People often think coaching powerlifters is just writing programs, calling commands, and cheering on big lifts. But the truth is, being a powerlifting coach is heavier than anything on the bar. It’s rewarding, stressful, inspiring, frustrating, and humbling all at the same time.
I’ve learned that coaching isn’t just about strength. It’s about people. And people don’t progress in straight lines.
The Parts You Don’t Always See
From the outside, powerlifting looks simple. You lift heavy, you get stronger. But as a coach, I see everything behind the scenes:
- The lifter who trained perfectly all week but barely slept the night before
- The lifter who’s terrified of missing in front of people
- The lifter who hits every rep in training but freezes on meet day
- The lifter who pushes too hard because they’re scared of falling behind
I carry those things with them. Not because I have to, but because I care.
There are days when the wins come easy, and days when progress feels stuck in concrete. My job is to show up for both.
A Moment I’ll Never Forget
Every coach has a moment that stays with them. Here’s mine.
One of my lifters, someone who trained harder than almost anyone I’d seen, spent weeks struggling with deadlifts leading up to a national meet. His confidence was slipping. The bar felt heavier every session. You could see the frustration all over him.
On meet day, he missed his opener. That’s a punch in the gut for any lifter, and as a coach, you feel it too.
He came off the platform with that look. Disappointment mixed with panic. I didn’t change everything or give a big speech. I just told him:
“You’ve hit this a hundred times. Trust your setup. Trust your legs. Trust yourself.”
He nodded, went back out, and smashed his second attempt. Then he hit a PR on his third. A lift he had talked himself out of believing in.
When he walked off the platform, he didn’t flex or shout. He just hugged me tighter than I expected and said, “Thank you for not giving up on me.”
That moment, right there, is why I coach.
The Ups and Downs
The Ups
- Watching someone lift a weight they once thought was impossible
- Seeing quiet confidence grow over months of training
- Being part of huge milestones: first meet, first PR, first big platform moment
- Helping someone become stronger not just physically, but mentally
The Downs
- The setbacks that come out of nowhere
- The injuries that force hard conversations
- The lifter who doubts themselves even when you don’t
- The emotional load you carry because you want the best for them
- The pressure of meet day when months of work come down to nine attempts
Coaching is full of highs and lows, but both are important. You don’t get the breakthroughs without the struggles that lead up to them.
Why I Keep Coaching
I don’t coach for medals, totals, or records. Those things are great, but they’re not the reason I show up.
I coach because watching someone discover their own strength never gets old.
I coach because being part of someone’s journey is meaningful.
I coach because every lifter teaches me something new about patience, resilience, and trust.
Most of all, I coach because I believe in people even when they struggle to believe in themselves.
The Truth
Being a powerlifting coach isn’t easy. It’s demanding. It’s emotional. It’s unpredictable. It will test your own confidence and patience more than you expect.
But it’s also one of the most fulfilling roles you can take on.
You get to guide people through challenges, celebrate their victories, and remind them that strength is something built rep by rep — inside and outside the gym.
At the end of the day, the truth is simple:
I don’t just help lifters get stronger.
I help them become someone who doesn’t quit when the weight gets heavy.
And that’s a privilege I never take lightly.
Note: This article was developed exclusively for Powerlifting.com and draws on published research and industry expertise to ensure accuracy and relevance for powerlifters.
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