It takes more than just letters after your name to really know what you are doing and what you are talking about. I have had the greatest pleasure of working alongside some inspirational coaches in the past but in the same breath I have also witnessed some incredible feats of delusional training.
Continuing education is paramount to building a successful business, regardless of the business you are in. I personally believe you need to be reading 14 hours a week if you are serious about being great at what you do. With the speed at which the world turns, an hour in the morning and an hour at night may not quite be enough... but then the partner may get grumpy, so leave the next chapter until the morning.
With the exponential expansion of the internet, there is just so much information at your fingertips. All you need to do is weed out the great from the grim, so armed with my weed spray and secateurs; here is a great selection of reading material.
Free Resources
Charles Poliquin - In my mind, Charles is one of the best in the business. Well if he isn’t, I guess the Olympic medals in 17 different sports and the world record holders in 10 different sports were just lucky! Spend an hour a week, keeping up to date on his articles.
Eric Cressey - Again, another legend in the industry. Eric is constantly continuing his education and passing down his expert knowledge. Again I would suggest reading an hour of his articles a week.
Strengthcoach - This is the home of Mike Boyle, one of the foremost experts in the field of Strength & Conditioning. What he doesn’t know, you don't need to know. You can view many of his articles for free but if you value his information, then at just $10 a month, you get access to all and everything!
T-nation - A personal favourite of mine. This is where some of the most well known authorities in the business come and share their wisdom. There is so much information you may need two hours a week; one to check through their library of articles and the other hour to read their free weekly subscription.
www.elite.com - If you are interested in the heavy side of training. All things heavy and with all the best names writing and contributing to create a truly awesome weekly newsletter.
Nick Tumminello - Another truly awesome coach. Nick is known as the “Trainer of Trainers” for his innovative, hybrid fitness training concepts. From Fitness Models to MMA fighters, Nick has sound training concepts and has tons of articles and videos to keep you busy for another hour a week.
Pubmed - Comprising of more than 21 million citations for biomedical literature, journals, articles, libraries, and medical databases. This is where you can back your own knowledge up through scientific research or research other people’s ideas and drawn your own conclusions.
Spend an hour a week on each of these websites and feed your brain. At no cost to your wallet, what excuses do you have?
But alas, to truly push yourself ahead of the rest, you may need to part with some hard earned cash. I highly recommend attending seminars and lectures – aiming for about 4 a year. You will learn so much more from actually being in the same room and not to mention the networking opportunities with equally determined peers.
I would also recommend investing in DVD’s, Audios, Podcasts, E-Books, Courses etc to further your knowledgebank. Here are some of my personal favourites:
Turbulence Training – Craig Ballantyne has sold tons of copies not only because he is good at what he does, but also the e-book delivers the results. No equipment is necessary so you can train at home using your own bodyweight.
Precision Nutrition – If you are looking for the most comprehensive nutritional resource, then look no further. With DVDs, books and technical support, this set really has changed the way you will view nutrition.
Nourishing Traditions – A superb cookbook that challenges politically correct nutrition and the diet dictocrats... Successfully! Its more than a cookbook; it’s an education in the process.
Show & Go: High Performance Training to Look, Feel and Move Better - Whether you are looking to gain weight, lose body fat or increase your athleticism & strength; Eric Cressey has designed and illustrated his training philosophy and overall program structure. Whether you are looking to train x2, x3 or x4 a week, Eric has a workout tailored for them all. Also includes a database of 175 exercises.
Maximum Strength – The ideal prequel to Show & Go, Eric has created an awesome 16 week program that has everything you need to build a stronger physique. It includes foam rolling, mobility, deloading and energy system recommendations. Start on this and then move onto Show & Go.
The Art of the Deload – Another great book written by Eric on the importance of incorporating downtime and planned regeneration periods, into their individual training programs. Another great financial investment.
Lean Hybrid Muscle – Whether you are looking to increase muscle mass or lose some body fat; this awesome product will do just that. It’s a great investment and if you stick it out, you will reap the rewards.
Functional Anatomy Resources:
As Personal Trainers and Strength Coaches, you must know the importance of Functional Anatomy. Start with the more basic Anatomy & Physiology and work your way down the list, in order.
Marieb’s Human Anatomy & Physiology – A superb beginners book where everyone should start.
Manual of Structural Kinesiology – A great entry level book for those who need to brush up on their anatomy.
Kinetic Anatomy – Taking anatomy and looking at it in a more functional environment.
Building the Efficient Athlete – A superb DVD series created by Mike Robertson and Eric Cressy taking Strength & Conditioning beyond the classroom. The DVD series covers everything from Functional Anatomy, Structural Balance, Corrective Exercise to Static and Dynamic Assessments.
Basic Biomechanics – If you want to be a good coach, this is a definite must.
Muscles, Testing and Function with Posture and Pain – An absolute must in your collection.
Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridian for Manual & Movement Therapists – Taking your knowledge of the muscle and nervous system and advancing into myofascial system.
Assess & Correct – Another great product developed by Eric. It addresses mobility and activation needs, and I personally recommend this product over any other similar product on the market. It looks into all aspects of postural alignment and what you need to do to correct it.
FYI – I am in no way affiliated with Eric Cressey, or any of the other Authors above; I just find them to be fantastic investments and they all seem to have your best interests at heart, not their wallets.