As we enter a New Year it is time to think about how to level-up your fitness! If you are considering hiring a fitness coach, you likely know about the benefits of accountability and learning proper technique. But these aren’t the only benefits. In fact, it’s the more ‘hidden’ benefits that provide the realization that hiring a coach might be what you need to take your fitness to a new level!
1) You don’t push yourself during workouts. The first reason could be because you lack motivation An individual pushing themselves with motivation behind them will go further than one who simply ‘isn’t feeling it’ on any given day. With a Coach there beside you, just the right dose of motivation is provided at every workout! This keeps you progressing consistently.
The second reason is individuals may fall victim to their own biases with regard to exercise selection. We tend to favor exercises that we are particularly ‘strong’ at or enjoy doing, just as we are less likely to opt for exercises that we dislike, or are not as strong at. Split Squats, anyone? A Coach knows the reality which is that you (probably) need more time with the exercises you are weak at, as well as keeping a healthy balance of working the entire body – not just what you enjoy.
2) You cannot properly manage recovery and interpret body feedback. Managing recovery takes skill, both from a program design standpoint as well as practical application in the gym. If individuals design their own workouts free of (paid) expertise, it is tough to know how much is too much. The only way to find out is to ‘test it’ in the field. If an ache/pain does develop, is it a sign of under-recovery or something more severe? When you don’t have a qualified fitness expert there to assess whether you need to intentionally back-peddle or if you are in need of a specific correction, it can become a slippery slope. Before you know it, you have stalled out or quit altogether.
3) You don’t have an expert to manage your result over the long-term. It is one thing for individuals to come up with a training program or find one through searching. It is another to periodically have that training plan re-evaluated based on the progress made and determine ‘what’s next’. Better yet, it can be challenging for individuals to manage their own mind and what ‘it thinks’ you should do. You might have the perfect plan already put together, but simply need more time with it to achieve the desired result. With a Coach beside you, sometimes the best advice is to keep you from doubting yourself (and the program). By the same token, a Coach also knows when it might be time to do away with one approach and try something new!
