Interview Series Derek Woodske!!!

I am very excited to say that today’s interviewee is none other than former National Champion and '2-Time' Canadian National team representative in hammer throwing, Derek Woodske! I met Derek for the first time in 2009 when I completed my Level 1 and 2 PICP qualifications; I believe it was his first teaching post as well on Charles Poliquin’s certification program. I then  have had the pleasure of being taught by Derek many times since in my quest to learn and expand my knowledge as a Fitness Professional. When you initially meet Derek one of the first things you have to get over is the size of this man, with hands the size of large joints of meat! His knowledge and passion for his subject is obvious, and from the moment he starts talking this is a man that definitely walks the talk. Many thanks to Derek for his time and honesty. Read and be inspired!

 Can you give us a bit of background about you, where have you come from, what got you to where you are today, your stats in your sport, what brought you into that sport and how you transitioned into trainer/coach/teacher.

Ah, that is a good question! I followed a nontraditional route into athletics due to the fact that I grew up in a small logging town in the mountains of British Columbia. The town itself only had about 200 people making it your stereotypical Canadian mountain village. I grew up competing in downhill skiing and motocross, before developing in other sports like volleyball and track and field.  However, it was track and field that I started to develop a natural aptitude for and even though we had only my Dad and I trying to figure it out. We did well enough to earn a University Scholarship in the United States, which lead to four national championships and two Canadian National Teams.  When I finally retired from sport I went towards University Coaching initially working with both Athletics and Strength and Conditioning before moving into professional sports and eventually the Poliquin Strength Institute.

What’s the most important factor in your own development as a professional?

I think the most difficult thing that people in our industry struggle with is identity. There are some many people doing so many things that people don’t know what directions to gravitate towards. Now I am not saying people are looking to follow other people, but we can only put so many irons in the fire. So by natural selection people start to identify with certain trends or individuals, which are fine I know. I have done that as well over the years. However, the one thing that I have learnt and I understand having had to be responsible for not only the strength side but also the one the field performance side. Are that gimmicks and one exercise wonders don’t work. You are not curing a bad shoulder or a weak glute medius, stop trying to sell it that way.  We make people stronger and leaner… and if you are a coach you make them bigger, stronger and faster and if what you are using doesn’t do any of the above? Then it doesn’t fit in your toolbox.  We are human mechanics not doctors, and unless you’re a physio truthfully your role should not begin until theirs finishes.

Who is your clientele?

Technically speaking it is the great student body that attends Poliquin courses around the world. However, privately this past season I programmed for a wide variety of athletes and clients from crossfit to the Mr.Olympia stage.

What is your method? How do assess your client’s needs?

I am a schooled therapist and it would be assumed that I use this method for the majority of my assessments but I really don’t. I studied human interactions and communications for years in University and I believe that the client or athlete will tell you everything you need to know through a good trust established conversation. Once they have painted an outline for you as a coach you can use your practical knowledge and testing methods to assess them.

Where do you go from there?

Depending on their training age and experience I will begin writing their programs for them with a 12week goal in mind. Everything I do is based around a 12-week goal because I believe that anything less then 12 weeks is really not a training program.

Do you deal with all aspects of your clients? Nutrition, Training, Psychological, therapy, or do you refer?

No, not anymore 90% of what I do now is satellite program design. However, being a therapist allows be some advantages when training clients one on one. It allows be to make minute-by-minute adjustments in them to ensure maximal efficiency during a session.

What do you say to clients/athletes who aren’t making progress as quickly as they would expect?

If I know that they are truly working hard and they are following the nutritional protocols that they have agreed to, then we have no choice but to look at something’s from a medical standpoint.  I am not a guy that sends every person for monitory blood work when they walk through my door. I am not a Doctor and I have no desire to make it seem like I am when a client just wants to work out.  We start with the external world first and unless they come in as a health risk from medical referral, really the job I was hired for involves sweating.

How do you deal with clients who are not motivated when they come to train?

Honesty? If they’re athletes they just have to do it and I will stand over them on every rep until they understand that what we are training to achieve is helping them become a star.  If it is a general client and they are there for reason that are not clear. I will help them psychologically see those reasons… if they simply don’t give a shit then I let them go and move on to those that want to be apart of something.

Who are the top 5 experts in fitness and strength in the world?

In my opinion that is not an easy question, for example if you wanted to prepare an athlete for American Football I would tell you to talk to Buddy Morris, If you wanted to become more mobile I would say Ido Portal but I wouldn’t recommend either of them for the other person’s area of expertise. People think that there are clear leaders in our industry…there just simply isn’t. I can travel to Europe and meet coaches that are amazing or I can stay in the USA and find the same success. People that say so and so is the best strength coach because of A, B and C reasons are speaking from their experience.  All I care about is weather or not I can use what they taught me to ensure continued success in my athletes.

What are your top 5 nutrition tips for bodybuilding?

Eat More, Eat Cleaner, Eat More Frequently, Drink More Water and Increase Fiber

Top 5 tips for ensuring results?

Consistency and patience.

Your favorite training program you have done in the last year… what did the lower body session look like? (Unless it was a total body session in which case… share that!)

Favorite Session? My EDT for squats, you can find it currently on www.t-mag.com

What are your training goals at the moment?

Decrease overall size (I know blasphemy!) and improve anaerobic capacity.

What’s your back squat 1 RM at the moment?

I have not squatted heavy in 5 months or what I would consider over 75% but last week during a strength seminar I squatted 500lbs for four reps.

You have travelled the globe teaching for CP, what’s the best equipped gym (other than Rhode Island) that you have trained in.

Private gyms it is a tie between Workout RD in Santo Domingo and UP Fitness Mayfair London. Public gyms, in my opinion the best gym I have been in during the 12 months was Armbrust Pro Gym Wheatridge Colorado. I have not been in a better gym in the world, true story.

One of the elements of our industry that we believe to be underdeveloped is proper youth training, have you trained younger members of the public (6-16 yrs old), do you have views on how this training should be integrated into a sport, should one of them want to follow that sport to professional level?

The biggest mistake that we see if the focus on a sport or a training system that is too specific too soon in development. The key to long-term development is bilateral transfer. I explain to people all the time that until you reach a certain age the more sports that you participate in the better, including no competitive activities. The more the better…period.

What is wrong with the big conglomerate gyms of today?

Depends on the gym…. But basically no accountability, if you go in on Monday or not no one is going to notice and no one is going to care. The reason that crossfit is so successful is due to the fact that they create relationship amongst the members.  You don’t have to affiliate with anyone but if you want compliance and training loyalty you have to make sure that your clients or athlete don’t go unnoticed.

What’s next for you and your development?

Keep improving keep growing, it all we can really do.

Many Thanks to Derek for taking the time to answer my questions, you can follow Derek at his amazing blog:

The (Man)imals Guide

http://themanimalsguide.wordpress.com/tag/derek-woodske/

Here are a couple clips of Derek training