I had the opportunity to catch up with my good friend and long-time colleague, Mike Robertson, on his Physical Preparation Podcast earlier this week. microgen@123rf.com Just Two Dudes Talking He and I go back to the early 2000’s. You know, when smart phones didn’t exist, cold plunges and eye rolley alpha-male behavior was (less) of a thing, and the show Alias was my life (due to an insatiable crush on Jennifer Garner). I think this was my third time on his podcast which means I’m approaching Ryan Gosling 5-timer club on Saturday Night Live territory. We approached this as more of a “two dude ..read more

Being married to a psychologist has it’s disadvantages: I have to talk about my feelings. All of the time There are some perks, however. Most of what “drains” me as a coach isn’t so much the x’s and o’s of writing programs or the ability to figure our what may be the root cause of someone’s shoulder pain. Those are pretty much second nature at this point in my career. No, what drains me the most is figuring out people. Specifically, what motivates one person to workout (and stick with it) as opposed to what makes the next person do the same? It’s a quagmire to say the least, and often takes ..read more

Before you move on, I wanted to let you know that Dean Somerset and I have just put our flagship product, the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint, on sale this week. You can purchase both CSHB 1.0 and CSHB 2.0 separately this week at 30% off the regular price using the coupon code EVOLVE at checkout. Or you can purchase the bundle pack HERE which gives you the greatest value.1 WU-TANG! Copyright: noname3132 Getting Strong(er) is Corrective “Oh, I forgot to tell you…my previous trainer said I have a winged scapula, my left hip is a bit internally rotated, and that my posture isn’t great ..read more

After two failed attempts since 2019 – one due to a pandemic, and the other to what I’ll simply chalk up to as a bunch of shit-fuckery – CORE Collective is finally going to happen. What Is CORE Collective? Well, just so we’re clear: My first choice for this project was to call it “Tony’s Techno Palace of Deadlifts & Dreams,” but to no one’s surprise, that idea was quickly de-flamed when I realized that there was zero chance the Town of Brookline (where I live) would approve that for the name of a gym. As most who read this blog know, my training studio is called CORE. I’ve been training p ..read more

What separates good gyms or trainers from the mediocre ones? Some would make the case it’s a certain style of training, access to state-of-the-art equipment and amenities, the results  their clients/athletes are able to achieve, or even their knowledge on topics like anatomy, assessment, program design, or, I don’t know, long division. Don’t get me wrong: All of the above can help with separating yourself from the masses, but what really drives client loyalty (as well as woos new ones) isn’t the fancy equipment or the fact you’ve read Mel Siff’s Supertraining 47 times and can cite every p ..read more

I’m not an asshole. But I had a real asshole moment recently, and I think it can serve as a teachable moment for many coaches and trainers out there who may be reading. My abject assholiness affected me so much that it prompted me to go stand out on the ledge of a mountain, look out at nature, pontificate on my life, and ask someone to snap a picture of it. Copyright: rdonar Hahahaha. Just kidding. I didn’t do that shit. That’s just a random picture I was hoping would add a sense of scope and grandeur to this post; some deeper meaning that would make all of you be like “whoa, Tony’s got some ..read more

For those of you who celebrate it, I hope you have a happy 4th this weekend. Not that it compares to a delicious bbq or fireworks display, but I to help get everyone in the mood I wanted to share my latest media appearance. This time on the Pursuit of Progress Podcast hosted by Joe Drake Coaching is the Answer In this episode Joe and I discuss the simple strategies personal trainers can use to attract more clients and what it takes to really become a successful coach in the fitness industry. HINT: Exposing more skin isn’t the answer…;o) You can listen in HERE  The post Coaching is the An ..read more

Ask ten different people their opinion on what traits or characteristics make for a great or “successful” coach – in this case strength coach, personal trainer – and you’re bound to get ten different answers and iterations. Copyright: neydt 5 Traits of a “Successful” Coach Some people will use adjectives like strong, looks the part, experienced, knowledgable, professional, motivating, or “destroy the back of my pants scary.” Others will use less germane markers such as bald, has an epic beard, or sleeps with a copy of SuperTraining underneath his or her’s pillow at night. All are import ..read more

Note From TG: This is a re-publication (with updated edits/additions) of an article I wrote a few years ago. I figured since I’m currently working with four women at the moment – three in person, and one distance based – who are pregnant, it was something I felt required a little dusting off. Hope you enjoy it. Okay, I know what some of you may be thinking: What does someone who has succumbed to male pattern baldness, hates The Notebook1, and pees standing up know about the female body, let alone speaking to something that’s arguably the most precious, magical, and delicate time of a woma ..read more

Eric Malzone is one of my favorite people. I first”met” Eric several years ago when he invited me to take part in an invite only mentorship he was offering alongside several other fitness professionals he invited to take part. It was a lovely experience and I met a handful of lifetime friends from that group. Eric is a genuine soul and he’s given more to the industry than he’s taken. I love my chats with him, and my recent one with him – on his Future of Fitness Podcast – was no different. The State of Coaching 2023 I can’t recall verbatim what we discussed in it’s entirety – I mean, we recor ..read more