Learning from Strength Coaches

The following excerpt is from Harry Selkow at EliteFTS who has been a strength and athletic coach for longer than I've been alive. If you know me at all, it's no secret that I take many of my best ideas about teaching and education from strength coaches and strength programming. The following is just one good example.

Question this morning was about the difference between "Programming", Being a "Trainer" and "Coaching"

I laughed a bit at this as there was a post about how "getting a Certification 1 as a X fit instructor, doesn't make you a COACH." 

Which lead me to the conversation in the first place. My initial reaction was, well...getting a certification anything DOESN'T make you a Coach! It makes you certified by what ever organization is getting the money.

Here was my answer in dialog form:

Me: "Well, what you see on the board is the session for today. I WROTE a program, based on where we are TODAY. I didn't write it last night before 5:00 pm while imbibing or smoking dope (not insinuating anything!!!) I didn't DREAM up the progression on a whim. BUT, that doesn't make me a Trainer nor a Coach. It makes me a "Programmer". As I stand here before you, IMPLEMENTING this particular program, making sure your form is correct and encouraging you while you are DOING THIS PROGRAM for today, makes me a "Trainer".

Later, when I think about your performances, when I am home, and change the things that make our relationship stronger and your lifts better (or performances)and taking into account ALL the "Mentoring" that goes on OUTSIDE our athletic arena, THEN, I become a COACH!" 

You see, you don't just get called "Coach" as a title, it is something that is EARNED through effort BEYOND the event(s). Coach=Mentor. Coach= I care beyond the pay grade.

My measured success is how SATISFIED you are with your gains, your performances and your overall EMPOWERMENT of my PROGRAM. My success is based on YOUR success, NOT how many "follow" me, NOT how much dinero I make. My Success as a COACH is based on YOU becoming one, if you need to be.

If you're a teacher a don't see the clear analogies to our profession then I will explain. The word programming as he uses it is essentially curriculum design. The role of trainer is the same as instructor and that of coach is an educator.

There are many roles required to be a successful educator, but Harry nailed it on the head with his last few paragraphs about being a coach. A good educator or teacher should have the exact same sentiments toward their students.