ELITE ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR 3.0 REVIEW

UPDATED JANUARY 30, 2017

ELITE ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR 3.0

Pros

• Complete Program Design Strategies from Two High-Level Strength and Conditioning Coaches
  

• Practical Information You Can Immediately Use to Make Your Athletes Stronger, Fitter and Moving Better
  

• Coaching Cues That Will Make You a Better Coach Today
  

• Awesome Guest Presentation on Jump Training
  

Cons

• Certain Topics May Be Too Advanced for New S&C Coaches

Rating

Highly Recommended

Check out the Elite Athletic Development Seminar 3.0 HERE!

A rare occurrence, I took last weekend off and even managed to hit the movies for the first time in 6+ months to catch Central Intelligence.

(Quick review: Dwayne Johnson is friggin' jacked as always, Kevin Hart cracks funny jokes but overacts 50% of the time, plot was written by a third grader, few good laughs, 6/10 overall score).

So to kick off this week the right way, I decided to get my learn on by watching Elite Athletic Development Seminar 3.0, a new DVD set by Joe Kenn and Mike Robertson.

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For those of you not in the know, Joe Kenn serves as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the NFL's Carolina Panthers.

As for Mike Robertson, he runs IFAST - an Indianapolis-based training facility that has been voted one of America's TOP 10 gyms by Men's Health.

These days, there aren't many speakers in the fitness industry that I look forward to hearing.

I've attended plenty of training seminars and watched enough DVD's from some of the most recognized figures in fitness and strength and conditioning, and more often than not, I came away from the experience feeling disappointed.

I don't know, maybe my expectations were sky-high hoping that I'd have my mind blown, only to walk away thinking...

"Meh, not a bad talk but really..? That's what I paid $200 for??"

Hell, I once caught a severe case of narcolepsy during a lecture given by one of the world's leading spinal researchers simply cuz his presentation was sooo booorring.

So with the backdrop out of the way, you should know I don't dish out recommendations lightly - even less so based on someone's perceived "big name" status.

Having said that, Joe and Mike are among the few in this industry I'd pay money to go see live.

These dudes are legit.

The Facts, Ma'am

Here's a bullet point list of what the Elite Athletic Development Seminar 3.0 is all about:

- EADS 3.0 is a 10-DVD set that is geared towards strength and conditioning/physical preparation coaches

- 12+ hours of top-notch content recorded across a two-day workshop in Coppell, Texas

- in addition to lectures, multiple hands-on sessions are included - including how Joe trains his young athletes (Block Zero), and how Mike coaches single-leg work, breathing, and core exercises

- an awesome guest presentation on jump training by Bobby Smith and Adam Feit (gotta say... this was surprisingly good)

And here's a littler video teaser showcasing what's included in the DVD's...

Pros

Will Make You a Better Coach

Whether you're a young coach or a seasoned pro in the physical preparation game, Elite Athletic Development Seminar 3.0 will make you better at what you do.

Simple as that.

Maybe you're trying to figure out how to design a training program including jumps, maximal strength work, conditioning, agility drills and core training that not only looks good on paper but actually makes your athletes better?

You can use the R7 Approach Mike talks about for that.

Perhaps you already write great programs - the problem is, it takes you hours to write one.

(Been there, done that!)

Streamlining should become your focus then.

Hey, you think I'm gonna write each of my ~ 100 hockey players a new program every four weeks when we switch into a different training phase?

Fat chance.

I have my template which forms the basis for everything we do, and then I modify certain exercises and sets/reps based on injuries, etc. to individualize the program.

Or maybe you can write a mean program in no time but you're struggling to get your athletes moving and lifting the way you want them to. So you're looking for a few simple practical coaching tips that'll fix things.

You can learn all that, and much more, in EADS 3.0.

Take What You Like and Need

Unlike certain prominent figures ("gurus") in this industry who claim their methods to be the one and only way for training athletes, Joe and Mike openly recommend taking their ideas and concepts, and modifying them to create something of your own.

When you see something you like, grab it.

Figure out a way to implement it in your program and see what the results are like.

Maybe you'll realize it doesn't work well in your setting/with your athletes.

So you throw it out.

Or tweak it to better suit your purposes.

In any case, you're building something based on YOUR principles, reasoning and experiences - not blindly following someone else's program.

Hands-On Sessions

Remember when I told you earlier how I had felt like something was missing when watching big name presenters speak at seminars?

That's because, as brilliant as they may have been as lecturers or coaches, their presentations were lacking in "Monday morning value".

Simply put, there was no way for me to apply all that information they were putting out there immediately.

And I'm sure I wasn't the only one among the tens or hundreds of seminar participants feeling that way.

Anyone can quote research studies all day long to appear smart in front of an audience.

That doesn't mean you can coach, though.

Practical knowledge of how and when to use certain exercises, drills or coaching cues is essential in getting the most out of your trainees.

I've always found a ton of value in watching how great coaches cue, correct and interact with their athletes.

So much so that I've made it a habit contacting local strength coaches whenever I travel abroad, asking if I can come in and observe a training session or two.

That's where the practical hands-on sessions in EADS 3.0 fall in.

You're gonna pick up at least a thing or two from these hands-on sessions (just like I did, especially from the breathing and core training sesh) that you can use with your athletes or in your own training starting today.

Cons

Fairly Advanced at Times

You need to have put in some time training people/athletes to fully grasp everything Joe and Mike talk about.

I can imagine peeps getting as confused as a hungry toddler in a topless bar especially when Mike starts delving deeper into things like core control and breathing, PRI, the pelvic floor, diaphragm, and all that jazz.

Doesn't sound very sexy, eh?

I can totally relate, dude.

Had I watched this lecture three or four years ago, I probably would have been like: "Breathing? Who cares?! Just tell me how to get strong!"

Even if I say so myself, I've got that part of our training program handled. I know how to get dudes strong, fast.

So my focus has shifted somewhat.

Right now I think more about injury prevention, jump progressions/regressions, and conditioning methods to complement our max strength work.

Finding those few areas in your program where you can improve by a few percentage points to make the whole training experience smoother, more impactful and more enjoyable for the guys is the next natural step beyond your newbie years in this profession.

But first, you gotta have your big blocks in place.

If those are missing in your program, then you shouldn't buy Elite Athletic Development Seminar 3.0 - yet.

For that, something like Mike Boyle's Functional Strength Coach series would be a better investment of your time and money at this point.

Memorable Quotes

When you've got 40+ years of combined coaching experience working with practically everyone - from middle school up to the pros - as is the case with Joe and Mike, you're bound to catch a few diamonds they're throwing your way.

Here are some memorable quotes that hit me so hard that I HAD TO write them down for myself...

"No matter what you write on that paper, if you don't have great players, it doesn't matter. Don't ever, ever, EVER forget that." [on the importance of having great athletes who can play their sport]

"If you get athlete buy-in; if you have a reason behind every step of your training process, it makes your life so much easier."

"If you can't demo an exercise, or don't have someone on your staff to demo it, you probably shouldn't be doing it with your athletes." [on leading from the front... so true, so very true]

"Maximal strength is different for an athlete than it is for a powerlifter.

For a powerlifter, it's how much weight can you put on the bar and take it up and down.

With an athlete things are more qualitative: how was the lift executed, did his form break down, and we're probably using a 3RM or 5RM instead of a 1RM." [on building competent lifters vs competitive lifters, and maximal strength work]

"Do NOT overcomplicate writing a strength program!" [FINALLY someone gets this!]

"The first thing I learned as a coach, is that your athletes don't love lifting like you do. If you go into the weight room thinking that, you will not last very long as a strength coach.

It's your job to educate them and show them the role of importance of what you do, so that when they come in, they know there's an added benefit to them training." [on training athletes vs competitive lifters]

"You gotta create an environment in your weight room that when your athletes come in, they know what has to be done and are gonna give you the right energy."

Pour Conclure

Having watched the original Elite Athletic Development Seminar DVD's a couple years ago, my expectations were rather high for EADS 3.0 from the get-go.

And this time, I wasn't disappointed.

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Once we're done with our off-season training program by late August, I'm gonna fly down to Southern Europe for a week of relaxation and deep reflection.

Between sipping fruity cocktails on the beach and diving in the crystal clear Mediterranean, I plan to watch Elite Athletic Development Seminar 3.0 again and really think about how I'm gonna incorporate things like resets and deep breathing drills into our program going forward.

I may even go all wild by introducing the supine balloon breathing exercise. Might be a tough sell for a bunch of teenage hockey players to be blowing up balloons while lying on their back, though. We'll see.

That said, I can guarantee there's definitely something YOU can take away from this seminar as well.

Maybe it's a better understanding of how to write complete and balanced strength training programs.

Or specific cues on fixing a guy's overextended form on squats.

Or how to achieve higher buy-in from your athletes.

So I'll put it out there...

For someone who has been coaching people for years, EADS 3.0 would be a welcome addition in their training library.

For a new strength and conditioning coach, it could become one of the TOP 10 resources you'll refer back to time and time again over the years as you climb up the ladder of your professional career.

I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to become a better strength coach.

==> Grab Elite Athletic Development Seminar 3.0 HERE