Barwis to get show on Discovery Channel
Funny Or Die has shot a pilot of the untitled series, which stars strength and conditioning coach Mike Barwis (pictured above) who will train with a different pro athlete in each episode. The company is in preproduction on seven more eps."
http://variety.com/2013/tv/news/discovery-channel-picks-up-funny-or-die…
November 13th, 2013 at 4:22 PM ^
November 13th, 2013 at 4:28 PM ^
I don't know if it's him or if he hired an agent, but man, I can't think of another strength and conditioning coach who has done more personal branding over the last 6 years.
November 13th, 2013 at 5:17 PM ^
"Did someone say...branding?"
November 13th, 2013 at 4:29 PM ^
November 13th, 2013 at 4:35 PM ^
Aaron Wellman isn't the guy to blame for this, he's done a good job.
November 13th, 2013 at 4:37 PM ^
I'm not saying you are wrong, but how would you know?
November 13th, 2013 at 5:13 PM ^
The defensive linemen on this team are in the best shape of their lives. Conditioning isn't an issue.
November 13th, 2013 at 5:18 PM ^
and 2
November 13th, 2013 at 5:38 PM ^
November 13th, 2013 at 6:30 PM ^
absolutely prove you have NO idea about what successful S&C is. First off, I think from all accounts Wellmen is on his way and doing a very good job. With that being said statements like... "D line is in best shape in years" (by what metric, how do you know the state of S&C of the other units in prior years). Seems to me Mike Martin may be an example to skew your statement (Van Bergen, Roh as well). Secondly, pictures of guys getting bigger over winter conditioning only proves that they lifted and got bigger..... you can lift like a jersey fool and get bigger. You can not judge strength, increase in base metrics by a picture. Again, I am guessing they improved but you can not make that determination by a picture. Finally, age has something to do with guys getting bigger, stronger, faster. Look at Lewan in his freshman year to judge how much size he's added.
November 13th, 2013 at 7:28 PM ^
I'm not sure how you interpreted that wrong, but the response was to the question of whether Aaron Wellman was doing his job or not.
Ondre Pipkins being in the best shape he's ever been in, has nothing to do with Mike Martin, Ryan Van Bergen or Mike Barwis. No one said "The D-line is in their best shape in years," and no comparison was made at all between this years D-Line and units from past seasons in the comments above.
November 13th, 2013 at 4:37 PM ^
If the way Gardner's core has held up over the past few weeks is any indication, then yes, he has.
November 13th, 2013 at 9:25 PM ^
The OL's current woes are due to "boys against men" scenarios. It is especially important at the "grunt" positions, where every year in the weight room significantly increases performance.
November 13th, 2013 at 4:39 PM ^
This is something that hasn't been brought up much. Granted most freshmen haven't been around long enough to see huge benefits from the S&C, but at some point you have to wonder if S&C is an area where we are now lacking... and if it is a contributing factor to the teams struggles.
November 13th, 2013 at 4:55 PM ^
The coaching staff, Mattison especially, seemed pleased with the offseason gains. I'm not sure how much we can expect the guys to get bigger during the season with classes and practices to work around.
November 13th, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^
Yep. The O-Line looks incredibly lost, not because they are young and overwelmed, but bc they aren't in good enought shape...Nailed it
November 13th, 2013 at 5:09 PM ^
But the fact that those guys are young and haven't had a few more seasons of strength training like some of the guys they are going up against does play a factor.
November 13th, 2013 at 8:59 PM ^
In a few years you can make all kinds of gains. All kinds....
November 13th, 2013 at 10:02 PM ^
So Miller getting pushed into the backfield is due to him being "lost"? okay.
November 13th, 2013 at 5:29 PM ^
when Barwis was here, and Gittleson before that. Some of the comments made here about Gittleson were downright embarrassing, to the point that the Hate Mail and Tweets thread must surely be satire. I wonder about things on a daily basis, but the state of our S&C program isn't one of them.
November 13th, 2013 at 5:48 PM ^
If there's anything to this (the pizza part), old Mike G. was a bit of a dinosaur:
November 13th, 2013 at 6:04 PM ^
a lot of people, but good luck finding any real attribution. He was the product of another era, and he was at the end of his career. Barwis referred to Gittleson as the father of the modern S&C program. Nutrition is not what it once was, and "dinosaur" was probably the mildest comment. Of course, Hutchinson, Long, Backus, Branch, Woodson and a long line of others did manage despite Mike Gittleson.
November 13th, 2013 at 10:01 PM ^
That "story" came from Massey himself.
November 13th, 2013 at 11:56 PM ^
There were other foods mentioned, people latched onto that single word and repeated it like children playing "telephone". Gittleson's instructions amounted to "eat food, gain weight", surprisingly, it still works that way today.
The article also included this:
On a typical day, he'll eat steak, potatoes and eggs for breakfast, a pizza for lunch and then really does some serious chowing down at the team's buffet line. "I'll put three plates on a tray and just fill 'em up," he said. If that's not enough, Massey and roommate Adam Stenavich, an offensive tackle, will often get a snack before going to bed. Combining the high calorie intake with weight training, Massey has gained nearly 60 pounds during the past three years. He can now hold his ground against the 300-pound tackles he's matched against every fall Saturday. The more he has filled out his frame, the better he has performed. Head coach Lloyd Carr calls him the team's most improved player.
Scientific, perhaps not, but it was a far cry from "hurr, durr, eat pizza.
November 13th, 2013 at 7:46 PM ^
November 14th, 2013 at 12:40 PM ^
None of them are reinventing the wheel, and most good programs have good coaches.
November 13th, 2013 at 4:49 PM ^
The problems seem to be Mental>>Technique>>Strength. Other than maybe Miller and Magnuson, everytime I've seen someone get deposited in the backfield it's usually losing leverage, i.e. the dreaded "pad level." Miller's probably about peaked for his frame and Magnuson had a lot of ground to make up coming in
November 13th, 2013 at 8:47 PM ^
Well, we didn't get that much of a push on the OL or DL when Barwis was here either. We sucked in short yardage. You have go back to some time in the Carr era when we had a really tough, physical OL.
November 13th, 2013 at 9:37 PM ^
November 13th, 2013 at 4:40 PM ^
Does anyone know why RR didn't take Barwis with him to Arizona? Is Barwis too expensive / making more money than he would be running a S&C program?
November 13th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^
Barwis started Barwis Methods durings RR's year off.
November 13th, 2013 at 5:10 PM ^
He also works as a consultant for the New York Mets
November 13th, 2013 at 5:14 PM ^
With all of the success he's been associated with why wouldn't you want to train with him?
November 13th, 2013 at 6:51 PM ^
November 13th, 2013 at 8:00 PM ^
He opened a gym in Plymouth. My daughter's soccer team did some training there (not with Barwis, but with a younger coach who used his methods). There were always HS and younger kids coming in for sport specific training. The walls were literally covered with jerseys of pro athletes he trains.
In short, I think he is making mad money, doing what he loves, at a business he controls. without having to move across the country every few years.
Who knows, maybe he just likes living here and settled down.
November 14th, 2013 at 7:29 AM ^
November 13th, 2013 at 4:50 PM ^
Word is he likes Ann Arbor and wanted to stay. I remember this being brought up before. Pro athletes travel here to work out at his training facility Barwis Methods. I think he is beginning to open more locations.
November 13th, 2013 at 5:11 PM ^
There are satellite locations open now actually. There is one that is not too far from where I live, as a matter of fact, over on Michigan Avenue in Canton. I believe he also has a location in Grand Rapids as well.
November 13th, 2013 at 5:04 PM ^
Is the show going to be called EEEEEE BARWIS ?
November 13th, 2013 at 5:26 PM ^
Because people are going to die.
November 13th, 2013 at 5:48 PM ^
November 13th, 2013 at 5:48 PM ^
And I'm sure people will laugh at guys barfing it up on Barwis Beach
November 13th, 2013 at 6:22 PM ^
November 13th, 2013 at 9:04 PM ^
I am still laughing from this. I'm up, up, and away at the moment. Whew
November 14th, 2013 at 12:41 PM ^
Even if they're funny?
November 13th, 2013 at 7:44 PM ^
Chris Farah is a Michigan fan and an mgoblog reader. If you haven't seen "Answer This!", the movie he and his brother Mike produced with actor/professor Ralph Williams, definitely check it out. If you've been a longtime mgoblog fan you'll be rewarded with an obvious and appropriate mgoreference in the soundtrack.
November 13th, 2013 at 7:58 PM ^
November 13th, 2013 at 8:07 PM ^
I am generally a fool for any show on Discovery. Some dolts in Alaska gold minning? Yessir! Some tools in Texas making hot rods? Gimme some! More dudes in Alaska crab fishing? Please and thank you.
I also like Barwis. Dude is intense and his voice is incredible. What he did for Brock Mealer speaks for itself.
I plan on loving this show.