How to Choose an Online (Weightlifting/Fitness/Strength) Coach + Personal Trainer
I've trained with coaches with different training methods, programming philosophies, and exercise programming systems. Every coach I have had has excelled in one or more of these 8 ways in which I determine value of a coach.
In the 15 years I've been training, coaching, and being in the fitness and strength world, there were 3 coaches that stand out in my mind in which I learned from in regards to understanding what it takes to find (and be) a great coach.
I started out with CrossFit/functional fitness and bodybuilding, with Marcus Filly through his online coaching program. I really enjoyed the systems in which he was delivering the online workouts to me at the time, as they were mobile friendly and easy to use. The workouts were also trackable, making it easy to commit to doing CrossFit workouts on a regular basis.
When I decided to take my Olympic weightlifting to the next level, I decided to hire an online Olympic weightlifting coach in my area (East Coast at the time) who delivered programs via Google Spreadsheets. What the program lacked in fancy metrics and mobile apps, my coach, Yasha Kahn, exceeded my expectations in his ability to be responsives and offer feedback on a personal basis. He even helped me work through injury and manipulated my training mid-cycle to maximize my recovery and ensure long-term growth. Through this experience, I understood the true value in working with a coach who actually listens and coaches you as an individual, rather than just another money sign.
In the end, this made ME a better coach.
Another key factor to consider when looking to work with an online coach is simply;
Do you like them?
Do they hold you accountable?
Do they have a good sense of humor?
Are the empathetic when they need to be?
All of these are attributes of a great coach and communicator... all of which my friend and fellow strength coach, Alec Pagan, does very well.
When you are looking for an online fitness coach or strength expert, you need to do your due diligence, and research what makes them a qualified trainer or coach, what experience do they have, and have they produced repeatable results over and over with other individuals (like you) who may have been looking to lose weight, gain muscle, win competitions, or whatever else your goals are.
You need to do your homework before you commit to investing the time, energy, and money in a online fitness coach, nutritionist, or strength expert.
Finally, I look at the overall value of all 8 of these factors before I choose to work with a coach or evaluate my own services as a coach. If you are an online fitness coach, I hope you make sure you are going 8 for 8 on all these!
Remember, there are a lot of great coaches out there, and you will most likely find one if you follow these 8 steps to finding a good trainer and coach, both online and in-person