The levels of logistics going on while they make it look so simple is an art form most will never know.
“There is an immense amount of skill required to be an effective S&C Coach.
I’m not talking about the ability to write & implement programs. That’s easy.
I’m talking the skills of reaching, impacting, & streamlining positive adaptations in highly complex, emotional humans.”
-Ray Zingler on Twitter
“He’s the workout guy.”
I’m sure there are many strength coaches on here who are referred to as the same. Yes, I get a kick out of being the “workout guy”. No, it doesn’t offend me either.
But let me tell you something about those “workout guys”. Their jobs take an immense amount of knowledge, self-awareness, and outright skill to be effective.
Because while “working out” (planned, calculated, methodical, appropriately dosed and progressed, training, that yields streamlined, positive adaptations) is part of the job. It’s a very small part of the job.
Knowing how to teach, coach, write, and implement exercises within training programs is the most fundamental aspect of a strength coaches job, but to compare him to a mechanic the above are just “the tools”.
Anybody can buy the tool set, right?
Anybody can google some exercises and set & rep schemes, right?
If all it took to be a successful mechanic was tools and all it took to be a successful strength coach was some fundamental exercise knowledge, why isn’t everybody with a toolset in their garage fixing their own cars and why do we have the lowest fitness literacy in 2023 that the world has ever seen?
It’s because there is vastly more to the equation than what initially meets the untrained eye.
That “workout guy” is balancing layers of logistics for specific individuals and then compounding the volume of logistics with multiple people in a group setting.
Have you ever tried to charismatically coach, reach, and inspire a group of beginners with varying levels of knowledge and competence?
Beginners who have different strengths, weaknesses, goals, injury history, & etc.
Oh yeah, and mind you, every single one of the individuals needs a specific type of care, coaching style, & cueing to meet them where they are at mentally and emotionally so that you, the coach, can help them get the most out of themselves and have a phenomenal experience under your direction.
And the great coaches are so great they have all of these logistics taking place in the background of their minds, while the consumer only sees a “workout guy” prescribing exercises, sets, and reps.
It’s an unappreciated art that MOST could never do.
Your (great) “workout guys” provide an essential service you can’t put a price tag on.
