If I could have $0.05 for the amount of times I’ve had people tell me they wanted to apply for an internship at Cressey Performance, I would have about $0.25 more to my name now.
In all seriousness, there is something to be said for those who “say” they are going to do something, and then those who actually go out and “do the thing” they ventured out to do. It is a big undertaking to move out to a state that traditionally does not have all the amenities that, say, Southern California has, along with leaving family, friends, and whatever and whomever else you love back in whichever state (and in some cases, countries).
If you haven’t figured out by now, I’m the type of person to make a decision, jump into the thick of things, and then figure out where I’m out afterwards. I also envy those who are smarter than me and who also have the work ethic to match that intelligence. To put it bluntly, I’m not the brightest tool in the shed. (Wait for it…)
What is my biggest personal takeaway from an internship at Cressey Performance?
You need to hustle to stay on top.
To me, this translates to understanding the gross anatomy of the human body (if you’re in the fitness industry, it should be your job to at least identify the major muscle groups that you tell people to use everyday).
Further, I remembered one line that one of my co-workers from a previous job told me:
Do the little jobs that no one wants to do, and then eventually the big jobs will come through.
Take out the trash. Vacuum the whole facility. Wipe the chalk off the bars. Wake up early to do group classes. Get over the fact that it gets below freezing in October/November, and get to work.
What is my biggest professional and business takeaway from an internship at Cressey Performance?
Get partners that compliment your skill sets. Oh, and hustle to stay on top.
This translates to being humble enough to understand that you need others’ expertise to compliment yourself to help expand your business.
Eric Cressey has Tony G. And Pete Dupuis.
Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Phife Dawg made up A Tribe Called Quest.
Run had D.M.C and Jam Master Jay.
Basically, you can’t do it alone.
What is my biggest takeaway period from an internship at Cressey Performance?
Have fun. Do what you love. I had [several talks] with Pete Dupuis (Eric’s business partner) about starting a bboy fitness oriented movement, and while I’ve had the idea linger in my head, I’ve always had my doubts as to whether or not I could do it.
You know what? Even in the face of my own doubt, I am jumping out there and seeing where it is taking me.
On top of that, I’ve lost count of the amount of relationships I’ve developed through my time in Massachusetts.
So long story short, I’ve more or less told this story of mine in too many blog posts. Kind of similar to how Taylor Swift will talk about her ex in her next song, or how Drake somehow manages to make every one of his songs softer than a feather down pillow while sleeping on a cloud.
You learn so much more than just learning how to coach. You learn so much more beyond what it takes to deadlift four wheels for the first time. You learn so much more than shoulder pathologies.
If anything, all of the relationships I’ve formed from this internship alone has had a more profound impact on my development as a person and professional than any of these guys involved will ever know about.
So what are you going to do about it?
If you’ve learned anything from my posts, I hope I impart how I’m doing what I love. If I have crashed on your couch, or vice versa, I hope to one day celebrate the day when we all don’t have to wake up at 5am, and sleep at 10 or 11pm. But, it is all good – especially if we are all doing what we love, because I can stay up for 24 hours or more doing this.
Now let me take a moment while I reflect on all these feels I have.
…Okay moment is done.
In the meantime, while you save up your money for a year or more before you decide to make the big move to Hudson, Mass., check out this product from Eric Cressey. It’s called High Performance Handbook, and it is beyond a solid product. It is essentially his work-baby. And if you’ve ever met him, you’ll know that he has probably stayed up a little bit past your normal bed time, just to get you a product to get you more jacked, ripped, and stronger.
Yes, I am promoting it because I will be receiving affiliate money. But you know what, I also contributed an additional bonus, called Maximal Tension for Maximal Results. And I worked pretty damn hard at it. While I know you don’t give a damn, I hope you realize that I am working on building my newsletter-ship, and in all honesty I don’t have the biggest community to reach out to. Thus, this is all in the open.
But if you decide to stick around, and if you decide you enjoyed what you read, please subscribe on the homepage or to the left. I promise to not disappoint. I’ll be staying up much past your bedtime, to give you awesome information on strength, conditioning, a few nutrition tips, but more dancing tips along the way.
Right now, brutal honesty is my biggest weapon. If you’re in this game of the fitness and S&C industry, you’d be doing a disservice to yourself and your clients by ignoring anything Eric Cressey, or any of the staff at Cressey Performance, put out. These guys are some of the hardest working folk in the industry (that I’ve been exposed to…), and I’d be willing to bet that they are some the kindest as well.
So for that, these guys will always have my gratitude. I also realize that I have my work cut out for me. So if you ever have any questions about anything that I haven’t gone over in any of my posts up to this point, please feel free to use my contacts page to shoot me an e-mail. I make my Facebook and Twitter page open to you as well.
So what do you do now?
In reality, I’ve been chatting a lot about my past, how I’ve interned, and how I’m hustling everyday now.
For starters, I’m a strength coach at Endeavor Sports Performance, a place not too far from home in New Jersey. My co-worker/boss/person-I-ask-too-many-questions is Kevin Neeld, along with Matt Siniscalchi and Matt Sees (he is a gorilla in his own regards). I’m currently coaching a variety of the youth athletes that come through the gates at Endeavor.
Even if I do awful with our Fantasy Football League, I’m still having fun cracking jokes, pointing out the elephant in the room (Left AIC/Right BC in everyone), along with getting some quality lifting sessions.
On top of that, I work at a private club in Philadelphia. If you’re interested in visiting, just contact me know beforehand.
With all of that, I also take online coaching clients, and I more or less write programs for my friends, along with working with my alma mater’s bboying group, the Temple Bboys.
It is quite a workload, and while I’m relatively exhausted at the end of the day, I’d have to say I wouldn’t have it much different than where I’m at now. Okay, I lie – if I had a bit more freedom to choose, I’d love to hang with my bboy community more than I am now.
Keep it funky.
MA