Coach at a Starting Strength Gym
Best in industry pay to produce best in industry results
Spend Your Time Coaching, Not Selling
Apprentices
Level 0 or 1
Coaches
Level 2 or 3
Starting Strength Coaches
Level 4 or 5
Qualities of a Great Coach
Intelligence
Passing the platform exam requires that you have a deep understanding of the Starting Strength model, can evaluate it against what you see in front of you in real time, and can communicate effectively to get your lifter moving in line with the model.
Commitment
Starting Strength Coaches demonstrate a high level of commitment to their own training, to the learning process, and in the accumulation of coaching experience.
Passion
Working with dozens of trainees each week to help them become better versions of themselves requires a high degree of passion and enthusiasm. Trainees in the gym will look to you to successfully guide them towards improving the quality of their lives, while doing things they never thought possible.
Experience
There is no replacement for experience. Reading and understanding all of the information and watching videos online will not adequately prepare you to deal with the variety of trainees you will see at the gym.
How to Become a Coach at a Starting Strength Gym
Learn
Read Starting Strength Basic Barbell Training and Practical Programming. Twice.
Train
Start your Novice Linear Progression, even if you have lifting experience.
Study
Enroll in the Coach Prep Course and follow the learning curriculum.
Coach
Gain hands-on experience by coaching friends, family, and anyone that will let you.
Contact Us
Committed coaches are assigned to a recruiter for assistance with job placement.
"Apprenticeship is regaining its rightful position as the best pathway into a rewarding career, and is thankfully in a position to bolster an eroding secondary education environment," Mark Rippetoe.
Want to speak with a real person?
Contact our Head of Recruiting: Inna @ StartingStrengthGyms.com
Inna and Rip discuss why coaching at Starting Strength Gyms is a worthwhile career as we move into 2021.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do coaches earn?
Coach pay varies per gym and is at the sole discretion of the franchise owners. The pay ranges at time of writing are:
Apprentice Coach (Level 0-1)
Coach (Level 2-3)
Starting Strength Coach (Level 4-5)
How many hours per week do Coaches work?
The standard model is to have two coaching teams of two people that work 4.5 hours per day, five to six days per week. Each coaching team consists of a Coach (level 2+) and an Apprentice (Level 0-1). At least one of the coaching teams must include an SSC. Coaching teams typically work the first half of the day or the second half of the day (three sessions in the evening). Most coaches work around 30 hours per week.
What qualifications does a coach need to have other than the above?
Coaches must be clear thinkers and clear communicators. Applying the Starting Strength model to a variety of trainees in real time requires the ability to quickly identify and correct problems, which means getting the lifter to move the way you want them to. Coaches must possess the soft skills required to navigate a variety of personality types in order to keep all trainees progressing as quickly a possible.
If I join the Prep Course, am I guaranteed a job?
No. The Prep Course doesn't guarantee anything other than being exposed to the material. Learning the material and putting the concepts into practice is what will make you a high potential coaching prospect.
Does the Prep Course require that I find my own clients?
They don't need to be paying clients, but you must find a way to coach others in order to complete the Prep Course. If you don't have the means to do this, contact a recruiter for available Level 0 Apprenticeships.
I heard the Starting Strength Coach certificate has a 15% pass rate, should I be concerned?
If you are committed to the process, follow the Prep Course curriculum, gain experience coaching professionally, and are capable of learning the academic material, you are likely to pass the SSC. The certification is the most advanced in the industry because our standards are the highest in the industry. Earning the SSC means that you've demonstrated to our staff that you have enough experience with the Starting Strength model to make anyone stronger. Note, only Level 4 & 5 Coach positions require the SSC.
How is the SSC different from other fitness certifications?
If the certification promises to make you a "trainer" in a weekend, or promises that you'll pass or your money back, it is not valuable. Our certification is valuable because Starting Strength fans understand that a Starting Strength Coach has the ability to help them achieve their goal: getting stronger.
How long does it take to become a Starting Strength Coach?
If you're a skilled coach in another domain, have completed the Novice Linear Progression, possess a background in science or engineering, and are committed to moving as quickly as possible? Potentially less than a year. If you're new to coaching, Starting Strength, and the physical sciences, it will take longer.
What positions are available and in what cities?
Contact Inna @ StartingStrengthGyms.com for the most current job openings.
Contact
info @ startingstrengthgyms.com
949-525-9191
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