How Do You Know if Your Coach is Any Good?

You just got yourself a new coach. Or maybe there’s someone whose articles you follow religiously on the internet. But how do you know if they’re any good? Sure they have flashy taglines and they’re jacked so that means they’re a good coach, right? Well, no. There’s a distinct possibility they are just huge and good at sales and talking but they’re not actually a knowledgeable coach. Here are some guidelines to figure out if your coach makes the cut.

1) What does your coach do in their spare time? Do they attend conferences, read journals, write articles? Or are they using the same outdated information because they “always know best?”. Find someone that is always trying to learn and make themselves better. Better yet, find a coach who writes articles, presents at conferences, and is someone that others in the industry look up to.

2) Does your coach say there is only one correct way and everyone else is wrong? A good coach knows that everyone is different. Every sport is different, every person is different. Different goals, body types, issues, injuries, and movement patterns. Therefore, they should not be using a cookie cutter approach. They should tailor each program and training session to the individual. If someone else has a different method or theory, they will assess and respond to that instead of dismissing it prematurely.

3) Where has your coach learned their stuff? Did they open up a gym after getting an online certification? Or have they had internships and learned from some of the best in the industry? You can’t learn how to coach without getting hands on experience and learning from more experienced individuals. Take a look at your coach’s resume. If they don’t have any real world experience, they’re not worth your time.

4) Who has your coach trained? Olympic athletes? Middle school kids? High school athletes?  You might be impressed by their roster of stellar athletes but let me tell you this, their strength and conditioning coach didn’t make them amazing- they came to them that way. The true test is in the mediocre athletes. Did they take a second string high schooler and send him to a D1 college? Or turn a awkward bumbling freshman into a varsity athlete? Those are the real coaches.

These are just a few points to help you assess your coach. If they don’t stack up, find yourself a new coach!
Coach Lily