Talent alone won’t get the job done
Are certifications over-rated?
Only a handful of certifications are really worthwhile to get, in my opinion.
I went after numerous certifications when I was just starting out.
Back then I really didn’t how little some of them would actually apply to the types of training I have found to be the most effective.
Don’t get me wrong, some are excellent!
In the process of establishing credibility, new trainers often think that having a certain certification (or a bunch of them) will bring them that. However, that is not the case.
Some of the most credible coaches and strongest guys I have ever met have no certifications but huge amounts of experience, and they get solid results for those they train.
First they must learn how to train themselves, before they start training others. This does not happen quickly, and many new guys are super impatient and just don’t want to wait. That is just plain tough.
In the real world, you better know what you are doing!
There are no substitutes for experience.
A person is better off finding some solid training partners, who actually know what they are doing, than going to a gazillion certifications.
Another good way to learn is through seminars that focus on establishing a good foundation of basics. Don’t worry about if you get a piece of paper for being there or not.
Invest in training manuals. They are like gold!
Listen to good podcasts, most of which are free.
Take notes and study.
Most of all, get under the bar and lift!
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Under the radar all these years proving their methods work
When you blaze your own path there might be a few people “who get it” who might come along side you, but most often you go alone, This is not for the timid!
While you always seek out the best information you can, sometimes to just have to experiment with what fits you and your purposes. That you will not get from someone’s experience, that will be yours, good or bad.
Don’t be afraid to fail at something that is worthy of your effort. That is part of process. Some people will stop the first time that something doesn’t work like they think it should, that is their loss, not yours. Keep going!
Don’t concern yourself with what is popular, stick to what you know works best. Some of the strongest guys I know of trained in the back yards or garages or dingy warehouse for years with old rusty, used equipment. No frills, nothing fancy, just results.
They trained under the radar for years, even decades before others caught on to what they were doing and the results they were getting.
A few people come to mind right away (though this is not a complete list)
- Bud Jeffries
- Zach Even-Esh
- Jedd Johnson
I discovered these innovators around ten years ago while I was first going under the radar myself.
More recently I found a few more guys operating like that and getting incredible results
- Dave Lemanczyk
- Eric Fiorillo
Of course there are more I haven’t met yet, but look forward to learning from in the future.
While the general public favors the huge fitness centers full of shiny machines and mirrors; there is a small percentage of serious strength athletes who could care less about all that stuff. They don’t care about celebrity diets or six-pack abs; they just want to get crazy strong. Those are my kind of people!
The Cave 