"Need" for a coach??

[Cash43]

So a lady friend of mine is prepping for a show in a few months, she now has her coach, posing coach and supplement supplier (which she was told to buy from by her coach).
This had me thinking.... how much need is there for a coach? As I read and learn more about the golden era legends they didn't use coaches, they trained together, learned, adjusted.
I think this whole instagram coach era is just an opportunity for people to regurgitate info off a forum and call themselves a "trainer"
I'm not talking about a newbie who it's their first attempt at getting in shape, I'm talking about people who claim to be body builders or lifters.
Maybe I'm completely wrong though and a coach is the key

 

[Jak3d]

I don't get the whole coaching thing or the need for a personal trainer. Some coaches for the top guys probaly know their shit with sodium manipulation carb timing all that other crap but that's also stuff you could learn on your own if you wanted to.

 

[Cash43]

I don't get the whole coaching thing or the need for a personal trainer. Some coaches for the top guys probaly know their shit with sodium manipulation carb timing all that other crap but that's also stuff you could learn on your own if you wanted to.

Agreed, I mean if your at that level where your trying to add a 1/2 inch here and loose a 1/4 inch there to look perfect at the Olympia I get it.

 

[Docd187123]

Good coaches are invaluable if you plan on competing or getting the most out of your training. An experienced and objective eye only helps.

 

[ickyrica]

On topic but off topic, I recently started using a coach for power lifting. The accountability when someone is there judging me makes me try harder plus I for the life of me can not get myself to understand how to build a solid workout plan. I get some of the basics down but I am still missing a shit ton of knowledge. As Docd said, a good coach can prove to be invaluable. All in all it may be a personal preference I think.

 

[Ironlord]

On topic but off topic, I recently started using a coach for power lifting. The accountability when someone is there judging me makes me try harder plus I for the life of me can not get myself to understand how to build a solid workout plan. I get some of the basics down but I am still missing a shit ton of knowledge. As Docd said, a good coach can prove to be invaluable. All in all it may be a personal preference I think.

Agreed. Millions of people hold gym memberships but how many ever get near their goals? Very few. Those with legit coaches and trainers definitely do better. Sure we live in an age where information is at your fingertips and you can self-teach anything you want to learn, but the downside is there's a ton of false info out there too. So people get info overload and need someone to straighten it out.

 

[Cash43]

Agreed. Millions of people hold gym memberships but how many ever get near their goals? Very few. Those with legit coaches and trainers definitely do better. Sure we live in an age where information is at your fingertips and you can self-teach anything you want to learn, but the downside is there's a ton of false info out there too. So people get info overload and need someone to straighten it out.

Agreed but I'm more referring to people who've been training for a while. Just seems these trainers really only toss out the same info you can get online. Again I'm not talking about a legit coach like Rambod who none of us could afford.
But like the chick I know, her trainer will give her diet plans that are obviously right off the web, and workouts the same, then if she's question as to why she's adding a cheat day or cutting more carbs she'll answer with "my coach said so"
Not saying there's no need just seems like it's a dime a dozen now and they all know nothing. I guess if I ever compete I may eat my words lol

 

[Docd187123]

Agreed but I'm more referring to people who've been training for a while. Just seems these trainers really only toss out the same info you can get online. Again I'm not talking about a legit coach like Rambod who none of us could afford.
But like the chick I know, her trainer will give her diet plans that are obviously right off the web, and workouts the same, then if she's question as to why she's adding a cheat day or cutting more carbs she'll answer with "my coach said so"
Not saying there's no need just seems like it's a dime a dozen now and they all know nothing. I guess if I ever compete I may eat my words lol

It's for reasons like that I prefaced my post with a "good" coach. Trainers and shit nowadays can get a certification simply by taking a simple test, paying a fee, and boom...they're now a certified trainer without ever having set foot in a gym or coached anyone or studied physiology, kinesiology, anatomy, etc. I've been lifting for years and know about programming but my coach was still valuable to me bc he always remained objective even at times when I was not. He's helped me work through pain, treat nagging injuries, and correct issues I've had. He helped a buddy of ours total 1700+ @ 242 raw w/wraps including a 530lb paused bench. He drove 2.5hrs to my first meet to be my handler and help me through the process. There's a difference between a good coach and a normal trainer. Finding the former is like finding a goldmine. Finding the latter is like finding a bag of shit on your doorstep.

 

[RodgerThat]

I see it this way, if they are on instagram boasting about a 8week "custom" program or 10 week perfect prep or some shit like that they are worthless. The only people I'd trust as a coach for myself either aren't affordable or don't advertise. Guy in my gym is a champion strongman has 6 clients total won't take on more unless a client drops out because otherwise he doesn't the time to do it properly. If you want to know how good a coach is ask him how many clients he has and if it's over 10 and it's not his full time gig then he's or she is a hack and trying to make a buck. I coach a few people (I am not a coach by any means just helping a select few trying to achieve real goals) and it takes some time to build something that's sustainable and to really understand what the person needs and to modify cause each person things work differently.

If you are at a higher level with decent understanding a coach is good to keep you on track or to build your program, for myself I haven't used a coach but I use proven programs and I take tips from a select few on meso to tweak things.

If you've ever played a sport at a truly high level you'll learn the coach isn't there to teach you anything he's there to design the play and oversee all factors to let you focus on what your job is.

 

[Leancuisine]

So a lady friend of mine is prepping for a show in a few months, she now has her coach, posing coach and supplement supplier (which she was told to buy from by her coach).
This had me thinking.... how much need is there for a coach? As I read and learn more about the golden era legends they didn't use coaches, they trained together, learned, adjusted.
I think this whole instagram coach era is just an opportunity for people to regurgitate info off a forum and call themselves a "trainer"
I'm not talking about a newbie who it's their first attempt at getting in shape, I'm talking about people who claim to be body builders or lifters.
Maybe I'm completely wrong though and a coach is the key

They used coaches back in the day. Most of them were quiet about it and kept it local, or within their gym. Didn't boast about it like they do now, plus they didn't have the internet.
Shit, Arnold used ballet instructors to teach him him how to transition from pose to pose.
Didn't Lou Ferrigno literally travel to Italy to go train at a new gym and learn new shit before one of his Olympia competitions?

They weren't your shill coaches that you see all over social media today. Just people who had knowledge to bring to the table and were willing to help.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

I don't need motivation and I have a pretty solid understanding of programming (powerlifting) and nutrition to get results. There's just things that can missed when you're on your own. Not only that, but I'll tend to second guess my programming when I'm doing my own. With a coach I believe in I can just do what I'm told and trust the process. It's worth the money to me.

 

[colossus25]

I had a powerlifting coach a really good well known PL coach. He took me to the next level and not just strength wise but even my physique improved vastly. I learned so much from him including how to lay out a proper strength building program, knowledge you just won't find (at least not easily) buried in the misinformation on the internet. Now i feel like i don't really need a coach unless i was in the last 12 weeks before a show. I've learned so much through my education in nutrition, research, and hands on experience that i feel confident enough to be on my own. My point is a good coach is very hard to find but once you do absorb as much knowledge from them as you can.