Some questions related to SS Seminars

[TarzanMoosefart]

The description of the SS Seminar says that anyone who wants to be evaluated to be a SS Coach must have prior coaching experience. What about people who never coached and want the certification? Is that just a no-go? Where do people get coaching experience? Crossfit? Doesn't that just imprint people with bad coaching experience?

If you go to a seminar and want to be evaluated as a coach later on, do you have to pay for a whole new seminar?

Also, what do you need to bring to a SS Seminar? Dress in street clothes and just bring a normal gym bag? I didn't see a list of things to have on hand in the description of the SS Seminars.

[Nick Delgadillo]

People who have never coached won't pass the platform evaluation. We've got a ton of info spread out around the site and in the forums on the credential and what it takes to pass the evaluations. This is a good start: Get Started - Become a Starting Strength Coach

If you go to a seminar and want to be evaluated as a coach later on, do you have to pay for a whole new seminar?

Yes.

When you sign up for the seminar there will be prep and information sent out. You'll bring your workout clothes, maybe some food, a pen, and a notebook. There are other things that you may want to bring. This is not a comprehensive list.

[TarzanMoosefart]

Thanks Nick, so to clarify, I guess the "coaching experience" a person needs is not actual professional, paid coaching experience? It can just be experience coaching friends etc?

[Nick Delgadillo]

The seminar staff is tasked with identifying someone who is already a coach using the Starting Strength model. Specifically, that the candidate can apply the model and make corrections in real time. You'll demonstrate your ability to do that throughout the weekend. People who pass the platform evaluation have spent many hours with lots of different people, fixing lots of different problems. They are for all practical purposes professional coaches.

So, no, the experience doesn't have to come from paid clients, but you'll need to have extensive coaching experience to pass the evaluation.

[Bill Coyne]

Even if you're currently coaching full-time, consider attending your first seminar to learn and lift. Enjoy the weekend and learn the standards to which you'll be held when you come back for the evaluation -- they're likely more demanding than you anticipate. Unless you work at a Starting Strength Gym, work directly with a Starting Strength Coach, or are somehow absolutely certain you'll pass the evaluation, hold off and come back for evaluation at another seminar. Not cheap, sure, but worth every penny.

[Ben Patterson]

I'll offer my input here as someone who has done a seminar and opted-in to be evaluated. It is tough and if you've never coached before you will fail. I had interned at an SS gym for 6 months prior to the seminar and still fell short of passing. I will be attending my second seminar in November (at Bill's gym actually) and knowing what it is coming is certainly beneficial to preparation. As was already said, it's not cheap but it's worth it.

[TarzanMoosefart]

Yep, I agree with what's been said. I'm just going to learn and improve my own performance. I'm reading the books and look forward to the experience. I'm not a coach by any means but in the future I might go for it. I think I'd enjoy coaching a few people on the side someday.