Strength Faction is the brainchild of strength coaches, and founders of Beyond Strength Performance, Chris Merritt and Todd Bumgardner. They created the Faction to help other strength coaches and trainers navigate common problems that they’ve faced and overcame:
How to handle their own training. (Transformation)
Being a part of a quality coaching community. (Community)
Continual growth through education. (Education)
Rather than searching the entire internet, and potentially traveling the globe, to find these elements. They combined them into one, revolutionary coaching program…and Strength Faction was born.
The TRANSFORMATION-COMMUNITY-EDUCATION ethic rests on a framework of integrity and authenticity. Those in Strength Faction can relax, have a blast and be themselves. We’re all in this together—to have fun, learn and live better lives.
Each training block runs for 16 weeks with a one-week break between blocks. Strength Faction members sign up for each block individually with the option to re- up at the end.
As members train using the Strength Faction program, they receive weekly lessons, have the option to participate in a weekly QnA and have access to live-recorded Beyond Strength Performance staff in-services.
The Strength Faction Week
Monday is Program Day!
Each Monday, at the ungodly four o’clock hour, the Strength Faction program is updated. Members log on to their dashboard to find that the program fairy—real name Chris Merritt—has advanced the sets, reps and/or exercises to a new challengingly attainable level. This comes with advice on how to successfully manage the training week.
Tuesday is Lesson Day!
On Tuesdays we learn. This glorious, second day of the workweek delivers either a written or video lesson. Topics range from self-coaching and mindset to lift performance and the idiosyncratic nature of navigating exercise. Topics are also tailored to match the current training phase and weekly theme.
Nutrition Wednesdays
What’s training without nutrition? It’s still training—just not as effective.
We don’t, however, bore the shit out of people with nutrition’s “x’s and o’s.” We take a practical approach and solve every day nutrition problems that people face. Like how in the hell am I going to make sure I eat all of this food.
Expect strategies, recipes and practical, actionable nutrition lessons that apply to your life and solve your clients’ problems. Double whammy! Your nutrition improves and you have more strategies to help your clients.
Thursday = Video Coaching and QnA
We all need a little help from our friends…and our coaches. On Thursdays, members post videos of the lifts they want coaching on. The coaches, of course, give their feed back, but the community as a whole is encouraged to help each other out…with positive comments or constructive criticism only. This fosters discussion directly in the Facebook group and gives folks immediate, useful takeaways.
Strength Faction QnA starts promptly at 9pm EST every Thursday. With themes such as nutrition, sleep, recovery, stress management, etc., we cover all the bases of the programming while managing life and training. While each QnA session is themed, all questions on training, life and debauchery are welcomed.
Even cooler–the Strength Faction QnA guests. At least once per month, the QnA plays host to the best and brightest minds in the fitness industry. Past guests include Dan John and MLB barrier breaker Rachel Balkovec.
Fratboy Friday or Booty Builder Friday
Even the most serious strength coach wants to look good—and a shirt-stretching set of pipes make aesthetics pop. Ladies want that booty that never heard the word quit. A new arms, and booty, workout video is posted every Friday to prepare ladies and gents for the weekend marauding.
Beyond the aesthetics, Fratboy and Booty Builder Friday is there to remind us that the gym is supposed to be fun. Blow off some steam and sculpt some aesthetics!
Other Awesome Strength Faction Attributes
The Monthly Alpha Challenge
Challenge incites motivation. Each month brings about a new Alpha Challenge; the Strength Faction coaches lead from the front and complete the challenge first to set the bar for the members.
Members have the option to participate in the challenge by posting a video to the private Facebook group. It’s a great way for everyone to interact, push each other and achieve beyond perceived limits!
Monday and Friday Emails
Monday looks ahead and Friday recaps. The Monday emails are designed to get folks moving at the beginning of the week by having a look at what’s headed their way. Friday stands in repose to bring the week’s training and lessons into a unified focus so they are processed and digested before next week comes.
Coaching by Request
Any member can request a private meeting with coach—via phone, zoom or Facetime. Everyone gets one fifteen minute meeting per month to keep them transforming and learning as a member of Strength Faction.
