Why would someone need a coaching or training service?

Someone wise once said: "If you don't know where you're going, every road will take you there". 

Most athletes train unguided with no direction. Even if there is a goal, most people have no clue how to train their bodies for optimum performance while at the same time mitigating the risk of injury and exposure to over training. Many athletes just flounder, not making the best of their given ability or reaching their full potential. This is what's often referred to as the "plateau syndrome".

Coaches can provide inspiration and information, analysis and applause, support and sympathy. They can design long term training plans and stand beside the track holding a stopwatch. Coaches and trainers are for people who do not have the desire to spend years learning from their own mistakes, injuries, and failed training attempts. It's for those who value their time.

How do I find the right coach or trainer for me?

First off, certification provides no ironclad guarantee of a coach's competence. "Certification helps, but it doesn't certify anything except that a person has sat through a series of classes," Joe Rogers- head coach at Ball State University and chairman of one of the nations top coaching education committees. The truth of the matter is that not everyone who claims to be a coach is qualified to serve in that capacity, and not everyone who is "qualified" to coach is the right person to offer you advice. The right coach can be helpful in guiding you toward your goal. Do you simply need motivation, or are you looking for a day-by-day training program? Do you want to finish your first marathon or Ironman? Do you want to learn how to peak for a major race? Are your goals related more to physical fitness or do you want to attain a personal best? These are questions you should be askng yourself and your potential coach.

What is it that makes you different?

There are any number of coaches and personal trainers with a variety of credentials, certifications and pricing programs. Many certified personal trainers shy away from getting into the arena of coaching because it is well beyond their level of experience and expertise. Big name athletes often offer coaching services, but these may come at a very high price, and are simply not necessary for the beginner or intermediate athlete. Online coaching strategies turn out to be very impersonal.

Our goal is simple: to craft training plans that go above and beyond the day to day rigors of mindless workouts. To guide the athlete towards a pleasurable means of achieving fitness by tapping into their dreams and creating goals, and then tailoring a program that allows the athlete to reach out and achieve those goals.

How does your coaching process work?

The first thing would be to schedule a one-on-one consultation sit down session. This allows us to decide if we think we could work together. It also is the time to gather information, such as athletic and fitness history, health history, and lifestyle or time constraints. These questions can be found under the "forms" tab.

The next step is to create a goal schedule, highlighting a few interim goals to be used as stepping stones towards the longer term goal. Next, a conservative workout program is developed that takes into consideration current fitness level, goals, and availability. If your goal is to improve speed, we may need to do a lactic threshold test in order to create a more accurate and efficient training program This approach is a bit more scientific than training to simply "finish" an event.

Your workouts are emailed out each week if you're training for an individual event such as running or cycling. For you multi-sport athletes, you'll be able to log on and view your weekly schedule. Group workouts will be made available via my blog. You're free to call or email with any questions or concerns you might have at any time. For more information on the types of programs we offer, be sure to view the programs page.

Now it's up to you to put in the effort!