EP 230: The Art and Science Of Group Training Programming & Coaching w/ Kevin Carr

Whether he is working as a coach or therapist, Kevin’s goal is to help people move better and become more resilient so that they can excel at the activities that they love.

Kevin has amassed a wealth of experience in the field of sports performance and personal training since starting at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in 2008. Working with everyone from US Olympians looking for a competitive edge to the Average Joe or looking to shed some pounds and get healthier he has helped countless clients move better and live healthier lives.

Kevin is Co-Founder of the Certified Functional Strength Coach certification and Movement As Medicine Massage and Movement Therapy Clinic. He has traveled all over the world educating thousands of coaches and therapists about the MBSC coaching system.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

=> Embrace "Bottom-Up" Programming Constraints: Anyone can write a perfect theoretical workout program, but real world success depends on logistics like space limitations, equipment availability, and your team's coaching capabilities.

=> Organize Your Gym Like a Conveyor Belt: Spacing out individual lifting stations (squat racks, benches, platforms) ensures a highly efficient "conveyor belt" workflow that keeps groups moving rapidly without wasting time resetting equipment.

=> Pre-Load Equipment to Buy Back Coaching Time: On heavy lifting days, setting up multiple bars with varying preset weights prevents clients from burning precious session time changing out heavy plates, freeing you up to actually coach.

=> Hide the Medicine in the Cookie: Adult population programs shouldn't look wildly different from athletic tracks; keep the underlying training principles identical but scale back the complexity (e.g., swapping hurdle jumps for box jumps, or cleans for kettlebell deadlifts).

=> Leverage the Illusion of Choice: Clients are far more likely to commit to tough conditioning blocks when given options (e.g., choosing between bike intervals or treadmill sprints) rather than a rigid command.

=> Vary the Stimulus to Battle Adult Boredom: Keep clients engaged by subtly shifting training focuses throughout the year—such as cycling through isometric, eccentric, and density blocks—rather than changing foundational movement patterns entirely.

=> Teach Progressive Overload Tactfully: Adult clients don't always understand the relationship between lower repetitions and higher loads; proactively educate them on when they are ready to push their numbers up.

=> Don't Let Corrective Cues Stifling Positive Reinforcement: Coaches often spend so much time fixing client errors that they forget to highlight what's going well. Actively balance corrections with intentional positive praise.

=> Become a Social Chameleon: Great coaching requires high emotional intelligence. The high-energy, aggressive tone that motivates a seasoned athlete will feel like a psychological threat to a timid beginner.

=> Never Skip Weekly Staff Education: Gym operations and team alignment improve exponentially when a weekly, non-negotiable staff education meeting is built directly into the payroll.

=> Micro-Coaching Prevents Standard Slippage: Don't wait for formal performance reviews to fix subpar coaching technique. Deliver quick, constructive tips right on the gym floor directly after a session.

=> Be the Window, Not Just the Mirror: Great facility leaders don't just instruct from the sidelines; they stay on the floor to demonstrate standard-setting movement quality to their interns and clients alike.

=> Keep Curiosity Sharp at Every Age: The best coaches maintain a relentless, lifelong curiosity, constantly consuming new literature, watching clips, testing concepts, and refusing to get stuck in legacy programming methodologies.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

MBSC TV

Body By Boyle:

Book - Functional Training Anatomy

Kevin Carr Instagram

Luka’s Gym

Super Coach Mentorship

Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel