GURUS

Wow; what a fun topic : )  First, thanks.  You may get more than you asked for here, but I think a little history would help.  Your question voices a legitimate frustration almost everyone should have.

I was paid to "peak" my first client 11 or 12 years ago.  Up to that point, I helped a friend out here and there, but as business circumstances would have it, I was in a position where I needed to fill an ad space and over a weekend had the idea, "I wonder if people would actually pay me to get them ready for a contest."  The concept didn't exist only 11 to 12 years ago.  Chad Nicholls and Chris Aceto were somewhat doing it on the side, but really making more money in other things.  For someone to create a business model to do nothing but contest prep nutrition wasn't happening.  You were a personal trainer in a gym who happened to compete and maybe had a client or two getting ready for a show, but nothing large scale.  Now, everyone on the planet is a contest prep "guru" as you put it.  Many of my own clients who I helped get pro cards are now setting up shop and they may be a cop or math teacher by day and contest prep "guru" by night. 

It's not in my nature to run around to all the forums and try to answer everyone's questions and try to look smarter than everyone else or tell you why I'm the best; I simply say compare education, compare experience, compare results.  You have a choice; make it wisely and make it per the seriousness of your goals.  I don't need every client in the world; I only want those who want to partner with a team who will match your effort and give you the best we have right up to the time you sip your last bit of water and walk on stage.  I hear horror stories weekly - some actual near-death health issues - due to unqualified "gurus." 

We'll be around if you need us : )

 A good subject, Stephanie.

Wikipedia confirms my interpretation that a ” guru ” is someone who has great knowledge, wisdom in a certain area and who uses it to guide others. That reads to me as close a description as it can be, to describe Joe. I have only known him and communicated with him for the past 3 years and, although we don’t always agree on all subjects, I would never argue with him on anything to do with nutrition. He has all the knowledge gained from a good education, along with the clever sifting and banking of experiences gained through the years.

 I haven’t known too many people like that, but another in this field that I have communicated with is Clarence Bass. Someone who has maintained 5% body fat for 35 years straight has to have an idea of practising what they preach. Like Joe, an educated man who fully researches anything that he writes about. Despite being a guru in my book, he will be the first to admit that in this game there is always more than “ one way to skin a cat “.

 Another that I have met in my lifetime that could be considered in this category was my old metalwork and woodwork teacher. What he didn’t know about his subject, wasn’t worth knowing.

“What is this?” he would say.

“It’s a piece of wood, Sir.”

“NO Earl, it is NOT just a piece of wood!”

  . . . and so my education with him continued in that vein. . .

 After I had left school and begun earning a crust, He toured my place of work at that time and introduced his students to me, proudly saying “ I tought this man everything he knows”. To which I quickly replied, Yes, but unfortunately not everything that he knows!” I guess that is why we have “guru’s “ in this world.

Hey Alan:

I don't think you implied this, but I do want to be clear.   I like the term "guru" in a negative fashion because it seems so grand...I used to go to a gym and the big trainer there had a haughty jacket that said PERSONAL TRAINER on the back and wore cool shades.  that's what i think about when i say guru...somebody who wants you to believe they have all the answers but that its too complicated for the rest of us to understand.

By "coach" i feel it implies a much more humble and genuine role.  And that's what the few (including Dr. Joe naturally) represent to me.  a transparent medium of information and not lord or the manner.

Something kinda funny here.  I fell in love with bodybuilding some time ago and it actually motivated me to go to school.  I'm earning a degree in Ex phys and nutrition right now and plan to continue into more physiology... I have all this knowledge and access to information and journals from all over the world but everything I learn instead of wondering how I'll cure cancer someday I think, "so how does this apply to bodybuilding?"  

It's interesting learning about the evolution of the sport as well as the path that has brought your service forward Dr. Joe.  I know i enjoy reading about it so any thoughts you (and others of course) have on these topics... please post

this is a results based business like many many others and Joe doesn't need to say anything to sell himself.... the gigantic crop of pro cards, pro wins and world titles speak for themselves. all while doing it with the best education, knowledge and experience.

if more people in this biz practiced what joe does it would be a safer sport and people would get more out of it, including better placings and wins. uneducated people darn near ruin people....

the best part of a coach is that they are willing to "teach" you everything they do, not just dictate and joe does just that. as a former client i can tell you that i've learned mass amounts from him and still continue to :)

see you friday joe!!!, so i can ask you 1000 questions and download it into my computer like brain ;) LOL

Hi Stephanie

Sorry, even if you had half the thought that I might have been implying anything with what you had written. Never the case and possibly different interpretations on words from different eras! 

The word " Coach " also cropped up with me recently. I have written on here before that I recently read a fine book by Dan John, the famous American strength coach. He finishes his book by telling us that the word " Coach " used to make him shudder, but that he now embraces it. His attitude changed when he met a man named Coach. This man approached him after DJ had delivered one of his talks at a conference, asking numerous questions of him.

DJ asked him his name and he replied " Coach ". 

" Fine " DJ said, " but what's your name ?"

His answer changed DJ's life. " When I was a young man, I was a terror. I did all the wrong things and knew I was doing wrong. I started playing some ball at the local community centre. There was a man there who took no nonsense from me. He expected more. He demanded more. He turned my life around. I decided to dedicate my life to his memory. All I knew of him is that we called him Coach. Please, all I ever want to be known as, is Coach. Call me Coach."

Instead of Coach or Guru, you can call me Joe.   But don't call me this weekend; I will be in St. Louis with Graig Presti and Chad Troup watching them put on an awesome INBF contest!  (And I'll be taping construction to the floor Friday night, peeling it back off Saturday night, and probably fetching them water and snacks all day.  Anything to help my boys!)