A Self-Critique of Online Coaching

 An Introspective Self-Critique of Online “Coaching”

As I write this, I want to be clear, I AM NOT ATTACKING ANYONE SPECIFICALLY, nor am I attacking myself. From a “business” perspective, writing this is a horrible idea. The only way I can be painted is in a negative light, which I am fine with. Kindness and self-evaluation go hand in hand. If you are kind to yourself, you can accept your own shortcomings, and make changes to your practice that improve your abilities in your field. By writing this, my hope is to provide a realistic overview of online coaching, and the traps I’ve fallen in. 

I started online coaching two years ago. An athlete (who I am still friends with and still coach) reached out to me asking if I could write a program. I was unsure how I felt about the ordeal. I had never written a program, and I wanted to make sure that whatever I did was beneficial to the individual. We worked out a monthly cost (60 dollars) and went from there. 

In the beginning, everything was great. I only had a handful of clients. I had enough time to truly provide beneficial feedback to each individual, and I felt my athletes were getting their money’s worth. 

I am not a natural business man. In fact, I’d argue I suck. I’m horrible at setting boundaries with people, I’m terrible at estimating my own worth, and I have a tough time saying no to people. As more and more people began to jump on my coaching load after winning Clash of the 90’s, it was clear. I bit off more than I can chew. This is my first lesson from online coaching. 

The more clients you have, the more money you’ll make, sure. But this is a double edged sword. Sure, my business was “taking off”, even though I had a handful of clients who weren’t paying me (this again ties in to my natural horridity as a businessman), but my candle was being burnt out. 

They say to pursue a career in something you're passionate about. I’m here to tell you to be VERY careful with this. To me, the athletic prowess of our own bodies is an art form. When I started online coaching, I wanted to spread my art to others. The issue? Once I bit off more than I can chew, I offended my own art form. No longer was I coaching to spread my art form, I was coaching to survive, attempting to merely stay “caught up” with client videos versus providing meaningful feedback to improve their own art. 

You can ask my wife. I’m horrible at singing, dancing, painting… you name the artistic form, I’m probably working at a kindergarten level. Lifting is my art form, and this last year, I’ve felt I’ve disrespected my art form. It’s shameful to admit, but liberating. Admitting our own faults is a real way to change, and I intend on making that change. 

So why am I writing this? It’s simply a cautionary tale to both producers and consumers. There are many that do it well, but just as many that don’t. This isn’t to say I’ve failed all around. There have been victories as well. I’ve coached many athletes to local show wins, had a few athletes podium at national level shows, and successfully ran a charity event using my name that raised decent money for charity (shout out to the athletes that participated!). Learning is inherently human; we all do it. Either subconsciously or with intention. Harder than learning is the willingness to change.

That feels like enough background. You should get the jist on what I’m writing about now, and be ready for some cautionary tales. It will be about as unpleasant to read as it is to write, so if you're sick of me now, close the tab and move on. 

Cautionary Tale 1: The Reality of Online Coaching 

Online coaching has many pitfalls, but none greater than the inability to address incompetencies in real time. Sure, my response time is pretty decent. I typically get back to clients within a 24 hour period, and leave voice messages that are at least a couple minutes long. That being said, this will never replace the value of in person coaching. By being in person, you are able to address these issues at the exact moment you see it happening. The benefit to this is nipping a bad habit before it becomes a serious injury risk. 

Let’s talk about my own experiences with online coaching. With so many clients, a full time job as a teacher, and a family, I simply don’t have the time to watch every accessory movement thirty clients perform. The issue? This means, if there are bad habits, I won’t see them. This is harmful to the consumer and a disgrace to my art form. While I plan on changing this, I’ve already failed in this regard, and it is something I feel ashamed of. 

Cautionary Tale 2: Balancing your Goals with the Needs of your Clients 

I’ve heard a couple guys really do a great job of summarizing this. As an athlete that is still active, with some crazy goals, I’m focused on my own journey. With so many clients, you are stuck in your passion. It’s hard to keep track of your athlete’s goals, while you are so focused on your own. This is why it’s a great idea to seek out individuals who are no longer active in coaching; their passion for the sport is funneled into the client, versus the active athlete whose passion is being displayed through their own journey. 

My own feelings for the sport of strongman has changed through my coaching experience. I feel my own candle hasn’t been burning as bright, as I’ve been so focused on the progress of others. There is only so much emotional energy you can expend, and when you take on too many clients, it’s inevitable your own candle may burn out. I’ve recently felt the reignition of my own candle, but it came along with an introspective look into my own habits. 

Cautionary Tale 3: The Inexperienced Businessman 

I spoke about this above; I SUCK at business. I’m a teacher. I didn’t get into teaching for the money; I got into it because I’m passionate about learning. I love learning and I love teaching. I’m a good strongman, but an amazing teacher. I can say that with 100% confidence. 

As someone who is not necessarily motivated by money, but instead by the desire to spread their own knowledge, I’m at risk for being taken advantage of. Let me be clear; THIS IS NOT A “WOE IS ME”. I made my own mistakes. Now I have a chance to fix them. Being accepting of your own mistakes is the first step in fixing them. 

Let’s talk about my first mistake; not holding people accountable for payments. I see this mistake often, and those who are inclined to be “givers” are more susceptible to making this mistake. I would take on new clients, get a few weeks in, never receive payment, and just kept assuming their positive intentions. The issue? I was being taken advantage of, but didn’t want to view the individuals in a negative light. This is inherently disrespectful to not only yourself as the producer, but of the other clients you have on your caseload. Why should one individual get a free pass, if not everyone is getting a free pass? 

The second mistake; not saying no. I’m horrible at saying no. When someone wanted to work with me, I saw it as a badge of honor. This person trusts me with their progress. I felt great honor in helping them, and wanted to do the best possible job. By not saying no, I eventually worked myself into a corner, with a piling number of athletes and no end in sight. Once again, this is easy to fix, but it takes being introspective and honest. 

Cautionary Tale 4: The Feeling of Inadequacy

This is a hard one to write about, because I 100 percent feel it. As I write this, it weighs heavy on my shoulders. I’ve never accepted quitting. I’ll accept when something is hard, but I won’t accept quitting. I also don’t accept half-assing my own effort in any pursuit or action I take. 

Maybe this is why this cautionary tale sits so heavily on my shoulders. I don’t feel I’ve given my best effort. It’s not the way I was raised, nor is it the way I’ve ever behaved. And for that, I am sorry if you are someone reading this who I have let down in one way or another. I’ve always considered myself a man of honor, integrity, and respect. If I have disrespected you by not giving my best effort, I’m sorry.

If you are feeling inadequate about your effort, there is a reason. It’s not popular to say, because it doesn’t align with the “everything is okay if you do your best!” mantra that is thrown out. Here’s the deal; your best probably isn’t your best, and that’s why you feel like crap. You say you give your best effort, but do your actions indicate such? For me, the answer is no. I’m okay to admit it, but not okay to continue down that path. 

Cautionary Tale 5: Accepting the Norm 

This is the biggest cautionary tale I will give you. The norm now is for a coach to program, have you do the program, and then write another program for the following week. While this is the current norm, we can also say, this should not be the norm. We can change what is expected of online coaching, but it takes real awareness from those involved and a willingness to change. 

Let’s talk about what should be normal…

• A handful of clients at a higher price point. 

• More feedback on compound movements as well as accessory movements. 

• More focus on individual goals. 

While this won’t come at 40 or 50 dollars a month, this is 100 percent more valuable to an individual than the current norm. The current norm was developed by influencers, and something we should change. If you are paying 100 dollars a month or more for programming that is simply written instead of explained, stop. 

A General Outline of Change 

This is the hard part. I’m hoping that through my own plan to change, it will help you change or provide a think tank opportunity for all of us to improve. Here is my plan for the coming year:

1. Reset the “business”. Coach clients through promised competitions, then take a few months to plan a new, better way to do things. 

2. Take on less clients and raise the price point. Instead of doing 60 a month, charge 100-200 based on a price point outline. 

3. Limit clients to five. 

4. Set expectations for clients; video all accessory work, provide notes on workouts, and planned phone calls once a week. 

5. Reignite the passion over the break period in my own training, and when I start over, keep the center mission at the heart of my work; teaching others about my passion. 

Through doing this, I am fulfilling my promise to my clients. This is not to say I won’t implement some of these changes now. For example, I will start requiring my clients to film one set of every exercise they perform. In order to make this change meaningful, I need to start from zero. 

Ending on a Positive Note 

I wrote this not as a “diss track” aimed at myself. In fact, I feel better after writing this all down. It’s an understanding that I can do better as a coach and a person. As a human, I hold myself to a high standard. If I am not meeting that standard, it’s time to change something. I’ve never been the most intelligent, the strongest, or the most successful. That being said, I’d rather die than become a complacent human pleased with doing a half-assed job. I’m taking two steps back to take five steps forward, and create something that I can be proud of. Quitters quit; winners spit the blood out of their mouth and smile. My best is yet to come as a human, and I can’t wait to prove to myself that I can be better.