The Strength and Conditioning world is a tough nut to crack. Most of the exercise science majors that I know are working in unrelated industries. It’s sad to see because it’s an industry with the potential to deliver an individual a life filled with purpose and excitement. My life is like a storybook for a guy that grew up in the deep mountains of North Carolina. I never would have dreamed that I would be traveling to three different countries and three different states all within six weeks.
This industry allows me to work with some of the best athletes in the world. I have written books that are being read and applied all throughout the world. I get to help people achieve their dreams. I have the chance to impact lives in a positive way.
So how did I get here? What choices did I make that led me to this point? One of my biggest passions is helping other people in this industry with becoming successful too. That’s what this article is about. If you want to succeed in the strength and conditioning world, this article is for you.
Step 1 – Narrow Down Your Options
The first step is narrowing down your options. Yes, there are options in the exercise science world. Here are a few:
- High School Strength Coach
- College Strength Coach
- Professional Sports Strength Coach
- Personal Trainer
- CrossFit Coach
- Weightlifting Coach
- Powerlifting Coach
- Cardiac Rehab
- Corporate Wellness
- Professor
- Research
- Online Instruction
- Fitness Writer
There are more, but this gives you some ideas. A big key is narrowing down the focus as soon as possible. Once you find your area, then it is time to narrow things down even more. If you want to become successful in this industry, you have to become the expert in one specific niche in your field. Let me give you some examples.
Step 2 – Become A Niche Expert
The next step is becoming an expert in a niche within your field. Here are some examples:
- My favorite is Dr. Bret Contreras also known as the Glute Guy. He makes a great living as a glute expert. He trains some of the best fitness women in the world on how to get the perfect glutes.
- Greg Nuckols is the go to guy at breaking down the research on various topics and making it simple for the rest of us to understand. He also explains which research is trustworthy, and calls out the research not up to standards.
- Alex Viada is the expert on concurrent training.
- Mike Bledsoe focused on media and bringing the brightest among us to the world.
I have spent my whole life trying to understand the barbell. I got lucky to be honest. I had no idea that CrossFit would bring the barbell to the rest of the world. However, the fact that I followed my passion wasn’t luck. If you find an aspect of fitness that you love, I suggest following that love. I know this sounds kind of cliché, but it’s the truth. If you love something, you won’t stop until you perfect it.
I love weightlifting and powerlifting. I started out wanting to make myself the best strength athlete in the world, but now I want to make my athletes the best in the world. I am one of the go to guys in the weightlifting and powerlifting world because I have spent and continue to spend my life perfecting my craft. If you become the expert, you will in turn become valuable.
Step 3 – Network
The next step is getting to know the successful people in your chosen field and niche. I am a friend with all of the top weightlifting coaches in America. We help each other, and we are all talented in our own areas. Coach Kevin Doherty is the expert on handling athletes at weightlifting meets. Coach Sean Waxman is the expert in biomechanics. Coach Kevin Simons has programming down to a near perfect science. We help each other in the areas that we have perfected. That’s one of the biggest ways that we continue to learn.
Finding a mentor is even better. A good mentor can lead you down a path of success. I have had several mentors that have helped me immensely. Coach Sean Waxman continues to mentor me in this crazy sport of Olympic weightlifting. Guys like Mike Bledsoe and Coach Joe Kenn helped me find my way in the business side of strength and conditioning. Sooner or later no matter which route you take, you will need to sharpen your business skills. In today’s world, you will need to learn about social media, marketing, websites, networking, and product development.
My suggestion is find a mentor that cares about you. You should find someone that is doing something similar to what you want to do. Whatever you do, don’t just take and take from this person. You need to find a way to give back and be of value to your mentor. Lastly, I suggest that you never forget and always give credit where credit is due. This little piece of advice will go a lot further than you can imagine. Remember these mentors are human. They are helping you because they care about you. When you give them credit, you are affirming that you care for them right back.
Step 4 – Never Stop Learning
Step 4 is never stopping learning. People used to get away with learning a few things and then spending the rest of their lives passing on that information. That will not happen in today’s world. The internet allows us to have all the information of the world at our fingertips. The internet also allows your customers, bosses, and colleagues compare you to the rest of your peers. If you start getting passed up, you can guarantee that your customers and bosses will start looking elsewhere.
There are so many ways to learn nowadays that you really don’t have an excuse. There are audiobooks that you can listen to as you drive. There are eBooks you can download with one click. There are podcasts, articles, and videos that are free, so you have no excuse. If you aren’t continuing to learn, you are one thing, lazy. If you fail due to laziness, that’s your fault and no one else’s.
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However, you can’t just say that I am going to read a book or listen to a podcast. You have to schedule it just like anything else. You have to plan. You can listen to your audiobook on the way into work. You can listen to your favorite podcast every Friday by getting up a bit earlier. You can do whatever you want as long as you plan it.
Step 5 – Educate Others
Step 5 is to educate the world. No matter what field or niche, in today’s world, you have the ability to share what you are learning. There are several avenues to share your thoughts like blogging, podcasts, videos/vlogs, and social media. Whether you are a college professor or a personal trainer, you can increase your value by growing your following. Andy Galpin is a professor, but now he’s even more valuable because the whole world knows how brilliant he is. That’s valuable to the school because he attracts more potential students to apply. If you are a personal trainer, it’s a way of getting new clients.
I give free information because I love to teach people about the things that I am passionate about. Meanwhile the people reading my free articles and listening to my free podcasts are learning to trust me as an expert. That makes them more willing to buy my books and join my online team. I have found that the more quality free information that I put out is directly proportionate to the number of items that are purchased on my site. It’s weird how the universe works.
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This industry is amazing. I spend my days thinking on new and better ways to educate my readers and listeners. I get emails all the time thanking me for helping them reach one goal or another. Sometimes people email me thanking me for making them want to be better parents or husbands, and admittedly those emails are my favorite. I love fitness, but nothing is more important than family and God. This industry is beautiful in the way that we get to help people. If you focus on helping others in as many ways as possible, you won’t fail. I won’t lie though, it’s hard work. If you want to work 40-hours per week, this is probably not the industry for you. You don’t punch out with this industry. You are always on the clock. But you know what? I don’t want to be off the clock.
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