Hey Coach Davies(and Fellas)
How does someone who wants to be a Strength coach go about doing doing it, and actually succeed. Iam 26 and about to enter Physical Therapy school, but Iam not happy AT ALL!!! with it. My heart is strength coaching. Any ideas?
I hear ya. I was going to go into 0ccuptional Therapy school but decided i wanted to do what i love. So i asked around and now im doing an internship at my university as the strength coach. Im also working at a high school with a strength coach and i plan on taking the cscs exam next summer. theres a good chance that after i graduate that they might create a position for me at the university. Just try to get experience and get to know people as much as you can.
You first need to take the CSCS, most universitys won’t recognize you without it. Then you need to start meeting people, and networking. If you’re interested in strength and conditioning on the college level, I would start by talking to area strength coaches and trying to get to know some people and network. Sadly it’s more who you know than what you know. Educate yourself as much as you can on strength and conditioning, and weight for the right opportunity…such as internships or Graduate Assistant positions. Good Luck!
how does one go about taking the CSCS? is it taken through a university?how long does it take?
1 get experiance
2 get more experiance
3 go to confrences and make contacts
4 try the book “how to be a strength and conditioning coach” by Ian King(try elite fitness systems to buy it)
5 get experience
be willing to work for nothing to get your foot in hte door
Of course you need to expand you coaching knowledge and experience. Within experience, I would suggest trying to volunteer in some capacity, in a situation where you can learn. I look forward to hearing from you again. In faith, Coach Davies
Since you addressed this to Coach Davies… he has a coaching program called the Renegade Mentor Program. More info is on his site at renegadetraining.com or you can e-mail him directly at coachdavies@renegadetraining.com
Ed is right on.
Go to the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) web page. You’ll find all the info you need.
Well guys I have to disagree and say that a CSCS certification is not that important to informed strength coaches. Experience and personality is. I could care less if a guy had CSCS behind his name if he had never done anything but work at some fitness club. Who you know, personality, being a good coach, internships, participating in athletics at the collegiate level, graduate assistanceships, education, and certification are important. IMHO a USAW certification is the best you can get. I say personality in that no one wants to have to work with a big dork or dickhead. I say being a good coach because if you’re an asshole to your athletes and you have no coaching experience no one wants to hire you. You will be spending upwards of 11 hours a week with these kids. A strength coach will be able to teach his or her coworkers what they want done, but can’t teach a good personality. Something else that you have to admit to is that most strength coaches want someone who is an Olympic lifter, powerlifter, strongman, and maybe a bodybuilder. Say you came in with the same resume as someone else and had the same personality. But this guy came in and weighed a pretty solid 250lbs and you weigh 180 with a 6 pack under your shirt. Well the 250 guy will probably get hired. Why? Well the athletes will look and him and say “Damn, he is a big dude, I should listen to him.” As a strength coach you will spend more time per year with the athletes than the athletic coach will.
As another poster said you will have to work for no money. Almost all internships at the collegiate level are unpaid. You may just have to volunteer your time to see how it actually works. You may also have to start out small. Chances are you probably can't call up U of Tennessee and ask for an internship. Maybe you could though. Sometimes you just get lucky and something comes open. Write letters and follow them up with phone calls to programs you are interested in. It is hard to get into places. Network your ass off and be a good guy. Finally I feel like a woman for writing so much, but my final piece of advice. Try to go to the biggest program you can. What looks better Nebraska or Kent State?
Go to www.Nsca-lift.org, and look up schools, there is a list of schools who offer programs to be certified as a strength coach, then follow the rest of the guys advice about experence.
BigC makes some good points. Just because you pass a NSCA exam it doesn’t automatically make you a strength coach. I don’t think Lou Simmons or Fred Hatfield have a CSCS and anyone would hire them. BUT is doesn’t hurt anything either, it could help make up for a lack of experience or education. I would do it, but not put it on the top of your list.
In no way do I think the CSCS is the most important factor in becoming a strength coach, but if you don’t know people and don’t have much experience, you’re not going to get hired without it. The CSCS WILL NOT make you a better strength coach, it will just open up more opportunity.
NK, that was the point I was trying to make, and you summed it up nicely. Get your NSCA certification to make up for other areas you are lacking. Doesn’t hurt anything at all. BUT again, don’t have it at the top of your list. Experience and networking first.
whats the process like to get certified?
www.nsca-lift.org is the site. Go there and check out what is said about the certification. Basically you have to have a degree in the exercise science area. Then you take a two part test. One being written and the other on a video and correcting form and stuff. They have a book, you need to buy that, they also have study aids. Try to find someone you know that may already have them. Supposedly some of the study aids have the same questions that are on the test. Also, supposedly if you take it as a student you don’t have to get as many right when compared to if you weren’t a student. BUT if I remember right you have to be a senior in college to take it. Which sucks, because I took all my kinesiology courses when I was younger and now I can’t remember shit when becoming a senior after this year.
Can’t remember the original posters name, but you may want to reconsider dropping out of PT school. Or at least become say an athletic trainer if you aren’t already. Since there really isn’t a degree offered at many schools specifically for strength coaching being a PT or athletic trainer may make you more valuable. Especially since some strength coaching and AT’s don’t get along well, you could give your 2 cents. Take my advice with a grain of salt though.