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

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