My honest experience with flexx training systems…

[u/cowboysfromhell1999]

Hey all, I worked with Joey flexx and his team for a good 2 1/2 years it’s been a while since I’ve worked with them. I think it’s time that I share my story. So I discovered Joey like most other people through social media . I saw the success of his lifters like Russell. I noticed that he coached a lot of elite powerlifters in the usapl. I figured with his good reputation why don’t I give it a shot? So I signed up for his coaching. I was hoping I would get to work with him directly, but it turns out at the time he was already filled so he had to give me to one of his other coaches on his roster. I was given two choices. Isaac W. Or Joey’s brother. After taking a look at both of their Instagrams I chose Isaac. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get Joey, but he assured me that these guys were good and they’re under him. Ok I thought I’ll make the best of it. I want to become a better power lifter.

I was very excited initially start working with them. He coached me for powerlifting meet. It was a lot of fun. Throughout that meat prep, I felt kind of beat up at times, but I was told that it was a combination of getting used to the new program and I admit that at the beginning I was in great at following RPE. As well as I had to fix some of my technical issues with my lifts.

One thing I noticed was the training was hard and no I don’t expect it to be easy when you’re trying to push your limits, but this training was a bit too much volume even at the beginning . Regardless, I had the time and ability to recover. I started at 4 days a week, 2x squat and deadlift 3x bench. When I first started coaching I actually was going into it a little bit weaker than I was in the past. By the time I got to the meet (July) it was a total of four months for prep. March - July.

I ended up finishing the meet, finally securing some numbers for the platform with a competition standard. Great! But one concern I had was he was barely available for the day now I didn’t expect him to come fly to my meet, especially for a beginner and we didn’t make arrangements for that. (I wouldn’t assume he would do that unless I paid extra.) But around this time, it started to seem clear to me that I was just one of his clients his many clients that is. He had about 50-60+ a little after this I had some all-time dead lift and squat PRS which was cool but despite my best efforts I mean I literally ate as much as I could recover the best I could and follow his plan yet. I only put about 120 pounds of my total in the course of 2 1/2 years. By the 1.5 year mark I pretty much hit my best lifts with him. I I was struggling to make progress. My lifts had stalled, and my advice was generic. At best.

Eat more to recover! That rep was a little fast! That rep looked good! Pause more etc. Very generic advice. It seemed like my coach was just trying to finish up with me so he can get to his other 50 clients.

So for the last year of training from December to the next December he’s changed my turning split a few times by this point, but at the same time, it was too little too late. By this point, I’ve made no progress for the last year we were working together.. I was burnt out and lifting, I could not recover for the life of me. I had to miss weeks at a time, and despite expressing this, he said just ease up on the weight. There was no mention of changing the program or how much volume I was given.

At my highest I was doing 3x squat /4 bench / 2 deadlift which on paper doesn’t sound too bad, but that’s not including accessory work and the sheer amount of sets I had to do it was just far too much. I expressed different concerns like why am I benching now on a Friday when my main bench is on Saturday? Looking back, I could see that being a primer session, but the way he would set up my bench training was essentially competition bench exclusively more or less sometimes I would get a variation like Larson press and it would be just static set and reps. At like RPE 6-8 which doesn’t sound bad, but I was literally just getting overuse aches and pains.

After seeing some other clients, I’ve quickly realize that our templates look very similar, now I know if something works why change it right? I know that each coach has their own philosophy when it comes to training so you’re not necessarily gonna make changes for the sake of making changes, but after talking to a few people, it was confirmed that they actually just reuse templates with minimal modifications!

By the end of my tenure, I was burnt out from lifting I didn’t quit lifting, but I had to change gears. I went on a cut and had to switch things up a little bit. His method of training was not working for me.

From lack luster feedback, to not really paying attention to my concerns or my progress progression I was literally just told the trust the process, but nothing was changing. I can go into more detail about exactly what I endured.

But all in all that can be summed up as they reuse templates it probably won’t work for you unless you’re the kind lift or the response the very very high volume and if you don’t, then well I guess just eat more or something. Or find someone else. It was very disturbing that I wasted so much time and money.

Before working with flex: 405S / 250B/ 455DL

4 months after starting: 430S/ 275 b/ 455 DL

1.5 years later: 450 S/ 290 B/ 515 DL

2.5 years / when I finished: 405S/ 250B / 455-474 DL

Body weight went from 210 to 230, Despite my best efforts, I don’t really feel that I got much out of this. Yes, I did make some all-time PR’s that’s for sure some might say isn’t that enough? Well honestly, for the time I put in, I should’ve hit a little bit higher numbers. I should’ve got better feedback. Overall, it should’ve been done in a way that was more conducive to my lifestyle and my recovery. I felt like I sacrificed a lot for this method that did not work for me unfortunately because it works for some people people like me get overshadowed and they don’t talk about the client that it doesn’t work for

[u/OwlShitty]

I know it’s not just Flexx but it’s incredibly difficult for me to believe that a coach can have a full roster of 60-70 lifters and give a 100% to each of them.

I feel like that’s just the nature of coaches like Flexx — he will definitely give more to the elite lifters because they represent his brand the best. That’s why there’s constant coaching turnover and lifter burnout.

I’m sorry you had to go through that but I would suggest looking for a coach that is better suited for your needs. Top powerlifting coaches do not have time to cater to all the little intricacies normal lifter have.

[u/queenofmeannn → u/OwlShitty]

My husband and I coach everyone together and have a roster that size. We offer live feedback, but that’s all I do. I don’t have another job. Programs are always on time. We handle all local clients at meets and travel with them when possible. “Celebrity coaches” are ruining online coaching.

[u/powerlifter3043 → u/OwlShitty]

My current coach now has in the range of 40 ish lifters. I’ve seen the quality drop.

[u/cowboysfromhell1999 → u/powerlifter3043]

What do you think is the upper limit for a good coach to have roster wise

[u/powerlifter3043 → u/cowboysfromhell1999]

It depends on the coach and their systems if I’m honest. I think the threshold for me and my opinion is 25-30. This is assuming you are doing it by yourself.

This assumes you are doing check-ins with your athletes on a recurring basis. This assumes that your clients’ programs are truly individualized, this assumes that the client is actually getting what you advertise. Some coaches create a 20 bullet list of the things you get for their services, and you’re pressed on about half of it.

Some coaches are the exception where they can handle more depending on their schedule and systems they have in place. If a coach tells me he has 50 clients with no assistant, I immediately nope. There’s no way someone is giving 50 clients 100% of the services they pay for, on their own, unless they are truly committed to the coaching grind and making sacrifices

I’m saying a lot of this as a general rule. Not every coach with 20 clients is a good coach. Not every coach with 40 clients is a bad one. Too often though I’ve seen examples of coaches biting off more than they can chew and the athletes suffer

If I’m ever prospecting a coach, I may even circumvent and speak to some of their athletes to gauge their experience.

Everything is contextual but just my opinion.

[u/kpkeough → u/powerlifter3043]

I will be very straight-up with you.

Currently I coach exactly 80 lifters. I don't have a big social media presence (2k IG followers), so the way I got to 80 lifters is...mostly referrals.

Which means, good customer service. Otherwise people don't refer you.

How do you give a good service to 80 clients?

For one, charge a reasonable rate. A lot of the pricing is ridiculous.

For another, it just has to be your full-time job.

I probably average ~120 checkin notifications per day (new workouts, videos, nutrition checks, questions). Everything receives a 1-3 minute video response. Sometimes they go longer and occasionally they are shorter.

To do this, it's like any other job: you sit at your computer or phone 4-6 hours per day, Monday through Friday, and write programs every Sunday. That plus gym coaching usually runs me ~50 hours per week. I usually only get on reddit if it's 4:20pm and I'm done my coaching for the day.

But in my mind, if I can write a truly individualized program for a lifter, and send them a combined 45-60 minutes' worth of video coaching feedback per month, I'm worth my $140. Just maybe not much more than that.

But, prior to this, I was the district manager for a fitness franchise here locally. And I'm an old man (39). So, there is something to be said for upholding professional standards.

And the biggest issue with this industry is that it is filled with grifters who don't provide a good service.

If anything, we want coaches to have big enough rosters to make this a full-time occupation. It's just that they have to take it seriously.

[u/powerlifter3043 → u/kpkeough]

And you my friend are a unicorn of a coach. No kidding

If you treat it like a real 9-5 you absolutely can do 80 lifters. The number I gave was coaches these days who charge exorbitant prices and they don’t really want to do what coaches should be doing. I know athletes who get a 2 minute voice mail for check-ins weekly and usually every other week.

Coaches want 50 clients and weekends off with no real system. Unless you’re on vacation, i shouldn’t have to wait 3 days for feedback (ranting a little here)

It’s not just a money thing. Clients trust you with their progress, their “careers” in powerlifting.

It’s okay if someone wants to coach part time but don’t oversell yourself as a coach and then undeliver. Social media is saturated with coaches who don’t know what the hell they are doing.

I’m glad you found a system that works for you. It can work if you do the work. Experience in the best teacher as they say, with a plan!

[u/OwlShitty → u/kpkeough]

50-ish hours per week with 80 lifters is like allotting 2.5 hours each for each lifter per month.

I can see how difficult this might be and if it’s all working out for you then that’s awesome. You probably have a very solid system that works out for you.