Huddle #62 – Former suburban PT turned international traveller

/by

Most PTs work in one location, a suburb within their hometown, at best they may get to a regional or national conference on occasion. So how did this former suburban PT get to take three international trips in a little over 12 months? What drove him to do this? What did he do to facilitate this happening? And how does he maintain a violable business back home with this much time on the road as an international traveller?

Learn the answers to these questions in this podcast!

If you are inspired to have these experiences, you can learn a lot from the coach in this chat.
Because up until just over 12 months ago this young NZ-born, Australian-based PT Liam Keats had not travelled further than over the ‘ditch’ from NZ to Australia.

How do I know this? Because when he joined us in August 2023 in Park City, UT, USA, he asked to join the same flight I took from Australia as I did. I could sense the trepidation. And that’s fine, we all have that same uneasiness when we go on our first international trip.

12 months later, in Aug 2024, he repeated the same trip to the KSI Annual Camp in Park City, UT, USA – this time there was less fear in his eyes. How do I know – because he once again joined my flight.

And just a month or so later, he put his hand up for a trip to the UK for a KSI Camp, via Singapore. On the flight he told me he wasn’t coming straight home – rather he would go on and explore other countries in Europe. I was impressed! He had gained so much confidence that he was going off by himself to new countries, on short notice.

I was so impressed with Liam’s commitment to his professional and cultural development through international travel that I started an Instagram travel diary with him. To his credit when he left the UK to travel on to his next European destination, he continued on his daily IG gravel diary. In fact, he did a much better job of it than I was, not that that would be difficult!

So, if you are ready to get inspired by what is possible, check out this story as it unfolds in this recording! I’m impressed, and I’m sure you will be too!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Huddle #61 – Chat with Slovenian physical preparation coach Matic Bevcar

/by

Matic Bevar, like many of his colleagues, chose to study sports science at university because of his love of sports.

After graduating Matic went to work in a local fitness facility in his rural hometown in Slovenia.  Perhaps like many of his colleagues, he was not sure if what he learnt in class totally prepared him for the practical application of working with clients, and the obligation to help them achieve their goals. He felt he could do better for his clients.

A challenge within his own training also had Matic realise that no one was providing him with the answers he was looking for.

This strong sense of ‘something is missing’ drove him to search for better answers in training. KSI was one of many sources he considered, but something must have made sense because he chose to sign up for the KSI Level 0 Coaching Course in December 2021.

Two years later Matic has built up his KSI educational library and is ready to take on Level 3 in the KSI Coaching Program. He feels that he is far better equipped now to serve and help his clients.

In this chat, Matic shares his journey and lessons from his professional journey, living in Slovenia and practical application of physical preparation.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Huddle #60 – Chat with former Australian tradie turned physical preparation coach Liam Keats

/by

Born in Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud (New Zealand), before moving to Australia, Liam started his working life as what is affectionally referred to as a ‘tradie’ (tradesman). Liam’s love of training, especially boxing, drew him to a career change.

Liam has spent several years working in boxing gyms, and now runs his own on the Gold Coast of Australia called ‘Caliber Boxing’.

Liam started his KSI journey in Jan 2019, with the KSI Coaching Program Level 0 Course. A month later he started in Level 1. It was May 2022 before he took the next step into Level 2. In January 2023, four years after his first exposure, Liam started the Level 3 Course, and in August 2024 he attended his first KSI Annual Camp in the US of A where he participated in the Level 4 Course.

At the end of 2023, Liam applied for and was accepted into the ‘Level 5 Class of 2024’.

In this chat, Liam shares his journey and lessons about life, boxing and physical preparation.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Huddle #59 – Chat with former Hollywood talent agent assistant turned physical preparation coach Tom Legath

/by

After graduating from college with a double major in Film and Anthropology, Tom left his home state of Pennsylvania to fulfill a dream of living and working in Los Angeles. Before he knew it he was living the dream, just like Kid Rock’s ‘Tennessee Mountain Top’ song…

Palm trees and beautiful hips
Man it doesn’t get any better than this

…until he wasn’t.

Just like the character in Kid Rock’s song, he wanted to different outcome than the life and the person he was becoming, so he did what many do post the advent of the ‘personal trainer’ – he switched career paths from Hollywood to the gym!

His love of training had started many years earlier. As with many teenage males in the US, Tom loved playing sport and also took up strength training in the basement of his family home, using his dads weight training equipment and programs from magazines such as Muscle & Fitness and books by Arnold Schwarzenegger

To get started as a PT Tom started out with a big chain gym and a short certification course. A few years later he progressed to being a partner in a small personal training studio.

He had a nagging feeling that there had to be a better way to provide his services and create a balanced life. This search led him to KSI. His first up-close and personal exposure was at a seminar in Santa Monica in about 2010 with Coach Ian King.

In 2015 Tom decided to up his game with KSI and was accepted into the mid-level of the KSI Coaching Program. Some 8 years later, Tom is in the ‘final straight’, having recently qualified at Level 9. He is tangibly close to graduating from the KSI Coaching Program and receiving the holistic rewards that come along with this level of advancement.

In this chat with Tom Legath, who recently achieved Level 9 within the KSI Coaching Program, shares his journey and lessons about life, Hollywood and physical preparation.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Huddle #58 – Chat with Stunt Actor Heather Burridge

/by

Ten years ago almost to the day a young athlete by the name of Heather Burridge was brought to see me by her parents, seeking guidance to overcome a chronic injury.  At that time Heather was pursuing throws in track & field and netball.

During the next few years working with Heather, I noticed this athlete had an x-factor, like the stereotypical female warrior. As a result, she earned the title of ‘The Goddess’.

After leaving school Heather commenced an engineering degree at university. However, it wasn’t long before her yearning to use her physicality took her on another path. True to her warrior traits, Heather courageously changed paths and went on to follow her own path of stunt work for movies. She has established herself in the industry and her credits are impressive and growing.

Bio – https://www.stuntbookaustralia.com.au/member-profile-details.php?sba_member=647

Showreel – https://youtu.be/l1I5o3ZrKlI

We’ve asked her to take time out to chat with her journey and the impact working with KSI has had in the fulfillment of her passion and potential.

You will learn:

  • That as with every athlete and sport, stunt acting has its risk.
  • As with team sports stunt actors really rely on their team for their safety and the outcome of their stunts.
  • The mental challenges that come with stunt acting e.g. allowing yourself to be set on fire!
  • What it takes to break into stunt acting.
  • How each stunt acting brings a different skill set to their craft.
  • How much training and rehearsal go into a stunt.
  • The injury risks o training and performing stunt acting.
  • And much more~

Join us as we learn about and celebrate Heather pursuing her passion and finding her niche in stunt acting!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Huddle #57 – 10 Things about the Get Buffed!™ Series

/by

I was training athletes to run, swim, cycle, row, ski, skate and so on, faster! And we achieved these goals but at the same time a strange thing was happening. They were getting buffed! Not in a Mr Universe way, but in a way that got the attention of lots of people. And they were not even doing strength training all year round.

I knew that there was something going on – that getting buffed was easy, or at least a lot easier than many had been led to believe!

So, in 1999, 23 years ago I took a leap of faith and produced a book called Get Buffed! ™ It was a summary of the training concepts and methods I had developed and used with athletes over the prior 19 years.  Despite not having a large interest in hypertrophy for hypertrophy’s sake, I had got feedback about the effectiveness of these training methods for getting bigger, stronger, and leaner.

They worked! I knew that – now it was time for the world to learn it!

I didn’t realize how disruptive the new ideas would be to the world. Of course, they all seen ‘normal’ now, but believe me, telling someone that chin ups without rows were not a balanced approach to ‘back’ training, or that a single joint exercise such as RDLs was not a balanced approach for the posterior chain as squats were to the quad dominant group!

We can look back now and laugh at this, but it was a strong message just how ‘different’ the Get Buffed! ™ was to the industry. And nothing’s changed – it’s just as effective now as it was back then, as trend after trend since 1999 has continued to lead the masses down the proverbial garden path.

For those who value the message  contained in the now 18 products Get Buffed! ™ range (including the only true 4 book sequel in this genre) I have prepared a podcast to give you some back story on the origin and intent of the Get Buffed! ™ educational range!

I talk about the origins and influences of the concepts, right back to the 1960s!  Come on this journey with me to understand how and why the Get Buffed! ™ journey began and where it is going in the future!

Enjoy the podcast!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Huddle #56 – Chat with KSI Coach Lee ‘Doc’ Docherty

/by

Lee ‘Doc’ Docherty is a KSI Coach currently studying Level 2 who has been involved in the game of soccer his whole life, playing and coaching at various levels throughout the world. Upon leaving the British Army, Doc has dedicated himself to coaching soccer players of all ages, helping players reach their fullest potential both on and off the field. Doc founded UKSD as a way to not only bring soccer to all players regardless of race, gender, and socio-economic circumstances, but to use the game to help teach life skills to each participant, while developing leadership traits and creating opportunities for young people to become actively engaged within their own communities, and others around the world, through community service and social issue education.

​In addition to his work with UKSD, Doc is the head coach of the Barnstable high school girls varsity soccer team, where he also works as a health and wellness teacher. Doc also works with youth, teen, and collegiate athletes across Cape Cod and the South Shore area as a physical preparation and performance coach.

This is what Doc has said about his KSI Coach education journey:

The course was really eye opening; the content was quality and really got me thinking. I have been in the ‘fitness’ world for around 20 years in many different facets and have completed lots of educational courses within that time, none have matched the sheer amount of content and overall in depth explanation of the why’s, what’s, and how’s. There is plenty to walk away from to think about, process, and reflect upon.

I am really loving the in-depth approach to the principles and system that you use when designing programs. In all of the years I have been in the ‘fitness’ world and education courses I have taken, I don’t think that I have ever seen anything really geared towards the athlete as an individual. I have guilty of getting caught in the trends and bullshit at times but have seen how the majority of things are just noise, and don’t any consideration into the long-term health and overall development of the individual athlete. In my opinion, the lack of understanding and all out ‘hoorah’ in the US when it comes to physical training (the bigger and stronger is better) is hurting young people across the board. Hopefully I can help prevent that in the kids I work with!! Quality stuff!

The focus on flexibility and its overall benefits to overall joint health and injury prevention was great insight. The lack of flexibility implementation within training is pretty much non-existent and doing any flexibility is frowned upon, especially within the world of soccer, where dynamic stretching is the only acceptable way! Since adopting pre-activity stretching routines and trying to implement full sessions to flexibility instead of ‘conditioning’ sessions (which has been firsthand ridiculed by other coaches) has received both great feedback from players and overall improved performance and a lessened rate of injuries.

And the lines of movement system continues to amaze me when looking at ways to try and help develop a more balanced training program. It really helps to have the ability to look at flaws that could ultimately lead to imbalances and injuries. 

The course was brilliant, loved the content and the whole philosophy. Lots to process and reflect on. Really positive experience and excited to learn more!”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Huddle #55 – Chat with former US Olympic Athlete Carrie Sheinberg

/by

Carrie Sheinberg was a technical skier who competed at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics in slalom. She was named to the US Ski Team when she was 17-years-old and stayed on the team for eight years. Sheinberg won US titles in combined in 1995 and in slalom and giant slalom in 1997. She later attended the University of Utah and became a sports reporter. She worked for several years as a producer for ESPN Radio and also for Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

Carrie met Ian King in the mid 1990s during camps with the Canadian National Ski Team and took up the opportunity to work with Ian, which including hands on work in the US, Canada and Australia. Post career Carrie also worked with the late KSI Coach Mike Pimentel when she was based in Boston.

Carrie is now residing in Park City and has been a guest speaker at the KSI Annual Training Camps in Park City a number of times, and Ian has also been able to guide Carrie through the challenges of being a sporting mum.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Huddle #54 – Chat with KSI Coach Keith Minikus

/by

When pain becomes your teacher with physical preparation coach Keith Minikus

Keith is a physical preparation coach based in Texas USA with a long history of strength sports training – football, powerlifting and Olympic lifting. Over time Keith developed some series injuries that were threatening this ability to continue what he loved to do, train. Frustrated by not being able to find solutions, Keith stumbled upon the KSI Coaching Program and begun to get quick results in injury rehab. Ironic as it was back in about 2001 when Keith first read an Ian King article but was put off by the suggestion that loading was overrated, and that even bodyweight exercises could suffice in some situations. Now Keith is excited to continue his journey with KSI and continue to share his learning with his clients.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Huddle #53 – Training on force with Paul Briggs

/by

Paul Briggs is a fighter whose career took into to the top in two disciplines – Muay Thai kickboxing (2 time World Champion) and boxing (fought twice for a World Title). His combined Fight record of 109F (97W 2D 10L and 56 KO’s) makes him one f the most successful fighters to come out of Australia.

Paul has chosen to take that same drive for excellence into his role as a boxing coach. The discussions recorded in this podcast will serve any coach who is truly committed to helping their athlete fulfill their potential, with a focus on how to manipulate training outcomes using the concept of continuums in training stimulus, long term planning of training, and much more.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More