There are literally hundreds of thousands of fitness coaches online. How on earth do you choose one when there are so many?! They all say the same thing while at the same time all saying something different. You need to have a process for finding an online fitness coach that not only is best for you, but that you will get along with.

Even as an online fitness coach myself, I’ve employed the services of other online fitness coaches. One of the biggest mistakes you can make in life is to think you know it all and you are above hiring the services of other people in your industry. Learning from other coaches has taught me so many things that I have moulded into my own philosophies, programs and coaching.

   
   “Coaching is both a science and an art.”

The main reason I have trained under these coaches is primarily because they were specialising in a specific area I wanted to work on and I had an affinity for them. But I also ensured they had done the work in regards to being appropriately educated and experienced. Anyone can complete a certificate 4 in fitness and train people. Social media is full of buff and beautiful fitness influencers with massive followings. Just because someone looks extremely fit and has a lot of followers, doesn’t mean they have the best program for you or know much about the art of coaching.

What to Look for When Considering Hiring an Online Fitness Coach

Registration. Anyone can claim to be a coach, but associations exist to maintain quality assurance. In Australia, the peak body for the exercise and active health sector is AUSactive. The Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA) is the peak body in Australia for strength and conditioning coaches. Search these platforms to ensure your coach is registered.

Insured. In addition to being registered with a professional association, you should ensure your coach is insured. Coaches are there to help you, but sometimes accidents happen. Even with the best of intentions, and in the most innocuous of circumstances, an injury can occur. Your coach should have a minimum professional indemnity of $5,000,000 and public liability of $10,000,000.

Education. Education doesn’t just show that your coach knows their stuff, it also shows they have commitment and discipline. Study requires these extremely valuable traits and develops them. In addition, a willingness to continually learn demonstrates another important trait — a desire to strive for excellence. Most simply though, education means your coach knows the theory behind why they are doing what they are doing.

Experience. While the first 3 are important, they’re essentially tick boxes. Now we’re getting to the real important considerations that set coaches apart. Education is just words if not practiced. Experience is putting those words into practice. It is the real-world education. Spending the time, doing the hands on work, playing around with what works in what situations, is the most valuable part of education. Coaching is both a science and an art; and the art of coaching is developed through experience.

Affinity. This is the number one consideration that sets one coach apart from another. The first four help you make the decision with your head. Affinity helps you make the decision with your heart. There will be people in your life you just connect with. A coach is no different. Affinity is about finding that coach that you connect with. You will spend a lot of time communicating with your coach; therefore, you need to find one that you relate to. You can do this by following them online. Over time, as you see their personality, you’ll know whether this is someone you want to work with.

When it comes to hiring an online fitness coach, don’t just hire the first one who puts the hard sell on you. Be intentional. Do your due diligence. Check they’re registered, insured, educated, experienced and most importantly, that you have an affinity for them. To discover these things about me, head to my about page; and to learn if you have an affinity for me, follow me on Instagram.

Answer this question in the comments section below.

What do you currently look for in a coach?