Hire a Coach, and Don’t
If you’ve only done one,
you might benefit from the other
First of all, you don’t NEED a coach. You can set goals and accomplish them. You can build strength and stamina. You can learn new skills and take on new challenges. You can do all these things without a coach.
But in this quick read, I’m gonna three reasons to hire a coach, and three reasons not to. My recommendation? Spend some time in both situations.
3 Reasons to Hire a Coach
1) We can help you maintain accountability to yourself
A good coach isn’t gonna MAKE you do anything. We’re not gonna yell at you to “drop and give us 20.” But we are going to listen to you, and maintain perspective on what you’re trying to accomplish. We are going to hold up a mirror to help you make decisions for yourself.
2) We’ll help you understand and implement foundational training principles
Most coaches aren’t rocket scientists (that said, I definitely wanna grab a beer with the two folks who left astrophysics to go work in a gym…sounds like a great podcast). But we do have a pretty good grasp on how to gradually progress exercises, how much training to do, strategies for recovery, and other cornerstones of physical training. This is probably the obvious point, but I didn’t want it to go unsaid.
3) It’s nice to have someone who cares
Great coaches are skilled in active listening and motivational interviewing. But even the worst coach in town wants their clients to succeed. We give a shit, we want to see you in the driver’s seat, and we want you driving somewhere you’re excited about. I’m not sure why this turned into a car thing, but it really does feel good to have someone in your pit crew. Damnit.
3 Reasons NOT to Hire a Coach
1) Autonomy doesn’t happen without practice
Your coach won’t be there when you’re helping a friend move furniture or when you’re going to a new gym on your own. The only way to know what you’ve learned is to go USE your newfound strength, mobility, and skill.
2) Answers are cool, but questions are better
Having someone tell you what exercise to do, how many sets, how many ounces of water to drink on Thursdays (holy shit I’m kidding…please tell me your trainer isn’t doing that), but good questions will take you further.
Here’s a concrete example: having a trainer teach you to use machines and weights to make your legs stronger can make your legs stronger. But asking yourself “how could I make my legs stronger on my own at home?” could build strength, teach you about yourself, help you get to know your own space, make new movements fun, etc.
3) We can be expensive
It’s probably not fashionable to bring up money, but it’s true. For the money you save on coaching, you could buy a bunch of food, have friends over, and play Spikeball. In fact if you go that route, you might even make a coach happy by developing community, enjoying food, solving complex movement problems, and relieving stress — all wonderful things for your health :)
*If you have never been able to try coaching for financial reasons, please send me an email and I’m sure we can work something out.
“So…what’s your point, Jeremy?”
If you’ve never worked with a coach, I think it can be a really powerful experience. And if you’ve been working with coaches for a long time, maybe you’d benefit from a break! Once you’ve had both experiences, hopefully you’ll feel empowered to ask for as much or as little help as suits you.
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Interested in coaching? I love working with people over an extended time, but I know that’s not always the best fit for everyone. I’ve made it easier than ever to try: