Today I wanted to take a moment to honor a friend and mentor of TNT Strength Mr. Gary Bannister.

Gary Bannister attended McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in English and Physical Education, and UNC-Greensboro where he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Education (1972). He taught four years at Averett College in Danville, Virginia and Colegio Internacional de Caracas in Venezuela, where he opened a Nautilus gym (1980) and MedX rehabilitation center (1988). He was highly influenced by Arthur Jones’ concepts of “Proper Strength Training” and “Specific Testing and Rehabilitative Exercise”. Gary resided in Tequesta, Florida where he enjoyed reading, exercise and golf.

Gary has written some of our favorite books (some of which are required reading for our TNT Strength Coaches). One of my all time favorites of is:…”What They Won’t Tell You. GOLF Performance Training“.

If you’ve been golfing for any stretch of time, you’ve probably been exposed to the myth that movement-based functional training and sport-specific exercise can make you a better golfer.

In his book Gary Bannister reveals a proven muscle-based alternative that gets better results: proper strength training.

A longtime golfer, Bannister played with some of the world’s greatest champions. He established and coached the men’s and women’s varsity golf teams at Averett College, and opened South America’s first Nautilus gym, which led him to prepare Venezuela’s male and female golf teams for the World Team Amateur Championship in 1986.

Another one of our favorites is “If You Like Exercise Chances Are You’re Doing It Wrong“. In this book Gary tells us that the power-to-be have all but destroyed the value of muscle isolation, discredited the use of machines in general, ignored everything related to the work of Arthur Jones and replaced it with a ten-cent solution. He claims that until the field of exercise defines what is true and what is not, it will never have the impact that it could.

Muscle strength, the only factor that can produce human movement and the only factor that performs work, is disappearing from today’s training regimens. This study and guide analyzes current concepts and training systems-such as Pilates, functional training TRX, cross-training, kettlebells, and more-and compares their benefits to those of proper strength training to provide a clear picture for everyone.

If You Like Exercise. Chances Are You’re Doing It Wrong rekindles the high intensity strength-training principles of Arthur Jones, the founder of Nautilus. Bannister focuses on the concepts of intensity, form, frequency, duration, number of repetition, speed of movement, and training to local muscle fatigue, supporting them with current research.

Logically applied, proper strength training is the only system capable of satisfying all five potential benefits of exercise-an increase in strength, flexibility, cardiovascular condition, body-composition, and injury prevention.

We were very fortunate to have Gary as an early guest on our Truth Not Trends Podcast way back in episode #18. Gary was smart funny and a pleasure to speak with. I enjoyed calling him for a chat on all things Arthur Jones and Brief Intense Effective Strength Training.

He will be missed…

Gary F. Bannister, age 74, of Tequesta, Florida passed away on Friday, August 12, 2022. Gary was born February 26, 1948.

TAKU

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