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Hosts:

Kevin Larrabee (Twitter), Mike Boyle,

Dr. Jonathan Fass, and Brian St. Pierre

FitCast News

• Mike Boyle Interview
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Mike Boyle Interview

• This is a question for Mike Boyle.I am a boxer and I work with my coach 3 times per week. Of course, when he is actually present, I do whatever he asks. However, my question relates to the training that I do outside of our sessions. When it comes to strength and conditioning, he is very “old school”, i.e. lots of road running as a the be-all end-all prescription for improving my wind, and so forth. That being said, he is a great coach and has created many talented boxers. I would really like to solidify the routine that I do outside of sparring and our training sessions. Given that I am not in close proximity to Mike Boyle’s strength and conditioning facility, what would you suggest an athlete do in this situation? Do I trust that my coach has lots of experience, his methods are time-tested, and have him prescribe my routine? Or do I seek alternate, more modern advice? Thanks!
• As the decade comes to a close I’m curious what Mike thinks the new execise ideas or approaches we’ll be talking about at the end of the next decade (2019) and which approached we’ll be kicking ourselves for even trying. -David

• Hi guys, my name is Ben and I’m from Melbourne, Australia. Love the show, and i listen to it in the car every day eating up any new information as well as listening to the strengthcoach podcast every week. I have a background in muay thai,  and have found that a lot of the people that I know in the sport suffer from hip problems…. But.. most of the thai people don’t… Has Mike had any experience training athletes that (martial arts) round kick ? could you cover some of the key things you found and any ideas on trying to protect the hip joint whilst under the stress of a round kick? Also I was wondering about the amount of trunk flexion the pro thai fighters do on a daily basis, doing sometimes 250 straight legged situps x 2 sessions day. Will this affect them long term? and in your experience do you think fighters can just survive on planks? Also are you considering bringing the FMS to Australia, as far as I know we don’t have access to the training here? I guess that was three…  thanks heaps All the best- Ben
• Mike I would like to know what the process involves when you are looking to hire a new trainer? and what qualities and personal traits do you look for that tells you that you have hired a good trainer? -Craig Kilham
• Yo kevin what’s up. Wat up Leigh. D r. Fass how are you? Merry X-mas guys. Coach Boyle I’m a big fan of your work. My question for you is I have done Coach Dos power training training in the past. I gotten really good strength results but I’m not really swoll yet. so what program do you suggest so I could get swoll? Just kidding coach I know how much you love that word. please don’t cancel my strengthcoach membership. I actually got really good hypertrophy strength results from your book coach Dos. My real question is I been having this pain where the  tibialis posterior, fdl, and fhl meet at the back ankle bone. I think is called the knot of henry not sure though. I’ve gone to see a few professional and currently going to physical therapy but  they keep telling me is a strength issue but I haven’t really got an answer of why it hurts. So I was wondering with your years of experience if you have come across this type of injuries with any of your athletes and what do you usually do to take care of the problem? Thanks for your time guys and keep up the good work.JC

• Kevin,
  I know you cannot put your boss on the spot with too tough a question. But please press him hard about the no back squat idea. Please have him explain if he is just talking about his genetically gifted athletes and him being afraid to injure them and be fired as team trainer. He cannot mean that me as a person who is just trying to get and stay strong for fitness should drop one of the best or the best strength training exercise the Back Squat.
  Sincerely,
  Doug Calvin
• Hi Kevin,Nice to meet you at the Cosgrove Seminar> Nice to see you having some interesting guest on as well.Anyway here is a question for Mike.

  I believe Mike recommends only 25 foot contacts twice per week when doing plyometric jumps/hops and such. Through my studies to become a CSCS, I have also noticed the NSCA recommends as many as 80 contacts and that’s just for beginners and goiing higher for intermediate and advanced athletes.

  I understand that there are different recommendations by various people in the field but I guess I do not understand why such the BIG Differences. I would think that in these times there have been enough studies and research done that there should be some Hard Evidence. I believe I have heard Mike say look for similarities between good programs. I just find it funny that there still seems to be some very varied recommendations in the strength and conditioning field. I almost feel there should be more Hard Facts.

  Can Mike talk a bit about his thoughts on this.

  Thanks Much!
  Ray McCarthy

• Finally, can you fill us in on your new book Advances in Functional Training and for those who may have not picked it up yet, Functional Strength Coach 3.0?

Mailbag

• Why are people supposed to be able to bend over and touch their toes?

  What purpose does that serve? It seems completely arbitrary. Where in life and function are we not allowed to bend the knees to reach something down at our toes? Hell, isn’t the claim that we should not be bending over at the back to pick things up and should be doing it via bending at the knees? Isn’t it when people bend their back to reach down that they “pull” their back? Hell, I’m not even sure I’ve ever seen anyone reach their toes without what looks to me to be poor posture and no bueno bending.

  So. Why are people supposed to be able to do this? -Robert

• Hi,

  What exercises/strategies do you use with shoulder and t-spine mobility issues? I understand that each individual is different but are there some things you find yourself using time and again with most of your clients? Thanks for your time!

  Pasi