Starting Strength Coach Prep Course

(4 customer reviews)

$199.00 / month

The Starting Strength Coach Prep Course is a structured program to prepare you for a profession as a barbell coach. $199/month subscription, cancel anytime.

SKU: CPC-mentored Category:

The Starting Strength Coach Prep Course is designed to facilitate learning and preparation for the SSC evaluation. The course is organized into 23 modules, each with a core lecture/video, supplementary resources for study, and writing and coaching assignments.

Course modules are delivered online via a Learning Management System to each learner. Access to a dedicated Forum is provided for discussion and problem-solving with instructors and others working through the program. Each person also must keep a training log documenting their development on the platform and progress in their own lifting.

Group discussions are held via online conferencing sessions to supplement the written assignments.

The course is to be completed in 5 months while actively training and coaching lifters. Although aspiring coaches who are working as apprentices in Starting Strength Gyms or as interns at Starting Strength Affiliate Gyms or under SSCs are in prime positions to succeed, the program is open to the general public who are working on their own.

The CPC is a structured and guided course to prepare you as a coach. We cover topics needed specifically for the Starting Strength Coach evaluation, as well as supporting areas that underlie the Starting Strength Model. This includes:

  •   coaching theory
  •   anatomy and physiology
  •   physics
  •   the moment model of barbell training
  •   teaching the lifts
  •   specific application of the moment model to each lift
  •   special modifications for each lift and when to use them
  •   programming theory

Each student is assigned a SSC mentor who works with them, gives feedback on their assignments and progress, and is there to help them succeed.

Program Subscription

The Starting Strength Coach Prep Course is purchased by subscription at $199/month.

    • Subscription payment: Recurring payments are charged each month as long as you remain in the program. A subscription can be paused by requesting a temporary suspension through customerservice@aasgaardco.com
    • 10-day trial period: If you try the program, but decide that it is not for you within the first 10 days, your account will be fully refunded.
    • Cancellation: You can cancel at any time and will receive a prorated refund.

4 reviews for Starting Strength Coach Prep Course

  1. Brynn Brewer (verified owner)

    I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the course and it has helped me understand the literature better.

  2. Jack Nicholason (verified owner)

    This course has been an invaluable resource in helping me on my path to becoming a Starting Strength Coach. Every aspect of the course has been very well thought-out, and there’s no shortage of coaches and mentors to help along the way. If you have aspirations of becoming an SSC, this course is well worth the money.

  3. Gilead Mooseek

    If you are serious and really want to be a SSC then this is the most efficient pathway to attaining the knowledge and guidance needed to attain this important credential.

    Extremely well-organized lesson plans that build on each other, will teach you all you need to know to understand the Starting Strength method and model.
    I personally love the fact that you are assigned an experienced mentor to guide and help you through the process.

    The Slack group is an incredible resource where interaction between students and mentors can take place. Useful and informative conversations have taken place there.
    It is also a medium to which you are critiqued on your coaching skills.

    This course is an invaluable and indispensable pipeline for the serious student who wants to attain the knowledge and skills needed to pass the examinations.

  4. Brent Frazier (verified owner)

    The Starting Strength Prep Course helps you understand the method more thoroughly. Also, you have a watchful SSC on your side with other students who assist and evaluate your knowledge and coaching ability. Pete Troupos was great, sending feedback on the writing assignment and videos evaluating my coaching chops. Instead of answering, he asks a question back for you to answer to help understand the material thoroughly. If you’re considering becoming an SSC or even just being a better coach consider checking out the class.

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1. When can I start?  You can start at any time. The course is set up to be flexible so that it can accomodate any schedule.

2. Can I complete the course if I am not coaching? No. The coach prep course integrates coaching assignments each week that must be completed before moving to the next module.

3. Do you know of any places where I can start practicing coaching? Apprenticeships and internships at Starting Strength Gyms and Starting Strength Affiliate Gyms may be available. Make an inquiry here.

4. How much time will it take each week? The time you take to complete each section will depend on your background preparation and how deeply you go into the additional resources that are provided. The course is structured as one module per week, but you can take more time if needed.

If you’re already well-versed in the foundational texts (Starting Strength, Practical Programming) and have a basic understanding of physiology and physics, you’ll have a head start.

Most students will typically spend at least a few hours and up to several hours per week, approximately as would be expected for a 3 credit hour college course. This how things might break down based on the structure of a module:

  •  review the core presentation for each course module ~ 1 hour.
  •  written assignment ~2 hours. Longer times will be needed for those who are not as familiar with the material and/or who are unused to writing.
  • coaching assignments ~ 1 hour. Since you will already be coaching, the additional time over baseline will be minimal. Depending on the assignment, the extra time may be for setting up to record video, processing/uploading video, and/or reporting results from the task.

Studying the additional and recommended resources will take as much time as you invest. These include sections from the Starting Strength and other foundational works, articles, videos, online resources, and other textbooks.

5. What it the outline of the course?

The 23 primary modules are:

    1. Coaching Overview
    2. Coaching Developing Your Ability
    3. Strength Training – Fundamental Concepts
    4. Muscle Structure & Contraction
    5. Neuromuscular Control
    6. Anatomy
    7. Gravity & Work
    8. Center of Mass & Balance
    9. Leverage & Moment
    10. Exercise Selection Criteria
    11. Squat Anatomy
    12. Squat Moment Arms
    13. Coaching the Squat
    14. Deadlift Anatomy
    15. Deadlift Mechanics, Pt 1
    16. Deadlift Mechanics, Pt 2
    17. Mechanics of the Clean vs the Deadlift
    18. The Presses, Pt 1
    19. The Presses, Pt 2
    20. Programming – First Principles
    21. Programming – The Big Picture
    22. Programming – Application
    23. Programming – Two-Factor Model

The course also includes discussion sessions that are recorded and archived.

6. Who created the course? Brent Carter, Nick Delgadillo, stef bradford, and Mark Rippetoe designed the course, with each contributing to lecture, study materials, and overall course structure.

7. How is the subscription charged?  Recurring payments are charged each month as long as you remain in the program. A subscription can be paused or cancelled by requesting a temporary suspension or cancellation through customerservice@aasgaardco.com to receive a prorated refund.

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