I remember when I was about 21 years old and going into my last season of college football.
I had been training myself for a good five or six years at that point, and thought I really knew it all when it came to training – ha!
So I decided to write my OWN workout for the summer to get ready for the season, instead of following the one our strength and conditioning coach put together for us.
I was trying to be a CHEF, and “create my own”.
Without going too far into the details of program design for this specific situation, the workout I put together was much more bodybuilding focused, vs the one he
designed for us was specific to getting better at football … which, obviously, was what I needed at the time.
I had a good senior year and ended up getting picked up by Green Bay in the spring … but I know I probably could have been in a little better shape and had a little
more of an edge had I followed the wisdom of our coach who had the formal training AND experience to know what was best for me and my specific situation.
I should have been a COOK, and just followed his time-tested, research-backed “recipe”.
And I suggest that YOU do the same.
(BTW – I did not come up with this “cook or a chef” analogy myself – shout out to Mike Robertson who used it in a presentation at an event I attended a couple of years
ago. Got to give credit where it’s due!)
A cook can follow a recipe and end up with a decent finished product.
A chef can put together different ingredients into their own creation and make a very tasty meal.
So when it comes to your training – are you a cook, or are you a chef?
If you want to be a chef, and get a more formal education – training certifications, a degree in a related field like Exercise Science – and get the experience by
training yourself and eventually others of all different goals, body types, injury histories, etc – go for it!
But if not, if you just want to get the best results and minimize the time investment, be a cook. Follow a program that is designed for your goals, NOT by yourself,
but by a pro.
You can go with one that is pre-written for a specific goal. I have several on my website if you are looking for one – head over and take a look.
Or, if you are very serious, want the fastest results in the least amount of time, and want something totally customized, you could go with something like my Elite
Coaching program (details at the bottom of this message).
Bottom line is, whatever route you choose, the main point of today’s message is to make you think a bit – and hopefully get faster and better results from your
Have a great day, and talk soon -
- Forest Vance, MS, RKC II
PS - Details on the FVT Elite Online Coaching program mentioned above:
1 – There is a LIMIT to how many people I can accept into the program. This is time – intensive for me (obviously) and so I can only help so many people in this
capacity. I can only work with 10 folks at any one time.
2 – We are looking for folks who want to gain lean muscle, lose body fat, and feel great. Have some training experience but are looking to take it to the next level.
Ideally have a basic idea of how to do basic body weight movements and / or kettlebell exercises. No serious, major injuries or limitations with your workouts. Must
have a positive attitude, commit to working HARD, and no whining
3 – Each month, you will get a detailed, personalized four week program to follow.
4 – Each month, you’ll also get a personalized nutrition plan based on your current physical state as well as your goals.
5 – You’ll get access to any and all of my programs you need and / or want to help you reach your goals faster
6 – The price will be fair, actually reasonable compared to comparable online coaching programs … and less than training with me in a one on one capcity in person
… but it will NOT be cheap. This is for serious people only.
7 – It’s a 90 day commitment (3 month minimum)
On acceptance to the program, you’ll get assessment forms from me to fill out … then I’ll get working on your personalized workout and nutrition program and have it
over to you ASAP so you can get started!!
I will require that you check in at least once a week with a specific log of your workouts, nutrition, etc (I’ll have a list of questions for you to go through and
answer each week) … but you can email any time you have a question.
Again, as much as I would like to work with anyone and everyone, I simply can’t. I can only take 10 people at any one time in my online coaching program. It’s time
intensive, and I will be designing customized programs for each person … so that’s all I can handle to start. And it’ll be first come first serve … so once those
10 spots are filled, that’s gonna be it. I won’t be able to take any more online coaching clients for likely several months.
If you feel like you fit the requirements above and you think you’re a good fit, fill out the application form below and we’ll see if we can get you in.