“It’s not about me blowing up my Instagram profile, it’s not about me showing who I’m working with. It’s about, hey, if I do great work and the athletes that I work with get great results, that will speak for itself.“
Mike Robertson
What You will learn
- Key principles that underly successful training & rehab.
- How to create a filtering system in an era of information overload.
- Advice for young coaches & therapists from a 20+ year industry expert.
What advice does a performance coach of 20+ years have to share with the next generation?
How does that advice not only apply to high performance, but in life in general?
In this episode, long time physical preparation coach Mike Robertson is here to share his advice, stories, and perspective not only on pro sports, but in life too.
Mike has been a leader in the physical preparation industry for over two decades. Mike’s personal blog, robertsontrainingsystems.com, has been a resource for thousands of young coaches and practitioners. Mike has been a contributor to other websites and blogs including Men’s Health, T-Nation, and ESPN. Mike is also the host of the Physical Preparation podcast with over 200 episodes interviewing athletes, coaches, therapists, and many more.
Mike currently is the co-owner of IFAST in Indianapolis, IN where he is providing physical preparation training for both pro basketball and soccer players in addition to general population. Finally, Mike has turned his 20+ years in the industry into (2) valuable resources – IFAST University and the Complete Coach Certification – both are online education programs that elevate the next generation of coaches.
On a personal note, I’ve known Mike from years after crossing paths when we were both working in professional soccer. I always walk away from our conversations learning something and I am happy to finally be able to share one of our conversations with you.
Listen here – Finding Small Wins Podcast:
014 | Mike Robertson: Training for The Athlete’s Best Interest
Notable Quotes
“I often go and watch PTs treat my athletes, I have to be vulnerable. I have to expose myself a little bit, but it allows me to really grow the relationship both with the other professionals and with my athlete.”
Mike Robertson
“You could be the worst coach on the planet, but if the athlete likes you, their brain chemistry is wired for them to get a positive adaptation from training with you.”
Mike Robertson
Key Takeaways:
[2:02] Mike talks about his career, which splits in two, the training aspect and the online presence.
[3:16] Mike shares his experience with professional athletes.
[5:45] Mike talks about his experience with pro-soccer athletes.
[9:55] How can the team staff best support performance staff when managing an athlete’s off-season program?
[11:44] Has Mike ever invited people to train in his space?
[12:55] Mike shares advice to improve communication in the Team environment.
[16:22] How can PTs manage or avoid tension between private and team staff?
[18:31] How can team and private practice be better integrated?
[24:14] How can the next generation of coaches and therapists vet what’s out there?
[28:09] In Physical preparation, what has withstood the test of time? Smart fundamental training.
[30:43] Is there anything else you used to do from the history of physical performance that has come and gone?
[35:58] What are the big pillars of Mike’s program? What does he believe in? Improving movement efficiency and economy first are Mike’s program pillars
[41:55] What would Mike recommend if someone wanted to incorporate data with an athlete, tech data?
[50:36] How is Mike helping his clients find the small wins along the way?
[54:30] How does Mike find his small wins?
[59:22] Mike shares his advice with anyone who wants to upgrade their health and performance.
[1:01:34] Mike answers a series of rapid-fire questions.
