Coaching is often confused with other phrases, such as instructor or trainer. However, coaching is more than just demonstrations and workouts.
Though training is a part of coaching, a coach is not a trainer. Instead, a coach will adapt a plan for the individual, meeting them where they are and always keeping sight of their long-term goal.
Though instruction is a part of coaching, a coach is not an instructor. An instructor uses a broad, less personalized approach to teaching movements. While an instructor may demonstrate a movement and be satisfied when a client can perform it, a coach wants to be sure the client understands each part of the movement and why it’s taught. Coaching is a personalized approach – understanding how specific movement patterns affect a person and their daily activities.
Coaching is knowing a person’s who, what, and why. Once a coach knows what their client is looking for and why they are chasing it, we can develop a plan to get them to their goal.
But it doesn’t stop there, for that only addresses the what and the why; a trainer can do that. A coach understands that figuring out the who is the most essential part of their job.
Once you start to build a relationship you can better understand the who. From there a coach uses this information for fun facts to talk about, but also to understand better and to see more significant potential in a person than they might be able to see in themselves and to stretch their limits of what they thought was possible.
Coaches do not push from the back or drag from the front: they come alongside you. Coaching is not a job but a passion for changing the lives of others, to empower others to be their best self.
Your Fitness Sherpa,
Josh
