Israel Sanchez

Well, Howdy there! No better way to get started than a simple greeting. I guess I'm now supposed to say something glorifying, exalting, and grandiose in the third person that would allegedly set me apart? Nah! Everyone else is doing it already so that kind of defeats the purpose. Ironic, isn't it?

Nevertheless, if you want the more formal intro and see my credentials, you can always check my formal bio at my blog.

I want to make this page more an exercise of discovery for both you and I. There is much we can share and I'm sure there are things we can learn from each other.

Who am I?

And what is my approach

Who am I? The answer is one that will never change. I am and will always be a Strength and Conditioning coach. What do I exactly do? That is when the answer gets more complex as I use many modalities, tools, and venues that are applicable to you at very specific moments. After all, you are a unique being with a unique structure that has adapted in unique way to the demands it is exposed. I explore the nature of such adaptations and how they will either enhance or deter your results. Only then I will know what to adapt and at what stage.

I will never refer to what I do in commercial terminology as this strips the validity of any methodology and undeservingly turns it into a fad. I do not endorse nor do I follow Gurus. More often than not, their "wisdom" happens to be the works of other people who did the hard part but were not marketing savvy.

No, I do not have a Mentor...

But I have many amazing teachers

Many ask me who my mentor was. That is difficult for me to answer as I dislike the word "Mentor" and what it implies. Mentees are remarkable for relying only on one source for their instruction and take the word of their mentors as infallible. They not only adopt their Mentor's vision and approaches, they also adopt their biases. Mentees will accept the word of their Mentors and their justifications without further investigation. Their devotion to their Guru convinces them that there cannot possibly be another answer. Whenever somebody keeps referring to their "Mentor" I know this a mind that may not be ready or willing to accept that their Mentor is after all human, and capable of making mistakes.

Do not get me wrong. I have had many EXCELLENT instructors and teachers, and though some of them are father figures to me in many aspects, I consider and respect them all in equal regard.

No, I do not have a Mentor. I have had the fortune of interacting with great minds who have shared their knowledge with me and enriched my career and life, but I have always gone further and explored what they rejected. It is through this exploration that I concluded that even though most of them contradicted each other, they were all correct. It was only a matter of recognizing they were addressing different stages of development.

It is YOU more tha I...

But are you capable of letting go?

Hopefully this will help you understand why I cannot oversimplify what I do. Do I focus on balance, flexibility, endurance, strength, or power? I cannot pick one since they are all integrated expressions of each other. It is up to YOU and I to determine where we need to start. You and I work together in this.

You will find out that I will always have questions for your questions. I question until I refine your inquiry to a very specific aspect. Our perceptions have been warped to accept and look for generalizations. What is the best exercise? What is the fastest way to lose fat? Are free weights better than machines? Are all examples of ambiguous generalizations. I cannot help you unless you let go of them and we get specific to you. There are no "one approach fits all" answers, nor should you expect them.

Now that you know more about me, I would love to know more about you. Please do not be shy about contacting me. I am looking forward to hearing from you. Until next time.

Israel A. Sanchez

Bainbridge Island's Most Trusted Strength and Conditioning Coach