What to look for in a strength coach

[Tartarus]

What makes a good coach? I am asking because I'm thinking of getting one at the place where I train, a black-iron gym much like WFAC.

FYI, I'm an experienced novice strength trainer and I need coaching on the low-bar squat and the power clean.

[Tartarus]

The fellow I'm gearing toward is a powerlifter, 30 something y/o male, former marine, doctorate in a political science field (?), owner of the the gym. He's quite, keeps to himself and from what I've seen, is a low-bar squatter. Looks like his clients are happy with him too.

[Corrie]

My advice from personal experice: only buy one session at first and evaluate the coach after you've trained with them.
It really is a kick in the nuts when you negotiate some great discount on 12 sessions and realize your trainer is an idiot on the first one.

The real advice though is to find someone who is going to COACH you, not TRAIN you. Trainers take a template and make you follow it, coaches build the template around you.
It's probably going to be hard enough to find a coach that will agree with the majority of the stuff you're doing in SS, but they don't have to agree with everything if they are smart enough to understand what you are doing and work the program around your goals, weaknesses, strengths etc.
If you get some trainer who is going to try and make you follow some pre-set template then he is exactly opposite of what a coach is, he is a cheerleader there to read a list to you.

[Tartarus]

Thank you, Corrie.

[Chebass88]

1. How they communicate with you. You don't want someone who coddles you, nor do you want someone who puts you down. Can they get their idea across easily, or is it a hard effort to make you understand?

2. Do they have knowledge of their subject? For a lifter - have they trained clients with similar goals, or have they lifted to impressive numbers themselves?

3. Hourly rate - pay for quality, if you can afford it. At the same time, be economical. Just because someone charges $100/hour doesn't mean they are worth it.

4. Time dedicated to you. If you are paying them - they are working FOR YOU. This means they aren't chatting with other people (including potential clients), answering their cell phones / texting / etc. Conversely, you should be respectful of their time as well.

[melody]

I look for people with successful lifters and people who keep their clients for a long time.

[PaulBeech]

I wish i was a strength coach.

1. The ability to instruct and correct mistakes.
2. Programming knowledge and ability to adjust effectively at a moment's notice.
3. Some success with clients and their own lifting. I have now had 8 women pull over 225lbs, which in happy with and consider a success.
4. Lastly, and this may not be across the board, making money is secondary to providing good training.

[Dastardly]

The ability to help people who find learning/performing the lifts difficult because of body proportions/body proportions/injuries and such.

To help them understand what they are doing wrong and correct is efficiently without getting frustrated and putting the learner off by yelling etc..

Also, humility.

[njs23]

Also, humility.

lololol sweet irony. Look for someone who knows there shit. Avoid those who cannot squat 225 LBS. you should be straight dawg.

[mrflibble]

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