There has been very little new thought in the name of Fitness recently. And by "recently," I mean the last 130 years or so. This is OK, but it also kinda sucks. On one hand, there seems to be a growing acknowledgement of a universality of the foundations of movement and strength, with the understanding that it can manifest differently per individual. Groovy. On the other hand, there is always someone trying to sell you a polished version of an old classic, or worse yet, a recently rediscovered failure, giving new life to the "next best thing" that was a money-wasting turd 20-30 years ago, but hopefully you forgot. There isn't a lot of money in the product of free thought. Trust me. Here's how to be sort of well-known-but-not-rich in the fitness world. Offer a template of possibility, then say "OK, now run with it. Take your experiences, your value system, and your awesome, curious brain and body, and make this workout program yours!" Or I could simply start yet another certification, which allows trainers to sell my thoughts and ideas instead of nurturing their own, all for that sweet cha-ching.
When it comes to programming, I teach a basic template. It's nothing particularly groundbreaking, in fact the anatomy of a day of programming in the BodyTribe world doesn't differ too much from, say, the elite powerlifters at Westside Barbell Club, the fluid movers and tumblers following a GMB program, or the athletes on a program set by The Strength Shop. We all share familiarity in the building blocks of our programming because none of our mommies raised us to be morons. We know what works. What happens within that template, however, is where we all might part ways. Amicably, and also uniquely. The message of BodyTribe is to see the world as a big playground, full of options for an individual's movement and strength to manifest. I'll offer some simple(-ish) ideas on how to fill in the training template accordingly, based on successful skill-building tools, giving purpose to the movements. But then it's your turn to, as mentioned, run with it.
A BodyTribe certification would look like this: There's a big, badass planet out there with all sorts of fun built into it. How would you like to experience it? Here is a collection of movements proven to provide the foundational strength to pursue those ideas, and a template for putting them together, and the ideology of purpose to help create a framework for your own thoughts and ideas. Use my experience to help guide you, but never discount your own connection with yourself. In fact, that's the relationship we're trying to build, and my role will change from leader and teacher to assistant and supporter. Now gimme 2 grand and hang out with me for the weekend, and it can all be yours... to then sell to your clients. After 25+ years of molding my own journey, I have yet to find a way to justify a packaged version to sell to other trainers to sell to their clients. I know what you're thinking, because it's exactly what other folks around me have told me for years; "He hates money." Sometimes, yes.
Fear not. BodyTribe is for sale. Programs, books, other programs, website memberships (featuring programs and books), and even online personal training, are all available just a click away, in fact directly above this blog post, if your cursor is curious. But be warned. Everything I sell comes with the caveat that the relationship between you and your body is ultimately the culmination of lessons and experiences YOU collect. I'm willing to sell my collection to add to your journey, but you have to, you know, run with it. Our paths will look drastically different, but still the same.
I recently filmed a workout that highlights my point above. The template is universal, but for my path and my goals, this workout manifested in a way you won't see in any gym anytime soon. Yes, you could superficially mimic this workout... or you could use the same template, but make it entirely yours. Now apply that accordingly to all training.