Are you one of those people who, already at school, did not like sport? Or those who always put off their good resolutions? Or even those women who, once sedentary, the pounds or the menopause are well established, no longer know how to get back to the practice of sporting activity? There are plenty of good reasons to hire a sports coach.
Who has never said, “I swear, tomorrow I’m going to the gym!” while continuing to nymphs in front of his favored TV series? For non-athletes or less motivated athletes, the sports trainer, formerly dedicated to high-level athletes, celebrities, and high-income individuals, will be your partner in your inquiry for fitness and wellbeing, whatever your status of fitness. sports practice or your budget.
What is a sports coach?

Being an acceptable athlete is not sufficient to become a private trainer or personal trainer. The sports coach is rather and foremost a sports skilled. Although he must of course be in a good physical and sporting state, the sports coach will also have experienced specific training: a one-year training course in fitness professions supplied by the Ministry of Youth and Sports or a technique that can go up to a Master’s degree at the University.
Picking a competent sports coach who has at shortest 5 years of proficient background means having the guarantee of having a professional specialist in fitness at your side, who furthermore has a reasonable knowledge of anatomy human.
He must also have the necessary psychological grades to adapt to his coachees who, let us remember, are far from being seasoned athletes.
We invited Paul Voillemin, sports coach to communicate with us his concept of sports coaching.
Paul, can you tell us what is the main quality to become a sports coach?
“Listening” appears to be the virtual quality of the sports coach, this is how we catch the client’s stated needs and their unspoken ones.
On a daily basis, it is valid to know how to listen to them in order to understand what state of mind they are in, in order to adapt to the program and the activities associated with it.
A sports coach accompanies all types of people
How many of us have never dared to cross the door of a gym for fear of having to face the gaze of a regiment of oiled bodybuilders when we measure 1m60, with flabby skin and our unsightly rolls?
The picture given by the indoor sports atmosphere can certainly put off some even if this lack of confidence turns out to be biased by a priori based on clichés. With a sports coach, your self-confidence issue can only enhance.
Whether you are young or older, beginner or seasoned, thin or overweight, pregnant or have just given birth… you will be face to face with a coach with a benevolent look, without judgment; or competitive spirit.
Also Read: 5 Tips to Prepare for Your Sports Season
The sports coach evaluates your physical abilities and your level
Imagine that you have just walked through the doors of the gym for the first time. You are now faced with multiple cardio-training machines and other weight benches.
Where to begin? What are all these instruments for? How long do you have to wait on that damn treadmill? Should we start with the rowing machine or the elliptical trainer?
Not to note the mistakes that could destroy your efforts: bad rhythm, bad warm-up, bad postures.
With a sports coach, you profit from personalized supervision
- First, the coach assesses your basic sporting level and takes into account your medical history.
- Then you define together a tailor-made and progressive training plan to adapt the effort to your morphology, your age, and your objectives: sports performance, health, fitness, or weight loss.
- During a session, your private coach, in addition to motivating and encouraging you, gives you all the necessary explanations: how to perform the exercise, which muscles are working and why, how to correct a bad position…
Beyond sports coaching, enthusiasm, and motivation
Those who have gone through the “coach” box will tell you: when you are not a model of endurance and willpower in sport, the prospect of the effort required often seems insurmountable, at least at the start.
It is without counting on this formidable vector of motivation and enthusiasm that is any good self-respecting sports coach. A single watchword: a PO-Si-TIVE attitude!
Being positive is the basis of support work. It’s not about convincing yourself that it’s all going to be sweat-free and pain-free. Together, you will set achievable sporting goals and small challenges. Your body will gradually adapt and you will learn, thanks to your coach:
- to celebrate successes, big or small,
- to be kind to your body
- and, by ricochet effect, to reinforce your confidence.
- In addition to being a physical trainer, the sports coach is also a mental trainer who advises his clients to adopt a healthy lifestyle and appropriate dietary measures.
Paul: How important is it to establish good communication with your personal trainer?
Good communication will allow the coach and the person being coached to move forward peacefully together towards their goals. When I arrive at a client, my first question is to ask him how he is. His answer will impact the content of the session.
Then during the sessions, it is necessary to explain the usefulness of such and such exercises so that the client adheres to the approach. Then at the end, I ask him if he liked what we did in order to adapt the next sessions if necessary.
How much does a session with a sports coach cost?
The rates vary depending on whether you are in the Province or in Paris. Count from 30 to 100 € per hour, with significant advantages:
- No more juggling between professional life and your personal life, because your sports coach comes to your home, at the time that suits you, you save time and peace of mind because you no longer have to run in all the sense.
- Adaptation to last-minute changes or minor sores of the moment
- No commitment for 1 year, unlike gyms.
- Possibility of “sharing” the session with other people (up to 3 or 4) to reduce the cost of the session.
- The prices of a personal coach are no longer an obstacle: if your sports coach has the approval of personal services, this allows you to deduct 50% of the cost of the service when you declare your income.
In summary, choosing a sports coach is the assurance of a good boost, regular monitoring to achieve your goals gradually and safely.
What if you tried a trial session with your future coach?
Photo: Pexels/Julia Larson
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