What Good Coaches Do Meghan Callaway -

No, we strength coaches do not work out with our clients, nor are we expensive ”rep counters.”

The good coaches are invaluable teachers who:

1) Show our clients how to perform exercises properly and coach/cue accordingly. Our coaching and cuing will vary on an individual basis as an effective strategy for one client might be completely ineffective for another.

2) Select exercises that are best suited to our clients’ individual goals, needs and special considerations. Once again, this will vary from client to client.

3) Help each client figure out what form works and feels best for them. No two people will have the same form, and the good coaches are well aware of this. Some coaches force all people to adopt the same form, no matter what. This is not sound coaching.

4) Adapt/modify the exercises as needed. Sometimes these adaptations and modifications will occur on the fly.

5) Troubleshoot and determine what course of action works best for each individual, and this involves some serious critical thinking and open-mindedness.

6) Learn and educate ourselves to be better at what we do, and never stop.

7) Figure out what form of support and encouragement works best for each individual.

8) Love what we do, and use this passion to make ourselves better every single day.

This is just a fraction of what the good coaches do.

For the record, any working out we do is done on our own time. This misconception is a huge pet peeve of mine, and I’m sure many other coaches. Also, we do not expend our mental and physical energy counting reps. As I’ve told some clients, it’s not my job to count reps, it’s my job to coach and make you better.

This is just a very small part of what good coaching entails. My goal is to positively impact the lives of the people I work with, and I know many other coaches have the same mission.