The Coaches That Have Influenced Me The Most
August 2, 2010 by danny · 4 Comments
Then one day at Gold’s there was a flyer that was put up at the front desk. It said something like, “Cy Willson will be holding a seminar, talking about nutrition and supplementation.” I couldn’t wait to attend, as Cy had a reputation around the gym as a very smart guy. Plus, I could now get some of my questions answered, and most likely confirmed (so I thought). I pulled up a chair to listen to Cy speak. I couldn’t wait to learn a few new things, and again, confirm that my training and nutrition “plan” was pretty much on the money. By the end of the seminar, my head was spinning, and I realized that I didn’t know sh*t about sh*t! I learned a bunch of new words, like whey and casein, heard about nutrient timing for the first time, and listened to Cy dispel a bunch of myths that I didn’t even know were myths. When I walked out the door of the room the seminar was being held in, I was very frustrated, and a little embarrassed that I ever offered even a single bit of training and nutrition advice to the people that had asked me for help over the years.
At the time, Cy was writing for a website called testosterone magazine. In the seminar, he told us that we could all become experts if we started to follow it and to soak in as much of that information as possible. So I got home, hopped on the computer, and started to read some of the articles. I read articles by John Berardi, Cy, Ian King, and Charles Poliquin. And I had no idea what they were talking about. Wait, what is this “hypertrophy” word they keep bringing up? And are hormones like insulin and testosterone really that important? According to these experts, it seems like they are. But why? I just don’t get it. I started to think, maybe this whole personal training thing just isn’t for me. After all, the only reason I ever got better than D’s and F’s in school, was so that I could stay eligible for basketball. Everyone knew school and studying wasn’t really important to me. I’d much rather be lifting weights, playing basketball, or going to the beach. But I knew lifting/working out would be a big part of my life for a long time. I loved it. And I couldn’t go to the gym and “not really know what I was doing.” So I decided to buckle down and really try to learn from these people at that website. I went up to Cy at the gym and asked him if he’d meet me so I could ask him some
nutrition questions. He was very nice and said, “sure, no problem.” So I headed back to testosterone magazine and spent hours reading his articles, as well as articles by the other authors. I took a bunch of notes and was going to be prepared for the day when Cy and I were to meet.
I still remember, I had a list of 18 questions put together for him. I thought to myself, “if I can just get Cy to help me understand these questions, I will basically have this whole nutrition thing down.” And let me tell you, these questions weren’t the most advanced questions by any means. The average question looked something like this; “in one article, it says that beef is good for you, but in John Berardi’s article, he says that we should avoid burgers. What’s the deal?” Cy said something like, “John is probably referring to greasy burgers, like the ones you find at McDonald’s. If you eat a lean cut of beef, it is good for you. Especially if it is grass fed.” I was like, “great, I can check that off of my list. Only 17 questions left and I will know all I ever need to know!” Anyway, as I got deeper into the field, I found out that the more I learned, the more I realized I didn’t know. It was about at this time, that I became obsessed with learning as much as I could. So much so that I quit teaching and started training full time. My dad was shocked. For him (back in middle and high school), trying to get me to turn off ESPN in order to get me to study, was like pulling teeth. And now, I was spending more time with my face in the books than ever before… and then some.
My journey as performance coach, personal trainer, strength coach (whatever you want to call me) began with Cy Willson, and it continues today. Below, are the people that have influenced me the most. They are grouped in chronological order. The first group is the first wave of experts that I learned from early on. As you move down the page, you’ll see the next wave of people that I learned from, all the way down to the most recent coaches. Just because Charles Poliquin (for example) is in the first group, it doesn’t mean that I don’t still learn from him. He is listed in the first group only because that is the time when I first started reading his work.
Cy Willson – you heard about Cy above. Even know that I’ve thanked him for helping me learn in my early days as a trainer, I don’t think he knows how thankful I truly am for all of his help. Besides attending two of his seminars at Gold’s, and that time that he met up with me to help answer those 18 questions, he also responded to every one of the countless e-mails that I sent him over the years. I’m VERY appreciative of this!!!
Dr. John Berardi – before Dr. Berardi had ever written a book, or was in position to influence hundreds of thousands of people, like Cy, he was answering many of the e-mails that I sent him back in the day. Cy and John really are the two that got the fire burning for me.
Ian King - Ian and Charles Poliquin were the two that first got me interested in learning all I could about weight training.
Charles Poliquin - See Ian King above.
Moving on a little later in time, to the next group of trainers that have had a huge influence on all I’ve learned over the years..
Eric Cressey – Like Dr. Berardi and Cy Willson above, Eric was very generous with helping me out early on. I definitely still learn a ton from EC today!
Joel Marion - I first read Eric and Joel’s work in the old “Ruggedmag.com” website. It is no longer a ’site, but like t-nation, I looked forward to the articles they would publish each month.
Mike Robertson – Mike did a lot of his early t-nation writing along with Eric, and I learned, and still learned a ton from him.
Dave Tate – I bought the “Westside Seminar Video” many years ago, and it exposed me to powerlifting. I belive Eric Cressey referred me to this DVD set after I e-mailed him asking him where I should go to learn more about training a powerlifter that just hired me. She went on to set many personal records and it felt great helping her out!
Christian Thibaudeau – When I first read Christian’s work I loved it. He offered info and experience from the Olympic Lifting side of things, as well as a lot of great bodybuilding info.
Chad Waterbury - While I don’t agree 100% with everything Chad has written over the years, he has made me think and I definitely incorporate some of his methodology when writing client’s programs (and my own programs).
David Barr
Mike Boyle - Anyone that cares about getting better in this field has learned a thing or 257 from Coach Boyle.
Alwyn Cosgrove - Has influenced many.
Jason Ferruggia
Dr. Clay Hyght -Dr. Clay moved to Cali. a few years ago. We started working together and became friends. As you can see, I have a large number of people listed as those who have influenced me, so I obviously don’t prescribe to only one person’s training methods. But if I was maybe starting to lean a little too far to the “train movements, not muscles” side, Clay bitch slapped me back in line. While I don’t think that strictly training movements is wrong, it’s not completely right either. To me, it is about when to bring out which tool for the client. That may be using O lifts at certain times. It may mean using a powerlifting type of template, or it may mean using “bodybuilding” training at certain times. The answers always seem to be somewhere in the middle (in any aspect of life). Which is why I wrote this article sometime back… “Change it Up and Stay Motivated”
John Romaniello – I believe John was among those that were writing for ruggedmag years ago. I remember liking his work, and then didn’t hear anything from him for quite some time. Well, he’s back with a vengeance. Over the last year he has published many article and come out with a book.
Mike Roussell …
Jimmy Smith …
Nick Tumminello - Since the first NT article I read, I can’t get enough of Nick’s work. He is very smart and does a great job of clearly communicating his knowledge!
Brian St. Pierre - Great nutrition info. He gives logical reasoning for all of his opinions and never seems to go too far to one extreme or the other.
Lyle McDonald
Tony Gentilcore - I love Tony’s writing. Very informative, and very entertaining!
Gray Cook …
Mak Young…
Alan Aragon…
Bret Contreras - Bret is a going to be a name that we’ll be hearing about for years to come. And I have a feeling he’ll be on the short list of many trainers, as one of their biggest influences. If you want to build a nice booty, get to know Bret’s work.
If I had to pick just 3 or 4 from each “era” that have have influenced me the most, here’s the All-Star line-up
Danny’s “Golden Era”
Cy Willson
Dr. John Berardi
Ian King
Charles Poliquin
The First “Next Era”
Eric Cressey
Mike Robertson
Christian Thibaudeau
The, I Can’t Think of a Cleaver Name, Era
Mike Boyle
Alwyn Cosgrove
Dr. Clay Hyght
Jason Ferruggia
My Newest Breed of Influences
Tony Gentilcore
Bret Contreras
Nick Tumminello
Brian St. Pierre
I wonder what my list will look like in 2020. Thanks to everyone that has helped me over the years! I try to give as much back as I can to youngsters looking to get in the field, and/or people that are simply looking to improve their health and physique. And with the help from the people in the list above, I am now better equipped to answer the question, “bro, like what I gotta do to get some huge pecks dawg?”
Powerful Quotes
July 27, 2010 by danny · Leave a Comment
I’ve always loved a good quote. My senior year in high school I taped a handful of my favorites to my locker. I placed them there as little reminders and motivators. While there are 1000’s of great quotes, today I am going to share 5 quotes that have either been with me for years, or quotes that I have recently stumbled upon. Here they are …
-“A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he gets to know something.”—Wilson Mizner
It seems like we (probably me included at times) are so busy telling everyone all the things we “know” to be right, that we forget to shut up, listen and learn. I’m all for people that are willing to share a little of their knowledge and experience with others. In my opinion however, many would be wise to shut their traps so they can listen and learn from others. Out of all the things that I’ve done less than perfect in my time on this planet, one thing I give myself credit for is the fact that I have always listened to what my coaches (sport coaches) and other strength coaches (colleagues – many that are smarter than I) have had to say. I may not always agree with everyone 100% of the time, but I am going to hear what others have to say before I interrupt them and start to tell them why “my way” is right.
“The most important shot is the next one.” – my Dad
This quote from my dad has gone through my head above a billion times since he first said it to me. He first said it, reminding me that the last few shots I took don’t mean anything anymore. Even if I miss 4 straight, all that matters now is the next shot I take. This is true in so many aspects of life. If we mess up, move on, because there is nothing that we can do about it now. It is time to move on and give our next shot our best attempt.
“Consistency not novelty is the secret to uncommon results.”- Dr. John Berardi
Now, I don’t think JB is the creator of this quote (I could be wrong), but he is the first person I heard say it (write it). We need to stop searching for the magic potion and realize that good old fashion hard work and discipline are where it’s at. How ’bout we stop believing those stupid infomercials that promise us 6-pack abs in 14 seconds or less. “The ‘Rock and Go Exerciser’ now only $200! We promise if you buy our product, you’ll have the booty, and man of your dreams”…
“If you are so smart, why do you need my credit card?” – Jim Rome
I’ve heard Jim Rome say this numerous times when talking about the “expert” gamblers. They are notorious for telling 
the radio listeners that “all you have to do is give us your credit card information, and we’ll guarantee you a 14-0 week. And don’t forget the college football play of the year!” Huh? If you could go 14-0 every week, why don’t you just go ahead and place the bets for yourself and not ask me for my cc number? Snakes! Good call Romey!
“Life is a game of adjustments.” - my Dad
Poppa McLarty makes it in again! If your man keeps beating you to the right, force him left. If you are getting Cs and Ds in school - study more. Get a tutor. Hang out with smart chicks. You can’t seem to lose any weight? Maybe doughnuts every morning for breakfast should be replaced with pastured eggs, old-fashioned oatmeal, and some organic blue berries. You’re a Green Bay Packers fan and your life sucks? Stop rooting for the Packers. You get the point – make the necessary adjustments in life and you’re life will be more awesome.
It’s very easy to motivate me. All you have to do is send me a motivating quote or picture, and you’ll see me sprinting to the squat rack. I hope these quotes motivate you, make you think a bit, and help make you do good stuff. Man, how did I not include that powerful quote in my high school locker? … “help make you do good stuff.” That’s deep man, deep.
Overweight Kids, Accountability, and Some Fun
July 20, 2010 by danny · 2 Comments
A have a few great blog posts to share with you today. They all deal with a BIG problem that continues to become a BIGGER problem (puns intended). The problem I am speaking of? Our kids are getting fatter and more unhealthy 
every year. The cause of the problem? Video games, TV, and more processed food. Yes, these are huge problems. But who is buying our kids the video games? Who is bringing all this crappy food home? Who is taking our kids to McDonald’s every week? See where I am getting? Us adults/parents need to step up and take some accountability as well. I could go on and on, but I’ll turn it over to a couple guys that already did a great job of writing about the overweight kid problem/parents needing to step up problem.
In this post, Mark simply tells it like it is. Please parents, don’t get defensive and angry at Mark. Think about what he is saying and think about what we can do to help. We (my wife and I) are far from perfect so I am not saying that we don’t have improvements to make as well. When I read this I immediately brought Carson (9 years old) over to the computer and went over this information with him and Shondra (wife). As she is the one doing most of the “kid” grocery shopping in the house. I think it helped both of them to see this article. And it helped Carson to see the nasty looking picture of what I thought was ice cream. DISGUSTING!!! My favorite quote from the article; (when talking about his daughter) “Granted, she will have the occasional treat like a home baked cookie or piece of candy every so often, but she won’t have a treat every day because a treat per day isn’t a treat, it’s a habit.”
Brian St. Pierre once again hammers home the point that we have a choice. Yes, there is fast food all over the place. Yes, a good amount of the grocery stores are filled with candy and sugar. But we don’t HAVE TO buy it. Be accountable and don’t blame others!
Overdoing It?
I hope you don’t think I am crazy. I still think we should take our kids out for pizza night. Ice cream after a big win for the baseball team? Great! All I am asking, is that this are not the staple. Every night? Every (many) meal? C’mon! Again, the problem is growing, and it’s only getting worse. Let’s all step up as parents and make some changes! 
Fun!
It drives me crazy that Carson can watch the Suite Life of Zack and Cody, WWE, and Sponge Bob for hours on end. It can be like pulling teeth to get him to get outside and spend 10 minutes (yes, just 10 minutes!!!) working on his dribbling skills. I could go on and on (and I have) and tell him what most of us parents do; “Carson, back when I was your age I would get some friends together and spend hours and hours outside… pick up basketball games; tennis ball baseball; swimming at the Rockton Pool; tackle football in the back yard…..” and the list goes on. But, if all I do is pound him with, “you should be more like me” stories, I am just going to end up one frustrated person with no change in sight.
So, how ’bout the option of getting out there and playing with him? This past weekend we spent about 2 hours each day at the pool swimming. We timed eachother to see how fast we could make it from one end of the pool and back. And spent a lot of our time diving for a tennis ball into the pool… always a favorite of mine. Not sure who has more fun at this “game,” me or the kids. 
…
Yep, as a kid I played Mike Tyson’s Punch-out and loved it!
I watched WWF. I ate (and still sometimes eat) reese’s pieces. But let’s make sure our kids are not doing this all day. Make sure they are eating some fruits ‘n veggies, lean protein, and having some fun while playing outside. And remember, the best way to accomplish this may be to get out there and some fun with them!
5 Fitness Tips for The Laughing Cow…
July 5, 2010 by danny · Leave a Comment
When the good people from The Laughing Cow asked me to provide them with 5 fitness tips, I was happy to help out. Here is what I came up with…
1) There is no ‘magic trick’ to improving your body; train, eat, sleep, and repeat. Those that are consistent, disciplined, and give everything they have, can bring their health, physique and performance to a new level.
Are You Ready?
April 29, 2010 by danny · 3 Comments
Danny, how many grams of protein, carbs, and fat should I eat each day? Oh, and do you think I should be carb cycling? And when it comes to my weight training, do you think I should use the pre-fatigue or post-fatigue method?
These are the type of questions I get from people all the time. While I’m flattered that my opinion matters to them, more often than not this person is not ready to even worry about this stuff. What do I mean by this? Well, most people don’t come even close to taking care of the basics. I don’t really care if you are eating 175 grams versus 183 grams of protein per day if you not doing the following….
-supplementing with fish oil
-drinking your green tea daily
-drinking approximately half of your body weight in ounces of water per day (i.e. you weigh190 lbs so you drink ~ 95 ounces of water per day)
-preparing your meals in advance so you are never find yourself absolutely starving, which will make you more susceptible to binging. I consider myself a pretty disciplined person, but if my blood sugar is dropping fast and I’m starting to get that, “kill me know” feeling, I’m going to find myself pulling in to the nearest pizza joint yelling… GIVE ME SOME PEPPERONI, NOW!
There you go, take in about 2-3 grams (minimum) of combined DHA/EPA per day from your fish oil supplement. So, if you read the label on the back of your bottle and it says, “DHA – 200 mg; EPA – 300 mg per softgel,” then you would have to take 6 per day to get 3 grams of combined DHA/EPA (500 mg X 6 = 3000 mg, Or 3 grams).
Get at least one serving of green tea per day.
Drink mucho agua.
Prepare your meals in advance, store it in a glass container, bring it to work and eat the “leftovers” there.
4 tips that anyone can incorporate without killing themself. Just takes a little prep. Before you know it, it will become a habit and a lifestyle.
Do all of the above day-in, day-out, then we can talk about advanced training methods. And we can talk about whether or not carb-cycling would be a good choice for you. And we talk about the best game show of all time. Wait, we can talk about that even if you are not drinking green tea. The answer to that is obviously the Family Feud.
Halftime of the Nuggets/Jazz game is approaching, so I’m off to do some cooking (seriously I am, I’m not just saying that…I promise). I hope you follow these simple life-changing tips and then a few weeks later hit me up with, “Danny, I’ve been doing “extended-5s” for the past 3 weeks and my gunz are getting hyooge! If I switch over to “classic clusters” do you think the chicks will be all over me?”
Umm, I like the classic cluster, but even that training method won’t save you. Let’s start off by unrolling your pants, and go from there…
Recipe of the Week
April 20, 2010 by danny · Leave a Comment
It’s that time again. Time for a new, tasty, healthy recipe. While I usually turn to Gourmet Nutrition for great meals, today I’m going to give you one that my friend and co-worker Michelle Adams sent to me and has been using with her clients for some time now…
Turkey Meatloaf
Turkey Meatloaf Ingredients:
1 package 99% lean turkey
3/4 cup organic tomato sauce (usually use one from Trader Joe’s)
1/2 cup egg whites
1 serving Quinoa Flakes (from Whole Foods) or 1/2 cup Quick Oats
Seasoning to taste-sea salt, garlic powder, italian seasoning
Instructions right from Michelle:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Spray non-stick spray in a casserole dish and empty all ingredients into dish.
MICROWAVE with glass lid ajar for about 10-12 minutes.
Top with a rice based parmesean sprinkle from Whole Foods. I also like Annie’s Naturals Organic Ketchup.
Thanks Michelle!
My 10-Minute Vent
April 15, 2010 by danny · Leave a Comment
I’ve got an extra 10-minutes here, and I feel like getting a few things off my chest. And I thank you for being here when I need you most. I love you all. Well, except you Randy. I’m still mad at you for putting that that “kick me” sign on my butt at the school assembly in 7th grade. All the girls laughed at me and it still keeps me up at night. Damn you Randy! Everyone else, thanks for the love, and for listening…
Lucky Charms, Trix, etc. etc. etc. etc.
It ticks me off that there are so many commercials (everywhere in the media, really) that push a food as a health food, when it is far from it. Obesity is a huge problem in our country, and this deceit is not helping. For example, cereals that get the “Whole Grain Guaranteed” seal of approval from General Mills. The majority of these cereals are nothing more than sugar in a box with low fiber and a list of ingredients that I wouldn’t want me worst enemy to eat (except for you Randy. Man you’re an a-hole!). Part of the problem? The consumer needs to be more savvy. And I’m here to help “savvy you up.” So, if your cereal (or basically any food), has a bunch of carbs, very little fiber, and sugar is one of the first ingredients in the ingredients list, then it is NOT healthy.
Don’t get me wrong, I get my cheat on from time to time. But at least I know when I am cheating and when I’m being a good boy. And that is the message here; educate yourself so you know good from bad. Then, you can make adjustments in your food plan to get to your goals. For a good place to start as far as educating yourself, check this out. End vent.
Finishing on a positive note; the sun is out and I’m about to give a basketball lesson before heading to the gym to train clients for the day. Plus, the Cubs have won 2 in a row, the Bulls are in the playoffs, and the Bears haven’t lost in 2010. Life is good. Good bye.
New Service…
March 24, 2010 by danny · Leave a Comment
Beach Season Is Right Around The Corner!
I want to make everyone aware of the new service I just added. I’m calling it , “The Cook Training Program.” One of the reasons I started this website, was to be able to help as many people as possible reach their health and physique goals. I designed The Cook Training Program with the intention of reaching the masses. It is very affordable for just about anyone.
You choose your main goal. With beach season right around the corner, maybe you are looking to lean out a bit. If so, go with the fat loss program.
If you are one of the “lucky ones,” and are already lean, maybe you are looking to add a little size. If that is the case, go with the muscle gaining program.
To get all of the details, check out this link.
From Them, To Me, To You…
March 22, 2010 by danny · 3 Comments
Everyday I make sure I do some reading in order to keep learning. Today I have a couple of great posts for you to check out.
This is a post from Brian St. Pierre. Over the last couple of years I’ve heard a number of people refer to the “China Study” when talking about the evils of animal meat, and casein protein. This study seemed to be their, “game-set-match” reference, as to why a vegetarian diet is the ideal diet. Not so fast. As Brian explains, there are some definite holes is this study. Within this post, Brian also links a post he made last week about the China Study. (be sure to check out that post as well, if you want to get a better overall view on Brian’s thoughts on the China Study) Very logical stuff here. At least in my opinion.
Boost Calories with Olive Oil Shots?!
My good friend, Dr. Clay Hyght, gives a quick tip on how to use olive oil (and fish/flax oil) to help “hardgainers” add a little size.
See you later on in the week…
Check This Out And Pass It On
March 4, 2010 by danny · Leave a Comment
I had no intentions of making a post today. But I was reading a post that Tony Gentilcore made, (one of my favorite websites to visit) and I had to pass this on. Powerful stuff. When watching the video below, please don’t have this mindset; “yeah, but I need to live a little. I’ll be damned if I spend my life doing nothing but working out and eating spinach all day.” Cop-out! You can still get your cheat on. Go ahead, throw back a few brewskis, pound a pepperoni pizza, take the day off from training. Just make sure this is the exception, rather than the rule.
As you’ll see in the video, America is in trouble. Diet related disease in the #1 killer in our country – ahead of cigarette smoking, drugs, murder, car accidents, roller derby accidents, and everything else that kills us. Last night my wife made the family “lemon-poached cod” from our Gourmet Nutrition cookbook. And let me tell you, if was very tasty. A healthy, active life doesn’t have to a boring, miserable one. Anyway, enough of my ramblings, check out the video below…
