Coaches

[swoleberry]

How many guys out there have used or are currently using the guidance of a coach, whether it involves nutrition, training, or both?
I have been using one for programming for about a year and just started using the same coach for nutrition as well. I have heard some people say coaches are great and I've heard others say no one can know your body like you so why use a coach.

All thoughts are welcome.

[rshelton242]

I currently have a coach for my programming. I would say depends the coach and their track record. I'm working with Josh Bryant and had worked with him in the past. He does my programming and Ill send him video every week of my comp lifts to give me ideas what to work on as far as form goes. And i think it gives him a chance to see where Im weak. As far as no body knows your body like you true, but again depending the coach Josh has been at it long enough to know what works and how it should work i send him a log every week he can tell by that and video if im getting stronger and if not he will tweak stuff. For me its nice to take out any guess work. Im one of those guys that reads all the time and ill wanna try this or that and with a coach the training is set. For me i would neglect abs from time to time or neglect this or that with a coach u have someone to hold u accountable if ur paying for the programming u wanna do everything in it. Just my 2 cent.

[G Diesel]

While I think learning from those more advanced or knowledgeable than yourself is a wonderful thing and crucial to growth in life, it takes some of the fun of this pursuit away.

I love training and the lifestyle because it is very personal and involves knowing and learning about myself, ingenuity, experimentation and self-motivation. The more I involved the input of others into that process, the less it would be my own.

Peace, G

[naturalguy]

A good coach can be invaluable. I'd be spinning my wheels without the help of Henri Skiba who taught me about powerlifiting.

The ideal would be to learn from someone with more experience and then take what you learn and mold it to your own.

[Alpha Bench]

I see both sides here. It is great to learn on your own and customize your own training. However, it is easy to get misguided or spend too much time with the wrong program. If you use a coach look at the history of the person. DO they have integrity issues. If so prob not the best.

[RCAF]

How many guys out there have used or are currently using the guidance of a coach, whether it involves nutrition, training, or both?
I have been using one for programming for about a year and just started using the same coach for nutrition as well. I have heard some people say coaches are great and I've heard others say no one can know your body like you so why use a coach.

All thoughts are welcome.

Just my two cents

About 2 months ago I went to my first meet. Talking to the veterans and clearly guys who have been training for years, and being polite and inquisitive, I managed to get an email from the director of the OPA ontario powerlifting association, who gave me a number of a guy who trains about 30 mins outside of my Airforce Base here in Borden, and from then on every weekend when work permits he takes me thru a heavy deadlift session and I have learned more in 3 weeks of coach assistance and video analysis than i had in the last 8 years ( im 28)


I recomend you keep your eyes open, and really just ask the guy who is stronger than you for advice!!


hope that helps

[RCAF]

While I think learning from those more advanced or knowledgeable than yourself is a wonderful thing and crucial to growth in life, it takes some of the fun of this pursuit away.

I love training and the lifestyle because it is very personal and involves knowing and learning about myself, ingenuity, experimentation and self-motivation. The more I involved the input of others into that process, the less it would be my own.

Peace, G

G, I respect the shit out of this statement. As a Powerlifter, I do what I do because I love to lift, when people at the gym stare at me because I train in a Toque (to keep my wireless headphones from falling and to drown out stupid conversations) I think to myself, fuck them, the gym is 2 hours of ME time.

I am a lone wolf 6 days a week 1 day my coach comes to either congratulate my progress or slap my cocky ass down to earth

[Jay Nera]

Everyone above has great points.

Its about journey..its about learning. One needs to ask if they need coaching..with integrity. I think some people need it because they lack accountability. Some people need it because they have training ADHD and need to be kept on track. I have never had a coach before as far as training goes. Simply because I am always learning and educating myself and am very open minded…BUT…that does not mean that there are things i don't know... Recently I am realizing that I need to put on size and I don't know how to do it in the most efficient way possible..yeah, eat more, rest more etc….but efficiency is key..why not find someone who has done it time and time again...…so i am seeking help. We will see how it goes.

[rshelton242]

Everyone above has great points.

Its about journey..its about learning. One needs to ask if they need coaching..with integrity. I think some people need it because they lack accountability. Some people need it because they have training ADHD and need to be kept on track. I have never had a coach before as far as training goes. Simply because I am always learning and educating myself and am very open minded…BUT…that does not mean that there are things i don't know... Recently I am realizing that I need to put on size and I don't know how to do it in the most efficient way possible..yeah, eat more, rest more etc….but efficiency is key..why not find someone who has done it time and time again...…so i am seeking help. We will see how it goes.

Yep jay nailed it accountability and stuff. I read so much always buying Ebooks and always wanna try the new stuff so basically training ADHD lol. Got a coach to keep me on track and because I think he will help me reach my goals faster.
Jay talk to Josh Bryant man is brilliant lol.

[Jay Nera]

Yep jay nailed it accountability and stuff. I read so much always buying Ebooks and always wanna try the new stuff so basically training ADHD lol. Got a coach to keep me on track and because I think he will help me reach my goals faster.
Jay talk to Josh Bryant man is brilliant lol.

Yes, guys do make progress with him for sure. I am more looking for an expert in nutrition…well, was looking, i have found a solid dude. thanks though.

[J Wong]

When it comes to training, I like to do all of my programming by myself. I feel that I have plenty to learn about myself in regards of training, and only I will know what will work best for me in the long run through lots of trial and error. I am sure I could make progress and set some PRs under the guidance of somebody else, but I am with G on this one. I have a lot of fun writing out training cycles for myself and following them precisely to see what works for me. There are some solid guys out there that work with powerlifters and they make great gains on their lifts. The coaches I have in mind are Brian Carroll, Josh Bryant, Mike Israetel, and Jason Manekoff.

[RCAF]

Another note on coaching
- I believe it is our duty, when put in the position to mentor a young lifter / novice lifter

I also believe that the idiots who throw up unsolicited advice need to be spoken to if overheard.

Because being on a military base I see some of the dumbest, and hear some of the most ludicrious shit...

[SquatPressPull]

I wish I had a coach/trainer (In the powerlifting world) when I had finished up with SS. I went to the SS seminar and learned how to lift properly. I progressed with linear progression up to 405lbs. After that, I had no idea when I wanted to get into powerlifting. Then a friend on Twitter showed me The Cube Method. Ran that for a few cycles and then Brandon actually "sponsored" me (now) while I run Cube Kingpin. It's been great, he's watching my videos and telling me what I need to correct.

Now, if I had a powerlifter locally to train with, that has years of experience lifting and coaching, that'd be awesome. I think I'd be squatting 600lbs by now. Motivation, coaching, and the push to get it.

Saying that, my time with SS, I loved it. I came in at 4AM and busted my ass till 6AM every lift day. No one there to chat me up, no one curling in the cage (only one squat rack/cage), and I had free reign.

[DoubleTapJak]

Everyone above has great points.

Its about journey..its about learning. One needs to ask if they need coaching..with integrity. I think some people need it because they lack accountability. Some people need it because they have training ADHD and need to be kept on track. I have never had a coach before as far as training goes. Simply because I am always learning and educating myself and am very open minded…BUT…that does not mean that there are things i don't know... Recently I am realizing that I need to put on size and I don't know how to do it in the most efficient way possible..yeah, eat more, rest more etc….but efficiency is key..why not find someone who has done it time and time again...…so i am seeking help. We will see how it goes.

This has always been my stance on it. I love figuring out ways to tweak my form and learning about my body, what training works for me and what doesn't. Getting help from friends who have been doing it for years has helped a ton, and one session with Jay at the Arnold really showed me how much I still don't know. I'd love to get a coach if the money is available but for now I'm happy to make strides on my own. In the future, when I hit a roadblock or a plateau then I'll give it serious thought. For now I'm just looking for a gym with real experienced lifters as opposed to my college gym.

[swoleberry]

Everyone above has great points.

Its about journey..its about learning. One needs to ask if they need coaching..with integrity. I think some people need it because they lack accountability. Some people need it because they have training ADHD and need to be kept on track. I have never had a coach before as far as training goes. Simply because I am always learning and educating myself and am very open minded…BUT…that does not mean that there are things i don't know... Recently I am realizing that I need to put on size and I don't know how to do it in the most efficient way possible..yeah, eat more, rest more etc….but efficiency is key..why not find someone who has done it time and time again...…so i am seeking help. We will see how it goes.

Yeah I tend to have programming ADHD except when I am being programmed by my coach. The routines are great and are very efficient, sometimes I just question "Do I really need a coach?"

[JHOORNSTRA]

I use Josh Bryant, he not only writes it down, keeps track of weights, the time in which each set is done and tracks it through the progression of the training cycle, calls after workouts to see how it went, genuinely cares and truly knows what he's talking about. Knowing he's gonna be watching my vids of them and critiquing them also helps me make sure I do the best I can, even if I'm alone and not motivated...extra push I needed a while back and has definitely helped me.

[Rex]

How many guys out there have used or are currently using the guidance of a coach, whether it involves nutrition, training, or both?
I have been using one for programming for about a year and just started using the same coach for nutrition as well. I have heard some people say coaches are great and I've heard others say no one can know your body like you so why use a coach.

All thoughts are welcome.

I rather do things myself, which also included fucking things up myself a number of times, than relying on somebody else. Bodybuilding is an individual pursuit.

[Keosawa]

I personally have done all of my programming, up until very recently. When I started training, I didn't know the first thing about the widely used powerlifting programs, so I just sort of figured things out for myself in the gym. Over time, I read more, learned more, and started applying that knowledge to my training. And yes, you do learn what you respond best to over the years; troubleshooting can be a valuable teaching tool.

But I don't really think it's a necessary one, and any good coach can explain his or her process to you, just like any good teacher can not only deliver information, but also provide insight into how you acquire said information. You will learn a lot about how to make good decisions for yourself with a good coach.

For me, I benefit from having a coach on the many occasions that I push my training too hard. It's very difficult for me to run, say, a block style of periodization without wanting to flip the script. I've had a friend take control of my deadlift training, and though I am constantly trying to find ways to undermine his work by exceeding the parameters he sets, I have been kept in check far better than if left to my own devices.

I will say that many of the guys doing online programming aren't worth whatever they're charging. That's not to say that they aren't smart lifters with a lot to offer, but online programming is a really difficult process. Jay Ashman posted something on his site recently about the six signs of a bad trainer, and one was simply to be cautious of online programming--because your coach isn't present, you're not able to make changes within the session, and making small technical changes is very hard to do.

Generally speaking, you'll get what you pay for, and the guys with good reputations as coaches usually provide the best services. Josh Bryant's name comes up on here a lot, and if you just look at how many good lifters he's made better, it'd become pretty obvious that he's one of the absolute best. A pretty good coach within your own gym might be a better option than a great coach half a country away, but there are a bunch of guys out there that do a great job. Without naming names, there are also guys out there with big client lists who just aren't going to have time, energy, or incentive to put much effort into you.

[Swolepez]

I tend to lean towards the side of not having a coach.
Both have their pros and cons. I think sometimes we all need somebody else's eye to point our weak parts but at the same time, I'm a big believer in learning from our own mistakes rather than from someone elses.