The weekend after Pesachhhhhh I was back in Ohio and had a week of training before the Stronger Sports Training Success Summit (herein referred to as SSTSS) (which I think you can get antibiotics for). I was already planning on attending the Summit because I would have to be a dummy not to want to see the best speakers in the field. But a few weeks before, Dave asked if I would help him coach during his Powerlifting 101 workshop. So during the workshop day, I had the privilege of helping coach during Dave’s two groups.
Friday was great. All of the speakers- Alwyn Cosgrove, Dr. Serrano, Ken Kinakin, Buddy Morris, and JL- were all stellar. I learned a ton from all of them and thoroughly enjoyed them as presenters.
The biggest highlight of the weekend for me was helping Dave on Saturday.
I watch Dave coach all the time. I ask him questions about what to look for and what to address and change with lifters. I really want to get better at coaching lifters. It was great to be able to watch Dave with a completely new group of lifters and work with them from the ground up. From introducing the lifts and what we were going to be looking at with each to watching his suggestions and cues for each lifter based on their own bodies and issues, I got to see the overall approach as well as his breakdown of each lift for about 20 lifters of varying skill level and techniques. Since a large swath of attendees were coaches or trainers, he also spent time explaining what he was looking for and correcting with each lifter and spent time explaining his rationale for each of his cues. From the standpoint of learning about coaching, I and everyone else in the group got a lot out of Dave’s expositions about his own coaching.
I got to help coach a larger and new group of lifters. The same statements I made above are applicable to me as well. The opportunity to assess and work with a completely new and varied group of lifters was both fun and afforded me the ability to hone my coaching eye and communication skills.
Thank you, Ange, for letting me use your pictures!!!
I started writing a lot more about the coaching aspect of the day but I’m going to write in more detail about it in an article so I will just touch on why this seminar was a big deal for me. In terms of learning to be a better coach and having the opportunity to work with lifters at a seminar with Dave, I don’t know how else to say it but it was a big step for me.
I love lifting and I love talking about lifting and I love working with lifters. That is it. That is what all of this can be boiled down to.
I loved connecting with lifters and meeting new people. I can’t explain how awesome it was to have people listen to my advice, ask me questions, and reach out after the seminar to tell me that what they learned during the seminar made a positive impact. I have learned by people (mostly Dave) taking the time to help and guide me. It’s important to me (both to help give back and because I love it) to be able to help other people.
Thank you to Dave and thank you to everyone who allowed me to assist and asked me questions.
To top it off, I had an Instagram memory pop up that same weekend that was a picture from my first EliteFTS event in 2014. It is pretty wild to think that I, a non-athletic, long-limbed, 475 total (yes that was my fist total) rando attended a LTT in April 2014 and ended up being on Team EliteFTS and helping Dave coach a powerlifting workshop exactly 5 years later.
If I can do it, anyone can.