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FITNESS COACH BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

A Curated Collection From Our Coaching Staff

“Think before you speak. Read before you think.” – Franz Lebowitz

Train your mind as well as your body. Reading is critical to furthering your knowledge as a coach or pursuing your full potential as an athlete.

We’ve asked our own coaches about the books they’ve been reading and why they would recommend. So take a look, and make sure there’s a slot open in your library?

OPEX Founder James FitzGerald recommends…

The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee 

“This book is so incredibly dense that it will take a better part of a year for the coach to read it twice and understand it fully. Though the prospect of tackling such a scientific book may seem daunting, it is an incredible resource for a coach. As coaches, we work in such a physical space. This means that a lot of our prescriptions are based on biology and physics and biochemistry. Though you don’t need to be a subject expert to write good fitness programs, a fundamental understanding of these subjects are incredibly helpful to the coaching craft. Mukherjee does an excellent job of writing about these topics in a way that is understandable. As coaches, when it comes to designing a program for a client, we must know where our biases and leanining come from and what the base of support is for the choices we make in that design.”

OPEX Head Coach Sam Smith recommends…

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson 

“Jordan Peterson is one of the brightest minds in our current age. He asks the hard questions and makes you rethink your life and purpose in a constructive way. When you read this book, you will be better equipped to live a larger life.”

OPEX Head Coach Matt Connolly recommends…

The Chimp Paradox – Steve Peters

“This book gives an insightful perspective on the way we experience life, process our thoughts, and experience our emotions and feelings. Everything talked about in this book ties in well with values and priorities and life coaching pieces. When you read this book you will gain some ideas and tools to enhance your performance both inside and outside of sport.”

OPEX Head Coach Michael Bann recommends…

Facing Codependence: What It Is, Where It Comes from, How It Sabotages Our Lives

“The way we interact with others, behave, and experience life is influenced by the manner in which we were raised as a child. Pia Melody expertly and succinctly defines patterns of abuse and how simple awareness is the path back to living a present and fulfilling life. A definite good read for coaches and athletes because of its life coaching value.”

OPEX Head Coach Mizar Fuentes recommends…

How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! – Paul Chek

“This book is an essential for those of us who want to make positive changes on our food and lifestyle in 2018.”

OPEX Head Coach Mike McElroy recommends…

The Traveler’s Gift – Andy Andrews

“You’re here for a very specific purpose. If you don’t pursue that fully you may be robbing the world of something special. This book will not only help you find that purpose, but also pursue it.”

OPEX Head Coach Matt Springer recommends

Game of Thrones – George R.R. Martin

“Having trouble sleeping? Your brain too analytical like mine? Fiction prior to bed turns my lights out. Early in the year I stopped reading ‘educational’ text as part of my night cap.

It was hard at first to reconcile the replace of my study hour with fantasy characters. But in the end, it helps dull my analytic brain from processing through the night I’ve tipped the idea to a few clients and received back positive feedback from them as well”

He is the list of books recommendations for Fitness Coaches

So what do you think our book recommendations? Think of a book our coaches should read? Share your opinion and recommendations in the comments below!