I am always trying to bring you the best new people in the industry and this piece is no exception. The following is an excerpt from Dave Kirschen’s book Powerlifting: Year 1. Dave is a very accomplished sponsored lifter from EliteFTS.com and a friend of mine. Dave will also be at TPS for the Big Seminar 2 next year as a featured presenter.

In this article, Dave discusses what to look for when choosing a powerlifting gym. I wish information like this was around when I started.

What to Consider When Choosing a Powerlifting Club

If you truly wish to excel as a powerlifter, you will at some point need to start training with other powerlifters. There is just no replacement for constant coaching from multiple experienced lifters. The trainer at your local gym or your uncle who lifted “back in the day” most likely does not have the skill set to coach you. Normally, it takes little more than a few inquiries on the internet to find a club near you. Try using the Iron Brothers section of the elitefts.com Q&A to start your search.

Unfortunately, not all powerlifting clubs are created equal, and choosing the wrong environment can set your training back months or years. It’s not always a matter of one club being better than another (although this can also be the case), it’s about finding a club that best suits your needs as a lifter.

Here are a few points to consider when deciding if a club is right for you.

Gear preferences

Different clubs focus on different subsets of powerlifting. Some choose to compete in multi-ply federations. Others stay in meets that are single ply without monolifts. Still more are raw (no gear).

Some clubs allow anyone in as long as they powerlift. While this seems cool on the surface, issues can arise due to the differences in training required for each. In short, all-inclusive type clubs can be a mess unless they are exceptionably well run. If possible, try to choose a club that reflects the direction you wish to go in the sport.

Commercial/private ownership

Powerlifting clubs will generally meet either in a commercial gym, or they will own/rent their own space. While there a few notable exceptions, such as TPS and IronSport, which are commercial gyms but practically playgrounds for serious strength athletes, private ownership is almost always superior for the following reasons:

Commercial clubs tend to be strict about things like chalk and large gym bags on the floor.

Commercial gyms tend to lock you into a contract. If you decide that this is not the club for you (or management suddenly decides that you need to “tone it down”), you will still be charged every month.

Commercial gym strength equipment tends to be of poorer quality.

Having to stand around waiting for other gym members to finish curling in the squat rack.

Dealing with other members impatiently waiting for you to finish squatting so that they can start curling in the squat rack.

Arguing with said gym member about why curling in the squat rack is retarded.

Drugs

The decision as to whether or not to take drugs is your own. Be advised, that you should probably investigate a little to see if your choice will be welcome at the club. From personal experience, clubs that designate themselves as drug-free, tend to be more adamant that all members follow suit. Most lifters who train at clubs where drug use is tolerated tend not to care as long as you show up and train hard.

Leadership

Some clubs have a single, designated leader while others are more of a committee. In cases where the club is owned by one of the lifters, the owner is normally the one in charge. For groups that meet at say, a commercial gym, there may be no definite leader but the less experienced will tend to follow the veterans.

There are pros and cons to both, but a club with a strong leader will almost always have fewer problems with lifters slacking off or doing their own thing at the expense of the group. This is because a strong leader will set clear expectations and remove those who do not meet them.

The worst case scenario is a weak leader (even worse than no leader). A weak leader will allow lifters to take advantage of both them and the group. Since no one else has the authority to take action, this behavior will be ongoing and most likely get worse.

On the contrary, a strong leader or coach will most likely expect you to follow their training protocol. This is probably in your best interest if you are a beginner but it’s something you should take into account before you join.

Availability

Look at the days and times the club meets to train. You should know ahead of time if you will be able to show up at the designated times consistently. Missing workouts will almost guarantee you being asked to leave.

Level of athletes

If you want to succeed in powerlifting, you’ll need to seek stronger lifters to train with.

Get on the internet and do some research on the club and its lifters. Are any of the members totaling elite or better? Do they compete at big meets? For the beginner, it can be hard to tell at first if a group of lifters is genuinely accomplished, or just playing the part with loud music, tattoos and dusty trophies.

Expectations

Contrary to popular belief, powerlifting is not an individual sport. Members of a lifting crew rely on each other for much more than just showing up and lifting weights. In addition to training hard, you will also be expected to spot and load weights. In fact, as a beginner, you may be allowed to do little else until you prove yourself as willing to work hard.

John Bott, owner of Eastside Barbell, likes to say “We know what we can do for you, but what can you do for us?”

Not only is it important to make the workouts, but it will also be expected that you travel to meets to help your training partners. At Eastside, we stagger our meets so that we never have too many lifters and too few handlers.

Long story short, joining a powerlifting (or any serious lifting club) requires a certain amount of dedication and hard work. Know what the expectations will be before you make the commitment.