• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
BarBend

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Top Athletes
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • Competition Results
    • Latest Research
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini Massage Guns
      • Individual Recovery Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Whey Protein Powders
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainers
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
        • Best Fat Burners for Men
        • Best Fat Burners for Women
        • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • More Supplements
        • Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
        • Best Supplements for CrossFit
        • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
        • Best Supplements for Bodybuilding
        • Best Supplements for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
      • Individual Supplements Reviews
    • Equipment
      • Cardio
        • Best Treadmills
        • Best Rowing Machines
        • Best Exercise Bikes
        • Best Ellipticals
        • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Strength
        • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
        • Best Dumbbells
        • Best Kettlebells
        • Best Barbells
        • Best Squat Racks
        • Best Free Weights
        • Best Weight Benches
        • Best Resistance Bands
        • Best Slam Balls
        • Best Weighted Vests
        • Best Leg Extension Machines
        • Best Cable Machines
        • Best Power Racks
        • Best Pull Up Bars
      • Best Home Gyms
        • Best Smart Home Gyms
        • Best Gym Equipment Under $100
        • Best Home Gym Essentials
        • Best Home Gym Flooring
      • Individual Equipment Reviews
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Apparel
        • Best Weightlifting Shoes
        • Best Cross Training Shoes
        • Best Gym Bags
        • Best Gym Shorts
      • Training
        • Best Weightlifting Belts
        • Best Knee Sleeves
        • Best Lifting Straps
        • Best Grip Strengtheners
        • Best Wrist Wraps
        • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Individual Fitness Product Reviews
    • Certifications
      • Best Sports Nutrition Certifications
      • Best Personal Trainer Certifications
      • Best Nutrition Certifications
      • Individual Certifications Reviews
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
      • Individual Program Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Nutrition Tips
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Bent-Over Row
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Crunches
      • Farmer’s Carry
    • Best Exercises
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Back Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Glute Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Hamstring Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Calf Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
      • Triceps Exercises
    • Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • German Volume Training
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • The Cube Method
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Build Your Own Program
    • Fat Loss
      • How to Burn Fat
      • Spot Fat Reduction
      • How to Train on a Cut
      • Body Conditioning
      • Workouts
        • Kettlebell Circuits
        • Dumbbell Complexes
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Muscle Gain
      • Muscle Hypertrophy Explained
      • How to Build Muscle
      • How to Maintain Muscle
      • What Researchers Say About Muscle Gain
        • Workouts
          • 20-Minute Workouts
          • Kettlebell Circuits
          • CrossFit Workouts for Muscle
          • Bodybuilding Workouts
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
Op-Ed

5 Life-Skills for Effective Strength Coaching

Written by Mike Dewar
Last updated on July 25th, 2023

“Success” is a very subjective term. One person’s definition of success may be from a financial standpoint, while another may seek merit based upon accolades, accreditations, or simply the amount of lives they impact. Regardless of a strength coach’s “definition” of success, there are a key life-skills that are seen among coaches and established health and fitness professionals.

strength-coaching
Recently, I was a guest speaker on an Alumni Panel for Columbia University Health and Biobehavioral Sciences, where I had the great opportunity to be joined with fellow coaches, fitness professionals, and researchers. As we discussed what traits and skills were underlying all of the “successes” along our individual journeys, we uncovered five life-skills that effective strength coaches should posses.

Below are five life-skills that effective strength coaches should possess to better educate, facilitate, and develop optimal performance outcomes with athletes and clients.

You Can’t Fake Passion

 

A photo posted by J2FIT Human Performance (@thej2fit) on Nov 26, 2014 at 12:12pm PST

Sometimes you can “Fake it until you make it.” When it comes to coaching, it can be extremely difficult and energy-sapping interacting with people, endlessly programming, and educating yourself day in and day out. Without passion, your energy will dry up, potentially leaving you to resent the exact things that you once loved. While being passionate about what you do is key for most things in life, strength coaches need to have a strong passion for coaching, fitness, and improving the lives of others through physical and mental training.

Learn to Follow Through

 

A video posted by J2FIT Human Performance (@thej2fit) on Oct 12, 2016 at 5:48am PDT

The ability to turn your ideas into action is one that many individuals fail to achieve. I often see this when it comes to exercise programming for athletes and clients, with amazing programs established yet poorly executed. Without the ability to carry out our plans, whether in the gym, business, or life, we are left in a state of limbo. To fully maximize the lives of clients and athletes, strength coaches need to develop a strategy for their growth and development and implement it to the best of their ability.

Communication Is Key

 

A photo posted by The Fittest League (@thefittestleague) on Dec 7, 2015 at 3:03am PST

The ability to communicate with athletes, clients, and other coaches is invaluable as a strength coach. Learn to speak clearer, read body language, and listen to others. Communicating with your athletes will allow them to understand your methods clearer, help you monitor their training status and concerns, and develop you into a stronger leader among you following.

Understand the Practical Applications of Everything

 

A photo posted by @strong_by_science on Oct 11, 2016 at 5:57am PDT

As strength coaches, we are always self-educating ourselves by reading fresh articles, coaching videos, and research journals. While those are a large part of what makes a strength coach a high level influencer, educator, and professional, coaches must learn to sift through all of that and deliver an actionable outcome. Coaches need to have the ability to take content about post activation potentiation, the different phases of the snatch, or force production and then translate it to everyday athletes, non-fitness minded clients, and various levels of coaches. By being able to find the practical, everyday applications of scientific findings and theories will allow strength coaches to follow through, implement, and make significant changes to the lives and performances of their athletes/clients.

Be Compassionate

 

A photo posted by Silent Mike (@silentmikke) on Nov 6, 2016 at 8:58pm PST

Being compassionate doesn’t necessarily mean being a soft coach. Train your athletes hard, treat them with respect, and understand that their will be days where they will be beat up from life stress or training. Coaches need to recognize the signs of overtraining, emotional stress, and learn to display compassion and understanding when it is due. Never let your ego or what’s programmed dictate the outcome of an athlete’s progress. Both coaches and athletes/clients need to have a mutual level of understanding, trust, and respect for one another and the process to fully find results.

Final Thoughts

While these five life-skills are by no means the end all to becoming successful, coaches can use these as fundemental skills to build upon as they grow and further develop their personal strategy for success. Stay humble, stay hungry, and never stop growing (mentally, physically, and socially).

Editors note: This article is an op-ed. The views expressed herein are the authors and don’t necessarily reflect the views of BarBend. Claims, assertions, opinions, and quotes have been sourced exclusively by the author.

Featured Image: j2fit.com

About Mike Dewar

Mike holds a Master's in Exercise Physiology and a Bachelor's in Exercise Science. He's a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and is the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at New York University. Mike is also the Founder of J2FIT, a strength and conditioning brand in New York City that offers personal training, online programs, and has an established USAW Olympic Weightlifting club.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

Ashley Kaltwasser’s Tricks For Longevity in Competitive Bikini Bodybuilding

Enahoro Asein (83KG) Deadlifts a Monster 355-Kilogram (783-Pound) Triple Raw

2023 Rising Phoenix and Arizona Pro Women’s Bodybuilding Show Preview

2023 Sheru Classic France Pro Bodybuilding Show Preview

2023 Daytona Pro-Am Bodybuilding Show Preview

Latest Reviews

Alaskan Cold Plunge Feature

Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Review

Living.Fit Grip Strengthener Review

Bells of Steel Competition Kettlebell Review

Bells of Steel Barenaked Powerlifting Bar 2.0 Review

REP BlackWing Feature

REP Fitness BlackWing Weight Bench Review

Be the smartest person in your gym

The BarBend newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I Want In!
BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2023 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap