As coaches, we strive to always give you all the best possible experience, and a major part of that experience is good communication. We love reaching out to our clients and asking you all questions to give you the best guidance both in and out of your sessions. We also LOVE hearing from you, especially if you are one of our remote programming clients that do not regularly meet with us one-on-one. Building a level of communication based on trust, understanding, and commitment plays a major role in creating healthy habits that last for a lifetime!
I personally work with a coaching duo out in Dallas for my own competition weightlifting. Lifting as a remote athlete has been absolutely invaluable towards growing as a coach, because it allows me to experience both sides of the coin. I personally text my coach almost every single day, sometimes to the point where I know I am annoying but they are too nice to say anything (shoutout Chris and Amanda!). Why is this necessary? Because I greatly believe that an athlete only goes so far with limited communication. Updating my coaches on factors that can impact my life inside the gym gives them the ability to update my programming according to what my body needs, when the next competition is, what technical changes need to be made, etc. I WANT my clients to “annoy” me! The more insight I have into how your mind and body are feeling, the better your results will be.
Because we all love a good list, below are the four important steps for maintaining good communication with your coach. This is NOT me putting all the work on you. As a coach, I have a professional and personal responsibility to reach out to you and keep you accountable. However, relationships are two-way streets, and learning how to take ownership of your health by strengthening your communication with your coach is huge!
Find A Coach You Trust
This is arguably the most important step you can take. Find a coach that is honest, genuine, and makes you feel comfortable. I want all my clients to feel like they can freely discuss aspects of their training with me without any judgment. Should you trust me to do your taxes? Definitely not, but you should absolutely trust me to get you towards a healthier version of yourself!
Update Your Coach On Any Outside Stressors That Can Impact Your Training
This is something that can sometimes be overlooked or dismissed out of fear of being a “bother.”Trust me, you are not bothering us at all! The more updated we are of factors in and out of the gym that impact you mentally and physically, the easier we can adjust your training moving forward. Creating a program that works best for you and your lifestyle is what creates lifelong habits and prevents injury and burnout!
Be Open and Honest With Your Feedback
Similar to number two, being honest with your workout feedback is INCREDIBLY important, and won’t hurt your coach's feelings. At Straight Shot, we genuinely want our clients to succeed, and part of that success is understanding exactly how you are progressing. If an exercise gives you pain, let us know! If a workout was way too easy, let us know! If you had to go lighter on an exercise than programmed, be honest! For the ladies out there, if you are on your period and need adjustments to your training, tell us (and check out the period blog I wrote a few weeks ago)! For those of you that have been training for a long time and possess a lot of athletic maturity (something I will delve into in a future blog!), let us know if a training cycle is simply not working for you. Whether you aren’t recovering properly or in a slump/plateau, the sooner we know the sooner we can set you on a different path.
Try To Message Them On A Routinely Basis
This is actually what I use to communicate with my clients on a regular basis! Barring anything urgent or unique, if you are one of my remote clients, you have probably noticed that I contact you every Monday, Thursday, and then at some point over the weekend (not everyone is exactly like that, but you get the gist). While I certainly communicate outside of those days as well, those are the days where I block off time on my schedule to reach out and discuss your workouts/progress/recovery/etc. Blocking off communication like an appointment and creating a routine makes it so much easier to remember and stay consistent. From a client’s perspective, try and message your coach once or twice a week “appointment style” on the same day each week. This can absolutely include and/or be in addition to the days your coach already communicates with you. Block off 5, 10, 15 minutes if you have to! We are here to listen.
Whether you are a seasoned athlete, new to training, or interested in getting started, take these steps when you work with your coach and foster that relationship with them. The better and more open your communication is with them, the better chance you have of reaching your goals since your coach is tailoring your plan around your feedback. And don't ever think you're bothering us...being there for you isn't just our job, it's our passion!