Parallel Coaching

One of the things I love most about Maisie's story is that she never planned for any of this.

She originally completed her Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification to help out at the gym her partnership was opening.

The plan wasn't to leave her day job.

The plan wasn't to build a new career.

It was simply going to be something she did alongside her existing work.

But then the doors opened.

Members joined.

Relationships formed.

And before long, that small step turned into something much bigger.

Today, they're supporting over 100 members, many of whom have neurodiversity, mental health challenges, or additional support needs.

What started as "helping out a little" became something she genuinely loved.

So much so that she's now left her day job, returned to complete her Level 3 Personal Training qualification, and is ready to help even more people.

And that's what I love about the fitness industry.

Most people don't start with a perfectly mapped-out plan.

They start with curiosity.

A passion for helping.

A desire to make a difference.

Then one client becomes ten.

One opportunity becomes another.

And before they know it, they've built something they never imagined possible.

Because fitness careers are rarely just about exercise.

They're about people.

They're about community.

They're about helping someone believe in themselves a little bit more than they did yesterday.

And when you do that consistently, the impact becomes far bigger than you ever expected.

Give Maisie a well-deserved high five 🖐️ and a like to celebrate the next chapter of her journey

This is something you only really realise once you spend enough time coaching clients on a gym floor.

What feels simple to us as coaches… often isn’t simple to a new client.

Changing a weight stack.

Adjusting a seat.

Setting up a machine.

Choosing the right handle.

To us, it’s automatic.

To them, it’s unfamiliar.

And if that part goes wrong at the start of a set… the rest of the session is already affected.

This is why coaching isn’t just programming exercise selection.

It’s education in real time.

It’s being present enough to notice when a client is unsure… even if they don’t say it.

Because most people won’t ask.

They’ll guess.

They’ll copy.

Or they’ll avoid it altogether.

Good coaching removes that uncertainty early.

So the session becomes what it should be:
movement, learning, confidence, progression.

Not confusion.

Comment CUES and we’ll send you our guide on internal vs external cueing

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Before adding an exercise to a programme, ask this...

What adaptation am I trying to create?

It's a simple question, but it instantly makes exercise selection easier.

Too many coaches build programmes by collecting exercises.

Saved posts.
Screenshots.
Instagram folders full of ideas.

Then when it comes to writing a programme, everything feels overwhelming because there are hundreds of possible exercises to choose from.

They end up choosing "new" or "hard" exercises that take longer to teach, are confusing for the client and aren't necessarily the BEST exercise.

..

The best coaches don't start with exercises.

They start with the outcome.

Do they want strength?

Hypertrophy?

Balance?

Coordination?

Movement competency?

Confidence?

Once you know the adaptation you're chasing, the exercise often becomes obvious.

So next time you're scrolling social media and see an exercise you'd like to use, don't ask:

"Is this a good new exercise?"

Ask:

"What adaptation is this designed to create?"

That one question will improve your programming more than finding a list of "new" exercises.

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Comment PLAN if you'd like help making programme design feel simpler.

Comment below… describe your job but make it sound illegal

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