Why You Shouldn't Hire A Coach

This is the time of the year when athletes start to consider hiring a coach. They've wrapped up their season, unless doing 'cross, and want to improve their results in the upcoming year. I've been coached now for over 12 years and have been coaching others for 7 and there is a pattern I see for those who don't stick with the training. Here are some reasons that you may not want to hire a coach. You're a poor communicator: You're coach can't comment on your training unless you provide feedback whether in the form of uploaded files and/or comments. Something is always better than nothing. Someone providing zero feedback is not going to stick with the program. And for some reason, they always feel cheated given what they spent on the plan. Feedback has to come from you first. You can't stand training alone: Group rides are great and very necessary for those doing crits, road races, etc., but you have to be able to train solo quite often. Trying to do your intervals during a group ride while drafting off others just isn't going to provide the needed data unless that group ride is the recommended training ride that day. Learning to push yourself without others riding with you is a valuable training tool and will pay off in the long run. You just can't take an off day: Training more often is always better, right? Riding kind of hard every day is better than not, right? Wrong! Easy days have to be easy and hard days have to be hard. Too many people train in that in-between zone. Its ok, but not great for improvement or certainly not as recovery. Off days aren't on the bike chasing riders on the local bike trail who pass you. If you can't tolerate being passed, ride inside or just don't ride on the off days. Walk your dog. Don't have a dog? Come walk one of mine. Hard days have to be in the recommended zones for the recommended times and recovery days just that, recovery. Improvements only come when we allow our muscles, and minds, to rejuvenate. You expect immediate results: 'I want to increase my FTP 10%. Can I do that in three months?' 'Why am I not winning all of my races? We've been working together for 6 months.' 'I rode my same route and I was slower than two months ago. I thought I would get faster' If you want immediate results, save your money because it just wont happen. If you're not patient and if you truly don't enjoy working through a process and seeing gradual improvement, save your money. It is possible for some young riders to see dramatic improvements. It's also possible for new riders of any age to see big leaps in fitness under certain circumstances. For the rider with already many years under their belt the improvements will take some time and possibly be less earth shattering. That's not to say it can't be the opposite. It depends on too many factors to get into here from the type of event(s)you're training for, to how much and how hard you're willing to train, to genetics, etc. The point is, give the program some time to work. What's reasonable? I think a year at the very least. I started drum lessons when I 10 and took up piano at 39. A year into each I was pretty marginal. Forty two years later I can hold my own on the drums but I wouldn't want to play piano on stage in front of 5000 people. I still enjoy practicing and the process of getting better. I still enjoy training on my bike and still think I can ride faster, even at 52. I may be wrong but still believing is better than not. Only hire a coach if you feel the same way about your riding. It took me 10 years to break into the 21 minute range at our local time trial. I enjoyed (almost) every training ride and tt that it took to get there. You really have no intention of doing the training but hiring a coach feels good: Once again, don't waste your money and the coaches time. You have to be committed. You have to want to make the time. You have to want it, whatever that 'it' is in relation to your physical health and athletic goals. This is why most gyms have turnover rates of 35-50%. People think they want to get in shape. It takes more than just thinking about it. It takes doing it. Most great things don't come easy in life and never think that the great athletes, artists, musicians, etc., were just born the talent and went at it. They put in the 10,000 hours and more to get where they are. Ask yourself if you're truly committed first.