Things To Avoid When Hiring a Fitness Coach
Last modified 2 weeks, 4 days ago.
Fitness is not like nursing or medicine, where the professionals are licensed and payment is (mostly) guaranteed by insurance companies. (The medical world protects its turf very well, for better or for worse).
Anyone can call themselves a trainer or coach. (I am content to call myself a fitness enthusiast).
Bad business is a common part of fitness. For some big-box gyms (and even studios), it’s the only way that they do business! They figure if they can’t get you to buy on impulse, then well, you’ll never buy at all.
I can’t put all of the blame on the gyms, though. Clients come in quite unprepared. They don’t ask any questions that have an impact on them finding out whether or not the coach they’re about to work with is worth their salt. This applies to online coaching, too. Yes, it’s nice if a coach is cool and fit, but you deserve more than that for the type of money that coaches (or gyms) are asking for these days.
Things To Avoid When Hiring a Fitness Coach
This is a list of what to avoid, because it is much easier to tell you what to avoid, than what to look for.
- Avoid coaches that do not know anatomy and physiology.
Plenty of coaches do not care to learn anatomy. They do not know the muscles of the body, nor how they function. I get it that you do not need to know these things, but your coach does! You don’t need to know these things any more than you need to know how to be a pilot or surgeon when you fly on an airplane or get surgery. But I am guessing you would want a pilot or surgeon who know what they are doing. I do!
If your coach does not have a strong understanding of anatomy, biomechanics, and physiology, this is the first sign that you hired a babysitter and an entertainer, and not a fitness professional. Sorry, I just don’t want to see you get stiffed for thousands of dollars, because you bought training from a gym or someone who knows nothing.
You’d be surprised by the amount of coaches that do not even know the basics of the muscles that attach to the shoulder blade and what they do.
Just ask, ‘What do you do to study the muscles of the body?’
- Avoid coaches that do not have a coach or buy personal training.
How can someone sell something that they would never be willing to buy themselves? I have spent thousands on coaching over the years. At least a few times a year, I’ve paid for quality coaching from great coaches. But still, you are going to bump into a lot of coaches that would never, ever buy coaching themselves. Avoid hypocrites.
- Avoid coaches that use distractions more than coaching.
Coaches with limited knowledge and teaching ability love distractions, especially loud, blaring music. They do not have much to say, so they fill your ears and senses like you are in a nightclub. This is a waste. Find a coach and environment where you will be receiving proper instruction in a good learning environment. These places exist.
If you do not believe me, then consider the following. Do college professors, or even chefs doing a freaking cooking class, set their teaching environment up like a nightclub or bar? No, because you would learn nothing from being so distracted.
Loud music has its place, but that’s for advanced lifters that already know what they’re doing and want to get a little bit more out of each exercise.
- Avoid buying coaching if you have never met the coach.
This is self explanatory, but some gyms sell training this way. Avoid it.
- Avoid coaches that do not do proper movement assessments.
Ask how the coach will assess the quality of your movement. This will take, at least, about 30 minutes if it is done properly.
With few exceptions, if they’re going to just throw you onto exercise machines and hope for the best, you are receiving low-quality training.
“Well, my coach does this or that, and I like it.”
You may say, “Hey, my coach does this or that, and I like it.” That’s fine. I am 100% for you doing what you want, as long as it doesn’t hurt other people. You may freely spend (and waste) your money as you’d like. If that is what you want, then you will get what you deserve. I hate to say it.
I’ve Been There, and I’m Hoping This Helps
Like I said, I’ve bought thousands and thousands of dollars of coaching and training over the years. I’ve had great coaches and not-so-great coaches. It’s important that you give your all, but your coach should know what they’re doing, too.
Of course, there are other things to look out for, but I hope this stimulates your thinking. There’s no need to buy on impulse or rush. Take your time. Ask the gym or coach good questions. Then when you do yourself the favor of getting to the gym with a great coach, you’ll have something that can benefit you for the rest of your life.
Great fitness coaching should pay for itself when you consider the time saved in the gym, money gained back from avoiding other expenses (food, drugs, medical), enhanced energy and wellness, peace of mind, and quality of life.