Vigor Life Podcast

Zack is someone I knew of and followed through our network and the great work he does. We were formally introduced to by our mutual friend, Megan. From there we connected in Austin, TX then I went on the Coach Em Up Podcast which he co-hosts, and hit it off. He’s an incredibly smart, experienced, and successful performance coach that has been with the University of Texas women’s basketball for 7 years and had a wealth of knowledge to share. Zack Zillner enters his seventh season as women's basketball sports performance coach at the University of Texas. Zillner develops, implements and supervises the training regimen for the Texas women’s basketball team in the areas of speed, strength, agility, conditioning and flexibility. Zillner also works collaboratively with the areas of sports medicine and performance nutrition. We dive into off-season, in-season strength and conditioning, how to build buy in with athletes, developing as a strength coach and much much more.  IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:=> Why what you do doesn’t matter until you get your clients/athletes to buy into the program. => A unique approach Zack used to get his basketball athletes to buy into the strength and performance program.=> What is more important, performance training, skills, both, and how much of each for a player; we answer the questions. => Why the first phase of the off season is “chasing health” and what that looks like in programming.=> The collaboration of coaching staff, skill staff, and performance staff to develop the players to their best ability.=> The best sales people on the team that will get everyone on board (and why you have to focus on them). => What is “guided autonomy” and “theme” based training and how it plays out in a training week at University of Texas women’s basketball. => The break down of every day of strength and performance training for a basketball team. => Why Zack chooses total body as the best type of training for athletes. => What is the “bodyshop training day” and why athletes love it. => How does conditioning play into the off-season and how hard should players go in pick up basketball (you’ll be surprised by the answer). => What does collaboration with a player in the weight room look like. => The exact break down of a 30-minute strength and performance in-season training session. => The overlooked and biggest obstacle for players coming from high school into college when it comes to adapting. => The effect of lifestyle factors (sleep, food, stress) on basketball players performance and how it will grow or stunt success.=> Coaching and communication insights to get players to take on behaviors that will make them a better athlete (that they are avoiding). => The key principles of becoming a successful strength coach. => Why work ethic and dependability is a critical factor in getting ahead of everyone else when it comes to the strength coach. => The power of taking pride in the work that you do no matter how small the task.=> Why being a sponge and submerging yourself into learning from the greats around you should be a focus for every coach. => Setting standards for yourself on a daily basis as a coach and why mimicking works. => What is Zack learning and excited about in the field of sports performance for basketball.LINKS & RESOURCES:Zack's IG Coach Em Up Podcast  Micro Dosing Performance Course Luka’s Courses and Workshops  Luka's YouTube 

I’ve been excited about having a conversation with Allan as I’ve been following him for a while and love his approach to coaching and education when it comes to nutrition and fitness. I specifically wanted to dive deeper into his thoughts on nutrition coaching, weight loss plateaus, as well as insights on GLP-1’s. This episode is packed full of value and insights for any person looking to improve their nutrition, or coaches dedicated to their clients health and fitness.Dr. Allan holds a Doctorate in Dental Surgery from the University of Maryland. He is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, a certified physique & bodybuilding coach, a certified nutritionist (x2), a certified coach for USA Powerlifting, and has formulated professionally for industry-leading dietary supplement companies since 2009.You can find his published fitness articles in outlets such as Muscle & Fitness, Sci-Fit, the Alan Aragon Research Review, and The Personal Trainer Development Center and more.His practice focuses on helping driven adults master their physique, performance, and health for lifelong results. In his free time, Dr. Allan enjoys outdoor activities, EDC, sports, hanging out with his wife and dog, bodybuilding, gaming, and reading.IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:=> How do you take the X’s and O’s of nutrition and actually get people doing it consistently so they can sustain it.=> Mastering the basics is always the answer, and here’s what the real basics are.=> Why novelty, “secrets & tricks” are so easy to fall for when trying to change your diet; and how social media amplifies it.=> How uninformed optimism leads us to start a diet with excitement, and informed pessimism leads us to keep switching it. => All the factors that can make you misinterpret your weight loss and why need things seem like they “work like crazy.”=> A powerful coaching question that will filter where the nutrition approach will work for the client. => Any diet approach without agency will be unsuccessful; here’s the framework to helping clients choose a successful diet plan.=> Plateaus happen for 1 or 2 reasons; here’s how to address each one of them in detail. => Why the RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) of daily caloric expenditure is not what you think it is (what the science says and how it’s affecting your weight loss results).=> The truth about “starvation mode” and “metabolic damage” and why it’s still confusing people.=> What approach to nutrition has you moving less and getting hungrier.=> One of 4 things that can help you overcome a weight loss stall.=> How many calories does the average American underestimate daily and why eating out is part of what’s stopping your progress.=> Why NEAT and step count can be a very effective strategic approach to program into your weight loss journey.=> The hidden factors that could be culprits in your weight loss stalling. => Effective ways to track food without counting calories (and why you should still count calories…at least for a while).=> How to communicate with clients when coaching to get adherence with habits and routines for lifelong success.=> Why twins with identical DNA can have very different responses based on different environments, behaviors and experiences.=> The power of a food diary that helps on how you respond to stress; awareness precedes change.=> A strategic short term detox of foods and how it can help you with your weight loss journey. => Why GLP-1 can be great drugs but many times they’re not (because they are abused). => The right reason to use GLP-1’s and when NOT to use them. => Why GLP-1’s are the “training wheel” and not the bike, and what that means for you and your clients. => The dangers of GLP-1’s for menopausal women and what you MUST do in this phase. LINKS & RESOURCES:Dr. Allan Bacon's WebsiteDr. Allan Bacon's Instagram Luka’s Courses and Workshops Luka's YouTube

Brianna Battles, CEO and Founder of Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism, leads a transformative discussion on maintaining strength and athleticism during and after pregnancy. She shares her journey of identifying misconceptions in postpartum training and emphasizes that athleticism doesn't stop with motherhood. Brianna highlights the importance of pelvic health and the need for a balanced approach to postpartum recovery, stressing nourishment over restrictive dieting. The conversation critiques social media portrayals of motherhood, advocating for individual journeys and mindful engagement.

I answer 4 questions in depth from in person clients, DM’s I received, comments to some of my posts, as well as a nutrition coaching scenario from a client I’m coaching. I love doing these episodes and sharing real world examples, programs, and coaching that I’m doing in the real world. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:=> If you had a period of time where you could train more (3 months) to build strength and muscle, here’s the program I’d create for you. => Why at times a mix of body split AND full body may be the vest way to go. => The 4 day split and which days I’d train on (and what modifications I would make).=> What I would do for conditioning to maintain athleticism, get fit, and still being able to build size and strength.=> The exact exercises I’d use with most of my clients if I was doing this program. => Why the most elite athletes (as well as coaches and gym owners) are “gym rats.”=> 4 traits of elite athlete, coaches, and gym owners (do you have them? And how do you build them?).=> Why it’s so important to have the apprenticeship approach and be a student even when you’re far along in your career. => Why squatting double your bodyweight before doing plyometrics is not a great peace of advice.=> I share the different forces associated with jumps, depth drops, etc (and how to progress the exercises safely).=> An example and breakdown of the coaching strategies to help a client lose 20 lbs while maintaining their muscle. => Why is it better to give clients ranges of calories and protein rather than hard numbers. LINKS & RESOURCES:Built To Last www.BuiltToLastGym.comDownload Our 3 Powerful and FREE Gym Playbooks https://free.builttolastgym.com/Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.comLuka Hocevar YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

In this engaging conversation, Dean Somerset, a personal trainer and post-rehab specialist, shares his 20-year journey in the fitness industry. He offers invaluable insights into building a successful coaching career while balancing a busy schedule of 40-50 hours a week. Dean's three powerful tips for improving as a coach are essential for anyone in the field. He discusses the dynamics of different training styles, including 1:1 and semi-private sessions, and reveals how to make a mark even in a big box gym. Don't miss his upcoming book, "Rock Solid Resilience!"

Jason Brown, a fitness and program design expert, shares insights on prioritizing meaningful engagement over social media fame. He discusses his decision to step back from social media to focus on serving a dedicated audience instead of chasing viral success. Jason highlights the importance of authenticity in coaching, explains how a viral article transformed his mindset, and emphasizes creating content that educates and empowers a specific audience. Listeners will learn about building genuine connections and the benefits of deep engagement in the fitness industry.

I’ve known Jon for over a decade and he’s been a guest of the show many times, and every time we have a conversation he shares a lot of wisdom and insights. Jon has served 100,000+ entrepreneurs, coaches and trainers with his content, whether its his books, articles, courses, or mentorship, and has been a force in helping people impact clients and grow their business.  He just launched his new book “The Obvious Choice” which I crushed in 5 days and it has so many powerful, yet simple and applicable insights and actions to take from a person that’s built real world businesses. We focus on some of the biggest principles, strategies, and stories that will help you create actionable steps and impact after listening to the episode.    IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: =>  What are the actual principles and strategies on building a business (and not ones that get shared on TikTok by folks that have never built a real business).  => Why building trust and smaller circles of people that know you will actually grown your business more than social media. => How community, familiarity, and specificity are the 3 KEY principles to grow your business the fastest.  => Why social media is NOT anywhere close to being the best strategy to grow your brick and mortar business.  => The 4 stages of social media for a coach and entrepreneur and when and how to focus on your content.  => What is the 1 + 1 = 10 rule and how it can help you excel and stand out as a coach (most don’t know this!). => Why becoming better and better at your specific skillset may have diminishing returns.  => The 5 skills that will make you stand out and supercharge your craft, regardless of what you do (these are KEY to differentiate). => How to let your geek flag fly and be different and incomparable (become the category of 1!).  => Jon shares “easy” ways to win rather than searching for the hardest option believing it will be best.  => How these entrepreneurs built a very successful business and big impact with small lists, small followings, and no big personal brand (and how you can too).  => How likes and social media following does NOT convert to dollars in the bank account of fulfillment of what you do.  => You can get clients this week by _______ (it will seem so easy you’ll be blow away how you missed this).  LINKS & RESOURCES: Book - The Obvious Choice (Jon Goodman) https://a.co/d/f7Z3xlX Jon Goodman Instagram https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/ The PTDC website https://www.theptdc.com/ Download Our 3 Powerful and FREE Gym Playbooks https://free.builttolastgym.com/ Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

Andy McCloy is not only a great coach, the owner of the most successful gym in Huntsville Alabama, and one of my closest friends, he’s also my business partner in the Built To Last Gym Mentorship we launched last year. While in town to work on some projects and our upcoming mastermind in Austin, TX, we sat down to discuss how to build a successful training system for your gym, coaching business; one that can be scaled and taught to your team.  Your training and coaching are the foundation of your whole business and we have seen more and more people in the industry skip past this with speed to focus on things like brand, marketing, sales, etc. The reality is that training and coaching are the service that everything else is built on and THE most important part. If this ins’t good, nothing else will help you! Tune in to discover the process of building a results based training system that can be scaled.  IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: => Why your coaching program and gym NEED a training system (and not just any training system). => What are the best practices for developing a training system (and what NOT to do!). => Why your business (long term) will live or die based on the quality of your training and coaching system.  => You don’t sell programming, you sell how people feel after participating in a session (and how training systems & coaching play into this). => How Andy started his journey of developing his training system and his “Borrow” then “Build” framework.  => What do Crossfit/OTF/Orange Theory/Barry’s Bootcamp, etc have in common and what we can learn from them.  => How we learned that certain methods don’t work with certain populations (wisdom from 10’000’s of combined sessions). => Our influences of who we borrowed from and how we then built our own training systems.  => What is the “mixed model” of program design and why we’re big fans of it.   => What framework BCI Sports Performance and Fitness use with athletes and general population clients.  => What we learned from Mike Boyle and how it influenced some of our programs (both in different ways).  => We covers BCI’s rules and frameworks of the training system. => We go over a year’s worth of program design sets and reps that you can literally steal from us and use in your program design. => How to choose exercise categories, organize them, and create regression, baseline and progression models. => What is the perfect session checklist for our coaches.  => The R7 and P4 lens of designing training programs.  => How to develop internship models that build great coaches to run your system.  LINKS & RESOURCES: Built To Last Mentorship  www.BuiltToLastGym.com Built to Last Gym - Austin Mastermind  https://go.builttolastgym.com/austin-2025 Download Our 3 Powerful and FREE Gym Playbooks https://free.builttolastgym.com/ BCI Sports Performance and Fitness  https://bodycreationsinc.com/ Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

I decided I wanted to start sharing principles and skillsets that build the greatest coaches and careers in the fitness industry. This is not a list from 1 to whatever. This is my personal insights, notes from other great coaches, books, things mentors shared with me, and much more. This will be an ongoing series of at least 3 episodes (if not more) as I want there to be something anyone can come back to and use as a resource to develop their skills, get a refresher (“we need to be reminded more than we need to be taught”), or direct someone to that wants to build successful coaching skills. Developing these skills is a lifelong purpose and after 20-years of being obsessed with coaching, I can still see how much better I can get at many of the skills I share.  These episodes are for the coaches (and by the way, everyone will be in a coaching role in their life so it applies to everyone!) who want to be in the elite category. I have been fortunate to stand on the shoulders of giants and invested an enormous amount of time, energy, and money, to learn from them over the decades. Most that were grateful to help, asked me for one thing in return - to pay it forward. These episodes and this podcast is a way for me to pay it forward like the greats did for me.  IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: => Why training in all planes of motion is a must and how to add it to every clients program => How to add an “assistant coach” with constraint based coaching. => Why everyone should do plyometrics and what to do with beginners.  => Why you must learn how to “speak coach” and the boost it will give your business.  => How strong is strong enough and some standards we use for clients at Vigor Ground.  => Sometimes good movement doesn’t fix every problem, you may have to check _______. => 3 rules for mobility and how I categorize clients and what I do with them. => Why you shouldn’t be a “one tool trainer.” => The right mix of giving clients what they need vs. what they want.  => The coaching habit and the 7 question framework that will help you coach your clients and team. => The difference between a trainer and a coach. => The list of mistakes coaches make that take them out of the “pro” category in my eyes.  LINKS & RESOURCES: Book: The Coaching Habit https://a.co/d/5wgWMT0 Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

Explore the journey of self-improvement and emotional skills vital for success in fitness coaching. Discover why communication truly matters and the importance of trust in the supplement industry. Learn techniques to enhance coaching effectiveness, including adaptability in fitness programming. The discussion highlights maintaining focus on goals and offers coaching principles for engaging with clients effectively. It’s a treasure trove of insights for anyone looking to excel in coaching roles!