3 Keys for Fitness Success Ultimate Sandbag Training

Ian Vaughn, DVRT Master (Creator DVRT for Real World Muscle & Strength and DVRT Obstacle Course Racing)

“I THINK I KNOW IT ALL”

Over a decade ago, I remember when I passed my test to become a certified personal trainer and I thought I was at the top of my game. While this is a great start to anyone’s fitness career – a big problem I’ve noticed over the years among the freshly certified crop of fitness professionals is a condition I call…”know-it-all-ism”. This condition makes you think you know everything (with little experience) and anything outside your beliefs is obsolete.

While you learn great deal of text book information about the nervous, skeletal, muscle, and circulatory systems and the effects exercise has on them…helping people is more than than knowing what’s in a textbook. Being a good coach and helping people achieve their fitness goals go much deeper than the Krebs cycle.

It’s very common for people having no idea how to connect to their bodies and how to use their bodies correctly. The real education starts when you admit you have weakness in your coaching style and then simply work on it – so in essence, education never ends, but benefits don’t end either.

Our DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training programs are one of those few blends of great science and real world application. 

I’m gonna give tips for new fitness pros and even if your not one, but are looking for one – you’re going to want to look for these qualities so you can get the best results. It’s a sad truth, but practically anyone can be hired off the street (even without certification) to be a “personal trainer” (especially in corporate gyms). However, these wannabes quickly fade out because they don’t own the real world skills to stay consistent in this fitness profession.

Think…Be Open Minded

My favorite quote from Stephen J. Dubner’s and Steven Levitt’s book, “Think Like A Freak” is “the three most powerful words you can say is I DON’T KNOW”. This isn’t a way to say you’re stupid, it’s something that is generation is plagued by…WE KNOW EVERYTHING. Really think about it, how many times have you engaged in a conversation with personally sensitive subject with someone you already knew had no experience or knowledge in the field…and still gave you advice?

Being open minded isn’t about accepting everything like Jim Carrey did in YES Man. It’s more about seeking to learn from the right people with the hard earned experience and talent that has taken them years of honing their craft and teaching abilities.

In DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training we challenge people to think if there is a BETTER way of doing something, not if they are doing something “wrong!”

When I first got into DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training, I of course got the Burly USB first and got put in my place quickly because I couldn’t figure out how I could clean press 200lbs on barbell, but NOT a 100 lbs Ultimate Sandbag? I didn’t know…so I had to ask questions and figure it out. I had weaknesses, and taking the time to learn the DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training System in both Level 1 & 2 courses made me a better coach and fitness enthusiast.

This why so many guys I know that deadlift heavy everyday and sadly end up with serious back injuries. They never question WHY it’s happening: drop the ego, stop pretending you know everything, and get to work on the why. The world won’t end if you don’t know the answer to something.

Work on Communication

One of the most valuable lessons I learned as a former EMT was to never stand over a patient that was sitting or laying on the ground on scene. I always kneeled or stayed in the same level of eye contact to make them feel comfortable or else they feel scared or belittled because I was standing over them asking questions (doesn’t help when your 6’4 – 240lbs either).

So when it comes to fitness, there’s a lot common ground with that with body language – people just want to be told what to do and do it effectively to not hurt themselves. However, barking out commands like a drill sergeant, especially while someone is on the ground doing pushups or planks is just going scare most of your business away because if a person wants that…they’ll just to the military. Try to remember how YOU FELT when you first started your fitness journey.

It’s scary for most because they have no idea what to do. While you still want to challenge your student, it’s your job to put them in positions they can learn best, retain the information in a positive manner and give you honest feedback with the experience.

Helping others find their best is what DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training is really trying to achieve.

More Reps, More Sets, More load, More mileage…..MORE injuries:

This may be one of the biggest reasons why I see fit pros get ran out of business. They train everyone into the ground to the point of needing serious needs for psychical therapy and surgery for injury recovery. For whatever reason people seem to think if they do more in volume, it somehow translates to self value.

It isn’t about “sandbag training”, but finding the RIGHT exercise to help people move closer to their fitness goals!

This is typical in runners training for more distance with constant knee pain; as with powerlifters deadlifting & squatting heavy everyday with back pain. Having an endless list of exercises is also sign you have idea what to program but cram in pointless movements (all quantity, no quality) to fill the payed hour. If you can make the time fly for the student by teaching less than 3-5 movements in one hour…you’re golden. If you need a example, here’s a solid Ultimate Sandbag Workout from my DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training for Real World Strength & Muscle program:

Conclusion
So it’s important to stop and think how we pass our knowledge to others in a positive way. Making people better in their fitness journey’s can be not only be a great learning for them, but ALSO for you – experience will be forever be the best teacher. Thinking you’re above everyone else in knowledge will only pathetically boost your ego, but is the worst for business and results in a toxic attitude no one wants to be around. We are all students at the end of day – get to thinking on what you can do better. That is the essence of DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training.

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