Do you need a Coach?

How important has it been for you to have a coach, and do you see more elite CrossFitters getting coaches in the near future?

“For me, having a coach is amazing. It takes out all of the thinking; I am almost robotic and will do whatever he sends me. I think it’s crucial to have a coach, and I think you have already seen most top athletes start working with coaches. Those who don’t will eventually make the transition. In every other sport, there’s a coach, and as CrossFit grows I think it will follow the same pattern.”

I can concur with the above statement. I had a coach for many years, well around 20 years to be exact before I became a coach myself. However, even after becoming a coach, I would still seek out other coaches to help me with our programs and specific areas that I didn’t have the knowledge or expertise.

One of my athletes said exactly what the Cross-fitter said above. He is a smart guy, a PE teacher, and an Olympic athlete. There was very little he didn’t know about sprint training but he loved the fact he could just turn up to the track and not have to think about what he had to do after a long day at work.

There were times when I had to seek out help from other coaches as well. I’m a big believer in gravitating to people that have done it before. I wanted to fast-track his Olympic lifting techniques and I didn’t have the time to learn all the intricate details as this would take years. I have a solid background in strength and conditioning but hadn’t been exposed to a lot of Olympic Lifting. So, I did what I always do. I reached out to a specialist coach that just happened to be the Australian Women’s Olympic Team coach. He was more than happy to help my athlete.

A good coach is invaluable.

Happy training.