Even though I grew up following bodybuilding routines from Flex and Muscle and Fitness, I’ll admit – I don’t know a ton about physique-focused sports.

But as I was doing research for today’s show, a few questions started to come up…

For starters, what are the biggest differences between someone who wants to get photo shoot ready, and someone who’s just looking to shed 10 or 20 pounds?

How do you manage people that want to train 4, 5, or even 6 or more days per week?

And what are some of the biggest mistakes people make to change their bodies for the better?

Well luckily for you, today’s guest can answer all these questions – and a ton more!

Gareth Sapstead is a Coach specializing in physique transformation, a multiple times published author, and has been featured in numerous major fitness outlets. He’s the owner of EPT Coaching Online, and EPT Lab fitness – a performance focused gym based in the U.K.

And today, we’re going to talk about what it really takes to transform your body!

The thing that I specialize in really is transformation, but what I do differently is I apply those strength and conditioning principles over to those transformation clients.

——-

The process is always the same – it’s just how we scale things based on where they’re at right now.

——-

If you’re someone that is not on any plan, the best thing you can do is open up a book, grab any book, and just do that workout. Chances are you’ll probably see some kind of change just by sticking to that one program.

Are you tired of using clunky, antiquated program design tools like Microsoft Word or Excel?

Are you ready to level up your programming, and make it far more engaging to your clients and athletes?

If so, you need to check out Train Heroic.

I’ve been using TrainHeroic for years now both here at RTS and at IFAST, and I can tell you the user experience both as an athlete and coach is truly second to none.

To learn more and start your free 14-day trial, just follow this link to learn more about Train Heroic.

Not only will you get your first 14 days free, but it’s just $10/month to get started officially after that.

So don’t wait any longer – head over trainheroic.co/rts and start crafting beautiful programs your clients and athletes will love TODAY!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Gareth Sapstead on Stubborn Body Parts, Incremental Progress, and Elite Physique Transformation appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

Why is strength important for basketball players? And are the ways we currently evaluate strength relevant to the sport?

As a coach or clinician, how do you toe that line between optimizing and improving movement, while still getting REAL training adaptations?

And what’s the difference between kinetic and regional interdependence, and why should you care?

Well if you’re curious about any of these topics, you’re going to LOVE today’s episode.

Jarred Boyd is a doctor of physical therapy and is currently the Director of Rehabilitation for the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA.

And in this episode, we’re going to talk about optimizing movement, getting strong, and keeping your hoopers healthy!

The demands (of basketball) are going to be highly predicated on the ability to maintain the pace.

We have to put on our clinical thinking or Sherlock Holmes hat, and ask, “what do we double click on and focus on?”

Strength is this higher order construct. There’s many iterations of strength, just like there are many different pasta dishes.

Hawkin Dynamics designs and builds performance hardware and software the right way.

Their dual wireless force plates give you the most accurate, real-time data on athletic performance.

You’ll have the ability to performance test your athletes in a matter of seconds, and give them immediate feedback on their strengths, weaknesses and readiness for that day’s training session.

Their software is designed in house and continually updated to ensure the interface is clean, intuitive and easy to use, so both you and your athletes can visualize what’s going on and how to improve their performance.

And Hawkin Dynamics is built around their customers and provide industry-leading support and training services to ensure you get the most out of their solutions.

With options to lease or buy, coupled with a 5-year warranty, Hawkin Dynamics force plates can take your performance facility to the next level.

To learn more, head over to HawkinDynamics.com or follow them on Instagram @HawinDynamics.

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Jarred Boyd on Adaptive Intent, Mental Models, and Building Elite Basketball Players appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

Are you getting older, and worried about age-related decline?

Are you interested in learning more about blood work, and how it can help you optimize your body?

Or do you just want some super practical tips on how to live a longer, healthier life?

If so, you’re going to LOVE today’s show with Christian LaValle!

Christian is the President of Metabolic Elite, a cutting-edge performance health and supplement company known for its proprietary LIPOTAB Technology.

A former Division I linebacker at Texas Tech University, Christian holds a Master’s degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Human Performance.

And today, we’re going to take a deep dive into helping YOU perform at your absolute best.

I think elite performance are people that have really elite blood work. It’s very rare that people come in and have their biochemistry dialed in.

Supplements are great, but not everyone listening is at a point in time or maybe in their life where they can invest hundreds or thousands of dollars into supplements.

If you can believe in yourself when no one else does, I think that’s like a superpower in today’s society.

Are you a young fitness trainer or coach?

Are you frustrated by the results you’re getting or the lack of resources available to learn the skills you need to be successful?

Are you struggling to get enough clients or wondering how long you’ll be able to follow your passion for helping others?

It’s time to stop the frustration and stop worrying. It’s time to get certified!

If you’re serious about improving your results, serious about becoming a better coach, and serious about increasing your bottom line, then you need the Complete Coach Certification.

In this massive course, you’ll learn:

This certification is jam-packed with everything I’ve learned over the last 20 years of my career.

So if you’re ready to get serious about the results you’re getting for your clients and the impact your programs have on your income, head over to www.completecoachcertification.com to sign up for the Complete Coach Certification course today!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Christian LaValle on Helping High Performers Be Elite for Life appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

Hey friend!

We’re going to try something new today, with a pot luck episode that’s one part Q&A mixed with some of our usual solo episode flair.

Because whether it was online mentees, observers who have come into the gym, our team of independent contractors or people coming in to attend the Lee Taft seminar, I’ve had A LOT of the same conversations lately.

People want to know how to run their business more effectively.

How to get out of their own heads and coach more effectively.

Or they just want to know…would I ever take an intern again?

Well this episode has a little something for everyone, so let’s dive in!

People crave simplicity. They don’t want fancy – they want a system that’s intuitive and user-friendly.

If you’re a serious coach, you have to get off social media and go to somebody else’s gym and watch them coach.

Gym owners and coaches, have you heard about PushPress?

It’s the best gym management software company and it’s revolutionizing the fitness world.

So check this out: PushPress is built BY gym owners. They understand the ins and outs of running a fitness business because they’re “in the trenches” in their own gyms every single day.

Key products like Core, Grow, and Train are designed to help you with everything from billing and scheduling to lead generation and progress tracking.

Built on the “help first” ethos, PushPress places an exceptional focus on prioritizing client needs, listening to feedback from their community, and using it as the impetus for its ever-evolving, innovative features.

And here’s the strongest plug I can give them – I’ve actually switched to PushPress for all of my clients and athletes.

Getting things set-up and running smoothly is not only easier, but also far more intuitive than many other solutions.

So if you’re interested in learning more, just head over to pushpress.com/ppp.

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Confidence in Coaching, Continuing Education, and Business Optimization appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

If you came up in a Division 1 S&C setting, chances are you spent at least some time around football.

At Ball State, we have a team of 4-5 coaches who all worked with different sports – baseball, basketball, soccer, gymnastics, volleyball, you name it – but when football came in, it was all hands on deck.

And here’s the thing – football has arguably the strongest S&C culture of all the sports, but does that mean we should be dogmatic about how we think about S&C for the actual sport?

Does that mean we can’t evolve?

Or get better at how we prepare our athletes for sport?

I don’t think so…and I feel like today’s guest would agree!

Cam Josse is currently working with the Detroit Lions as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning coach. Prior to joining the lions he worked at Auburn, IU and DeFranco’s Strength.

And today, we’re going to challenge a lot of the old-school thoughts when it comes to football strength and conditioning!

Everything you do is just a fractal piece of organization of the entire system. So if you’re not ultimately training for what you do as an athlete, then your training could potentially be misguided.

– Cam Josse

Hawkin Dynamics designs and builds performance hardware and software the right way.

Their dual wireless force plates give you the most accurate, real-time data on athletic performance.

You’ll have the ability to performance test your athletes in a matter of seconds, and give them immediate feedback on their strengths, weaknesses and readiness for that day’s training session.

Their software is designed in house and continually updated to ensure the interface is clean, intuitive and easy to use, so both you and your athletes can visualize what’s going on and how to improve their performance.

And Hawkin Dynamics is built around their customers and provide industry-leading support and training services to ensure you get the most out of their solutions.

With options to lease or buy, coupled with a 5-year warranty, Hawkin Dynamics force plates can take your performance facility to the next level.

To learn more, head over to HawkinDynamics.com or follow them on Instagram @HawinDynamics.

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Cam Josse on Alternative Ways to Build Speed, Strength and Power in Football Players appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

Sometimes on this show we go deep into science, biomechanics or program design.

And while that’s all fine and dandy, sometimes we just need a gentle reminder of how the basics can go a long way to helping us see more success!

And that’s what this episode is all about.

Whether it’s dialing in your programming, shifting your mindset as a coach, or just finding more ways to truly connect with the people you train, here are four simple things you can start doing right now, TODAY, to become a better coach!

People love to know that you’re thinking about them and are truly committed to their success.

– MR

Are you tired of using clunky, antiquated program design tools like Microsoft Word or Excel?

Are you ready to level up your programming, and make it far more engaging to your clients and athletes?

If so, you need to check out Train Heroic.

I’ve been using TrainHeroic for years now both here at RTS and at IFAST, and I can tell you the user experience both as an athlete and coach is truly second to none.

To learn more and start your free 14-day trial, just follow this link to learn more about Train Heroic.

Not only will you get your first 14 days free, but it’s just $10/month to get started officially after that.

So don’t wait any longer – head over trainheroic.co/rts and start crafting beautiful programs your clients and athletes will love TODAY!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post 4 Ways to Start Becoming a Better Coach TODAY appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

I’m not sure there’s anything the Internet and social media like more than an argument.

And while our parents taught us not to talk about religion or politics in public, for some reason, they forgot to tell strength coaches not to argue about the Nordic hamstring curl and whether it’s valuable or not in a strength and conditioning program.

But luckily, today’s guest did his entire Ph.D. topic on the Nordic, so we can take a deep dive and nerd out as much as we want!

Matthew Ibrahim is a strength and conditioning coach, college professor, public speaker, and author. He serves as Clinical Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Endicott College, where he also volunteers in Athletics as a Strength & Conditioning Coach and Faculty Consultant.

And this show was really fun because the 1st half is geared towards nerding out on science and application, and the second half takes a deep dive into staying curious and leveling up as a coach.

Quite simply, there’s something in here for everyone – so let’s dive in!

I think the devil’s in the dose, right? People don’t appreciate (the Nordic)…”it’s like an RDL.”

No, it’s A LOT different.

– Matthew Ibrahim

Hawkin Dynamics designs and builds performance hardware and software the right way.

Their dual wireless force plates give you the most accurate, real-time data on athletic performance.

You’ll have the ability to performance test your athletes in a matter of seconds, and give them immediate feedback on their strengths, weaknesses and readiness for that day’s training session.

Their software is designed in house and continually updated to ensure the interface is clean, intuitive and easy to use, so both you and your athletes can visualize what’s going on and how to improve their performance.

And Hawkin Dynamics is built around their customers and provide industry-leading support and training services to ensure you get the most out of their solutions.

With options to lease or buy, coupled with a 5-year warranty, Hawkin Dynamics force plates can take your performance facility to the next level.

To learn more, head over to HawkinDynamics.com or follow them on Instagram @HawinDynamics.

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Matthew Ibrahim on Nordics for Hamstring Health and Staying Curious as a Coach appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

My friends, it has been A WEEK.

Between new athletes starting, my kids finishing up school, and the short/condensed week, it’s been an absolute sprint every step of the way.

And while I have some great guests lined up for you in the coming weeks, I thought it would be a great time to go back to recent episodes and pull out some of my favorite segments.

Now if you’ve already listened to all of these shows before, GREAT!

There are some awesome reminders in here that I think will hit home even on a second or third listen.

And if you’re new to the show, welcome!

This is going to be kind of like a “Sportscenter Top 10” highlight reel, and I think there will be a snippet or two in here that really resonates with you.

So without any further ado, let’s jump into this week’s show!

Are you a young fitness trainer or coach?

Are you frustrated by the results you’re getting or the lack of resources available to learn the skills you need to be successful?

Are you struggling to get enough clients or wondering how long you’ll be able to follow your passion for helping others?

It’s time to stop the frustration and stop worrying. It’s time to get certified!

If you’re serious about improving your results, serious about becoming a better coach, and serious about increasing your bottom line, then you need the Complete Coach Certification.

In this massive course, you’ll learn:

This certification is jam-packed with everything I’ve learned over the last 20 years of my career.

So if you’re ready to get serious about the results you’re getting for your clients and the impact your programs have on your income, head over to www.completecoachcertification.com to sign up for the Complete Coach Certification course today!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post The Super Duper Mash-Up Episode (Spring 2025) appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

Whether you’re a die hard college sports fanatic or a more casual fan, chances are you’ve heard about NIL – or name, image and likeness deals – and how they’re impacting the sport.

And beyond NIL, there’s also the simple fact that it’s now easier than ever before to enter the transfer portal and go to a different school, with some athletes doing this virtually every year!

But here are a few things you might not have considered…

Well luckily for you I’ve got my guy Ryan Horn back on the podcast to discuss these very topics!

Ryan is now the director for Men’s Basketball at Indiana University. Prior to this, he’s had stops across the country, most recently at Wake Forest, Wichita State, Drake and West Virginia.

And in today’s episode, we’re going to talk about how NIL and the transfer portal have impacted him as a coach!

When you get to the middle 10 – and this is probably the most dangerous part of my career – when I started to get a little bit of skin in the game, you start to get that itch and feeling that, you know, I got some stuff figured out.

Make sure you’re doing enough so you’re not paralyzed and you can’t do the thing that really makes you special – and we all have something that makes us special as a coach.

When you get fired, your family gets fired. They get fired from their friends, from their school, from their activities, from their friend groups, and from their comfort and safety of their current life.

Gym owners and coaches, have you heard about PushPress?

It’s the best gym management software company and it’s revolutionizing the fitness world.

So check this out: PushPress is built BY gym owners. They understand the ins and outs of running a fitness business because they’re “in the trenches” in their own gyms every single day.

Key products like Core, Grow, and Train are designed to help you with everything from billing and scheduling to lead generation and progress tracking.

Built on the “help first” ethos, PushPress places an exceptional focus on prioritizing client needs, listening to feedback from their community, and using it as the impetus for its ever-evolving, innovative features.

And here’s the strongest plug I can give them – I’ve actually switched to PushPress for all of my clients and athletes.

Getting things set-up and running smoothly is not only easier, but also far more intuitive than many other solutions.

So if you’re interested in learning more, just head over to pushpress.com/ppp.

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Ryan Horn on NIL, the Transfer Portal, and the Evolution of a Coach appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ALWAYS thinking about programming and coaching

Even in my time off, I’m thinking about making myself a better coach, or how to better help the other coaches that I work with and mentor.

Now this could be an incredibly extensive list, but what I’m sharing today are 10 of the biggest mistakes I see coaches making TODAY.

Some are age-old and I’ve seen them for the better part of two decades, while others I feel like are far more prevalent in this day and age.

So sit back, relax, and let’s make sure you’re not making one of these 10 BIG mistakes!

The best program designers are great not because of all the stuff they cram into a workout, but because of all the stuff they willfully leave out.

– MR

Are you tired of using clunky, antiquated program design tools like Microsoft Word or Excel?

Are you ready to level up your programming, and make it far more engaging to your clients and athletes?

If so, you need to check out Train Heroic.

I’ve been using TrainHeroic for years now both here at RTS and at IFAST, and I can tell you the user experience both as an athlete and coach is truly second to none.

To learn more and start your free 14-day trial, just follow this link to learn more about Train Heroic.

Not only will you get your first 14 days free, but it’s just $10/month to get started officially after that.

So don’t wait any longer – head over trainheroic.co/rts and start crafting beautiful programs your clients and athletes will love TODAY!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post 10 Programming and Coaching Mistakes YOU Might be Making appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.