Resources

Breaking into the coaching field isn't about being the most shredded in the room, having the most acronyms in your LinkedIn bio, or knowing every exercise under the sun. It's about getting real world experience, developing relationships, and investing in your growth.

Like any field, it’s often who you know that gets you the opportunity. Don't be too shy to network. Pick up the phone and meet coaches in your area that are already in roles you aspire to be in. Introduce yourself, ask thoughtful questions, and let people know what you’re working toward. Starting to build relationships like this can lead to opportunities, whether it’s your first paid position or just starting to get an understanding of what the field is like in the first place. Just be you and be willing to connect.

One of the most consistent pieces of advice is to find a great mentor. Whether it's a coach, a trusted sports scientist, or a subject matter expert in an area you’re interested in learning about, a mentor can really accelerate your growth, open doors, and offer invaluable perspective. Look for someone willing to invest in your development. Be proactive, ask questions, shadow sessions, and spend time observing how they program, communicate, and lead. You’ll absolutely make your own mistakes, but a mentor helps you greatly cut that learning curve down. As a general concept for your own growth, search for ways you can avoid making the same classical mistakes as everyone else before you. This is one of the most powerful levers you can pull to build your career.

Getting your hands dirty in internships, volunteer positions, and shadowing opportunities in positions you aspire to attain are some of the best ways to learn what jobs really are all about. Paid experience while still in school is even better, but harder to get and unpaid internships are often the first real step especially in the world of high performance. You’ll learn what you like, sometimes even more importantly what you don’t, and build meaningful experience.

I thought that I wanted to be a football coach until I did my senior year internship in a college weight room. This is where I learned what the right blend of football and training was for me. Interning at a facility where the staff is committed to educating you can shape and truly level you up more than most classrooms or certifications ever could.

Unless you know exactly what you want to do just start coaching anyone you can. Work with friends, family, classmates, anyone who will let you build a plan and coach them through it. The more varied your client base in the beginning, the more you'll learn. Pay close attention to how different types of people move, think, and respond to different coaching styles and programming principles. Once you know what type of population you want to work with then its time to get more focused. The goal early on it purely exposure, curiosity, and getting your reps in.

No path into this field is perfect. There will be uncertainty, very likely low pay, and odd hours in the beginning. Failing is a large part of the expectation, just make sure you learn from it and keep going. Be willing to try things even if you’re not sure they’ll work. The people who succeed long term are the ones who stay committed to their growth and are action oriented.