Not everybody can be Buddy Morris or Richard Petty.
“Anybody can learn to write up an exercise program, just like anybody can learn to drive a car.
But not everybody can become highly impactful Coaches or NASCAR Drivers.
There is a high level of skill required deeply beyond the surface of prescribing sets & turning left.”
-Ray Zingler on X
If it was easy as telling everyone to do squats, drive fast, or turn that knob, everyone and their brother would be effective Coaches, NASCAR Drivers, and Tradesman.
But guess what the reality is?
We have many adults whose lack of skill and competence ends up taking more from kids than it gives, car wrecks in parking lots, and workplace liabilities.
It’s because what “what you see” a Pro do well, leads to the perception of it being easy.
While you see 3 sets of 8 reverse lunges, I see a child who lacks confidence and I know that while the lunges will make them stronger and improve their confidence, it’s the time spent learning the individual and learning how to resonate with them in between sets to effectively coach them between the ears, that carries most of the value.
While you see a bunch of dudes hammering a gas pedal and turning left 4 times around a track, from your couch, it’s Professional drivers in a high stakes environment evaluating multiple variables synergistically, all while knowing that a single mistake could lead to paralysis or death.
If you drive your Honda CRV a touch too fast on a government road (that you paid for) you must take a ticket from a government employee (whose salary you pay) and pay the government more.
You can do leg press all day long.
You can put a muffler on your ricer, too.
But you can’t be Buddy Morris or Richard Petty.
What makes these people special (I know far more about S&C than I do NASCAR, so I’ll stick to S&C) is not “what they do”, but WHY and HOW they do it?
It’s the layers of skill that go into making what they do look easy.
Buddy Morris is one of the most intelligent S&C Coaches in the field, but do you know why his players resonate with him?
It’s because he’s a no bullshit guy who is fucking cool to be around.
Not because he knows the most about physiological adaptation for sport.
That’s for HIM to know, not his players.
He delivers what he knows, effectively, all while being a trusted resource people want to be around.
That’s the mark of a True Pro.
