#58: Nick Gomez on REAL Functional Training (not Burpees), the Goal of Strength Training for Athletes, Jon Jones the MMA GOAT, Barefoot Training, and More!

Nick Gomez (@coachnick44) is a strength & conditioning coach currently living in Austin, Texas and a coach at Onnit Gym ATX. Originally from Albuquerque, NM, Nick has worked with some of the most successful fighters in MMA, and trained high level athletes from all sports.

Avid listeners will recall I visited Onnit in the summer of 2021 (Ep 27), and Nick was the first person I met there. We got along so well and had some great chats those days and finally got around to recording a podcast.

Functional training is a word far too often tossed around with no rhyme or reason. Doing stuff that’s weird doesn’t make it functional. Performing impressive lifts or feats of athleticism isn’t functional. SPOILER: doing burpees is not functional. However, there are a whole lot of ways we can train for the functional challenges that life may throw at us, and we covered that throughout the discussion.

We spoke a lot about the way that athletes train, and how it’s sometimes misguided. Athletes should train to be good at their sport, not good at lifting weights – unless of course, lifting weights is their sport. Many youth athletes fall into this trap, and the thought process around the role that strength training plays in athletic development needs to evolve.

Along these lines, we spoke about several prolific athletes. One of which is Jon Jones, arguably the greatest MMA fighter of all time. We discussed the qualities that are present in an athlete like Jon, both in and outside the gym, that make them so great at their sport.

Nick and I are also both huge proponents of barefoot training and we both spoke about our experiences with letting your feet work like feet. If there’s one thing you take from this podcast, it should be to spend more time barefoot!

To follow along with Nick’s coaching and continued education you can follow him on IG. 

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