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I'm excited to bring this interview with Coach Mike Burgener. Coach B has been a long-time friend, mentor, and coach of mine. If you are involved in CrossFit, his coaching has touched you in one way or another. Either by being directly coached by him or by your coaches who have benefitted from his coaching. We sit down and talk about mindset, nutrition, productivity, and the importance of ritual. It was a pleasure, and I'm happy to share this with you all. You can visit Burger Strength and learn how to do the Olympic Lifts here:https://burgenerstrength.com/
When I retired from teaching high school last year, I worried about losing all of the social interaction that I got from teaching 150 students daily. So, I secured an adjunct position teaching aspiring educators at Muskingum University. I also teach refugees how to speak English. These teaching gigs have been a joy, but it’s a different life because I’m only teaching 3 days a week–which is also a joy. My new-found freedom affords me the opportunity to explore, grow, and take risks. I also want to keep expanding my human capital. Relationships make life worth living and I love forging new ones. One area of growth that I’ve been exploring this year is fitness. I have so much more time to workout now and I love it. I researched ways that I could challenge myself physically and grow myself socially. At the end of my exploration, I concluded that I should join a Crossfit gym. Crossfit significantly challenges you physically and promotes community. Crossfit gyms are highly social places. That was exactly what I was looking for. I found an excellent local gym–Crossfit Polaris . Kristi Eramo is the owner and a prominent games athlete. I love her teaching style and was excited to learn from her and the other coaches at Polaris. Unfortunately, the Covid 19 Pandemic short-circuited my plans. After just 3 introductory classes, the gym was forced to close. I was left high and dry. So, I got busy coaching myself. I pulled the workout of the day (WOD) off the Crossfit site and started doing them. I watched training videos and listened to podcasts hoping to improve my olympic lifting form. Lifting is a key part to Crossfit. I decided that I was going to take one of the most challenging olympic lifts–the snatch, and learn how to do it. Here’s a description of a snatch:The snatch can be described as jumping a barbell through a range of motion and receiving it into an overhead squat. And here’s a brief video if you’d like to see a young woman perform one expertly. You have to be strong, mobile, explosive, coordinated, and courageous to perform this lift. I’m starting from ground zero, but I’m determined to learn this lift. When I searched for Olympic lifting techniques on Google, YouTube, and podcasts, one name kept materializing–Mike Burgener. Now all of you who’re inclined to exit this podcast because you’re not interested in learning about performing an olympic snatch, stop yourself. This program is not about lifting, it’s about teaching. And Mike Burgener is one of this nation’s premier educators. Here’s a bit about Coach Burgener:He has a BA from Notre Dame and played on their 1966 National Championship Football Team.He has an MS from the University of Kentucky in Exercise Physiology, where he was also the strength coach.He was a captain in the Marine Corps.He’s a Senior International Weightlifting Coach for the United States.He’s considered the Godfather of Olympic Lifting for Crossfit.And for decades, Coach Burgener was a proud public educator–teaching high school physical education in California.I got to know Coach Burgener because I sent him an email asking a question. The next thing I knew, I was in his Level 1 weightlifting class. This is a special man and he’s going to talk about his mentors and challenge you to not only listen to the ones you already have but to be open to new ones.
Coach Mike Burgener (aka Coach B) is a functional fitness Olympic weightlifting coach, as well as a senior international weightlifting coach. He's a legend in our space. Here's what's next: Get a week of free online programming for serious athletes: www.conquerathlete.com/programs Become a Conquer Athlete: www.conquerathlete.com
Dave Werner co-founded the first ever CrossFit affiliate. Dave is a Navy SEAL veteran, a highly experienced strength coach, founder of moveSKILL.com, and a long time leader in the fitness industry. He authored the Athletic Skill Levels© in 2006, a tool for gauging general fitness, which is now used by athletes and gyms all over the world. MoveSKILL.com, is an online resource for people seeking improved general fitness and helping them reach the strength and conditioning goals described by the Athletic Skill Levels. Before joining the U.S. Navy at age 17, Dave grew up wrestling, working on farms, and playing the cello in Oklahoma and Oregon. We talk to Dave about the earliest days of CrossFit, how affiliation came to be, and even hear the origin of the first named workout. [02:35] Dave’s CrossFit origin story[04:20] Bellevue Public Library, Pavel Tsatsouline, Card Catalog[05:09] Dave has to learn about kettlebells on a VHS tape[05:55] Dragon Door[06:06] Dave starts looking for workout partners and finds Robb Wolf and Nick Nibler[08:57] CrossFit, Greg Glassman, Brian Mulvaney[11:45] Dan John[21:28] Dave and Robb outgrow the garage gym and move to a storage unit, and then to an abandoned hangar building[21:17] Dave comes up with the idea of affiliation in order to write off his losses[27:16] Mike Rutherford, Coach Burgener[31:41] Dave tells the origin story of the first named workout[32:58] Lonnie Lau, Greg Amundson, David Leys, Matt Mast[35:29] CrossFit Journal article introducing “The Girls”[45:31] Athletic Skill Levels, moveSKILL[47:31] Stephane Rochet[53:40] Anatoliy Bondarchuk
Hollis Molloy has been part of CrossFit from the beginning and is one of only a handful of Certified Level 4 CrossFit Coaches worldwide. He is the co-owner of CrossFit Santa Cruz, and believes that everyone is an athlete, regardless of current ability or past experience. He does not tolerate subpar movement in his classes and works to inspire athletes to become the best possible movers. For Hollis, CrossFit is a way of expressing our true potential as human beings. When not in his gym, he travels the world as a CrossFit Seminar Staff member teaching both the Level 1 and Level 2 Seminars. Kelly has always said that “there are few coaches that are able to effectively blend technical ability, passion, and the capacity to understand and address an athlete's weaknesses as well as Coach Hollis”. In this episode we hear about how Hollis went from an unhealthy weight to taking over the original CrossFit HQ space, and running it successfully for over a decade. For more info on Hollis and CrossFit Santa Cruz, check them out here, or follow them on Instagram and Facebook. People, Organizations, and Coffee mentioned in the episode:[02:50] Hollis’ CrossFit origin story[04:06] Annie Sakamoto[05:24] The Starrett’s visit Beth Dorsey, and go to the original CrossFit gym for the first time[08:12] Hollis decides to take the Level 1 Certification which includes a host of crushing workouts: Tabata Squats, Frelen, Fight Gone Bad, lifting with Coach Burgener, and an hour with Mark Rippetoe[09:28] Play It Again Sports[12:07] Dave Werner 12:34 Hollis’ Business Partner, Laurie Galassi[15:12] How Hollis came to own the original CrossFit[16:25] Greg Amundson[17:20] What would Hollis go back and tell his younger self?[20:09] Coach Glassman’s early articles: What is Fitness?, What is CrossFit?, Foundations[26:00] Hollis’ thoughts on CrossFit’s recent shift back to a more health-centered focus[26:49] Annie Sakamoto, Firebreather[27:24] Stairmaster Gravitron[27:58] Hollis’ current training regimen[30:20] Laurie Galassi[31:39] What’s next for Hollis?[33:40] Coffeetopia, Kelly's favorite Latte in Santa Cruz[33:54] Hollis' Socials
Mike Burgener is known by most as Coach B. After excelling at multiple sports in high school, Coach B headed to Notre Dame to play football. This is where he began what would be the most influential relationship of his life, weightlifting with Father Lange. He went on to get an MS degree from the University of Kentucky and was a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. But Coach B’s passion for Olympic Weightlifting is what he has focused on for over 50 years as an athlete, coach, and mentor. He is a Level 5 Senior International Weightlifting Coach, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, and got involved with CrossFit early on as their weightlifting SME. He runs Mike's Gym, the 5th CrossFit affiliate, out of his garage with a special emphasis on training "The Geezers". He has been named coach of the year by United States Weightlifting but maybe more importantly is considered family by the athletes he coaches. For more info on Coach B, check out his website here, or follow him on Instagram and Facebook. People, Organizations, and References in the episode: 3:40 Olympic Lifting5:24 Norte Dame Football Coach, Ara Parseghian5:37 Father Lange5:52 Clean and Press, Snatch, Clean and Jerk6:32 40 time9:46 Jim Schmitz, Olympic Lifting Shoes10:16 Greg Glassman10:30 Frans Bosch10:56 Front Squat11:35 USA Weightlifting13:54 Coach B’s CrossFit origin story15:14 Greg Amundsen, Eva T, Nicole Caroll, Tony Budding, Josh Everett15:45 Fran18:50 Coach B becomes a CrossFit SME19:30 Dave Werner, CrossFit North19:58 Mike’s Gym become the 5th (later changed to 6th) affiliate21:18 Coach B describes Mike’s Gym23:31 The Geezers33:05 Skull Crusher Coffee, Mike Rutherford, Eva T34:39 Coach B’s warmup and workout40:52 American Gladiators, Turbo45:39 Greg Glassman’s Black Box Theory
Mike Burgener is known by most as Coach B. After excelling at multiple sports in high school, Coach B headed to Notre Dame to play football. This is where he began what would be the most influential relationship of his life, weightlifting with Father Lange. He went on to get an MS degree from the University of Kentucky and was a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. But Coach B's passion for Olympic Weightlifting is what he has focused on for over 50 years as an athlete, coach, and mentor. He is a Level 5 Senior International Weightlifting Coach, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, and got involved with CrossFit early on as their weightlifting SME. He runs Mike's Gym, the 5th CrossFit affiliate, out of his garage with a special emphasis on training "The Geezers". He has been named coach of the year by United States Weightlifting but maybe more importantly is considered family by the athletes he coaches. For more info on Coach B, check out his website here, or follow him on Instagram and Facebook.
Things take time, we all know this. But sometimes, you have to purposely slow things down in order to excel at them. The term "Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast" is a term that was not only coined by the U.S. Military to teach soldiers how to shoot accurately. But it was a term coined by Coach Burgener to teach weightlifters how to move deliberately. Come find out how to slow things down, here with me, your host, and accountability coach. Any questions? Want to talk? Instagram: @WL_CZAR (https://www.instagram.com/wl_czar/) & @1000wayspodcast (https://www.instagram.com/1000wayspodcast/) Email: 1000wayspodcast@gmail.com If you appreciate this podcast and would like support the show, consider becoming a patron of the 1000 ways podcast (https://1000wayspodcast.com/) Become a Patron (https://www.patreon.com/1000wayspodcast) Thanks for your support!
On Episode 229 of the Doc and Jock Podcast our producer, Johnny B, catches up with Coach Mike Burgener of CrossFit Weightlifting ton find out what he wishes he had known when he started coaching. If you aren't familiar with Coach Burgener he's a Level 5 Senior International Weightlifting coach, he's the founder of CrossFit Weightlifting, a former Marine, Notre Dame footballer, Olympic Coach & of course often regarded as the Godfather of American Weightlifting. He's been coaching the lifts for over 50 years and is the proud papa to 4 amazing kids. Here are the 6 things that you will learn from Coach Burgener on this Episode. Be flexible: In your personality & coaching style Keep it simple Mind open & Mouth shut Never, ever ever quit Happy wife = happy life Respect everyone regardless of race, gender, sexual preference, age, career..etc We hope this helps you be a better coach. Links to things mentioned in the show: CrossFit Weightlifting Web Site Coach Burgener's Instagram The Pain Free Weightlifting Seminar James Tatum's new book The Physically Prepared Weightlifter
We are back from Carson, and as expected we are super drunk on CrossFit Koolaid and loving every minute of it! Joy met Bob Harper, Sandy smooched Coach Burgener, and Claire didn’t even get sunburned… I’d say the weekend was a big WIN. In this episode we recap our Games experience, including our favorite vendors and new products, thoughts on the ring push-ups, and TDC’s hairstyle choices. And now we just want to live in a place where we can wear booty shorts and eat sweet potato and avocado and drink bulletproof coffee all day every day… Is it time to go back to CrossFitLand yet? This episode of Girls Gone WOD Podcast is sponsored by Joshua Tree Skin Care
Episode 32 of the Doc and Jock Podcast features Diane Fu of Fu Barbell and San Francisco CrossFit Diane Fu tells all, well, she answers our questions regarding Weightlifting and business systems! Diane was exposed to Weightlifting late in life and has used that to her advantage to put together an eclectic bag of coaching tricks. As the conversation begins we dive into her early introduction to the Sport of Weightlifting, former USA Olympic Team Coach – Jim Schmitz. Interesting enough we find out how coaches back in the day used to trade tape to help their remote athletes. Diane, “Keeps her ear to the Ground” and tries to listen to any coach willing to share their voice to “make the world a better place.” She doesn’t believe there are right and wrong ways to Weightlift, just different ways. Currently Diane is hanging around with Coach Wu Chuanfu (@wuchuanfu), the Singapore Team National Coach (https://www.facebook.com/singaporeweightliftingfederation?fref=ts). Through Coach Wu Diane is diving deep into Chinese Weightlifting Concepts. Diane also comments on the positive aspects of CrossFit Weightlifting and Coach Burgener’s system. Mainly, that it has exposed a large amount of CrossFit athletes to Weightlifting Concepts. Diane also discusses the use of the lats in Weightlifting, not as an Asian thing, but as a control thing. As a coach who has had experience with many different international perspectives she describes what she believes to be the major differences, mainly that each has a slightly different idea regarding expressing power into a barbell. In the end they all just have a slightly different take toward solving the same problem. Diane considers herself the peoples coach. She loves working with athletes who want to use Weightlifting as their means to achieve fitness not necessarily compete. Given the choice, between an athlete who is strong verse one who is mobile or moves better she choose movement and mobility, because strength can be built. The conversation ends with a quick overview of the Rise Program Diane developed, along with Andrea Ager. Rise (https://www.codyapp.com/plans/rise-strength) is a guided 12 week structured approach meant for someone who has already been lifting but lacks strength, tempo and awareness in the lifts. Expect to pack some strength on those legs of yours, experience tempo or segmented lifting, and alternative movements toward developing strength. The following are links to Coaches, Establishments, and great folks mentioned in this Podcast – be sure to tell them Doc and Jock sent you! Fu Barbell – http://fubarbell.com/ IG Twitter feeds – @dianefu San Francisco CrossFit – http://sanfranciscocrossfit.com/ Jim Schmitz Weightlifting – http://www.nevertoostrong.org/ Wu ChuanFu – IG (@wuchuanFu) Sinagore National Team – https://www.facebook.com/singaporeweightliftingfederation?fref=ts Rise Weightlifting – https://www.codyapp.com/plans/rise-strength Post Comments, potential topics, and questions to the Doc and Jock Facebook Page and our twitter account @DocandJock https://www.facebook.com/pages/Doc-and-Jock/413659638795840?fref=ts Dr. Danny also always has something cooking and quality info on the Athlete Potential facebook page
Episode 32 of the Doc and Jock Podcast features Diane Fu of Fu Barbell and San Francisco CrossFit Diane Fu tells all, well, she answers our questions regarding Weightlifting and business systems! Diane was exposed to Weightlifting late in life and has used that to her advantage to put together an eclectic bag of coaching tricks. As the conversation begins we dive into her early introduction to the Sport of Weightlifting, former USA Olympic Team Coach – Jim Schmitz. Interesting enough we find out how coaches back in the day used to trade tape to help their remote athletes. Diane, “Keeps her ear to the Ground” and tries to listen to any coach willing to share their voice to “make the world a better place.” She doesn’t believe there are right and wrong ways to Weightlift, just different ways. Currently Diane is hanging around with Coach Wu Chuanfu (@wuchuanfu), the Singapore Team National Coach (https://www.facebook.com/singaporeweightliftingfederation?fref=ts). Through Coach Wu Diane is diving deep into Chinese Weightlifting Concepts. Diane also comments on the positive aspects of CrossFit Weightlifting and Coach Burgener’s system. Mainly, that it has exposed a large amount of CrossFit athletes to Weightlifting Concepts. Diane also discusses the use of the lats in Weightlifting, not as an Asian thing, but as a control thing. As a coach who has had experience with many different international perspectives she describes what she believes to be the major differences, mainly that each has a slightly different idea regarding expressing power into a barbell. In the end they all just have a slightly different take toward solving the same problem. Diane considers herself the peoples coach. She loves working with athletes who want to use Weightlifting as their means to achieve fitness not necessarily compete. Given the choice, between an athlete who is strong verse one who is mobile or moves better she choose movement and mobility, because strength can be built. The conversation ends with a quick overview of the Rise Program Diane developed, along with Andrea Ager. Rise (https://www.codyapp.com/plans/rise-strength) is a guided 12 week structured approach meant for someone who has already been lifting but lacks strength, tempo and awareness in the lifts. Expect to pack some strength on those legs of yours, experience tempo or segmented lifting, and alternative movements toward developing strength. The following are links to Coaches, Establishments, and great folks mentioned in this Podcast – be sure to tell them Doc and Jock sent you! Fu Barbell – http://fubarbell.com/ IG Twitter feeds – @dianefu San Francisco CrossFit – http://sanfranciscocrossfit.com/ Jim Schmitz Weightlifting – http://www.nevertoostrong.org/ Wu ChuanFu – IG (@wuchuanFu) Sinagore National Team – https://www.facebook.com/singaporeweightliftingfederation?fref=ts Rise Weightlifting – https://www.codyapp.com/plans/rise-strength Post Comments, potential topics, and questions to the Doc and Jock Facebook Page and our twitter account @DocandJock https://www.facebook.com/pages/Doc-and-Jock/413659638795840?fref=ts Dr. Danny also always has something cooking and quality info on the Athlete Potential facebook page