Network Magazine Summer 2016 | Page 12

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.