Ian King

Coach, Trainer or Ambulance Chaser?

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In 1997 I published a book titled ‘Winning and Losing’, aiming to share the lessons of my prior two decades of professional experiences. One of those was that I felt physical preparation coaches should be more focused on injury prevention and rehabilitation, not just performance enhancement.  Additionally, the 1990s strength coaching focus was on how much you could lift in compound lifts such as the power and Olympic lifts, which was in itself leading to more injuries as not everyone was ready to go heavy in compound strength exercises, as was the dominant paradigm of that decade.[1]

There is no reason why a strength and conditioning coach should not be contributing to injury prevention/rehabilitation.[2]

Nearly 30 years later I back what I said. What I didn’t anticipate was the direction that would be taken, and I don’t support aspects of this approach. A statement in my 1999 book ‘Understanding Plyometrics’ sums it up.

The standard reaction to a new idea is over-reaction in the short-term and an under‐reaction in the long term. [3]

Tracking the changes in industry response to injury prevention and rehabilitation

Having been involved in the era of no interest/focus on injury prevention/rehabilitations through to now, I have had the opportunity to track the changes.

Firstly, from a broader professional ‘strength and conditioning’ role perspective, one of the major shifts has seen sporting team employ individuals whose work sits between the physical therapist and the physical preparation coach. In speaking with a sport coach in South Africa recently, I was given an insight into how South Africa potentially leads the way in this area. Irrespective of the value of this role, at least one can see the intention to transition between various professional services.

Secondly from the second-tier ‘personal trainer’ market, one that since its inception around 1990 has been fixated on trend following, there has been a post 2010 demand for them to be able to ‘fix imbalances’ and injuries.  This is replacing the dominant focus of the first decade this century where everyone was a ‘fat loss expert’. Now they are clamouring to be an injury rehab specialist.

It has been, hands down the most dominant question I have been asked by personal trainers during the last five years.

Here’s a major challenge for me. Who contributed to the injury epidemic? Those who physically train others. Who is going to, apparently, solve this with their ‘rehab knowledge and skills’? The same group.  So we are going to solve this societys injury problems withj the same ‘professionals, with the same thinking, and in the same environment in and by which the injuries occurred in the first place?

I suggest not.

My hope is that some will see the light in this oxymoron, and choose to master injury prevention before they pick the low hanging fruit of the situation they contributed to.

Of course, that is a tough ask, and I am under no illusion that my sentiments will put the brakes on the trend to be the injury rehab hero.  A client base conditioned by marketing -combined with the average person’s desire for instant gratification – is going to have its wants (note, not needs) met by a profession that essentially trend chasers.

Secondly, on a more micro-level, I have been able to observe the response to a specific artifact I published in 2000, before the shift in focus to include injury prevention and rehabilitation.  It was a video series titled Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation.

Ambulance chasing

The almost immediate effect I witnessed on those who ordered this educational video was a significant shift to what it referred to as an ‘ambulance chasing’ in many industries. They have a powerful new toy that would give them more clients and they became consumed with this.  To the point where these individuals would market:

‘Hey, do you have an injury? Contact me and I will fix it’.

You have probably seen similar billboards on the side of a highway or similar, where a pro bono motor vehicle or workplace accident attorney is inviting ‘victims’ to contact them.

My concerns

What don’t I like about this?

  1. Injury prevention/rehabilitation should be a holistic part of what you do as a physical preparation coach, not the leading focus of your service (unless you are a physical therapist)

My interpretation of a physical preparation coach’s role is to physically prepare individuals, not to offer or lead with injury prevention, offering ‘treatment’, or claiming they can ‘fix’ injuries in individuals they have not met yet. If an injury issue arises in the broader services, approach pathways should be considered – and these pathways should include a multi-disciplinary approach.

  1. How can the injury problem be solved by the same professionals that created them?

As I stated above, in my opinion, the exponential increase in injury rates and severity is in large part caused by the physical preparation training provided.  I understand that this is just my opinion. However, if there is validity in this perspective, under what circumstance can the conditions that caused the injury be resolved by the same person, in the same environment and or the same conditions? To think that this is a viable option is one of the great mysteries to me.  I do not support an injury rehabilitation skill claim by a physical preparation coach until they have demonstrated their competence in injury prevention.

  1. If you want to focus on injury rehabilitation, become a physical therapist.

Now if a physical preparation coach is so attracted to injury rehabilitation, I suggest they complete appropriate professional development courses (e.g. a degree in physical therapy) and become a physical therapist. At least then you may have some appropriate professional indemnity insurance.   I know many individuals who have graduated with sports science degrees and then also completed physical therapy degrees when they realized they were more attracted to rehabilitation. To their credit, they have sought the approach of professional development for their chosen path.

At least then you will be working ‘in your lane’, have an industry body to support you, be able to get professional insurance covering your services, and are more likely to survive being judged in the light of a court-house should that occur.

  1. Who is being served by a physical prep coach chasing injured clients? The needs of the physical prep coach to gain clients and significance, or the clients?

I understand that there is a massive demand for injury rehabilitation. I also know there are some relatively powerful yet simple methods to address basic injuries, some of which I outlined in my 2000 video series.  However, I question the motivation of a physical coach when it is apparent that they are short of clients and seeking significance.  Absolutely in today’s market, it is low-hanging fruit, and you can pay your car lease payments and gym rent by this path.

However, if you were good at what you are doing – training individuals using long-term planning and results – you would not have the time to do what essentially is a separate higher education degree – and be the ‘physical therapist’.

I suggest the needs of the client should come first, not the needs of the service provider.

  1. The human body and injuries are very complex – are you really the person to ‘treat’ them? Instead of a professionally trained physical therapist?

A lesson I am continuously reminded of as the decades pass is how complex the human body is. I continue to get lessons and learn about the body and injury.  I appreciate the support and guidance I receive from professionals I collaborate with to seek solutions and answers to injuries including but not limited to doctors, surgeons, radiologists, physical therapists, chiropractors, and orthotists.   I don’t know too many physical preparation coaches who have this level of knowledge of the human body. One was our late KSI graduate coach Mike Pimentel. Note Mike was a university-qualified Athletic Trainer with years of clinical experience before training and converting to become a full-time physical preparation coach. ,

Other than Mike Pimentel I have not met – in my 45-year professional journey to date – anyone else who is a competent, successful and in-demand physical preparation coach – who leads with or dominates in their service focus on attracting and ‘healing’ injured clients. They may be out there, but we have not crossed paths.

If you want to be a physical therapist, do the right thing by clients and get appropriate higher-level education and training..

My response to these ambulance chasers

Within a few years of releasing the video series Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation I made it very clear to the coaches in the KSI Coaching Program who had been side-tracked by the shiny new object of being a healer that they were not using the information I provided in the manner intended, and encouraged them to become a physical therapist if that was their primary interest. This seemed to work at the time.

When I realized this message was not getting through to those who were not in the KSI Coaching Program, I made the video series available exclusively to KSI Coaches.

When I realized this was not working, and that there were still individuals mistreating the information, I restricted its sale to those at a minimum of L2 in the KSI Coaching Program.  Unfortunately, that still failed to solve what I saw to be a mistreatment of the intent of the information, and have since raised the pre-qualification to L4 and now L6 respectively.

What I was looking for is at what level of learning is it apparent that individuals will respect the intent. A major conclusion I have reached is that until a physical preparation coach can demonstrate that they can provide services that prevent injuries, they have no place in claiming or offering services that ‘rehabilitate’ injuries.

I understand that with the exponential growth in injuries, the new ‘black’ (the new go-to) in physical preparation is the desire to be able to ‘fix injuries’. It’s replaced the hottest trend in the physical preparation world between 2000 and 2010 to be a ‘fat-loss expert’.

But who is this desire to be in the pathway of profit from injuries serving?

I suggest the service provider more than the client, which will mean another failure to solve the rapidly growing injury trend.

And I do not support that.

Solutions

Addressing significant and or chronic injuries is most likely going to need a multi-disciplinary approach. If you are seeking these services, I encourage you to consider some of the issues raised in this article when selecting your service provider.

Even our high-level coaches – Level 8 and above – recognise when they are out of their depth.  In fact, in our most recent high-level camp, we held a meeting with a 40-year physiotherapist to allow our coaches to discuss best practices when working with aligned professionals.

Let me be very clear – due to the level of competence I believe needed before seeking to develop competence in injury rehabilitation (as opposed to prevention) we do not teach rehabilitation until L8 of 10 levels in the KSI Coaching Program.  Now I understand that this statement alone will preclude many from starting the KSI Coaching Program – when Joe Bloggs down the road claims he can teach PTs how to be physical therapists in a short course.

But that’s the way we roll.  The most important aspect of our service is what’s best for the client. Or as our slogan says ‘Where the athlete comes first’

If, as an end user, you do have injury concerns and want a physical preparation coach who is highly trained in the KSI, whose values align with those in this article, and who embraces the client’s needs first, I encourage you to seek out current L8 and above KSI coaches.

I appreciate there are relatively few current high-level KSI coaches, however, if you do have the opportunity to work with one, you will experience that current high-level KSI Coaches are trained in the KSI approach to injury prevention and rehabilitation. You will not see them soliciting injured people to contact them, nor will you see them offering to ‘fix’ injuries out of context.

Conclusion

During the last five decades, I have created a holistic approach to helping people with needs in physical preparation. This work has been at the forefront. For the last three decades, I have been sharing with physical preparation coaches what I have learnt through the KSI Coaching Program.

The ongoing challenge I have faced is encouraging these ‘students’ to hold the interests of the client first, rather than their own needs for significance and clients.

So what’s it going to be? Coach, trainer or ambulance chaser?

—-

PS. As a matter of reflection, there was another sentence or two in the same paragraph that appeared in my 1997 book that appears to have been selectively ignored by ambulance chasers:

As with all aspects of training, I never make a big deal about what I can do. I try to take a low profile. This is very important when you are taking a big step outside your boundaries, into another’s field of expertise, such as injury prevention and rehabilitation.

References

[1] At least until I began publishing my ‘different’ approach e.g. The Limping Programs published on T-mag (as it was known then) from 1999 were disruptive to these values.  You can find these programs and the rationale behind them in the Get Buffed!™ educational range.

[2] King, I., 1997, Winning and Losing

[3] King, I., 1999, Understanding Plyometrics – A Guide for Athletes and Coaches

Ian King

The Way of the Physical Preparation Coach

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The following is an abridged version of The Way of the Physical Preparation Coach.

Introduction

The content is written for those who seek a higher level of mastery of my approach to physical preparation. Several concepts deserve discussion at this point.

I seek not to teach you what to think, but how to think. Therefore, I choose not to use the word ‘system’ in describing my approach. Instead, I chose the word ‘philosophy’, and believe this is more accurate.

I have divided this book in to five sections. Each section is devoted to key philosophies as they relate to the ‘being’ or ‘thinking’ of a physical preparation coach, although I stress these divisions are arbitrary.

This book is about philosophies that I have arrived at. I trust they serve you as well as they have served me.

Part One – Professional Philosophies for the Physical Preparation Coach

Only results matter.

It doesn’t matter what you, another person, textbook or research article thinks/claims should happen as far as the training outcome – all  that matters is what is happening, what was the outcome. Value this above all else and respond accordingly, with no attachment to your prior perceptions where the message is to the contrary.

Do no harm.

The aim of physical preparation training is to improve the body in whatever specific way the athlete/client seeks. It is your responsibility to understand the impact of the training you provide, and ensure it does no harm. If in doubt, seek guidance or assistance. This may involve referrals to other health care providers.

Do the least amount of training needed to get the result you want.

Seek to identify how little you need to do to achieve your training and competitive results. This approach is less draining on the athlete’s recovery ability and reduces the wear and tear on the body.

The goal of a training session should be to do the amount that will result in the best improvement into the next workout of the same kind, not to do as much as one can.

The underlying deciding factor in how much to do in each workout should be found in the answer to the question ‘What amount done today will give me the best improvement into the next session?’

I don’t know.

I don’t know how to design a program for anyone – until I receive more information from/about that person. I combine my knowledge, experience and intuition with their knowledge, experience, and intuition – then we have information to create a program.

Transfer is far more important than specificity.

Whilst the principle of specificity is important, it is not as important as the principle of transfer. This principle reinforces training that, irrespective of its apparent specificity, transfers more effectively to the specific event.

Flexibility can be trained and expressed statically or dynamically, or a combination of both.

As with any physical performance, there is debate and misinterpretation of how to train for what is seen to be the way it is expressed.  Those who have been misled down the road of over-exaggeration of the role of specificity may see flexibility being expressed dynamically and conclude that this is the only way to train it for that event. This is not so. Remember, transfer of training effect is more important than apparent specificity.

There is very limited correlation between what can be lifted in the gym and the scoreboard.

The only sports where how much weight you can displace in the gym are fully correlated with success are the lifting sports themselves – power lifting and Olympic lifting. From there the correlation slides downhill quickly.  There is no place for justification of the success of the sports strength program based on the amount of weight lifted in the gym when there is no relationship between the two. Rather, the focus should be on the scoreboard.

A model of optimum movement in speed relevant to the athletes’ needs is needed.

The physical preparation coach should have developed a model of movement that is considered in a general sense optimal for each type of speed used by each position of athlete and use this as a guide on which to move the athlete towards.

Fatigue masks fitness.

When people judge performance of an athlete or team in a mixed energy system or endurance-based sport, they are seeing the work capacity. When the work capacity is low, the most common and erroneous knee-jerk reaction is that they are ‘not fit enough’, and the response is to do more endurance-based training.

The training effect is optimized when it is considered as a combination of training and recovery.

The training effect that happens to your body is not simply a product of your training. If combined with recovery, you can achieve a far greater result than the impact of training alone. In fact, the short-term impact of training is to reduce the work capacity of the body. It is the recovery from this that results in potentially rebounding to levels of work capacity in excess of your prior levels.  A new baseline.

Two major focuses of physical preparation coaches are injury prevention and performance or function enhancement. I believe injury prevention to be more important.

When training an individual, first seek to remove or reduce their injury potential, then shift the focus to performance/function enhancement. This does not mean that one needs to be done before the other is worked on. They can be trained concurrently. Simply prioritize injury prevention initially and ensure that any concurrent performance/function enhancement training does not interfere with the injury prevention focus and progress

Part Two – Personal Philosophies for the Physical Preparation Coach

Detach from the outcome.

This final point or mantra reinforces that we should not get attached to the way we do things today. If we find a better way tomorrow, we should feel no attachment to the limitations of our current way and be willing to replace any aspect of our thoughts or actions with more effective thoughts or actions.

When the student is ready the teacher will appear.

This is a fantastic little saying, but it is more than just a sentiment. I have seen the difference between situations where a person is interested, and where a person is truly committed to being a student. If you have a burning desire to learn, you will ultimately find a teacher appearing.  You may be surprised to know how many potential teachers are watching you, waiting to see you show the commitment to learning from them that warrants or motivates them to want to avail themselves as your teacher.

Trust your intuition

I don’t know the answers to how to train – at least I don’t know as much as the individual I train does. Between my abstract ‘scientific’ knowledge, my empirical observations (you know, those secondary to research!), my willingness to form a hypothetical potential cause-effect relationship – only then, when married with the individual’s information, can I even go close to individualizing a training program!  And even then, it is nothing more than an educated guess based on experience and my ability to draw out the information from individuals who in most cases don’t know or understand how they could possibly have the answers!

Part Three – Business Philosophies for the Physical Preparation Coach

Physical preparation coaching is a service-based profession.

Whilst it may seem a simplistic concept, that physical preparation coaching is a service-based profession, I believe the implications of this connection are often overlooked. The upside of being a service-based profession is that if you are suited to be a service provider, you can achieve great self-fulfillment and receive high financial rewards. The downside of being a service-based profession is that if you are not service oriented you may not achieve great self-fulfillment or receive high financial rewards.

The degree of giving you put into every service and product will be evident to the receiver.

It is a very subtle point, but the end results can be massively different – between just doing a job, writing a program – versus taking as much love and care you can in the shaping of a client’s program, in the focus on and achievement of exceeding their expectations.

I see physical preparation being more an art than a science, and in that reality, the provision of our services, the shaping of a program, akin to an artist creating a fantastic result from raw products. Like a fine sculpture from a block of marble. Or a beautiful painting from a collection of different paints and a blank canvass.

The number one marketing method you should use is word of mouth.

One of the reasons I believe you need less marketing in exclusively service situations is based on the proviso that you provide such a truly outstanding benefit to your clients that they become raving fans, telling all they can in totally committed tones about the ‘need’ for others to do as they have done – see you and receive similar benefits.

Yes, you can (and do) sell!

I am amazed at how many physical preparation coaches have the initial mindset ‘I can’t sell’ or ‘I am not very good at selling’ or ‘I am not a salesperson’.  I thought I was the only one who (used) to think that way! Whatever the cause of this belief, the response is the same – you can and actually do sell already anyway!

Competition comes from a lack mentality.

You can choose to operate your business with a mindset of competition, or in a class of your own. When you choose the mindset of competition, you fall into comparing yourself with another business/person, and this is an act of the ego.

Your business/profession does not define you.

Leading a balanced life begins with an understanding that you are not what you do to create income or seek fulfillment. You are you, and at this point in time that is how you are spending a lot of time. But how you currently spend your time does not define you. That is unless you choose it to do so. And I recommend you do not.

Busy is not optimal!

There is a perception in the business world that if you are busy (in business) you must be successful. My philosophy is counter to that. I believe that busy is undesirable. The people in business who I pity the most are those who lead the busiest lives!  Even highly paid busy people are just highly paid rats in the rat race!

Part Four – Financial Philosophies for the Physical Preparation Coach

Your beliefs about money will determine how much you receive and or retain.

No matter how much you strive for or desire a life without financial hardships, if you have limiting beliefs about money, your ability to create/attract income and or your ability to effectively retain that money will be limited by these beliefs.

Ideally, before you go and work in exchange for money or build businesses with the intent to create income and or profit, you should become intimate with your beliefs about money.

True abundant living can and needs to come before money.

The most effective path to creating more money in your life begins with losing the feeling of lack. If you strive for money from a position of ‘I don’t have enough’ or similar lack or scarcity perspectives, you will always feel this way.

This lack mentality can impede the flow of money to you, and may also leave you in a constant search for more. When is more enough?

Physical preparation coaches don’t need to be poor!

I have sensed a belief or perception with physical preparation that being a physical preparation coach means you need to forgo financial success, because we are little more than a community service. Granted the recent history of this industry has been volunteer-based, but those days are gone.

You don’t have to remain poor because you chose to be involved in physical preparation as a coach!

Financial offense is how you play the game to obtain money.

The analogy of money as a game is something we as physical preparation coaches can relate to.  Financial offense is the way we play the game of money and life to obtain money. The way you obtain or attract money is a direct reflection of your values on your worthiness to receive money.

Financial defense is how you play the game to retain money.

The analogy of money as a game was established in the prior chapter.
Financial defense is the way we play the game to retain money. As a custodian of money, you are responsible for the way you manage it. If you give it all away, you didn’t want it. The way you handle money once you have received it is a direct reflection of your values on your worthiness to have money.

Part Five – Spiritual Philosophies for the Physical Preparation Coach

Spiritualism versus religion.

The concept of spiritualism should not be seen to be the same thing as religion.  Religion can be described as adherence to and belief in a collection of beliefs, values and rules.  Spiritualism rises from the concept of the spirit, which Deepak Chopra describes as the source of all creation, and is not limited to the bounds of any one religion, nor does it typically contain as many constraints in perspective.

The concept of universal laws.

Universal laws involve ways of describing and defining outcomes or cause-effect relationships that affect all persons at all times, have always done so and always will. They can be considered ‘generalized principles’. The only variation is how they are labeled, described, or defined, but the concepts are the same. They are considered immutable, and applicable to all, irrespective of whether a person accepts or recognizes them. They relate human’s lives and actions to the universe and provide guidance for all.  The well-known spiritual writer Deepak Chopra (1994) describes these laws as the process by which the un-manifest becomes the manifest.

Spiritualism, universal laws of the universe, and the physical preparation coach.

It has been my experience in coaching physical preparation coaches to greatness that has forced me to confront and better understand the things that stand between each of us and our greatness.  There are many ‘keys to success’, evidenced by the number of texts on this topic. My goal in the following pages is to draw on aspects of spirituality that I believe can assist in addressing some of the common and foundational limiting beliefs and beliefs in habit in physical preparation coaches.

I have seen high achievers in other endeavors use all avenues available to them to fulfill their potential, spiritualism being one of them. I encourage you to investigate and master all of these areas on your path to fulfillment.

Conclusion

This content, as you now know, went far beyond the professional, technical know-how of being a physical preparation coach. It covered areas that truly touch upon every aspect of you, as a person, as well as a coach.

My approach to education is based on this holistic belief that building up only one part of you, such as professional development, is not optimal. Rather, it is far more effective to build balance in your knowledge and abilities, to best fulfill your potential.

I have also learned first-hand many of the factors that hold us back, as physical preparation coaches, from fulfilling our potential.  Between my own personal experiences and the lessons, I have been taught by the coaches in the KSI educational programs over the years, I am all too aware of the human frailties that turn the ease of succeeding into a struggle..

Whilst the mainstream chooses to teach professional smartness, I seek to teach each of the five areas covered in this book – professional, personal, business, finance, and spiritual development.

This holistic focus is just one of the unique features of our program. For everything you were exposed to in this book is integrated in the KSI educational programs at a higher level.

I trust you have benefited in one or more ways from studying this text, and should our paths cross, I look forward to learning of your movement towards fulfilling your potential in physical preparation.

What others have said about The Way of the Physical Preparation Coach

I read the The Way of the Physical Preparation Coach – what a book!!! I think this is my favorite title of yours and I’m now going back through it taking some notes as there is so much wisdom in there.

In particular, I really valued the philosophical nature of the book. I liked that you included the core values of a Physical Preparation coach from your perspective.

I also really valued the holistic nature of the book and the time spent on the spiritual side of the philosophy.  I have been very curious about other perspectives and practices and had previously read the Tao Te Ching (which was very interesting to read, but my understanding was very limited!). Since reading The Way, I’ve just finished listening to the Tao of Abundance audiobook (which had been frequently referenced in The Way), which I must say is life-changing for me. It was fantastic. It has resonated and impacted me so much, that I’m starting to incorporate some daily meditation and also practicing reframing how I view the world (Eg. Life is a gift and acceptance of what is experience).

So in essence, I just wanted to thank you for producing such a great piece of work. It’ll be a resource to base my career around and a reference that I’ll continue to come back to. Cheers!— Mathew I., AUS

This book takes you ‘behind the scenes’. An amazing insight into the thought processes and philosophies Ian has learned and created in over two decades of physical preparation. The philosophies and methods contained in these chapters have changed the way many people train and perceive training around the world. The wisdom is timeless, powerful and provides life changing opportunity to the reader! –Mike Pimentel, USA

I was able to spend 13 hours of travel from Australia to Los Angeles last week reading Ian’s latest book, time really did fly! I received so much value and insight from reading and will receive more value each addition read. The first page of the first chapter (the training process) is incredibly profound, spoken from so much experience. The words on that page alone are worth the book’s investment! This book takes you behind the scenes of Ian’s thinking – it’s an amazing insight into the thought processes and philosophies Ian has learned and created in over two decades of physical preparation! –Mitchell Kochonda, AUS

Hi Ian, I read “The Way of…” and enjoyed it immensely. Mitch said you don’t sell many of these and now I know why; very few people are ready for such a holistic philosophy on life. Covering the 5 areas you do, allows readers to access to your philosophies on all aspects of a person not just one or two. I would say that your book is a practical guide to philosophy for people with physical pursuits. I found the book of great value and I’m also glad you inserted the references to other books you found valuable, as I can now chase these to read also. A great book; congratulations!!—George V., AUS

I was so touched by the concept you share in ‘The Way’ book. You did a fantastic job compiling all of that great stuff. Everyone should operate in that way! –Sandy Riedinger, Beverly International

The Way of the King Coach is a distillation of Ian King’s philosophies applied to achieving success as a Coach in Physical Preparation, while simultaneously achieving balance in life.

This is a fantastic works ó more of a treatise that will enlighten you to new ways of thinking, new ways of doing and new ways of learning. If you have been seeking answers outside of the traditional sets and reps approach, you will be pleased with the wisdom of the Master. These are powerful words and thoughts from the voice of over 20 years of on the field experience, that has resulting in Ian achieving the highest level of personal and business success.

Ian suggests you choose your mentors with care you will learn the truth from those who have accomplished what they teach, and Ian is the Master in the field of physical preparation and teaching abundance in building your business and achieving balance in life. If you have wondered how you can become successful in physical preparation, how you can earn more money, how you can attract clients that you can’t wait to train – then you need to read this book!

Trends, theories, and science have their place and use. Most coaches are blinded by theories or depend on trends to prove their own credibility or reason for program design and or methods of training they employ. Ian shows you why using your intuition, humility and having a long-term focus on the clients needs (ahead of your own) will ultimately provide the greatest impact on the success, injury-prevention and improved health of the athlete or client you work with. This approach will translate into your own personal and business success, with your clients referring you more business than you can handle!

If you are open to being inspired, to learning why great achievements take time and how personal development can create more income in your business, then the The Way of the King Coach will offer many avenues to pursue, and new ways of thinking that will set you apart from the rest of the pack!—David, USA

I was elated to read in Way of the Physical Prep Coach that you intuitively banned music from your training sessions with athletes. I felt the same way but you’re the first to discuss this that I’ve read. On the rare occasion that my local gym had sound system issues and cut it off, I’ve had my best workouts ever. Smoother technique, better energy replenishment between sets, better focus….I’m not sure my clients appreciated it when I told them there’d be no music in my facility though!! –Scott, UK

This is an excellent work! A master works in fact. As I read this book, I gain a greater understanding of the breadth of Ian’s mastery in that he can reduce complex topics and ideas to simple, short sentences. Ian, I congratulate you! There is nothing like this in the market in relation to Physical Preparation! –Darren, CAN

Ian does it again – another must have book for all physical prep coaches, trainers and those who want to get into the industry! It’s an excellent read and consistent with all his material. Read this book and understand why Ian’s approach to physical preparation leads the way!–Miguel., USA

Ian King

What’s missing? The repetitive boom and bust cycle of fitness business models

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It looks like the Australian originated, global fitness franchise F45 is getting very wobbly at the business end.

Can’t say I’m surprised, but it’s disappointing. Disappointing for those who have chosen to  put their careers, businesses, and money into this path.

Some background to boom and bust.

The fledging fitness industry was very young in Australia when we witnessed the arrival of a new beast – the US modeled fitness center –

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, slick, glitzy fitness centres modelled on US gyms appeared around Australia at a rapid pace…. Membership agreements and contracts were often deliberately vague and many clients paid hundreds of dollars for badly planned and ineffective courses. [1]

My first personal exposure to this boom-and-bust fitness industry was in the early 1980s when my exercise physiology tutor was hired to consult to a new fitness chain named ‘Vigor’, and hired me to help him.  He must have liked what he saw in the fitness chain because he then purchased a franchise. A year or so later, it collapsed.

The wheels started to fall off the fitness boom in 1983-84….The first significant fitness failure was the Vigor group in NSW and Victoria, which collapsed in 1984. Several small, independently run gyms soon followed. In the second half of 1984, the John Valentine chain of seven clubs (six in NSW) crashed, owing creditors and customers $1.6 million [2]

It was incredibly coincidental that I was part of that history, and very helpful because it gave me a perspective that would serve as many flashy and attractive fitness industry business models boomed – and the busted.

The list of fitness industry boom busts business is long.  Some of the bigger more recent cases in the US have been Bally Fitness (filed for bankruptcy in 2007)[3], and 24 Hour Fitness[4] (filed for bankruptcy in 2020).

What’s missing?

Everyone’s going to have their own theories on what is behind this fitness industry business model boom and bust cycle.

Here are some thoughts:

Business model commission structure

Maybe it’s the commission model of the business structure?  In the case of F45, the CEO Adam Gilchrist apparently earned $500m AUD when the company floated on the NYSE.

F45 fitness founder and CEO Adam Gilchrist has just become one of the wealthiest people in Australia after a staggering result from floating his company on the New York Stock Exchange…F45 is valued at $US1.4 billion ($A1.9 billion) after it was put up for $US325 million ($A437 million) in its initial public offering on the New York Stock exchange at Thursday local time. Shares skyrocketed to $US17.75 ($A24 million) from their $US17 open, before closing on Thursday at $US16.2. Considering Mr Gilchrist holds 28.9 million shares in the company, that means he made around $US371 million ($A500 million) in one day.

And the founder, Rob Deutsch apparently pocked $67m AUD when he sold out in 2019.[5]

Sure, the franchisees made profit along the way – at least until they didn’t – however was the business model sustainable? 

Same product, different packaging

Essentially F45 was another group training fitness model.  With unique color in the logo, clean lines in the branding.  So same package, different packaging.

For decades fitness industry business models have competed on price, equipment, space, and appearances.  If that is all they have to differentiate themselves, perhaps this is not enough?

Serving the needs

Some suggest this group fitness model meets the needs of those who need to be ‘motivated’, and who seek social interaction of group fitness. This is a reasonable argument. But at what stage does value adding stop and start.

Let’s imagine you had 100 people with knee pain. There are going to be individual differences in the needs of each of those 100 people. But let’s say the only alternative they have is to go to a group class for rehab. It’s better than nothing, until its not. Until they realize their bodies specific needs are not getting met. Until they realize they are still in pain. Until someone comes up with a better way to serve their needs.

Perhaps one day the industry will choice the needs of the individual over short-term profit for a few?

Interestingly…

Apparently F45 used my 3-digit timing system as an integral part of their training systems.   Imagine if our industry could adopt the musical or similar creative  industries values and procedures where intellectual property and royalties are taken seriously.

Conclusion

F45 are not the first and won’t be the last in the fitness industry business models to boom and bust  Our goal with our KSI Coach Education is to guide our coaches towards sustainable business models.  Whatever F45 and the others have done is not sustainable. Somethings missing.

What do you think is missing?

References

[1] https://www.afr.com/companies/fitness-industry-gets-back-in-shape-19890811-kaiza

[2] https://www.afr.com/companies/fitness-industry-gets-back-in-shape-19890811-kaiza

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bally_Total_Fitness

[4] https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-06-15/24-hour-fitness-bankruptcy-coronavirus-gyms-closed

[5] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10678759/F45-gym-founder-sells-three-storey-ultimate-bachelor-pad-Sydney-mansion-18m-Rob-Deutsch.html