Adherence
Longer duration of the coach-lifter relationship is associated with greater increases in powerlifting total (performance).
If you are working with an online powerlifting coach, prioritize building a long-term relationship over finding a 'magic bullet' program. The data suggests that sticking with one coach for a longer period (average >21 months in this study) is more strongly linked to performance gains than how often you talk to them. Trust and consistency matter.
The strongest relationship observed in this study was between longer coach-lifter relationships and greater increases in powerlifting total.
Why this rating
Observational survey data (n=113) with no control group; associations are reported but causality cannot be established.
Source
Relationship Between Online Coaching Characteristics, Lifter Satisfaction, and Performance in Powerlifters
Jason V Clarke et al. · The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research · 2025
DOI 10.1519/jsc.0000000000005099
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