For the past 4 years, Julia Ladewski has been a Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University at Buffalo. She also did an internship with Mark Verstegen at Athlete’s Performance in Tempe, AZ. In addition to her duties at Buffalo, she also competes in powerlifting and has made a name for herself in both worlds. She competes in the 132lb class and has recorded a 457 squat, a 240 bench and a 424 deadlift. Her best total is 1102. I talked to Julia the other day, and got her thoughts on being a strength coach.
EFS: What sports have you coached or currently work with?
J.L: I work with women’s basketball, soccer, swimming and diving and track and field.
EFS: Strength and conditioning is a male dominated arena. How have you been accepted amongst your peers?
J.L: As far as staff, I’ve never had a problem. I don’t try to make it into something special or to think that I’m that different. We all have the same goals; to make our athletes better.
EFS: How have the male athletes responded to you?
J.L.: At first, it was difficult around male athletes. Once they knew of my accomplishments in powerlifting, it became easier. And once they realized that they knew what I was talking about, they were sold. It took some time, but I have no problems now.
EFS: Do sport coaches treat you any differently?
J.L: Female coaches seem to bond a little better with me. They can sit down and talk to you normally. The male sport coaches are very polite and have always treated me with respect. There is a difference, though
EFS: Do you feel like being a female in this profession has made it easier to work with female sports?
J.L.: I think females are generally easier to work with and I think they respond better to me. They can relate better. They do listen better; guys are more hard-headed and are more ego-driven.
EFS: What are the psychological differences when training women?
J.L: With my female athletes, I have to put things in perspective and alleviate their fears of getting too big or too strong. They want to know the whys of what they are doing; why this will make them jump higher, run faster or be a better athlete. This allows me to show them that what they are doing is not bodybuilding but training for athletics.
EFS: What about physically? Do you do anything different?
J.L: For the most part, it’s about the same. I have noticed their knees always buckle in when squatting and pulling. This is something that I am working to correct.
EFS: What strength coach or trainer has had the most impact on you and why?
J.L: Mark Verstegen. He taught me a lot and believed in me enough to help me get a job right out of college at a Division I university. Everyone at his facility in Tempe, AZ taught me what I needed to know to begin my trek in this career. Since then, many have impacted me including Louie Simmons, Cheyenne Pietri and all the guys on the Elite forum.
EFS: What are three things that you took away from Mark Verstegen that you think have helped you the most?
J.L.: The first thing to stand out with Mark is his presence with the athlete. He is always giving them full attention and making that person feel important. He gives his full ability to each athlete that he trains.
His mobility work is excellent; I also use elements of his dynamic warm-up in my athlete’s training.
Finally, he taught me a great deal in regards to running mechanics.
EFS: What are the most common mistakes that you see strength coaches and trainers make?
J.L: Having "cookie cutter" programs and not addressing the needs of specific athletes. Make your programs original and find what works for your athletes.
EFS: What tips and tricks can you share that have made your strength and conditioning program better?
J.L: Don’t be afraid to keep it simple for your younger, non-experienced athletes. Give them time to learn the exercises and gain some kinesthetic awareness.
EFS: What are the most glaring weaknesses you find in athletes?
J.L: Torso, glutes, hamstrings, body-awareness
EFS: How do you correct these weaknesses?
J.L: For torso training, I have found isometric exercises and anything they do on their feet to be good choices. Also, having them handle some relatively heavy weight in their compound exercises will also yield good results. They have to learn to stay tight to lift the weight.
For the glutes and hamstrings, the glute ham raise and reverse hyperextension are always used. Also band good mornings and single leg Romanian Deadlifts are also great choices. I have them also do some of this stuff during their warm-up to increase their volume on these exercises.
In regards to body awareness, this will come over time, but you have to be constantly coaching them and giving them cues. You have to keep the focused on what they are doing and what they should be feeling during an exercise.
EFS: Are there any exercises that you feel every athlete, regardless of sport, should do?
J.L: Generally, squats and torso training
EFS: How often do you have an athlete squat?
J.L: Twice a week, depending on the season and the part of the program.
EFS: Do you do some kind of torso training every training day?
J.L.: Yes, with varying intensities. Heavier squat day is harder torso work.
EFS: What advice would you have for those wishing to become a part of the industry?
J.L: Know what you're getting into before you do it. The hours, the politics, the coaches, the athletes; these are things that you must know about before you get started. Gain as much experience as you can in regards to strength, speed, running, conditioning, etc. Be well rounded.
EFS: How do you explain your system/program to your athletes so that they understand what they are doing? Or do you do this at all?
J.L.: Every day or every week I try to teach them something new. Whether it's about the program or about anatomy and what muscles we're focusing on and why. It has to be a constant learning process. So we may take 5 minutes at the beginning or end of the workout to go over the days workouts so they understand what's going on.
EFS: Thanks Julia for taking the time to do this interview. It is much appreciated.
J.L.: You’re welcome!
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