My visit to Hassle Free Barbell: if you wanna be a great coach don't coach and train at the same time!!!!

Over the weekend I visited the well known Weightlifting gym called Hassle Free Barbell club in San Francisco. This gym is without a doubt the best developmental Weightlifting program in the USA. Lifters such as Ian Wilson, Deangelo Osorio, Donovan Ford, Mary Peck just to name a few got their start at Hassle Free. So I went to Hassle Free for some training but really I wanted to get to know the coaches Kevin Doherty and Ben Hwa and how they got their program started and why it's so

successful.

If you want to be a GREAT coach, you don't train and coach at the same time

This might hurt some but the reality is if you want to be a GREAT coach you don't train and coach at the same time! I love lifting as much as the next guy but when it comes to coaching and training it's very important to keep them apart IF you want to take your coaching to the next level. Kevin and Ben made that clear to me. I have heard it before in the past but glad that it was reinforced at Hassle Free.

You have to get young talent involved

I asked Ben Hwa how to get kids started so young in the program. And he gave me 2 options, "You want to make money or not?" My reply was I don't have to make money. In essence, Hassle Free isn't about making money. They allow their lifters to start at such a young age with very little cost. The gym is inside Abraham Lincoln High School so the amount of exposure that kids have with Weightlifting is daily since you have athletes from different sports touching the weight room and getting involved with the sport from an early age. All of this is deliberate to get as many kids involved with Weightlifting. 

No Egos

The coaching staff between Kevin and Ben revolved around trust. There is no room for egos to develop while coaching these lifters to championships that span internationally and nationally. All the coaches at Hassle Free work together to ensure that the program is working and at the same time the lifters are becoming competitive. Hassle Free doesn't need to promote itself. Their lifters are achieving such great results that their performances speak for the club. The coaches prepare the lifters for upcoming meets and are there every step of their preparation.

Final thoughts

If you're in the San Francisco are stop by Hassle Free and get to know coaches Kevin and Ben. The gym is very very small but they get the job done. There is no shortage of weights or bars despite the limited space. Everyone is very welcoming and you'll be inspired. If you live in San Francisco and are a developing Weightlifter you should be training at Hassle Free. 

Respectfully

Coach Cano