Is Your Coach a COACH? How to Find Good Coaching - 5 Qualities of a Good Powerlifting/Strength Coach

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There is an epidemic of underqualified lifting coaches selling their services online. Finding a good coach can be integral in your development as a powerlifter or strength athlete. These 5 traits of successful coaches will help you sift through the riff raff and find a coach who is worth your time and money.

[@GVS]

"walking libraries" That's a good way to put it (the good ones, at least).

[@SetTheCurve]

I definitely fall in the camp of someone who's had a shitty coach, wants a coach, but am not going to get a coach again because good ones seem impossible to find.

[@GVS]

Sorry to hear that. And yes, they do exist (both good and bad)

[@cooperhiphop]

Great information. I'm actually looking for some strongman gyms in nyc. I'm a super novice and need lots of help. I like the fact that you brought up old injuries and people not knowing because for some reason when people don't know the answer it seems that they still have the answer. Definitely will be a member on your website.

[@chadmiller5881]

I too have had a bad experience with finding my first powerbuilding coach on IG. To me he had everything that made him qualified, he was super strong, WR holder, been doing it for years so I figured why the hell not give it a shot. Hit him up, we set up the monthly rescuing membership of $130 with him and for the first week everything was fine but after that first week it would take him 5-6 days to respond to my videos, questions I had etc and it continued the entire month after that first week. The last week of the program he hadn’t filled out the exercises, weight, reps or anything. I texted him and 5 days went by with no response. So I decided to go on PayPal and cancel the recurring payment and literally minutes later he texted me asking “hey man what’s going on, what’s up.” But on a better note, my current coach is technically an online coach but I actually knew him somewhat personally before I got him as a coach from my hometown and I’ve had him 3 months so far. He’s externally good, much much more better priced and actually is a coach and making sure I’m hitting all my lifts, numbers and gives me things to do to help with my sticking/weak points to help better me. Long story short he’s got me in the works to hit my first meet in June. Couldn’t be happier.

[@BossofBosses111]

Glad that has a happy ending

[@skyywallace4889]

I am 15 and my lifting partner is 16 but I was the one who started lifting first and I got him into it, me and him agreed that from now on i’ll be his powerlifting coach, Im still going to be his friend but i’ll be watching a lot of what he eats and how he trains, whether it’s intense enough or if his form is good enough

[@franciscomiranda6882]

I just started a coach-lifter relationship about two weeks ago and I’m happy to say that, so far, my coach meets these criteria. Especially with feedback - we talk almost every day about my lifts. My only concern is that he’s significantly younger than I am (he’s 22 and I’m 35). He has more experience than I do in the sport of powerlifting, has competed, and has coached others who have competed, as well. He’s also been coached, but now only coaches himself. He’s also a law-school student. And I wonder if eventually his studies will eventually get in the way of his being able to provide the same feedback he’s currently providing. I guess we’ll see. But I agree with this list and am happy to be coached by someone who seems to fit this criteria.

[@Issvor]

#4 is something that ticks me off. idk how many times i've seen someone comment on a fitness video saying "I always just tell my clients what you say"

[@thisusedtobeme]

In my old powerlifting gym, there are three coaches who charge between $120-200 per month just to send you a program that you can find on the internet in five seconds. Because of this and the fact that the gym is in an affluent neighborhood 90% of the powerlifters in the gym have a coach. The most negative aspect of this situation for me is that because everyone is paying for their powerlifting information no one will help you for free! Someone who is paying $200 a month for a "coach" isn't going to give away information because they had to pay for it and so should you apparently. It makes me sick. That is why I left the gym.

[@LewisPC]

It really makes me sad - I will spend an literally up to hour with anyone if they are struggling with something and I have time. Honestly I know that when I started, I had to teach myself everything about lifting, and there was nobody there who knew enough to be of any use at all, so I feel RESPONSIBILITY to be open and helpful. There is nothing I hate more than the "coach who has a coach who has a coach" mentality.

[@francismartino6890]

The difference between a good coach and a great coach is obscure, vague, and situation dependent. I’ve seen great coaches bust and go work at Home Depot, and I’ve seen good coaches excel and make more money than most. It’s crazy.

[@Ema-fm5zy]

I slightly disagree about your point that if you're a good coach you shouldn't pay someone else to coach you. I think if you're competing at a high level having a second opinion doesn't hurt. It's not that you don't trust your knowledge, but you're experiencing a lot of emotions at that moment and there's a risk you might not see the situation objectively enough. You're basically saying that if you're a good lawyer and you end up being accused of something you shouldn't hire another lawyer to defend you. When you're in a stressful situation your emotions may make you not take the best decisions.

[@nielsottens8046]

But isnt there always more to learn and can't having your own coach to learn even more be a good thing? I mean of course a coach should have a great foundation of knowledge, but there's probably always someone smarter/better than you in some/all areas. Getting coached by them might be a decent way to get into their way of thinking and expand your own knowledge as a coach.

[@AlexanderBromley]

Learning should always continue! I think every industry professional should expose themselves to other experts and methods. But there's a stark difference between that and paying someone to manage you as a client. If you take your role seriously as a coach, you should be the one applying new methods you learn in the context of what you already know. I might not be so adamant if the watering down of the field wasn't so aggressive and obvious. Standards need to be upheld; if you pay someone else for your weekly work, it means you haven't graduated yet.

[@CoachMarcus92]

I agree. I see it as lawyers hire other lawyers.

[@zamanfahimimteaz3412]

Alan thrall, Omar Isuf, and a couple of other KZbinrs have their own programs from the start of their channel, but they both took coaching from Austin Baraki, former SSC. What are your opinions on this?

[@AlexanderBromley]

I don't know their direct relationship. Learning is something every industry professional should continue during their career. But there's a difference between consulting other experts in order to broaden your knowledge and experience and paying someone to write your program. If you have to pay someone to write your program, you have no business selling programs to others. Period.

[@SetTheCurve]

You can't judge a person's present on their past. Take this to the extreme: should you get fired from your job because when you were in elementary school you didn't know how to do it? I agree with Bromley, you want your coaches to be going out and trying to learn new things and get better, and you have to assume that will occasionally require consulting with other professionals.

[@nigelthomas8315]

Good rant lots of Instagram queens out there trying sell shit? I spent years trying to teach myself because I need it to be individual I tried to get some coaching in my gym and got advised to do Candito’s program ? I’m 60 it would fuck me up he’s young and it fucked him up 😀

[@GVS]

Had no idea that #4 was a thing...very strange...

[@PP-xj7vg]

Of course he is. Everybody always calls him "coach".

[@Hellodespair]

OK my coach sucks lol