Arash Rahbar stresses the importance of doing the homework of bodybuilding.
Many people understand the fundamentals of bodybuilding. Namely that it takes hard work and dedication in your training and diet routines. But what people often overlook is the homework that comes behind those two pillars of the sport. That’s often where a bodybuilding coach can be extremely helpful. But to blindly follow a coach’s orders is a foolish endeavor that happens far too often in young athletes. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Arash Rahbar shares his guide to finding the perfect bodybuilding coach.
Lately in our interviews we’ve been asking experts, gurus, and athletes alike – what are the responsibilities of a coach for a bodybuilders health? Ever since Shawn Ray blasted Chad Nicholls going just short of blaming him for the death of certain bodybuilders, the topic has been on everyone’s minds in the industry.
But beyond responsibility, what can an individual bodybuilder do to ensure he has the right coach? We asked that question to Arash Rahbar who had quite a lot to say on the subject. His number one concern was in regards to “homework.” Specifically, bodybuilders love to train and follow diets – but that’s not enough. They have to do the research themselves behind the training and being the diet. Expecting a trainer to be paid to do that form them is NOT the point of a coach.
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Arash Rahbar days before a bodybuilding competition (above).
Yes, a coach can bring expertise that is helpful and possibly essential to a bodybuilder. But more importantly, they bring a second eye that can be more objective than a mirror. To Arash, a coach comes in handy during the final weeks of contest prep. That’s when you need another person to analyze every single inch of your physique, pick out the flaws, and know how to fix them.
But every body is different, so the more you know about your own body and about the research behind training and diet science – the more you can help the coach effectively help you. If he sees a flaw and suggests a remedy to fix it, you might be able to point out that doesn’t work for you. Through a combination of knowledge and experience you can work in concert with your coach to build a perfect physique.
That’s why Arash doesn’t think that the health of an athlete is the sole responsibility of the coach. The athletes are adults who need to be responsible for themselves. More often than not if a person can afford it – they’d much rather pay someone else to do the tedious work for them. But a bodybuilder needs to be more than a guy who lifts and eats food. A bodybuilder needs to be a scientist of his or her own body. A wizard of all things fitness and nutrition. Those are the athletes that become champions.
You can also check out our previous interview segments with Arash such as his thoughts on the limit of lean muscle growth can happen in a year, if Chris Bumstead deserved the Classic Physique Olympia win over Breon Ansley, and how the global crisis and gym shutdown will affect pro bodybuilding.
You can watch Arash Rahbar’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
