Strength Quest Podcast

I have been trying to type a description for this episode for thirty minutes now and it is not going well. The chaos that follows can be blamed on holiday cheer, bourbon, and tequila.Strong language will be used so consider yourself warned. Outside of that I have no idea how to best describe this episode so I have decided to include the lyrics to the greatest Christmas song ever composed. Merry Christmas-Coach Hicks Wham! Last ChristmasLast Christmas I gave you my heartBut the very next day you gave it awayThis year, to save me from tearsI'll give it to someone specialLast Christmas I gave you my heartBut the very next day you gave it away (you gave it away)This year, to save me from tearsI'll give it to someone special (special)Once bitten and twice shyI keep my distance, but you still catch my eyeTell me baby, do you recognize me?Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me"Merry Christmas" I wrapped it up and sent itWith a note saying "I love you", I meant itNow I know what a fool I've beenBut if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me againLast Christmas I gave you my heartBut the very next day you gave it away (you gave it away)This year, to save me from tearsI'll give it to someone special (special)Last Christmas I gave you my heartBut the very next day you gave it awayThis year, to save me from tearsI'll give it to someone special (special)OhhOh, oh, babyA crowded room, friends with tired eyesI'm hiding from you and your soul of iceMy God, I thought you were someone to rely onMe? I guess I was a shoulder to cry onA face on a lover with a fire in his heartA man under cover but you tore me apartOoh, ooh, now I've found a real loveYou'll never fool me againLast Christmas I gave you my heartBut the very next day you gave it away (you gave it away)This year, to save me from tearsI'll give it to someone special (special)Last Christmas I gave you my heartBut the very next day you gave it awayThis year, to save me from tearsI'll give it to someone specialSpecialA face on a lover with a fire in his heart (I gave you mine)A man under cover but you tore him apartMaybe next year we'll give it to someoneI'll give it to someone specialSpecialSo long... 

This week we pick up right where we left off last week.  If you did not listen to last weeks episode you should probably check it out before you dig into this one.  Today Coach Mitchell discusses moving past the ego and asking for help.  Help could be in the form of a mentor or another coach, but at some point in order to get better as a coach or athlete most of us will need to ask for help. Tune in to see how Nick is progressing through this new phase of training and life. www.strengthquestpod.com@strengthquest1

This week we have a really interesting and somewhat difficult conversation as Coach Mitchell discusses why he has decided to pull out from his competition in October.  If you are a competitive powerlifter I am sure you can relate to this topic as we also talk about why I feel we will always need 2 more weeks to prepare for competition.  Tune in to find out which direction we go and how former guests like Mike Behrle influenced what direction Coach Mitchell might take his training in the future. www.strengthquestpod.com@strengthquest1 

Have you ever felt completely unqualified for the job you hold?  Maybe you worry constantly that at any moment those around you will finally discover that you are a fraud?Maybe it's just me, but if not give this one a listen. I usually like to have more of a description but this one wasn't east, so check it out and if you want drop me a line. awhicks1983@gmail.comWe will talk again next week. 

This week, Coach Mitchell and I, continue discussing weight room culture and the coaches leadership role.  Today we dig into specific leadership lessons we have learned along the way.  We both share some mistakes we have made along the way and finally get into what we would share with ourselves 15 years ago based on what we know now.  Spoiler alert, the ego is discussed numerous times on this episode. Coach Mitchell and I also wanted to share our schedule for the remainder of the month.  Because of scheduling conflicts we will not be releasing audio editions of our Resource Reviews for the rest of August.  We will be writing articles about resource recommendations instead and you can find those articles at www.strengthquestpod.com .  We plan to return to 2 episodes a week starting in September. Learn more at:www.strengthquestpod.comFollow us on Instagram: @strengthquest1 

Today Coach Mitchell and I continue our discussion about weight room culture and creating buy-in with you athletes.  As Coach Mitchell discussed last Thursday a coach must know what his or her philosophies are in order to be authentic when working with athletes.  Sometimes this means recognizing our own egos and why our ego may be holding us back and preventing us from connecting with not only our athletes but other coaches and parents.  www.strengthquestpod.com Instagram:@strengthquest1

For todays resource review Coach Mitchell continues to expand on this months current look into leadership and culture. Coach Mitchell brings the book Conscious Coaching  by Brett Bartholomew to the table today and we got into a very deep and interesting conversation about trust, buy in, and the coaching ego. Coach Mitchell did a great job with this one and I think you are really going to like it. Check us out at: www.strengthquestpod.comInstagram:@strengthquest1

We had a great plan and outline going into this one, but as everyone has learned during 2020, plans are subject to change.  Instead of discussing weight room culture and standards Coach Mitchell and I spent some time discussing reverse band work.   It was an important conversation.  Not because we think reverse bands are a magical movement that everyone needs to implement into their training programs, but more so because you need to be able to defend your programming and answer the question why are you doing that and what are you hoping to achieve by programming movements the way you are.  This was a great debate and I think Coach Mitchell and I challenged each others thinking and got better this morning.  Finally, we discuss our plans for August and the idea of culture and setting the standard when we are in the weight room.  I think you are going to like this one! Learn more at: www.strengthquestpod.com Follow us on Instagram at: @strengthquest1  

This week Coach Mitchell and I discuss the mentors we have had over the years both in and out of the weight room.  It was a fun conversation and I found it particularly interesting that we both, unknowingly to one another, listed a coach we had while in high school that we didn't want to end up like. I am sure you can think of a few mentors you have learned from over the years, and maybe even someone you knew you didn't want to be like, because like Coach Mitchell said, no one is self made.  www.strengthquestpod.comIG: @strengthquest1 

This week we continue our discussion regarding shoulder health as Coach Hicks brings "Bulletproof Your Shoulders" by Jim Johnson, PT.  This is a great episode if you have questions about shoulder cuff health and how you can be programming prehab and mobility into your routine.   Learn more atwww.strengthquestpod.com IG- @strengthquest1 

This week we pick up where we left off last week when Coach Mitchell and I discussed the life lessons we learned from the weight room.  Today we bring it all together as we talk about why the weight room is so important and these lessons and struggles are still as relevant as they were when we were in school.  We felt this was a great discussion and important during these strange times as schools prepare to re-open and athletes return to the field this fall. Let us know what you think! www.strengthquestpod.com IG- @strengthquest1

This week we kick off our resource reviews that feature shoulder health and stability.  To get things rolling Coach Mitchell reviews the Bamboo Bar.  Coach Mitchell discusses the many uses of the Bamboo Bar as well as some of the science behind it.  Finally, Coach Mitchell reveals how he implements the Bamboo Bar is his own training and how we might use this tool when programming for arm health in throwing athletes. www.strengthquestpod.com @strengthquest1 

This week Coach Mitchell and I discuss important lessons we have learned over the years spent in the weight room.  Of course we discuss our influences and mistakes made, but more importantly we dig into the lessons that came from the work, and how that has carried over to our adult lives.  Finally, Coach Mitchell and I get into why these lessons were so important and why it is so important for our current generation of high school athletes. www.strengthquestpod.com@strengthquest1

This week Coach Hicks discusses a resource he got into at the beginning of quarantine when he started digging into programming speed work and sprint mechanics. Coach Hicks' resource this week is the online course Exose Presents: The Tenth of A Second Difference. This course explains how the coaches at Exos prep their collegiate athletes for the NFL Combine and is a fantastic resource for anyone working with athletes that need to develop their game speed. Coach Mitchell brings up some really good questions during our conversation as we try to unpack why learning how to develop an elite athlete pertains to how we program and work with our youth athletes and how it all starts in the weight room. Learn more about Exos here. Follow us on Instagram @strengthquest1www.strengthquestpod.com  

This week Coach Mitchell concludes his discussion on what events brought him to the Conjugate System and how mistakes made along the way.  Nick explains how injuries lead him to this way of programming and what he did to fix those issues.  Coach Mitchell also discusses how and why he believes this is a superior method in creating longevity within an athletes chosen sport as well as some mistakes athletes commonly make when they first begin using the Conjugate System. Learn more at www.strengthquestpod.comFind us on Instagram, @strengthquest1 

Coach Mitchell switches things up on us a bit this week as we move away from books and courses and start discussing equipment and bars that you can add to your arsenal when programming for yourself or your athletes.  While Coach Mitchell and I both believe that education, reading, and networking is how we grow as coaches, but the tools in your weight room (bars, racks, etc.) determine how and why you program the way you do.  Coach Mitchell does a great job explaining the many uses of the safety squat bar and we also discuss a research paper from a few years back discussing the benefits of safety squat bar. Read about the research here www.strengthquestpod.comInstagram- @strengthquest1  

This week Coach Hicks continues our theme of recovery and preparation for the next training session as he discusses this week's resource, Nutrient Timing. Coach Hicks discussed how this book helped him understand how peri workout nutrition can not only fuel your training but also extend the "anabolic window" when it comes to post workout nutrition. We also discuss the importance of a basic nutritional understanding in order to better communicate with your clients/athletes when they ask questions about performance or weight gain. Purchase Nutrient Timing herewww.strengthquestpod.com Instagram: @strengthquest1 

This week we are switching things up a bit and digging into our own personal history in regards to training and programming.  To kick things off, Coach Mitchell discusses his history with other training formats and how those experiences lead him to conjugate.  Coach Mitchell discusses his experiences with 5-3-1 and Juggernaut training, the positives and negatives associated with both and how that lead him to the Westside Book of Methods.  He lays out some good advice and how you can progress through your studying and better comprehend conjugate by starting with another book before digging into the book of methods. Next week we will begin comparing methods and really unpacking his experience with conjugate. As always check us out at www.strengthquestpod.comFollow us on Instagram @strengthquest1  

Most of us are one week back to work as restrictions due to Covid-19 have been lifted to an extent.  Now that we have been discussing what we thought this was going to look like we can finally step back and reflect to see how we did and if our students and athletes were where we thought they would be. I thought this was a great way to wrap things up and hopefully we just continue to move forward and out of the lockdown! www.strengthquestpod.com Instagram: @strengthquest1 

This week Coach Mitchell was really excited to dig into this resource as it has been one he has been talking about for several weeks.  Coach Mitchell discusses the book Why We Sleep, by Matthew Walker, PhD.  When Coach Mitchell started reading this book he immediatly started getting on me about my poor sleep habits and started sharing just how bad lack of sleep really is based on some of the studies he read about.  I of course shruged him off, but as we continued to debate the importance of sleep I quickly realized I wasn't doing myself or my athletes any favors by only getting 5-6 hours of sleep.  You may think you have an idea as to how your performance decreases because of poor sleep, but if you are anything like me the truth is really going to scare you and you will end up buying this book just like I did.  I think you are really going to enjoy this conversation and Coach Mitchell did a great job explaining this resource.  If you would like to purchase Why We Sleep, by Matthew Walker click here. Follow us on Instagram @strengthquest1www.strengthquestpod.com 

With more and more details being released every day from the state it seems like the majority of us will be back to work, if not this week, by next week at the latest.  We know this day was coming and, for the most part, it seems like coaches have done a great job communicating with each other while we are try to figure out what the best practice would be on day one when we got back into the weight room. Now that we have some tart dates we thought this would be a great opportunity to talk to someone who works not on in the weight room, but also in the rehab setting to get his opinion on what our day one might look like. Coach Mitch Gill is the athletic trainer for Dacula High School in Georgia and also helps with the strength and conditioning program for the school.  Coach Gill also works with athletes at his private facility and has helped me out with return to play questions regarding athletes and injuries in the past. We had a great conversation discussing the limitations to our programming because of the restrictions due to COVID-19 and how we can still program effectively during this time.  We also discuss what speed and agility work might look like, and....wait for it......why the speed ladder might be helpful during this time. Be sure to follow Coach Gill on Instagram: @gilltrainingsystemsContact Coach Gill atgilltrainingsystems1@gmail.com Follow us at@strengthquest1www.strengthquestpod.com  

This weeks Resource Wednesday features Power Eating by Susan Kleiner, PhD, RD.  Coach Mitchell and I discuss how understanding basic nutritional facts can be a huge asset when discussing recovery and weight gain with your athletes.  I break down each section of this book and we also dig into why I feel the supplementation section is spot on and how you can use the final section of the book to help your athletes better understand their own macro nutrient requirements as well as caloric needs based on their activity level. Purchase Power Eating hereFollow us on Instagram:@strengthquest1www.strengthquestpod.com 

This week we sit down with Mike Behrle, owner and head coach at Windham County Strength.  Mike has been involved with powerlifting and coaching for the majority of his life and shares his introduction into powerlifting with us as well as his plans moving forward as the restrictions from COVID-19 are lifted and our student athletes begin returning to the gym.   Nick and I had a great time talking to Mike and we want to thank him again for spending some time with us and look forward to chatting again in the future. Follow Mike on Instagram at:@windhamcounty_strength@strengthquest1www.strengthquestpod.com

Today Coach Mitchell discusses his resource for the week, The 1x20 Method from Dr. Yessis.  This resource episode was a fun debate as both Coach Mitchell and I are familiar with this method and have dug into other resources from Dr. Yessis.  Stick around as we give out details discussing a giveaway and I might have included our first blooper clip compliments of Coach Mitchell. As always follow us on Instagram @strengthquest1Email usstrengthquestpod@gmail.comwww.strengthquestpod.com 

This week COach Mitchell and I discuss the upcoming return to play/return to gyms as the country begins to open back up following the extended shut down due to Covid-19.  While details are still unclear at this point we have some understanding as to when stadiums and weight rooms will be opening back up and we feel this conversation is important as our clients and students come back and get under the bar.  This is a timly conversation as we just covered testing vs benchmarks as well as day 1 week 1 athletes.  It all starts to come together as we discuss how much time we might have to spend building a base before we get back on the field in order to mitigate injuries.  We will revisit this topic over the next two weeks and we will also be bringing special guests on to discuss this very important topic. As always follow us on Instagram@strengthquest1Email us atstrengthquestpod@gmail.comwww.strengthquestpod.com 

This week we switch things up a bit and Coach Mitchell interviews me about my pick for this week's Resource Wednesday episode. We thought this way we could have a more in depth conversation about our picks each week and really dig into what we like and dislike about our weekly picks. This week I discuss the book Ultralearning by Scott Young.  I cover why I think this is a great resource to keep on your book shelf and visit numerous times as well as different strategies I used from this book over the last year when prepping for my CSCS as well as working through grad school.  We hope you enjoy this episode and if you would like to purchase Ultralearning click the link.Follow us on Instagram @strengthquest1Questions? strengthquestpod@gmail.com 

In today's episode we get back to our topic covering your day one week one athlete or client.  We have already discussed assessments, evaluations, and programming and now we get to every head coach's favorite term....TESTING!  But when do we test, what does it look like, and is it even necessary? As always we discuss how things are progressing as we begin to open the country back up and our athletes and clients can return to the gym and return to play. Please leave us a 5-star review on iTunes!Follow us on Instagram@strengthquest1www.strengthquestpod.com

This week Coach Mitchell and I discuss two books that have helped us with programming and breaking down running mechanics.  Even though Coach Mitchell was sitting in a hot box he explained why his resource is one he feels like he needs to revisit and why you may find it useful when programming and cueing for your athletes. Send your questions to: strengthquestpod@gmail.comFollow us on the grams at:@strengthquest1Learn more at:www.strengthquestpod.com Purchase these books:Science of Sport TrainingRunning Mechanics and Gait Analysis 

This week we take a break from our discussion about your new client or athlete and spend some time reflecting on things we had wish we known when we first started out many years ago.  We felt like this would be a great conversation to have since almost everyone is still stuck at home while the country deals with the COVID-19 lockdowns.  We have already release a few resource episodes, but this gave us a chance to really dig into things like Coaching speed and sprint mechanicsBeing the thermostat or thermometer in the weight room Understanding mumble rapWhy 80's metal is necessary for gainsWe also discuss specific coaches and resources you can use if you find yourself struggling with some of the same things we did. We are looking to start putting together some questions for a Q&A bonus episode this month. You can submit questions to us via email at strengthquestpod@gmail.com or find us on Instagram @strengthquest1 We will be back Wednesday for another Resource Wednesday episode!www.strengthquestpod.com 

This week for our Resource Wednesday Coach Mitchell and I discuss 2 books that we feel are essential for a new coach and will be resources you return to numerous times as you advance in the field.  Coach Mitchell discusses Science and Practice of Strength Training and Coach Hicks details how he uses The Strength & Conditioning Coach's Guide To Microsoft Excel to build his programming cards for his athletes. You can purchase each resource by clicking the links above and as always we do not make a dime we just feel these are great resources to help you improve your coaching and programming. For more info check out www.strengthquestpod.comFollow us on Instagram @strengthquest1 

What is your creed? What are the pillars that build your coaching philosophy?  This week we discuss what this looks like for us when it comes to coaching and education as well as how we plan to build this show and website around our three core principles, Strength, Knowledge, & Performance.  We also pick right up where we left off last week discussing how we progress our new athlete or client from assessments and interviews to the weight room and begin building his or her program.   We also spent some time discussing what the plans to reopen facilities and schools may look like as mandatory shut downs seem to be coming to an end and how we can safely return to the weight room. We have some giveaways starting this week so make sure to follow us on Instagram (@strenghquest1) If you have questions to submit please email us at strengthquestpod@gmail.com www.strengthquestpod.com 

Our first installment of our weekly resource episodes!  Each week we will cover a book, video, podcast, or piece of equipment we have found helpful and think you should know about.  We do not receive any kickbacks for talking about these resources we are just trying to save you time and money as you move along your quest for Strength, Knowledge, and Performance.  Today Coach Hicks discusses the book NSCA's Guide to Program Design and Coach Mitchell covers Nate Harvey's ConjugateU.  For a more detailed break down of each resource check out the articles at: www.strengthquestpod.comIf you have any questions or topics you would like us to cover next week please email us at: strengthquestpod@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram at:@strengthquest1 

On this episode we dig into our topic for this month.  We are starting at day 1, week 1 with a new athlete or client and taking you through what we do to go from initial assessment to your first program with a new athlete.  Today we discuss what our initial interview process looks like to the first assessment.  We finally get into to some strategies for building trust and establishing a relationship and then jump into our first warm-up with a new athlete.  If you have any questions or topics you would like us to cover next week please email us at: strengthquestpod@gmail.comFor more links and show notes check out:www.strengthquestpod.comFollow us on Instagram at:@strengthquest1 

Season 1, episode 1 is here!  After a few years of back and forth we finally get down to business and we are not wasting any time.  In this episode we take some time to explain who we are and what are plan is moving forward.  Coach Hicks and Coach Mitchell both explain their history in strength sports and how that lead to careers in Strength & Conditioning as well as Powerlifting.  Finally, we get into what the layout of this show is going to look like and how we want to be a resource for coaches, athletes, and parents moving forward.  There is a lot of information out there if you want to get bigger, faster, and stronger, but how do we find what is helpful and safe from a coaching perspective and how do we server our athletes in the best way possible? Hopefully, that is where we can step in and provide some direction in the never ending quest for all things strength, knowledge, and performance. Find us on Instagram- @strengthquest1Latest articles available at www.strengthquestpod.com