So you wanna be a strongman coach? Here are the keys to getting started:
Get Yourself a Good Coach
Hiring a good coach is essential to your learning and development as both a coach and an athlete. It’s truly a sport of “lift, learn, pass on.”
Strongman programming is very different from other strength sports. There are loads of variables and a great deal of nuance to the sport. An experienced coach can help guide you through that.
Your coach should be a resource for your education. Ask questions. Note that this does *not* mean relying on your coach to tell you how to program for your athletes. That’s not their job. But you should feel comfortable asking questions about the “whys” behind your own program, and – if you hired a good coach – they should be happy to explain it to you.
If you’re not personally interested in doing strongman programming yourself, it’s still worthwhile to pay an experienced strongman coach to mentor you. Even spending an hour with someone who knows their stuff can be immensely helpful. Just remember that coaching is how they make a living, and offer to compensate them for their time and expertise.
Attend Seminars
There is always more to learn! Attending seminars is a great way to learn from people who are “on the ground” in the sport. You’ll pick up cues, learn new perspectives, and meet other people in the community. Try not to limit yourself to seminars with “big name” athletes only. Seminars should be about gaining knowledge, not about getting a pic for socials. There are talented coaches and athletes out there with knowledge to share. You never know when you’re going to hear that one thing that clicks for you, or pick up a gem that works for your clients.
Attend or Watch Competitions
Even if you don’t have someone competing, go to competitions to watch. If you can’t attend competitions in person, look for ones that are streaming live. See how different athletes prepare and execute. Watch where people make mistakes. Keep an eye out for similarities among those who are more successful in the competition and those who are less successful. Watch for differences in technique and strategy and see if you can figure out why those differences exist. Meet people in the community. Make connections. Just soak it all up!
Volunteer
The best way to understand what it’s like to promote a competition – besides actually doing it – is to volunteer at one. When you see how things run on the backend, you’ll have a better understanding of how to coach and compete on the frontend.
Volunteering also builds community. You really get to know people by spending a day or a weekend volunteering with them. Those connections are fulfilling and they last.
Compete
The value of actually competing cannot be understated. (In fact, we have a whole post on just this topic.) The only way to really know what it’s like to compete in strongman, is to do it. Every competition you do is a learning experience that makes you a better coach. You owe it to your clients to seek out that experience.
Keep Learning
Coaching a sport with so many variables requires nuance and a solid commitment to continuing education. Strongman has a deep history – learn it. It’s also changing rapidly – make the effort to keep up. Whether you’re just starting out or have been at it for decades, there is always something new to learn. Being open to learning is the best thing you can do for yourself and for your clients.
Ready to Get Started?
We can help! You can set up a FREE 15-min coaching call by emailing us at strongmandottraining@gmail.com. We offer coaching and mentorship, and we’re always happy to point people in the right direction.
