It takes a village...

When meeting with prospective athletes, when asked "What's it like to work with you?" I struggle to answer. Why? Because the relationship I have with each of the athletes I work with, is so unique and different. But now, I have an answer for them, thanks to HVT Athlete and WVU Cycling Team member, Tess Senty.

Tess and I started working together this past November, and we are building up to the Collegiate Road Season, a summer of racing for a spot on an NRC team, and working toward racing in Europe within the next two years. Tess is a phenomenal person to coach, as not only does she enjoy her time on the bike, but she truly loves learning the how's and why's.

She recently was selected to ride as a part of the Vanderkitten VIP Race program and I can totally see why. She truly loves the bike, and, makes for an awesome, friendly ambassador for the sport that is Women's Cycling. Tess understands that training for elite level competition while working on her PhD takes commitment, focus, and the ability to balance things properly.

I'm proud to work with many incredible athletes, from a variety of sports- Cycling, Triathlon, Fitness Modeling, Running, Lacrosse, and more. Every single one of them is in their chosen sport, because they love it. They enjoy putting in the time, doing the work, and seeing the rewards.

Many of the athletes I coach, have the desire (not just a dream!), to go PRO. How do we accomplish this? What is it about the HVT approach that fosters the growth to get to that level?

As Steven Pressfield says, one MUST understand and accept, that in order to go from an amateur to PRO, one must stop squandering their gifts, and put in the hard work necessary to succeed. This means showing up to work EVERYDAY, regardless of how they feel.

I can tell you from experience, that it is a hard thing to do at times, especially when either one is injured, or the weather is absolutely foul. But one MUST do it in order to succeed! And the HVT little secret? HAVE FUN while doing it. It's not about the destination, it's about enjoying the journey! Ya gotta LOVE what you're doing, and occasionally be able to step back and realize how much fun you've had on the path so far!

For each athlete whom I coach, their chosen sport is a large part of who they are, and they LOVE their sport!!...and they love sharing that passion with others. Whether it's Beth Bowman (Running), University of Pittsburgh Cycling Team, Cid Carver (Triathlon), or any of the many other athletes whom I coach, when you talk to them, it's clear how much they love their sport, and passing to each person they interact with, a small piece of that love and enthusiasm.

Speaking of sharing with others, here, in her own words, is Tess' experience thus far. While it's early in our relationship, I thought it would be nice to start from day 1, and have Tess "Check in" every so often.

I want to preface this by saying that for every athlete I work with, it's truly a team effort. We work together, discuss, and make a plan....As we progress we involve other professionals, as needed, along the journey- Dietitians, Physical Therapists, Bike Shops, Mechanics, as well as significant others, and Friends & Family... after all, it takes a village to raise an athlete!

"I have always been an endurance athlete. I have trained myself through a 50 mile trail run, half and full Ironmans and marathons, including qualifying for Boston. Although I was successful, I struggled with nutrition, time management, recovery and I could not push myself to the next level. This year, I took the leap and hired Brodie to help qualify me for Collegiate Cycling Nationals. We first met at his studio in Pittsburgh for my FTP test and his enthusiasm was so great I could not help but be excited for the pain that was to come. After the test, Brodie discussed with me, not only on bike training and form but we spoke about the importance of nutrition, core strength and understanding the dynamics of racing.

Receiving my first block was like Christmas morning, I was so excited to get started on our journey to Nationals. Brodie’s workouts were easy to understand and he was willing to go over all my questions in detail. My blocks were strategically designed, to fit into my busy life of working on a physics PhD, and reach my athletic goals. Brodie believes one should work hard to reach their goals but they should also have fun doing it, and he incorporates that into every workout. At the end of the day, I want to still love my bike even if I spent hours on the trainer. Brodie encourages this by designing workouts that make trainer miles fly by and he encourages fun rides when life gets overwhelming.

I have only been working with Brodie for two months, but I have already improved my strength, speed, handling and knowledge more than I did in the four years of training on my own. He is always checking up on me, making sure I am sleeping well, I have good energy, I am healthy, and I am enjoying life and training. In this short time, I can already feel the improvements Brodie has helped me achieve. I can now ride with the boys who use to blow me out of the water and I even challenge some of them on state line sprints and climbs! I cannot wait to start racing in just a few weeks and see where I place up with the other women so I can truly see how this hard work has paid off."
-Tess Senty

M. Brodie is an International Cycling, Triathlon, and Running coach, currently working out of Pittsburgh, Pa, USA, and Tel Aviv, IL

If you are seeking coaching, you can contact him at HumanVortexTraining@gmail.com

Human Vortex Training LLC.
Train Smarter, Not Harder.