Greetings and Ground Rules

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

First off I want to thank Rip and Stef for allowing me to host this section of the forum. I have been a guest and contributor to Rip's forum since we were all back at Strengthmill.

I have been a trainer and coach in some capacity since my very first internship in 2001. Fortunately (and at times unfortunately) I have had the opportunity to work my craft in a variety of venues. I have trained in big box commercial gyms, speed camps, massive sports performance complexes, and since 2007, I have owned my own private gym here in Kingwood TX (about 30 miles north of Houston).

For those of you who have known me as KSC for the last few years, no, it does not stand for "Kentucky Steamed Chicken" as Rip suggested when I first joined the community. KSC is an acronym for my gym, Kingwood Strength & Conditioning.

As a facility that does not provide a "WOD", or one size fits all program, I have become somewhat competent at designing and implementing individualized basic barbell programs for a multitude of various demographics. Young, old, athlete, non-athlete, male, female, weak, and strong. Since 2007 alone, I conservatively estimate that I have personally conducted over 15,000 personal training sessions with a wide variety of clientele with a wide variety of training goals. Little old ladies, high level Division I collegiate athletes, and everyone in between would all fall under my umbrella of personal experience.

I am hoping to utilize my own experiences as well as the experiences of my athletes and clients to help the Starting Strength community more efficiently and effectively reach their training goals.


A Few Points:




1. As the title implies, the purpose of this forum is to answer your questions as it pertains to programming. Examples of good topics might include but are not limited to:

• advancing from novice to intermediate
• working within different programming models
• using assistance exercises
• scheduling around other athletic activities
• combining strength training with speed and/or conditioning
• programming training in less than optimal circumstances

2. All advice rendered here will assume that you are competently performing the exercises we are discussing. All form issues should go to Rip.

3. Disagreement and debate is fine, but we aren't gonna get off in the weeds with nonsense. Shit stirring will be ignored.

4. Please try and keep your questions and comments short and to the point and avoid unnecessary details that don't relate to your actual question.

4. This is not a program design service. I will do my best to answer any and all questions you might have as it relates to your current strength program or programming in general......but I am not going to design, from scratch, a customized strength & conditioning program for you.

If you would like a private consult you can contact me through my website at http://www.kingwoodstrength.com/Onli...-Consults.html


Can't wait to get started. Thanks again.

Andy

[Tom Narvaez]

This is awesome. Just wanted to say thanks a lot for doing this, Andy.

[The Emancipated Freak]

Is there an easy way to incorporate Kentucky steamed chicken into a program?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

is there an easy way to incorporate kentucky steamed chicken into a program?

gokscad

[cjangelo]

This is fucking awesome. I used to pore over your log to extract some tips on programming. I really really liked you one comment to the effect of, "If a lift isn't progressing, you're either doing too much or not enough." Things like that are just great tidbits to keep in mind.

Andy: Would you consider posting some sample programs or sample templates that you use for clients? Like, say, a typical powerlifting split, or a typical powerbuilding split, or your typical "Powerbuilding Split for Older Guy Who Can Only Lift 2 Days a Week." Or maybe your "I Can't Make Progress Deadlifting Heavy Every Week" template. I argue that this would still be fair to your paying clients, because although we're getting the templates for free, we're not getting it specialized, we're not getting your feedback on progress, etc. We're just getting little tips, not full-service.

Looking forward to hearing from you. I know you're busy--I hope you have time for this.

Good luck with your training and running your gym.

[Kyle Aaron]

Since 2007 alone, I conservatively estimate that I have personally conducted over 150,000 personal training sessions

150,000 sessions. 5 years. 30,000 a year. 82 a day assuming no days off. Even with a 12hr work day that's 7 an hour.

You're extraordinarily busy.

[LeonidasfromSparta]

Andy this is a great idea. There are many of us in here who passed the novice progression and intermediate programming is becoming more and more important.
I am looking forward to learn a lot from this, and hope to pick your brain from time to time.

[SPSP]

This is Great news! I've been following your log for sometime and I've learned SO much. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Hoping to see that book also in the future!

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

cjangelo,

I may do this from time to time if the situation mandates it.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

150,000 sessions. 5 years. 30,000 a year. 82 a day assuming no days off. Even with a 12hr work day that's 7 an hour.

You're extraordinarily busy.

No wonder I am so tired all the time. My bad. Should have been 15,000. I added an extra zero.

12 sessions/day x 5 days week x 50 weeks per year x 5 years.

Was a little sloppy with the math.