It’s that time of year again at DSC.  A new batch of young interns has joined our staff in hopes and aspirations of becoming strength and conditioning professionals.  Whether the end goal is the University/College setting, or the private sector this experience will help “set the table” for their future endeavors.  Over the years our internship program has evolved into a formal application and interview process.  Well before an intern sets foot into the confines of our facility, it’s important that our staff feels that he/she will be a good fit for the DSC family.   Pulse, passion, and purpose far outweigh diplomas, pre-conceived opinions, and certifications.  We have been pretty lucky over the years to have a very good mix of interns, some better than others.  Below are five keys for young coaches to have success, and a memorable internship experience in the strength and conditioning field. 

I am pulse, I am purpose, I am passion…I am Coach.  I am discipline, I am desire, I am determination…I am Coach.  I am teacher, I am mentor, I am leader…I am Coach.  I am thermostat, I am temperature, I am regulator…I am Coach.  I am detail, I am fine print, I am “the little things”…I am Coach.  I am transformational, I am inspiring, I am caring… I am Coach.  I am energy, I am enthusiasm, I am motivation…I am Coach.  I am not reality TV, cable boxes, gaming systems, quick fixes, infomercials, false bravado, or transactional.  I am the person that seeks to lead, guide, blaze, live, learn, fail, fall, stand, walk and breathe with the best interest of “my team” in mind.  I am Coach! 

Outside of the weight room I have many passions, but none greater than my love for music.  I love listening to it, writing it, playing it and watching people perform.  I love all types of music, genres, bands and solos artists.  But no one, and I mean no one compares to Bruce Springsteen.  I recently had the opportunity to see him (it was actually my 5^th time), and to say he put on a show would be an understatement!  I have never seen an artist more passionate, with so much energy and a love for his craft.  He played on into the night for three and a half hours never taking a break then finally said: “Columbus, do you have anything left”, and proceeded to close the show with yet another song.  You might be wondering what this has to do with strength training, but the message is woven into every piece of fabric in our lives.  Here are three tips to perform like “The Boss” in the weight room, the classroom, the field, ice, in relationships and personal life.

A squat is not a squat to a qualified; well-versed, highly educated, detail oriented Strength Coach.  It’s a multi –joint, compound exercise that is a beautiful expression of movement!  Foot placement, mid –section stability (ribs down) and peripheral torque of the limbs (both hands and feet) are of utmost importance in eliminating strength leaks, maintaining mechanics not to mention bar position, racking, un-racking, hand placement etc.  A rotator cuff perturbation is more than just a shoulder going through the motions to a highly sought after physical therapist!  It’s an expression of dynamic stability being maintained while the humerus is being challenged during movement!  Both require expertise….both require COACHING! 

We all have a New Years Resolution.  A grand idea or lofty goal set to improve our lifestyle, career, relationships and personal life.  It may be to loose weight, train harder, have more balance, embrace relationships, learn something new, and set the gears high to begin an unknown journey.  Truth be told, each and every year when faced with this New Years challenge, I’m hard pressed to find one area of focus, one area of improvement, one key area that needs to be highlighted over all the rest!  The older I get, the more I realize how much I have to learn, how important relationships are, how right my parents have always been, that balance is important, that the first step is always the hardest, and showing emotion isn’t weakness, it’s courageous.  When faced with all of these important life goals, I have chosen to “hack” my New Years Resolution, to break it into tiny pieces and attempt to live it each day.  My objective: become 365 days better…”one day” at a time.