Marc Hordon performing V3 of the HFD series in the perfect scenic view!
In this post I interview Marc Hordon a friend of mine and founder of IISM and Boston Sports Institutes. Marc has opened Elite Baseball and Football Training Centers in the Greater Metro Area. His athletes are performing at extraordinary levels all through the region at both the high school and collegiate levels, but more importantly, Marc’s clients are hard working, good citizens and neighbors.
Now, as one of the up and coming national sport performance coaches, Marc’s efforts have led to great strides in injury prevention and maximizing athleticism for athletes and exercisers of all backgrounds. Marc’s passion for training, educating, and community service has proven to make the world a better place, one client, one team at a time.
* originally posted 6 years ago
1.) Marc can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I was a pro-prospect baseball player and recruited by just about every top 25 baseball and football program in the country as a catcher/pitcher and QB. 94mph fastball, 70 yard football, and 4.7 40- speed at 6’3″ 225. I chose Harvard and immediately got injured. The strength and conditioning program made me worse and dropped my mph, and abuse from my coach my freshmen year (pitch 140 pitches on the regular as a starter (which I loved) but then started me at third the day after. Tore my labrum in my left shoulder diving for a ground ball on lax turf in 30-degree weather. The following spring I tore my right labrum stealing, sliding head first into third, after pithing 140 pitches in the first game. After FOUR years of American Harvard and local high level “rehabilitation” I tore my biceps tendon throwing, producing a third surgery, I began searching for other forms of training and re-hab. which consequently turned me towards Renegade.
2.) You have several projects going on right now with your various Boston Institutes. Can you highlight on them for the readers.
IISM is a lifestyle company that employs Renegade Training as its main form of sport performance and personal training. Our other offering of pain massage, lifestyle coaching, and corporate programs have been established by a number of extremely intense apprenticeships under internationally known and renowned, The Burdenko Method, The Egoscue Method, and multiple Eastern Modalities. The Boston Sports Institutes (Football, Baseball, Jump, Snow, and Cycling (to be released in Oct. 2011)) are comprised of Sport Performance Training and highly refined skill work in each of the sports. We have produced some tremendous high school and collegiate athletes, maintaining consistent performance and free from injuries. We are very excited about the success that we have had in our infancy of these programs.
3.) You have strong ties to baseball because of your collegiate playing days at Harvard. How did you migrate towards the diamond?
Unfortunately, I was drawn to baseball because I was good at it. Turns out, as I went through a tremendous transformation in understanding myself through an intense life-coaching program, I do not like baseball. In fact, I just retired this past summer from the sport despite being a perennial MVP candidate and winning in 2008. I deprived myself of coming to this understanding as the pressure mounted as a youngster with tremendous success. My father was instrumental in my development as a multi tooled athlete in baseball. I simply regret not playing football as I watch my QB replacement at Harvard, Ryan Fitzpatrick, tear up defenses on Sundays. That being said the path I am on now feels more natural than any athletic experience that I have ever had. I have recently picked up boarding (all types) and have resurrected my most successful sport at every level that I played, hockey. Skates are laced and my board is strapped in for the next 20 years of my life. who knows what else I will pick up along the way!
4.) What are your current thoughts on the Strength & Conditioning “arena” today? Any notable mistakes being made repeatedly or anything you just shake your head at?
Ha, strength and conditioning. Hilarious venue. Seriously though, I have to give credit to naming the practice “strength and conditioning” avoiding words like “sport” and “performance” and “training” and “athlete.” This industry makes our athletes “stronger” and “conditioned” but the results are arbitrary. We do not make our athletes better athletes… we, you and I do, but we are Sports Performance Coaches, totally different field.
This industry consistently makes us the worst athletes in the world despite the fact that our resources FAR outweigh those of all other countries. This “industry” in America is larger than any other country with a budget that can only draw the comparison to the New York Yankees budget vs. that of the Kansas City Royals. We do not dominate a single sport in the entire world and have lost over the last 20 years, our edge in sports invented in the US like baseball and basketball. I’m embarrassed by it as an American. We love wallowing in mediocrity.
My answer: Everything is wrong with the research and practice, and furthermore the industry has NO CONNECTION whatsoever with being a better human being, improving quality of life, injury prevention, education, or anything of a dynamic nature.
It is simply exactly what it claims it is in the name. Strength & Conditioning (in a cardio-sense and attempted work threshold-sense, not a muscle memory or movement pattern sense). No more, no less. It’s grossly underperforming.
5.) Who are your professional influences?
John Davies obviously is my biggest. We have weekly and often bi-weekly Skype meetings about career and the future of HH and Renegade International. Others are Lauren Meckler, and internationally acclaimed and best-selling life coach, a neuro-muscular guru who’s name I am not allowed to name by contract, Igor Burdenko, a Russian muscular genius responsible for the Burdenko Method, who’s pool-based rehabilitation process is revolutionary for the 50 plus age group and a REPLACEMENT for surgeries that our baby-boomers are having in record numbers. Description: )
6.) Any personal influences you would like to mention?
As presenter and clinician I have my father to thank. He is the most dedicated and energized speaker and clinician that I have ever seen work. I was very lucky to have him as a daily mentor as a child in this aspect, and because of him I have over 20 years experience as a clinician only being 30 years old. I literally started working as a clinician at the age of 9.
7.) Reading any good books right now or studying something that would surprise the readers?
My recent development and study has come from the world of massage and international pain treatments. This method is a hybrid neuromuscular massage and movement patterning is called, NodroH Massage. This country is overwhelmingly obsessed with surgery and it is horrible, and leads to other injuries and other surgeries as the health community is not connected and only follows the money. You don’t have to look any further than the most recent health care bill, which I have read cover to cover. It is the worst piece of legislation I have seen in years other than No Child Left Behind and obviously the Patriot Act.
This country has a serious problem with treating symptoms and NOT problems and the Healthcare is leading the way.
To be honest I do not read too much, maybe 5,000 words a week, but that is a philosophical choice. I view myself as a Creator of info not a regurgitator. If you take in more info that you create your become a speaking piece for someone else’s opinions. We are leaders at Renegade, not followers. We set the standards; we do not try to meet standards of others.
8.) Any closing thoughts or words?
I appreciate the opportunity to share my experiences and processes with you and your followers. It is seldom that anyone comes across a dynamic program that demands excellence in a state of mediocrity. It is hard to find athletes dedicated to quality of life and education. The constant continuance of these focuses will keep this country afloat, but it will never be recognized. I recognize your great work Shawn and the work of all of our partners at Renegade.
I would personally like to thank Marc for taking the time to hook up the readers with some great knowledge and energy towards making people better everyday!
Thanks Marc!
