CTC-26 "How to Motivate Athletes Toward Fitness and Success" - Alex Harbin - Iron Sharpens Iron"

Alex discusses the importance of knowing your athletes, maximizing their output and the correlation between the two.
Alex Harbin is the owner of Iron Sharpens Iron gym in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has a passion for bringing people together in order to unlock the greatest potential within individuals. 
As an Elder High School and Mt. St. Joe football alumni, Alex has a desire to help teams and athletes represent themselves and their teams in the best ways possible.

Transcript

spk_0:   0:00
This is the coach to coach podcast episode number 26. Game time. All right, guys, we're here with Alex Harmon. Alex, how you doing today, man? I'm doing really well. Way we're just talking about how we're so pumped that spring is actually here, even though it kind of kind of teaches us a times

spk_1:   0:59
Cincinnati weather for you. I don't know where you listen to this room, but Cincinnati has like three different winters. Side first winter, little bit of spring, second winter, little bit of spring. And then it's right. Sometimes it just skip spring altogether.

spk_0:   1:11
It's like the selling points like you get all four seasons, but there's really, like 10 different seas,

spk_1:   1:15
and they're they're in whatever order they want to come in

spk_0:   1:17
right now. In a month or so. Well, anyone say, I know we'll have given the listeners a little bit of intro, but just tell us a little bit about about Alex and your story and kind of how you ended up to really being being a coach in kind of a strength conditioning world strength coach, injuring.

spk_1:   1:34
Yes. So Alex, from Cincinnati my whole life grew up on the West Side and a town called Sailor Park grew up there. Went to the community center, had older brothers that were always exposing me two different things. You know, I'm the youngest of my family, but I'm kind of an old soul because I was always kind of being stretched toe, run faster and do all these different things. I was always in competition with older brothers. Exactly Like I remember when I was younger, I would goto, my brother would go to camp and I would go to camp. But we would go separate times because they're in different age groups and he would always come home with the athlete of the Week trophy. And I just knew that I had to go and win. Athlete of the S O. He always was pushing me. That led me to, you know, be on different sports teams and get involved in athletic world on Guy went to a couple different schools, ended up elder high school, so I was fortunate to play basketball and football. There I was on a back in the pit man, there's nothing like a pit was on back to back state championship teams for football at Elder from there once you see, for a year on scholarship for football. And then I finished out my college career at Mount ST Joseph from there, I got a little child with the Bangles. You know, I always say they gave me a cup of coffee. They didn't let me finish it. But I was there. I got to put my hometown stripes on you run out on the field because I was out there with all the different draft picks during the rookie season or the rookie minicamp in 2010 from there. Tried to do a little six week internship sitting at a desk job. Wasn't working out for me. My trainer at the time said, Hey, you're here enough. You know, I know you're trying to stay in shape In case you get that call from a team. Why don't you just pick up some clients while you're here s a long story short. I took him up on his offer. Someone paid me money after I made them work out and sweat and, you know, and they said thank you. And I couldn't believe

spk_0:   3:26
it. We've been making you work out. Yeah, it

spk_1:   3:28
was the first time that I was able to actually help someone else and, you know, coach someone else and and I just fell in love with it right there. I knew in my brain at that moment that that was gonna be something that I would try to do in some aspect of my life for the rest of my life and fast forward. Maybe about 2.5 years, I was on a journey of opening up my own place. And that's how that's how iron sharpens iron got started, you know? Yeah, it was It was in the industry. I learned from a lot of great people that have that were already where I wanted to be on Guy was just a sponge for 2.5 years. And then I took all the great things that I learned from different mentors that I had and applied that, And that's what birth iron sharpens iron. So

spk_0:   4:11
that's awesome. Yeah, it was awesome. We're actually recording in the gym right now. That's a pretty pretty sweet place before we move a little bit further. Just wanted to say thanks so much for serving and given back. I know you went back to Mount ST Joe. I know they were going through the five marks may I came in to envision. I just appreciate your question. That's

spk_1:   4:30
an absolute honor Any time I can go back and kind of be on the other side. I remember sitting in the locker rooms and when coach would bring people in to talk to us. I was just always so, like, taken back that these people would come and spend that time. So anytime I get an opportunity to new T to do that, I'm excited to do that so

spk_0:   4:48
well and tell mentioned, There's nothing quite like the smell of a locker room getting back. If you're

spk_1:   4:52
right, you're right. There isn't especially a football locker, just immediate memories, because back right, that's good

spk_0:   4:59
stuff. Well, well, tell me a couple of maybe just core values that you've picked up along the way with our chairman's iron and then specifically, I know you did a kind of a short teaching on occasion just on Facebook. You're always good with that, your wisdom. But one of the things is about choosing challenge. Yeah, maybe we just unpack that one offers any other kind of key things that kind of drive your philosophy here.

spk_1:   5:21
Yeah, we have. We have 10 core values on dhe. You know, there's a couple that always continue to show up in what we do, and number one is like when we are dealing with people. We always remember that people are dealing with some former paint, and it could be a physical pain. It could be an emotional pain. It could be a spiritual pain. It could be dealing with something that they wish wasn't there in the arrives. So when we always have that in the forefront of our brain, when we're interacting with people and meeting people for the first time, or even for the 100th time, we still know that there's something in their life that they wish wasn't there on DDE. That always allows us to just empathize with them, and it usually allows us to soften whatever they're going through, and it makes this place feel really safe. Another one that we always say, is that humility is key and everything we do. We know that any time that there's some sort of altercation or anytime we're receiving feedback or maybe things just aren't again aren't going the way that someone expected it. We always try to insert ourselves and say, maybe were the issue. Maybe there's something we could be doing better. Is there something we could be doing better? And sometimes this is simple is just asking that Is there something we could be doing better to improve your experience on? We don't always wait for it to go wrong to ask that question. Way could see someone that's

spk_0:   6:42
going all right, but hey. Yeah. Hey. Yeah. Hey, looks

spk_1:   6:45
like you've been enjoying it. Is there anything else we can do to? Because why wouldn't you want to make it even better for the person that's already enjoying here? Don't always wait for damage control in order to do that. Another one of our core values that we be like. We believe life should be enjoyed on. We believe that fitness If it's a part of your life, it should be something you enjoy. Fitness should add to your life. You're not dreading it exactly. It shouldn't take from itch. It should add to your time with your family, not just take from it. We believe we know that it's gonna take some time that you have to set aside. You have to sacrifice it. But we hope that what you get to do in our gym put you back into the playing field of life and allows you to do everything that you do with even more energy, even more passionate, even more purpose. So,

spk_0:   7:31
yeah, that's good stuff you want. There is a time commitment, but there's also the energy level, and you can be you can go home or filled up. Yeah,

spk_1:   7:39
one of the misconceptions about working out is a lot of times you were just so tired. I don't I don't have the energy and that's really bond. That's a real thing. But the rial, the reality of working out is that sometimes when you come in for that workout, you leave. Feeling energized. You leave feeling. Could you get that endorphin rush? You get that sense of accomplishment, you If you're in a positive, encouraging environment, you just connected with people and you just had an interruption in your day that again, hopefully we add to your life. We want you to feel better when you leave. We want you to be better when you leave them when you got here. So if you came here in a great mood, we're gonna make it even greater. And if you weren't doing so well when you showed up, we hope that we can get you back out the door feeling better than when you got here. So

spk_0:   8:24
my brother was a personal trainer. Will still is at this point. So I grew up with him and going in gyms and kind of had a little bit of this world. And it's That's something he really, really passionate about improving the lives. Well, hey, this is this is coach to coach. You're talking Thio cultures of different sports and different ages. But there's a lot of you know, no other word to say about his head junk around conditioning. Andi kind of the extra work of weight lifting like everybody wants to go in scrimmage and do kind of the fun stuff. But as you and I both know, there's a lot of a lot at stake on being in peak condition and being strong. A lot of times there's a negative view of that from players like Hated. If it's anything like me, everyone I played basketball. For a while, I was only thinking about how many suicides were doing at the end of practice. Yes, and I was distracted by it. And even at my worst, I would pace myself and save up energy so I would have enough energy for question mark amount of suicides that even in practice and then still not knowing how many we're doing. It's just It was almost like the fear of totally flopping and failing kept me from really going out hard from the start and maximize and see what I was capable. Yes, yes, yes. You've been as athlete and have coasted over the years. Like how would you maybe help out some coaches? That man, I want to maximize my conditioning time. We want to create a safe place. You mentioned safety earlier. 1%. And give them just the freedom toe. Lay it all out there and not be afraid. Yeah, you might go throw up in the can over here or whatever it is. How do you How do you encourage that?

spk_1:   9:57
I think you have to. First of all, you have to know what your what your goal is. So there's sometimes air conditioning is about creating mental toughness. So, inside of a mental toughness, condition, conditioning session, maybe things like how many were doing How many How many sprints are we gonna do? Maybe you don't tell them that because you want them to be able to show up and play. It would be nice if you could show, but the game is Say hey to the other team. How many points you guys plan on scorn today, Right? Just so we know how many we gotta do to win, right? Like you

spk_0:   10:28
guys are playing on going to overtime with us aren't exactly

spk_1:   10:30
yes. Oh, so there is an element of mental toughness that you can develop in that. But again, you if you don't dispel fear And you know what we know is that where perfect love is, fear cannot be. So when your players know you care about them, they're gonna they're gonna run through a wall for you and they'll do it again. They'll do it again and they'll do it again if they knew. You care for them. So expressing how much you care for your players doing things showing them that you care using your words that they care. Don't just think that they know you care. Also letting them know how your sack, letting them know you're sacrifice that you're making to be there. Don't make them feel bad about it. But make it a reality. There's a lot of other places that a lot of these coaches could be. Not every coach I would say. I mean, what's the percentage? There's a good person that coaches that are not showing up and getting paid for the work they're doing

spk_0:   11:20
absolutely. And then there's a lot of places they could be, Oh, man. And then you have all the high school coaches that are making less than 10,000 year. Yeah, you were in the hourly numbers on that

spk_1:   11:29
is going to do it. Don't do it, Don't do it. If you're listening, don't do it will depress. Yet It's because here's the thing. You're not there for that. That's right. And so when you let those guys know you like those girls know that you're coaching, they get to really get an idea. So when I was younger, I had a baseball coach and he was a dumb talking young 5th 4th 5th 6th grade. He drugged field. He had his fence. He would hook up to his, he would show up, dragged the field, line the fields. You lined all the fields and cut all the grass and in my brain. As a young kid, I just thought that's what he did. I just like my dad ran a loader. My mom worked downtown in some building, and this guy takes care of the fields and coaches baseball. But it wasn't I got older that I realized he had a son. He had another son. He had a daughter. He had a wife. He had a business that he was running and he worked. You not like it. And he did all this. So letting them know and giving them that reality will be something that lets him know you care. Thea Other side of it is being weary of using conditioning as punishment. So as soon as you enter, So if someone's if you want to set the record straight or you want to discipline and you tell someone to run now there they begin to associate running an effort with negativity. So one of the things that I've seen over the past few years. It's the big switch is that these coaches air using conditioning, but they're making it fun. So they're doing things like if you're a football. I saw a coach hop coach opportune over Mount ST Joseph doing this. He had his guys line up on three groups. One God lined up on the goal line. There was a group on the left hash or in the left sideline at the 50 a group on the right sideline at the 50. And then they let a guy start running from the goal line, and it was like, essentially tag. So if he could get past the 50 without getting tagged, then he scored. Right now, here's the thing. These guys are running harder than he would have ever gotten them to run. If he just said, we're gonna run 50 yard sprints

spk_0:   13:31
and they're cutting their Yes, they're doing all the

spk_1:   13:33
things that they're getting. The skills are getting the body training that you want. They're having fun and they're putting forth Master Max effort. Now they are learning what it's like toe work hard, and it feels good to work hard. They're getting rewards inside of this right? We're very rewards base type people. So they're feeling I scored or I made him miss. The rest of the team is watching. And you know, if you make a kid miss and you make another kid, Ms, it's going. It's going to erupt. The whole thing's going up. You're getting a culture building experience. So they're using conditioning to their advantage. They're getting these guys to do this stuff in such a way on, Ben, you know, build conditioning into drills, show that it's a function. Hey, we're running this hard in this direction, and then I want you to you know, all these different things, building it in and showing them the generations as they come. They're gonna always want to know more and more. Why am I doing this right? It's less about like, Yeah, I'm just gonna do whatever you say. They'll do what you say if they won. No, it's safe and you care. And then two, it's gonna benefit them. And it is your willingness. Yeah, if you're willing to give them that, you'll get so much more out. So,

spk_0:   14:47
yeah, I think that is a big shift, and it's just one of those things like like it or love it. It just kind of reality. There's just been a difference of blind obedience. Worked 2030 years ago. Exactly. Authority authority figures. Blind obedience Didn't matter. You just minute. Nowadays it's just it's just a little bit different. It is a little bit different when you're talking about the punishment association. It just hit me back. And when I was playing at a couple years at Morehead State playing baseball, it was early morning conditioning session in the fall. So we're five months away from this season, 6 15 in the morning. It's dark outside. We're on the turf, that ball lights. And he said He just flat out told us. He's like, Hey, guys, this is not punishment way. No, it's early, the y'all got class and we want to win some games next year and we got to be in shape that this is not nobody's in trouble. So let let's let's leave it all out there and give us give us an effort. How long ago was that cash? That was probably Oh, yeah,

spk_1:   15:41
that's still that that little how many times the coach say something, but like that stuck in your head where you're like he gave you that. Ah ha. Movement was like, This is this Is this as a function right? Other than some make me miserable,

spk_0:   15:55
right? Yeah. Yes, I'm gonna need to try to run out of ground ball at some point. And it's not gonna be for a few months, but we're putting in the work now, so we can be exactly Yeah, that's great. Just taking that direct, connecting the dots sometimes to really powerful for me when you get your punishment. Oh, my gosh. Yeah, that's it.

spk_1:   16:10
Yeah, I'm not I'm not saying that you can't, but I'm just I'm just saying we got a I think if you it's kind of like yelling if you yell all the time, they stopped listening. If your punch Yeah, you're quiet and all of a sudden you yell, you get the attention of everybody because they're like, that's not normal, you know, it's, you know, it's so that's ah, that's a different thing that I just noticed people doing that, making games out of conditioning, not using the punishment of, you know, working hard. I remember I had a coach that you know, and I don't know how this ended up playing out, but I remember we would if someone showed a plea, that person had to go in and they're to come out and they put their shoes on. And while they were late, we had to run. And until they were ready, we couldn't some running that person never had to run for being late. Now there was a different thing that happen. There was a positive positive or some sort of peer pressure that was introduced cause we're all looking at you like this. Do you like You better not be late again. We're all thinking our head like I don't want to be that right? Yes. So there's a little bit of different, like coercion thereto be on time and things like that. So sometimes, like I said, wait for a long time. It's just like you don't get it right? Go run.

spk_0:   17:24
Yeah, Yeah, That was the deal. I remember again, this is even further back. Now that we're talking, just hit me. I was in middle school basketball and our coach. It was even. I appreciate the honesty, but he was just like we were not doing the playwright or whatever, and then he just had a front. He's like, Hey, guys, until you figure it out, we don't know anything else that make your run until your tongues were hanging out. It just flat out said. I don't know what else to do.

spk_1:   17:46
Sometimes that's where it is. Yep,

spk_0:   17:48
I'm like, Well, me running more isn't gonna help me, you know, Be on that back screen for the, you know, just like yeah,

spk_1:   17:55
sometimes you gotta do. Sometimes you got to use it to wake your team up, and I get that. But you know, it's that thing of like, If that's just, you're always

spk_0:   18:03
default every time,

spk_1:   18:04
every single time, then it's gonna be you're gonna create a culture on your I think you run the risk of creating a culture on your team where hard work is always associated with negativity. So

spk_0:   18:15
that's good. We'll unpack a little bit of choosing challenge, and we kind of around about that right now. I don't want one of your rants, but what does that look like? If you're trying to, you're trying to help your team choose challenge and not the path of least resistance

spk_1:   18:29
Well, I think I think just challenge in general is just a word that implies that there's something there that either makes us anxious or it's the edge of us, right? It's like it's that part of you. It's that area, that territory, that you're willing you're wanting to go. But you just don't know if you if you met Yeah, you have it in you. If you're gonna fail on what we say is kind of like if you play out your life in the next five years and you don't go to that space, are you gonna be happy with where you are right now? And you can probably look and go like I'm depending on who you are, like I I'm not unhappy about where I am, but I don't want to always be where I am right now. You know, I'm content with where I am, but I want to continue to move forward. And so what we know is that when we choose challenge, we create change. Now we don't know what type of change it's gonna be. And that's another thing about the challenge. Aspect is like once I do this, I'll never be the same. Everything's gonna be different. So on dhe, usually it's pretty good. It could be a good thing. Sometimes choosing challenge doesn't end up believing you're better off. But like I said, it's one of those things where it's like when you're trying to move for when you're on a journey. Usually the thing you want is on the other side of challenge. The thing you really want the thing that you haven't had yet. It's on the other side of challenge. So choosing challenge, though, is another way. We say here the gym's way encouraged our clients to choose challenge, and what we know is that that looks different for everyone. I could have some. I could have client a choosing challenges, turning the treadmill up and running at 11 miles an hour. That's their challenge today because they've been running at 10.5 for the past two weeks, and I need them to choose challenge and turn up to 11. Client Be could have just finished the Flying Pig marathon, and when they choose challenge today, it's turning it down and dialing it back so their bodies can recover, even though they mentally want to go, They're gonna choose the challenge of listening to the body being wise and allowing time for recovery. That's could be the challenge for them on. And clients see the challenge could be just showing up. It could just be getting in the door. That might be the biggest challenge that they're gonna face all day. So whatever we get from them when they show up, we're gonna be excited about it. And we're gonna champion that because they just get in just to get in the door. So that's so choosing. Challenge looks different for everyone. But when you hear it, it means the same thing that makes it so that's why we like it. Because we can yell that out. We can say, Hey, when you're on the treadmill today, make sure you're choosing challenge. Hey, when you're picking up these weights for these squats of these dumbbell squats, make sure you choose challenge, whatever that is for you make sure you're going after that. And that's what we try to encourage people because, you know, you gotta come up with different ways to speak when you're talking to a large group, because it means different things to different people, so I can't tell everybody. Hey, make sure you pick up the heavyweight because again, that might not be what is challenging for those people. Some people that might be picking up that lower weight, getting more reps or, you know, taking it easy because I have having injury that we need to recover back from. So,

spk_0:   21:31
yeah, I just love that language. And I think there was one of the times you mentioned that this was if you can't choose challenge during training. Yeah, yeah. If you don't feel safe enough, t go for it and potentially fail during training, then you're setting yourself up to when it's when the stakes were higher. It's even more right, more risky. It's like, Why not? Yeah, head and see where that yourself is during the training part.

spk_1:   21:55
That's so good. I mean, the training ground should be a safe place to fail. A lot of times I'll have athletes come in and I just see their anxiety levels are through the roof. I'm trying to get them to do something that I know they could do, handed you to run down to that cone playing with your left foot take a hard step on the way back and finish through. I know they could do that. I know they could do that in their sleep, but for whatever reason, you know, it's our first session together, and they're just like that falling on the replacement. And I have to have to calm them down after, look at them and go Listen, if you if you mess up here, it's not gonna keep you off the field, right? I'm not gonna call your coach, you know, like, it's this is this is a safe place for you to fail. And when you get so failing is not the same thing that's losing, right? Right. Failing isn't like I don't want you to lose. We're gonna win every single time you show up. But you might not do everything perfect. And what that means is we're actually in areas that you're uncomfortable. We're just on the edge of you where you're safe, but you're in an area where you might not have what it takes yet, So that's that's huge. It again, back to that kind of conditioning thing, make it a safe place for people to really give you their all. And as a coach, I would say, if I have 10 sprints, I would rather I have guys. Three guys drop on on Sprint seven because they just can't walk anymore because they gave me everything that had been half the whole team finish and saving it until the end, Right? Like that's like, I want everything from you in this so we can figure out where we can be on the next time. Next time you run all eight is hard. You can next time we're running on nine next time running 10. Now we've gotta add sprints or we have to, you know, be at a different challenge to that. So

spk_0:   23:37
now it's good managing that speaking life into it. And you mentioned something that kind of Segways nicely. We've both been through a drink. All transformational leadership has been really impact for me personally and leadership and family and a life. And they talked about one of the first thing to talk about. It's how you are. The dynamics have changed and how their social anxiety and about the kids coming in anxious and trying to trying to lower that what are some other tools or things that stuck out to you from the TL training that you've implemented either personally or as you lead your teams.

spk_1:   24:13
I think it's funny because it's it's hard for me to pick one and

spk_0:   24:19
there's a whole book up on.

spk_1:   24:21
Really like one of the things that that allowed me to start this business is that I went to the training. I had a mentor, Dan McNeill, and he somehow I met him and I was standing in front of them, and I was just I just had an idea about a gym that I want to start. I had a space that I just really didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know what I didn't know, right? Like I was in that space of like, I didn't even know what I didn't know. You gotta

spk_0:   24:47
work out the whole business. Yeah, it isn't right. And

spk_1:   24:50
like so he saw something in me and I don't know what he saw me, and I'm grateful that he did. But he saw something in me and he said, Hey, I want to meet with you. And he started to sit with me and ask me these questions, like, Hey, what's your process? And I was like, What do you mean? What's what? I'm going to train people. Well, he's like, Well, how do you get someone who's not a client here? Thio become a client that's training you and paying for service is like, I guess they call me. You know, it was something. It was one of the things I was like. I guess I should figure that out. I'm gonna start a business. So he's like, Hey, I got this training I want you to go to. And so I went to it, and it was kind of weird because, like, I didn't I didn't have a business. So it was like I was just learning things, and I'm like, all right, like, I don't have anything else. I wasn't in bad habits yet, right? So it was like, I guess I'll try that, I guess I'll try. I think I don't have any other way to do that. So that's just what I'm gonna do. So I almost really took this platform, this training that they gave me, and I just said, This is how iron sharpens Iron is gonna operate, is

spk_0:   25:51
gonna install this whole thing

spk_1:   25:53
was gonna do it. And the more that I did it, the more that I begin to trust it. I started to see it work, and one of the one of the things that I remember first doing that was was the the social covenants so on and that that was such a life changing tool in the first place is that I implemented was just in my own personal relationship. So what I did is I just realized that the more that I worked out my junk at home and my junk in my relationships the Maur the more accessible than Maur That is just easier The business became. It was there was just different pressure on the business and I saw these things working in my relationships. I'm like, I'm definitely going to be here if it can fix this relationship. That's been, you know, like this is like my sister and I having this really difficult thing for years. And then we sit down and we do a social covenant, and we just asked each other to simple questions like, Hey, when we're together, how do you want me to treat you, you know, and asking those questions of people in washing them, sit there and not know how to answer it. And even to the point of some of the people, I ask this question to break down in tears and respond to me and say, I've never had anyone asked me that. And it's like, Man, that is powerful stuff and really what it is that lower like this is I say this with Maybe there's a for lack of better words, but it lowered the bar for me on the pressure of what I needed to provide people right. So it was like I thought I needed to provide this like crazy fitness experience, like best equipment. It was like I can just ask people how they want to be treated and then treat them well and give them a good workout like and that's that could be it could be a simple as that.

spk_0:   27:38
It might just be, Yeah, don't be a jerk and tell me a good job at the end, and that's like, you know, that's the bar for me, and you're like, I couldn't do that. My sleep. There's so much more potentially gonna be on that. But

spk_1:   27:47
it's like it's one of those things where it's like blowing. We blow people away by asking them how their day was and saying hi to them and they tell us they feel known because they are known like. And I can say, Hey, Macey, how are you? Tell me about How was that thing you talked about last weekend? Just really connecting with people in seeing people for who they are. That blows people away, man. And it's again if you're a coach, I'm telling you, like when you do that for your, for your, for your players, for the people, for your coaching staff, for the people around you, when they when they feel known because they are known because there's a difference, you can do things to make people feel no. But when they feel known because they are known, that's when that's when the really special stuff starts to happen. So, you know, taking that social covenant, implementing the core values, you know, they encourage us to have a core value. I did some that self business business classes like company has a vision and a mission, and I'm just like I don't know what that means But for whatever reason, when I sat in that training, all that self kind of made more sense to me on then the other. Things like scheduling meetings like our meetings are productive because we we do the water model where you sit down and you, you you hit these points and you learn how to be relational and transactional on Dhe. People are connecting and we're getting stuff done. There's not a lot of places in the world where you could do that. So if you could be a place like that for someone, they're going to keep coming back and showing up, showing up, showing up because that's what we all along

spk_0:   29:17
because they know they're known they're cared for. But we're also getting stuff done. Exactly two full marriage. Too many times you got either one of the other. We just sit around and everybody super happy Lee with the meeting. But nothing's getting done after that war. It's like Boom, boom, boom! The hammer coming down transaction exactly like I don't know this guy like I even care exactly like you think about coaching staff meetings or team meetings and you know you need to have a little bit of both.

spk_1:   29:39
Yes. Yeah, in meetings, man, those air, the air, they're such a use. Their such a valuable tool. But they're sometimes of the biggest enemy of any organism. A huge time, so on. And people are just, like, dreading it. They're just dreading the meeting. They just feel like it's smack right in the middle of the day and they could be doing other things. And And you gotta be willing as a coach, as a as an organizational leader to go Are my meetings a time suck and, you know, are they Are they worth it, right, These my meetings, Are they our meetings, You know, like being really honest about that and then looking out and saying How can I improve the functionality of this meeting where people are actually looking forward to being here because they know that this is the springboard, right? Not just this place where we sit down and then we forget about what we talked about. This is I actually have to be here in order to do the next thing that I need to do is kind of like the huddle, right? Like maybe you're know, howto offense. Maybe our no huddle team. You don't know how to run a meeting. Stop that kind of thing. So, yeah, that's something I took away from it. And then the v Steel model Like the vision the the service serve. Yeah. Teach, you know, evaluate or a tea strainer. Quip and power Let go and evaluate. That has been huge. We actually that be steel is what we model all of our classes after. So we cast a vision in the front, we serve them and we kind of play those next four or five things as a drum set, kind of like whatever needs to be done to keep rhythm, then essentially, what it is, is way Set the timer and we let him go. And then we walked around. We evaluate, we make sure that they're doing the exercises properly, You know that we're there to help. And then at the end, you know, way Make sure that we connect again and we send them on their way. So there's just there's a lot of different things that I was able to pull out of there, and we do it on a really large scale. Then we do it on a very small scale. A supposed to, like, be steel within an hour,

spk_0:   31:38
right? Yeah. So have you thought about that? You get a session? Could have that that quickly. I usually think of that is like I mean, I'm trying to take a person from this place to another place from leaders, your prospective student leader, coach or whatever. Something a minute private, 12 month process. But it could also apply to 60 minutes. It

spk_1:   31:55
could be it could be a three minute process if you got a drill. So your football coach, you want to teach a pass rush? Move. You know you're gonna catch the vision, right? Like vision. The Bible says without vision, people perished. People will. People will work for what I've heard. This people will work for what they'll give their lives for a why the work for what they give their entire lives for a while. So if you could explain to someone why this mill, this drill or this move, or why it's so important they'll get locked in and you'll get a lot more from them afterwards. And then you serve them one of the ways we service by making sure that they're equipped. They have the right waits that they need to have towels. They have water. They have everything they need to do in order to give their best effort. We teach them. We show them, we demonstrate the exercise. We again we served by asking, Hey, does anybody have any questions about this? Before we move on to the next one, WeII equipped them again with everything they need. And then we let him go. And in that let go is where you see the magic happen on dhe. That's where people start to grow. That's where they get better. That's where they get in confidence. And you just keep playing those drums. You know, you might let him go. Then you gotta go back to the top and Kasam or vision because things are changing. But yeah, that's just playing that be steel drum, right? Like steel drum. There we go, a cz, often as you can, and hitting those different hitting those different notes

spk_0:   33:17
Really good. Then I look at and we both similar faith positions, but we look at Jesus and that's how he did. The disciples served them happy serving well he taught training. That was the way it And then eventually he let go. And yeah, it was just really interesting to see what he did with 12 dudes over three. Just Zachary. Yeah, man.

spk_1:   33:40
Yeah. Any Empower them, right, and empower them. And then you let him go, and he gave them evaluation. Told, you know, spirit does that force it? It'll come back and continue to teach us and correct us. You know, it's it's it's it's a good thing it's hard. But I think when I first saw that that the steel, you know, I kind of thought it was like, Okay, this is step one. And now I'm in Step two. And what What I've learned over the years is that, like, you're kind of always doing them all. Yeah, you never really graduate to like, Okay, now,

spk_0:   34:12
let go. She just has to look at it. Like, which drum Haven't we hit recently? Like I need to go back to?

spk_1:   34:17
Exactly, Because because one of the things like we're married to the mission, but not the method here. So, like, our mission is our mission. But how we get it done, we're willing t admit that we might not be doing it the best way. So we're willing to admit that and then choose a better way so that that's always gonna take some more vision casting. It's always gonna take some different teachings and different training. You know, each person's gonna need a little bit more of one in your organization, and someone might need a little bit more teaching. Someone else might need a little bit more of the letting go right. You spend too much teaching on. They just need to get out there and make some steaks. I'm a mistake, Sky like one of things I tell people when they come in here is how fast can I get you making mistakes? You can learn from you because that's where that's where that's where I'll learn what I need to get you. Yeah, you know, I could give you all that. I can hit all the things, but I might just be able to let you get in there and get going, and then I can come back and say, Here, here's what I think that weaken improve on. Here's what you're doing. Excellent. We don't need to spend any time on that. That's natural. I don't want to mess up that. But, like, here's some other areas. So you know, different people in your organization gonna need different things. And, you know, that's easier said than done. When if you're a basketball coach, you got just a few players, or if you're you know, you got a lot of players. If you're a football coach, got 100 kids, you know you might not be able to do that, But if you can, you're gonna power the people around. You empower your position coaches. You know you could build that structure where essentially that discipleship model right where it's like, Here's the big idea. We're all on board and then everybody's kind of just doing that same thing as it goes. So you you got your head coach and then you got your position coaches and your position. Coaches, you know, you might have your team divided up into pots. Yeah, you know, four or five guys that are you know that you're not necessarily accountability groups, but those are the guys that they're leading. You know, you're picking your captains and you know there's different ways to get it done, but just making sure that everybody is on that same page and hitting There's those different notes.

spk_0:   36:15
Yeah, I just wanted to touch back again real quick with something you said about having having the humility, to go on back to your core values, having the humility and then not being totally married to your methods. I think that's huge as as as a parent, as a coach, as whatever. I mean, if you're if you're not willing to say, hey, I've been doing it this way and I have the humility to say It might not be the best way at exactly this time and open up just the opportunities that could that could create just by not being too prideful. Toe Hold on to what? Yeah, What's familiar?

spk_1:   36:47
Yeah. I mean, yeah, perfect example. That is in our business. We started out our name was Iron sharpens iron personal training. And And I actually remember at one point saying we will only do personal training. We will never do group And I've eaten those words ever since. Because now, like now, 80% of what we do comes from group fitness training on dhe. The mission never said anything about being the best personal training. It just was being the preferred training facility of our community. And it's gonna be really hard doing that. If I could only work with one person at a time, right? So that's where I

spk_0:   37:21
had to look at it and go. Okay, I'm gonna let go of this.

spk_1:   37:24
We're gonna drop the personal training out of the name will still offer it, But we're not gonna be known just for that, we're going to just stay on Mission and serve as many people as we can, because those people way believe in what we offer. So why wouldn't we tried? Give it to many people as possible. Sure,

spk_0:   37:40
when I've seen I did cross fit for a few months and just having the group training model was the closest thing I ever came to the old days in the locker room in the weight room with the teen way

spk_1:   37:51
got it set up just

spk_0:   37:53
like it's like I'm on the team again. It kind of brings that back. Well, this'll let our audience a little bit about just how to get ahold of you are maybe some of things you offer just wanted to give you your freedom. Yes.

spk_1:   38:06
So if if you're in the Cincinnati area, you can definitely come in. We'd love to have you. You can find information about the gym at www dot i s I, Jim so G y m a c g y m dot com. You'll be able to go there, see all the information about her classes are location is 5 to 29 Montgomery Road in Norwood, Ohio. Again, you'll find all that information on the website, and the best news about all of this is, if you haven't been here your first class, it's free so you can go there and sign up for that. If you want to follow us on social media or, you know, and what we try to do with our social media is add value to people's lives as well. We always say we want to be able to encourage and inspire someone who's in California who may never be able to come to our Jim. We want them to find value by following us on social media so you can do that by following me personally at Underscore Harp's underscores. So that's at Underscore H a r b z underscore and you can follow the jam It at Iron Sharpens USA. Yeah, that's on Instagram so

spk_0:   39:09
and that's legit. I follow both album and yeah, they put a lot of get content was part of the inspiration for us even having this have this meeting, man. I see some heavy bags over there to come over and put some gloves on soon. Love what you're doing it so appreciate just your heart. And that's how you're serving this community and you're running a business. But, gosh, you're making an impact on so many levels. I just appreciate your heart in your faith. Yeah, your inspiration. Appreciate it.

spk_1:   39:34
Well, thank you. Thank you for creating this platform for us to be able to just encourage one another and learn it's a sharp in each other, right? That's what it's all about. So

spk_0:   39:42
the best way to end it right there, we'll talk to you guessing