Coaching and Social Media

[NobodyKnowsMe]

I don’t even think influencers are solely to blame. I think most people think the gear is the missing piece to their ultimate gains and don’t realize that plays the smallest part of it.

I can have a client blast 2g of gear and he’s not going to look like he lifts if he’s not training hard consistently and half assing his diet but they don’t want to hear that

Do you lay into him on your weekly check-in with him for not following the plan? Or how do you and he address the issue and not getting results?

I hired a coach a few months ago since I’m running gear and not getting younger and can afford hiring someone experienced for guidance. I went up half a lb a week ago (was down 1-1.5 lbs last few weeks each week) and rated my adherence to the diet a 7/10 and he laid into me about it in his audio review of my weekly progress. He’s right though and if I don’t follow his plan I’m wasting both our times. So for me, it wasn’t taken as anything but the truth, but I can see a lot of people being like “fuck this dude I pay him and don’t need someone to raise their voice and not understand I have a life outside lifting.”

 

[NobodyKnowsMe]

I told you guys what I do now. When I get asked how to lose weight, I tell them to buy a gallon jug of water. Drink it in one day then refill and repeat every day for one month.
“If you can’t do this one simple thing, then no other advice I give you will you follow nor help you in any way.”
I have had maybe two people do this and they lost significant weight just from being hydrated (probably full stomach too) and generally healthier because of it. Their bodies starting to “fire on all cyclinders”.

If they do this I will spend the time helping them further.
But if I hear “But water doesn’t taste good”, I’m out.
Or “I’m not giving up….”, then I also send them away.
I never tell anyone to give up anything. I tell them the negatives and they need to decide for themselves.
Besides, if not competitive bodybuilders, they can enjoy their lives without much “sacrifice”.

That’s actually solid advice. I know for a fact I drink at least 1.5 gallons or more per day bc water is what I drink or mix with stuff in a bodybuilding diet. I’ve known others who are very particular about their taste of water. I’ve never had that issue.

 

[dcdogz]

i saw an instagram coach that doesnt do nutrition lol

 

[thebiggestdumbass]

Do you lay into him on your weekly check-in with him for not following the plan? Or how do you and he address the issue and not getting results?

I hired a coach a few months ago since I’m running gear and not getting younger and can afford hiring someone experienced for guidance. I went up half a lb a week ago (was down 1-1.5 lbs last few weeks each week) and rated my adherence to the diet a 7/10 and he laid into me about it in his audio review of my weekly progress. He’s right though and if I don’t follow his plan I’m wasting both our times. So for me, it wasn’t taken as anything but the truth, but I can see a lot of people being like “fuck this dude I pay him and don’t need someone to raise their voice and not understand I have a life outside lifting.”

It’s very situational.

For people new to coaching it helps to explain to them that without complete adherence a coach can’t do his job. That week is essentially a wash on gathering data.

I don’t think yelling at a client is ever acceptable because most people aren’t competiting and just want to look good.

That said if the lack of adherence is consistent and no improvements are being made I drop clients since it’s a waste of my time and there’s to continue

If you’re falling off because life is coming up, as a client, you need to be better about prepping your food/meals. Life happens but that should be a rare exception if you want to get the most out of a coach

 

[Syntha Claus]

I didn't yell at my kids or my sailors so I am not going to yell at clients.
But I am always candid.
If that's not what they want, I am not their guy.

The only thing I ever struggle with is how to tell them I know they are lying without the inflammatory of calling them a liar.
After a few weeks I preferred to just fire them.
I can't do the whole "fuck it, I'm getting paid anyway" thing. I don't need the money for the frustration and duplicity.

 

[dcdogz]

my bjj coach told me if i didnt fix something he was gonna kick my ass lol
and he literally can. i cant stop him even if i wanted to

 

[geez3r]

Deca, EQ, Test and Popeye's chicken and cookies. Only 8 weeks. Great look!! Fuck it. They're gonna blame you anyway. Why not have fun once in a while.

brb starting new cycle

 

[geez3r]

I didn't yell at my kids or my sailors so I am not going to yell at clients.
But I am always candid.
If that's not what they want, I am not their guy.

I appreciate my coach specifically because he’s candid. I’m old and we aren’t dating, so I’m just up front and so is he.

“I fucked up and skipped cardio.”

“You fucked up by skipping cardio. Do the cardio.”

“Yes coach.”

 

[GrindingGrey]

It's like me knowing very basic to little plumbing. I hire a plumber who has 25 years of experience with a thriving business and great reviews. I then stand over him will he's working telling him maybe we should try this, that or that he isn't working fast enough and that my friend's plumber was giving better results.

I blame social media to a large extent. It used to be normal: you have a plumbing issue so you hire a plumber. But you’ve recently seen a commercial for flex seal and as you lean over the plumber’s shoulder, you start telling him a more efficient way to fix the leak. That transfers over to bodybuilding. They see crazy progress pics or before and after pics and want the same in the same amount of time. Never mind that the person pictured unbeknownst to everyone took tirzepatide, DNP, clen, 3 grams of gear, and 7 Flintstone chewables a day. Most pics are lies, everyone has a discount code, 14 year old science based lifters are making fun of bodybuilders, everyone steals everybody else’s ideas… it’s just chaotic nonsense.

 

[Syntha Claus]

I appreciate my coach specifically because he’s candid. I’m old and we aren’t dating, so I’m just up front and so is he.

“I fucked up and skipped cardio.”

“You fucked up by skipping cardio. Do the cardio.”

“Yes coach.”

It really is that easy. Again, the craziest thing is that we KNOW. If you can pull a fast one on your coach and he believes you or never calls you out....get another coach. That should indicate he is clueless.

The other side is, back in 2020, the first time I worked with Palumbo in prep, I gained something like 2 pounds one week instead of the normal loss. He implied that I had cheated or wasn't being truthful. I shut that shit down immediately!
I told him his instruction were being follow and if anything, not even precise enough for me. I told him that if he told me "Eat five peanuts" I need to know does he mean Spanish or Virginia, skins on or skins off, what size and weight should these peanuts be?
He was taken aback and never once questioned me again.

It was funny because when I went to see Derik Farnsworth the first time, Dave said "You'll like him. He is intense like you."
I was like "Who? Me?"

 

[Syntha Claus]

I blame social media to a large extent. It used to be normal: you have a plumbing issue so you hire a plumber. But you’ve recently seen a commercial for flex seal and as you lean over the plumber’s shoulder, you start telling him a more efficient way to fix the leak. That transfers over to bodybuilding. They see crazy progress pics or before and after pics and want the same in the same amount of time. Never mind that the person pictured unbeknownst to everyone took tirzepatide, DNP, clen, 3 grams of gear, and 7 Flintstone chewables a day. Most pics are lies, everyone has a discount code, 14 year old science based lifters are making fun of bodybuilders, everyone steals everybody else’s ideas… it’s just chaotic nonsense.

The other side of this is that a guy like me can tell someone to use very little, train a certain, old school way and focus on nutrition. That is often answered with some form of "I got this bro....off the internet."

 

[dcdogz]

It really is that easy. Again, the craziest thing is that we KNOW. If you can pull a fast one on your coach and he believes you or never calls you out....get another coach. That should indicate he is clueless.

The other side is, back in 2020, the first time I worked with Palumbo in prep, I gained something like 2 pounds one week instead of the normal loss. He implied that I had cheated or wasn't being truthful. I shut that shit down immediately!
I told him his instruction were being follow and if anything, not even precise enough for me. I told him that if he told me "Eat five peanuts" I need to know does he mean Spanish or Virginia, skins on or skins off, what size and weight should these peanuts be?
He was taken aback and never once questioned me again.

It was funny because when I went to see Derik Farnsworth the first time, Dave said "You'll like him. He is intense like you."
I was like "Who? Me?"

yea im like you. i just do what im told. its way easier that way.
i make it simpler for myself by more or less eating the same things all the time so i can make sure whether my calorie app is tracking correctly or not doesnt matter.

not gaining, add cals.

not losing <- we are here

remove cals <- we are also here

 

[Elandis82]

I tell my coach everything. It’s easier that way. Sometimes I feel stupid because the answer I get. Be honest upfront and you won’t have to worry about it

 

[GrindingGrey]

The other side of this is that a guy like me can tell someone to use very little, train a certain, old school way and focus on nutrition. That is often answered with some form of "I got this bro....off the internet."

The “old school” way wouldn’t be used by so many of us if it didn’t work. Unfortunately, nobody wants to hear about sensible dosages and proper nutrition. I’ve always known the importance of food, but it wasn’t until the past few years that it really got hammered into my head. Anytime a young kid at the gym asked me if there are any “secrets” they get frustrated when I tell them that the secret to bodybuilding is food. They rather hear about some new SARM or a bench press shirt with carabiners sewn onto it for hands free pullovers. It’s nice to be able to watch a bodybuilding show in real time or to have access to so many people’s styles of training but I think for the most part social media has ruined the sport.

 

[geez3r]

The other side of this is that a guy like me can tell someone to use very little, train a certain, old school way and focus on nutrition. That is often answered with some form of "I got this bro....off the internet."

To be fair, we all feel like we know “something” about this hobby. We’ve all invested a lot of time learning so when we’re faced with something antithetical to what we understand, it’s natural to want to push back.

It’s a mature mind that says “pump the breaks. You paid for this. Trust the system.”

I might ask a question or two but I’m deciding to put a lot of trust in my coach. He has no idea what my background or profession is, but questions I ask will come from an informed perspective, not Instagram or YouTube influencers.

 

[Syntha Claus]

yea im like you. i just do what im told. its way easier that way.
i make it simpler for myself by more or less eating the same things all the time so i can make sure whether my calorie app is tracking correctly or not doesnt matter.

not gaining, add cals.

not losing <- we are here

remove cals <- we are also here

The other side of this the coach bears all of the "blame" as far as I am concerned. I kept asking about dropping food after eating the same thing for 16 weeks. He said if I was still losing, why change? I was not happy with the progress towards the coming date, stated I didn't want to scramble at the last minute. The lack of change resulted in my having to scramble at the last two weeks even though I gave him 20 weeks to get it right. I ended up in 5th where I won the year before. I was happy to even place to be honest. I just wasn't there.

But I made myself very clear and in the next seven weeks I finally got where I should have been before. That came after making my previous displeasure known. It's a two way street.

In his defense, he did have to work within my drug parameters.

 

[geez3r]

yea im like you. i just do what im told. its way easier that way.
i make it simpler for myself by more or less eating the same things all the time so i can make sure whether my calorie app is tracking correctly or not doesnt matter.

not gaining, add cals.

not losing <- we are here

remove cals <- we are also here

This drives Mrs Geezer nuts but I basically eat the same meals every goddamn day. Makes life easier. Tweak one meal and suddenly you have to adjust everything for the day.

 

[Syntha Claus]

He has no idea what my background or profession is, but questions I ask will come from an informed perspective, not Instagram or YouTube influencers.

Then you have not had enough discussion with your coach.

 

[geez3r]

Then you have not had enough discussion with your coach.

Nah we’ve had good frank discussions, I prefer relative anonymity for now.

 

[Syntha Claus]

The “old school” way wouldn’t be used by so many of us if it didn’t work. Unfortunately, nobody wants to hear about sensible dosages and proper nutrition. I’ve always known the importance of food, but it wasn’t until the past few years that it really got hammered into my head. Anytime a young kid at the gym asked me if there are any “secrets” they get frustrated when I tell them that the secret to bodybuilding is food. They rather hear about some new SARM or a bench press shirt with carabiners sewn onto it for hands free pullovers. It’s nice to be able to watch a bodybuilding show in real time or to have access to so many people’s styles of training but I think for the most part social media has ruined the sport.

My newest response to people at the gym are now one word or one liners. Unless I have a prior rapport.

A girl asked me the other day the best way to build legs and "booty". My response was simply "squats".

 

[dcdogz]

The other side of this the coach bears all of the "blame" as far as I am concerned. I kept asking about dropping food after eating the same thing for 16 weeks. He said if I was still losing, why change? I was not happy with the progress towards the coming date, stated I didn't want to scramble at the last minute. The lack of change resulted in my having to scramble at the last two weeks even though I gave him 20 weeks to get it right. I ended up in 5th where I won the year before. I was happy to even place to be honest. I just wasn't there.

But I made myself very clear and in the next seven weeks I finally got where I should have been before. That came after making my previous displeasure known. It's a two way street.

In his defense, he did have to work within my drug parameters.

i see. in your case its a con, in my case its a pro.
id rather know i did all i could and followed the plan to the T, and leave it on the coaches shoulders versus knowing I fucked up along the way.
rather then redo the whole plan, and then find out it still doesnt work.

youre way more experienced then me however so I dont really have a choice, i dont know anything am dumb.

 

[GrindingGrey]

Nah we’ve had good frank discussions, I prefer relative anonymity for now.

Wait, you’re paying a coach and he doesn’t know what you do for a living?

 

[Meetketchup]

He has no idea what my background or profession is, but questions I ask will come from an informed perspective, not Instagram or YouTube influencers.

So you could be in construction where you're working hard labor all day burning a ton of calories or have a desk job burning zero calories and your coach doesn't know?