Field notes / Coaching
How to prepare for a weekly coaching check-in
A useful weekly check-in covers what you planned, what actually happened, what helped or got in the way, and what you need to change next. Bring specific examples from your week. Valley Method uses check-ins, a journal, and a progress scorecard to make that conversation practical.
Start with what happened, without grading yourself
A check-in is more useful when it describes the week instead of labeling it good or bad. Record the training or movement you completed, how you followed the nutrition approach in your plan, and the routines you managed to repeat. Include the parts that did not happen.
You do not need a polished story. A short, accurate note is more useful than a perfect-looking scorecard that leaves out the difficult days. Valley Method’s journal gives you a place to reflect, while your field guide and scorecard provide the goals you are working toward.
Separate the obstacle from the outcome
“I missed two sessions” tells your coach the outcome. “Both sessions were scheduled after shifts that ran late” adds information that can help with the next plan. The distinction matters because different obstacles call for different conversations.
Try to describe the situation: the time you had, your available equipment, a change in routine, or a part of the instructions you did not understand. Include what went well too. If a particular time or setup made it easier to follow through, that is useful information to keep.
A simple weekly check-in template
Use these prompts as a starting point for your notes. This is an example you can adapt, rather than a requirement to track every detail or a replacement for the targets in your personal plan.
- My main priorities this week were…
- Here is what I completed…
- One thing that worked well was…
- The main obstacle was…
- One question I need help with is…
- Next week, my schedule or equipment will change in this way…
An example: turning a difficult week into a useful conversation
Imagine your plan included three training sessions, and you completed one because your work schedule changed. Instead of writing “I failed again,” a more useful note could be: “I completed Saturday’s session. My two weekday sessions were planned after work, but both shifts ran late. Next week has the same schedule. Can we review when those sessions belong?”
This is an illustrative example, not a client testimonial or a recommended training frequency. It does not decide the solution in advance. It gives you and your coach a specific planning problem to discuss.
Leave with a next step you understand
Before the check-in is finished, make sure you understand what to keep doing, what is changing, and what to record next time. If a target or instruction is unclear, ask. Your next action should make sense in your actual week.
The same idea carries into Valley Method’s 30, 60, and 90-day reviews. Those checkpoints look at a longer stretch of progress, while the weekly conversation helps you handle the immediate obstacles. Neither requires every day to have gone according to plan.
Coaching is not medical care or mental-health treatment. Questions about symptoms, injuries, or treatment belong with an appropriately qualified clinician. Bring relevant limitations into the coaching conversation so they can be considered within that scope.
