Weekly coachingfrom Rocco Arici

What does Rocco do well?

Rocco is an extremely knowledgeable and dedicated coach who understands how to bring out the best in his athletes. He recognizes that everyone has different strengths, weaknesses, and goals, and adjusts his coaching accordingly. His attention to detail, technical knowledge, and ability to motivate others are what make him stand out.

What were your goals coming into training and how has Rocco helped you achieve them?

Rocco has played a major role in my development as a powerlifter, both physically and mentally. He constantly challenges me to improve while holding me accountable to my goals.

As President of the WCU Powerlifting Club, I've witnessed firsthand how much he contributes to our team's success. He's currently developing and managing over 15 individualized training programs for our athletes, tailoring each one to their specific abilities and goals. That level of dedication speaks volumes about his work ethic and commitment to the people he coaches.

He's been instrumental in helping us establish a strong foundation for the club and creating an environment where both experienced and beginner lifters can develop and succeed.

What are qualities you enjoy about training with Rocco?

What I appreciate most about Rocco is his passion, authenticity, and genuine investment in his athletes. He's someone who leads by example and puts just as much effort into helping others succeed as he does into his own development. He knows when to push you, when to make adjustments, and how to keep training enjoyable while still holding you accountable.

Rocco isn't just focused on building stronger lifters. He's committed to developing disciplined, confident individuals who continuously strive to improve.

What does Rocco do well?

Rocco does an amazing job creating workouts that challenge us and help us become stronger, both physically and mentally. He incorporates a great balance of weightlifting, cardio, and conditioning that helps us improve as dancers and athletes. He brings so much energy and enthusiasm to every training session and always puts his all into helping us reach our full potential.

What were your goals coming into training and how has Rocco helped you achieve them?

Rocco makes a huge difference in our team by helping us build strength, endurance, and confidence. His training helps prepare us for the physical demands of dance and pushes us to become better athletes. We really appreciate him taking time out of his busy schedule to work with us and invest in our team. His dedication and effort show how much he cares about helping us improve.

What are qualities you enjoy about training with Rocco?

I love how fun, energetic, and motivating Rocco is during training. He creates a positive environment while still pushing us to work hard and challenge ourselves. He is hardworking, dedicated, and genuinely passionate about what he does. He makes workouts enjoyable while holding us accountable, and his energy makes us want to give our best effort every time. We are so grateful to have a trainer who cares so much about us and our success as a team!

What does Rocco do well?

Rocco is an incredibly motivating, professional, and compassionate strength coach who consistently goes above and beyond for our team. Every morning, he takes the time to check in with each dancer, prioritizing both our emotional and physical well-being. He genuinely cares about how we are feeling and makes an effort to understand any challenges that may impact our performance. Each training session is thoughtfully structured with a clear plan and specific goals designed to help us become stronger, more confident athletes. Rocco's dedication to our individual growth and collective success is evident in every practice. He creates an encouraging, supportive environment where every dancer feels valued, motivated, and empowered to improve.

How does Rocco make a real difference for you and your team?

This season marks a significant milestone in our program's history, as it is the first time the West Chester University Dance Team has had the opportunity to train together in a weight room with a dedicated strength coach. As a club sports program, we have historically faced limitations in accessing the resources and training opportunities available to many of our competitors. While other collegiate dance programs have benefited from established strength and conditioning programs for years, this experience is entirely new to our team. Rocco has made this opportunity incredibly rewarding and impactful. His knowledge, encouragement, and commitment to our development have already made a noticeable difference in our team's strength, confidence, and overall athletic performance. Having Rocco as our first strength coach has been an invaluable step forward for our program, and his contributions are helping establish a stronger foundation for our team's future success.

What are qualities you enjoy about training with Rocco?

One of Rocco's most admirable qualities is his genuine passion for helping every dancer succeed. He approaches each practice with enthusiasm, positivity, and a clear commitment to ensuring that every athlete leaves feeling stronger and more accomplished than when they arrived. Whether he is introducing new exercises, providing individualized guidance, correcting technique, or cheering us on through challenging workouts, Rocco consistently demonstrates his investment in our growth. He celebrates individual progress while encouraging us to push ourselves and support one another as a team. His approachable personality and uplifting attitude make the weight room an environment where dancers feel comfortable asking questions, trying new things, and challenging themselves. Rocco is not only an exceptional strength coach but also a tremendous role model and supporter of our program. We are incredibly fortunate to have him as part of the West Chester University Dance Team, and we are truly grateful for the lasting impact he is making on our athletes and our program.

What does Rocco do well?

Makes a well-structured personalized workout plan that align with my goals.

How does Rocco make a real difference for you and your team?

Helps me work on real game scenarios that I will see while playing to help prepare me for what it will be like on the court.

What are qualities you enjoy about training with Rocco?

Trains with me and gives me a live look rather than just telling me things to do, and he's easy to ask questions and talk too.

What does Rocco do well?

You are excellent at giving feedback to each athlete in their respective category.

What were your goals coming into training and how has Rocco helped you achieve them?

You make a difference because you treat every athlete the same and build bonds with them.

What are qualities you enjoy about training with Rocco?

You are relatable and can have conversations with your athletes outside of just powerlifting. You are great at giving easy tips and easy tutorials if someone needs help.

What does Rocco do well?

We all listen, very few of us hear and if we hear even fewer of us understand. Rocco understands what Im trying to achieve and is providing me with a roadmap. Like any roadmap sometimes we need pivots and adjustments, Rocco is completely flexible while still keeping me on track.

What were your goals coming into training and how has Rocco helped you achieve them?

Prior to this I have never formally trained and I didn't know what to expect. When asked what are goals I blurted out the first thing that came to mind which is to be able to get on and off the toilet unassisted until the day I die. I think this had a lot to do with taking care of my elderly dad. Regardless Rocco took the time to help me quantify thought into a series of goals that target my core and lower body. Rocco followed that up by creating a program tailored to my ability, condition and availability to commit to weekly training. Rocco's understanding of my needs and capability dovetailed with his approach of slow steady progress has allowed me to gain strength week over week to the point where I am considering joining a Power lifting organization for Seniors.

What are qualities you enjoy about training with Rocco?

Rocco genuinely cares about helping his athletes achieve and surpass their goals. He is personally invested in every one of us. Rocco will answer my dumbest questions patiently and honestly providing the science behind the reasoning. Lastly Rocco makes my journey our journey throwing in a lot of good banter and fun. I trust his guidance because it continues to produce the results we discussed. I can't wait to see where we go next.