Technical Mastery & Data-Informed Performance
Strength coaching sitting at the intersection of biomechanics, data analysis, competition standards, and psychology. Leveraging a background in Physics, a PhD in Mental Health, and mentorship under Reactive Training Systems to build technical mastery and sustainable progress
Direct oversight from a WDFPF World Champion and International Referee.
Who I Work With
I work mostly with athletes who are plateaued intermediate lifters; they’ve got relatively strong from the ‘usual’ approach – training hard using percentage-based traditional block periodisation – but for whom ‘relatively strong’ is no longer enough.
To go beyond this, my coaching is highly individualised and built from the ground up based on athlete response.
You might be a good fit for this model if:
Competition standards are important to you
You want a ref’s eye on your lifting.
You’re not happy with 2 out of 3 white lights; you want to know exactly why you got a red, and how to structure your training and target weaknesses to prevent it from happening again.
You want a scientific and data-driven approach
You’re interested in optimising your technique based on physics and biomechanics.
You value quantitative tools to help make better training decisions: think custom RPE charts and velocity profiles.
You want a coach who:
Views lifting as being as much mental as it is physical (and you don’t love the idea of dividing a person into mind/body in the first place!)
Can provide a robust conceptual framework based on established principles of strength training that doesn’t ignore subjective feeling, but rather uses it to our advantage to manage fatigue and drive long-term progress.
You value long-term autonomy
You don’t want a coach who will tell you what to do but rather a coach who can give you the tools so that you can start to figure out what to do for yourself.
The Methodology
Masters in Strength is built on a unique set of credentials and seeks to optimise performance by combining biomechanics, psychology, and competition-readiness.
The Biomechanics (Physics): With a First Class degree in Physics, I approach the body as a system of levers with the intention of optimising force production and mechanical efficiency.
The Psychology (Mental Health PhD): With that said, I completely understand that human bodies cannot be reduced to their constituent parts! Drawing on my academic work in mental health and my own experiences as an international athlete, I adopt a holistic or biopsychosocial approach to the lifter.
The Execution (The Ref’s Eye): As a WDFPF International Referee, and current Technical Secretary for the BDFPA, I view every rep with the same eye that I use on the international platform. This means that I can identify any potential red lights in your execution (and come up with a plan on how to fix them) so that you can step onto the platform with confidence on competition day.
Coaching Frameworks
Technical Audit | £120 | 90 minutes
International Competition Standards
As a WDFPF International Referee and current BDFPA Technical Secretary, I provide a ‘Ref’s Eye’ audit of your competition lifts and work with you towards mastering commands to ensure platform legality.
The Report: You receive a full technical report detailing potential causes of red lights and strategies you can implement in your programming going forwards in order to fix them.
Photo by Dave McWilliams
In-person Technical Session | £75 / hr
In-Person Technical Coaching
Hands-on technical session in my private gym in Rushden. This is a targeted session focused on ironing out specific technique issues.
Powerlifting Coaching | £190pcm
Bespoke programming & technical video audit
Fully bespoke programming built from the ground up based on your individual data.
Detailed and ongoing video review to assess your technique (from both an efficiency and competition-legality perspective) and how you are rating your RPE.
Drawing on my PhD in Mental Health to manage the psychological elements of training.
The Onboarding Process
1
Coaching Enquiry
Submit your details via the enquiry form. I review every application personally to ensure my approach aligns with your needs.
2
Consultation Call
If we look to be a good fit, I’ll invite you to a free 15-minute consultation. We’ll discuss your training history, specific goals, any current roadblocks, limitations that affect your lifting (e.g. injuries or health conditions), and what you want out of coaching.
3
Plan Proposal
Based on our consultation, I’ll email you a plan outlining what I think will work best for you. You’ll then have time to review it and decide if you want to work with me.
4
Onboarding
If you’d like to go ahead, you’ll fill out a more detailed athlete intake questionnaire, some additional paperwork, and we’ll setup your payment.
5
Coaching Begins
I then start writing your bespoke programme and providing technical review on your training videos.
The Private Gym
In-person sessions and Technical Audits take place in my private specialist gym in Rushden. Set in a 1/3 of an acre garden, this offers a quiet, private environment completely free from the crowds, distractions, and noise of commercial gyms.
Athlete Case Studies
“With Katie’s help I very quickly surpassed that and started to love strength training…”
“I had a knee operation […] and lost a lot of strength. Initially I was just aiming to get back to the average level of strength I had before, but with Katie’s help I very quickly surpassed that [… and] did my first powerlifting meet. Latest PRs are 170/125/220.”
— Oli, Competitive Powerlifter (British Powerlifting)
“My deadlift and bench weights have more than doubled and rising…”
“Katie created a training programme for me which focussed on building training volume […]. On competition day, I achieved a personal best and qualified for the national competition at my first attempt. I was very happy with that result!”
— Theresa McGouran, National-Level M4 Bench Presser (BDFPA)
Photo by Dave McWilliams
“Katie has the right balance of respecting my physical and emotional barriers…”
“Before I signed up […] I was in a lot of pain and collapsing a lot (I have fibromyalgia […]) and felt weak. After a few months I was collapsing less […] and now it’s been over a month since I’ve collapsed at all! I can now also deadlift more than my bodyweight…”
— Karen Precious, Strength Coaching Client
