Weightlifting Coaching

(What is weightlifting?) (See weightlifting)

Coaching Hours
Weekday afternoons & evenings
M, W, Th, F 2:30 - 8:30 pm
Tu 2:00 - 6:30 pm

Location
RCF Barbell Club SODO
2227 4th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98134

News

🏅 Consider training for the Winter Meet in January! Stay tuned for finalized date.

Sign Up

Coaching sessions are booked in advance. Walk-ins not guaranteed.

Weightlifting Club

Group session, 90 min
M, W, Th, F 5:30 pm
Tu 5:00 pm

Ongoing coaching and daily workouts in a supportive community. Develop your snatch, clean & jerk, and related strength exercises with guidance and group encouragement. Club programmed workouts prepare you to (optionally) do the quarterly meets — lifting parties at the gym! If following your own programming, come for the technique coaching and club training vibes.

(Prefer 1:1 training? Do Individual Coaching sessions.)

Weightlifting Club Onramp

Personal session, 90 min
M, W, Th, F 2:30, 4:00, 7:00 pm
Tu 2:00, 3:30 pm

All newcomers to Weightlifting Club are required to first complete Club Onramp to ensure a safe group training environment. Onramp sessions either build or confirm the weightlifting fundamentals required for Weightlifting Club.

Beginner? We'll learn weightlifting basics! Instruction and practice with the snatch, clean & jerk, and related training exercises like squats, pulls, and presses. By completion you'll be prepared to start weightlifting workouts.

Experienced? We'll review your weightlifting movements and chat about your background and goals.

At the end of a session we'll discuss if your next step is continuing with Onramp or if you've completed it. ✅ We aim to complete Onramp in the fewest sessions necessary. Beginners can expect 2-3+ sessions to complete Onramp, whereas experienced weightlifters may only require 1 session.

Sign Up ($35)

Individual Weightlifting Coaching

Personal session, 45-90 min

Focused guidance on moving the current state of your lifts closer to your goals, whether you'd like help troubleshooting a specific lift or have a personally coached complete workout. Bring your questions and get clarity on where to direct your attention for the next step of progress in training. For all levels, from fresh beginners to experienced weightlifters. Session tailored to your needs, requests, and time.

(Prefer group training? Do Club sessions.)

Coming soon... (November)

Individualized Programming

Accelerate your weightlifting progress with monthly training tailored to your needs and goals. Ongoing adjustments ensure the time you spend training is as effective, efficient, and satisfying as possible.

FAQs

► Do I have to be a gym member?

Nope! Gym guests/non-members are welcome to come in for coached training with me. I'll prop open the door for you if you sign up. (If the door isn't open when you arrive, please knock.)

Gym membership is recommended if you're coming in regularly and want to train at different times. Members of RCF Barbell Club SODO can freely access the gym 24/7. (Please note members only of the RCF Main Gym are guests/non-members of the RCF Barbell Clubs.)

► Can I walk in without signing up?

Signing up is a mutual courtesy. If you don't sign up I may not be present to coach you. Walking in after 7pm is especially discouraged because if nothing else is booked on my calendar I go home for dinner, so if you plan to come in after 7pm please sign up in advance. I'd love to coach you if I'm expecting you!

► Can I pay on arrival?

Payments are made in advance through signing up. If sign up has closed, and you've decided to try walking in (not recommended), and I am present to coach you (no guarantees), then ask me in person how you can pay on arrival.

► How else can I pay?

All payments are made online here. For the ease of my bookkeeping, please no cash or other modes of payment.

► What if I arrive late or need to leave early?

A session is a window of time to receive coaching, and we'll aim to get the most out of the time we have. However if you're running so late it no longer feels worth attending please email me so I can stop waiting for you and refund your payment. I'll look forward to seeing you next time. ❤

► Can I stay afterward to continue working out on my own?

Members of RCF Barbell SODO can freely use the gym 24/7. So can anyone with a pre-purchased Day Pass.

For guests/non-members I am responsible for your safety and activities in the gym during coaching sessions. After your session I may be responsible for others or need to leave. But I'm glad you want to use the gym! If you're not quite ready to become a gym member you can pre-purchase a Day Pass to freely use the gym on your own.

► What should I bring?

Workout clothes that are comfortable when raising your arms overhead, squatting down low, and jumping. Because weightlifting technique involves brushing the barbell close to your legs and torso it may be helpful if the workout clothes aren't extremely baggy, and some people prefer to have those areas protected with fabric to prevent accidentally scraping skin. There is a drinking fountain, but you might want the convenience of a water bottle. If you have weightlifting / squatting shoes with a raised heel please bring them, otherwise any athletic shoe will do, the flatter and firmer the sole the better.

► Do you offer programming?

I will be offering programming soon! Stay tuned.

Currently I provide a beginner workout to follow when first learning weightlifting that primarily focuses on developing fundamental technique and secondarily builds some strength. Once your goal shifts from learning the lifts to increasing the weight you can lift well I recommend following a more structured training program. Until my programming service is up and running, in the meantime I suggest starting with either of these options from Catalyst Athletics:

Once you've completed at least one beginner/starter program you're ready for standard weightlifting training. Until my programming service is up and running, in the meantime I suggest one of the Catalyst Athletics group training programs which have options for training 5, 4, or 3 days per week for $35/month. If you'd like to source your programming from elsewhere, I suggest avoiding programs from Torokhtiy because they have too much volume at too low percentages. There are Rain City Fit personal trainers who may be able to provide you with weightlifting programming.

► Is there a physical therapist you recommend?

Absolutely! Dr. Jeremy Kirschner

Events

Quarterly Gym Meets

Weightlifting meets happen quarterly at RCF Barbell SODO. These meets are not sanctioned USAW competitions, but rather informal opportunities for athletes to participate in some aspects of the meet format. They are occasions to train for and cheer each other on. Perfect for beginners to the sport or just having a structured lifting day for fun.

Learn more and register for the next meet.

Contact

💌 Email me

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