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CB ATHLETIC
CONSULTING TRAINING REPORT -
www.cbathletics.com
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ISSUE #81
INSIDE THIS ISSUE...
- "Profile of the Month:
Strength Coach Mike Gough"
- "GET LEAN & HEALTHY! An updated GET LEAN
manual"
1 - PROFILE:
SPEED SPECIALIST COACH MIKE GOUGH
Every month CB ATHLETICS will be
featuring a new strength coach and an insight into their
conditioning philosophies. There are many great coaches
out there that are unrecognized and that may even live in
the same city as you or an athlete you know that is looking
for advanced instruction. Our first profile will feature
Ottawa, Canada strength coach Mike Gough, owner of www.optperformance.com
and a former interim strength coach with the Toronto Raptors
and Cleveland Indian's minor league coach.
If there are any other features you
would like to see, please send your ideas. Soon CB ATHLETICS
will be proud to offer exercise pictures and videos, athlete
profiles, more programs, and other great features.
Finally, here is a Master's program
that all students of strength and conditioning (especially
those in Western Europe) might want to consider: http://www.education.ed.ac.uk/courses/mms/SC/index.html
Now on with the interview:
CB: Mike, tell us a little bit about
your current work situation.
MG: I train elite amateur and professional
athletes to improve their sport performance. During the
summer months I have a very successful Hockey Fit Conditioning
Program in Eastern Ontario (Ottawa area). I train athletes
from the NHL, AHL, OHL, NCAA and tier II levels specializing
in speed, agility, quickness, and plyometrics.
In the winter months my focus is with
my Baseball Conditioning Program where I have a handful
of professional baseball players, and my NFL Combine Prep
Camp. This is my first year running the NFL camp. I have
draft prospects from major D1 schools such as Florida State.
I spend whatever time I have left mentoring future strength
coaches and working with my website www.optperformance.com.
I have recently opened an online store carrying training
products that I have had success with along the way.
CB: What is your education background?
MG: I attended Concordia University
in Montreal, Quebec (BSc. Exercise Science). I believe that
a lot of my education came after graduating, learning from
top people in the field such as Fernando Montes of the Cleveland
Indians and my good friend Scott Livingston (now with the
Montreal Canadiens). I have realized that a lot the ideas
and theories I have and use today are not from studying
from a book, but from practical learning experiences I have
had along the way with some of the top names in the field.
I became certified by the NSCA as a
CSCS in my senior year at Concordia and I like to attend
conferences and seminars to learn and share ideas with others
in the field.
CB: What is your training philosophy?
MG: My philosophy is providing the athlete
with the most personalized training program available. I
train one on one or in small groups so every athlete gets
the attention they need. I like to motivate and push each
athlete to higher levels of physical conditioning and I
like to train the complete athlete.
CB: Can you give the reader some
tips for improving athleticism?
MG: Train at high speeds. Do every speed,
agility and plyometric drill as fast and as explosive as
possible. Constantly change exercises or drills to challenge
the body, increase the difficulty, add stability and balance
into drills. Remember we must not only train the muscles
but also the brain!
CB: Can you describe your clients
a little further?
MG: Strictly elite amateur and professional
athletes. I have worked with athletes such as David Justice
and Roberto Alomar, Vince Carter, Tracey McGrady, and Antonio
Davis when I worked with the Toronto Raptors, and Fred Brathwaite
of the St. Louis Blues, along with hundreds of other athletes
who I have shared ideas with along the way.
While working with the Toronto Raptors,
I implemented more of a maintenance phase of conditioning
throughout the year. The goal was to maintain levels of
strength, agility, power, and overall conditioning of the
players. The players would have if possible two lifts a
week depending on the schedule and travel. Players that
played very little would perform extra conditioning on game
days, and the players on the injured list would condition
every day. I pushed these players hard to maintain high
levels of basketball specific conditioning. They would perform
footspeed, strength, agility, and anaerobic conditioning.
CB: That's amazing! Those are fantastic
experiences that I'm sure have allowed you to pass on amazing
information to the younger athletes. What are some of your
personal achievements?
MG: I get a lot of satisfaction from
being in this profession. Seeing the athletes get drafted
in the NHL, Major League Baseball, receive a NCAA Scholarship,
or simply make the jump to the next level of play. I pride
myself on the success of my clients.
CB: Again, great stuff. Any quick
tips to pass along for building muscle?
MG: Get a proper training program by
a qualified professional, such as MASSIVE
ACTION from CB ATHLETICS. Many people who want to build
muscle are often training with no purpose and no direction
and then wonder why they are not seeing the results they
want.
CB: Misdirected training is often
a big problem. What other common mistakes do you see athletes
making?
MG: Many athletes don't understand the
concept of recovery. Recovery is as important as the training
itself. Many athletes do not hydrate or fuel their bodies
the way they should. They negate the effects of training
by not getting adequate rest and recovery.
CB: You've had a great career so
far. What are your goals?
MG: My goal is to have an impact on
more and more motivated athletes. To push them to new levels
of sports performance and ultimately to make their athletic
dreams a reality. I would love to someday open up a training
facility with my close colleagues and friends.
CB: Thanks Mike! You have been an
outstanding initial profile. Where can athletes contact
you for more information on your programs?
MG: Athletes can contact me through
my site:
www.optperformance.com.
2 - GET LEAN,
GET HEALTHY, GET THIS PROGRAM!
What started out as a program designed
to answer basic questions about losing body fat while maintaining
muscle has quickly evolved into a 40-plus page E-book. This
manual outlines the best training, nutrition, and supplement
strategies for men and women to lose body fat fast. GET
LEAN contains 7 different training resistance-training
protocols and numerous meal plans to help everyone reach
their goal body composition.
Basically, the GET
LEAN program is less of a single training program, but
more of an answer to everyone's questions when they embark
on that type of lifestyle such as, "What should I eat?",
"Should I use this product or this one?" and "What type
of exercise should I do?". Because this program is based
heavily on research, it debunks some "gym myths" while supporting
other long-standing fitness beliefs. Certain areas (such
as carbohydrates) are covered at a very in-depth level with
the philosophy that it is "better to provide too much info
than not enough".
Recently, GET
LEAN has advanced one step deeper into protecting the
health of the reader. In the latest edition, important tips
have been added for those at risk of cardiovascular disease
and high cholesterol. The end result is the new GET
LEAN & HEALTHY! E-book.
While the impact of high cholesterol
is debatable, most doctors will recommend that high cholesterol
levels be reduced. GET
LEAN & HEALTHY! provides healthy lifestyle changes
that will help bring your cholesterol levels down and improve
your cardiovascular health. The program provides easy to
follow strategies to reduce dietary trans-fatty acids while
learning how fish oils, Green Tea, and fiber can enhance
your health. Watch out for products that are labeled as
"Cholesterol Free" because these often pack a lot of trans-fatty
acids.
Here's what people are saying about
the GET LEAN program:
"I have tried the program and am down
12-15 lbs. Thanks again for your help and guidance." - Geoff
Clarke
"I've lost 4-5 pounds and reduced my
waist size. In addition, I have gotten stronger and my performance
in the gym is noticeably better. The diet and supplementation
changes have really helped." - Tony Theodoropolous
"The GET LEAN program has helped me
immensely. I've lost body fat, regained my energy and built
a solid foundation of strength. More importantly, my self-confidence
has skyrocketed while both tension and stress have plummeted."
- Glen Rairden, Actor
