3 Reasons to Work with a Powerlifting Coach
Lifters of any ability can benefit from working with a strength coach. Learn how to decide if hiring one makes sense for you.
Introduction
A wide variety of fitness professionals can help you achieve your goals. Personal trainers, for example, focus on general health for a wide population. They may also specialize in movements or modalities like mobility. Strength and conditioning coaches, meanwhile, assist athletes with sport performance.
Powerlifting coaches provide a unique service altogether. Unlike personal training, they create comprehensive experiences beyond the workout itself. And while many are also S&C coaches, they focus on the specifics of powerlifting as a sport.
Experts in Sport-Specific Training
Coaches are well-versed in the following aspects of powerlifting:
Programming: Organizing workouts logically throughout the year (periodization). The best coaches will use this principle to build a long-term plan. They will then deliver workouts with the right focus on factors such as intensity and volume. Coaches will also adjust the plan as lifters progress.
Training methods: Powerlifting coaches will use different tools to get the optimal results. This includes things like Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and Velocity-Based Training (VBT). In addition, they can adjust factors like range of motion or strength curves to break through plateaus.
Meet preparation: In addition to programming, powerlifting coaches understand the nuances such as rules for specific federations. For example, some federations require a flat foot for the bench, while others allow lifters to press against their toes.
Meet handling: A coach can help guide you through an actual competition. That includes knowing when to start warming up and weight selection for each attempt.
These skills make powerlifting coaches particularly helpful in the following situations.
Powerlifting for Beginners
Working with a coach as a beginner can save years of frustration.
For one, you'll learn about the scientific principles behind training. That allows you to make smart decisions on your own. For example, you might notice that your performance varies from session to session. A good coach will provide you with frameworks and the autonomy to make adjustments in a workout.
In addition, a good starter program will build your foundation. Sustainable gains depend upon building high work capacity, learning efficient motor patterns, eating quality foods, and developing body awareness.
You can get by for 6-12 months without these, but eventually you will hit a wall. It's much more aggravating when you have a take several steps back to reset your foundation and correct issues. You'll lose your initial progress, which can drain motivation.
more efficient lifting technique
There's a lot of debate about the importance of powerlifting form. Some people get very hung up on biomechanical theory, while others allow for extreme variations. I like the think of the topic in two ways:
Effectiveness: Whether you have a method that works for lifting
Efficiency: How well your body moves when lifting.
As you get bigger and stronger, number two becomes a much bigger issue. On a 225-pound bench press, you can likely grind your way through using effective technique. But at 315 pounds, poor mechanics and poor breathing will take a bigger toll on your body. You'll expend way more energy than needed to move that weight, which means longer recovery and comprised sessions.
At some point, your progress will stall.
A great coach will understand how to make you a more efficient and therefore stronger lifter. In the example of the bench press, several subtle issues can affect performance:
Over-relying on leg drive lowers pec activation.
Breathing into the chest instead of the diaphragm creates less stability and oxygenation.
Failing to engage the triceps on the ascent, limits the main leverage point on the last third of the movement
Fixing these issues requires an equally good eye and communication skills. A coach should use video analysis for online and in-person clients. An athlete will improve more if they can see the issue. It's easier to lessen leg drive if you've watched how it detracts from pec engagement.
Software with telestration makes this process even better. Coaches can notate videos, which gives athletes a chance to compare and self-correct. Changes we make on our own are usually much "stickier."
Sustainable Progress
Powerlifting requires patience once you move beyond the novice phase. Increases in e1RM will come over longer cycles as a result of deliberating planning.
A good coach will create and communicate a key plan. That increases accountability for them and the athlete. A coach will also keep you motivated during this process. Performance psychology and data give coaches the tools to keep athletes engaged with their training.
They will also use data to identify issues earlier and make corrections. If squat or deadlift shows signs of plateauing they can try new approaches quicker
For example, if an athlete reports higher fatigue on their readiness assessment, reducing volume or intensity can lead to big gains. Factors like acute-to-chronic workload ratio may also come into play.
This data-driven approach ensures that you're always improving, even if the numbers on the bar don't quite show that yet.
Nutrition is another component of lifting where tracking matters. An expert coach will assess your progress using objective and subjective data. For example, total calories will determine if you're getting enough fuel. Your subjective ratings of energy levels and recovery will also dial in methods like carb cycling or nutrient timing.
Conclusion
For some lifters, a coach can serve as a valuable resource. Their unique focus and combination of skills can help new and advanced lifters progress optimally. If you’d like to discuss my services, please reach out.
About the Author
Chris Van Nostrand is a Strength and Conditioning Coach based in Evanston, IL. He offers online and in-person coaching for powerlifters at all levels.
