Pragmatic Strength | Elite Powerlifting Coaching

The Team

Meet Your Coaches

Our coaches bring competitive experience, multifaceted programming strategies, and a genuine passion and love for seeing athletes reach their full potential on and offthe platform. We believe relations first and results follow.

Owner & Head Coach

Michael Greeno

Founder & Head Powerlifting Coach

Michael Greeno is the founder of Pragmatic Strength and a lifelong competitor in the sport of powerlifting. With over a 29 years of experience on the platform as a competitor, coach in the judges chair, Michael has developed a reputation for building world class record breaking athletes who compete with at the highest levels. His coaching philosophy is deeply rooted seeing the athlete for who they are and what they are capable of. With that vision forge a path to furthest horizons and the highest peaks.

Michael has coached lifters across all experience levels, from first-time competitors to All-Time World Record breaking athletes. He specializes in all facets of powerlifting from raw to equipped and everything in between. Michael is a dedicated coach and mentor who is committed to helping athletes achieve their full potential.

Multi Discipline powerlifter & coach Respected Judge Top 40 All Time Lifter (single ply) Coached 2 of the last3 largest subtotals in the world Coached 30% of the top 10 largest squats all time

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Coach

Heidi Howar

Powerlifting Coach / World Class Competitor

Heidi Howar is a legend in the sport of powerlifting. One of the true queens of Westside Barbell she holds records all time and on the coveted westside barbell record board. Heidi's experience is derived from learning from the best and being mentored by the best. Heidi is one of true knowledge bearers of Westside methodology and philosophy. Her knowledge of conjugate methodology is unmatched and her ability to apply it to the sport of powerlifting in both Raw and Equipped divisions. Heidi is also a true advocate for women in strength sports as a fierce competitor in equipped and raw powerlifting but also in strongman. As coach, mentor, community contributor and overall badass she is a true trailblazer for the sport of strength for women. On top of all of that she is a dedicated Mom, and one of last remaining Westsiders still competing today at the highest levels of the sport. Wherever Heidi goes she carries a legacy with her one forged greatness.

Heidi works with all skills levels as a coach for strength but also provides nutrition and lifestyle coaching to her clients.

526.19 RAW DOTS Westside Barbell Record Board Holder Women's Strength Advocate Current ATWR Holder Multi time ATWR Holder

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Our Ethos

The Pragmatic Philosophy

Silver bullets are for warewolves not strength athletes. We will fail and we will succeed, but we will always stay rooted in the belief so we may achieve our goals.

Strength is derived from belief. It is a lesson — that is built rep by rep, meet by meet, year by year. At Pragmatic Strength, we believe the most powerful thing a coach can do is help an athlete understand why they train the way they train. So they may may lead with conviction.

— The Pragmatic Strength Coaching Standard

You Are Number 1

Every relationship, program and decision is grounded in Honesty, be true to yourself and your own journey. be true to your coach and your fellow athletes. Be true to the process and the journey.

Be True to the people you are with

No journey is best done alone. We are all in this together, and we all have something to learn from each other. Be true to the people you are with, and the people you are with you. they will carry you when it counts.

Reality First

Strength is a an escape its not our profession its our passion. Use the same passion for strength in everything you do not just in the gym. Goals are all around us achieve them all on all plains of existence.

Lead with Conviction

You are an elaborate tapestry of experiences, emotions, and thoughts. Lead with conviction, not with ego. strength is but one small pattern in the fabric of your life. there is so much more to you never forget that.

Track Record

Achievements & Highlights

Results built through belief, consistency, and a commitment to the process — on and off the platform.

Record Holders

Pragmatic Strength athletes have a lineage of breaking all time world records in all disciplines of powerlifting regardless of federation. But even at state, national and international levels we have a long history of breaking records and achieving greatness.

World, National,State & Regional Champions

The current KS state chamption best lifter is a Pragmatic Strength athlete. Multiple state and regional championship titles across weight classes and age divisions, from Open to Masters. Pragmatic Strength athletes hold titles in every fedartion all across the globe.

Results Talk

Pragmatic Strength lifters hold 2 of the last 3 largest subtotals in the world and 30% of the top 10 largest raw squats all time. 20% of the largest raw totals in the top 15 all time. Numbers don't lie, results talk.

500+ Athletes Coached

Over 150 clients were coached before Pragmatic Strength was founded. This is not a fly by night instant success story. It came with tireless work and 10 times as many failures opposed to successes.

For the long haul

This is a long game, results come quick and sometimes they can take time. This is a home to many having multiple clients being here for over 10+ years. However, should a client seek new horizons the average client who chooses to leave will be around for at least 2.5-3 years.

Proven in Tested and Untested

Whether it be the largest Tested or Untested stagest on the planet, Pragmatic Strength athletes have proven themselves at the highest levels of the sport. Pragmatic Strength possess some the highest numbers ever recorded in the sport in both drug-tested and Untested divisions.

Competition Highlights

USAPL KS 2026 State Championship in SHW, 110kg, 100kg, 90kg
ABS Rumble 2024, ABS Clash of Titans 2025 Champion
PLU National Champion 2025
Largest Subtotal all time 2025, and first ever to squat 1000+lbs in their first meet ever.
Over 144 State Records broken in 2025 and 75 national records broken in 2025 alone
Average client PR increase year over year was 5.4% between all clients.