This past weekend we ran the Becoming A Super Coach event at Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance with my friends Don and Mel Saladino, Kelsey and Dennis Heenan and it we had close to 30 amazing coaches attending and learning as we shared everything we could in a day with our combined experience of close to 55 years in the industry both offline and online. Don is like a brother and I’m glad we were able to speak in person and not on ZOOM as this conversation is so valuable. 
Don has coached actors, athletes, & musicians for over 20 years. He opened his first NYC Gym, Drive 495, in 2005. After operating brick & mortar gyms for 15 years, Don expanded to a global online fitness business. He has developed a reputation for training some of the biggest names in Hollywood for the big screen. Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively,  John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Liev Schreiber, Sebastian Stan, Anne Hathaway, Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, & David Harbour are among his roster of clients. 
He has been tapped as a fitness expert in publications such as Muscle & Fitness, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, & Men’s Fitness. He has also been featured in People, US Weekly, Origins, In Touch, Cosmo, & Shape; and has made appearances doing live fitness demos on The Today Show, Page Six TV, People NOW, E News, & WebMD. He sits on the advisory board of Men’s Health Magazine. 
In March 2018 & October 2021, it was his great honor to shoot the cover of the iconic Muscle & Fitness Magazine. 
Don lives in New York with his wife, Mel, and their two children, Amelia and Donny Jr. - & their pups Rigatoni & Sambuca.


LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Don Saladino https://donsaladino.com/
Don Saladino Instagram https://www.instagram.com/donsaladino/
5 Steps To Monetize Your Online Business Course https://donsaladino.samcart.com/products/business-course/
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes)  h
Vigor Life Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0gp1uXtwfRUcBkfS1P1uim?si=kcUu2vhPRwuxdV5kTzQrug
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber
Athlete For Life Program Design Workshop https://lukahocevar.com/product/athlete-for-life/

EP140: How To Build An Extraordinary Body, Business and Life w/ Don Saladino

Luka Hocevar is the owner of the nationally renowned Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance gym in Seattle and founding father of Vigor Move &amp; 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, nutrition and mindset—build better relationships, create purpose in your career/business, increase productivity, be happier, and succeed (success comes from succession as in the "next step" - constant growth and expansion in your life). 
 
The Vigor Life podcast will help you piece together the puzzle pieces to your own extraordinary life.

Health & Fitness

I dive into more of the last couple weeks questions and topics that you inquired about, diving into some deeper than others but giving you applicable advice from the real world, whether its training, nutrition, coaching or building a fitness business. Check out this weeks topics below.  




 IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:


=> The difference between training to get tired vs training to get better.


=> The biggest mistake people make when it comes to their training and why it lacks the results they want. 


=> The simple way to eliminate nutrition deficiencies in your daily meals. 


=> The key supplements that actually make sense to take to help your deficiencies (and not the hyped up sups to take your money). 


=> My “A,B,C method” to help clients eat the foods they love while achieving their goals. 


=> Nutritional displacement and how you can use it in your favor to eat less, get more nutrients and a leaner, healthier body. 


=> Mechanical drop sets, why they’re effective in building muscle especially when you’re shorter on time. 


=> 5 different methods of mechanical drop sets I like to use in my clients training, with examples. 


=> Is training to failure more effective than training close to failure; what the research shows and wisdom says. 


=> My “2,1,0” system when it comes to training to failure in sets. 


=> How to develop your team up to coaching standards that you desire. 


=> How to run a successful challenge at your gym, simple breakdown and tips. 


LINKS & RESOURCES:


Luka’s Team Athlete For Life App: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/team-vigor?attrib=584077-ig
Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes)  h
Vigor Life Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0gp1uXtwfRUcBkfS1P1uim?si=kcUu2vhPRwuxdV5kTzQrug
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

EP171: Tired vs Better, Eliminating Nutritional Deficiencies, Mechanical Drop Sets , & Should You Train To Failure Q & A

I’ve followed Jake Tuura for a while as he shares great information on everything tendons, and was able to finally connect in person as we both spoke at Mike Boyle’s Spring Seminar, then had to bring him out on the podcast as his presentation at Mike’s was excellent. We talked about, well, everything tendons! This is a must listen for every person that wants to keep healthy and strong tendons for life, especially coaches that can help their clients do that. 


Jake Tuura, MS, CSCS is a collegiate strength and conditioning coach.  He currently works at Youngstown State University.  Prior to YSU, Jake was an assistant S&C; coach at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Superior (2014) and his Masters from The College of St. Scholastica (2015). His website: jackedathlete.com helps athletes gain copious amounts of muscle, hit PRs in the weight room, and improve athletic performance.


IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
=> What started Jake’s fascination with tendons.
=> One of THE worst things you can do for tendon issues - rest! 
=> Why most tendon issues are misdiagnosed for by doctors or even physical therapists. 
=> How Jake finally overcame jumper’s knee after many years of issues and pain. 
=> If you don’t have tendon issues you don’t have to care about tendon training, Jake explains in depth. 
=> The two biggest reasons you will run into tendon issues and how to address them. 
=> What aging will do to a tendon and why you must strength train and do plyometrics as you age. 
=> Strong muscles help tendons, weak muscles lead to “beat up tendons.”
=> The reason younger athletes run into tendon issues and how AAU is crushing the young athlete’s body. 
=> The difference between acute and chronic tendon issues and how to approach the rehab of each one.
=> Why strength training when you have tendon issues may be the FIRST thing you have to do. 
=> The exact breakdown of how to get back from a chronic tendon issue/injury. 
=> How you know whether training is helping or hurting your tendon recovery (most people have no idea about this!).
=> The “weekend warrior” protocol to make sure you can perform at your best and keep your tendons healthy. 
=> How lifestyle affects your tendons and why you should pay attention to your nutrition and your sleep/recovery. 
=> Why being “fit” is not the same as being “basketball fit” and how you must approach getting ready for ball. 
=> Why Jake believes that super heavy calf raises are going to be used more and more to prevent achilles issues. 
=> How blood pressure and metabolic factors can affect the health of the tendon.
=> Why mobility matters when it comes to tendon health and why you must maintain it (also why people that don’t, have problems). 
=> Does PRP or stem cells work when it comes improving the healing and rehab of the tendon. 
=> Why you can have similar outputs in your 40’s but you’ll have to __________.
=> Jake breaks down the exact rehab process of clients that have had knee tendon and achilles tendon issues. 
=> The power of isometrics and why you’d do it every day when you have tendon issues. 


LINKS & RESOURCES:
Jake's Website  www.JackedAthlete.com 
Jake's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jaketuura/
Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com
Luka's YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

EP 170: How To Build Healthy Strong Tendons For Life, & Recover From Tendon Injuries w/ Jake Tuura

I’ve been fortunate to learn from and develop friendships with the best of the best. My relationship with Eric Cressey goes back close to 17 years where I went to a seminar of his in Birmingham, UK. Since then he’s been someone I have constantly learned from and continue to as we have grown in the industry, built our businesses and expanded in what we do. He’s not just an extraordinary coach but also a great human being that I’m honored to call a friend. Having a conversation with him is always insightful and thought provoking, and I learn a lot from it. 


Eric Cressey is president and co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance, with facilities located in Hudson, MA and Palm Beach Gardens, FL.  A highly sought-after coach for healthy and injured athletes alike, Eric has helped athletes at all levels - from youth sports to the professional and Olympic ranks - achieve their highest levels of performance in a variety of sports. Eric is perhaps best known for his extensive work with baseball players, with more than 100 professional players traveling to train with him each off-season. In January of 2020, he joined the New York Yankees organization as Director of Player Health and Performance. 


IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
=> Eric’s involvement in multiple areas from being director of performance for the New York Yankees, running two successful facilities, coaching elite MLB players daily, and how it affects his views on strength and conditioning. 
=> Insights on the principle of: “What you know vs what you can implement.”
=> How strong is strong enough for athletes (as well as general population).
=> Strength is simple to build and sticks around but ________ is much harder to develop. 
=> The studies that show how impactful the work that high school and college strength coaches do and why building a foundation is SO critical.
=> The dangers of carrying your own training biases into the training programs of your clients and athletes.
=> Power drops close to 10% per decade in the aging population and rarely finds itself in most programs.
=> The surprising ability that we lost the most as we age, that MUST be trained. 
=> What Eric has charged in his in season programming for athletes in the last 5-years, based on research and his personal insights. 
=> The power of high quality warm ups and why it is so important and how you can get a 40% injury reduction. 
=> Why you may need less strength work in season and how 30 minutes of strength training can be enough.
=> Focusing on building relationships to get buy in to your program/system. 
=> The best ways to learn and speed up your growth that are completely underutilized. 
=> The sacrifices that have to be made to develop yourself as a great coach. 
=> Eric on investing in yourself and betting on things you understand. 
=> What is “work life harmony” and why balance in life isn’t what you think it is. 
=> The “Say yes to everything before 40, and no to everything after 40” quote and what it means. 
=> Eric’s thoughts on getting a college degree in the exercise science realm that will shock you. 
=> One thing that young coaches really need to analyze and the question they MUST ask themselves.
=> Why you should consider spending $100k’s on your undergraduate degree. 
=> How to really stand out as a coach, be a linchpin, and be scarce so that you can keep progressing in your career.
=> The #1 thing you can do is get a good mentor and be part of a great facility to learn in person, skin-to-skin. 
=> The power of the apprenticeship model and why it’s the missing link for most coaches. 


LINKS & RESOURCES:
Eric Cressey's Site www.EricCressey.com
Cressey Sports Performance http://cresseyperformance.com/
Elite Baseball Development Podcast h
Eric's IG https://www.instagram.com/ericcressey
Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com
Luka's YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

EP 169: What Is Strong Enough, Developing Rotational Power, & Improving As A Coach and Building Your Fitness Career w/ Eric Cressey

Back with a Q & A with a number of questions that have built up over the weeks and it’s become one of my favorite things to do. If you want to drop more questions you can either DM them to my Instagram or e-mail them to luka@hocevarperformance.com As usual I’m breaking up the episode into training, nutrition, coaching and program design in the first part, and business, mindset, marketing, content in the second (although 60-70% of the podcast is the former). 


IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
=> A BIG announcement! 
=> What’s the best “next step” for you in your nutrition. 
=> I break down examples of 4 clients with different next steps that are the right fit for them. 
=> The biggest mistake people make when it comes to their nutrition (and it’s not what you think!)
=> How paused squats (or pause in any exercise) can help you with your gains. I give you a 4-week plan.
=> How to program to get faster and more powerful for an in-season athlete.
=> Explosive conditioning for tactical athletes, examples and how to program it.
=> What type of workouts could replace a game of sports (and could also prepare you for the sport). 
=> If focusing on muscle building how much cardio do you really need. 
=> How do you train the endurance of the fast twitch fibers.
=> The best 45 minute strength training program design for a group of 6-12 people 
=> How to increase your productivity in chaotic times. 


=> When it the right time to go “all in” with your side hustle (personal training, online coaching). 
=> What trends will take off in the fitness industry in 2024. 
=> Do I consider owning a gym a good investment compared to other investments. 
=> More insights and strategies to creating quality content that is valuable to the audience. 


LINKS & RESOURCES:
Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com
Athlete For Life: Compound-V 8-week Training Program www.LukaHocevar.com/compound-v/
Luka Hocevar YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

EP 168: The Best Nutrition Strategy, Conditioning For Sports, Building Muscle Without Adding Weight, Content Creation Q & A

After speaking together at Raise The Bar in Dallas, I had to get finally get Nick on the podcast and talk about the principles that have helped almost a million people transform through Renaissance Periodization products and services, while also doing $100 million in revenue.


Nick is the Founder and CEO of Renaissance Periodization, a diet and fitness company founded on evidence-based practices to help our members achieve their health, athletic performance and physique goals. He is also co-host of the RP Strength Podcast with wife - and RP colleague - Lori Shaw. 


Himself a former competitive powerlifter and bodybuilder, Nick has also personally coached numerous world-class athletes, including CrossFit Games Champions, international medalists, Olympians, UFC fighters, professional athletes, and Navy SEALs.  Nick holds a B.A. in Sport Management from the University of Michigan, where he helped establish a scholarship for undergraduate Kinesiology students, and from which he received the Early Career Achievement Award. 


IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
=> The #1 principle of success when it comes to transforming your body for good. Nothing else matters without this. 
=> Calories, macros, timing does matter, but only if you do THIS. 
=> What have I repeated 10,000x over and tell stories about every day and why does it matter to you as a coach (it’s your job!) 
=> Losing weight and getting lean is not easier than _________ (this is where people get stuck). 
=> Why trying to rely on willpower over skillsets will always lead to frustration. 
=> The actual science of self control and what people get wrong (the science shows it’s not what you think). 
=> The “P & P” principle that you MUST include in achieving anything worthwhile. 
=> The 4 steps to subconsciously do habits that will lead you to your goals.
=> How to make bad habits harder to do and the right habits easier to do. 
=> Why your emotions are the main culprit to negative behaviors, and how you can fix it. 
=> Nick’s lessons from getting the leanest ever and winning the IFBB pro card. 
=> The trade off between athletics and aesthetics, the cost of getting “shredded.”
=> The power of community and finding your tribe, and how it will be a catalyst to your success (or your obstacle).
=> How to change your environment so that it fits what you want to achieve and who you want to become. 
=> Why Nick drove an hour to train with training partners rather than train at home. 
=> How to check your effort and see if you’re really putting in the work you say you are. 
=> Sage advice Nick received that really made him cut out a lot of things he was doing in his business. 
=> The power of mentors and why Nick gets around business owners when he has a completely remote business. 
=> Why you should read books that are recommended from smart, successful people, and then do THIS.
=> How did RP get started and what was the first product that made Nick go “we have something here.”
=> “It only took 6 years to figure out YouTube”…..it takes persistence and consistency. 
=> Building the product by solving a problem that you see and experience. 
=> How Nick and RP pivoted when one form of media stopped working and the the overcoming of challenges in the business. 
=> The reason you MUST have proof of concept in your business (the story of Dr. Mike and college students). 


LINKS & RESOURCES:
Renaissance Periodization https://rpstrength.com/
RP Strength https://www.instagram.com/rpstrength/
Nick Shaw Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nick.shaw.rp/
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes)  h
Vigor Life Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0gp1uXtwfRUcBkfS1P1uim?si=kcUu2vhPRwuxdV5kTzQrug
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

EP140: How To Build An Extraordinary Body, Business and Life w/ Don Saladino

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