vigorground

Functional Training Centre

E069: Fitness Business and Coaching Growth and Success Strategies Q & A w/ Luka Hocevar

Posted on November 16, 2018 by Luka

When it comes to giving advice on anything, I am a proponent of a principle Ray Dahlio calls “believability”; which essentially boils down to listening to someone who has been there, done that, gone through/overcome the struggles, and is still doing it successfully. When it comes to fitness business and coaching Q & A’s I answer from a place of knowledge. I draw from all of the things that I’ve studied and experienced over my 13 years owning gyms (on two different continents) and helping hundreds of fitness professionals directly grow their gym’s and coaching businesses.

The answers I give in this podcast are drawn from my experience and based on Ray’s “believability” concept. Enjoy!

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

  • When it is the right time to stop coaching and grow your gym. I address the question: is there ever a right time to do that?
  • How to know if you should do what people tell you to do vs. what you want to do and how to avoid being confused by this
  • Why you shouldn’t work to sell your business
  • What it really takes to build systems for sales, marketing, fulfillment, team communication and customer experience
  • Investing in yourself, your team, the client experiences, equipment and innovation; I tell you which one should you do first and how much you should invest
  • The power of moments, giving back and connecting your tribe
  • The concept of “whitespace” in your gym and why it’s important to have an area where you can differentiate yourself
  • What the Vigor Dream Scholarship is and how we’re changing the way gyms do charity work
  • What to do when you run out of ideas for content creation and ways to build content that will do well while setting you apart from everyone else
  • One of the ways I learn and create at the same time and how that can help make you a better coach
  • The curse of knowledge and how it can affect your ability to connect with your clients and the marketplace
  • When should you invest in paid advertising

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance: http://www.vigorgroundfitness.com/
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/vigor-life-podcast/id1180256583?mt=2
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber
Luka Hocevar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukahocevar/
Podcast: The Coaching Habit Episode: http://vigorgroundfitness.com/ep059-say-less-ask-more-and-change-the-way-you-coach-and-lead/
Book: The Power of Moments – Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact (Chip and Dan Heath): https://goo.gl/92iqFc

Thanks so much for joining me this week. Have some feedback that you’d like to share? Leave me a review on iTunes.

E068: The Secret to Success in Business and Your Career and Q & A with Luka Hocevar

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Luka

Everyday I get asked hundreds of questions – whether from clients at Vigor Ground, podcast listeners or the gym owners I coach/mentor. Today I thought I’d open up the floor as a sort of Q & A to share some of these questions and the experiences that have inspired my answers to them.

I start the episode with what I believe is the secret to success—and a foundation for achieving any big goal in your life. Topics cover insights on whether you should make the move of being a gym owner, how to supercharge your coaching, exposure to events, to getting answers about your next step. I also go over some financial resources.

If you’re a coach or gym owner this episode is a must listen.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

  • What makes people successful and one of the most important values that drives success
  • How I approach learning and how to get ahead faster when it comes to knowledge you don’t have
  • A test that will help you find out if you are tired or uninspired
  • A key indicator that will let you know if going into your chosen industry is the right move for you
  • How to know if you should open a gym as coach and some alternative options (that you may not be aware of) that will allow you to become successful, make money and make an impact in the fitness industry
  • The biggest mistakes coaches make with their clients and how to overcome them and become a great coach
  • Strategies to make you a more focused coach so that your clients get better results and you get ahead in your career
  • Two MUST financial resources to build a great foundation as an individual and a business owner—and the philosophy of the richest man in Babylon
  • How to build self-confidence and the bank account analogy that will change your perspective on building self-esteem
  • A strategy that will help you make those changes in your life that you’ve been struggling to make for years
  • How to leverage your relationships to sharpen your behaviors and mold them towards who you want to become
  • Why working for a big box gym is a great opportunity for a coach

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance: http://www.vigorgroundfitness.com
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/vigor-life-podcast/id1180256583?mt=2
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber
Luka Hocevar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukahocevar/
Podcast: The Coaching Habit Episode: http://vigorgroundfitness.com/ep059-say-less-ask-more-and-change-the-way-you-coach-and-lead/
Book: I Will Teach You To Be Rich (Ramit Sethi): https://www.amazon.com/Will-Teach-You-Be-Rich-ebook/dp/B004WL4BW6
Book: Profit First – Transform Your Business From a Cash Eating Monster To a Money Making Machine (Mike Michalowicz): https://www.amazon.com/Profit-First-Transform-Cash-Eating-Money-Making/dp/073521414X/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1541113476&sr=8-1&keywords=profit+first+book
Podcast: Top 10 Lessons From Owning A Gym For A Decade w/ Mike Robertson: http://vigorgroundfitness.com/e065-top-10-lessons-from-a-decade-owning-a-gym-and-growing-in-the-fitness-industry-with-mike-robertson/
Leadership Traits article (with Luka Hocevar and Dr. John Rusin): https://drjohnrusin.com/how-to-be-a-leader-in-todays-fitness-industry/

Thanks so much for joining me this week. Have some feedback that you’d like to share? Leave me a review on iTunes.

E067: 9 Ways To Be A Great Teammate and Build A Powerful Culture 

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Luka

A need to feel connected and a valued part of a team / group is part of our DNA. It recently occurred to me that deep down we all know that we can’t do it alone. We know that NBA championships are not won by individuals. They are won by a collection of individuals who make that team great. It’s the same with work and life. We are better together when we are surrounded by great team members. In this spirit I want to share nine ways to be a great team member.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

=> Why I’m so drawn to teams and why I have a tough time doing things solo (it’s not what you’d think)

=> Why “well done” is better than “well said” when it comes to a team

=> A strategy that will positively benefit you and the teams you are part of

=> What “Contagiosm” is and how it can make or break your team

=> One of my favourite team quotes and why it’s a slogan for myself and Vigor Ground

=> The most important virtue you must posses within a team

=> What accountability really is and how you can make it work for you

=> Why Camron’s rhyme, “GD man, I’m hungry and I just ate…” plays into the success of both your team and you

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance: http://www.vigorgroundfitness.com/
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/vigor-life-podcast/id1180256583?mt=2
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber
Luka Hocevar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukahocevar/
5 Leadership Traits article (w/ Luka Hocevar & Dr. John Rusin): https://drjohnrusin.com/how-to-be-a-leader-in-todays-fitness-industry/

Thanks so much for joining me this week. Have some feedback that you’d like to share? Leave me a review on iTunes.

E066: 5 Ways You Can Embody Courage, Empowerment, Growth, Class and Self-Respect Today

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Luka

It’s easy to go through your day, week, and even life saying that certain things matter to you—that you stand for or against them and that they’re part of your values. But how often do you live up to these values? What guides you to stay on the path of living in integrity with your own personal life, business and career?

The key is being honest with yourself.

A super effective way to make sure that you’re living true to your values is to ask yourself questions. I do this daily and have found it to be a powerful way to bring my key values to the forefront. This simple act helps me—and will help you—focus yourself so that you are able make decisions—and actions—that align with the goals you are striving towards, and the values you believe in.

In this episode of the podcast I tackle the ways you can embody courage, empowerment, growth, class and self-respect in your life. And ultimately, help you practice what you preach and lead a more successful and fulfilling life.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

  • The lessons that death has taught me and how they have lit a fire under me
  • Why actively seeking rejection will help you embody courage
  • What it means to be a “friendtor” and how it will help you take your relationships to the next level
  • Why growth is a commitment to expanding your capacity to add value to your life and how to do it every day
  • The “edge of the bed” question and why everyone should write out what they want to teach their kids
  • The difference between elevating and escalating
  • One thing that will help you be seen as a leader in the eyes others  as soon as it’s applied

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance: http://www.vigorgroundfitness.com/
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/vigor-life-podcast/id1180256583?mt=2
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel (Subscribe): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber
Luka Hocevar Instagram (Follow): https://www.instagram.com/lukahocevar/
Leadership Traits Article (with Luka Hocevar and Dr. John Rusin): https://drjohnrusin.com/how-to-be-a-leader-in-todays-fitness-industry/

Thanks so much for joining me this week. Have some feedback that you’d like to share? Leave me a review on iTunes.

E065: Top 10 Lessons From A Decade Owning A Gym And Growing In The Fitness Industry with Mike Robertson

Posted on September 28, 2018 by Luka

I tend to be careful not to take advice from anyone who hasn’t been in business for at least 5 years. This rule is not set in stone, but I like to get wisdom from people who have been there done, that and are still doing it. The people who have withstood the test of time, change and innovation. Mike Robertson is one of those people.

Mike has been a friend of mine for a decade. He owns one of the top 10 Gyms in America voted by Mens Health, has influenced and improved the industry with the way they approach training at IFAST, and recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of his gym; which just happened to be around the same time as we celebrated our 10-year at Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance.

In this episode we talk about the 10 biggest lessons learned from owning a gym for a decade, as well as success in the fitness industry. This is a MUST listen for anyone in fitness or that owns a small business.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

  • How we got started with only thousands of dollars and why it was a competitive advantage
  • The cliché piece of advice that you MUST take seriously or it will hurt you down the line… and could ultimately shut down your business
  • The two ways you can market your business – one of which can feel very scary in your first years of business
  • Why you should study anatomy, biomechanics, program design and structure, and why not doing this will cause you to be a mediocre coach / business owner
  • How me doing ninja kicks in an orientation session helped me attract new clients, and how to apply the strategy behind the move to your business
  • How to tell if you are consistently getting better or just staying where you are and why knowing this is the key to success in gym ownership
  • How to hire and the three mistakes both Mike and myself made in the last decade, and what we do different now
  • The seven questions that create a coaching habit and how to improve your team leadership
  • Why every fitness professional should aspire to “leave the jersey better than when they got it” and what that means for you
  • One of the biggest mistakes gym owners make and the perspective shift you must make to be successful
  • And much, much more.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance: http://www.vigorgroundfitness.com/
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/vigor-life-podcast/id1180256583?mt=2
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel (Subscribe): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber
Luka Hocevar Instagram (Follow): https://www.instagram.com/lukahocevar/
Robertson Training Systems: http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/
Physical Preparation Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/physical-preparation-podcast-robertson-training-systems/id1011924486?mt=2
Physical Preparation 101: http://physicalpreparation101.com/
Mike Robertson Instagram (Follow): https://www.instagram.com/robtrainsystems/

Thanks so much for joining me this week. Have some feedback that you’d like to share? Leave me a review on iTunes.

E064: 10 Big Lessons On How To Become A Better Communicator, Presenter, and Speaker (and Impact More People) 

Posted on September 25, 2018 by Luka

Ideas, effectively packaged and delivered, can change the world. So, wouldn’t it be amazing to identify the *exact* techniques shared by the world’s greatest communicators, then apply their secrets to wow your audiences?

One of the most valuable skillsets that I have built in the last two decades is the skillset of communication. Whether it’s with my clients, on stages where I get to present, or through the podcast, pitching ideas to investors, or communicating with friends and family; it’s a skill you MUST develop if you want to improve your coaching, marketing, connecting with people, and effectively sharing ideas with the world.

More specifically, good communication skills are important for three key reasons:

  • You have ideas. Great ideas even. Unfortunately, unless you can engage an audience in your delivery of those ideas, they’ll never leave your head.
  • You’re going to have to speak publicly at some point: work presentations, seeking startup capital, on a panel, or for fun if you choose.
  • Ability to communicate effectively has become one the—if not THE—most sought-after skills in job applicants and candidates.

I share 10 big ideas on how to communicate and present like the world’s best.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

  • How my speaking journey started, why I was terrified of public speaking, how I got over it and how you can too
  • The “secret weapon” Tony Robbins used to develop his speaking skills and how to apply it to your life
  • Why ideas are the most valuable resource and how to present your ideas in the age of instant communication, rapid cultural growth, and technological supremacy
  • The number one building block of your presentations authenticity and energy and why without it you have no chance
  • Why you should study and learn storytelling like your life depended on it
  • How to engage an audience with more than just their eyes and ears and it will keep them engaged and encourage them to remember your presentation. I give you three strategies you can apply tomorrow
  • Why sticking to the “rule of three” will improve the message in your presentation
  • Practice makes perfect. This is especially true of public speaking. I’ll give you two strategies you can use (right now) to become so comfortable with your content and material that your presentation comes off like a conversation
  • Why you don’t want to be someone else when you’re presenting. I discuss why no matter how much you study and emulate great speakers, the only way to leave a lasting impression on a large audience is to embrace your own unique style

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance: http://www.vigorgroundfitness.com/
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/vigor-life-podcast/id1180256583?mt=2
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel (Subscribe): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber
Luka Hocevar Instagram (Follow): https://www.instagram.com/lukahocevar/
Book: Talk Like TED – The 9 Public Speaking Secrets of The Worlds Top Minds (Carmin Gallo): https://goo.gl/UQD8a2
Book: The Storytellers Secret – From TED Speakers to Business Legends, Why Some Ideas Catch On And Others Don’t (Carmin Gallo): https://goo.gl/kGXjj1

Thanks so much for joining me this week. Have some feedback that you’d like to share? Leave me a review on iTunes.

E063: 10 Big Ideas On Reclaiming Conversation To Become More Connected To Your Team, Clients, and Relationships

Posted on September 8, 2018 by Luka

We have sacrificed conversation for mere connection. At work, at home, with friends, and in love, we find ways around real conversations – instead choosing to engage with people via text, social media, email and other communication methods where we don’t have to engage with people in real life (and reveal our true selves).

Without conversation, there can be no genuine connection. I don’t believe that technology is the problem. But the unintended effects of technology are contributing to the problem.

Decreased empathy, feelings of alienation, superficial connection, and poor attention spans. Significant drops in productivity, creativity, and deep thought. Essential traits to innovation and participation in both business, relationships and life. Our generation is in serious danger of never experiencing the irreplaceable benefits of true/meaningful conversation.

Learning to use technology deliberately is essential to reclaiming relationships.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

  • Why conversation is an essential building block of emotional, psychological, and intellectual development, and what is making you lose it
  • Why you must stop making conversation “easy” because it’s crushing your ability to grow and deepen connections
  • Why solitude is more important than you think
  • How mindlessly surfing social media is robbing you of three things you need in your life
  • What a “device free space” is and how it can help you connect with your family, friends, and team on a much deeper level
  • How my belief of multitasking stopped me from getting things done
  • Why you shouldn’t abandon technology, but instead learn to use it deliberately so that you can avoid its adverse side effects
  • How mentors can help you learn and teach new generations how to use conversation to connect, grow, and learn empathy

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance: http://www.vigorgroundfitness.com/
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/vigor-life-podcast/id1180256583?mt=2
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel (Subscribe): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber
Luka Hocevar Instagram (Follow): https://www.instagram.com/lukahocevar/
Book: Reclaiming Conversation – The Power of Talk In A Digital Age: https://www.amazon.com/Reclaiming-Conversation-Power-Talk-Digital/dp/0143109790

Thanks so much for joining me this week. Have some feedback that you’d like to share? Leave me a review on iTunes.

E062: The 5 Leadership Myths That Are Stopping You From Building A Powerful Team

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Luka

The road to a disengaged team is paved with good intentions. Nobody sets out to make their team overwhelmed, stressed out or miserable. But unfortunately, that often happens when people manage people.

As hard as it may be to accept, that horrible boss, manager or owner that you know likely isn’t a bad person. In fact, if you got to know them, I’m sure you’d find them to be a good hearted person who genuinely cares about the well being of others.

So how do good people become bad managers?

It’s actually something that happens unconsciously.

The problem is, “bad managers” have internalized a set of powerful unconscious ideas about:

(1) Why people don’t do what they ask, and
(2) What tools they have at their disposal to change that

Statistically 7 out of 10 workers either disengaged or actively undermine the efforts of their organization. Yes, you read that right. You’ve probably also read countless articles, blog posts and books filled with tactics to change that. But what you probably haven’t read — and what is shockingly entirely absent from the discussion — is the other side of the relationship: manager / team leader engagement.

As a business owner, I use to operate under the assumption that lack of team engagement was the employees fault. When the truth is it’s a 50 / 50 split between the manager and the employees.

In this episode I share 5 myths that are stopping you from building a powerful team, and how to flip the coin in your favor.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

  • The mistakes I made leading a team for over a decade and the powerful lessons I learned from them
  • How believing that “you can’t find good people” will keep you stuck under a glass ceiling
  • The number one reason you have team members leaving and the bottleneck to growing a powerful team to fulfill their vision and yours
  • Why investing time and energy into someone even if they will leave is the ONLY way you can improve your business
  • The formula to show you how much energy you’re wasting and how to turn it into a team growth catalyst
  • The reason a system and checklist won’t save you – I share the real problem
  • Why communication is extremely important, but also a crutch we tend to blame everything on when we’re faced with a specific problem
  • The big mistake of separating yourself from helping your team grow professionally AND personally

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance: http://www.vigorgroundfitness.com/
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/vigor-life-podcast/id1180256583?mt=2
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber
Luka Hocevar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukahocevar/
Say Less, Ask More and Change The Way You Lead – Coaching Habit Podcast: http://vigorgroundfitness.com/ep059-say-less-ask-more-and-change-the-way-you-coach-and-lead/

Thanks so much for joining me this week. Have some feedback that you’d like to share? Leave me a review on iTunes.

E061: Sports Performance for Soccer, Youth Training and Lessons from Traveling the World w/ Matej Hocevar

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Luka

Some call him the most interesting man in the world, I just call him my brother. From becoming a core justice translator at a record breaking 23-years old, to speaking seven languages fluently, traveling to almost 80 countries across the world, and coaching some of the highest level soccer players in Europe, you could say the title fits.

In this episode we dive into the topics of sports performance for youth and soccer athletes, coaching, heuristics, as well as lessons from traveling the world. There’s plenty of lessons to take and apply, one of the main ones being how to live life on your own terms.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

  • How Matej chose to pursue a career where he saw an opportunity and created a business that helped support his lifestyle, which also led to a business of passion
  • What made us start a gym in a market that didn’t exist with only the belief we could make it happen
  • Coaching high level professional soccer athletes and the challenges that come with it
  • How you can build trust by creating “results in advance” in just one training session
  • The keys to understanding who you’re working with and everything associated with them so that you don’t drop the ball and lose them as a client
  • Why you should use heuristics in program design and how not doing it may be hurting your clients results
  • Building relationships with clients so that what you know turns into what they DO
  • What spurred the “travel bug” and how it has turned into a lifestyle along with lifelong learning
  • Why you should travel and how it’s the secret to building compassion and empathy
  • 3 of the biggest lessons from traveling the world

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance: http://www.vigorgroundfitness.com/
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/vigor-life-podcast/id1180256583?mt=2
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel (Subscribe): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber
Luka Hocevar Instagram (Follow): https://www.instagram.com/lukahocevar/
Matej Hocevar Instagram (Follow): https://www.instagram.com/hochodervish/
Matej’s Website: http://www.entreprenurialnomad.com/

Thanks so much for joining me this week. Have some feedback that you’d like to share? Leave me a review on iTunes.

EP060: Creating Relationships To Upgrade Your Life and Spheres of Control

Posted on August 16, 2018 by Luka

Have you ever created an assessment of who you’re around and how they affect your mood, behaviors, and energy? Assessing how the people you surround yourself with make you react/respond is crucial to not only the direction of your life, but also the quality of your experiences.

In this episode I explore the mindset around the reality that your life is strongly influenced by the people you choose to surround yourself with. I also share why I believe you have much more control over this than you think.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

  • How you might be stopping yourself from growing and how to regain control
  • How I was able to upgrade my life by surrounding myself with the “right” people (I share two experiences)
  • Why/how we tend to take inventory of the wrong things in our lives and how to assess if you’re putting too much weight on the wrong things
  • Why deliberately choosing who you surround yourself with is a super power
  • How you may be unknowingly moving away from your goals, and how to fix this
  • The three spheres of control and how they are a blind spot in your road to success
  • How shifting things from one sphere to another can reduce your stress, and anxiety, while improving your ability action taking (I share a three step process that will help you make things happen in your life)
  • A method that will help you determine your path to surrounding yourself with the right people (so you can live your best life and grow your business)

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance: www.VigorGroundFitness.com
Vigor Life Podcast (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/vigor-life-podcast/id1180256583?mt=2
Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel (Subscribe): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber
Luka Hocevar Instagram (Follow): https://www.instagram.com/lukahocevar/ Precision Nutrition: www.PrecisionNutrition.com
17 Lessons and Rules to Building Phenomenal Relationships That Enhance Your Life: http://vigorgroundfitness.com/ep015-17-lessons-rules-building-phenomenal-relationships-enhance-life/

Thanks so much for joining me this week. Have some feedback that you’d like to share? Leave me a review on iTunes.

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