The Professional Barbell Coach (PBC) is a certification reserved for strength coaches with a high level of proficiency in coaching the lifts and a thorough understanding of programming concepts.
By earning the PBC, you will have the knowledge and confidence to serve your clients with excellence along with the backing of a reputable designation to help build credibility and trust. You will also join a network of coaches who are passionate about client-centered, model informed coaching and who are committed to supporting their clients for life.
About the Professional Barbell Coach Certification
Obtaining the PBC Certification is a three-step process, completed entirely online: a proctored written exam, an interview conducted, and a platform evaluation based on video of you coaching the four main lifts.
No prior relationship or past purchases with Barbell Logic are necessary to pursue the PBC Certification. However, through the Barbell Academy, we have developed a clear pathway to the PBC through Coaching 101, the Principles Course and Advanced Concepts. These 100% online and self-paced learning environments not only prepare you for the PBC certification process but, most importantly, equip you to coach lifters of all experience levels and goals effectively.
Standards of the Professional Barbell Coach Certification
The standards to pass the certification include:
- Effective and efficient use of teaching progressions for the squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press
- Identifying, prioritizing, and correcting movement errors using tactile, visual, and audible cues
- Ability to program for a general strength trainee from an early novice stage through the first 3-6 months of the post-novice transition
- Functional understanding of physiology, anatomy, and biomechanics
For more details, read The Professional Barbell Coach Standards & Objectives.
The Certification Process
Step 1:
The Written Exam
The first step of the process is to register for and take the written exam. You need to plan four hours of contiguous time with a stable internet connection to take the exam. The exam consists of five sections: Practical Coaching, Anatomy, Physiology, Functional Mechanics, and Programming. You will be required to share your screen and video of yourself taking the test.
Step 2:
The Interview
After passing the written exam, we will schedule an interview at a mutually agreeable time via video conference. Questions will cover similar topics as the written exam but test your ability to articulate concepts in programming, physiology, anatomy, biomechanics, and coaching theory.
Step 3:
Platform Coaching
Once you pass both the written exam and interview, you will submit videos of yourself coaching the squat, press, deadlift, and bench press. Submissions must include teaching progressions for each lift as well as at least three working sets. It will be your responsibility to find new clients to coach for the platform test. After passing all three steps, you will be awarded a Professional Barbell Coach (PBC) certificate and be added to the Barbell Logic Team Page & Map.
Successfully obtaining PBC certification does not guarantee a coaching position at Barbell Logic, but the PBC is a requirement for all BLOC Staff Coaches.
BUNDLE & SAVE
Coaching 101 is a prerequisite for The Principles Course and Advanced Concepts. These educational opportunities give you the knowledge needed to become a Professional Barbell Coach. The best value is to bundle all three items together and save big on your pathway to coaching!
Included with your first Barbell Academy registration, you will automatically have an account with TurnKey Coach, the coaching delivery platform we use at Barbell Logic to coach clients all over the world. With your TurnKey Coach account, you’ll immediately be able to create and offer coaching plans, collect payments, and offer programming and feedback to your clients, meaning you truly can start coaching now. Your first month of TurnKey Coach is free, and then you’ll get 50% off for the following five months (an offer exclusive to Barbell Academy students).
Considering taking the Professional Barbell Certification Exam?
This study guide will help answer your questions, identify what is in scope for the barbell professional, and help you prepare for a challenging examination.
