Brendan McBirnie
Bio
My love for fitness and sport started at a young age and by the age of nine I was playing football, tennis, cricket and doing cross-country. In secondary school I fell in love with rugby and never looked back. With rugby being such a physically demanding sport that requires speed, strength and power, I started devoting some time to strength training until I was attending the gym most days with like-minded rugby players.
My academic focus at school was science and biology, particularly relating to the human body and how it functions. When it came to selecting a university degree I naturally chose B.Sc Sport Science, where I majored in human physiology and biochemistry.
What Do I Do?
After completing my honours in Sport Science I partnered with my old athletics coach and we built a small private gym with the main aim of providing sportsmen and women with structured training plans or rehab programs.
While all accommodated for a range of different sports conditioning, my particular interest was rugby conditioning. Rugby is such a unique sport requiring size, speed and agility. It encompasses all training methods and also requires a good understanding of periodisation, which was another interest of mine. Understanding periodisation and how the body responds to stress formed the basis of our training philosophy at the gym.
I now don’t play rugby anymore, but I am still an armchair coach. My training has shifted to focus mainly on trail running and regular strength training to maintain my fitness.
Qualifications
- B.Sc (Hons) Sport Science, Sports and Exercise – University of Johannesburg
- CSCS – International Sports Sciences Association College of Exercise Science
- Certification in Periodization – Training for Sport
- Rugby Coaching Level 2 – World Rugby
Author Blogs
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20 Strongman Yoke Exercises
You often see people using a Strongman Yoke to perform a yoke walk, but it's an incredibly versatile piece of exercise equipment. -
How to Use a Seated Row Machine
The Seated Row Machine is a great alternative to other pulling exercises, like barbell rows. -
Strongman Conditioning Workout
Strongman training requires a lot of strength, but it also requires a lot of conditioning. Find a strongman EMOM here! -
Get Bigger Lats with a Seated Row Machine
Increasing your back strength improves your posture and makes everyday tasks easier. The seated row is a perfect exercise for back training. -
Why Your Training Should Include HIRT
Is HIRT the new HIIT? High Intensity Resistance Training can bring a lot of benefits to your training, including muscle growth. -
Are Foam Rollers Overrated?
Foam Rolling can aid in recovery for your calves, hamstrings, quads, back, lats, glutes, hip flexors and chest. -
Bobbie Butters' Guide to Deadlift Accessory Lifts
Powerlifting superstar Bobbie Butters teaches you how to improve your deadlift by incorporating accessory lifts. -
How to Break Through Your Fitness Plateau
When the newbie gains end and you reach the dreaded fitness plateau... what do you do? Read tips for getting your routine back on track. -
Top Ten Hip Exercises to Prevent Injury
Do you suffer from tight hips? Learn how to prevent hip injury and increase hip mobility in our guide. -
What Are Isometric Exercises?
An isometric exercise is a static hold that can help you increase muscle size. Find out how, in our guide. -
Fat Burning with Resistance Training
You don't need to do hours upon hours of cardio to burn fat - learn how to burn fat with resistance training. -
Spanish Squats
The list of different squat versions is long, but do you have Spanish Squats on the list? They have fantastic training benefits!
