The Difference Between a Programmer and a Coach

By: Bri Seigert

” Thankful for all those rest days!

I’m still pretty tired so far this week. My sleep hasn’t been great since before the wedding 

for obvious reasons. And even after, my sleep was still not great. It wasn’t until 

yesterday that I finally stopped feeling anxious and worked up. I’m still emotionally     

recovering…

That being said, today’s workout felt great! I’m feeling less distracted and more focused

than I have been these last few weeks”

-Kay. R., Blacklisted Athlete

Here is a text from a Blacklisted athlete, Kay, after her wedding and a prime example of how having a coach that has built a relationship with you matters. Here’s the thing, she didn’t ask for those rest days, but her coach, Bri, knew she was an extreme introvert and gets anxiety in large social situations, so she was able to anticipate the stress. Bri knew there would be a large energy drain and would therefore need to add extra recovery time for Kay before she got back to hitting it hard in the gym.  

As an athlete, Kay, was also great at expressing stress leading up to her wedding and some serious snags she experienced that happened out of her control, like… her entire wedding venue burning down, some issues with her dress alterations, etc…Honestly, it all worked out for the best, but that cannot be easy to manage weeks before the big day. 

Both coach and athlete were communicative and receiving on both ends. Aka, a match made in online coaching heaven.

That’s why Bri adjusted her programming and gave her workouts that were 20-30 minutes long the week leading up to her wedding. Bri knew that if Kay didn’t workout she would get antsy, but those training days had to be short workouts that made her feel good! After her wedding, she had 3 rest days in a row to rest, recover, and get her mind and body right. 

That’s where the difference lies between a coach who coaches you and writes personalized programming FOR YOU vs paying for a coach that just sends you a program and checks in once a month or less. 

What are those differences?

• A programmer writes workouts. They can deliver a spreadsheet full of percentages, reps, and progressions. That’s valuable, but without consistent communication…it’s one dimensional. It doesn’t adapt to the person. There’s going to be days, weeks, or even MONTHS that don’t fit a template design. Some people travel a lot and don't adapt to that, or stress, or events…

• A Coach knows you. They understand your physical demands, your schedule, your stressors, emotional bandwidth, and how all of those things play into performance and recovery. A coach doesn’t just hand you a program and walk away.  A coach communicates, cares, and adjusts on the fly if needed. 

A good coach sees more than just the workout. Take our text example from above, her coach knew the aftermath of her wedding would take a toll in a few important ways:

• Emotionally

• Socially

• Physically 

Those rest days weren’t part of her progression for her goals, but they were exactly what she needed for the circumstance. 

Here is an example of another conversation that showcases how much we value communication:

Client: “Do you do monthly calls with your clients? It sounds like it’s not really needed with how much feedback you give.”

Bri: moment of silence, thinking

“You know? I wish I could say I do, but you’re right. It’s rare for my clients not to hear from me for a couple days in a row. In fact, it’s usually me asking them if they’d like to hop on a call because it’s been a while.”

Client: “That’s what I thought and that’s good to hear.”

Sharing was nerve wracking because she’d expressed that she’d had some bad experiences in the past with coaches and not receiving enough input besides their monthly talks, but it’s the truth. A monthly call isn’t always needed if you’re in communication regularly whether it’s video/workout feedback, in-app/text messages, checking in when a client is doing qualifiers/competing (if not there in person), and checking in to see how they’re feeling physically and emotionally as I input their programming. 

Why This Matters at Blacklisted

This is what separates Blacklisted coaches. They take extreme pride in program design, but they also know it’s really only one tool in the toolbox to getting the most out of your athletes. 

Blacklisted Coaches are not only artists with their programming canvas, but they are also:

• Look at the whole picture

• Know when it’s the right time to push and pull back

• Know what’s going on in your life 

• Ask questions. 

• Give feedback. 

• Progress your programming based on your physical skills AND your mental and emotional health. 

That’s what creates sustainable progress. That’s what builds resilient athletes and that’s why we believe that a program alone won’t change your life, but a coach that walks with you will.