Is Your Coach Worth the Money?

There are few things that bother me as much as broad generalizations in Health & Fitness. Before you dump a lot of money into programs that might not work and get frustrated, you need to consider that no two clients are exactly alike. While a program may work similarly for 1, 2, 5, 15, or even thousands of other people, it may not work for you.

I've seen coaches employ the cookie-cutter plan in diets, eating styles, and training programs. Some coaches assign their clients a basic cookie-cutter program like Stronglifts 5x5 or other free programs that can be found online. I've heard a self-proclaimed nutrition "guru" insist every client change to a VLC Diet with a specific set of macros without concern for the previous diet experience of their client. I've worked with another coach's failed clients because he insisted their clients all switch to Intermittent Fasting without considering their background because "it worked for so many others." And the worst, I've witnessed a trainer openly admit they didn't know why "their own" program worked!

Sadly, I see people get sucked into these programs with shining testimonials and expert promotion because the "promise" is too much to ignore and "all the others that are getting results can't be wrong." And then something goes wrong; the program isn't working and the "expert trainer" doesn't know how to adapt the program to make it work. The trainer blames the client, or just falls back to "it worked for others."

Before jumping into a training program, consider the trainer, their knowledge and experience, their previous clientele, the results compared to your goals, and the methods.

If a trainer is worth paying and trusting, they can not only explain what they're doing and why it works, but they can quickly adapt if it isn't working. If a trainer has a "successful" program, but can't explain why it works, then there is a good chance they won't know how to make it work for you if you aren't one of the lucky ones. So before hiring a trainer / coach, take the time to talk with them and have any of your questions and concerns addressed. If they aren't willing to or aren't able to give answers to your satisfaction, consider going elsewhere.