Do You Actually Need a Coach for Intermediate Lifting?

You’re not a beginner anymore. You know how to lift. You’ve run a few programs. You’ve made decent gains. But you’re stuck.

Now you’re wondering: “Do I actually need a coach… or am I just being lazy?”

The Coaching Debate Every Intermediate Faces

Most intermediates hit a point where YouTube and Reddit stop helping. You’ve already done 5x5. You’ve already built a decent base. And now, you're either plateaued or spinning your wheels.

That’s when the doubt creeps in.

• “Shouldn’t I know how to program myself by now?”
• “Coaching is for athletes, not regular lifters.”
• “I just need to try harder.”

But what if that thinking is keeping you stuck?

Personal Story: When I Waited Too Long

After two years of training solo, I thought I had it figured out. I knew how to hit my macros. I could recite periodization theory like a textbook. But my lifts hadn’t moved in six months.

I tried increasing volume. I tried changing exercises. I even tried writing my own programs. Nothing worked.

Finally, I hired a coach—not because I wanted to, but because I was frustrated enough to try anything.

In four weeks, my deadlift went up 15 pounds. Why? Because I was under-recovering, overreaching, and mismanaging fatigue. I just couldn’t see it from the inside.

That’s when I realized: coaching isn’t about magic. It’s about objectivity.

What Coaching Actually Fixes (At the Intermediate Level)

At the intermediate level, coaching is often the difference-maker between plateau and progress. It helps with:

• Objectivity: A coach can see what you can’t.
• Accountability: You show up differently when someone’s watching.
• Programming Precision: No more guesswork. Just data-driven structure.
• Long-Term Strategy: Phase transitions. Weak point focus. Deload planning.

Signs You Might Actually Need a Coach

• You’re progressing slower than when you were a beginner
• You’ve run 3+ programs and still feel “random”
• You’re unsure how to balance volume and intensity
• You’ve never had your technique evaluated
• You feel like you're working hard but not moving forward

What Coaching Is Not

It’s not babysitting. It’s not motivation spam. It’s not overpriced spreadsheets. It’s real-time guidance with an actual human behind it.

The Cost of Going It Alone

Going solo isn’t wrong—but it costs you:

• Months of trial and error
• Blind spots in your technique or fatigue
• Progress lost while trying to self-correct problems you can’t see

Related: Getting Stronger But Not Bigger?

External: Benefits of Coaching – Stronger By Science