and attending two Summits. It’s always tough for me too but, just like you I have to choose. You can download the schedule first . You have to go almost to the bottom left of the page to click on View Daily Schedule

Here are my recommendations on a session by session basis:

Note- Every year I say the same thing. I will almost always choose lectures over hands-on. Just my opinion. I’m coming to learn, not to get a workout. I may go to a hands-on but, not to get a workout. I’ll go to a hands-on to get “hands on” experience with techniques but, not to get a workout. Save your workout for another day and get some knowledge to help your clients and athletes

Friday June 1st

9:15- Easy decision. My hands-on is at 9:15. If you haven’t already heard me at this years  one day, come to mine. I like it when the room is full. We’ll be going through lots of hands-on progressions with me and a lot of my staff. Lots of coaches on the floor helping. Already saw me at the One Day ( probably not, I cut back a bit this year), go see Lee Burton.

10:45- Colin Aina is new this year and boy did he get a tough draw. For lectures choose between Dan John and Thomas Myers. Two very different speakers. Dan is a nuts and bolts, in the trenches guy. Thomas is one of the most interesting guys on the agenda. If you are on the rehab side, go see Thomas. On the coaching side, go see Dan. Lee Burton gets a tough draw for his hands on also.

1:00- After lunch you are simply going to have another tough choice. Alwyn Cosgove or Gray Cook? Tough call. Newcomer Chad Waterbury does his hands on on power training while Eric Beard tackles flexibility. Eric had great reviews last year. I think we’ll see an even split after lunch

2:30- I have to admit, I hope I get a big crowd for my lecture but based on the competition I’m not sure. This is as tough as it has ever been. I’m up against Dan John, Thomas Myers, and a John Berardi lecture. I will just tell you that this will be some of the most practical and useable information that you will get. Learning why we need change and how to do it.

4:00- Gray, Alwyn, Chad Waterbury and Eric Beard face off again. I say lecture first so choose between Chad Waterbury and Alwyn. I’ve never heard Chad lecture but have enjoyed his writing.

5:30- PB is trying something new here and has swapped Thom Plummer’s reality based comedy show with a professional comedian. Tom Wilkins Fitness Comedian. Laugh Your Abs Off should be very funny.

Saturday June 2^nd

8:00- Saturday starts off right where Friday left off with tough choices. For Saturday I’m going to start with a contrarian recommendation. I have said lectures over practicals but go see Todd Wright. Todd is one of the funniest speakers on the tour but, more importantly he is doing some really innovative stuff with multi-planar movement. I think in this case you need to see it and do it. Everyone at this hour is excellent but I think Todd’s is unique.

9:45- 11- Two great lectures and two great hands-ons. This is one of those times where I ask you what you are interested in? If you train females, go see Rachel. Fighters, Martin. The sleeper here is Michol Dalcort, one of my favorite speakers. We brought him into MBSC and the staff loved it.

11-12:15-  At eleven, go see Vern Gambetta. He might not be the happiest guy at the Summit but he’s still one of the living legends. He might say some things you don’t like but, you have to take the good with the bad on this one.

1:15-2:30-. If you work with females, see Rachel other wise, go see Mark Verstegen. Mark’s a little young for me to call a legend but he is one of the real innovators in our field. Two lecture votes at 1:15

2:45-4 – I’m going to flip here and say go to either Mark or vern’s hands on. I think both will be excellent. Two really great teacher-coaches doing their thing head to head.

4:35- Q+A. Get your questions answered at the end of the day, great opportunity.

Sunday  June 3rd

8- Sunday is a great day. The same six guys fill three time slots. I had Kelly Starett at MBSC and he was excellent. Any way you slice it you are only going to hear three of the six. At eight, my first choice is Kelly’s lecture. I know he is a Crossfitter but he is a rarity, a smart Crossfitter. If you are dealing with team sport athletes Lee’s lecture is an option.

9:30-10:45- This might be as tough a slot to select a session as any all weekend. It comes back to the old tired “what are you interested in” thing. Pick one, you won’t be disappointed. I’m interested to see how Joe Dowdell does. Joe’s a great guy who is new to the Summit’s.

11- 12:45- The weekend ends the way it began with tough choices. This might be another time I will recommend a hands-on as my top two choices in this slot . I would love to see both Lee and Greg. As I said last year I can see why a few attendees come more than once. You would need to come three times to see everything you want. Hope my recommendations help again this year.

Save the Sing Off

The first questions comes from a viewer in the UK

Q- I have an small issue at one of my jobs, I work at a sports academy  and get groups in their lesson blocks (5 lesson blocks a day, no lesson then they have S+C or basketball skill with technical coaches) often they run a little late for various reasons, while it would make my life easier just to kick them out if they are not on time it’s not always possible or reasonable as it is not always their fault and unaviodable. How do you deal with this at your facility?Do they  jump in, get sent home, play catch up, or do you cut out stuff?

A- This is a great question that contains the answer. At MBSC the answer would be a,c, d if this were a multiple choice test. The one thing we don’t do is send kids home. I would be stricter in a school environment than in a private facility. Years ago we had the kids ride bike sprints if they were late. We thought being on time was important. We almost learned a hard lesson when a group of six kids were in a minor accident rushing to the gym to avoid bike sprints. Luckily no one was hurt but, lesson learned. I’d rather have kids safe at the gym than kids be on time. In a school I would deal case by case. Excused or unexcused? Unexcused? I think you do need to have some sanctions but I hate making kids run. I don’t like the association of exercise to punishment. Maybe a clean up task etc?

Saturated Fats May Not be All That Bad?

http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2012/05/15/saturated-fats-may-not-be-all-bad-latest-diabetes-research-findings.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AustralianFoodNews+%28Australian+Food+News%29

How Low Fat Obsession Harms Health

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2143477/Bring-butter–cheese-red-meat-milk-How-low-fat-obsession-harm-health-says-nutritionist.html?ITO=1490

Grain is the real problem, not fat.

We had a great thread on StrengthCoach.com about single leg stability ball leg curls. I prefer the slideboard versions and put this progression together. The key to any “functional” leg curl is that the glutes work isometrically to maintain hip extension while the hamstrings work concentrically  to flex the knee and eccentrically to control leg extension.

Take a look if you haven’t read it.

A Comeback for Lat Pulldowns

www.functionalstrengthcoach4.com 

1- Clients only care that you are certified. They have no idea what the letters mean. 2- Potential employers only care if you are certified to protect them from liability.

The other day I suggested to one reader that if they really want to get hired they need a CNP certification. CNP stands for Certified Nice Person. I said it as a joke but, realized that in so many cases we miss the boat when looking for employees. Hiring is simple. Hire nice, motivated people. The best way to find these people is get them when they are young or, when they are changing careers. This is where we have had the best luck.

Once you hire them, train them in your philosophy. If you are successful as a trainer or coach and you hire nice people you should be able to duplicate your success. This is the essence of what we do at MBSC.

CNP’s have a service mentality. It is not all about them. In fact, it is rarely about them.  You can usually tell a CNP right away. In the fitness field CNP’s wear clothes that fit. They don’t carry their food in Tupperware. They generally do not look like bodybuilders or powerlifters. CNP’s hopefully are not covered in tatoo’s and have earrings only in their ears.  ( yes, I know there can be exceptions). If you don’t like the person the first time you meet them chances are they are not CNP material. One thing I have realized is that I can make my coaches and trainers smarter but I can’t make them nicer. Believe me, I’ve tried. It is much easier to impart knowledge than it is to try to change personal qualities.

How do you find a CNP? The number one route is the internship route. This is like tryouts. The best thing about interns is that they don’t expect to be hired. You can simply keep the ones you like. It’s perfect. Most of our staff was “hired” this way. Those who fail the CNP and work ethic tests simply move on.

Work ethic tests? Yes, work ethic tests. During the internship pay attention. Do these potential employees arrive early? Do they stay late? When you ask for volunteers are they the first to volunteer? Do they ever ask for time off? Are they frequently sick? Do they have any “family emergencies” during their internship? These are all signs of poor work ethic. I know, things do really come up but if you are twenty one life shouldn’t get in the way that much.

CNP tests? Simple. Watch them. How do they interact with their peers? With clients? With delivery people and service people? I want someone who is nice to everyone, all the time. I want someone who cares. I can teach that person and help them to succeed. One of the first things I suggest to interns to is to read Dale Carnagie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. This self-help classic is step one to becoming a CNP. Add a little Steven Covey and some John Maxwell and you are well on your way.

What about in an interview? Some of you don’t have the luxury of having interns. I think hiring through interviews is tough. First thing, check references. The best reference is from someone that you know and trust. The worst is from the current boss. A current boss will lie to rid him or herself of a bad employee. I always ask the current boss something like “what will I say to you next time I speak to you?”. This often pulls out the truth. The thought of you calling them back a few weeks after the hire is a bit scary if they are lying. Their great reference sometimes gets a little lukewarm. After references, think first impressions. I only hire people who want to work at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning. If they ask too many questions about benefits, time off etc. I know we will not get along. I need people that are excited to come to work and help people every day.

How are they dressed? I love a tie, I can’t resist. A little old school respect goes a long way. It may be a job in a gym but, it’s a job interview. We’ve had people show up in sweatpants with untied shoes? No thanks.  In our gym I also want to see someone who has networked. Ideally they have already visited the facility, taken a tour, met some staff. If they live near Boston and have never been in our gym, why would I want to hire them?

Becoming a CNP is probably more about upbringing than anything else. We just need to find the right people. If we look for certifications, degrees, experience etc. we miss the boat. Look for personality and work ethic. Knowledge is easy to provide but personality and work habits are tough to instill after the fact. Get CNP’s, they’ll make you look smart and help create a successful business.