How to become a running coach

On this episode of Ask Coach Parry, we have an interesting question off the Facebook page from Sandile and Sandile wanted to know, what are the requirements to train or coach runners. Do you need a qualification or if you think you know what you’re doing, can you just go ahead and do it?

Lindsey Parry:  Look, there’s no regulation to stop anybody who just, if you think you’re good enough to do it, you can go ahead and do it, but it is a good idea to get yourself well educated. I do find that a lot of people who coach runners without any type of qualification behind their name, effectively coach runners to do what they do and it takes many, many years and many, many mistakes then to learn that there isn’t a one size fits all program because if that was the case, we wouldn’t need coaches at all.

Coaching: What qualification is required?

So I do strongly encourage people to either get a formal degree behind their name, something along the lines, you know, in physiology, because that gives you a really good understanding of how the human body works and why you are trying to do the things you’re doing when you set out your training sessions, but not everybody can go to university and there are plenty of courses available.

Unfortunately at the moment ASA is not running their courses as regularly as they should be, but they certainly have very good Level 1, 2 and 3 coaching courses. There’s plenty of coaching stuff that you can do on the internet or through personal training organisations like ETA, Exercise Trainers Academy, that also do coaching diplomas and courses.

So yes, the answer is, there isn’t a body that is regulating that at the moment, but in terms of making sure you provide the best service possible, it really is a good idea to get some qualifications.

BB:  Sandile, thank you for your question and good luck, if that’s a journey that you’re planning on taking, I hope it all goes well. Thank you so much for being in touch. We’re back again in just a couple of days’ time with the next edition of the Ask Coach Parry podcast, until then, from the two of us, its cheers.