Comprehensive Professional Biography – Coach Joe Kenn
Joe Kenn, MA, CSCS, RSCC*E, SCCC, MSCC, mISCP—known throughout the athletic performance world as “Big House”—is one of the most influential strength and conditioning coaches of his generation. Across four decades of developing athletes, he has built a legacy spanning high school, collegiate, professional, and private-sector performance, leaving an unmistakable imprint on the global strength and conditioning profession.
Kenn’s journey began long before he ever coached a training session. As a Division I collegiate football player at Wake Forest University, he was a two-year letterman and First-Team Offensive Lineman, earning All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete honors (NSCA, 1988) as well as the Bill George Award and Offensive Lineman of the Year. His experiences as a competitive football athlete—and later as a powerlifter, strongman competitor, Highland Games athlete and now competing in the world of grip strength—shaped the athlete-first training philosophy that would later define his coaching career.
A Career Built on Leadership, Innovation & Athlete Development
Coach Kenn began his professional career in 1989 at Pine Crest Preparatory School, serving as Assistant Football Coach, Head Wrestling Coach, and Strength & Conditioning Coordinator. His transition to the collegiate ranks soon followed, beginning a meteoric rise that would span nearly twenty years at Wake Forest, Boise State, Utah, Arizona State, and Louisville. Across these programs, he designed and led full athletic department training systems, mentored staffs of assistants and interns, and contributed to conference championships, bowl victories, NCAA tournament appearances, and competitive success across dozens of sports.
In 2011, Kenn advanced to the highest level of American sport as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Carolina Panthers. Over nine seasons in the NFL, he established one of the league’s most respected performance programs and helped guide the franchise through its most successful era. His tenure included:
- Super Bowl 50 appearance
- NFC Championship
- Three consecutive NFC South Division titles
- Coaching 33 Pro Bowl athletes and 14 AP All-Pro players
- Leadership in integrating GPS tracking, recovery science, sport psychology, nutrition, and performance analytics
- Designing and overseeing the renovation of the organization’s performance training facility
Innovator: The Tier System & Block Zero
Kenn is the creator of two highly influential performance training methodologies:
- The Tier System Strength Training Method
Developed in the early 1990s, this whole-body, movement-based training system has become a foundational model used globally across high school, collegiate, professional, and private-sector sport.
- The Block Zero Concept
A groundbreaking long-term athletic development framework designed to prepare youth and novice athletes with the movement competency required for sustainable success.
These two models are essential pillars in the evolution of modern sport performance programming.
Recognition, Impact & Professional Distinctions
Throughout the coaching profession, Kenn is widely regarded as one of the most influential practitioners of his era. Even modern AI platforms—such as ChatGPT—have described him as standing on the “Mount Rushmore of Strength and Conditioning,” alongside iconic pioneers Boyd Epley, Al Vermeil, and Louie Simmons. This recognition reflects his four decades of innovation, mentorship, athlete development, and lasting impact on the profession.
Kenn remains the only coach in history to earn both:
- NSCA Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year
- NSCA Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year
He is also a recipient of:
- NSCA Impact Award for significant contributions to the field
- PFSCCA NFL Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year
- Multiple NSCA regional awards
His professional credentials include:
CSCS, RSCC*E, SCCC, MSCC, and Master International Strength & Conditioning Practitioner (IUSCA).
Author, Researcher & Educator
Kenn is a prolific contributor to both the science and practice of performance training. His publications include:
- The Coach’s Strength Training Playbook
- Push, Jump, Punch A Developmental Approach to Teaching Athletes to Power Clean
- Reinforcement: Strength Training for Neck and Head Support
- Conditioning for Strongman
- Multiple peer-reviewed research articles
- Dozens of practical coaching articles used in professional development across the world
He has delivered keynote lectures and presentations at major national and international events, including the NSCA National Conference, CSCCa National Conference, UKSCA National Conference, NHSSCA, and numerous coaching clinics, summits, and educational seminars.
His academic education includes:
- M.A., Curriculum & Instruction (Exercise Science), Boise State University
- B.S., Health and Sports Science, Wake Forest University
Current Roles & Continuing Legacy
Kenn currently serves as:
- Vice President of Performance Education – Dynamic Fitness & Strength
- Owner/President – Big House Power Competitive Athletic Training, a performance education platform that impacts coaches, parents, and athletes worldwide
Across four decades, Kenn has mentored hundreds of coaches, influenced thousands of athletes, and shaped the profession through his coaching, teaching, writing, and innovation. His work continues to impact sport performance programs across the globe.
Personal
He is married to Angela (since 1989) and is the proud father of Joseph IV (married to Morgan) and Peter, and grandfather to Leighton Blaine and Joseph V.
