Moving Forward

Hey guys,

We thought it pertinent to say that as the last generation of affiliates and Coach Sommer's closest Gymnasticbodies family members, we are in the best position to support this transition. In planning to move forward with the growth of GB, here are our thoughts on facilitating this change:

1) Continue to grow and promote our businesses under Gymnasticbodies.

2) Continue promoting the online material and value of the GB forum.

3) Continue or consider cultivating a group of high quality future instructors for licensing, similar to how Orench developed his Awaken staff.

4) Begin thinking of ideas you would like to see implemented in the curriculum for licensed GB classes.

5) How can high quality intructors be created within a three day licensing process? We would like to see knowledge of GST movements and critical thinking within the choreography as opposed to rote memorization.

6) As affiliates, we are Coach Sommer's most knowledgeable students in regards to GST; Coach gave us a headstart and we should share ideas on how to dominate our regions.

Let's expand upon these points and others as we move into discussions.

Regards from Flagstaff,

Everett and Dustin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's tough to hear that a few bad apples have the been the impetus for this change. I'm not quite sure how one can take material learned from the GB program and re-market it as one's own, but I suppose what's done is done. Those of us remaining under Coach and GB are here to support the explosion of the corporation's growth, as well as our own. That being said, here are some thoughts about affiliates moving forward:

1. There are various affiliates in different stages of their business. Some are run by one, some by more. Obviously, the solo operations are under a strain as far as support staff. I know that as a relatively new affiliate running solo with a full time career as a Firefighter/Medic and continuing my personal training/nutrition business at the same time, plus studying online for a master nutrition certification and making time for training, it has been very tough. I don't say this to brag. Quite the opposite. In order to dominate, one must simplify. I have decided to retire 9 years early and leave my pension on the table to concentrate full time on my business. I had to ask myself, can I really give 100% to my business if I have a safety net? The answer is obviously no. Now, there is no choice but to dominate because everything is on the line. That being said it is incumbent upon the solo operators to develop staff through recognition of talent and hard work. Just as Coach recognized us as potential supporters of his brand before approaching us, we must have an eye for such talent. Some obvious qualities are hard working, focus, belief in the system, loyalty and quality of character. Finding people that will do the right thing when no one is watching is my top qualification. You simply cannot replace this easily.

2. As previously mentioned, the solo operators, after deciding to open up, have a bit more of a challenge, which I look forward to solving. I simply cannot teach all the classes everyday, do the marketing/accounting, facility responsibilities, and meet and greets/assessments and expect to run a successful business. That is poor and inefficient use of my time. At this stage of my business, my time is more valuable then potential earnings. Being busy for its own sake is not intelligent. For me, a potential solution to this is to offer classes outside the GB curriculum. For example, kettlebell classes, conditioning, strongman, etc. This will allow me to have staff teaching different disciplines, thus freeing up time for me to handle the business oriented aspects, rather than teaching every single class. What are your thoughts on this Coach? We also have to make sure that we make time for training and get adequate rest and recovery. In a solo business, our bodies and capabilities are our greatest marketing material. Development of our own skill set is of utmost importance. Our students will look up to us- we have to model ourselves accordingly. In this business, no matter what they say, we have to LOOK the part as well, so dialing in our nutrition and exercise habits is a necessity.

3. My focus isn't on getting in as many people as we can, but getting in those people with the right mindset- patience, open minded, hard working, process oriented. I suppose these are also qualities I look for in staff. If we deliberately market to these types, we will have a pool of potential staff at our disposal. I would rather burn the midnight oil at the beginning in order to identify and develop quality staff. 

4. Coach, while I truly believe GB is the most efficient and best program to address biomechanics deficiencies and develop the body, there are going to be people that come to us wanting to start the program but simply cannot due to gross deficits. I have been training clients one on one using the GB methodology, but also applying techniques that I have picked up over the past 25 years- joint mobilization, soft tissue work, neuromuscular re-patterning, etc. How can we integrate other scientifically proven techniques to help "fix" our clients issues in the most efficient way possible in order to start them on the GB path? The best coaches steal from everyone (as you have mentioned)- I try to do this everyday, reading, watching, studying videos so I can address client deficiencies. How can we integrate this into our programming without conflicting with GB? In the end, helping our clients reorient themselves to proper movement patterns is my goal, not herding in as many people as possible, as Crossfit does. That's why I have clients that have been with me for over a decade. We have to make sure that we convey the message that we have their best interests in mind, not lining our pockets. In the end, of course this focus on client experience and quality training WILL lead to great profits. 

 

These are just some of my thoughts after digesting the phone call. Since this is the beginning of something really explosive, more questions/concerns may arise. That's the natural evolution of a new venture. It is incumbent upon all of us to stay involved with GB and each other because when one of us has a problem, we can share our solutions to help each other. My apologies if this doesn't apply to facilities already up and running. These are just a few of my thoughts on the few of us that are doing this on our own. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. I'm super-excited for the success that lies ahead for us all!

 

Aric

Thank you Everett for starting this thread, and Aric for your thoughtful response. For the sake of clarity and understanding, I was hoping that Coach, Orench, or Cory could briefly write up a short summary of the new options on the table for being involved with GB. In speaking with different people, it seems as though a few of us were not 100% clear on the exact terminology and what each option entailed. Thanks guys, and I'm excited for the new growth and opportunities.

Best,

Chris