Key Factors to Building a Powerlifting Program

By Fred Rodriguez, Kyle Lehman High School Offensive Line & Head Powerlifting coach

Powerlifting is a strength sport focused on three primary lifts: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. The goal of powerlifting is simple—to lift the maximum weight possible for a single repetition in each of these lifts. Whether you're training for a competition or simply aiming to get stronger, building a solid powerlifting program is crucial to ensure consistent progress, reduce the risk of injury, and develop a well-rounded strength foundation. But in this article, we will be talking about how to build a program outside of just lifting weights and programming.

To begin, some coaches may think that the key to a successful Powerlifting program is programming the best workouts. I can tell you that is not the case. Although it is a big part of success, the first and most important thing that the athletes/team needs is a great coach-athlete relationship. Without this relationship, there is no trust between the two of you and with no trust comes a lot of questioning and not too much buy-in which can cause problems later down the road for the program. So what are some ways to build this relationship and help build the program? First, we need to know what a relationship is. It is when two people collaborate towards a shared goal. Whenever the goal is identified, then it will allow the coach to be able to connect with the athletes in a more effective way. To connect with your athletes, you don't need to sit down and have meetings with them, but if time allows you then do it. I’m sure many programs don't have athletic periods and have to practice either before or after school. Either way, to connect with the athletes, it can simply start with a small conversation about anything. Building relationships begins with showing genuine interest in others.

As the coach, it is also important to create a supportive and encouraging environment.

The coach and athletes have a role in this. By providing this, it allows the athletes to feel comfortable and confident in what they do. This can allow them to develop at a much faster rate and tap into their true potential. As athletes are developing, failures are going to happen along the way, whether that is during training or at competitions. Maybe they did not reach a goal that they set for themselves or they are comparing their performance to another athlete who may have lifted more than them. It is important to point out that there will be mistakes and failure along the journey of a young lifter and that it is a great opportunity for growth. In order to bounce back and grow from a failure, it involves mental toughness. This is where the power of positivity comes into play. Even when the lifter fails, both the coach and athlete need to maintain a positive mindset and work to push through any negativity.

When coaching an athlete, it’s crucial to provide positive feedback. Positive feedback boosts motivation and helps improve technical skills. When athletes feel encouraged, they are more likely to continue working hard and refining their abilities. On the other hand, negative feedback or a lack of feedback can lead to unwanted behaviors, decreased motivation, and even result in athletes leaving the program. Athletes tend to repeat behaviors that are praised, so giving positive feedback can create consistency in practice and performance, which is essential. Without consistency—especially in activities like lifting weights—athletes are more likely to see a decline in their performance. Unlike skills like making three-pointers or catching a football, which can be maintained even with some time off, strength training requires continuous effort.

Taking time away from lifting can result in a loss of strength, which impacts an athlete's overall performance.

These factors will help start up any program. You may not get the physical results you want in the first year with winning meets or setting records but what you do get out of that first year is your athletes feeling valued as a person. They will appreciate your commitment, trust and cooperation that you provided to them. Once you create good relationships with your athletes, team culture can be established. This will ultimately create an environment where success and growth can flourish. The most important part of building a program is relationships. Success in any program depends heavily on relationships.