In this episode of STRONGCast Podcast, I interview my homeboy, BMack of CrossFit Endurance, aka Brian MacKenzie.
A world-renowned strength and conditioning coach, author of Power Speed Endurance, A Skill Based approach to Endurance Training, and the innovator of the endurance / strength and conditioning paradigm. He created CrossFit Endurance, which specializes in movement with an emphasis in running, cycling, and swimming mechanics.
BMack and his program have been featured in Competitor Magazine, Runners World, Triathlete Magazine, Men’s Journal, ESPN Rise, The Economist, Tim Ferriss’ New York Timesbestseller The 4-Hour Body, Men’s Running UK, LA Sport & Fitness, and Rivera Magazine.
He has consulted with several teams, including the 2012 & 2013 Western Athletic Conference Champions San Jose State Women’s Swim Team.
We discuss the following:
- Writing an autobiography, being famous vs focusing on coaching and CrossFit
- Where did BMack grow up & what sports was he involved with as a kid
- How & why he got into sports
- The jobs BMack held down before becoming a Strength & Conditioning Coach
- Why he became a Coach, and, eventually, a CrossFit Coach
- The first Gym BMack owned & the equipment / methods being used
- His first interaction and experience with a CrossFit WOD
- His life as a personal trainer
- The first time he presented his methods at CrossFit HQ
- Greg Glassman
- Days of Powerlifting vs Days of endless swim, bike, run workouts
Enjoy the show and please share with your friends!
[youtube width="640" height="360"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMQUtggCOik[/youtube]
To Listen on iTunes, (audio only) Click Here
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13 Responses
This is either for you, BMack or other Crossfitters. When I talk to none Crossfit coaches they always comment about the injury rate of athletes or participants in Crossfit. I have heard interviews with very respected Strength Coaches state the same. I believe heightened rate (true or not) of injuries goes straight to the coaches, and not the system. Now if every person became injured then I would throw up a stop sign, but that is not the case. BMack said in the beginning it was very grass roots, although he said it still is. I don’t agree with that comment. It is huge! Socially for many it is status, both for the participant and trainer.
My question is with the increase in popularity, countless Level 1 certs sold out months in advance, do you or anyone else fear a dilution of quality? Do you fear that there will be so many trainers that it is only a matter of time that something really goes wrong at a box with a lower quality coach?
You know how media will grab on to something and run. Something this popular has many targets, and would be a feeding frenzy. I know there are great Crossfit coaches, and bad ones. Just like strength coaches or personal trainers. But this is a system and a bigger target.
Let me know if this is a fear, and what you think should be done to prevent it.
Great question we will answer this in pt 2 , homie!
Dustin,
good points right there. I’ve been asking myself those same questions.
With Crossfit becoming so huge they should think about raising the bar of becoming a certified coach. On the other hand – a good education doesnt mean you will become a good professional. Look at all those dentists, lawyers & doctors out there. My experience is that 75% are not worth their money.
So in the end – quality will prevail and people who truly love what they do will see through the person and be able to judge by themselves.
Another thing is that Crossfit by itself can be quite dangerous if not applied soundly. The programm is designed to push you quickly into a fatigue state. If your technique isnt 110% you’re prone to getting injured in that state. So it really is up to the trainer to judge where you’re at.
Or even better – develop a self control. That on the other hand can only be developed over time and constant self observance.
Cheers
I can’t wait for part two. It is unfair to crossfit to say you have to have all this accrediation to be a legit box.
Unless it comes from higher up (Coach Glassman).
I am interested in finding out what is said in part two!
Just finished listening to the interview with Brian. Great stuff, Z!
Looking back at the early days of CrossFit, when it was still a garage-gym movement is always cool!
I remember meeting Greg Admunson, Nicole Carroll, Annie Sakamoto in Santa Cruz. John Hackelman, Mark Rippetoe, Coach Glassman, and Mike Burgener were all there teaching.
Yes, they crushewd us big time for 3 days, but it was well worth it.
I’ll never forget it.
One other point you and Brian brought up was volume/injuries.
I always kept my volume pretty high when I began CrossFit; however, after attending your USC Cert. in Ft. Lauderdale (which I attended with a torn bicep tendon) I changed to less volume and more recovery. I have not had an injury since then.
anyways, thanks again for doing these interviews!
Frank you’re the man, CrossFit culture is addictive, so it pushes people often time far beyond their comfort zone AND physical preparation abilities!
Great interview Zach! Got me in the mood to try your 7 rounds of pullups, DL, and snatches.. Keep up the good work
That one hurt!! Those were from the home gym garage days!
Disappointing interview choice. Crossfit endurance is a fundamentally flawed program selling the training equivalent of snake oil. How many competitive ultra / distance althetes has crossfit endurance produced? How many crossfit endurance “athletes” have placed at the Crossfit games? What happened @ Badwater? There are tons of great coaches out there, look forward to other interviews.
Brandon, I appreciate your feedback but definitely not the negative spin. Snake oil?
Really? I don’t follow the competitors in the ultra world but just because a program doesn’t create world champions doesn’t make it snake oil
Flawed Program? You are damn right it is.
Buddy Morris, one of the smartest coaches on the planet said EVERY program is flawed
My program hasn’t built world champions and there are MANY reasons behind that…..
– right time and place
– opportunity
– the attitude, mindset, commitment and lifestyle of the athletes
I have seen HORRIBLE programs work for pro level athletes, why…. because those athletes succeed in spite of the garbage training, U can hit those guys in the ball with a sledge hammer and 20 minutes later they will play best game of their life
CFE athletes – I know Brian works with MANY of the top level CF athletes to improve running swimming, biking and in turn helps them improve performance
I never mind feedback but I am not a fan of negative comments for whatever reason, it’s always better to follow our simple guidelines of being nice.
This is great, great stuff. Great stories from the past with two genuine, oldschool coaches.
Just love these pod/strongcasts. Brian seems to be a really cool dude.
Zach, would love to see a strongcast with Matt Wichlinski or Ross Enamait (Ross will probably be a hard nut to get on air – but who knows).
Keep it up!
Sven
Sven I will certainly ask!!! Ross is awesome, and agreed, he is not a fan of interviews mainly due to the fact that he might get comments like below, negative comments.
Ross is a beast, very influential to me since day 1!
To have Ross on would be awesome. He’s a legend and pure inspiration.
Won’t forget the time when someone challenged him doing deadlifts. Him coming from a boxing/calisthenics background and not lifting and then pull almost 3x his bodyweight from the getgo was just an awesome performance.
Cheers