#18: Is Your Coach The Real Deal?
Amid the wide spectrum of nutrition and exercise philosophies, one must be doubly careful when choosing who to follow.
And although you can never really call a spade a spade, there are a few telltale signs to look out for. Evidence that your fitness coach is the real deal.
1: They Don’t Create A Program For You Based On One Assessment
One common reason for seeking out nutrition/exercise guidance is to lose weight. But to have a trainer say that you have to do X amount of cardio, X amounts of HIIT sessions, X amounts of bodybuilding sessions and X amount of CrossFit per week - even though you’ve never entered a gym before - is bullshit.
Honestly, a fitness journey should always start slow. People with weight issues are likely not metabolically healthy enough to undergo the stress of intense exercise, anyway.
While exercise can be helpful, finding a coach that will study your abilities and make educated changes based on what he - and you - believe you can handle, is an asset.
2: They Don’t Have An Answer To All Of Life’s Problems
I am a specialist in nutrition and exercise science. But often-a-time, a new client would come and ask: ‘do you think I need to check my thyroid function?’
My answer to this question usually is: ‘I don’t know. Ask an endocrinologist.’
I have my opinions, and even reservations in almost every field of medicine. But there are reasons why doctors - like endocrinologists - are who they are. They put in the blood, sweat and tears to become who they are: experts. It makes no sense to gather medical opinions from others who aren’t established in that particular field. Especially if the subject at hand is your own health.
Fitness experts are not medical experts and vice versa. So be doubly wary of those who come across as individuals who have the answers to all of life’s problems. A human being who acknowledges his limitations is normally a legit human being.
3: They Don’t Drill-Sergeant Your Ass Through Every Exercise
Following through with what we said in the first point, a good coach will accept your limitations and work with them.
Forcing a client to go through grueling workouts is not only unneeded, it’s counterproductive. Especially in the circumstance of significant obesity, a client may not even be healthy enough to undergo exercise of an intense nature.
Adopting the drill-sergeant approach may be acceptable in other circumstances. In the context of elite performance, let’s say. But applying that method to a gym newbie is a sure way to scar him for life.
4: They Acknowledge Basic Human Tendencies
Let’s face it. Now-a-days we’re never shy of the odd ‘cheat day’, holiday or off-spell where we fall of the wagon and give up all hope on life. That’s because we’re human.
Berating a man or woman because they’ve done any of the above is not only unrealistic, it’s damaging.
There is no harm in having a little fun. Having the odd cheat meal in this day and age is one of life’s greatest selling points. And not acknowledging the worth of these experiences, especially if they are shared with friends and family… is it really worth it?
At some stage, everyone falls off the wagon, for whatever reason.
5: They Change A Planned Workout Based On How You Feel On The Day
So the baby kept you up all night. You couldn’t have a solid breakfast because you got out of bed late and had bolt to the gym. You then find your coach waiting for you, arms crossed and tapping his feet because your five minutes late. To your dismay, you also find that today’s WOD includes heavy compound lifts, running, circuits and everything in between.
A good coach will cater for that problem, which is not to say that he will stop you from undergoing the workout altogether. But at the very least, the program would be adjusted so that you can get some benefit from the day’s session, as opposed to none at all.
The goal here is to remain consistent while operating within the realms of realism.
6: They Check On You, Even When They’re Not Being Paid To
Sending a text by WhatsApp or Messenger is absolutely free. All one needs is the genuine interest/heart to do so.
There’s no harm in texting a client, or even an ex-client with the question: ‘hey man, long time no see. How’s it going?’ For all you know, some bad shit happened and they could be going through a rough phase. No harm in that, we’ve all been there.
I’ve been around good coaches before in my youth, and receiving one of those messages meant the world to me. Especially on days where I fell off the training wagon and went down a downward spiral towards depression.
I’ve worked with many coaches in the past, and luckily, I can honestly say most of them had a positive impact on my life.
Remember these general rules when out looking for advice on how to initiate your fitness/health journey.
At the very core, a coach who does not practice what he/she preaches cannot expect his clients, or athletes, to follow suit and be inspired!
