When a fan thinks of a great athlete, they should also think about the coach of that athlete. Examples include Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, and in bodybuilding the pairings may include Ronnie Coleman and Chad Nicholls or Phil Heath and Hany Rambod.
How do you find the right coach? When do you know you made the right choice, and how important can they be for you? A coach can make or break an athlete preparing for a show, which is why the ladies of Femme Flex Friday wanted to share insights on how to find the right coach.
Wendy Fortino can speak to this from a unique perspective because she started her career working with her husband as her coach, Matt Allen. However, she feels that the supply of coaches available today can be a good thing for many athletes.
“There’s a wide range of athletes, right? You have athletes that are entry-level that maybe want to cross this off their bucket list, and then you have athletes that want to get their pro card and go to the Olympia. I feel the range of coaches can accommodate that.
Whitney Jones is a three-time Fitness Olympia champion, and she’s been in the sport for several years now. She offered suggestions on what to look for in a coach that can help an athlete prepare for a competition.
“You need to check out their credentials,” she shared. “(Look at) Instagram, social media, that’s the easiest way to learn more about a coach and their clientele.”
She also feels that the coach you hire should have experience working with athletes in the division you want to compete in.
“Whatever your body type is, look for a coach that coaches athletes similar to that body type.”
Eight-time Ms. Olympia Lenda Murray didn’t know too many “coaches” in her era, but she did work with different trainers, and there is a difference in the meaning. She did work with Nicholls in the early 2000’s, and she found he served her well as the prep was winding down.
“There was a requirement of coaching in the last two weeks, and I was clueless as far as the details,” she said. “For me, that was a big part of my success.”
The hosts also discuss other topics including how to change coaches and what to do if you need to end the relationship. Subscribe to the Olympia TV YouTube channel to see this episode as well as every episode of Femme Flex Friday this season. You can also follow @femmeflexfriday on Instagram.
