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Strong For Life Co.
Strong For Life Co.
I currently serve as the Head of Coaching Education at Strong For Life Co., an online coaching and education company founded by nationally-ranked powerlifter and bodybuilder Maddy Forberg.
Springfield College Team Ironsports
Springfield College Team Ironsports
I had the great privilege as serving as the "31-Year Old Intern" with Springfield College's Team Ironsports, where I was able to work with current and aspiring collegiate powerlifters, strongmen, and Olympic weightlifters!
Coaching Experience
Coaching Experience
Strong For Life Co.: Head Powerlifting Coach; Online
Springfield College Team Ironsports: Powerlifting Coach/Intern, Springfield, MA
Hofstra University Club Powerlifting: Head Coach; Hempstead, NY
Professional Athletic Performance Center: Performance Coach; Garden City, NY
Hofstra University Summer Camps: Strength & Conditioning Coach; Hempstead, NY
Black Squirrel Strength & Conditioning, LLC: Head Coach; East Hartford, CT
Hofstra University Athletics: Strength & Conditioning Intern; Hempstead, NY
Athlete & Client Testimonials
Athlete & Client Testimonials
“Luke was my powerlifting coach in college from fall of 2017 to spring of 2019, and I cannot imagine where I would be right now if he was not. As a young woman brand new to the weight room I was initially very anxious, but I quickly realized that there was nothing to be afraid of. I never once felt like I didn’t belong because I was a girl, partially because of the presence of other women on the team, but also because there was no difference in the way Luke treated me versus my male teammates. He checked in with us often and personalized all of our programs to our needs. He was patient with all of us that were brand new to the sport, and made sure to progress us slowly and safely, reassuring us that even though we may wish to go heavy quickly, putting in a good foundation first would pay off. It did. I had never picked up a barbell before in my life, and by my junior year was regularly competing in powerlifting, with multiple totals in the 700s. My fellow teammates improved just as much, and beyond the numerical improvements, we all gained confidence and lifelong friends as a result of his leadership.One of the best things I remember about him as a coach was how ready he was to answer any question. When I wondered why we trained the way we did, why this positioning was more effective than that, why the order of our movements mattered, etc, he would happily explain in detail. His passion and knowledge for the subject was so impressive that I found myself often staying late after practice just to learn more about the science behind lifting. It is thanks to Luke and the club he founded that I ended up majoring in exercise science, and am now pursuing a physical therapy degree. He quite literally changed my life.While not every athlete he coaches may have the same academic interest as myself, I have no doubt that anyone lucky enough to train under him will benefit greatly from his wealth of knowledge, practical skill, patience, and genuine investment in their progress. I would highly recommend him as a coach and mentor. And he’s a big nerd!!!!!!!!!!! And he’s my friend and I love him and his wife and all the dogs”
Helen Copp, 23
“I met Luke in September of 2014 when I made the decision to join my college powerlifting club. I had never trained in powerlifting before and Luke was the team’s founder and coach. For a new lifter, Luke was an integral part of my powerlifting success. He was able to provide a lot of attention, guidance, and expertise to eventually lead me down a path to pro totals in several different weight classes and gear categories. As a coach, Luke’s attention to detail is unparalleled. He is meticulous with everything from how he designs an individualized macro plan, how he integrates that plan with his lifters, and how he can adjust based on given feedback to ensure the absolute best results possible come competition day. As a mentor, he helps guide and teach his lifters into making informed decisions and the “why” behind everything we did. Nothing in his coaching was done without justification or heavy thought process behind the decisions made and that really helped with my trusting in his process and was shown in the consistently improving results on the platform. As a peer, Luke is always looking to challenge new ideas with feedback and thoughtful discussion on emerging research as well as implementation of new programming and coaching strategies. Since I have moved on and begun a coaching career of my own, Luke’s teachings and guidance have been an essential part of my knowledge as a coach, of which I try to pass on to all of my clients.”
Louis Ban, 25
“Luke is a phenomenal coach that doesn’t just train you, but also teaches you! With his help I grew so much as a powerlifter — physically, mentally, and intellectually. Working with Luke has left a lifelong impact on how I approach exercise (and I couldn’t be more grateful for that).”
Anna Tamura, 22
“Luke was my first powerlifting coach and has proven to be an immense resource. By establishing open communication, he worked very closely with me to ensure my program was efficient: my lifts progressed tremendously, and my recovery was optimized. His formal education in exercise physiology enabled me to not only grow stronger, but mature as a self-sufficient lifter capable of making informed nutrition and programming decisions.”
Josh Pimentel, 24
“Coach Luke was key in my growth in powerlifting and lifting in general. He helped me completely rebuild my squat, grow into a solid deadlifter, and reach two powerlifting competition total PRs. Not only does he have the knowledge to help me reach all my goals, but he can breakdown that knowledge and explain technique, the reasoning for exercise choice, and load selection in a very understandable fashion. I believe Coach Luke has set me up for long term growth and development. I would 100% recommend Coach to anyone who is trying to reach their goals.”
Steve Premus, 25
"I trained with Luke for about 2 years and in that time, I became a better lifter than I thought possible. I couldn't have asked for a better powerlifting coach. His outlook on what I could accomplish as a powerlifter was so positive and motivating. The programs he designed were always individualized and helped me reach whatever goals I had. I really appreciated how he was always willing to take time outside of the gym to answer questions, find solutions, and give feedback. I was able to address a lot of issues early on because of Luke's attention to detail, and that set me up for success in the future. With Luke as my coach, I wasn't just improving my lifts, I was also learning more all the time about exercise and the training process. I'm really grateful for the doors Luke has opened for me as an athlete."
"I trained with Luke for about 2 years and in that time, I became a better lifter than I thought possible. I couldn't have asked for a better powerlifting coach. His outlook on what I could accomplish as a powerlifter was so positive and motivating. The programs he designed were always individualized and helped me reach whatever goals I had. I really appreciated how he was always willing to take time outside of the gym to answer questions, find solutions, and give feedback. I was able to address a lot of issues early on because of Luke's attention to detail, and that set me up for success in the future. With Luke as my coach, I wasn't just improving my lifts, I was also learning more all the time about exercise and the training process. I'm really grateful for the doors Luke has opened for me as an athlete."
Noelle Arcaro, 23
"Luke Pelton was my powerlifting coach at Hofstra University for two years. He was also my professor for one year while I took his courses in weight training and powerlifting. During my time on the Hofstra Club Powerlifting team, we practiced anywhere from 3-6 days a week, so I got to know Luke very well. I started on the powerlifting team with very little previous knowledge of powerlifting and strength sports. Luke made sure to show me the proper form and technique for every lift and secondary movement we performed. He really emphasized perfecting form and technique before moving on to heavier weights; preventing injury was his main priority. He also explained the science behind everything he taught to the team in a way that we could understand. This made it a learning environment and really helped everyone on the team and I grow. Luke even took the time to teach us how to make our own program to use once we graduated from Hofstra and would be lifting on our own. I have also been to multiple meets with Luke as the coach. While staying professional and focused, he was still able to make them a fun experience for us. He truly gives his lifters the knowledge and confidence to succeed in lifting. Personally, I never felt unprepared before a meet and at times when I was a little nervous before a lift, he would motivate me and assure me that all the work we put in together would pay off. Any lifter would be very lucky to have Luke as their coach."
Teale Armknecht, 24
Teale Armknecht, 24
Check out this article about the Hofstra Powerlifting Club, a team I founded in 2013 and coached for five years!
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