We live in a world where every moment seems to find itself online. Unfortunately, we have to shake our heads at some of the “coaching” moments we come across, so I thought it would be helpful to distinguish what we consider an effective, professional coach.

1. Good coaches are “students of the game.” A coach is always researching, learning, experimenting and taking what they consider the best of multiple training protocols and applying it to their clients’ programming. They don’t simply specialize in one training program.
2. They are professionals. They have chosen coaching as a full-time career and are passionate about the field.
3. Good coaches understand anatomy and movement. They know when to hold a client back because of movement deficiencies, but also how to devise ways to overcome said deficiencies. They know how to modify movements to still reach a desired outcome and they know how to address injuries.
4. Good coaches give clear, concise cues and, if a cue fails, they are able to find another one that may resonate better with the individual.
5. Good coaches stay calm. And, although they encourage their athletes, they don’t create stress and hysteria by yelling and being pushy.
6. Good coaches are realistic. They don’t push someone to do something he or she may be incapable of, but they also don’t crush dreams. Instead, they set small, incremental goals in order to get closer to the ultimate goal.
7. Good coaches maintain an open line of communication with clients so that they feel comfortable asking questions, revealing injuries and sharing goals.

Coaches have a responsibility to keep people safe and they don’t take that lightly. They design safe programs that give the maximum results with the minimum dose. For the general population, they focus on health and wellness and also make it fun!