Why Unqualified Coaches are Dangerous (and How to Find a Good One)
Coaching is More than Just Pushing Hard
In September 2024, multiple Tufts University lacrosse players were hospitalized after undergoing an extreme workout led by a former Navy SEAL with no proper coaching credentials (AP News, 2024). The workout, reportedly inspired by Navy SEAL training, included an excessive number of burpees, push-ups, weighted carries, and sprints with little to no rest. The athletes were pushed beyond their safe physiological limits, leading to severe dehydration and muscle breakdown, and in several cases, rhabdomyolysis, a life-threatening condition that can cause kidney failure. Some players required extended hospitalization and IV fluids to recover.
This wasn’t an isolated incident. Every year, athletes and everyday trainees suffer consequence due to unqualified coaches who fail to design safe and effective training programs. High school football players collapsing during summer workouts, fitness enthusiasts experiencing chronic overuse injuries, and weekend warriors burning out. These aren’t just random occurrences. They are symptoms of poor programming, inadequate fatigue management, and reckless coaching.
One of the biggest risks? Overtraining syndrome. When excessive workloads, insufficient recovery, and poor programming collide, the result is chronic fatigue, declining performance and a drastically increased risk of injury.
Yet, people often assume that someone with an impressive physique, flashy background, be it military, professional sports, or social media following automatically knows how to coach. But coaching isn’t about making tough athletes and pushing limits for the sake of it. It’s about understanding training science, individualization, and long-term development.
The Navy SEAL Had No Proper Credentials – And It Showed.
The biggest issue with the Tufts case? The Navy SEAL leading the workout was not a certified strength coach, athletic trainer, or exercise scientist (AP News, 2025). While Navy SEALs are among the toughest individuals on the planet, military training experience does not equate to coaching expertise. Elite military training is designed to weed out those who don’t belong. It’d not structured for safe, progressive athletic development.
Why This Matters:
- Coaching requires an understanding of physiology, biomechanics, programming theory, and fatigue management.
- Elite military operators adapt over years of training. But that doesn’t mean their methods translate to sport-specific or general fitness training.
- Smart training involves progression, adaptation, and individualization, not just intensity for the sake of suffering.
Training always carries some risk, but unqualified coaching increases that risk exponentially. In this case, a lock of proper programing led to hospitalization. A scenario that should never happen under a competent coach.
The Consequences of Unqualified Coaching
Unqualified coaching can lead to:
- Overuse injuried from no structured progression
- Fatigue and poor adaptation from lack of recovery
- Rhabdomyolysis and kidney issues from excessive volume
- Increased injury risk from one-size-fits-all training.
A well-designed training program should challenge athletes while ensuring recovery and adaptation. Not push them into a hospital bed.
Coaching Requires More Than Just “Being Tough”
A trained coach understands that toughness is developed overtime, not through reckless suffering.
What a Good Coach Knows:
- How to apply progressive overload safely, without overtraining.
- When to push an athlete and when to pull back
- The difference between building resilience and unnecessary suffering.
- That mental toughness is independent of physical suffering.
- The distinction between military training and sports-specific training.
Many ex-athletes, military personnel, and social media trainers fail to recognize that what works for them might not work for others. That’s why education in exercise science and strength & conditioning is essential.
How to Spot a Qualified Coach (And Avoid the Bad Ones)
Red Flags (Signs of a Bad Coach)
- Focuses on brutal, random workouts over structured programming
- Lacks formal education or industry certifications
- Cannot explain why their methods work beyond “because it’s hard”
- Ignores recovery and fatigue management
Green Flags (What to Look For in a Coach)
- Proper credentials, such as :
- CSCS (Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist)
- NASM, NSCA, ACSM certifications
- Formal education in sustainable success
- Data-driven, individualized programming
- A focus on long-term development over short-term suffering.
Final Takeaway: Be Selective About Who You Trust
A flashy title, impressive background, or massive Instagram following does NOT make someone a great coach. If you are serious about your progress and performance gains, hire a coach who understands the science of training.
Before Hiring a Coach, Ask Yourself:
- Do they have proper credentials?
- Can they explain their training methodology?
- Do they emphasize long-term development over suffering?
- Have they coached others with proven results?
If the answer is no to any of these, you’re taking a huge risk with your training and your health.
Work With a Coach Who Knows Their Stuff
If you’re tired of:
- Guessing your way through training
- Risking injury due to bad programming
- Wasting time on ineffective workouts
Then it’s time to train with someone who understands high-performance programming.
Want a real training plan backed by science? Don’t waste time on bad coaching. Get expert programming from Hagele Strength Coaching today.
References
https://apnews.com/article/lacrosse-players-hospitalized-navy-seal-5f72180e7f1c2353336a5f6035f81cc5