EP 16 - Matt Nichol: How You Become A Successful Strength Coach

Most people assume professional athletes are living in a completely different world compared to their counterparts in the business sector.

Longtime Paul Chek disciple, premier NHL strength and conditioning coach and lifelong student, Matt Nichol, shows you wrong that assumption can be in his first Living 4D conversation.

Show Notes

• Matt trains a lot of National Hockey League players but doesn’t know how to skate. (5:34)
• Matt’s gift for working with athletes comes from his life in a family of teachers, including his parents. (7:42)
• In the pre-Internet era, Matt learned the value and importance of coaching. (14:12)
• Chronic, repeated injuries from his work in the gym — not on the football field — led Matt to a CHEK Practitioner. (15:24)
• “I didn’t know you could be a personal trainer for athletes in Canada. I thought that was for Hollywood celebrities or famous people.” (18:40)
• Deadlifting almost 600 pounds may be impressive, but being unable to do two proper chin-ups is not… (22:42)
• You don’t have to choose between being stronger or healthier. You can do both. (26:43)
• Matt’s first huge professional hurdle — being fired from the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs — led to him starting his own company. (33:33)
• The importance of the Circadian sleep cycle. (42:26)
• When’s the last time you felt bonked? (43:59)
• Coaches were the ones who created the most pushback about infusing good health principles into professional sports teams, not players. (51:31)
• “If you knew that this new client or patient you’re meeting tomorrow — whatever your business is — would be your client for the next 20 years, would you conduct your business any differently? Would you treat them any differently? Would you behave any differently?” (56:19)
• Blending life mentorship with coaching for great results. (1:00:29)
• One common denominator among business executives and professional athletes Matt coaches: Many are unhappy. (1:11:28)
• Where is your personal center of gravity? (1:21:27)
• “Spirituality is becoming sensitive to the parts of yourself that can’t be weighed or measured and being sensitive to the effect you’re having on others, as well as them on you in relationships.” (1:29:31)
• The greatest compliment Matt ever received from former NHL star goalie Ken Dryden. (1:30:32)
• Matt wants his own Heaven House. (1:37:38)

Resources

• How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!
• Learn more about Matt’s work with clients all over Canada and the U.S. at mattnichol.com and his nutritional company, Biosteel.

Thanks to our awesome sponsors:

Paleovalley
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Organifi CHEK20
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CHEK Institute's Black Friday gift

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