What does a fitness coach do? If you are thinking about hiring a fitness coach, it’s good to know what to expect before spending some of your hard earned cash.

What Does a Fitness Coach Do?

A fitness coach, sometimes called a fitness instructor, and other times referred to as a personal trainer, helps their clients learn how to lead healthier lives through the power of fitness. Many fitness coaches are also knowledgeable about nutrition and help clients learn how to eat right.

The 5 Steps of Fitness Coaching

1. The first thing a fitness coach will do is to evaluate the client’s needs and goals. This happens in the initial consultation. Part of what a fitness coach does is to evaluate a client’s goals and then tries to clarify these goals and create a roadmap for the client to achieve these stated goals.
2. What does a fitness coach do once he or she has helped to identify and clarify a client’s goals? The next step is to assess the client. This step usually involves taking measurements for height, weight, body mass, and other possible health indicators. This information provides the coach with crucial data for creating the right fitness program.
3. What does a fitness coach do once they have all the required information – needs, goals, and health indicators? They get started designing a program for the client. This is where they use their knowledge of fitness and exercise. They will put together a program that pushes the client, but is also fun, a program that makes them work, but doesn’t zap their energy. They will create weekly or monthly attainable goals along with the program.
4. Once an exercise program is created, there is still more to do. What does a fitness coaching expert do after the exercise program has begun? They talk to the client about proper diet. Diet and exercise go hand in hand – each one is vital to the health of the client. The fitness coach will talk about the right foods to eat, portion sizes, supplements, and maintaining the proper weight.
5. Once the diet and exercise program has been created and begun, the last step is to monitor the results. This will include observation, feedback from the client, and body measurements.

Does Fitness Coaching Work?

There is very little research on this subject. One study (McClaran, 2003) found that weekly sessions with a personal trainer significantly increased the client’s ability to change their attitude toward physical activity. Another study (Mazzetti, 2000) showed that the use of a personal trainer significantly impacted cardiovascular and muscle strength gains.

Most people who use a fitness coach recognize the value in having supervised workouts, at least for a specified amount of time. However, there is little scientific research on the benefits of fitness coaches. The only way to really tell if it works is to give it a try.

What does a fitness coach do when you hire one? You’ll have to hire one to find out, but I bet you are going to like what you see when you look in the mirror after a month or so working and sweating with a fitness coach!

By the way… you’re invited to claim your FREE step-by-step “Master Coach Blueprint” video toolkit. Just go HERE now to get your master coach blueprint videos.

Fred Philips
Business Coach
Writing Team, Coaches Training Blog Community