Article Rundown

• Missing foundational strength
• Forcing competition standards on lifts
• Poor lifting technique
• The risk vs. reward scenario

Building Strength the Smart Way: Avoiding the Three Biggest Mistakes in Training

When it comes to teaching the squat, bench, and deadlift, there are critical mistakes I see over and over again — especially among new trainers and athletes. While we could easily dive into an entire series on this topic, today I want to focus on the single most common and damaging mistake: failing to build a proper foundation before loading the bar.

Mistake #1: Skipping Foundational Strength

Too often, athletes are rushed directly into barbell lifts without any baseline of strength, stability, or technical understanding. Before someone ever squats, benches, or deadlifts with a barbell, they should be able to demonstrate basic physical competency:

• Front plank for one minute
• Side plank for one minute
• Back extension hold for one minute

These aren’t advanced standards — they are the bare minimum. Without this strength base, jumping straight to barbell lifts is a recipe for burnout and injury.

Rather than slapping a bar on someone’s back or putting it in their hands on Day One, you need to teach the fundamentals:

• Picking objects up from the floor correctly
• Understanding the hip hinge and shortstop squat
• Learning how to press safely from a standing position

Progressions like the standing press, the floor press with dumbbells, and goblet squats should be mastered before moving toward heavier and more technically demanding variations like the competition squat, bench, or deadlift.

Mistake #2: Forcing Competition Lifts on Everyone

Another major mistake is assuming everyone needs to squat, bench, or deadlift exactly like a competitive powerlifter. They don’t. In fact, for most general population clients — and even many athletes — competition-style lifts carry unnecessary risk without proportional reward.

For example:

• A 70-year-old osteoporotic grandmother shouldn’t be pulled into barbell deadlifts from the floor on Day One. Instead, teaching her how to hip hinge properly and maybe progress to something like a LIGHT farmer’s carry would be far more appropriate.
• A 20-year-old university athlete with a lifting background may progress faster, but even then, they should still go through an assessment and foundational work before loading up a barbell.

If an individual isn’t training to compete, it’s unnecessary — and often reckless — to jump straight into competition form lifts. There are far safer and more effective variations to build strength and resilience without the extreme stress and technical demands of barbell squats, benches, and deadlifts.

You always have to ask: What’s the goal? What’s the risk versus reward?

Mistake #3: Poor Technique Leading to Injury

Without a solid foundation, technical breakdowns are inevitable, and these breakdowns lead directly to injuries. Common problems I see include:

• Squat: Poor hip hinge mechanics leading to knee and back injuries
• Deadlift: Rounding the back and failing to create a strong lifter’s wedge
• Bench Press: Flaring elbows, leading to torn labrums, pecs, rotator cuffs, and triceps

Proper movement patterns need to be ingrained from the very start:

• How to wedge into a bar on the deadlift
• How to properly unrack and squat with stiffness and control
• How to “bend the bar” and drive into it when pressing

Training isn’t just about doing an exercise — it’s about doing it perfectly, understanding leverage, bracing, and technique to minimize injury risk while maximizing performance.

Always Consider the Risk vs Reward

When training clients — especially professionals like dentists, surgeons, or business executives — you must recognize that a torn pec, blown knee, or herniated disc doesn’t just affect their time in the gym. It could affect their careers, their income, and their ability to function in daily life.

The bottom line is simple: The juice has to be worth the squeeze. Trainers and coaches need to be brutally honest with themselves and their clients about:

• What’s truly necessary
• What variations are safest and most effective
• Whether the risk of a specific lift is justified

You can always build strength through smarter, safer progressions before ever touching a barbell — and if you do introduce barbell lifts, they should be executed with mastery, not mediocrity.

The Importance of Assessments and Coaching

Before rushing into heavy lifting, everyone — from beginners to seasoned athletes — needs a thorough assessment.
If you don’t know where to start, work with a qualified coach who has been there and done that. Someone who will tell you not what you want to hear, but what you need to hear.

At PowerRackStrength.com, I offer:

• Performance enhancement assessments
• Injury resilience evaluations
• Back pain and movement pattern assessments
• Lifting technique evaluations

Even if you can’t access a professional, filming yourself and doing a true, honest self-assessment can make a major difference. Video feedback exposes gaps in technique and awareness that would otherwise go unnoticed.

And remember: beware of flashy, over-promising trainers. No one can guarantee success — not because the methods are wrong, but because execution lies in the hands of the athlete. Even the simplest cases can be complex in reality.

Final Thoughts: Train Smart, Progress Wisely

The squat, bench, and deadlift are incredible tools for building strength — but only when used wisely. You don’t need to rush to a competition lift on Day One. You don’t even need to compete at all. What you need is:

• Solid foundational strength
• Mastery of basic biomechanics
• Smart, individualized progressions
• A true understanding of risk vs reward

Train smart. Build carefully. Respect the process. Your future self will thank you.

BRIAN DOES ONLINE AND IN-PERSON COACHING!

Back Injured Average Mary or Joe who wants their life back

Back Injured Athlete Wanting to Return to Sport

Lift and exercise coaching & cueing to troubleshoot form

Program adherence & accountability coaching