Momentum Training on Canadian Center for Strength and Conditioning
Recently Jenna and I (Josh) went on a train the trainer course held over a 3 day period in London. As Momentum staff we always pride ourselves on learning from the best. Andre Benoit is nothing short of this. I’ll leave it to her to tell you all about it:
Josh asked for my top five memories from the course:
1. Andre rocked.
Not only as our teacher but also as our coach during the training sessions.
We trained twice per day between the lectures. The sessions were such an intense but positive experience I would love to have had more. He not only taught me about my own body but also about how high level coaches approach their athletes. It was great to be with someone who brings out the very best in you and to have him do it with such kindness and humour.
2. Hypertrophy training methods.
I received so much exciting information for programming barbell club next year. More pain, more tears, more gains. Time to get massive. Intelligently.
3. Shoulder health.
As most people know I always request that people do strict pull ups in my classes rather than kipping. I am now even more convinced on this.
4. No bullshit.
I can genuinely say that there was not a minute of the course during which I didn’t learn something incredibly useful about strength and hypertrophy, or just life, really (except, perhaps, when Josh told me about his ingrowing hair). It was career changing to be with someone so knowledgeable. Not only from a high level of academic research but also from 28 years of experience at Olympic and professional level both as an athlete himself and with his clients since. I have a very low threshold for the bullshit in this industry so to have so much small group time with someone like Andre was a dream come true.
5. The affect of alcohol on training.
Now I know how awesome I could have been had I not been a Londoner.
My favourite (slightly paraphrased) quotes:
‘Don’t get out your percentage calculators. Just pick it up’.
To get better at a sport, you need to do the sport. Not run in and out of ladders in a globo gym. “There is NO SUCH THING as sport specific training in a gym*”.
Thanks for an inspirational time guys x
(*with the exception of power lifting, Olympic lifting, and CrossFit).