E37: The Problem With “Science-Based” Coaching

Some of the strongest, most athletic people you'll ever meet are surprisingly bad at some of the most basic movements in the gym.This week, Nick breaks down why being strong and skilled at your sport doesn't necessarily mean you move well. Using examples from high school, collegiate, and professional football players, he explores the difference between relative motion and relative orientation, why athletes are so good at finding ways around movement limitations, and how identifying positional weaknesses can be more valuable than simply adding another 50 pounds to someone's squat.He also gets into why aches and pains don't automatically mean you need to stop training, how to find appropriate progressions and regressions, and why good coaching involves a hell of a lot more than writing a good program.Timestamps:00:00 – Why Does Every Platform Keep Changing?01:30 – Making Long-Form Content Great Again04:30 – The Newsletter, Exercise Library, and Creating Useful Content08:15 – Why Aches and Pains Don't Always Mean You Should Stop Training13:00 – Finding the Right Starting Point: Progressions and Regressions17:40 – Coaching Is More Than Writing Programs22:20 – Why Communication Style Matters25:10 – Being Strong Doesn't Mean You Move Well27:35 – Relative Motion vs. Relative Orientation32:20 – Why Getting Stronger Isn't Always the Answer34:20 – Squatting 400 Pounds but Struggling With 30-Pound RDLs39:40 – Why Elite Athletes Can Be Surprisingly Easy to Coach42:00 – Building Movement Options and Keeping Athletes Healthyhttps://www.instagram.com/nickridpath_/Support the show:Exercise Library: https://www.unbranded-performance.com/exerciselibraryOnline Coaching: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCJoin the newsletter: https://www.unbranded-performance.com/newsletterPre-Script Level 1 Questions: https://calendly.com/nridpath-pre-script/pre-script-advisor-callAdvisory Services for Coaches: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCSpoken Nutrition (15% Off): https://spokennutrition.com/NICKRIDPATH_ (Use Code: NICKRIDPATH_)

I hate full-body training. But for a lot of my clients, it's one of the best ways to structure their training.This week, I'm breaking down how I approach full-body programming for clients who train two to four days per week. We get into exercise selection, training frequency, prioritizing movement skills, managing fatigue, and why simply cramming an upper/lower split into fewer days isn't always the best approach.I also get into a frustrating conversation about physical therapy and the idea that people need to develop mobility before they're allowed to strength train, plus a client case study that demonstrates how better programming can help someone work through movement limitations without starting from scratch.Timestamps:00:00 – Daylight savings, sleep, and the morning-person agenda04:35 – Fantasy football redemption and upcoming travel06:00 – Why you don't need to earn the right to strength train09:25 – A knee pain case study and knowing when to regress15:00 – Why I hate full-body training but prescribe it anyway18:30 – Who benefits most from full-body programming?20:45 – Recovery starts with better programming23:13 – Prioritizing exercises and movement patterns27:55 – Managing fatigue across the training week29:50 – The half-body approach to full-body programming32:07 – Training frequency, redundancy, and exercise selection34:25 – How to measure progress and adjust your program36:45 – A simple framework for writing full-body programs38:10 – Is full-body training actually superior?42:10 – Putting everything together and free program auditshttps://www.instagram.com/nickridpath_/Support the show:Free Exercise Library: https://www.unbranded-performance.com/exerciselibraryOnline Coaching: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCPre-Script Level 1 Questions: https://calendly.com/nridpath-pre-script/pre-script-advisor-callAdvisory Services for Coaches: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCSpoken Nutrition (15% Off): https://spokennutrition.com/NICKRIDPATH_ (Use Code: NICKRIDPATH_)

You can read every study, take every certification, and understand all the biomechanics in the world. That doesn't necessarily mean you can coach worth a shit.This week, I get into the gap between science-based and evidence-based coaching, why some hypertrophy research is asking the wrong questions, and why getting actual coaching experience matters more than collecting credentials. We also break down two exercises I think are wildly overrated—hip thrusts and cuff lateral raises—including where they fall short, when they're useful, and what I'd prioritize instead for building glutes and shoulders. Plus, some thoughts on creating content from real coaching experiences, solving problems for individual clients, and why context matters more than defending your favorite exercises.https://www.instagram.com/nickridpath_/Support the show:Free Exercise Library: https://www.unbranded-performance.com/exercise-libraryOnline Coaching: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCJoin the newsletter: https://www.unbranded-performance.com/newsletterPre-Script Level 1 Questions: https://calendly.com/nridpath-pre-script/pre-script-advisor-callAdvisory Services for Coaches: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCSpoken Nutrition (15% Off): https://spokennutrition.com/NICKRIDPATH_ (Use Code: NICKRIDPATH_)

Two heavy sets to failure might be all you need. But what happens when you're not skilled enough to get the most out of those sets?This week, Nick answers listener questions on training volume, movement quality, coaching biases, and why blindly following training systems can limit progress. He also breaks down how to balance bodybuilding with athleticism, whether strength coaches deserve credit for their athletes' success, managing pain during training, and why youth athletic development has become a circus. Plus, some questionable gym behavior involving Smith machine frog pumps and backwards farmer's carries.Timestamps:00:00 – The Story Behind Unbranded Performance03:39 – Smith Machine Frog Pumps and Gym Nonsense06:45 – ATG Split Squats and Foot/Ankle Mechanics10:00 – Why Your Warm-Up Doesn't Need to Take Forever14:40 – Are You Coaching Better Movement or Enforcing Your Biases?22:10 – Are Two Heavy Working Sets Enough?27:30 – Are Strength Coaches Actually Helping Their Athletes?34:00 – Why Coaches Shouldn't Take Credit for Athletic Success38:15 – Balancing Bodybuilding and Athleticism43:00 – How Much Pain Is Acceptable During Training?46:00 – Choosing Cardio That Makes Sense47:15 – Why Youth Athletic Development Has Become a Circus49:00 – How to Program Single-Leg RDLshttps://www.instagram.com/nickridpath_/Support the show:Online Coaching: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCJoin the newsletter: https://www.unbranded-performance.com/newsletterPre-Script Level 1 Questions: https://calendly.com/nridpath-pre-script/pre-script-advisor-callAdvisory Services for Coaches: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCSpoken Nutrition (15% Off): https://spokennutrition.com/NICKRIDPATH_ (Use Code: NICKRIDPATH_)

Two sets to failure. Beat the logbook. Never skip your mobility routine. I used to buy into all of it—and coaching more people changed my mind.This week I break down how my approach to cardio, training volume, failure and progressive overload has changed. We also get into overcomplicated warm-ups, redundant exercises, posture, supersets and nutrition advice that sounded smart but made me feel like shit. Plus: where AI actually helps coaches and why an exercise swap isn’t always the answer when something hurts.Timestamps:00:00 Where AI helps coaches—and where it falls short04:19 AI courses and the business-coaching pivot07:35 Better execution before another exercise swap12:02 Changing my mind as a coach—and rethinking cardio16:44 Low volume and training to failure21:14 Progress beyond adding weight and reps23:34 Plateaus and overcomplicated warm-ups28:07 Exercise variety and redundant training32:11 Posture versus movement options33:26 Rethinking posture and supersets35:42 Supersets, logistics and gym etiquette37:39 Intermittent fasting and nutrition rabbit holes40:03 No carbs before training—and listening to client feedback42:13 Getting it right instead of defending old beliefshttps://www.instagram.com/nickridpath_/Support the show:Online Coaching: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCJoin the newsletter: https://www.unbranded-performance.com/newsletterPre-Script Level 1 Questions: https://calendly.com/nridpath-pre-script/pre-script-advisor-callAdvisory Services for Coaches: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCSpoken Nutrition (15% Off): https://spokennutrition.com/NICKRIDPATH_ (Use Code: NICKRIDPATH_)

At some point, trying harder stops being the answer. Once you’re already training hard and consistently, the next jump in progress comes from getting better at directing that effort.Nick breaks down why more advanced training requires more intentionality, using glute training as the main example—from building the skills to hinge, stabilize, and produce force to progressing toward B-stance RDLs, single-leg work, and walking lunges. Then he gets into a Q&A covering the best glute exercises, sore elbows during dumbbell RDLs, the StairMaster, programming around movement biases, coaching habits, and what he’d be doing if he weren’t a coach.Timestamps:0:00 — Why Nick is useless after 6 p.m.1:56 — Hitting 1,000 YouTube subscribers and almost getting his foot crushed6:20 — Why hard work eventually stops being enough10:59 — Progressing clients and building higher-level training skills14:57 — What actually drives better glute training20:05 — How to progress someone from basic hinges to single-leg RDLs26:09 — Q&A: Are walking lunges the GOAT glute exercise?30:51 — Q&A: Sore elbows from heavy dumbbell RDLs35:34 — Q&A: Why use the StairMaster?37:42 — Q&A: Programming around movement biases42:17 — Q&A: What works vs. what coaches do out of habit46:55 — Why coaches need their ideas challenged49:19 — Q&A: What Nick would do if he weren’t a coach51:34 — Who’s taller: Brandon or Jordan?https://www.instagram.com/nickridpath_/Support the show:Online Coaching: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCJoin the newsletter: https://www.unbranded-performance.com/newsletterPre-Script Level 1 Questions: https://calendly.com/nridpath-pre-script/pre-script-advisor-callAdvisory Services for Coaches: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCSpoken Nutrition (15% Off): https://spokennutrition.com/NICKRIDPATH_ (Use Code: NICKRIDPATH_)

A good program on paper doesn’t guarantee good results.This week I’m talking about what happens after you write the program. The exercises might fit the client’s goals, schedule, and skill level, but are they doing them the way you intended? Are they training hard enough? And when something hurts or progress stalls, do you actually know why?A friend of mine had a client report shoulder pain during front raises. He’d specified a neutral grip, put it in the demo, and given her the instructions. When he finally got a video, she was using a pronated grip. That’s a small example of how much can change between writing a program and having someone execute it.I get into using video and feedback before swapping exercises, building movement quality and effort together, and knowing when to push the logbook. I also talk about the Jaxson Dart injury takes, my fantasy football team falling apart, and the scooter powered wheelchair I saw in Playa del Carmen.Timestamps00:00 Last week’s unedited upload, becoming a sauna guy, and fantasy football05:15 Jaxson Dart’s injury and the problem with claiming one movement habit could have prevented it11:00 A scooter powered wheelchair in Mexico, my Spanish dubbed YouTube video, and the Elevated Coaching Systems workshop13:45 Why a good program can still get bad results22:30 The front raise story: why I ask for video before changing a client’s program29:00 Movement quality, effort, and when to push the logbook36:45 What makes a program good, and how coaching keeps it workingIf you enjoy the show, subscribe wherever you listen, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who coaches.https://www.instagram.com/nickridpath_/Support the show:Online Coaching: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCAdvisory Services for Coaches: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCPre-Script Level 1 Questions: https://calendly.com/nridpath-pre-script/pre-script-advisor-callSpoken Nutrition (15% Off): https://spokennutrition.com/NICKRIDPATH_ (Use Code: NICKRIDPATH_)

A shorter workout doesn’t have to be a throwaway workout—but you need a better strategy than cramming an 80-minute program into 40 minutes.I break down how to get more out of limited training time by cutting redundant exercises, choosing equipment that lets you train hard quickly, making your warm-up productive, and strategically using supersets, drop sets, rest-pause sets, and shorter rest periods. I also explains why the popular “you only need two sets” approach works for advanced lifters but may shortchange people who haven’t developed the movement quality or effort needed to make those sets count.Timestamps:00:00 Caffeine culture and why you can’t out-caffeinate bad sleep04:13 Why “you only need two sets” doesn’t work for everyone16:00 How to get more out of less time in the gym18:13 Choosing exercises when time is limited22:16 Turning isolation exercises into your warm-up27:30 Minimum effective dose and training for maintenance29:20 Using supersets without ruining your workout33:20 Drop sets, rest-pause sets, and training density36:47 How long you actually need to rest between sets40:16 Matching your training split to your schedulehttps://www.instagram.com/nickridpath_/Support the show:Online Coaching: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCJoin the newsletter: https://www.unbranded-performance.com/newsletterPre-Script Level 1 Questions: https://calendly.com/nridpath-pre-script/pre-script-advisor-callAdvisory Services for Coaches: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCSpoken Nutrition (15% Off): https://spokennutrition.com/NICKRIDPATH_ (Use Code: NICKRIDPATH_)

This conversation details Nick going solo again — a podcast-numbers scare, a shout-out to the YouTube channel closing in on 1,000 subscribers, and a rant on the Instagram comment section "experts" who argue confidently about topics they don't train in. He uses that to break down why "stability" has become a buzzword — and where base of support, load, and skill actually do change how stable you are — plus where AI is genuinely useful for a coaching business (organizing your schedule, emails, and content ideas) and where it's a trap (writing your actual content for you).From there it's a full teaching segment built around real client questions: why a client who supposedly "lacks ankle mobility" almost never actually has an ankle problem, how bar position and center of mass change what it takes to hit squat depth, and how to progress or regress a Bulgarian split squat when someone can't stabilize on one leg. He closes with shin splints — why it's a load-management problem before it's ever a mobility one.https://www.instagram.com/nickridpath_/Support the show:Online Coaching: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCJoin the newsletter: https://www.unbranded-performance.com/newsletterPre-Script Level 1 Questions: https://calendly.com/nridpath-pre-script/pre-script-advisor-callAdvisory Services for Coaches: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCSpoken Nutrition (15% Off): https://spokennutrition.com/NICKRIDPATH_ (Use Code: NICKRIDPATH_)

$85 bag of coffee beans, a bring-your-own-seatbelt gym rant, and why your posture probably isn't the problem you think it is.He opens with a London recap (Prescript seminar, a cursed British Airways flight, and what teaching a room full of students still teaches him) and a quick AI-in-coaching update after testing the new ChatGPT model. Then it's into the meat of the episode: a physics-class analogy (scalar vs. vector) for why training quality matters more than the numbers in your logbook, how to actually calibrate proximity to failure instead of just guessing, and why novice vs. high-effort-low-quality clients need completely different approaches.From there, Nick tears into a guy who brought his own seatbelt to strap into a seated hamstring curl — and uses it to explain why machines aren't "non-functional" and what internal stability actually means. He breaks down the torque physics behind the blood-pressure-cuff trend, calls out the "fragileista" corrective-exercise crowd that turns normal posture into a manufactured pathology, fact-checks a YouTube comment claiming you should always depress your scapula, and explains why "weak low traps / dominant upper traps" and classic upper-cross-syndrome framing oversimplify what's actually a motor-control and variability issue.No guest this week — just Nick, unscripted, working through a physics-class analogy and a full mailbag of coaching pet peeves.Timestamp markers~00:00 — Coffee snobbery, an $85 bag of beans, and why he's not sweating AI replacing coaches (yet)~07:09 — London/Prescript recap: a cursed flight and what teaching an L3 seminar still teaches him~11:05 — Scalar vs. vector: the physics analogy for why training quality beats chasing numbers~22:19 — The guy who brought his own seatbelt to the gym — and why isolation machines aren't the problem~28:10 — The "fragileista" PT trend, debunking a YouTube comment on scapular depression, and why upper cross syndrome oversimplifies posturehttps://www.instagram.com/nickridpath_/Support the show:Online Coaching: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCPre-Script Level 1 Questions: https://calendly.com/nridpath-pre-script/pre-script-advisor-callAdvisory Services for Coaches: https://w1c6llku20e.typeform.com/to/NDrtbAgCSpoken Nutrition (15% Off): https://spokennutrition.com/NICKRIDPATH_ (Use Code: NICKRIDPATH_)