While this means that anybody can enter,
it doesn’t necessarily mean that everybody
who wants to should
Just like running further or faster, the capacity to get strong, or to
build muscle and ‘lean out’ are skills that accommodate for the adult
beginner. Unlike many other sports, bodybuilding and powerlifting do
not require training from youth in order to be competitive, and are also
open to all skill levels, instead of having a minimum entry standard.
While this means that anybody can enter, it doesn’t necessarily
mean that everybody who wants to should. Many factors need to be
taken into consideration when assessing a client’s suitability for a
competition or a meet – as well as your suitability for training them.
Are you ready to train your client?
Ideally you will be a competitor or ex-competitor in the sport that you
are going to coach in, or at least have extensive experience training
in the way that your would-be athlete will need. Both bodybuilding
and powerlifting have various federations that host competitions,
so you will need to know which is best suited for your client, and
to understand the specific rules and regulations for that particular
federation. Bodybuilding requires rigorous dieting, and powerlifting
requires lifters to weigh into specific bodyweight categories, so you
should have some form of nutrition qualification, or work closely with
somebody who does.
You must be able to advise your client on the different stages
of preparation, what to expect on the day and what attire and
equipment is needed. You will also need to be there on the day to
pump them up for the stage in bodybuilding, or to serve as handler
and help choose weights for their lifting attempts for powerlifting.
If this does not sound familiar to you, then you are not prepared to
coach for these sports at the moment and require further training and
experience first.
Your next step is to attend strength and powerlifting coaching
courses or competition prep courses. If you really want to
understand a sport you intend to coach inside and out, then you
should put yourself through the process first. If you have a client
who is interested in working with you in the future, then he or she
needs to understand that you require the foundation first. If, however,
your client is prepared and wants to begin working towards their goal
straight away, then do not just try to figure it out along the way! Both
sports have their risks, and to coach without knowledge is negligent
and dangerous. In this situation, you must refer the client on to a
more qualified trainer in this area.
Is your client ready to be trained?
If you are adequately qualified and experienced, then the final step
before saying yes to a client for competing in either sport is to
ensure that this is a safe and appropriate move towards health and
wellness for the individual. A beginner should be kept on generalised
programs to ensure sufficient and balanced strength throughout
the body, healthy muscle mass and body fat levels and adequate
cardiovascular health and endurance. Clients who are reaching
intermediate to advanced levels of training will then have sufficient
training capacity and experience to be considered as potential
12 | NETWORK SUMMER 2016
The 30-second article
• Bodybuilding and powerlifting have
become increasingly popular goals for
‘regular’ clients in recent years
• Unlike many other sports,
bodybuilding and powerlifting do not
require training from youth in order to
be competitive, and are open to all
skill levels
• Ideally you will be a competitor or
ex-competitor in the sport that you are
going to coach in, or at least have
extensive experience training in the
necessary disciplines
• You should consider a number of
factors specific to your client before
advising them whether you feel they
are suited to the sports, and whether
you feel comfortable training them.
athletes. There are no absolute rules about
approving a client’s suitability to compete
in powerlifting or bodybuilding, so you will
need to use your personal knowledge about
your client to make an informed decision
that is in their best interest.
Here are some red flags to look for when
making this decision:
• If your client has a current or past injury
that has not fully recovered then both
sports, but particularly powerlifting,
could cause further damage.
• If your client has current, or a history of,
eating disorders then bodybuildi ng has
the potential to trigger a relapse through
extreme dieting and fixation upon
physical appearance.
• If your client has severe body image or
confidence issues and is interested in
bodybuilding, training for a competition
could help by achieving a desired look;
on the flipside, however, the judging and
ranking nature of the sport could instead
have adverse effects on self-esteem.
• If your client cannot perform the big
three lifts with precise form then there is
a lot of work to do towards the basics
before a powerlifting meet can
realistically be worked towards.
• If your client is, or has a history of being,
obese or very overweight, then insulin
resistance or other metabolic
complications may have led to difficulty
with losing much more weight; in this
instance you may be setting your client
up for failure if you approve working
towards a bodybuilding competition.