Why hire a coach, and what to look for when doing so:
I have been seeing a lot of posts in triathlon communities across social media about how to do this, how do I do that, I suck at this, want to improve at that, and on and on and on. The topics have been everything from freaking out in the water, are race wheels worth it, gaining strength, not being as slow on the bike, increasing run speed. The one common answer I have seen on every post has been “hire a coach.” And while this is a great answer, there is a lot more to hiring a coach than signing on a dotted line and forking over your hard earned dollars to someone you never met. You should never simply hire a coach, you want to hire the right coach. This might seem like subtle difference, but it is a drastic one. Every coach has their own style, their own strengths and weaknesses, a certain niche of athlete they work best with. Some may think they know everything, some may actually know nothing. Just like buying a car, and not only do you want a quality product, but you also want a quality sales rep to take you through the process.
It is the off season, this is the time that we work on our weaknesses, take time off to mentally and physically recover, eat too much and put on our winter pounds to avoid disappearing into thin air once next season gets rolling. It is also the time you should search for and find your coach that you plan to work with for the next season or seasons. This head start will not only give you a leg up on your competition, but also on yourself. There are many reasons to hire a coach, I will outline those another time, but for now, here is what to look for, what you should ask, and what matters most when finding a coach that is RIGHT for YOU. I have three things below to look at, and then the qualities that set apart the top coaches from the bottom when it comes to good fit.
Disclaimer: As usual, I am most likely to make some statements that are going to offend some, annoy others, or just straight up tick people off. This is never my intention and I try to avoid using blanket statements for that very reason. There are exceptions to EVERYTHING in life. If you find something I say preposterous, or straight wrong, leave a comment and let’s have a discussion. Learning is crucial to improve at anything in the world, and we are all able to learn from anyone else if you are open minded enough to allow that to happen.
First- the number one thing every coach lists first is their certifications. This is due to the perceived value being certified has in our society, and often required in many fields for liability. There are many of them out there, just like cars also- some are good, some are not so good. For the governing bodies, such as USA Triathlon, there are different levels of certified and different requirements, pre-reqs, and skill levels. Obviously the higher levels show more knowledge and experience, and these coaches will most likely cost more. I would not hire a coach who is not certified, although quite frankly this should be one of the LAST things you consider when hiring a coach. I am not going to get into what certifications are good, which ones are not as good, what are preferred and what are not. In the industry, we certainly value some more than others and if you have specific questions you can email me and I will give you some pointers. That is not a battle I want to fight today in public however. Also, the level of athlete you are will make a difference what certifications you look for, if you are gunning for a Kona spot and have been in the sport a decade, versus someone just starting out- different certifications will make more sense for one than the other. A USAT Level 3 certified coach has been coaching for years and coached athletes competing at the national and international level. That might be a great way to go, if you are newer to the sport- you probably do not need that intricate of a level of coaching, and are fine with something a little lower. Another thing to look for- if the certification does not expire and require continuing education to keep their status as certified, it is useless and ignore it, pretend it does not exist. That is the best rule of thumb I can give. Is it relatable? If someone is a certified personal trainer, that is great but it is not geared towards running or cycling. Their cert may be athlete based or it may be general population based, it does not mean they are a triathlon coach however and that it is their main focus. They may have the potential to be a great coach, but this does not alone qualify them.
Secondly- Education. Personally, I value education more than certifications, and most lifers in the fitness industry do as well. This is due to it being a more in depth knowledge of the science and not just the applied answer. Someone with a degree is much more likely to know why, and not just what. While their degree may not say “triathlon” on it like that shiny piece of paper on a wall saying “certified,” however endurance training is exercise physiology and energy metabolism, run form is biomechanics, etc. Who is more likely to be stronger on the subject, someone who spent 4 to 6 years learning in depth and studying everything about how the body works? Or someone who spent 4 to 6 days or weeks, if even that long. And this is not meant to be a knock on coaches without a degree due to the next point, don’t hate me yet.
Thirdly- Experience and track record. Not their athletic experience, their coaching experience (although they should have athletic experience also). This is where not having a direct education can be made up for. Someone who has had to renew their certifications numerous times, someone who has spent years honing their specific style, someone who has a diversified resume is going to most likely be a strong coach still. They may or may not know the ins and outs of the Krebs cycle, or the Cori cycle, or how to calculate the ground reaction forces on each joint during different stages of the run stride, but you'll probably be just fine in their hands.
The caveat here is that they have to be adaptable over time as our knowledge about training evolves. If a coach is still giving his athletes static stretches to do before a race- stay away. Far, far away. If a coach still thinks that lactate formation (probably being called lactic acid) is what is the root cause of soreness, or that it is a negative by product of training- stay away. They need to stay up to date and adapt as time passes. Science evolves, and we as coaches need to do the same. Many do, many do not, this is a judgement call and requires homework/research.
Also, consider the source. If you are a podium finisher, and your friend is new to the sport, their recommendation of the coach they hired may or may not be good for you. When you are new to a sport as long as you do not get hurt- you’ll do ok with improvements with any coach. You will see improvement no matter what you do as long as you are consistent. (You may not improve as quickly, however, or are more likely to end up hurt with poor guidance). Is this the same best coach for the veteran podium finisher? Not quite. Look at who they worked with, have they coached any school teams such as collegiate swim or cross country, have they worked for Brooks as a Biomechanist in the past, or did they just really like triathlon and read a book? Where have they interned, worked, studied, or who have they had as a mentor?
All three of these should be looked at individually, and then as a whole package. This is their knowledge base, is the base large? Or is it miniscule. Are they well balanced? Or do they only really have one of the three. Realistically you should try and find someone that is well balanced in their education, and deeply educated as well with a strong network around them to reach out to.
The other factors are what makes the coach the right coach for you. You should be able to have a relationship with your coach (not that kind, calm down Sparky). You should feel comfortable and have an easily established rapport. Can you ask him tough questions that will make a difference in your training? Are you comfortable working and talking about delicate subjects with someone of the other gender? Do they know how to motivate you? Some questions I would ask yourself to know what answer you want, and then ask the coach when interviewing them are as follows:
How much accountability are they going to hold you to- Are you self-motivated or do you need a little kick in the ass now and then
What is their availability typically- Is it going to take them a week to get back to you? Or will they pick up the phone and be happy to help you or return an email within a few hours.
Is this their full time job, or do they do it as an additional job- For some, this may affect the availability, it may not. For some- it may mean that it is the only income and that they need to hit XX number of clients per month and will be spread thin, or try and push a sale. For many, it won’t matter. This question is pretty close to the availability one.
What is their coaching philosophy- We all have one, whether we have it written and laid out in a sentence or two, or just as a general idea in our head, we all have one. If you have a coach who doesn’t value rest as much as you do, or work/life/family balance, or who believes that indoor or outdoor training is better than the other and these values do not align with your values and preferences- they can be the most knowledgeable person in the world even, and it won’t work out well for either.
How are workouts and information delivered to you- Do you like having a piece of paper printed up? Or are daily emails from a service such as TrainingPeaks better for you? How will the coach know what you did to tailor the next set of workouts for you?
What experience do they have OUTSIDE of racing- It is too often in all sports that someone becomes a coach solely because they happened to be good at that sport. This does not mean they are as passionate about coaching as they are competing, or as good at coaching as competing. They may not have the knowledge to help you out beyond what worked for them, they may be too distracted with their own training to help you with yours
Tying into this same thing: What motivated them to become a coach- What drives them daily? How long have they wanted to be one? If they can answer this question without any thought- chances are they love what they do. Does the passion just ooze from them? Do you want someone enthusiastic about what they do or the coach who could not care less how you do and only wants a pay check
What ways besides the training plan alone are you able to help me? If they only know how to throw workouts together into a calendar versus can they help you identify a nagging injury, prevent other injuries, strength training credentials, are they going to know how to develop a sound nutritional strategy, are they going to be able to help you adjust for conditions on race day, are they going to be able to give you a biomechanical or physiological assessment
How do they develop an annual training plan for their athletes- This could be close to their philosophy, and also show some of their subject area knowledge. Is it a set style they use for everyone? Or is it tailored to everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.
How do they analyze your plan and adapt?- If they do not look back at what you did and adjust going forward, you are no better off than if you bought a stock plan. The longest out workouts should ever be written is a month
Who specifically is going to be working with you- It is not unheard of for you to hire a coach, and then be reassigned to an assistant or other coach in a coaching group. This is probably not too common, but large coaching companies or groups it is possible
Do they have any requirements from you- There is a weight loss group back home that requires all its members to constantly tag them on social media EVERY SINGLE DAY, or they cannot join. While this helped their business boom, I find it to be super shady to require constantly. Specifically for us- do they require you to purchase and race in a kit that they sell or join a specific triathlon team, use any specific facilities
Is there a minimum amount of time or a contract to sign- This is not rare, and just something to be aware of. How lenient are they if an injury or family emergency or work relocation comes up? If you are locked in vs able to switch plans, put coaching on hold, etc.
What is their weakness as a coach- This is a big one and the one I will end on. If the coach does not think he has anything to improve, he feels he knows everything. The day you think you know everything, you in fact know nothing. If a coach would rather BS his way through helping you or lie about something rather than look it up or refer you to someone else, they have no integrity in my book and have no place coaching anyone. Anyone you work with you should hold to a high standard, as they should hold you to one as well.
I have been seeing a lot of posts in triathlon communities across social media about how to do this, how do I do that, I suck at this, want to improve at that, and on and on and on. The topics have been everything from freaking out in the water, are race wheels worth it, gaining strength, not being as slow on the bike, increasing run speed. The one common answer I have seen on every post has been “hire a coach.” And while this is a great answer, there is a lot more to hiring a coach than signing on a dotted line and forking over your hard earned dollars to someone you never met. You should never simply hire a coach, you want to hire the right coach. This might seem like subtle difference, but it is a drastic one. Every coach has their own style, their own strengths and weaknesses, a certain niche of athlete they work best with. Some may think they know everything, some may actually know nothing. Just like buying a car, and not only do you want a quality product, but you also want a quality sales rep to take you through the process.
It is the off season, this is the time that we work on our weaknesses, take time off to mentally and physically recover, eat too much and put on our winter pounds to avoid disappearing into thin air once next season gets rolling. It is also the time you should search for and find your coach that you plan to work with for the next season or seasons. This head start will not only give you a leg up on your competition, but also on yourself. There are many reasons to hire a coach, I will outline those another time, but for now, here is what to look for, what you should ask, and what matters most when finding a coach that is RIGHT for YOU. I have three things below to look at, and then the qualities that set apart the top coaches from the bottom when it comes to good fit.
Disclaimer: As usual, I am most likely to make some statements that are going to offend some, annoy others, or just straight up tick people off. This is never my intention and I try to avoid using blanket statements for that very reason. There are exceptions to EVERYTHING in life. If you find something I say preposterous, or straight wrong, leave a comment and let’s have a discussion. Learning is crucial to improve at anything in the world, and we are all able to learn from anyone else if you are open minded enough to allow that to happen.
First- the number one thing every coach lists first is their certifications. This is due to the perceived value being certified has in our society, and often required in many fields for liability. There are many of them out there, just like cars also- some are good, some are not so good. For the governing bodies, such as USA Triathlon, there are different levels of certified and different requirements, pre-reqs, and skill levels. Obviously the higher levels show more knowledge and experience, and these coaches will most likely cost more. I would not hire a coach who is not certified, although quite frankly this should be one of the LAST things you consider when hiring a coach. I am not going to get into what certifications are good, which ones are not as good, what are preferred and what are not. In the industry, we certainly value some more than others and if you have specific questions you can email me and I will give you some pointers. That is not a battle I want to fight today in public however. Also, the level of athlete you are will make a difference what certifications you look for, if you are gunning for a Kona spot and have been in the sport a decade, versus someone just starting out- different certifications will make more sense for one than the other. A USAT Level 3 certified coach has been coaching for years and coached athletes competing at the national and international level. That might be a great way to go, if you are newer to the sport- you probably do not need that intricate of a level of coaching, and are fine with something a little lower. Another thing to look for- if the certification does not expire and require continuing education to keep their status as certified, it is useless and ignore it, pretend it does not exist. That is the best rule of thumb I can give. Is it relatable? If someone is a certified personal trainer, that is great but it is not geared towards running or cycling. Their cert may be athlete based or it may be general population based, it does not mean they are a triathlon coach however and that it is their main focus. They may have the potential to be a great coach, but this does not alone qualify them.
Secondly- Education. Personally, I value education more than certifications, and most lifers in the fitness industry do as well. This is due to it being a more in depth knowledge of the science and not just the applied answer. Someone with a degree is much more likely to know why, and not just what. While their degree may not say “triathlon” on it like that shiny piece of paper on a wall saying “certified,” however endurance training is exercise physiology and energy metabolism, run form is biomechanics, etc. Who is more likely to be stronger on the subject, someone who spent 4 to 6 years learning in depth and studying everything about how the body works? Or someone who spent 4 to 6 days or weeks, if even that long. And this is not meant to be a knock on coaches without a degree due to the next point, don’t hate me yet.
Thirdly- Experience and track record. Not their athletic experience, their coaching experience (although they should have athletic experience also). This is where not having a direct education can be made up for. Someone who has had to renew their certifications numerous times, someone who has spent years honing their specific style, someone who has a diversified resume is going to most likely be a strong coach still. They may or may not know the ins and outs of the Krebs cycle, or the Cori cycle, or how to calculate the ground reaction forces on each joint during different stages of the run stride, but you'll probably be just fine in their hands.
The caveat here is that they have to be adaptable over time as our knowledge about training evolves. If a coach is still giving his athletes static stretches to do before a race- stay away. Far, far away. If a coach still thinks that lactate formation (probably being called lactic acid) is what is the root cause of soreness, or that it is a negative by product of training- stay away. They need to stay up to date and adapt as time passes. Science evolves, and we as coaches need to do the same. Many do, many do not, this is a judgement call and requires homework/research.
Also, consider the source. If you are a podium finisher, and your friend is new to the sport, their recommendation of the coach they hired may or may not be good for you. When you are new to a sport as long as you do not get hurt- you’ll do ok with improvements with any coach. You will see improvement no matter what you do as long as you are consistent. (You may not improve as quickly, however, or are more likely to end up hurt with poor guidance). Is this the same best coach for the veteran podium finisher? Not quite. Look at who they worked with, have they coached any school teams such as collegiate swim or cross country, have they worked for Brooks as a Biomechanist in the past, or did they just really like triathlon and read a book? Where have they interned, worked, studied, or who have they had as a mentor?
All three of these should be looked at individually, and then as a whole package. This is their knowledge base, is the base large? Or is it miniscule. Are they well balanced? Or do they only really have one of the three. Realistically you should try and find someone that is well balanced in their education, and deeply educated as well with a strong network around them to reach out to.
The other factors are what makes the coach the right coach for you. You should be able to have a relationship with your coach (not that kind, calm down Sparky). You should feel comfortable and have an easily established rapport. Can you ask him tough questions that will make a difference in your training? Are you comfortable working and talking about delicate subjects with someone of the other gender? Do they know how to motivate you? Some questions I would ask yourself to know what answer you want, and then ask the coach when interviewing them are as follows:
How much accountability are they going to hold you to- Are you self-motivated or do you need a little kick in the ass now and then
What is their availability typically- Is it going to take them a week to get back to you? Or will they pick up the phone and be happy to help you or return an email within a few hours.
Is this their full time job, or do they do it as an additional job- For some, this may affect the availability, it may not. For some- it may mean that it is the only income and that they need to hit XX number of clients per month and will be spread thin, or try and push a sale. For many, it won’t matter. This question is pretty close to the availability one.
What is their coaching philosophy- We all have one, whether we have it written and laid out in a sentence or two, or just as a general idea in our head, we all have one. If you have a coach who doesn’t value rest as much as you do, or work/life/family balance, or who believes that indoor or outdoor training is better than the other and these values do not align with your values and preferences- they can be the most knowledgeable person in the world even, and it won’t work out well for either.
How are workouts and information delivered to you- Do you like having a piece of paper printed up? Or are daily emails from a service such as TrainingPeaks better for you? How will the coach know what you did to tailor the next set of workouts for you?
What experience do they have OUTSIDE of racing- It is too often in all sports that someone becomes a coach solely because they happened to be good at that sport. This does not mean they are as passionate about coaching as they are competing, or as good at coaching as competing. They may not have the knowledge to help you out beyond what worked for them, they may be too distracted with their own training to help you with yours
Tying into this same thing: What motivated them to become a coach- What drives them daily? How long have they wanted to be one? If they can answer this question without any thought- chances are they love what they do. Does the passion just ooze from them? Do you want someone enthusiastic about what they do or the coach who could not care less how you do and only wants a pay check
What ways besides the training plan alone are you able to help me? If they only know how to throw workouts together into a calendar versus can they help you identify a nagging injury, prevent other injuries, strength training credentials, are they going to know how to develop a sound nutritional strategy, are they going to be able to help you adjust for conditions on race day, are they going to be able to give you a biomechanical or physiological assessment
How do they develop an annual training plan for their athletes- This could be close to their philosophy, and also show some of their subject area knowledge. Is it a set style they use for everyone? Or is it tailored to everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.
How do they analyze your plan and adapt?- If they do not look back at what you did and adjust going forward, you are no better off than if you bought a stock plan. The longest out workouts should ever be written is a month
Who specifically is going to be working with you- It is not unheard of for you to hire a coach, and then be reassigned to an assistant or other coach in a coaching group. This is probably not too common, but large coaching companies or groups it is possible
Do they have any requirements from you- There is a weight loss group back home that requires all its members to constantly tag them on social media EVERY SINGLE DAY, or they cannot join. While this helped their business boom, I find it to be super shady to require constantly. Specifically for us- do they require you to purchase and race in a kit that they sell or join a specific triathlon team, use any specific facilities
Is there a minimum amount of time or a contract to sign- This is not rare, and just something to be aware of. How lenient are they if an injury or family emergency or work relocation comes up? If you are locked in vs able to switch plans, put coaching on hold, etc.
What is their weakness as a coach- This is a big one and the one I will end on. If the coach does not think he has anything to improve, he feels he knows everything. The day you think you know everything, you in fact know nothing. If a coach would rather BS his way through helping you or lie about something rather than look it up or refer you to someone else, they have no integrity in my book and have no place coaching anyone. Anyone you work with you should hold to a high standard, as they should hold you to one as well.