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Best way to find coach to teach lifts.

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kia75

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Today at the gym another gym rat told me I was going to low in my squats again.

It really wouldn't bother me except for the fact that I learned my lifts off the internet and I'm not too confident in my form. What would be the best way to find a coach to teach me to do the lifts correctly?

I'm not concerned with learning how the gym rats do a million different curls, I'm more concerned about doing the 5 standard Starting Strength lifts correct.

I'm located in Baltimore so if anyone knows of a coach in the area I could hire for an hour or so just to make certain I'm doing the lifts correct, I'd appreciate it.

Edit:I'm looking for a Coach, not a coat.
 
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Google "lift-teaching coat". Don't know how useful one would be, though - maybe a weighted vest instead?

Also, he was wrong.
 
The first thing I'd say is to ignore the gym rats - most of them don't know what they are talking about. Beyond that, it is worth taking the time to read and view as much instructional material as possible: Starting Strength (book + dvd), stronglifts, Crossfit journal, Squat Rx, Dan John, and so on. Recording yourself is also a great tool, both so you can see how your form compares to the instructional material and to post online for feedback (here, Rippetoe's messageboard or the Crossfit messageboards).

If all that doesn't work and you need a coach, probably your best bet is to search for 3 types of organizations in your area: power lifting, olympic lifting and Crossfit. Powerlifting Watch can be a good resource for the first two and the Crossfit affiliates page for the third.
 
kia75 said:
Today at the gym another gym rat told me I was going to low in my squats again.

It really wouldn't bother me except for the fact that I learned my lifts off the internet and I'm not too confident in my form. What would be the best way to find a coach to teach me to do the lifts correctly?

I'm not concerned with learning how the gym rats do a million different curls, I'm more concerned about doing the 5 standard Starting Strength lifts correct.

I'm located in Baltimore so if anyone knows of a coach in the area I could hire for an hour or so just to make certain I'm doing the lifts correct, I'd appreciate it.

Edit:I'm looking for a Coach, not a coat.
Click to expand...

Whenever I hear someone say they've been told they're going "too low" on their squats, it immediately makes me think the advice came from the same type of person who tells you to never get closer than 4"-6" away from your chest when doing bench press, or to "never break a 90-degree angle" with your arms when doing military press.

The other day, I was next to two younger guys while they were doing incline dumbbell presses, and heard one tell the other, "don't go so low on the way down; stop at about 90 degrees, it's a lot easier."
 
there are tons of videos on bodybuilding.com.

If you really need a coach then find a good personal trainer. There are tons of bad ones out there.

This is also one good thing a crossfit gym will usually have as well.
 
I should record my squat, fly, skullcrusher and bent over row, since those exercises I constantly question my form on.
 
Post up vids here.

I generally don't take advice from people in the gym, unless they seriously look like they know what they're doing.
 
Check out USA Weightlifting: http://weightlifting.teamusa.org/pages/1808

Maybe contact the guy in Baltimore and see if he has a lifting club? I'm sure you could pay to have your form checked. The coaches focus would be on competitive weightlifting, but of course he will know what good olympic squat is supposed to look like. Also check out powerlifting and CrossFit at brikis advised.

Video of yourself is very helpful, try to take it from a 45degree angle.

The "going too low" thing is almost always wrong/bad advice. The issue is making sure you have your back in tight extension throughout the movement. If you have poor flexibility, you will have to relax your torso to get lower which can result in a dangerous position for your spine. However, gym rats generally do not know this, or they would phrase their advice differently, e.g. "careful with your squats, you are rounding your back at the bottom" vs "herp derp your knees will XPLODE!"
 
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