Coaching vs Training

There is a difference. It is important. Read on…..

On the surface, they might look the same. Both have structured sessions, timelines, and goals. But of course we have to scratch a little deeper and it’s glaringly obvious that a training plan and a coaching relationship are worlds apart.

The topic of coaching v training came up on our recent UK InnerFight Endurance summit and as these things always do leads to some great conversations, thoughts and challenges.

A training plan is just that, a plan. It’s a spreadsheet, an app, or a PDF with the workouts you need to do to move from A to B. It might even be a very well-written plan. But it doesn’t talk to you when you miss three sessions in a row. It doesn’t ask how your sleep has been. It doesn’t adjust when your kids get sick, your work explodes, or your motivation evaporates. A training plan doesn’t care why you’re training, it just expects you to do the work.

Coaching is a completely different monster. Coaching is a relationship. It’s built on trust, understanding, and communication. A coach doesn’t just give you workouts, they get to know you. They learn what drives you, what blocks you, what you’ve been through, and where you want to go, not just in sport, but in life.

At InnerFight we dispense a truck load of sets, reps, and kilometres. That’s the easy part. We want to understand why you signed up for that race. What feeling are you looking for? What makes you want to do hundreds of burpees at 5:30am on a Monday? That is why we ask questions not just about training, but about sleep, stress, nutrition, family, work, because those are the things that truly affect performance and our mindset.

Coaching creates accountability and support, but it also allows for adaptation. We know that life isn’t linear, and neither is progress. A coach walks the path with you, adjusting the plan to fit your life, not forcing your life into the plan. There is a huge difference here and the more we do our work the more this comes to the fore.

A training plan is a purchase of information. Information is good but knowing what to do with that information and adapting that information to fit you is the challenge. Remember that information was designed to be mass-marketed, but we are not all the same. Coaching is a commitment to a transformation, it’s deep and yes if you’re thinking you are not ready for that you may actually be right. Some people need to buy training but many need to invest in coaching.

No Weakness,
Marcus