sounding board for you!

Upcoming Continuing Education Opportunities:

CSCA Regional Conferences: HERE

McMaster Performance & Wellness Workshop: HERE

CONNECT WITH TRAINING2XL:

Website: www.training2xl.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/training2xl/ 

1:1 Remote Programming + Coaching: https://www.training2xl.com/shop/remote-programming-coaching 

1:1 Mentorship Intake: www.training2xl.com/11-mentoring

In this week’s episode, we actually discuss several different topics (the joys of having too many ideas at once!). There have been some topics of conversation amongst my team/ community as well as in my everyday life that I think are important to be discussed. Though these topics aren’t necessarily related, I wanted to share them anyway!

We discussed the importance of being a part of a team/ community and why I wanted to build TRAINING2XL the way I did (I want everyone to have a team to be a part of!), we also discuss the important difference between influencers and entrepreneurs … There is a difference, and it’s something that has been weighing on me a bit, so I wanted to share some thoughts. I also talk about the importance of having hard conversations within your inner circle (and not just on social media), and finally we wrap up by chatting about the concept of mindfulness practices and how I go about defining them (and it’s not just meditation and journaling). 

I haven’t really done an episode where I tackle several things at once, but if I’m being honest, I was having a hard time narrowing down just one focus for this episode, and wanted to be able to speak freely on a couple things. As always, I’m here to support however I can, so check the links below for different ways to work together, or send me an email to chat!

CONNECT WITH TRAINING2XL:

Website: www.training2xl.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/training2xl/ 

1:1 Remote Programming + Coaching: https://www.training2xl.com/shop/remote-programming-coaching 

1:1 Mentorship Intake: www.training2xl.com/11-mentoring

In this week’s episode, we’re having an identity crisis … just kidding, but we’re talking about identity - what it means, how we attach ourselves to certain identities, and why it’s important that we recognize our identity is so much greater than our job titles. 

I’ve chatted in the past about losing the identity of being an athlete (it’s still one that stings), but I think it’s natural that we end up latching onto a new identity. I think this is something that isn’t talked about enough, so I’m sharing my experience working through transitions in identity from being an athlete to an S&C coach, to an entrepreneur, even being a kid to being an adult. It’s safe to say as humans, we are multifaceted!

In this episode, I also share some strategies and tools that I’ve used to help define who I am as a person outside of my job title (which is work one of my older brothers used to do with a lot of athletes). We discuss defining our why, knowing our core values, taking inventory, and more. I even share how I’m transitioning as a coach and business owner from Q1 of 2025 to Q2!

If this episode resonates with you and you feel like you need some support in this area, I have spots open for my 1:1 Mentorship this spring season. You can fill out the intake HERE for a free 15-minute consultation to see if we’re the right fit, and to ask any questions you’d like (no strings attached!). 

CONNECT WITH TRAINING2XL:

Website: www.training2xl.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/training2xl/ 

1:1 Remote Programming + Coaching: https://www.training2xl.com/shop/remote-programming-coaching 

1:1 Mentorship Intake: www.training2xl.com/11-mentoring

In this week’s episode, we discuss the importance of CONTEXT and the role it plays in coaching, programming, and our world. It’s easy to make assumptions when you lack context and don’t have the full understanding of a person, place, incident, or thing. When you see a video online in isolation, it can be confusing and the message could lack clarity when you don’t have an explanation or knowledge of where it's stemming from. 

As a strength & conditioning coach, my favourite answer to questions is always “it depends”, because in most cases … It depends! It depends on different variables, factors, environments, situations, people, etc. Sometimes it’s not as easy as making a blanket statement and moving on, in most cases, there needs to be reasoning or explanation around things. That said, we don’t always have the luxury of being provided with context, so it’s important to understand that as a consumer on the receiving end of messaging. 

With TRAINING2XL, I always try to provide a little context, or word things in such a way that reminds people things aren’t black and white. What works for one individual/athlete, might not work the same for the other, and we have to be able to adapt to ensure we’re providing information and coaching that will support the individual in front of you. 

Context is key in all facets of life, and hopefully this episode provides you with a reminder of that. We live in the grey area with most things, and that’s a beautiful place to be!

CONNECT WITH TRAINING2XL:

Website: www.training2xl.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/training2xl/ 

1:1 Remote Programming + Coaching: https://www.training2xl.com/shop/remote-programming-coaching 

1:1 Mentorship Intake: www.training2xl.com/11-mentoring

In this week’s episode, we’re discussing a hot topic - the difference between strength training and pilates. This seems to be a common point of discussion on social media and I think it’s really important to understand that social media lacks context (and there are professionals doing people a disservice by sharing blanket statements, but that’s another story …)

I have been strength training for almost 20 years now and I just recently started to incorporate pilates and it’s important to note that BOTH forms of movement have their benefits, their purpose, and place in your training schedule, AND it’s important to understand what differentiates them. 

In this episode, I go through how to define resistance training, some key benefits for each form of training, and provide some insight and information on how you can approach your training schedule while also becoming more critical of what you see on social media.

Remember that training is not a one-size-fits-all, and it’s important to find what works best for you - your body, your schedule, your goals, your lifestyle, etc. Hopefully this episode helps you differentiate the two forms of movement and allow you to make a decision about whats best for you!

CONNECT WITH TRAINING2XL:

Website: www.training2xl.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/training2xl/ 

1:1 Remote Programming + Coaching: https://www.training2xl.com/shop/remote-programming-coaching 

1:1 Mentorship Intake: www.training2xl.com/11-mentoring

In this week’s episode, we talked about the importance of being organized. Now, I know at first glance this might seem kind of boring, but being organized is truly what allows you to be present, prepared, and ready to tackle whatever it is that lays ahead in your day, week, month, or year. 

Whether you are an athlete in sport preparing for the demands of an upcoming season, an athlete in life juggling several different things at once, or you’re a business owner switching between several different hats that you wear, being organized is essential for success. Being organized can and will look different for everyone, but it’s important that you figure out what will work best for you to ensure you’re keeping things in line as you wish. 

In this episode, I share some of the tools and strategies I use as an individual that wears a lot of hats as a coach and business owner. I also share some strategies as to how you can go about breaking things down into daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly segments to ensure you’re keeping things in check. 

I love developing and maintaining organizational strategies, so if this is something you struggle with as a coach, trainer, practitioner, or business owner, this is exactly what I go through in my 1:1 Mentorship, so let’s chat to see if I can support you! You can fill out the Mentorship Intake HERE.

CONNECT WITH TRAINING2XL:

Website: www.training2xl.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/training2xl/ 

1:1 Remote Programming + Coaching: https://www.training2xl.com/shop/remote-programming-coaching 

1:1 Mentorship Intake: www.training2xl.com/11-mentoring

In this week’s episode, we’re discussing the importance of strength training for our aging athletes/ populations. I truly believe that strength training is a sustainable movement practice that can allow an individual to live a healthy, thriving, and active life for their entire lives. Strength training isn’t just for athletes in sport or younger demographics - we’re seeing more individuals above the age of 50 getting into the gym and participating in some sort of resistance training. 

I wanted to cover this topic for a couple of different reasons. First, if you are a coach, trainer, or practitioner and work with this older demographic, hopefully some of the insight provided will help guide decision making when working with these individuals. Secondly, we are (technically) ALL aging athletes and there are some important considerations to make as we get older and things start to change with our body and movement.

In this episode we discuss the importance of strength & conditioning, common misconceptions about working with the senior population, programming considerations, and coaching the aging athlete. Hope this provides some value for you as a coach, athlete, and human, or it provides information you can share with loved ones in your life!

CONNECT WITH TRAINING2XL:

Website: www.training2xl.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/training2xl/ 

1:1 Remote Programming + Coaching: https://www.training2xl.com/shop/remote-programming-coaching