How I Decide What Doesn’t Belong in a Training Program
If You Can’t Explain It, It Doesn’t Belong: How I Build Training Programs One of the biggest shifts in my coaching career came when I stopped looking at programs as collections of exercises—and started treating them as systems built around a clear idea. Every program I write starts the same way: With a thesis. Not […]
What I Look for Before I Ever Change an Athlete’s Program
It’s hard as a coach. Especially when you care. When you’re invested, when you want things to be right, when you hold yourself to a high standard—it’s easy to look at a session that feels off and immediately think: “Something’s wrong. I need to fix this.” But early on, I learned something important: Before I […]
Why “Trust the Process” Only Works If You Actually Have One
“Trust the process.” It’s one of the most overused phrases in coaching. And most of the time, it means nothing. Because if an athlete asked, “What’s your process?”—a lot of coaches wouldn’t have a clear answer. My Process Isn’t Just Programming For me, my process isn’t the program. It’s how we communicate. Do I […]
How to Train Through a Slump: Staying Motivated When Progress Stalls
Getting Unstuck: How to Navigate a Training Slump Progress slows. Lifts feel heavier than they should. You’re tired, sore, and starting to ask yourself, “Why does this feel so much harder than it used to?” What’s worse: you keep pushing, hoping the next session will magically fix everything, only to find yourself right back in […]
The Mental Side of Heavy Lifting: Overcoming Fear Under the Bar
Training Fear and Mindset in Weightlifting I remember a moment at Nationals in Colorado Springs where fear showed up fast and loud. I had already secured a silver medal, and my coach said, “We can go for the win.” The number he wanted to load? 191 kilos — a six-kilo PR clean and four-kilo PR […]
Training the Mind Like a Muscle: Building Mental Reps in Weightlifting
By Coach Dan — Tri-State Training | Mindset. Movement. Memorable. For me, the journey into mindfulness and mindset work started close to home. My father worked a high-stress job as a detective. I watched him balance stress, separation, and the weight of the job. Over time, he leaned into mindfulness practices to find balance and […]
Why Strength Athletes Should Care About Mobility
Mobility That Matters Inside Tri-State’s programs, mobility isn’t an afterthought — it’s part of the training process. Every session in our six-week programs starts with a 10-minute mobility and activation block. It’s not just stretching for the sake of it; we show our athletes why we’re doing what we’re doing. Some athletes work better through […]
How to Handle Competition Day Nerves
Presence Over Intensity As you move through these final sessions, don’t chase intensity—chase presence. Every time you touch the barbell, focus on how it feels in your hands. Notice your movement patterns. Lock in on your cues. Confidence doesn’t appear on meet day; it’s built in the moments leading up to it, in how intentionally […]
Start Here: Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Join Tri-State
What It Means to Start with Tri-State If you’re new to Tri-State, you’re not just joining a program — you’re joining a team. From day one, you’ll be working with a coach who’s fully invested in your progress. Every athlete gets assigned a personal coach, but behind that one coach stands our full six-coach staff, […]
Why Olympic Weightlifting Should Be in Every Strength Program
Why Every Athlete Benefits Whether you coach football, volleyball, soccer, or general strength and conditioning, Olympic lifting creates athletes who are more explosive and better movers. These movements are built on one foundation — developing force. They’re among the most force-productive exercises you can program. The power, timing, and coordination it takes to snatch or […]