If you are looking to build muscle, lose fat or just feel a little better physically, it seems like a fairly obvious step to search on the internet for information. Unfortunately, this is where the problems occur. Differentiating between some of the best trainers in the world and the 140-pound “trainer” with a great publicist but no real training experience is not easy. Following advice from the former is a great way to get set for consistent progress for years, whilst the latter will lead to frustration and stagnation. Here are three coaches who can be relied upon for great training advice.
Keeping it Simple with Dan John
Exercise can occasionally become a horribly complicated affair. Which one, how many, what tempo, concentric contractions, eccentric contractions, life is not easy for the trainee. Dan John has the gift of making it simple and communicating his ideas with humour. If you were to follow the advice of just one person for the rest of your training career, Dan John would be a perfect choice. He has written about everything from improving highland games performance to fat loss and his advice is easy to follow and produces results.
Losing Fat With Craig Ballantyne
Craig Ballantyne is a coach based in Toronto, Canada. He is more of a specialist than Dan John in that his Turbulence Training protocol is based on losing body fat. He is also fairly heavily promoted all over the internet, which can be somewhat off-putting, but the fact of the matter is that he offers very good advice for those interested in losing body fat in the most efficient manner possible. Craig recommends a healthy diet based on whole foods rather than supplements (although he is not anti-supplements as such). His workouts are based on combining weight training and intervals to really rev up the body’s metabolism and keep burning fat as fuel.
High Threshold Hypertrophy With Christian Thibaudeau
Christian Thibaudeau is a French Canadian coach who is currently one of the leading lights in hypertrophy training. His methods are extremely innovative, and probably not for the beginner. He associates various training methods with a particular peri-workout nutritional protocol. The supplements he recommends can be expensive, but are by no means necessary to profit from the training advice than Christian offers. He is also regularly present in his own section of the t-nation forum, so it is possible to ask him questions directly.
These three coaches are by no means the only choices available. Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 is a great programme, as is Doggcrapp. However, Dan John, Craig Ballantyne and Christian Thibaudeau offer solid advice which covers all areas of fitness.