SS seminar with no intention to coach?

[29erGirl]

I am really considering attending the TX seminar this June, but only for my own benefit. I am not interested in coaching. Will I still benefit or is the seminar mostly geared toward coaches? I have about 3 years experience with the barbell and a more serious powerlifting focus in the last year (with a few months off for a broken hand), but I think I am still a novice.

Thanks!

[Steve Hill]

I am really considering attending the TX seminar this June, but only for my own benefit. I am not interested in coaching. Will I still benefit or is the seminar mostly geared toward coaches? I have about 3 years experience with the barbell and a more serious powerlifting focus in the last year (with a few months off for a broken hand), but I think I am still a novice.

Thanks!

Yes, you will benefit greatly. Many people attend for their own lifting. I don't know of a single one that's been disappointed.

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Yes, you will benefit greatly.

This. Just go. You'll learn a lot, you'll be a better lifter, and you'll have a blast.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I somehow spaced out entirely the coaching certification when I signed up. I learned more than I can properly convey here despite my numerous and frequent self referential posts on the matter. Rip, stef, Steve, Julie, Ryan, and Tom taught our group a great deal. I had so much to learn and overcome from 40+ YEARS of lifting the wrong way that I didn't make the cut for getting a shot at the coaching cert. I don't think I was shorted or missed anything in the slightest. If you stay awake, keep an open mind, listen, write things down, and read them later neither will you.

I apologize in advance if this seems patronizing, preachy, or condescending. Such is not my intent.

[29erGirl]

Great. I am going to sign up ASAP!

[tomskarda]

I attended the Westminster seminar just for this reason. Not really knowing anything about barbell training I went so I could learn enough to know what to look for in a good coach. Excellent instruction from really knowlegable coaches. Very friendly and overall exactly what I needed. I can't say I did very well myself, but now I have some idea of what to work on. Definitely highlights the need for consistent and qualified coaching. Well worth the investment. If you are a trainer, I would say this is a very practical course to attend. Much better than the mainstream qualifications out there.

[jep6095]

Tom, you bring up a very good point in that having access to knowledgeable coaches can give you a baseline of what to look for as you look for other coaches to help you in your lifting. Coaching others throughout the weekend was helpful for you (in the deadlift anyway where we worked together) to improve your lift as you were able to see others on the platform tweak their form and apply cues to improve their own.

It was great having you join us. You worked very hard and were fun to have on the platform (in the deadlift anyway where we worked together.)

jp

[Jimmy Tereyla]

Not to drag this out unnecessarily, but I can chime in from a different angle. I also attended the most recent Seminar in Westminster. I came in with a fairly solid knowledge of the lifts and wanted to improve my personal performance as well as have a shot at the Coaching Cert. I am a Personal Trainer, so I've been able to train some people, but I normally train by myself in my garage, so I've never had a watchful eye to help me.

There are two points I'll make.
1: the instruction and coaching is by far the best you can receive. You not only will improve the performance of your lifts, but you'll understand why we lift the way we do.
2: by coaching others (and Steve brings this up at the beginning of the Seminar), you will learn... alot. By watching and cueing others, you will gain a deeper understanding of how to apply the concepts to your own lifts.


Short answer: do it. Just sign up. All of the instructors are great and are there to help you get better - regardless of your goals.

[SRS]

I attended the most recent Brooklyn seminar having never coached anyone before and not planning to ever do so. And it was still a great experience.

You should come prepared to coach others because, well, it's just part of the program. Nonetheless, I found both the staff and other students understanding of the fact that I wasn't a coach and attending only for my own personal education. Coaching others, although not particularly well, helped in better understanding the material and cementing certain concepts. In other words, I learned a lot from both coaching and being coached.

In sum, I'd encourage you to attend. I don't regret it and doubt you would either.

[29erGirl]

Thanks for all the replies to my post. I just sent in my first payment and I am really excited. I am know I will learn a lot!

I will be driving from Houston on Friday afternoon and then back again on Sunday night if anyone needs a ride along the way.

[Simma Park]

Coaching others, although not particularly well, helped in better understanding the material and cementing certain concepts. In other words, I learned a lot from both coaching and being coached.

^This.

Also, even if you have no intention of ever coaching anyone for money, learning the basics of how to do it will come in handy when a friend or relative wants you to show them how to squat.

[Michael Wolf]

... when a friend or relative wants you to show them how to squat.

Which will happen at some point for almost everyone who's friends and relatives know they spent $800 and an entire weekend learning how to do so.