Before we get started today, a quick reminder:

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Now let’s get into the content for the day.

Leading into my last meet, I was already considering handing my program off to someone else. But after a particularly bad training cycle at the end, I was really pushed over the proverbial edge.

Here are the reasons I chose to hire a coach, and why you might want to do the same in the future.

#1 – I’m no longer married to MY program

By hiring a coach, I’m not as influenced my own biases when writing a program. Like it or not, if you’ve been writing programs for any extended period of time you have your pet exercises, set/rep schemes, etc.

I know how to write a good training program – not just for myself, but for others as well.

But it’s naive to think I’m not biased in some way, shape or form.

If I want to be a better powerlifter, why not lean on the experience and expertise of a great one like Mike Tuscherer?

Furthermore, this way I don’t have to “think” so much about my own training as I would have in the past. This may sound like a negative, but I think sometimes when writing programs for ourselves we get so far into our own heads, it’s hard to crawl out.

#2 – To gain an outside perspective

Just like we all have our biases when writing programs, we also have our own perspectives as to why we’re successful, why we maybe haven’t succeeded in certain areas, etc.

What we have to ask is ourselves is this: Is our perspective truth and reality?

Or is it just our perception?

The easiest way to explain this in a training context is via weaknesses. You might have certain ideas as to why your squat isn’t going up, and you attack those weaknesses in a certain way.

But what if someone else has a slightly different perspective that you can benefit from?

That’s what I’m most looking for here. I’m lucky in the fact that I have a great training crew with Stevie and Zach Moore, as well as a brilliant mind in Bill Hartman to bounce ideas off of.

But the idea of having someone else pull together an entire program for me based off my own needs and goals is exciting for me.

#3 – To learn and get better

I’ve been doing online coaching/training for at least 6 years now, and I’d like to think I’ve got a pretty good system in place for taking in new clients, assessing them, getting them up to speed on their training, and most importantly, getting results.

But again, who’s to say my system is perfect? Or can’t improve?

So there are selfish reasons here too.

Not only do I want to learn more about how other coaches go about their online training, but I want to get in the mind specifically of a great powerlifter and see how he addresses weaknesses and dysfunctions to make stronger athletes.

After all, corrective exercise isn’t just about keeping people healthy – it’s keeping them healthy while helping them achieve their goals.

#4 – To take something off my plate

If you’ve followed the blog for any extended period of time, you know that I’ve slowly added things to my plate for years, with very little coming off of it.

Writing.

Speaking.

Product development.

Consulting and coaching.

And oh yeah, this little thing called IFAST take up a bit of my time as well!

So taking something off my plate was definitely enticing as well.

And there are obviously a ton of great options out there. As I’ve mentioned from my articles in the past, the approach of guys like Dan John and Jim Wendler have always jived and resonated with me.

However, Mike has competed in both single-ply and raw powerlifting for years, I like his approach, and his overall focus on not only training, but recovery and dialing in your own training process, were what really put him over the edge.

I’ve got specific goals that I’ve set myself over the course of the next 1-2 years, and with Mike, I have no doubt in mind that I’ll achieve them.

Actionable Item

If you’re not achieving the kind of success you expect, or you’ve been spinning your wheels for any extended period of time, consider hiring a coach to help you with the training process. Especially with the New Year coming up, you should be focused on making the next 12 months of your life the best ever, especially when it comes to training.

Even if hiring a coach isn’t an option, at the very least, find a program that will help you address your specific needs and goals.

Whether it’s getting healthy, getting stronger, or anything in between, life is too short not to be wildly successful in your training endeavors.

Good luck!

All the best

MR