Do You Need a Special Operations Coach to Succeed at Selection?
Preparing for selection is no easy feat. It’s a high-stakes and unforgiving process where the consequences of failure are severe-you literally risk losing your shot at your dream career. And with attrition rates regularly over 70%, success is the exception, not the rule.
For many special operations candidates, the question arises: “Should I get a coach?” It’s natural to be skeptical, especially when there are free resources and programs out there. But here’s the truth: the price of unpreparedness is often far greater than the investment in the right guidance.
That said, coaching is not for everyone. In this article, I’ll share my experience as a coach and break down who should consider coaching, who might not need it, and how to succeed if it’s not the right time for you.
Who Should Get a Coach for Special Operations Training?
At this point, I’ve worked with well over 100 guys for selection prep for SFAS, BUD/S, RASP, A&S, BORTAC, and various LEO selections. With that experience, these are the people I would recommend coaching to:
Serious, Committed Athletes:
If you’re fully dedicated to selection and willing to put in the work, the right coach (more on this later) ensures every ounce of your effort is spent on an effective, personalized plan. You don’t have to worry about planning training phases or questioning what to do. Just get to work.
Athletes Who Want to Optimize Their Time:
The right coach will work with you to understand your schedule and find the right balance of training that is sustainable and also drives progress. There’s a misconception that you need hours of training each day to prep. And while that’s true in the immediate months to selection when ramping volume, it’s a misconception for most that you need to train more than four days per week to improve.
You’re Ready for Accountability:
Staying consistent and motivated on your own can be tough, especially with the demands of work, school, or family life. A coach should not be a personal cheerleader, but they should provide direction, celebrate wins with you, and provide accountability to keep you on track.
Those Looking to Break Through Plateaus:
If you’ve hit a wall in your training or aren’t seeing the progress you want, the right coach can pinpoint what’s holding you back and develop a plan to push you forward.
How Do You Find the Right Coach for Selection?
So, the elephant in the room is that, yes, this is all great. But, like when looking for support for anything, how do you make sure the person you’re going to can actually help you achieve those goals and live up to those expectations?
I can’t speak for all athletes, but if I were in your shoes, here is what I would look for in a special operations coach.
1. Personalization:
Coaching is an investment in yourself. As such, I would make sure that the training you are receiving is personalized to you. A cookie-cutter plan can be helpful to see a coach’s philosophy, but if you are receiving the same plan regardless of your strengths and weaknesses, then what is the point of getting a coach? The right coach should tailor training to your needs, focusing on your weaknesses and building on your strengths.
2. Baseline Assessments:
This goes along with the previous topic of personalization. A coach should start training with testing where you are today to evaluate your current performance-timed runs, rucks, and strength metrics. Form checks on big compound lifts are another great signal that you will receive personalized advice later on in training.
3. Ongoing Support and Adjustments:
When you’re training for selection and really looking to optimize your training, you want a coach who is consistently adjusting based on your needs. Whether that’s because you’re sick or going on vacation, or if you’re feeling off and missing interval times, you should be able to share this (or ideally he sees this ahead of time) and updates training accordingly.
4. Proven Track Record:
Results speak louder than anything else. Look for testimonials, success stories, and evidence of athletes who’ve been selected under their guidance. I will be the first to tell you, protecting athlete privacy definitely limits how much information is shared, but you should still look for ways to test a coach’s credibility:
- Training Philosophy: Check out their training guides or any other free resources. These give insight into their methods and philosophy, helping you decide if their approach aligns with your goals.
- Social Proof: Having a following on social media has no bearing on whether they’re a good coach or not. But I would look to see if you can find testimonials or general public sentiment on their expertise.
5. Data-Driven Programming:
This could be a personal bias, but I would look for a coach who relies on hard data. There is a wealth of publicly available research data and hundreds of new students graduating these courses every year. A good coach should leverage both the research and the recent experiences of the athletes who are being selected to ensure their training is specifically aligned with the demands of selection.
Who Might Not Need a Coach (Yet)?
So, I’ve covered a lot of the benefits of finding a coach for your special operations prep and how to find a great one. That said, coaching is not for everyone, and that’s okay. Some athletes may not be ready for coaching, and also many athletes have succeeded at RASP, SFAS, and BUD/S without a coach. Here are situations where coaching might not be the right fit-at least for now:
You’re Not Fully Committed:
If you’re still deciding whether selection is for you or aren’t ready to prioritize training, coaching isn’t the best choice. Prior to starting coaching, I recommend you have clarity on your goals – at least in general terms. You may be undecided between an Option 40 or 18X contract, but you should at least know your goal in general terms.
You’re Tight on Finances:
Coaching is an investment, and if funds are tight, it’s better to focus on becoming financially stable and train with free or low-cost resources. I will be the first to tell you – do not enter a financially precarious situation for coaching. Save up, train hard and consistently, and revisit coaching when you’re in a better financial position.
You’re Already Self-Sufficient:
If you’re hitting your targets, staying consistent, seeing progress on your own, and still a long way away from selection, you might not need a coach right now. More on this next.
When Is the Best Time to Get a Coach?
Unfortunately, I get requests every week from athletes who are shipping out in 3-4 weeks, hoping I can help. But here’s the reality: with only a few weeks left, the cake is already baked.
On average, I’m typically working with athletes for 9 months prior to heading to selection.
Here’s why:
Building the Right Adaptations Takes Time:
Developing a strong aerobic base, building strength through your posterior chain and legs, and translating that into selection-specific fitness doesn’t happen overnight-or even in a couple of months.
Progressive Peaking Protocols Take Time:
My peaking protocol alone-designed to ramp up volume and intensity over time-takes 10-12 weeks. That’s nearly 3 months of focused training, and it comes at the tail end of your prep. This is why working with a coach well before selection ensures you’re fully prepared.
6 – 9 Months for Optimal Prep:
On average, 6 – 9 months allows for a complete training cycle: building your base, addressing weaknesses, improving endurance, and peaking at the right time. This timeline ensures most athletes will be exceeding the standards and fully prepared
So, take your training seriously now. Work hard and train smart. But also, don’t wait until the last minute to start working with a coach. Generally, the best time to start with a coach is as soon as you’re fully committed, at least 6-9 months before selection. This gives you and your coach enough time to ensure you’re prepared.
Common Concerns About Coaching
“I can train on my own. Why do I need a coach?”
Many athletes believe they can achieve peak performance by following free programs or cobbling together advice online. While these resources can take you far and provide a starting point, they are not going to be tailored to you.
What I typically see working with athletes is that they’re robust in one area and have significant deficiencies in others from biasing their training towards their strengths and what the enjoy. So, you end up with runners who run every day, and strength athletes lifting five days per week. That’s great if you’re training for recreation, but it’s not optimal for military or law enforcement selection prep.
“What if the coach doesn’t understand my unique situation?”
After you’ve done your research and found a coach you’d like to work with, I’d make sure you are able to cancel coaching at any time. I can tell you, personally, that while I only work with committed athletes 3-months or more out from their desired readiness date (I screen for this), I also do not want to work with inactive athletes or those who do not want my services.
So, while you should make every effort to find the right coach upfront. Also, make sure you are protected on the backend and can cancel at anytime.
“Isn’t coaching expensive?”
Yes, coaching is definitely an investment, but it pays off with the right coach who personalizes, gauges strengths and weaknesses, adjusts based on feedback, and is consistently monitoring your progress.
Final Thoughts on Finding a Special Operations Coach
Preparing for selection is no joke. Just like you’d consult experts for your health, finances, or career, having someone who truly understands selection prep in your corner can make all the difference in achieving your goals. Make sure you do the proper due diligence to ensure that your potential coach has the right capabilities and that you’re in the proper mental, physical, and financial position to start coaching.
Explore Free Resources
Before you dive into a coaching search, take advantage of the free resources on my website. I’ve compiled what I believe is the most comprehensive collection of actionable guidance on military selection prep, based on real research and the firsthand experiences of my athletes.
You can also check out my free programs here.
What I Offer
While I don’t sell cookie-cutter plans, I do offer 1-on-1 coaching for a select group of athletes. My coaching is tailored to those who are fully committed to achieving their goals.
Currently, coaching is on a 1-in, 1-out basis. If you’re serious about taking your preparation to the next level, click here to learn more and apply for a spot.
No matter which path you take, I wish you nothing but success. Train hard, train smart, and go crush your training.
