Online Coaching allows lifters from all over the world work with us, as well as lifters who may be local to our gym and even want to join. The main thing that links them is that they want a successful programme, excellent communication and consistent accountability - which you will get with all of our Online Coaching options.

Whether you're in Liverpool, Los Angeles or Laos we can help you achieve your goals. We've had online lifters in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Canada, America, as well as a number who literally train within feet of us in our gym. 

We have a number of Online Coaching options here at the Barbell Club.  While these options are mainly aimed at people wanting to train towards, or who are actively, competing in Powerlifting or Olympic Weightlifting, they can be adapted to your own goals. 
Our options differ in price but also differ in how much help you would like. If you're just starting out and want something that will get you going to test the waters, we have you covered. If you want a plan to follow with weekly accountability, we have that too. If you want something more hands-on then we can help you with that too. 

This one is mainly aimed at the competitive athletes. With this option you will get - 

• Ongoing bespoke programming. 
• One hour Skype call per week. 
• Weekly check in via email. 
• Weekly video form analysis. 
• Weekly Updates.
• Goal setting. 
• Access to Online Community. 
• Nutrition help.
• Weekly nutrition check in. 

As you can see, practically everything is covered here. Whether that be programming, nutrition, support, accountability or specific Skype/Zoom session to plan out goals - it's all here. 
This option also comes with free competition day handling. 
​You can also choose for just training and no nutrition in this option for a cheaper rate. 

This one is definitely the most hands-on for the lifter. If you want to leave no stone unturned on your way to the top of competitions, or even to just get stronger and feel better about yourself, then this is the one you should consider. 

This is the most popular option of the Online Coaching currently. With this one you receive - 

• Online bespoke programming.
• Weekly updates.
• Weekly check ins via email. 
• Access to Online Community. 
• Nutrition help and check ins optional. 
• Optional gym membership.

This one is a little less hands on, and relies mainly upon the training app, checking in and emails. 
A number of our successful powerlifters have benefited greatly from this option in the past, and still do today. 
While this one is a little less hands-on than the full package, you can still achieve your goals comfortably with this one.

This one was built upon years of experimentation with powerlifting programmes, and it has gone on to provide to foundation for the University of Liverpool team programmes that James Kennedy and I have put in place for their Varsity winning powerlifting team this academic year.

With this you get a 4 week plan, which initially will be a little bit general*, but as you go on and we get to know you better it will develop over time. 
*The numbers and programming are still unique to you, however. 

​For this option you will receive - 

• An online team plan.
• Monthly updates.
• Access to Online Community. 
• Gym membership optional. 
• Group sessions available on a PAYG basis.

You might be wondering what some of the phrases used above actually mean. Here, we'll delve into it a little bit more. 

This refers to the creation, progression and maintenance of your training plan. While there is often a long term plan when you're given your training programme, real life can get in the way and cause it to pause, rewind or even fast forward. Weekly, or monthly, updates allow for you to progress at the best possible rate for you and your goals. 

An absolutely crucial aspect to Online Coaching. Depending on the Online option you choose you will either do a formal check in once a week or once a month. This allows for your coach to assess the current programme and whether to progress, maintain or regress certain movements etc. 
Your coach needs to know how your week has gone - they are not a mind reader. And they certainly need to know when things have gone badly, or just not gone at all - it is in those cases where their expertise can be invaluable. So do not feel as though there's no point to checking in - there always is. 

The online community we have created within the Barbell Club and within the individual coaches's groups is second to none.
Our groups are all excellent eggs, meaning you'll have a lovely time meeting and sharing this journey with them. There are also a number of them with a lot of invaluable experience who can help you out in terms of accountability or support. 
These communities can be found in person, via the WhatsApp chats and the Facebook group. 

When you've communicated and checked in with your coach they will be in a far better position to move your training plan on to the next phase. Whether it be weekly or monthly you will have consistent updates so that you're not left to spin your wheels. 

These are a recent addition to our Online Coaching, and due to the added time they are restricted to the more robust coaching packages. 
These can be seen as a more in depth check in with your coach, where you can discuss your week's training, your progress, your goals and bring up any concerns you may have. 

The weekly Skype/Zoom calls also allow for a more in-depth technique analysis of any videos you may have gotten throughout your week of training. 
If you are on a different coaching option, one without the calls, you are still welcome to send the videos over for your coach to assess. 

While goal setting as an avenue to explore in every coaching option, you can take advantage of the weekly Skype/Zoom calls in order to use these sessions specifically for goal settings. 
It always works out best for both coach and lifter to be on the same page regarding goals and future plans. 

Nutrition is an optional addition to our Online Coaching options. A focus on the fuel you use for training, as well as your relationship with it, can take your training and competitive goals to the next level. 
The nutrition operates on a similar level to the coaching, in that you will work out a plan with your coach - whether that be macros, habit based or a mixture of the two - and then send the coach a weekly check in. The coach will then use this information to guide you towards your goals. 

Interested in working with us? Check out this link for more information. 
​Or email us to chat.

We're back with another excellent blog post from James Kennedy. 

Powerlifters typically spend 60-80% of their training volume performing the three power lifts - squat, bench, and deadlift, or their close variants. Training with a focus on the big 3 allows lifters to develop the necessary skill and hypertrophy to maximise performance in the sport of powerlifting. Taking a highly focused approach to training increases the risk of wear and tear injuries and muscular imbalances as the same movements are performed repetitively under load. Accessory work is essential in any good training plan, to help address muscular imbalances and provide additional volume for the key muscles used in the power lifts, whilst minimising the wear and tear on the body.  This article outlines the 5 most important accessory exercises powerlifters should be doing to remain injury-free and build a balanced physique.  

1. Single-Arm Dumbell Row

For the single-arm dumbbell row, start by placing one hand and one knee on a bench. Grab a dumbbell in one hand and brace yourself against the bench with the other hand. Slowly bring the dumbbell up to your chest, pausing at the top. Lower the weight under control until your arm is straight. 



2. Face Pulls 

Face pulls can be done using either a cable machine with a rope attachment or a resistance band around an upright. Set the cable machine or resistance band to just above your eye level. Begin by standing square to the machine, with your feet around shoulder-width apart, holding the rope or band with an overhand grip. Pull the cables towards your face, leading with your thumbs. At the end of the movement, your traps should be fully contracted and your elbows should be bent at 90 degrees. Slowly return to the start position.



3. Pull-ups: All variations 

Pull-ups are the final upper back exercise that all powerlifters should be doing - even the super heavyweights! If you think you’re too heavy to do pull-ups, here’s a video of world champion strongman Martins Licis doing pull-ups at 340lbs body weight (154kg!) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWEAPsELAYU

To start, grab a pull-up bar with a pronated grip, with your hands just wider than shoulder-width apart. Brace your core and set your back by retracting your scapula to open up the chest. Pull yourself up to the bar until your chin is above the bar. 

If you can’t perform multiple reps, use a resistance band to allow you to perform a movement, strengthening your lats, traps, and grip. Slowly reduce the band resistance until you’re able to do reps at bodyweight. If you find pull-ups easy, add extra weight using a weight belt to keep progressing and driving upper back hypertrophy. 



4. Dumbell Hammer Curls 

Powerlifters often complain of elbow pain during squats and benchpress. Whilst there is a multitude of reasons this occurs, often relatively weak forearms and biceps are the cause. These muscles help stabilize the elbow joint and are not the primary movements in any of the big 3 power lifts. Dumbbell hammer curls are a great exercise to address these weaknesses. Start by holding a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing in, resting the end of the dumbbells on the front of your legs. This prevents you from using your hips to initiate the movement and keeps the form strict. Whilst keeping your elbow still, curl the weight up before slowly lowering the weight to maintain tension in the biceps and forearms.



5. Bulgarian Split Squats

Unilateral leg work is incredibly beneficial for powerlifters. It helps improve joint stability, balance, and mobility as well as attacking muscle imbalances. The Bulgarian split squat is the king of unilateral leg work. The Bulgarian split squat targets the quads and glutes; key muscles that are used in the squat, but can be performed without loading the spine. It also requires a higher degree of balance and knee and ankle stability than the squat. Finally, at the bottom position of the Bulgarian split squat the hip flexor is stretched. 

To perform the Bulgarian split squat, place your rear foot on a bench and step forward with the other foot. You should step forward far enough so that you can hit depth (i.e. below parallel) without the front foot coming off the floor. Brace your core and slowly lower yourself into the hole whilst bending the front knee. The hips should not move - the torso should remain neutral with the front foot flat on the ground. Drive yourself back up out of the hole and stand back up. This exercise can be done just with bodyweight and then progressed to include dumbbells, weighted vests, or even barbells. 

Summary
Accessory work for powerlifting should focus on developing muscles that the big 3 power lifts fail to develop; primarily the muscles which stabilize the hips, knees, shoulders, and elbows. These 5 exercises target these typically underdeveloped muscles and will help develop a balanced physique whilst keeping your joints healthy. Incorporate these 5 exercises as the basis of your accessory work and your powerlifting training will benefit massively!

If you'd like to have access to these articles before anyone else, why not join the mailing list? 

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We have also updated our Online Coaching options, including a new robust Full Package option. 

​Check that out here.

Welcome back to the blog, this week we're focusing on the how and the why behind us getting stronger. 
And, as usual it's a piece by James Kennedy, fresh off the back of the University of Liverpool's win at Liverpool Varsity this year. 

For competitive strength sports athletes, the aim of the game is to get as strong as possible. A key question then is, how and why do we get stronger? This question is essential to understand; without understanding this it is difficult to understand what we need to do in training and why it will work. 

There are a large number of factors which influence strength output for a given muscle group, from innate physical characteristics (such as limb length or muscle insertion sites) to adaptive characteristics (neural adaptations to force output and skill with lifting). These factors can change over time as well. New lifters tend to make rapid strength gains due to a combination of neural adaptations and skill development; the so-called noob gains. However, once you have passed through this phase (although this can last for a long time in some lucky people) there is a very strong relationship between muscular hypertrophy (muscle growth) and strength gains. 

To understand why this occurs, let's first delve into what’s happening in the muscle during a contraction to produce force.

Muscles can be broken down into a hierarchy of structures. The base of the hierarchy is two proteins - actin and myosin - which interact during muscle contractions. The myosin converts chemical energy released from amino triphosphate (ATP) into mechanical energy which pulls the actin filaments along the myosin filaments, causing muscle contractions. Thousands of actin and myosin proteins are found within a single sarcomere; a collection of sarcomeres forms a muscle fibre and a muscle is formed of thousands of muscle fibres. 
The microscopic level contraction - relaxation cycles of actin and myosin leads to the macroscopic level muscular contractions. The muscles are attached to the skeleton by tendons, and as they contract the skeleton moves. 

Muscles generally attach to the skeleton at two points - the origin and insertion. The origin of a muscle is the attachment site which doesn’t move during contraction. The insertion of a muscle is the attachment site which does move during contraction. Taking a bicep as an example; when you perform a bicep curl, the bicep contracts. This results in the forearm moving around the elbow joint, where the bicep muscle inserts. The shoulder remains still, which is where the bicep muscle originates.

Depending on the muscle group and type of joint they insert into - muscle fibres run at different angles. This angle, known as the pennation angle, controls the number of sarcomeres which can contribute to a given contraction. As pennation angle increases a greater number of sarcomeres can contribute to a given contraction - therefore a muscle with a larger pennation angle will be stronger than a muscle with a smaller pennation angle. Taking a line perpendicular to the pennation angle across the largest part of a muscle allows us to calculate the muscle's physiological cross-sectional area. Muscle cross-sectional area is directly proportional to the amount of force which can be produced by a muscle. 

Why does this matter for lifters? You can’t change the pennation angle - the angle at which muscle fibres insert into joints. However, you can increase the number of muscle fibres you have. The more muscle fibres you have, the larger your muscle cross-sectional area is and the greater force you can produce with that muscle. 

So how do we increase the number of muscle fibres? Resistance training! 


So, if you want to get stronger consistently over an extended period, you will need to increase the amount of muscle mass you have. As a strength athlete, you will also want to increase the amount of force your muscle can produce - so you have a larger muscle with more muscle fibres and each muscle fibre can produce more force. Training style can influence this; it is possible to have muscular hypertrophy and have fewer strength gains due to the muscle producing less force relative to the muscle size. Muscle force production is measured using Normalised Muscle Force (NMF); studies have mostly shown that it increases due to strength training. However, it does not increase the same for all groups. Comparisons between the amount of NMF produced by weightlifters' triceps, who train them primarily with a low rep, high weight movements like the jerk and overhead press, and bodybuilders, who trained triceps primarily with a higher rep, low weight movements, found that the weightlifters produced more force per unit area of muscle than the bodybuilders. 

Translating that into plain English; per unit of tricep muscle mass, weightlifters were able to generate more force than bodybuilders. This is likely due to the nature of the training differences between the groups. Note, that NMF is independent of muscle size - it is just related to the strength of the muscle. Ideally, we would like to be able to get a bigger muscle which could produce the same amount of force per unit area - growing both NMF and the number of muscle fibres.

To increase the number of muscular fibres and overall muscle size, there are two broad strategies - focussing on high reps with lower intensities or training with higher loads and slightly lower rep ranges. As strength athletes, we want to increase both the number of muscle fibres we have and the amount of force we can produce per unit area of the muscle, the NMF. Consequently, hypertrophy-based training for strength athletes should be focused in the range of 70-85% of one-rep max, aiming to get 20-35 reps per exercise. This would lead to some classical ‘power building’ rep ranges such as 3x10, 4x8 or 5x5. 

The weights used should also increase over time; progressive overload is essential for driving hypertrophy. The simplest way to achieve progressive overload is to just add a small amount of weight to each workout. Alternatively, you can keep the weight the same, but just increase the number of reps per set. Combined with eating a diet high in protein this will lead to muscular hypertrophy. As larger muscles have the potential to be stronger muscles, over time progressively overloading and growing muscles will make you stronger. Further, training in a higher intensity style will help you increase the amount of force your muscles are capable of producing per unit area, increasing the carryover from muscular hypertrophy to strength sports.

Summary

Whilst multiple factors influence strength beyond muscle size and force production, there aren’t a huge amount of things you can do about them. The innate physical characteristics, such as muscle insertion sites, limb length, and the angle of insertion of the muscle, are fundamentally unchangeable. New lifters typically make very quick gains in strength without experiencing a large amount of muscular hypertrophy due to neural adaptations and rapid skill acquisition and development. However, once this phase is over and lifters move from beginners to intermediate-advanced trainees, muscular hypertrophy is much more important to strength gains. Fundamentally, strength athletes should be attempting to grow as much muscle as possible to produce the most muscular force possible and lift the most possible weight. The training style is also important - training in lower rep ranges with higher intensities is essential to maximising the amount of force muscle can produce. Subsequently, strength athletes should be training in the 70-85% of one-rep max, with 20-35 reps per workout. 

Chasing muscular hypertrophy whilst lifting heavy weights will help you keep progressing in your strength sports career. A bigger muscle has more muscle fibres, which can be trained to contract harder, allowing you to lift more weight and break more PBs. Fundamentally, the more muscle you have the more weight you should be able to lift and the stronger you will be!

​

Have you checked out the latest YouTube video - it's getting a lot of views at the moment. 

You can see it here. 

Also, an update here too. The page will be updated to reflect the changes!