EPTI'm not really sure if this should go in general or strategy... Feel free to move it either way.
One thing I have seen a lot on the forums basically since SC2 / gosucoaching have existed is the topic of lessons. A lot of people have had good experiences with lessons, and most people who have had them are generally very happy with what they have received. However, there are many people who constantly preach that you do not need lessons, and that TL/day9/other strategy resources can easily propel you to master league and beyond. As an experienced coach, I have learned a good number of things about the different types of people who get lessons, and what is most effective for him. This guide/informative post thingy aims to discuss a few things, such as:
- Should I get lessons?
- Are they worth it for me, and how can I know?
- What should I be looking for in a coach, and how should I decide on one?
- What should I be doing to get the most out of my lessons?
- any other questions you may have about lessons.
Obviously, there is no hard and fast rule you can make about lessons - lessons are not for everyone, but they most certainly can provide a benefit for everyone. Before getting lessons, you should do a decent amount of self-analysis and improvement before looking for a coach. The people who get the most out of coaching are the ones who are already dedicated to improving their play - coaching is not a magical solution for those who are not willing to work on improvement. If you're a bronze-gold player who's just gotten into the game and sees lessons as a quick way to skip the work of the lower leagues, you are completely wrong. In my opinion, lessons are really not work it for people below platinum, preferably diamond/on their way to diamond. These players will benefit most from just practice and exposure to the game, and will continue getting better whether they have a coach or not. If you are in lower leagues and really are still struggling, I would look at the cheaper/less known coaches (unless you want to buy a lesson to support your favorite player, which is also common). There are some really solid high master/GM coaches in the $10-$20 per hour range that are actually pretty good players, and definitely can help you improve your fundamentals. They don't quite have the deep strategic insight into the game as they're mostly ladder players rather than tournament/series players, meaning they don't have as much exposure to top play, but they are still definitely a good resources for low level players who really want lessons.
If you're in diamond or master league, lessons are definitely a good option. High diamond / low-mid master players are personally my favorite to teach, and those lessons end up being the most productive. These players are at the point where they've had a good amount of exposure to different strategies to know what they're having trouble with, and they have the mechanics to follow guidelines that are given to them. For these players, try to select a coach who seems to have a similar playstyle, or who's playstyle you'd like to learn. Watching streams of players is definitely a good way to get an idea of what sort of coach you'd like, and it's always a nice bonus to be able to support the income of your favorites. Ideally, the best time to get lessons is when you feel your losses are not as much from macro issues but actual failure to understand the matchup. Are you regularly dying with 2000 minerals in the bank on three bases? You're probably not ready yet - take some time to review more of your own replays and tighten up your game. That being said, there does come a point for every player where they just can't seem to figure out how they should be playing a matchup, and this is where lessons can really kick in and push you over the hump.
What coach you should pick and how you want to decide on one were mentioned previously a bit, but just for the sake of consistency with how I planned to write this, I'm just gonna go into it a bit more. If you're bronze-platinum, solid ladder players are probably more worth your money than the top players, as you won't be able to make much use of their advanced knowledge. Platinum-master players should start looking into decent tournament players - players who play showmatches, series play, sponsored teams etc - these players are constantly playing the same opponents and refining their game, so they have a better overall understanding of the matchup than someone who entirely plays ladder/playhem dailies or whatever. These players don't necessarily have to be top international finishers to be worth coaching - check out streams, see what players give commentary and do builds that you feel interested in working on. If you're pretty high up in master and have the cash to spare you could look into the $60++/hr range for top international coaches, but for the majority of people this isn't really necessary. Another thing you might want to consider is the player you're supporting - buying coaching from a favorite streamer really does help out their income, and you can build a bit of a friendship with them and support them at the same time, which is really cool for a lot of people. Don't be afraid to try out two or three different coaches if you're still having trouble, too - if you find one you really like, it will definitely be worthwhile in the long run.
Alright, now you've bought a session or two from your favorite coach and you're excited and scheduled - how should you prepare and make the most out of your lesson?
Coaches have different styles, and you should definitely either watch sessions from your coach (if they stream them) or ask them what their sessions are generally like, and what you can prepare. Every coach is different, but also, coaches are generally very willing to let you lead the lesson a bit more if you have an idea of how you want to learn. What really sucks for a coach is when a student comes to a lessons and just says, "I don't know what my problem is at all, I just suck at everything, what can you teach me?" You should at least have SOME idea of your problems - it doesn't have to be a specific build or whatever, but a general matchup/situation that you're having trouble with makes it a lot easier for a coach to give you what you want. Also, get an idea of how you'd best like to learn - do you feel totally lost in the matchup, with no build order or game plan? Consider asking your coach if he could go over a replay of his standard build (or any build you'd like to learn) with you, and they can prepare that in advance. Do you have a good general idea of a game plan, but you just struggle in certain situations? Consider bringing your own replays to the lesson and have your coach really tear them apart. Just need more practice with guidance? Find a friend that's normally slightly better than you that can be available for your lesson, and you can play some games with him with live coaching. Sometimes coaches can find you people to play, especially if they are popular streamers, but it makes it easier if you can find someone to play during your lesson if that's how you'd like to learn. People learn in different ways, and you should at least have some idea of what you're struggling with before you get in to your lesson. During the lesson, TALK A LOT and ask ANYTHING that you're wondering about. If you don't get it, ask again, or ask him to simplify it. It makes a coaches job much easier if you're constantly asking questions and trying to make the most out of it. If you stay silent, the coach will just explain what HE feels is important, or that you should learn - which is not always the most productive, as you may not understand well or that might not be exactly what you wanted to work on. Be an active, respectful conversationalist with your coach and you're definitely going to get a lot out of it.
Coaches do have different styles, and what I covered was pretty much entirely from my own experiences of coaching somewhere around 50-100 hours (idk how many really..) of lessons. Other coaches may disagree with things I say - just find a coach that fits your learning style, and it'll surely help you a lot.
Alright, that's about it - hopefully this cleared up some misconceptions of the usefulness of coaching, and gave you a better idea of whether or not it is for you. If you'd like me to recommend specific websites or players where you can get quality coaching, feel free to PM me - I don't mean for this to be an advertisement for any individual's coaching services. Also, feel free to ask any more questions or provide your opinion in the replies below!
Nick // GoSu.Pokebunny
I've personally been struggling with the notion "should I get coaching or not" for a while now and this post might just encourage me to go through my play, find specific places I can't figure out (ZvP Stargate Expands!!! >:O) and find a good coach to help me through it.
