Thursday, September 29, 2011

Should I Hire A Coach?

Do I really need a coach? A question asked by people for a wide variety of sports. I'll give my 2 cents on whether or not you should have a coach.

For a lot of activities, a beginners clinic will be a great way to kickstart things for you. I've watched many people attend a learn to run clinic (this one was 10 weeks long) and by the end of it they were confident that they knew what to wear, how to stretch, what to eat, and best of all- they were confident that they could run! For other things like swimming you may need a coach, at least for a few sessions so they can teach you proper technique.

For people who want to take their fitness to a new level then a coach is a great idea. Having a coach can push you past what you thought your limits were. Just like having a trainer at the gym. Whether it be running, swimming, weightlifting or whatever you are pursuing having a coach can inspire, encourage, and mentor you because they have been in your shoes and they know what it takes to reach the next level.

There are a few things to look for in deciding who will be lucky enough to coach you.
1.The biggest thing is the initial interview. You have to make sure you two will get along and that your personalities don't clash.
2. Price: You have to be able to afford it and be able to justify that the services you're paying for are worth it.
3. Another thing I feel that is hugely important in choosing a coach is to make sure they are not going to give you a generic plan. Many coaches out there have cookie cutter plans that they give to the athletes they coach. Everyone is different, so should the coaching. A coach needs to learn your weaknesses and show you how to improve on them.

This is my coach and I at Ironman Canada 2011. I decided to hire a coach a few years ago when I started to pursue triathlon. I'm am SO happy I found Greg as a coach. We get along really well and he has been helping me get much faster race after race.

Greg Bradley works out of Calgary during the summer and Hawaii during the winter. He has 1000's of hours worth of training and coaching experience and has completed 18 full Ironman Triathlons. You can check him out at www.legendcoaching.com

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