Resources for strength coaches
Practical guides for building the block, coaching the athlete, and keeping a barbell roster manageable as it grows.
Start with the coaching problem in front of you
This library is for coaches working with strength athletes: weightlifters, powerlifters, barbell clubs, remote clients, and small performance rosters. It stays focused on programming and reviewing barbell training rather than general personal training.
If you are writing a new block, begin with progression models and the training reference behind the percentages. If the program is already running, use the logging and review guides to tighten the feedback loop. If your roster is becoming difficult to maintain, start with the shared-programming guide.
Plan the block
7 strength training progression models for coaches
See seven useful ways to arrange volume and intensity, with concrete examples and the tradeoff behind each pattern.
Training max vs. 1RM
Decide whether a block should use a tested max, estimated max, or conservative training reference—and see how that choice changes every prescribed load.
Exercise substitutions for strength training
Replace squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, and rowing movements without losing sight of the original training intent.
Coach the work that comes back
How to get athletes to log workouts consistently
Make logging smaller, clearer, and visibly useful so it becomes part of coaching rather than paperwork after the session.
Strength coach session-review checklist
Use a repeatable review order for prescribed work, completed sets, effort, joint feedback, clips, and the next coaching action.
Run the roster
How to coach strength athletes online
A complete remote workflow from intake and target maxes through program delivery, lift videos, session review, and block changes.
How to scale strength coaching without copying every program
Separate shared training decisions from individual numbers, then quantify where duplicated programs consume the coach's week.
Calculators and working examples
- 1RM calculator and percentage table — estimate a max and turn percentages into loadable weights.
- Eight-week percentage-based block — a complete example with deload, peak, and adjustment rules.
- Powerlifting strength standards — compare an athlete's lifts with drug-tested raw competition data.
- Apps for coaches — compare five different approaches to strength-coaching software.
More programming guides
- Percentage-based training — choose a reference max, calculate working weights, and add sensible adjustment rules.
- How to write a percentage-based training block — move from the block's goal to weekly progression, deload, and test week.
- Percentages and RPE, used together — keep the planned structure while giving the athlete a clear limit on difficult days.
- Programming for a whole roster — share useful structure without losing athlete-specific loads and adjustments.
- When to move beyond a coaching spreadsheet — recognize when maintenance work is getting in the way of coaching.