Vigor Life Podcast Vigor Life Podcast

I’ve been fortunate to learn from and develop friendships with the best of the best. My relationship with Eric Cressey goes back close to 17 years where I went to a seminar of his in Birmingham, UK. Since then he’s been someone I have constantly learned from and continue to as we have grown in the industry, built our businesses and expanded in what we do. He’s not just an extraordinary coach but also a great human being that I’m honored to call a friend. Having a conversation with him is always insightful and thought provoking, and I learn a lot from it. 



Eric Cressey is president and co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance, with facilities located in Hudson, MA and Palm Beach Gardens, FL.  A highly sought-after coach for healthy and injured athletes alike, Eric has helped athletes at all levels - from youth sports to the professional and Olympic ranks - achieve their highest levels of performance in a variety of sports. Eric is perhaps best known for his extensive work with baseball players, with more than 100 professional players traveling to train with him each off-season. In January of 2020, he joined the New York Yankees organization as Director of Player Health and Performance.



IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

=> Eric’s involvement in multiple areas from being director of performance for the New York Yankees, running two successful facilities, coaching elite MLB players daily, and how it affects his views on strength and conditioning. 

=> Insights on the principle of: “What you know vs what you can implement.”

=> How strong is strong enough for athletes (as well as general population).

=> Strength is simple to build and sticks around but ________ is much harder to develop. 

=> The studies that show how impactful the work that high school and college strength coaches do and why building a foundation is SO critical.

=> The dangers of carrying your own training biases into the training programs of your clients and athletes.

=> Power drops close to 10% per decade in the aging population and rarely finds itself in most programs.

=> The surprising ability that we lost the most as we age, that MUST be trained. 

=> What Eric has charged in his in season programming for athletes in the last 5-years, based on research and his personal insights. 

=> The power of high quality warm ups and why it is so important and how you can get a 40% injury reduction. 

=> Why you may need less strength work in season and how 30 minutes of strength training can be enough.

=> Focusing on building relationships to get buy in to your program/system. 

=> The best ways to learn and speed up your growth that are completely underutilized. 

=> The sacrifices that have to be made to develop yourself as a great coach. 

=> Eric on investing in yourself and betting on things you understand. 

=> What is “work life harmony” and why balance in life isn’t what you think it is. 

=> The “Say yes to everything before 40, and no to everything after 40” quote and what it means. 

=> Eric’s thoughts on getting a college degree in the exercise science realm that will shock you. 

=> One thing that young coaches really need to analyze and the question they MUST ask themselves.

=> Why you should consider spending $100k’s on your undergraduate degree. 

=> How to really stand out as a coach, be a linchpin, and be scarce so that you can keep progressing in your career.

=> The #1 thing you can do is get a good mentor and be part of a great facility to learn in person, skin-to-skin. 

=> The power of the apprenticeship model and why it’s the missing link for most coaches. 



LINKS & RESOURCES:

Eric Cressey's Site www.EricCressey.com

Cressey Sports Performance http://cresseyperformance.com/

Elite Baseball Development Podcast h

Eric's IG https://www.instagram.com/ericcressey

Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com

Luka's YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6on

Back with a Q & A with a number of questions that have built up over the weeks and it’s become one of my favorite things to do. If you want to drop more questions you can either DM them to my Instagram or e-mail them to luka@hocevarperformance.com As usual I’m breaking up the episode into training, nutrition, coaching and program design in the first part, and business, mindset, marketing, content in the second (although 60-70% of the podcast is the former). 



IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

=> A BIG announcement! 

=> What’s the best “next step” for you in your nutrition. 

=> I break down examples of 4 clients with different next steps that are the right fit for them. 

=> The biggest mistake people make when it comes to their nutrition (and it’s not what you think!)

=> How paused squats (or pause in any exercise) can help you with your gains. I give you a 4-week plan.

=> How to program to get faster and more powerful for an in-season athlete.

=> Explosive conditioning for tactical athletes, examples and how to program it.

=> What type of workouts could replace a game of sports (and could also prepare you for the sport). 

=> If focusing on muscle building how much cardio do you really need. 

=> How do you train the endurance of the fast twitch fibers.

=> The best 45 minute strength training program design for a group of 6-12 people 

=> How to increase your productivity in chaotic times. 



=> When it the right time to go “all in” with your side hustle (personal training, online coaching). 

=> What trends will take off in the fitness industry in 2024. 

=> Do I consider owning a gym a good investment compared to other investments. 

=> More insights and strategies to creating quality content that is valuable to the audience. 



LINKS & RESOURCES:

Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com

Athlete For Life: Compound-V 8-week Training Program www.LukaHocevar.com/compound-v/

Luka Hocevar YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

After speaking together at Raise The Bar in Dallas, I had to get finally get Nick on the podcast and talk about the principles that have helped almost a million people transform through Renaissance Periodization products and services, while also doing $100 million in revenue.



Nick is the Founder and CEO of Renaissance Periodization, a diet and fitness company founded on evidence-based practices to help our members achieve their health, athletic performance and physique goals. He is also co-host of the RP Strength Podcast with wife - and RP colleague - Lori Shaw. 



Himself a former competitive powerlifter and bodybuilder, Nick has also personally coached numerous world-class athletes, including CrossFit Games Champions, international medalists, Olympians, UFC fighters, professional athletes, and Navy SEALs.  Nick holds a B.A. in Sport Management from the University of Michigan, where he helped establish a scholarship for undergraduate Kinesiology students, and from which he received the Early Career Achievement Award. 



IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

=> The #1 principle of success when it comes to transforming your body for good. Nothing else matters without this. 

=> Calories, macros, timing does matter, but only if you do THIS. 

=> What have I repeated 10,000x over and tell stories about every day and why does it matter to you as a coach (it’s your job!) 

=> Losing weight and getting lean is not easier than _________ (this is where people get stuck). 

=> Why trying to rely on willpower over skillsets will always lead to frustration. 

=> The actual science of self control and what people get wrong (the science shows it’s not what you think). 

=> The “P & P” principle that you MUST include in achieving anything worthwhile. 

=> The 4 steps to subconsciously do habits that will lead you to your goals.

=> How to make bad habits harder to do and the right habits easier to do. 

=> Why your emotions are the main culprit to negative behaviors, and how you can fix it. 

=> Nick’s lessons from getting the leanest ever and winning the IFBB pro card. 

=> The trade off between athletics and aesthetics, the cost of getting “shredded.”

=> The power of community and finding your tribe, and how it will be a catalyst to your success (or your obstacle).

=> How to change your environment so that it fits what you want to achieve and who you want to become. 

=> Why Nick drove an hour to train with training partners rather than train at home. 

=> How to check your effort and see if you’re really putting in the work you say you are. 

=> Sage advice Nick received that really made him cut out a lot of things he was doing in his business. 

=> The power of mentors and why Nick gets around business owners when he has a completely remote business. 

=> Why you should read books that are recommended from smart, successful people, and then do THIS.

=> How did RP get started and what was the first product that made Nick go “we have something here.”

=> “It only took 6 years to figure out YouTube”…..it takes persistence and consistency. 

=> Building the product by solving a problem that you see and experience. 

=> How Nick and RP pivoted when one form of media stopped working and the the overcoming of challenges in the business. 

=> The reason you MUST have proof of concept in your business (the story of Dr. Mike and college students). 



LINKS & RESOURCES:

Renaissance Periodization https://rpstrength.com/

RP Strength https://www.instagram.com/rpstrength/

Nick Shaw Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nick.shaw.rp/

Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes)  h

Vigor Life Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0gp1uXtwfRUcBkfS1P1uim?si=kcUu2vhPRwuxdV5kTzQrug

Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

My friend and owner of HIDEF Physical Therapy Zach sat down with me to grill me about training clients and the principles and foundations of getting results over the short and long-term, what really matters and where people get it wrong. I felt time flew by but we ended up doing a bit under two hours of deep dive into what creates successful programs and coaching and things that aren’t talked about enough in the real world. 



IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

=> What’s the foundational piece of strength training that has to be in place for anything to work. 

=> The multi-step program design process you must go through to create the best possible program for each individual client. 

=> The 7 training principles, what they mean, and which ones matter most. 

=> Why discovering these 4 things about your client will then lead to determining the training template. 

=> While progressive overload is one of the most important principles, this is THE key principle people miss.  

=> How much does the “interference effect” matter and can you train strength, power, and conditioning together. 

=> Using the R7 program design principles with the foundational training principles to create a program for clients that works every time. 

=> How to develop multiple things such as improving movement, becoming more athletic, building strength and muscle, as well as getting “fitter.”

=> The difference between bodybuilding training and what most clients want. 

=> Why communication and problem solving skills can be the missing piece to getting the best results with clients. 

=> The “hidden” mistakes people make that puts a halt to their gains in the gym.

=> What I think about people commenting “thats a horrible muscle building exercise” on social media. Rant! 

=> The principles of results based training you can only learn in the gym and not through theory and books. 

=> Why the “Athlete for Life” model of training is what most people really want (even if they don’t know it). 

=> What is the “SRA” training principle that most people mess up on, and get stuck with progress. 

=> Why variation is important but not as important as you may think (unless that is your type!). 

=> How to progress based on your neuro type, small adjustments that can create big gains. 



LINKS & RESOURCES:

Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com

Athlete For Life: Compound-V 8-week Training Program www.LukaHocevar.com/compound-v/

HIDEP Physical Therapy https://www.hidefpt.com/

Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes)  h

Vigor Life Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0gp1uXtwfRUcBkfS1P1uim?si=kcUu2vhPRwuxdV5kTzQrug

Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber

I’ve been of Nir’s work starting with his first book “Hooked” that really dove into how to lock in behaviors and how companies get people to repeat behaviors. The second was “Indistractable” which has been very powerful since like most people, I get distracted! It was great to dive into the science, strategies, and tactics to help you improve your attention, not get distracted, and get work done that matters! 

Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir previously taught as a lecturer in marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford.

Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by The M.I.T. Technology Review as, “The Prophet of Habit Forming Technology” Bloomberg Businessweek wrote, “Nir Eyal is the habits guy. Want to understand how to get app users to come back again and again? Then Eyal is your man.”

He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How To Build Habit Forming Products and Indistrcatable: How To Control Your Attention & Choose Your Life. His books have resonated with readers worldwide, selling over 1 million copies in over 30 languages.

Indistractable received critical acclaim, winning the Outstanding Works Of Literature Award as well as being named one of the Best Business and Leadership Books Of The Year and one of the The Best Personal Development Books Of The Year by Audible. The Globe and Mail called Indistractable, “the best business book of 2019.”

In addition to blogging at NirAndFar.com, Nir’s writing has been featured in The New York Times, Harward Business Review Time Magazine and Psychology Today. 

Nir invests in habit-forming products that improve users’ lives. Some of his past investments include Eventbrite, Anchor.fm (acquired by Spotify), Kahoot, Canav, Homelight, Product Hunt, Marco Polo, Byte Foods, FocusMate, Dynamicare, Wise App and Sunnyside. 

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

=> Distraction is not something that happens to us it is an action that you took. 

=> Shocking data about how much of your distraction comes from an external trigger (ping, ding or ring of your phone, or people)!

=> We get distracted not by what is happening outside of us but rather because whats happening inside of us. 

=> What REALLY motivates us (it’s not what you’ve heard over and over again)!

=> How boredom, loneliness, fatigue, anxiety, stress, are the true culprits of our distraction. 

=> How food is a big distraction from internal triggers and how diets, fitness, and lifestyle have a lot in common with productivity. 

=> Time management is really  ____________. 

=> What you should and shouldn’t be doing with e-mail and meetings. 

=> Why to do lists are one of the worst things that you can do for productivity. 

=> How to turn your values into time and a powerful schedule that will help you achieve the most you ever have. 

=> Control the inputs, not the outputs. 

=> Why not scheduling important relationships is one of the biggest mistakes you’re making.

=> Real strategies that work on how to hack back on external distractions that are throwing you off and making your day busy and not productive. 

=> The 3 pacts that will have you performing  at levels you’ve never experience before. 

=>  Nir and Luka get vulnerable and share what they have implemented to become more indistractable. 

=> Why changing your environment, hiring mentors, and finding a tribe can be a superpower. 

=> How to create an indistractable workplace. 





LINKS & RESOURCES:

Nir's Site: https://www.nirandfar.com/

Book: Indistractable  https://a.co/d/3Ndjbrl

Book: Hooked https://a.co/d/iVUe8Jk

Luka’s Courses & Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com

Vigor Life Podcast  https://open.spotify.com/show/0gp1uXtwfRUcBkfS1P1uim?si=kcUu2vhPRwuxdV5kTzQrug

Luka's YouTube  https://www.you

Since I save many of the questions I get on a weekly basis I always have a lot of firepower when it comes Q & A episodes, this one not being an exception. I was a bit crunched for time but packed the episode with as much value as possible while diving into certain topics deeper and giving full blown protocols. 



IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:


News about the Vigor Ground Fitness and Business Summit 
How I come up with so many exercise variations, my system to create and also use them in a smart way. 


Why sprinting is a must when it comes to developing the best body and performance. 
The biggest mistake people make when it comes to adding sprints into their program. 
The step-by-step protocol and 4-week example of working up to full blown sprinting.
How to incorporate sprints in and around your strength training program. 


My favorite rep and set schemes to build pure strength, ones you’re probably not using right now and should be. 
Why the best program is the one you’re not on, and when to change it up. 
Which finishers do I program at the end of group workouts and when, what do people love most. 
How to discover the mentor that will help challenge you and build your career. 


The simple steps to build your online coaching business; it’s not what you think. 





LINKS & RESOURCES:

Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance www.VigorGroundFitness.com

Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com

Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes)  h

Vigor Life Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0gp1uXtwfRUcBkfS1P1uim?si=kcUu2vhPRwuxdV5kTzQrug

Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber