Structured Programming.
Weekly Review.
Peak Execution.
Private coaching for athletes with a date on the calendar. Powerlifting meets, physique shows, and date-driven peaks. Small roster. Invitation only.
What You're Prepping For
Powerlifting Meet Prep
For lifters with a sanctioned meet on the calendar within sixteen to twenty-four weeks. Programming built on the POWERBUILDING 365 Strength Block methodology: calibrated maxes, RPE-governed top sets, and structured accumulation into intensification into peak.
- Prep LengthSixteen to twenty-four weeks depending on current numbers and target event.
- ProgrammingFull block structure with calibrated maxes, RPE-governed top sets, backoff work, and competition command practice.
- Video ReviewWeekly review on at least one competition lift with written technical notes.
- Attempt SelectionBuilt from your actual numbers across the training block, not a guess based on gym PRs.
- Meet Day ProtocolWeigh-in strategy, warm-up timing, attempt sequencing, and handling walked through on a call the Thursday before the meet.
- Post-Meet ReturnDeload structure and return-to-training plan delivered the Monday after.
Physique Show Prep
For natural competitors who want conditioning dialed in, muscle retention protected, and a peak week that does not blow up on them. Twelve to twenty-four week preps depending on starting point and show date.
- Prep LengthTwelve to twenty-four weeks based on starting body composition and target show date.
- Nutrition FrameworkCalorie and macro targets structured in phases, adjusted weekly based on data submitted.
- Weekly Check-InsPhotos, scale, measurements, hunger and sleep logs. Written response reviewing the data and the next week's adjustments.
- Training BlocksHypertrophy, metabolic, and refinement phases built around your show date, not generic templates.
- Peak WeekWritten days before the show, not improvised on the morning of. Water, carbs, sodium, posing timing all mapped out.
- Post-Show ProtocolReturn-to-maintenance starts the Monday after the show. Reverse diet structured, not left to chance.
Date-Driven Peak Prep
For advanced lifters who need to arrive peaked on a specific day. Could be a shoot, a wedding, a vacation you've trained for, a reunion, a milestone. Same methodology that gets a bodybuilder to a stage, applied to the date that matters to you.
- Prep LengthScaled to your target date, typically eight to sixteen weeks.
- Deficit SizingCalorie and macro targets calibrated to your starting condition and the time available.
- Weekly Check-InsStructured data submission with written feedback and next-week adjustments.
- Peak ProtocolFinal-week sharpening protocol so you arrive at the condition you're targeting on the actual date.
- Date ExecutionWalked through on a call before the week of so you know exactly how to handle food, water, and training leading in.
- Controlled ReturnReturn-to-maintenance structured for the days after, because the rebound is the part most people get wrong.
The Coach
Chris Marzarella · Brick, NJ
Chris Marzarella coaches strength and physique athletes out of Lift Lab Performance in Brick, New Jersey. He competes in NPC Classic Physique, judges and promotes OCB natural bodybuilding events, and has published work in elitefts.com and the Alan Aragon Research Review.
The methodology he coaches from is the one documented in POWERBUILDING 365, which means every program decision traces back to a framework he will walk through with you on a call before you ever sign on. Not something he made up on Monday and tweaked on Thursday because he saw a reel.
Author of POWERBUILDING 365 and host of the POWERBUILDING 365 Podcast.
POWERBUILDING 365
The full methodology in print. Twenty-seven chapters covering block structure, autoregulation, peak week, nutrition, and the coaching framework that drives every program decision.
What's Included
Program Delivery
Written training blocks structured around your event date. Delivered as a working document you can read, follow, and reference between check-ins.
Weekly Check-Ins
Zoom call or structured data submission, whichever you prefer. Photos, lifts, weight, hunger and sleep logs reviewed with written adjustments for the week ahead.
Video Review
Weekly technical review on at least one competition or focus lift. Written notes on what's working and what needs adjusting.
Direct Access
Text or voice note access between check-ins for the time-sensitive questions, not for restating what the plan already says.
Peak Week Protocol
Written days before the event, not improvised the morning of. Food, water, training, sleep, and travel all mapped out in advance.
Post-Event Return
Return-to-training structure delivered the Monday after. Deload, reverse diet, or next-cycle planning depending on what you prepped for.
PAR-Q+ Readiness Check
Section 1 of the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone. Answer each of the seven general health questions honestly. This section is self-screening. Your responses will be formally submitted as part of the Application Form below.
Section 1 · General Health Questions
Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition OR high blood pressure?
Do you feel pain in your chest at rest, during your daily activities of living, OR when you do physical activity?
Do you lose balance because of dizziness OR have you lost consciousness in the last 12 months?
Please answer NO if your dizziness was associated with over-breathing (including during vigorous exercise).
Have you ever been diagnosed with another chronic medical condition (other than heart disease or high blood pressure)?
If YES → List condition(s) in the Application Form Health Details field
Are you currently taking prescribed medications for a chronic medical condition?
If YES → List condition(s) and medication(s) in the Application Form Health Details field
Do you currently have (or have had within the past 12 months) a bone, joint, or soft tissue (muscle, ligament, or tendon) problem that could be made worse by becoming more physically active?
Please answer NO if you had a problem in the past, but it does not limit your current ability to be physically active.
If YES → List condition(s) in the Application Form Health Details field
Has your doctor ever said that you should only do medically supervised physical activity?
Cleared For Physical Activity
All seven responses are NO. Under standard PAR-Q+ guidance, you are cleared for structured physical activity. Proceed to the Application Form below.
One Or More YES Responses
You must disclose the specifics in the Health Details field of the Application Form below. List the condition, medication, or injury, and include whether a physician has cleared you for structured resistance training and conditioning work.
If your physician has not yet cleared you, obtain that clearance before any training begins. Under PAR-Q+ guidance, a YES response to any Section 1 question indicates further evaluation is recommended before beginning or progressing a physical activity program.
Health Screening Complete
Final step is the application form below. Required fields include contact info, event details, training background, PAR-Q attestation, health disclosures, and three progress photos: front, side, and back. Response within 72 hours.
Who Makes The Roster
Here is how roster slots fill. Every application gets read in full. If you completed the PAR-Q honestly and submitted a thorough application, you have already distinguished yourself from most of what comes through.
Beyond that baseline, three factors drive acceptance decisions:
- A specific event with a date on the calendar.Not a general interest in competing someday, but a confirmed meet, show, or peak date you are training toward.
- Self-awareness about your training history.What you have tried, what worked, what did not, and why. That tells me you have been paying attention to your own development.
- A commitment to weekly check-ins without me chasing you for them.The programming adjusts based on the data you send. Without that input, the system cannot do its job.
What Gets An Application Declined
- Treating it as a casual inquiry rather than a serious step.Applications filled out without thought tell me what the coaching relationship would look like.
- Negotiating the methodology before training under it.The framework is published. Read the book, train under it, then raise questions from actual experience.
- Requesting guarantees on a placing, a pro card, or a specific lift total.No honest coach can promise those outcomes. Any coach who does is overselling.
Rosters fill based on event dates and fit, not application order. If you're a strong match, I'll tell you directly. If you're not, I'll tell you that too, with a recommendation toward a better resource when I can offer one. Either way, you'll have a response within 72 hours.
If you haven't read the book yet, that's the right starting point. It documents the full methodology and shows you how I approach programming. Reading it will tell you whether this coaching is right for you before either of us invests more time.
Apply For Online Coaching
Because of the high-touch, customized nature of the Lift Lab methodology, I only accept a limited number of dedicated lifters. Entry is by application only.
Submit Application & PAR-Q
Provide your training history, baseline metrics, and PAR-Q safety data through the secure Google Form.
Custom Review
I personally review your data within 24 to 48 hours to confirm our lifting philosophies align and the structure fits your event date.
Begin Training
If approved, we reserve your spot, map out your custom macrocycles, and start executing the first block.
Opens in a new tab · Response within 48 hours