Dressing for Coaching

[gym4life123]

I have just started coaching, and I was wondering what coaches wear on their feet? I asked the club's head coach and she said I could wear any thing. What would you recommend, bare feet, socks, shoes, sandles, or something else?

 

[B Gymnast]

my coaches always wear tennis shoes or they just wear socks

 

[CoachGoofy]

I coach barefoot or in socks. Not having to wear shoes is one of the perks.

 

[gymnast695]

my coach has only ever worn sneakers. so i guess what ever you're the most comfortable in!

 

[gymcoach26]

Many coaches I work with wear sneakers. I prefer to go barefoot. I would wear socks but I find myself slipping! Sandels I think would be risky for twisting an ankle.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Socks or shoes, wear socks if you are having to take stretching or demo a bit.

 

[gymdog]

Bare feet. Socks are too slippery on most of the surfaces. I don't ever wear shoes. Sandals aren't a good idea, too likely to trip. fine for walking around the gym or supervising something but if you have to spot something significantly you're going to be falling out of your shoes and tripping. If you need the support of shoes then laced up tennis shoes would be okay.

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

Most of my coaches wear comfortable sneakers, though one does wear fuzzy pink slippers regularly. She loves them. They are an object of great desire in our gym. She will take them off if she's getting involved in spotting, etc.

 

[gymfan4ever95]

My coaches always wear tennis shoes or bare feet. One level 4 coach will wear flip flops, but she takes them off if she is spotting or anything of that nature.

 

[peace.love.gymnast]

I always wear sneakers or just go barefoot. I don't like to wear socks because I'm afraid I may slip and fall trying to spot...never flip flops either. If I'm spotting my cheerleaders/tumblers, I will definitely wear sneakers because they wear them also so I don't want them to step on my bare toes.

 

[gymnut1]

Most of our coaches wear gym shoes on the floor although a couple have 'indoor' sneakers specially for the gym. The rest wear socks.

 

[Linsul]

I go barefoot, but the surfaces and the chalk demand pumice stone usage at least weekly. I don't go out of my way to get pedicures, but if I have polish and it chips, it's all coming off. Can't stand shoes because they totally confuse me when I demonstrate even a handstand. That's about the extent of my demonstration though lol. I can't walk on a beam in them either. Been going barefoot for so long that I totally rely on my feet for tactile information.

One thing I have to say since this has been made a topic (yay!) is: I really, Really, REALLY detest that lounge-wear(?) line 'Pink' by Victoria's Secret. I see so many coaches walking around in shorts with a big obnoxious PINK in block letters across their rear ends and I find it totally tacky and frankly gross. It's a job, not a pajammy jam. That's the only brand I have issues with, and it may just be me. Thanks cb for letting me get that off my chest!

 

[Maya]

I really, Really, REALLY detest that lounge-wear(?) line 'Pink' by Victoria's Secret

I agree 100%, I absolutely HATE 'Pink'
As for shoes, my head coach wears socks WITH his sandals but other coaches are usually barefoot.

 

[Linsul]

I agree 100%, I absolutely HATE 'Pink'
As for shoes, my head coach wears socks WITH his sandals but other coaches are usually barefoot.

Haha good, I'm glad it's not just me! Socks and sandals together?! Wow! Why oh why would someone do that

 

[CreateMagic]

Most of the time I go barefoot, but I'll wear socks when its cold.

And Linsul, COMPLETELY AGREE! Our gym has a no-pjs rule for coaches. We wear a staff shirt and exercise pants or shorts. (I'm all about the Target kids section pants They're shorter than women's pants, woohoo! AND they're only $8!)

 

[coachmolly]

Most of the time I go barefoot, but I'll wear socks when its cold.

And Linsul, COMPLETELY AGREE! Our gym has a no-pjs rule for coaches. We wear a staff shirt and exercise pants or shorts. (I'm all about the Target kids section pants They're shorter than women's pants, woohoo! AND they're only $8!)

I'll have to try the kids section at Target! I don't think I have particularly short legs but I have some sweats I bought for coaching that I can't wear because they are too long. Thanks for the tip!
As for foot wear, I prefer to go barefoot. If it's cold (and it can get very cold where I live), I wear socks but never shoes. But I'm also not a shoe person ever. They come off as soon as I walk in the door at home, so why wear them when I coach? And, like Linsul said, I find barefeet to be better for demonstrating anyway.

 

[tumblerK]

My coaches usually went barefoot. I actually bought a pair of tennis shoes just to wear indoors because I usually went to coach just after finishing a 4-5 hour shift of non stop walking around a buffet and my feet would start to hurt towards the end of practice, which would lead to some lovely twinges from my lovely shin splints.

It's really hard for me to keep my shoes on while I'm coaching though because I'm so used to being barefoot in the gym. I usually kick them off at least once per class to demonstrate and then put them back on before the next class. Wearing shoes while coaching has helped my feet feel much better though!

 

[Linsul]

Most of the time I go barefoot, but I'll wear socks when its cold.

And Linsul, COMPLETELY AGREE! Our gym has a no-pjs rule for coaches. We wear a staff shirt and exercise pants or shorts. (I'm all about the Target kids section pants They're shorter than women's pants, woohoo! AND they're only $8!)

Ooh I LOVE Target. I totally agree, for the price and the fit I don't even know why anyone would prefer the 'PINK' option. I buy shorts at Target and workout capri type pants. My favorite pair of workout pants are ones I got for Christmas like....6 years ago? Bebe sport is the brand, I wash them twice a week and wear them to death and they still look great. They're practically perfect, I cant find anything else similar. The weight is good, I can pull them up if I have to show something like a scale and they stay in place until I pull them back down, yet I don't feel them when I leap. Breathable and only clingy in rated g areas. I wish I had 10 more pairs in 10 more colors!

 

[flipandtwist]

My coach, coaches barefoot, in flip-flops, or in his cowboy boots.

 

[peace.love.gymnast]

My coach, coaches barefoot, in flip-flops, or in his cowboy boots.

Cowboy boots? Really? That's a new one...LOL