What is Performance Coaching?
Mike Collette • May 20, 2025
A Glimpse Into the "Hard Reps" That Actually Matter
In the world of fitness, it’s easy to assume that coaching is just about reps, sets, and sweat. But the Performance Coaching program
we've developed at Prototype goes beyond that. It isn’t about chasing PRs—it's about rewiring the way people think, feel, and show up under pressure.
It's not therapy, but it is therapeutic. In essence, it's training the mind through the body.
At its core, Performance Coaching uses the gym here at Prototype as a "training arena"—a relatively low-risk environment where people can face discomfort, challenge self-limiting narratives, and build the kind of mental resilience that transfers directly into life outside the walls.
EVERYONE can use this but the approach is unique in some ways to that individual. When I say that i'll refer back to this notion of "what is normal?". We ALL have anxiety, some worse than others... we have all struggled with confidence. Some of us struggle on the opposite end, where there is an over confidence.
But what I'm continuing to find is that there are many ways to train working on this imbalance in the gym, so you can apply it to areas outside the gym. Emotions and feelings drive our action or inaction. Bringing that to light in a low risk environment and WINNING, creates earned confidence that you can apply outside of this arena.
Let me show you what this looks like in real time...
From "I Can't" to "I Can't Yet"
In a recent session, I worked with a client who has consistently described herself as someone who “prefers being told what to do.” Autonomy feels overwhelming in some cases, but not all. New tasks and challenges spark immediate resistance. As a for instance, doing workout on her own during open gym felt like a level 4 challenge on her personalized “hard mode” scale (we will come back to this scale).
So of course, we lean into it.
I started by having her walk on an Assault Treadmill—a task she initially avoided, convinced she couldn't run on it. She asked to switch to the Echo Bike. I gave her space, then encouragement, then just enough coaching. She didn’t just walk. She ran. And her language shifted—from “I can’t” to “I can’t yet.”
That single phrase change? It's a small example of growth. That’s mindset training doing its job.
On our established "Hard Mode" scale... this would be a 1 out of 4. It causes discomfort, limited anxiety but with consistent reps that dials down. A very low risk place to start.
Turning the Tables: Teaching as Exposure
Next, I introduced a higher-discomfort task: having her TEACH another member how to do an exercise.
When I introduced this scale several weeks back, this was unequivocally a 4. Think of this for many people as their own version of public speaking in a way.
As expected this was REALLY HARD.
All the protective language came out: “I don’t know how… I can’t… No, Mike.” The emotional wave hit: anxiety, resistance, a strong desire to leave. But we stayed with it. She coached—imperfectly, nervously, but she did it. And after?
We rapidly reflect:
"Obviously I felt better after. Next time I’ll use it to better myself—not get stuck in embarrassment."
That’s not just confidence building. That’s narrative transformation.
Why This Works: Courage Reps and the SAID Principle for the Mind
What we did wasn’t random—it was based on a deliberate model we've been building here at Prototype:
RAMP Scaling:
We co-created a scale from Level 1 (dropping a barbell mid-set) to Level 4 (coaching someone else). This allowed her to visualize where she was and choose reps that challenged—but didn’t paralyze—her.
Graduated Exposure:
We used small, successful reps (like the treadmill) to build toward higher-stakes ones (teaching). Each success anchored belief that she could face discomfort and come out stronger.
Mental SAID Principle:
Just like muscles adapt to load, minds adapt to fear and stress through repeated exposure. SAID in exercise physiology refers to this concept of "Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands"-your body adapts to the stress you put on it. The soreness she felt after trying new physical movements mirrored the growing pains of mental rewiring.
Practical Tools: Language, Reflection, and Story Work
We don’t just train the body. We track patterns:
Negative self-talk → Growth mindset reframes
Avoidance behavior → Voluntary reps
Emotionally charged reflection → Calm awareness
We’re also creating a “Courage Evidence Board”—a place to log all the “I can’t” moments she’s moved through. Echo bike. Treadmill. Coaching. AND specific examples where this shows up OUTSIDE of the gym. All reps that prove her discomfort isn’t predictive—it’s just the start of growth.
So What Is Performance Coaching, Really?
It’s not just showing up to move. It’s showing up to shift.
In this case, it's about helping someone walk into the gym with fear—and walk out with proof that they can do hard things.
It’s about using the physical domain to train resilience, confidence, and self-awareness.
It’s about building a library of evidence—reps of courage—that slowly but powerfully change what someone believes is possible.
Final Thoughts
I believe Performance coaching is for everyone, but not every approach will work for anyone. Growth, however, is universal for anyone who wants it. Again, this isn't about developing physical strength or improving VO2 max... those may be byproducts, this is about finding areas and opportunities to train the mind through the body.
Think of this for yourself if you're reading this...the next time your son/daughter/friend or even yourself says “I can’t,” don’t rush to fix it. Start with this as a reflective opportunity to explore that narrative, and you can find opportunities to build the bridge from “I can’t” to “I did.”
And remember: "The speed you bounce back from something HARD is your current capacity to recover."
My goal is to help more people raise that capacity—one rep at a time.
Disclaimer:
This post reflects the principles of performance coaching, NOT therapy. While the coaching process may surface emotional resistance or personal narratives, we are not licensed therapists, and this work is not a substitute for clinical mental health care. True therapeutic support is essential for many, and I deeply respect the role it plays. What we do in performance coaching is help people build awareness, develop resilience, and shift behavior patterns through structured physical challenges and mindset reflection in a safe, supportive environment.
If you're facing significant emotional or psychological challenges, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional.
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