If you were a professional athlete and cost was not a factor, which strength coach would you hire if you wanted to improve your performance: Charlie P, Jay Schroeder, Paul Chek, Al Vermeil, Louie Simmons or someone else?
I’m interested in hearing replies and reason.
Trench
Charlie Francis
Depends on the sport, but I think you could do worse than Poliquin.
Coach John Davies!
In faith,
Matt
Just look at my name and you’ll realize why I’m saying Paul Chek.
I would go for Louie Simmons.
Though I am interested to hear why PGA considers Paul Chek to be a strength coach?.
Depends completely on the sport… some of the men listed there have better knowledge and experience developing different kinds of strengths. The one common factor is that every trainer you listed there is very knowledgeable at their particular specialization.
Louie develops power and maximal strength like no other, but he specializes in linear development. I am not sure I would send my baseball players to him. Would he screw them up…of course not, but finding someone who understands the principles of MaxS, Power, and how these affect the human structure when applied to circular movements is important. Plus, like Louie said in his Reactive video, he is no expert on stretching.
Davies is one of the best men at developing mobility, agility, and efficiencey of movement. I feel his programs may lack enough MaxS work for certain sports, thus limiting the power output required for certain tasks. I say this, but I have only seen a few of his actual programs he sells, along with a binder with all of his articles and his e-book. If your sport requires balance, grace, speed strength, and a high work threshold, then he is the guy to see. A stunningly good motivator, especially if you are a consumer… not a jab, he is just a good marketer… uses all of the tools…and they work.
Movement on the ground such as grappling, you might be well off to visit Sonnon and Furey to get in shape… plus some clubbell or kettlebell training to supplement your regular lifting would be good… so Mahler or Pavel maybe… then add rotational training… believe me when i say this training will help your grappling prowress…
Jay is of course a successful coach… I just wish I could get a client for 6 years… I have moved high schoolers from 4.6’s to high 4.3’s in 2 years, but he made a pro out of a blob of clay… remember, if you give a good trainer time, they will make your dream into a goal, then your goal will become reality. Just whether you can stay dedicated to the plan… and whether they have taken the time to become educated (and I mean besides for a monthly newslaetter and a yearly conference (ie, NSCA, etc)).
If you are seriously looking, any one of the men you listed has extensive experience, but some have more in certain areas… if you required mobility work and went to Louie, he would arrange for you to do sessions with people who know that area. Trainers are more than just a guy who writes programs, but has the experience to design a complete system to maximize your transformation into the particular function the sport requires.
The guys at westside are very correct when they say that a coach should have walked the path at least for a while…
I have put up some very nice numbers, but nothing like guys who train at the darkside… I would defer every time to their expertise, or have a client meet with Big Martin, who is close by to me… in the area of powerlifting…i am proud, but not dumb… i do not know what 800 pounds feels like across my back (except for 1/4 squats). I cannot imagine pressing 600 pounds… but, can Big M run a 4.4 forty… i doubt it…can he develop power…yes…unbelieveable power and MaxS, but he has not run like a Charlie Francis… so he would probably arrange for you to learn running and agility from a specialist in that area…
am i saying every great coach has to be a former great athlete…not at all…in fact, many of the worst coaches were the best athletes…but, it does give insight…
so… if you elaborate on the sport, and your timeframe, a recommendation as to what system may be best would be easier…every trainer you listed, plus many, many more may best suit your needs… plus, if money was truly no object, why not consult with a few… hehe, and watch the sparks fly…
Funny no one mentioned CT or Defranco… I realize Defrancio meets a niche market, and CT is busy finishing school, but these guys are pretty darn good… plus, they have been more than generous with knowledge,…especially CT.
Lil’ Coach H
CSCS
I would choose Richard Simmons as my strength/fitness coach and Dr. Phil to handle all my dietary needs.
Hell, I already chose CT without ever having to meet him. As Silverback pointed out, he is VERY generous with his information, and his Modern Trends book is clear with its information and presents a ton of info. All of my current strength work (currently his Speed-strength sport blocks of CAD) is based off from that book.
Zippy, were you being sarcastic? If not here’s the reason. Chek is by far the best golf conditioning coach out there. Thats my sport so I would choose to go with him.
First time i saw your nick ,pga200x’ I wondered if you were a golf biomechanic. I too am a chek junkie, but if strength was my goal (as most people seem to have no idea that they need to work on things that paul chek teaches), then I would choose charles poliquin. Alot of what comes out of paul cheks mouth seems to have come from charles poliquin, even his jokes. CP might as well get royalties for PC’s program design course for everything that was referenced to him.
Joe Kenn or Jim wenlder…ross
Paul Chek didn’t invent golf conditioning, others were also doing it even before he did. Remember, he didn’t invent the core, it’s beena round.
That is very sport determinant as others have mentioned. Ronnie Coleman wouldn’t be best off going to Paul Chek or Charles Staley and on that thought, Tiger Woods wouldn’t want to train with Charles Glass or Author L. Rea.
Nobody is saying he invented anything iron. His Golf Biomechanics book is the BEST golf conditioning book out there. Sure some things are missing but its the most well round golf conditiong book out there. Everybody takes something from someone. Then they imporve on it or tweak it to their needs. If that wasnt the case we would still be in the dark ages.
No PGA I was not being sarcastic,Paul Chek is not someone I follow and I have never played Golf so I was not aware of his speciality conditioning programmes.
Well, I’d have to say myself, since I’m confident in my abilities as a SC…
But if i had to pick a guy to talk shop with, it would be Charles Staley.
Victor Conte
That guy produces results. Heh.
Dietrich Buchenholz and Vasily Alexeev 
With out a doubt
Tom Myslinski.
His QnA’s at Elitefts are brilliant.
Christian Thibaudeau is running in second
Funny how Tom wrote the forward for CT’s book.