Hardwick received his Master of Applied Sport Science degree at Indiana University. While there, he was a graduate student assistant for Indiana strength and conditioning. Part of his role was to facilitate the training for all varsity athletes. Prior to his full-time position at Marian, he spent his time as a strength and conditioning coach in downtown Indy at Lift Lab. This small, privately owned gym consistently sends numerous weightlifting athletes to national and world-level competitions. While there, he had the privilege to work with athletes of all ages and abilities to help maximize their individual performance.