The concept of CONTINUING EDUCATION is often viewed very differently by different people. Personally, I feel like I can never learn enough…that there is always ways to tweak and change my training programs to improve them in some way. I can pick up tidbits and concepts from just about ANY presenter I listen to and use it almost immediately with my teams. Others feel they already know everything or surround themselves with people who all nod at each other in approval regarding everything they do.
The one thing I learned many years ago was that once you stop learning, you will die. You know what I mean, you won’t actually DIE….your training, production etc. will definitely become stagnant. We simply know so much more today than we knew a few years ago. The simple addition of kettlebells, Ultimate Sandbags, TRX, Valslides has dramatically changed and improved our training. These are all things most of us knew very little about a few years ago.
I am fortunate enough to be presenting a couple of times this summer along side Wil Fleming, Mike Roussell, an Joe Dowdell at the “Enhancing Athletic Performance Workshops” in both Columbus, OH and Jacksonville, FL. As part of the promotion of this event the promoters are using various email lists. I was sent a copy of an email from one of the promo recipients. This is it, I have obviously left the person’s name of the email but needless to say, he coaches at a BIG TIME University.
“Not trying to be disrespectful but I’ve trained 75+ Olympians that have won 20 medals. 160+ NCAA individual champs. 800+ All-Americans and you’re sending this email to me without knowing your audience. Just a thought…”
I was actually taken aback by this email. First off, I would never think to respond to a promo email in a negative way. Taking time out of your day to even draft an email like this is negative to your life…..just delete right?? Secondly, is it really possible to know EVERYTHING there is to know about training and conditioning?? That was a rhetorical question cough-cough..
So what ‘audience’ was the promoter of the event supposed to target? Trainers who know nothing about training? Trainers who have never coached a single all-american? Coaches who work at schools below the Division 1A level?
I have spoken to audiences with high school coaches, first year personal trainers, NFL strength coaches, fitness enthusiasts, and some of the best trainers on the planet IN THE SAME ROOM. I have also sat in audiences with a youth fitness trainer talking about his programs while I filled notepads full of notes!
At what point have we become so good at what we do that not only do we ignore continuing education opportunities but we feel the need to take a jab at the promoters in a “how dare you send me this email” fashion? To me, this is the epitome of ego-driven coaching. This also reminds me of Mike Boyle’s saying that “most people really don’t want to learn new things, they just want to hear things that re-affirm the stuff they are already doing”. In my opinion, this is a recipe for disaster.
Don’t be THAT GUY…..live, love, and LEARN!!