A long long time ago we talked about why you should hire a coach… today we are talking about the other side of the relationship: breaking up with your coach. There are many reasons why you may want to say goodbye to your current trainer, we’ll discuss a lot of them… as well as ways to break the news, and how to shop for a new coach when you’re on the free agent list. Let’s get messy.
REASONS YOU MAY WANT TO FIRE YOUR TRAINER
The list is nearly endless, so we are going to cover a handful of reasons, but this is by no means a complete comprehensive list.
- You’re not making progress.
- This is just the tip of the iceberg, we can get into exact reasons why this isn’t happening.
- Your coach isn’t regularly assessing your progress – It’s hard to make progress when you don’t know if you’re doing better or not.
- Your coach isn’t analyzing why you aren’t reaching your goals – If they don’t talk to you about what you want, how are they going to know how to coach you?
- This is just the tip of the iceberg, we can get into exact reasons why this isn’t happening.
- They’re consistently late.
- Not only is this annoying, but it’s super fucking disrespectful.
- Your program isn’t tailored to you or your lifestyle.
- If you have unrealistic rules to follow, you won’t reach your goals.
- They want you to push through pain.
- This one is a HUGE red flag, it means they’re not listening to you at all. Run away. Immediately.
- They violate physical or emotional boundaries.
- Another huge red flag. They’re abusing their position and violating your agreement and your trust. Again, run away.
- They shame you.
- Fuck no. Don’t ever let a coach make you feel bad about yourself.
- You don’t feel like your training is about you, because it should be.
- It’s okay to be selfish here, you’re literally paying for personalized coaching. If they seem inattentive or distracted during your sessions, show them the door.
HOW DO I BREAK UP WITH THEM?
Look, breaking up is never easy, no matter what kind of relationship it is. We have a few tips to help you soften the blow.
- Once you’ve assessed the situation and have come to your conclusion, you can break up with them however you see fit: be it over text, email, phone, or in-person… that’s up to you.
- You don’t have to give them a lot of reasoning for ending the relationship.
- But if you do, be honest. Tell them why it’s not working for you, but remember to be polite. There are always extenuating circumstances where a coach is an absolute shithead and they deserve some venom… but if your coach isn’t being a royal jerk – let them down gently.
- Remember: This is a working arrangement you’ve entered into with this person… if they aren’t holding up their end of the deal, that’s not acceptable.
- You aren’t doing anyone any favors by sticking by a coach that isn’t helping you see results, not to mention it’s a waste of money. Go find greener pastures.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN MY NEW TRAINER?
Now is your chance for a fresh start and a reset. Choose wisely. We have a few things we think you should look at when you’re ready to get back out there and find a new coach.
- Do they have an entry assessment? This is a green flag. It means they want to know about you on an individual level. They should ask about previous injuries, past issues with certain movements, any restrictions, etc.
- It’s not much different than dating, you want someone that listens to you and pays attention.
- They should be able to specifically pinpoint and breakdown why they can help you achieve your goals.
- This shows that they have an understanding of the challenges you face and how you can overcome them together.
- They should set proper expectations. You won’t be jacked in 90 days, but they can let you in on how long it will take to start seeing the benefits of your hard work.
- They should take your feedback into consideration when developing a plan.
- Remember: PERSONAL training. They should tailor that shit to you. They may be an expert in their field, but you are an expert in your own life, so your input means something.
- They should ask about your nutrition. If they don’t, you’re honestly wasting your time. Even if you aren’t hiring them as a nutrition coach, they should still give you some baseline level of macros to follow.
- Are they certified? It’s not an absolute requirement, there are some great coaches out there without certs, but you should generally look for someone with credentials.
- ISSA, NSCA, ACSM, NASM, ACE, it doesn’t matter what acronym they have by their name… if they have certs, it means that they’ve spent a large amount of time studying fitness and/or nutrition.
Hopefully we’ve helped turn an unpleasant situation into something a little less stressful.
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