How to pick the right Tri coach for you

You’ve decided that you are going to take the plunge and start using a coach. The structure of a training plan and being accountable to someone to get those sessions done will undoubtedly help you, but how can you make sure that you are getting the most out of the coaching process? Well, we are all individuals, so finding a coach who fits well to you will make the whole process more efficient, and give you a greater chance of being able to get the best out of your training.

Approach

Coaches will naturally have a preferred approach or emphasis. At its simplest, you could break it down to are they more of a ‘people person’ or are they more on the side of a logical, analytical approach? A good coach should be able to move around on this scale to suit you, but the fact remains that underneath they will have a preferred or natural working style. If you happen to pick a coach at the complete opposite end of the scale to you, then there could be misunderstandings, a slightly bumpier lead into a good relationship, or perhaps in some sporadic cases, it won’t work out at all.

Experience: New Coach / Experienced Coach

Consider the experience your coach has. Again, this is not something that needs to match your circumstances exactly, but opposite ends of a scale will not be ideal. Perhaps you are a world-class athlete, with some very specific and challenging goals - then someone new to coaching will possibly not have the experience to be able to help you to find those last few percentages of improvement that you really need. They may well relish the opportunity, however! Alternatively, you may be entirely new to the sport, and then a top-flight coach may not be in the best position to identify with what you are experiencing, as well as you having to pay a substantial monthly fee. Ultimately it should be down to the coach to ensure they have sufficient knowledge & experience (or if not, can they get it?) to help you progress.

Also make sure that its coaching experience/performance that you are assessing, not athletic ability. Commonly, ex-pros or high-level triathletes will turn to coaching once they are no longer competing – that is not at all to say that they might not be good coaches too. However, there is a significant difference between getting the best performance out of yourself versus coaching many different athletes and going through the process each time of finding out what makes them (as an individual) improve.

Coaching Style: Authoritative / collaborative

A little like approach, a good coach will be able to adjust their style to suit you. Perhaps more authoritative or directive if you have less experience and a more collaborative approach with those athletes who have a good idea what they should be and want to be doing. It may even change through the course of your relationship with your coach. But if your coach has a fixed style that just doesn’t seem to sit nicely or ‘work’ for you then perhaps it would be better to consider someone else. Of course, this is much better done right from the start, and hopefully can be identified during a ‘get to know each other’ discussion instead of well down the line into coaching. In the unlikely event that it just isn’t going to work, then it can take some courage to address the problem, but it’s probably for the best on both sides! Of course, this isn’t going to happen without good communication….

Communication:

This is the area that ties everything together – a coach will need you to be honest, open, and upfront with them if they are to be able to do their best to help you. It’s also beneficial for the coach if you tell them what you are expecting out of the relationship. And even though it’s the coach’s job to help you realise your goals, if they just aren’t going to happen for whatever reason (it could be you, your goals, or them) then they should be able to bring this up so you can both have a frank discussion about the best way forwards.

Other Coaching Avenues

What if you’re not quite ready to take on the services of a coach? Then perhaps you can get a flavour for what it might be like by going along to some local coached club sessions – tri clubs, running, swimming or even cycling clubs

Alternatively a week away in the sunshine on a triathlon training camp could introduce you to what a coach could bring to your training – & you might find the perfect coach.

Lastly, if you are still not sure, why not just give it a go, and see what happens? Your triathlon performance may be about to take off!

We’re here to help

Tri Training Harder are one of the leading Triathlon coaching providers in the UK, using our wealth of experience to unite scientific and technological research with already well-established and successful best practices, to create a formula for triathlon and endurance coaching that works.

The result is an honest, dynamic, yet simple new way of constructing an athlete’s training to allow them to reach their potential.

If you’re planning your next season, just starting out in the sport or are looking for extra guidance at the very top end of the field, we are here to help, and our coaches would be delighted to hear from you. You can contact us via the website, and one of the team will be in touch.

Kevin SmithSeptember 18, 2020Kevin Smith, Coached Athlete, Coaching, Triathlon, TrainingComment

How to pick the best Race Buddies

Are you planning on racing with a bunch of clubmates or friends? Do you know how you will cope? Will you be the easygoing traveller, or will you be the one who carries their nerves quite obviously? Coach Philip addresses some key points of self-reflection that athletes should go through before travelling to a race with others.

Endurance Athletes – Training Through the Menopause

Training through the menopause is often a confusing and difficult time. In this article, which was first published for the Castle Race Series, Coach Philip looks at the changes and how athletes can navigate them.

Are Training Plans Dead?

In this latest article, coach Philip explores whether a training plan is now dead. He also looks into the rise of artificial intelligence and its impact on the sports industry.

How do you get faster at endurance races without any training?

In this article, Coach Philip explores how athletes are often distracted by the enormity of the task and get excited about the headline sessions instead of ensuring that all the fundamentals are in place to improve their chances of success or, more importantly, reduce the probability of failure.

Catherine Tait – Macmillan Triathlon (check out her website).JPG

How to be an endurance athlete post menopause?

In a recent series of blogs Coach Denise has looked at the impact of the menstrual cycle, contraception and perimenopause on the female athlete. In this article she looks at what athletes and coaches should consider in the postmenopausal phase of life.

Should we dial down our FTP after the off-season?

In this latest article, coach Philip Hatzis explores how much we should dial back our FTP after an off-season break, or even if we should!? Read on to learn how to adapt your training after taking some time off.

Perimenopause and the athlete

In earlier articles Coach Denise has looked at the impact of the menstrual cycle on the female athlete, and how to train effectively within the body’s natural rhythm. In this article, Coach Denise looks at the impact that perimenopause can have on the athlete, and how to continue to train effectively through this phase of your life.

How can I do better at test sessions?

As we look to the new season, testing is one of the first things many athletes will do. This will be the form of benchmarking to understand initial fitness levels, biomechanics or other areas. Various aspects of training and performance will be measured and improved upon in the coming months. Yet, often, athletes dislike “test week” and miss out on brilliant opportunities to improve. Coach Philip Hatzis explores the topic of improving your testing sessions in this article.

How do I know if I should train if I am not feeling 100%?

At some point in their athletic career, every athlete has a point when they’re unsure if they should or should not train. This is often a result of illness or fatigue or something similar. They are feeling a bit “yuck” but do not necessarily understand why, which makes deciding whether they should train a tough challenge. In this article, coach Philip Hatzis explores how athletes can decide whether to train or not.

Should Goals be Time-bound?

In this article, Coach Philip explores goal setting and the commonly accepted approach to goal-setting that may actually inhibit performance by forcing a time constraint on athletes where no time may be the best option.

daa45c13-f469-4f8e-9f50-78cc2edbd6f3 (1).jpg

Are Coaches Sacrificing Health for Performance?

In this article, Coach Philip explores some trends we are starting to see with new athletes who have been previously coached by others. Though athletes often start working with coaches for performance, we are also responsible for ensuring that athletes are healthy and safe. This article looks at some examples and highlights some things that athletes and coaches can do to enable a better approach to athlete welfare.

How to plan for a triathlon season

Love it or loathe it, the topic of planning is central to all sports, none more so than multi discipline endurance sports. Helping to focus time, effort and energy, great plans can produce the best results on race day. In this blog Coach Denise looks at the topic of planning, why it helps within the sport of triathlon and how a coach can help you to help yourself.

How to become effective in swimming in the waves

Being able to swim in a pool is not quite the same as being able to swim in open water. In this latest article, Coach Rita explores her learning experience when she took an open water swim session with some British athletes and her surprise at the skills gap between their swimming ability and open water experience.

How simple mistakes in reflection can you stifle your athletic development?

In this latest article, Coach Philip looks at some common ways that athletes fail to reflect appropriately and lose an excellent opportunity to learn, grow and evolve between seasons. Have a read at how you can ensure you don’t make the same mistakes and build on each season.

How athletes should build up, not just back

Too many people strive without addressing the basics and miss the greater opportunities. Equally, some people never dream big enough. Both realities hinder performance and progression, but both can be fixed with genuine self-awareness and feedback. Read on to see what you can learn.