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Writer's pictureGil Peleg

How to find a life coach?

Updated: Jun 16, 2022

In this article, we will answer the questions: What is the importance of word of mouth when looking for a coach? What is the purpose of training? What should a training program include? Does a good coach have to be in good shape? Why are training safety and professional coach insurance important? Why do coaches give trial lessons? What fitness equipment is recommended for a personal trainer? What fitness equipment is recommended to keep at home?

 

What is the importance of word of mouth when looking for a coach?

It is worth checking the trainer's certifications. What sports school he attended, whether he has a suitable academic background, bachelor's or master's degree in sports, teaching specialization. It's useful to note! A coach working without an appropriate certificate violates the "Law on Sports".
Kickboxing training

There are quite clear rules in finding a good coach, you need to start asking questions to close friends, maybe someone is training, usually, a good coach can be found through a circle of friends, by word of mouth. On social media, you can find sites that advertise according to your interests. On these sites, coaches upload photos of the club and their students. Usually, trainee’s blogs can tell a lot. You should check how socially active the coach is in his profession and if there are any notable events such as future competitions or training in nature (on beaches or in public gyms). Thus, you can get an idea of how many of the same schools or fitness trainers pay attention to students and strive for results. It is worth checking the credibility of the coach, in which sports school he studied or whether he has a suitable academic education, bachelor's or master's degree in sports, teaching specialization. It's useful to note! A coach who works without appropriate qualifications (certificates) violates the "Law on Sports". Stay away from a trainer who does not ask the doctor for confirmation of your health. That is, are you allowed to engage in any (sports) physical activity? The training should be rewarding, professional, safe, and of course, fun so that you can practice hard and not neglect after a few sessions. Carefully find out what is included in your training program, if there are pre-made lesson plans. That is, it is important to understand whether the coach brings you to a specific goal or whether the training is spontaneous and unplanned. When you don't set yourself a specific, achievable goal, then you won't get anywhere! It's like stepping on the gas and standing in neutral!


What is the purpose of training?

It's important to be attached to your goal! To know exactly what is required of the coach? A good coach knows how to set individual goals for trainees. Creates an ordered plan for a period of six months to a year and submits it to the student, and, of course, gets the approval of the plan.
A predefined training program can produce the desired results.

We all have certain needs and goals from training: Some want to lose weight; But there are those who, on the contrary, want to gain muscle mass and improve cardiopulmonary endurance with the help of weightlifting and fitness; Learn martial arts, and participate in competitions; Those who want to explore a specific area of sports and make it their profession of life, or those who just come to workout to take selfies. So it's important to be attached to your goal! To know exactly what is required of the coach? A good coach knows how to set individual goals for students. Creates an ordered plan for a period of six months to a year and submits it to the student, and, of course, gets the approval of the plan. Remember that in private training, there are usually no identical programs. In personal training, all attention is paid only to you, and the training program is adapted to your personal needs!


What should a training program include?

The program should include a gradual start to learning and an increase in pace, depending on the abilities of the learner. The end goal must be clear! That is, the result of a coach's commitment, whether it be weight loss or significant improvement in physical performance. After discussing the program with the trainer, it is advisable to close the following topics: How to pay, whether to pay in advance for each lesson or a long period; Getting discounts for a long registration period; Freeze your subscription due to travel abroad, illness, etc.; Possibility of cancellation of registration and refund of money for valid reasons.


Does a good coach have to be in good shape?

It is very important how much the instructor trains himself and whether he is up to date with the latest developments in his field of activity. Does he take refresher courses with higher-ranking professionals in this field? Worth checking out: has he competed in the past or is he active today?; Was he a champion in his field?; Was he a trainer in the army or in the security forces? Please note that it is very easy to get a trainer certificate today.
A good coach should always be in good shape

It is very important how much the instructor trains himself and whether he is up to date with the latest developments in his field of activity. Does he take refresher courses with higher-ranking professionals in this field? It is worth checking: has he competed in the past or is he active today?; Was he a champion in his field?; Was he a trainer in the army or the security forces? Please note! that today it is very easy to get a trainer certificate, the admission threshold for these programs is very low, you can see for yourself. Almost everyone who considers it advisable to be a coach is accepted, the main thing is to pay money for the course. For this reason, it is important to see the coach's past. At what age did he start training? Is this his way of life from a young age? Usually, people who train from a young age acquire a wealth of knowledge and experience in their field. That is, these are people who managed to enter the competition and, possibly, even won respectable places. Such trainers have something to convey besides dry theory. That is, they went through days and nights of hard training in the flesh to reach the top and become a champion. There are also those: who conducted training in the army or the security forces; at reputable fitness clubs at home or abroad. They can certainly be the right trainers. Remember, being a good coach is first and foremost setting your students by example. As a result, good trainers are constantly updating themselves in their field, learning new things, and proudly passing them on to practitioners in the classroom. They also strengthen you mentally, making you resilient to life's upheavals. Give you inspiration and motivation to help you focus on your goal in both your personal and professional life.


Why are training safety and professional coach insurance important?

Sometimes young coaches are overly enthusiastic about training and provide content that may not be suitable for everyone. That is, high intensity for people who are not physically ready, or who do not suit them in terms of body structure, age, etc. ... what a professional trainer should know and what should pay attention to! It is the trainer's responsibility to assess the risks in advance and to draw up appropriate lesson plans for the trainees.
Professional negligence claim

Ask the trainer with whom you want to train about the number of injuries of his/her students. Ie: how long does he/she teach?; How many people were injured during this time? In this case, statistics are of great importance (we are talking about your health!); Has anyone sued him/her before? Because of “professional negligence in teaching,” and has he/she been charged as a result of legal proceedings against him/her? Sometimes young coaches get too carried away and provide training content that is not for everyone. That is, high intensity for people who are physically not ready, or not suitable for them in terms of body structure, age, or something else that a professional trainer should know and what he/she should pay attention to! It is the responsibility of the trainer to conduct a preliminary risk assessment and draw up appropriate lesson plans for the trainees. He/She must constantly ask himself/Herself the appropriate questions: how does the trainee feel about the proposed program?; Maybe the training is too intense for him/her? Maybe one should increase the pace?; Maybe the original program should be changed? ... And it doesn't matter if it's group training or an individual one. Usually, study groups are made up of people with the same physical ability. They are divided into three main categories: men, women, and children. The same groups are divided into subgroups: beginners and advanced. In personal training, an individual lesson plan is drawn up for the trainee, and it is gradually introduced into the sports routine so that, first of all, not to harm him with overloads.

It is worth paying attention to these details, although it is worth remembering that not everything is black and white, and quite a few lawsuits from scammers go to good coaches who want to make money on it. The insured trainer usually has professional certificates, because insurance companies ask for documents confirming the relevant training in their specialty. The insured coach knows that if the claim against him/her is simply fraudulent, the insurance company will find out, take care of it, and reject the claim.


Why do coaches give trial lessons?

Today, coaches tend to give free lessons to attract as many students as possible. Is what we get in a few classes enough to decide to sign up for a long period? To answer this question, let's look at a few cases:

  1. When we join a group that is active for a certain time.

  2. When we start with a group of new trainees.

  3. When we start practicing with a personal trainer - He gives a couple of lessons and based on this, we commit ourselves to sign up for a certain period.

 
This is a group of veterans with a long history in this field of study. Therefore, it is worth asking the basic questions: what is the progress in titles and belts? How long does it take to get a black belt? What tests are passed for this? How long do they train? Is there an organized training program? Etc ... They are happy? Or maybe there are those who are planning to quit classes?
Black Belts, a multi-year group

The first case is the most preferable because it is possible to get an opinion on the training experience in the group itself. If these are martial arts, then there are belts of different colors: from white to black, from the basic level (white belt) to the advanced level (black belt-dan 10). This is a group of veterans with a long history in this field of study. Therefore, it is worth asking the basic questions: what is the progress in titles and belts? How long does it take to get a black belt? What tests are passed for this? How long do they train? Is there an organized training program? Etc ... They are happy? Or maybe some are planning to quit classes? Also worth finding out what rank is their head coach? Does he teach frontal lessons? Or are they performed by his chosen disciples? If the classes are taught by trainees, it is worth knowing how long they have been training, and if they have the appropriate trainer certification, to what extent do they specialize in this area? These questions are important because, based on experience, the orientation sessions will be conducted by the head coach, and after registration, you will continue to work with his assistant.

 
Ask how long have they been training? Have their abilities improved in practical terms? That is, you will also be able to visually assess their basic movements.
A group of beginner Karate players

In the second case, ask how long have they been training? Have their abilities improved in practical terms? That is, you will also be able to visually assess their basic movements. Nowadays, you can see the quality of expert movements on the YouTube channel, and this can certainly be a good confirmation of your expectations from the same school or the same coach. Remember, that the world of belts and ranks is completely hacked today and it is not easy to check if the same trainer has a particular rank from Japan, China, or Thailand. Therefore, ask questions, usually satisfied people do not lie.

 
Black Belts, Private Wrestling Lesson.
Personal wrestling lesson

In the third case, you should learn as much as possible about the coach before you come to the trial lesson: are the people who trained with him happy?; Did they manage to lose weight?; In the case of women, what is not serial harassment?; Does he have a certificate? And if you have researched all this and decided to take trial classes, pay attention! About the chemistry between you in an introductory lesson. You must understand each other! Discuss a plan for progress and future achievements in advance! About the possibility of canceling classes without charging.

 

What does the training equipment of the Self-Defense trainer include?

Following the history of the method, great importance is attached to the formation of functional muscles. On the one hand, it is necessary to work on speed and agility in movement, and on the other hand, to develop muscles to increase strength and power. To succeed in this task: Need to work with small weights, many reps in each set; Also combine with strength training, it is advisable to consult with a trainer so as not to damage the muscle ligaments; It is recommended to work with a wrist expander and rubber for dynamic loading; With heavy training rope; a lot of reps on a heavy and light boxing bag; With a punching bag, etc ... It is imperative to practice throwing, choking, blocking, kicking and punching. Punches and knees on the trainer's abdomen may only be performed with suitable and safe belly protectors! In the tactical training of Krav-Maga, rubbery equipment is used like knives, padded sticks, etc... One needs to use equipment that has passed strict safety tests. When signing up for a club, check if their gym floor is well protected and if there is a suitable protective pad against falls, throws, etc. Below is a list of the recommended trainer equipment when teaching Self-Defense:

How important is personal protective equipment when practicing Self-Defense?

Good schools understand the importance of protective equipment when teaching martial arts in general and in combat in particular. Demonstrations and battles are not allowed without appropriate protective equipment! These are usually inexpensive shields compared to the physical damage they prevent. Also, there is no insurance without protective equipment! When striking a punching bag, be it a jab, cross, hook, or uppercut, boxing gloves should be used. It is recommended for full contact to use a body protector that maintains the integrity of the ribs. Also, shields for the head, teeth, groin, and legs are recommended.

It is very important to practice Self-Defense using rubber training knives and even more important during training to wear appropriate protective equipment: such as glasses designed to protect the eyes; a body protector; a Head guard against receiving an unwanted blow. The following is a list of recommended equipment for knife defense studies:

With what equipment is it recommended to practice Self-Defense at home?

To learn Self-Defense, one needs to practice the same thing, many times over. This is not a theoretical area compared to other martial arts where one can learn from a trainer by watching directly through a computer. So practice and interaction are of the utmost importance. Although, it is worth it and even recommended to work at home on punches and kicks, strength training, etc. For this purpose, it is possible to purchase minimal personal equipment that does not take up much space at home. Prepares physically for classes in the section. It also improves the following parameters: Strength, flexibility, cardiopulmonary endurance, and more.

Using a yoga mat, abdominal muscles can be improved; Training weights are to improve muscle strength; Using an adjustable strength bench can strengthen chest muscles by lifting weights; A free-standing punching bag is a perfect solution for punching and kicking improvement at home ... Below is a list of recommended equipment for home exercise:






Home training is recommended to be performed under the supervision of a certified trainer. It is recommended to avoid exercising alone at home!

How important is cardiopulmonary endurance in Self-Defense workouts?

First of all, this is health, and secondly, in a battle that does not end in a short time, the one who has cardiopulmonary endurance wins. To improve cardiopulmonary endurance, it is recommended to take brisk walks, combined with running, to increase and decrease the pace. These runs can be done outdoors, on the coast, on a Treadmill, or on a Home spinning bike. Recommended: Wear suitable shoes while running, and document and monitor your calorie burn and heart rate with your Smartwatch. Also, with the help of this it is very easy to see improvements in cardiopulmonary endurance, In fact, all your actions are recorded using a computer, and there is a training history. The following is a list of recommended personal equipment for home workouts, for developing cardiopulmonary endurance, and for monitoring and controlling progress:







Home training is recommended to be performed under the supervision of a certified trainer. It is recommended to avoid exercising alone at home!
 

A summary of the topic on how to find a life coach

After reviewing the article, it turned out that it takes a lot of effort to find a trainer who suits you like a glove, and it is recommended to focus on the following topics: His / her authority as a trainer; Constant updates on new material; The chemistry between you; Does He / She work according to a pre-built training program ?; Does He / She update learning materials according to the needs of the trainee?; Does He / She set training goals and expectations for a period of six months to a year? On the possibility of canceling classes without charging a fee; Long-term payments and discounts; The question of professional insurance; Remember that a good coach is a life coach, so you should try to find one. We saw what is included in the personal trainer equipment and what to buy for home workouts.

 

The article by - Gil Peleg.

 

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