If there was an Olympics for trainers and strength and fitness coaches, this would be it.
Island training guru Marc St. Jules has assembled an impressive gallery of all-stars in the field for his day-long Sports and Fitness Symposium tomorrow at Bear Mountain Resort. Among those taking part are John Ireland, who as fitness and strength coach for the Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy dealt with David Beckham, Jeff Handler, who is PGA golfer Mike Weir's strength and conditioning specialist, Seattle Seahawks strength and conditioning coach Darren Krein, Phoenix Suns strength and conditioning specialist Erik Phillips and renowned fitness trainer Pete Twist from Vancouver.
"Like most athletes now, David [Beckham] takes very good care of himself," said Ireland.
But athletes of every level need expert advice in how to do so, which has led to the burgeoning field of personal trainers and fitness, strength and conditioning coaches.
"Athletes want to know what's the edge? What's the advantage?" said Handler.
"All the guys on the PGA Tour have talent. What can separate a golfer from the pack is the ability to practise, practise and practise without getting hurt."
The other aspect is strength.
"It's no secret that if you want to hit the ball
further, you have to get stronger," added Handler. "That means heavy lifting. Not five or 10 pound weights. Mike [Weir] squats 300 pounds and dead lifts 265 pounds. That's why despite his size, he can hit the ball 305 yards and averages 289 yards."
St. Jules said he put this event, which includes a Pound 4 Pound fitness challenge with Island pro and Olympic celebrity judges, together for a reason.
"I want this information to get out there and passed on to as many people as possible," said the Courtenay trainer and innovator of the St. Jules Method. "So many old school ways and methods are still being used and it's hurting kids and adults who are participating in sports at all levels."
St. Jules said the seminars are aimed at athletes, coaches, P.E. teachers, athletic directors, personal trainers, health and fitness professionals, both golf pros and avid golfers and general fitness buffs.
Yet even the experts warn you have to be smart about it and that every approach has its limits.
"Anytime a Kenny Perry, John Daly or Mark
Calcavecchia -- those who are vocally famous for not working out -- wins a PGA event, people question what we as fitness, strength and conditioning experts do and if it's necessary," noted Handler.
"But you will find that most golfers, indeed most athletes, now realize that a fitness-based regimen is a necessary year-long process that must be kept up. Mike [Weir] was 145 pounds when I met him. He's now 162 pounds and he needs to maintain that year-round."
Not that a little bit of old school hurts, however. "At MLS practice sessions, you see trainers with laptops on the sidelines monitoring and measuring everything and it does help you educate the coaches on when to push and when to back off," said Ireland. "But the old-fashioned method of simply running athletes into the ground can still be important, too, at the right times."
Workshop topics will include successful team training for any sport, golf and soccer specific training, personal training, core training and sports nutrition. Silent auction items, with
proceeds going to Free the Children, include memorabilia donated from Island pros and Olympians such as Steve Nash, Simon Whitfield, Travis Cross and also from Beckham, Weir, Justin Morneau and Sidney Crosby.
The fitness challenge is sold out but spots remain open for the seminars. For more information visit: www.athletesunited.tv
