Let’s continue the list of the must-read books list. We have previously list sports science and nutrition book, and it’s time for coaching books.

Why coaching books?

For coaches, these are good books to develop your skills, and maybe remind some things you have already forget since school times.

For others, if you don’t have a coach, these books might help you to understand how to build a training schedule, how to divide your training session. Also, if you are looking for a coach or follow some coaches on social media, this might help you to figure out is your coach suitable for your needs.

One of my client said: Everyone can buy a personal trainer certification but not everyone is ready to pay thousands and use years to get knowledge and experience for the field. And that’s scary.

That 100% right! Internet is full of information and valid-information and sometimes is difficult to separate those. You might follow someone who has thousands of followers on Instagram but he/she doesn’t have proper education, her/his training styles might not be suitable for you. That’s why I always recommend to ask, seek and read.

Again these books don’t make you professional coach, but they do offer valid information. If you are not familiar with this subject, I hope these help to understand at least a little bit of work that coaches do. When you next time watch sports and listen, coaches’ interview, you know it’s not an easy job.

Become a better coach through relentless pursuit of small improvements every day.

-Wade Gilbert

booklist

• Kristen Dieffenbach and Melissa Thompson – Coach Education Essentials

Excellent book for coaches and those who aim to become one. Contains educational base of coaching, high-level athlete coaching, coaching career and how to develop coaching styles and mechanics. Going deep into coaching science.

• Mike McGuigan – Monitoring Training and Performance in Athletes

All about monitoring athletes, as coaching is not only making a training program, it’s also monitoring several aspects. Not every coach has access to the lab, so the book includes monitoring in the budget. Good for non-coaches too who are interested to monitor physiological effects.

• Wade Gilbert – Coaching better every season: a year-round system for athlete development and program success

How to set target, design quality practices, developing, and much more. Excellent book for runners and coaches. Even though the book is quite fat, it’s easy to read.