3 things to consider when aiming to become a great powerlifting coach and train online
I recently was asked a very interesting question about online powerlifting coaching. I’ve put it below and included my response.
[paraphrased for clarity]“How did you get to where you are now as a trainer? Do you have any advice as to things I should do or pain points I should avoid along the way to make the transition from my current job into full time personal training online as painless as possible? “
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Here was my response.
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Before coaching online, I got certified to train clients in-person and used online training as a way to supplement my client’s plans. IMO, going right to online training only is the most common mistake I see from coaches who want to work online.
While most of the work I do these days is online powerlifting coaching, to this day, I still train some clients in-person out of a gym in Kitsilano (in Vancouver, BC).
If a coach doesn’t build the basic (but intricate) skillset required to work well with clients in a live environment and then try to go work with clients in a remote, non-real-time situation which of course makes everything harder.
So, recommendation #1 would be to hone your craft in person first. If not that, continue to work with people in person as you build your online business.
Number 2 recommendation would be to abandon the idea that online training is an easy way to make fast cash. I’ll be really blunt here: if you approach any training with this mentality, you’re the exact reason that this industry is so saturated with garbage trainers who view their clients as a paycheque and provide a mediocre service at best and are actively doing harm at worst (whether you as the trainer know it or not).
The third thing I did that was really really productive was to hire in-person and online coaches over the years to coach me in addition to doing a lot of continuing education courses. This ranged from consultation type work all the way to full fledged mentorship and coaching packages that I would purchase in order to broaden my view of training.
It’s easy to get stuck in your ways and seeing how other coaches approach problems, communicate and find solutions then experiencing that from the client end of things is pivotal to rounding out your coaching abilities.
By having great mentors, coaches and also pursuing further education through other mediums, it has allowed me to build an ever growing skillset so that I can approach any lifter with a full toolbox, so to speak. When one strategy isn’t working, I can then pivot to a different strategy to work with the lifter at hand and avoid the “square peg, round hole” situation that is all too common when coaches get dogmatic about training principles where they will become fixated on “what SHOULD work” as opposed to working with the client and finding what works for the lifter that is in front of them.
PS – Here’s 3 ways I can help you in your lifting:
1. Follow me on Instagram (@strongeryoupt) where you can find even more lifting tutorials, and content around becoming the strongest lifter you can be.
OR
2. Get a free copy of my “StrongerYou Strength Programs” HERE using password “StartingPL”
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3. Join the “Momentum Program” and become a case study. I’ll work with you 1-on-1 to develop a customized coaching strategy, get rid of your current pains and consistently add pounds to the bar. Just put the word “COACHING” into an message here and I’ll get in touch to see if you’d be a good fit.