the Blog
The “Post-Facts” Era in the Fitness and Diet Industries
Journalists are describing the times we now live in as "the Post-Facts Era," and they are at a loss as to what to do about it. It was bad enough back when politicians and pundits would look at the exact same set of facts, but use those same facts in opposite ways,...
“BINGO”: How One Word Can Create An Automatic Success Habit
I developed an accidental mental habit back in the early days of my bodybuilding career. It was a mental habit that set me up for incredible success and achievements, whether winning bodybuilding contests or earning academic scholarships for intellectual proficiency...
Training Priorities for Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Trainees
The first real gym I went to was a local YMCA. After kicking around the “Y” for a bit I managed to connect with a guy who had won the Mr. Canada title the last several years in the lightweight category. He agreed to let me train with him. I was more like his lackey. I...
Fitness and Physique Over 50: Welcome to the Platinum Club
I want to tell you about a club I belong to -- I call it “The Platinum Club.” Many of you are charter members already and I will be asking for your input as well as offering you a little of my own right now. But first let me give you some background. I live in the...
The Victor or Victim Mindset: How to Choose the Victor Mindset
Someone wrote me the other day, and it reminded me of one of my very first radio interviews. This was a radio program more generally about “success,” so having a bodybuilder was a bit "out there" for them. The interviewer’s face had a look of puzzlement to some of my...
How Overtraining Happens, and How to Prevent It
On the heels of my articles on the “base hit" approach to training intensity, I think it is necessary to follow that up with an article going more in depth on overtraining. Overtraining can creep up on someone quickly, and it can take a long time to resolve. The sad...
Personal Lessons from Setbacks
You'‘ve been working hard, training hard, and following your diet. Things seem to be going fine—great, even. But then, you get faced with an unforeseen setback. A major one. Maybe even a life-changing one. They happen. It’s happened to me, that’s for sure, and later...
How I approach online Coaching (examples, pictures, and 10 key principles)
I’m writing this giant post to address some of the most frequent questions/misconceptions I get about my coaching services, and to give people a better idea of how I approach what I call “Big-C” Coaching. This should be valuable for people looking to hire a Coach, for...
Life Matters
As many of you know I recently lost my father. I have just returned from taking care of his affairs, and tending to my mother. A few of you have written to me asking if I would please write about “death” when I am back among the matters of life. I’m not sure what and...
From the trenches: bad coaching nonsense
I’m going to give you a real-life case study below. But first, let’s face it. There are more bad Coaches than good Coaches in this industry. That’s the fact of it. It seems every person who has won some kind of physique contest now feels “qualified” to Coach other...
Super Slow Reps Training — Nonsense!
There exists a common problem out there in the certification world and in online expertise. So many times people are just trying to learn too much too fast. The result of that is often a misunderstanding and misapplication of key concepts and training practices,...
Guest Blog: The Value of Big-C Coaching During Pregnancy
Today's post is a guest post from a client, Antigone, about the value of Coaching during pregnancy. * * * My name is Antigone Oreopoulos and I have been a coaching client of Scott’s for many years now; at least 5+ years. I have stayed with him for this length of time...
Anterior Reaches as a glute secret weapon: It's about nuance and subtlety, not just “more resistance”!
Today's blog post is half a blog, half an exercise demonstration, because I want to make a point about subtlety and nuance, and give some insight into improving a physique without just using the "kitchen sink" approach of throwing more and more resistance exercises at...
Serious considerations for the master's trainee
I’ll let you all in on a little secret. I’m old. Yes, it’s true. And, as the old saying goes, “The older I get, the younger I used to be.” Things simply change as you age. This is reality. Fighting to maintain “an appearance of youth” seems ridiculous to me. Embracing...
Intermittent Fasting: The Diet Strategy of Sumo Wrestlers? Hmm…
I’ve been delaying writing this one for some time. Not because my perspective is unclear, but because it’s usually just a waste of time to cast aspersions or even legitimate critique to whatever diet is currently popular. People don’t want to hear truth; they want...
Three words (or four) to keep you consistent, committed, and disciplined
"Do Your Job" has been the NFL’s New England Patriots' work mantra for years now. It came first from Coach Bill Belichick, though it has spread to the whole league and fans as well. It’s now the stuff of t-shirts and hats. “DO YOUR JOB” is a simple self-talk reminder...
Awesome Husband and Wife Transformation Story
People often write me with two very mistaken misconceptions about how I work and who I work with. They often list their age and then ask “Is it too late for me?” Others will ask, “I’m not a competitor, can you still Coach me?” To the latter, LISTEN: I haven’t focused...
Three Shifts in Perspective to Stop Worrying About Food All the Time
Watch the Video: What I call the North American Diet Mentality is an example of a non-self-nurturing mindset; it will always have you judging, and playing the "compare, contrast, and compete game" against others. In this video I discuss three shifts in perspective...