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Can You Go?: Assessments and Program Design for the Active Athlete and Everybody Else
Training people in sport as a coach or in fitness as a personal trainer is certainly rewarding work. But there’s a What do we do next? There are countless books on diet and exercise, hundreds of machines, devices and gimmicks to train people, and new gadgets and gizmos are popping up with every passing day.Can You Go? answers this What do we need to do next? Appropriate assessment leads to an appropriate answer. When we find a mobility issue, let’s focus on mobility work. The same is true for both body composition and strength—we focus on what we need to do, not what we want to do. For the performance athlete, sometimes assessment can be the short, brutal and harsh question, “Can you go?� Lessons from this frankness can be learned by both the coach and the trainer. The deconditioned and the elite share the same basic human body. Our job is to enhance performance and quality of life with every training situation.
- GenresFitnessHealthNonfiction
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2015
70 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Dan John
45Ìýbooks128ÌýfollowersDan John has coached for more than 30 years. He's helped hundreds of athletes pack on double-digit pounds of rock-solid muscle. As an athlete, John broke the American record in the Weight Pentathlon. He is the author of several books.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 16, 2019
One thing to remember about nutrition, conditioning and strength training:
*If it seems complicated, chances are that someone is trying to sell you something.*
I really like Dan John. One day I hope to meet him in person, but reading his books, it almost feels like I know him already. He’s a very experienced strength coach who can cut through all the BS around training while maintaining a nice balance of empathy and emphasizing the need for patience, planning and constant assessment when helping athletes build their skills and capacity.
I’d recommend this little guide for anyone who wants to coach athletes of any stripe. It’s not too technical and not aimed solely at coaches of elite athletes, in truth it would be perfect for someone running even a community gym. The focus is on the athlete’s motivation, mobility and appropriate level of skill development, not the coach’s ego or image.
Audiobook, read by the author.
*If it seems complicated, chances are that someone is trying to sell you something.*
I really like Dan John. One day I hope to meet him in person, but reading his books, it almost feels like I know him already. He’s a very experienced strength coach who can cut through all the BS around training while maintaining a nice balance of empathy and emphasizing the need for patience, planning and constant assessment when helping athletes build their skills and capacity.
I’d recommend this little guide for anyone who wants to coach athletes of any stripe. It’s not too technical and not aimed solely at coaches of elite athletes, in truth it would be perfect for someone running even a community gym. The focus is on the athlete’s motivation, mobility and appropriate level of skill development, not the coach’s ego or image.
Audiobook, read by the author.
March 30, 2018
An awesome book for thinking about meaningful training methods and program design. I've already implemented huge chunks of this, and wish I had a paper copy, not just kindle, as I'd quite like to be able to easily flick back and fore between chapters.
April 18, 2020
Great Read
I can appreciate books like this for several reasons. 1) It is a simple read and gets straight to the point.
2) You learn a whole lot!
This book gives you the tools you need to be success by focusing on exactly what works, the basics. As a trainer that has been in this industry for awhile, its easy to get caught up all the fancy and loss the main reason why we do what we do. By not getting caught up in the theatrics that can come with developing a program for clients, you keep it simple and still get great results.
I can appreciate books like this for several reasons. 1) It is a simple read and gets straight to the point.
2) You learn a whole lot!
This book gives you the tools you need to be success by focusing on exactly what works, the basics. As a trainer that has been in this industry for awhile, its easy to get caught up all the fancy and loss the main reason why we do what we do. By not getting caught up in the theatrics that can come with developing a program for clients, you keep it simple and still get great results.
March 30, 2018
Good mostly for professionals
As always, I truly love Dan John's writing. It is insightful, concise, and helpful. This book, while good for the general fitness enthusiast, is most helpful for those coaching others.
As always, I truly love Dan John's writing. It is insightful, concise, and helpful. This book, while good for the general fitness enthusiast, is most helpful for those coaching others.
October 7, 2019
Another home run
Dan John's books are so wonderfully readable. His approach to assessment and programming is simple and masterful, and his writing style is informal and engaging. I took several great pieces of.wisdom from.this book.
Dan John's books are so wonderfully readable. His approach to assessment and programming is simple and masterful, and his writing style is informal and engaging. I took several great pieces of.wisdom from.this book.
August 2, 2022
Amazing book
Offers insights into training that we all need to hear.
Simple isn't easy.
That training plans look easy on paper. Just a few exercises but after going through multiple workouts you start to understand the genius of it.
Offers insights into training that we all need to hear.
Simple isn't easy.
That training plans look easy on paper. Just a few exercises but after going through multiple workouts you start to understand the genius of it.
November 11, 2017
I now understand why so many people in the fitness business reference Dan John as an inspiration. Dan John is the expert to listen to when it comes to strength training.
January 15, 2021
Absolutely stellar big-picture stuff in a style that’s conversational and engaging. Would recommend to anyone in the sport performance/exercise science field.
June 30, 2021
Great book! I love the simplicity of it and how well written it is.
Strength training is about simplicity and Dan John know how to make it that way.
Strength training is about simplicity and Dan John know how to make it that way.
September 5, 2022
Loved this book! It is an amplification of his book Intervention, which both streamlined and focused my own approach to training (myself and clients)...
October 4, 2022
Great read
As always Dan breaks it down in a way that feels like he's sat across from you with a coffee. Some great thoughts on program design, thoroughly enjoyed it.
As always Dan breaks it down in a way that feels like he's sat across from you with a coffee. Some great thoughts on program design, thoroughly enjoyed it.
July 2, 2024
Another phenomenal book by one of the best in the field. Dan John is a treasure.
May 2, 2016
Can You Go? Seems like a straightforward question, right? Well, that is why I am such a fan of this book and its author, Dan John. He is honest, straight to the point and easy to comprehend. Can You Go? is the third book I have read by John and his “kiss� (keep it simple silly) approach to health and wellness should be modeled by all trainers, in my opinion.
In this book you are going to learn how to qualify goals and quantify assessments. That’s it. The goal of John’s work is to enable you to identify who’s in front of you by finding out what they know and what they came to see you for, i.e., goals, and to be able to test where this person is currently, i.e., assessments. Only after you have done these steps well will you be able to design an effective program. And as a personal trainer, sometimes we are so excited to get started with a new client that we don’t take assessing seriously enough. According to John, you’re making a terrible mistake because “the first line of defense against injury is assessment.� Whoa, I never thought about assessments this way, but this statement could not be more true.
As far as physical assessments are concerned, John again keeps it simple with 1-leg balance, farmers walk, plank, standing long jump and John’s own creation, get backups. Each exercise requires a different skill set that is a must for a fit body. All of these tests can be self-administered and performed with little to no equipment. The assessments can also be used at a later date to monitor whether or not the program you have designed is effective or needs some tweaks.
Dan doesn’t just give tips on physical assessments, he also gives advice on biological ones as well. Height, weight, and height-to-waist ratio are all important fitness factors. Height relates to levers and levers determine how you load the body. Weight allows you to assess how strong a person is because to be considered strong you must be at 100% of bodyweight in most exercises. Height-to-weight ratio helps you determine how much weight needs to be lost, if any.
After clarifying goals and successfully assessing, you are ready to begin designing a program for your clients that will be safe and effective. I love John’s programming suggestions because they require little equipment and most people can learn them in a session or two, if you are a good coach. Goblet squats, swings, farmer’s walks, and Turkish Get Ups can all be done with a kettlebell. In addition to kettlebells, barbells, mini-bands, TRX and dumbbells are just about all the equipment John uses. Every modality “eliminates excess� and complements John’s philosophy on strength training which is “put weight overhead, pick it up off the ground, and carry it for time or distance.�
With John, it is all about “addition by subtraction.� Not only does he choose to use just a few pieces of equipment, but he also limits the number of sets, reps, and exercises performed. An example of a “simple strength� workout by Dan John looks something like this:
� One-Arm Press: 10 reps, light weight, 5 reps, medium weight, and 10 reps, heavy weight
� One-Arm Row: 10 reps, light weight, 5 reps, medium weight, and 10 reps, heavy weight
� Swing: 30 reps, light weigh, 15 reps, medium weight, 30 reps, heavy weight
� Squat: 10 reps, light weight, 5 reps, medium weight, and 10 reps, heavy weight
� Pushup-Position Plank: 2 minutes
� Suitcase Carry: walk as far as you can under load in non-dominant hand, and come back in dominant hand
Now that John has made strength training so easy to understand and follow, we must apply his last rule: “keep the goal the goal.� This rule has everything to do with staying focused and not giving up on the initial goal, whatever that might be. Too often, we modify the goal or change it all together because we aren’t getting the desired results. To avoid derailment, always follow John’s ten commandments for keeping the goal the goal:
1) Train appropriately for the goal.
2) Train little and often over the long haul.
3) The longer it takes to get in shape, the longer the shape remains.
4) Warm ups and cool downs really do play important roles.
5) Train for volume before intensity.
6) Cycle the workouts.
7) Train in a community.
8) Train the mind.
9) Keep the training program in perspective.
10) Fundamentals trump everything else.
Can You Go? Is an easy way to ensure you meet the needs of the general training population, athletes, and those in combat, such as Navy Seals. Starting with goals and ending with an appendix full of programs, including a 6-week preparatory program, Dan John makes it easy for anyone with know-how to train themselves and/or others. The key is to keep it simple, be patient, never give up and avoid overtraining.
Now that you have the information, the only question left is, “Can You Go?�
In this book you are going to learn how to qualify goals and quantify assessments. That’s it. The goal of John’s work is to enable you to identify who’s in front of you by finding out what they know and what they came to see you for, i.e., goals, and to be able to test where this person is currently, i.e., assessments. Only after you have done these steps well will you be able to design an effective program. And as a personal trainer, sometimes we are so excited to get started with a new client that we don’t take assessing seriously enough. According to John, you’re making a terrible mistake because “the first line of defense against injury is assessment.� Whoa, I never thought about assessments this way, but this statement could not be more true.
As far as physical assessments are concerned, John again keeps it simple with 1-leg balance, farmers walk, plank, standing long jump and John’s own creation, get backups. Each exercise requires a different skill set that is a must for a fit body. All of these tests can be self-administered and performed with little to no equipment. The assessments can also be used at a later date to monitor whether or not the program you have designed is effective or needs some tweaks.
Dan doesn’t just give tips on physical assessments, he also gives advice on biological ones as well. Height, weight, and height-to-waist ratio are all important fitness factors. Height relates to levers and levers determine how you load the body. Weight allows you to assess how strong a person is because to be considered strong you must be at 100% of bodyweight in most exercises. Height-to-weight ratio helps you determine how much weight needs to be lost, if any.
After clarifying goals and successfully assessing, you are ready to begin designing a program for your clients that will be safe and effective. I love John’s programming suggestions because they require little equipment and most people can learn them in a session or two, if you are a good coach. Goblet squats, swings, farmer’s walks, and Turkish Get Ups can all be done with a kettlebell. In addition to kettlebells, barbells, mini-bands, TRX and dumbbells are just about all the equipment John uses. Every modality “eliminates excess� and complements John’s philosophy on strength training which is “put weight overhead, pick it up off the ground, and carry it for time or distance.�
With John, it is all about “addition by subtraction.� Not only does he choose to use just a few pieces of equipment, but he also limits the number of sets, reps, and exercises performed. An example of a “simple strength� workout by Dan John looks something like this:
� One-Arm Press: 10 reps, light weight, 5 reps, medium weight, and 10 reps, heavy weight
� One-Arm Row: 10 reps, light weight, 5 reps, medium weight, and 10 reps, heavy weight
� Swing: 30 reps, light weigh, 15 reps, medium weight, 30 reps, heavy weight
� Squat: 10 reps, light weight, 5 reps, medium weight, and 10 reps, heavy weight
� Pushup-Position Plank: 2 minutes
� Suitcase Carry: walk as far as you can under load in non-dominant hand, and come back in dominant hand
Now that John has made strength training so easy to understand and follow, we must apply his last rule: “keep the goal the goal.� This rule has everything to do with staying focused and not giving up on the initial goal, whatever that might be. Too often, we modify the goal or change it all together because we aren’t getting the desired results. To avoid derailment, always follow John’s ten commandments for keeping the goal the goal:
1) Train appropriately for the goal.
2) Train little and often over the long haul.
3) The longer it takes to get in shape, the longer the shape remains.
4) Warm ups and cool downs really do play important roles.
5) Train for volume before intensity.
6) Cycle the workouts.
7) Train in a community.
8) Train the mind.
9) Keep the training program in perspective.
10) Fundamentals trump everything else.
Can You Go? Is an easy way to ensure you meet the needs of the general training population, athletes, and those in combat, such as Navy Seals. Starting with goals and ending with an appendix full of programs, including a 6-week preparatory program, Dan John makes it easy for anyone with know-how to train themselves and/or others. The key is to keep it simple, be patient, never give up and avoid overtraining.
Now that you have the information, the only question left is, “Can You Go?�
June 23, 2024
Easy to follow, great reference, awesome programming material. One of my favorite books written by Dan.
June 26, 2015
Excellent book!
If you are looking for a guide or for some parameters so you can start coaching and guiding people to a healthier lifestyle this is a MUST READ.
Dan John does an excellent job of packing a lot of information into a few pages and in a very simple way. Mostly common sense, and things that you probably already know but just didn't know how to put it together the way Dan did.
There is a lot of knowledge in the book but most important is the wisdom that Dan gives. Excellent way of thinking, approaching and guiding your clients.
If you are looking for a guide or for some parameters so you can start coaching and guiding people to a healthier lifestyle this is a MUST READ.
Dan John does an excellent job of packing a lot of information into a few pages and in a very simple way. Mostly common sense, and things that you probably already know but just didn't know how to put it together the way Dan did.
There is a lot of knowledge in the book but most important is the wisdom that Dan gives. Excellent way of thinking, approaching and guiding your clients.
June 5, 2015
This book is a must-read if you're at all interested in athletic performance, from the perspective of a coach or a participant. Even if you're just interested in exercise for the sake of health, it's great. Everything is laid out so simply. No BS, just like all of Dan John's work.
January 25, 2016
Great
This book is simple and smart enough to give the reader the tools to assess and program training for a client or themself to work towards whatever the goal may be. The authors principles are spot on as they are in all of his writing.
This book is simple and smart enough to give the reader the tools to assess and program training for a client or themself to work towards whatever the goal may be. The authors principles are spot on as they are in all of his writing.
August 29, 2016
coaching assessment for regular people, philosophy of programming for fitness, sample programs. <3
June 17, 2015
Typical Coach John
I've yet to read anything from the coach that isn't well written and pithy. This one wasn't a let down.
I've yet to read anything from the coach that isn't well written and pithy. This one wasn't a let down.
July 7, 2015
Loved this book! It is an amplification of his book Intervention, which both streamlined and focused my own approach to training (myself and clients)...
November 23, 2015
Excellent book!
March 11, 2016
Another classic Dan John piece. Great for any type of coach or those (hint) coaching themselves to not be an idiot.
February 11, 2016
Great way to think about and structure your training. Points out the basic tools for every athlete.
December 8, 2016
Great insight on training modalities and methodology.
Read
November 19, 2016I love Dan John and this gave me so many practical things I can implement into my career
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
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