How helpful is /was to you to learn with a coach?

Perhaps you know this too: I won several games in a row some days ago, and yesterday I played far below of my level and lost almost everything. Absolutely frustrating! (I should really stop playing blitz, it is no my think). I have to improve my game, urgently! Since a while I am thinking to work with a coach. What was your experience having a coach? How do they usually work? Do they play against you and afterwards analyse the game, or do they present you a position and ask you to tell something about it? I guess a lot of people are having lessons online, perhaps per Skype? Anyway, I am interested in how much did you improve with these lessons and if you still remember of the most useful hints you got from them.

Another question concerns the opening. I know from a scientific research that an expert playing a certain repertoire will not play better than a most weaker player when forced to play with another repertoire. Does this mean that I should try to find a coach that know about my repertoire? This will perhaps mean that I have to have different coaches who are experts in different parts of my repertoire. Or is the opening not the main part of the lessons that you had with a coach?

my coach does all of the above (on skype)
my coach dialed me in on a book to work with, and emails me exercises to mull over in between sessions
we go over games i have played on chess.com and i send him any pgn's of otb games
next session i am going to play live chess games and "commentate"
as he watches- i think this will be of the most benefit

i think the benefit of a coach is that one can really refine and pinpoint exactly what their student needs to work on- as an example- i have several chess books i am working on atm- and they are helping- but the one that was specifically recommended by the coach really seems to be right what i need atm (so now i can really focus my "book time" more efficiently)

it is also not a mystery what the coach is working on- there is no secret recipe- but the great benefit is to cut through all the clutter and distractions and really hone in on a couple of things which will help you

Thanks daxypoo, Yes, it sounds good. To be able to focus on something (and to know in which part of the game you have to focus) seems to be useful.

I have a coach that I work with every other week.  It has been very helpful for me.  First, he reviewed a few of my games and suggested areas of study.  

He joked that I play like I'm at work.. as a cyber security professional my job is often to manage risk and be "defensive".  So, he often shows me how to play more active and aggressive.  I played too passive in the past and this has already made a difference.  He's also given me tips on how to avoid blunders.

I'll also choose a game I played to review with him or a specific position.  I also review these with an engine but like his analysis as well.

Sessions are also recorded so I can review again.

try a few sessions and see how you like it.

It depends on the person, really. I had a guy who coached me for a couple months and, as nice as he was, I wasn't really improving. So I asked my brother to coach me and ended up improving a lot due to his teaching method being more compatible with my tastes. My brother, on the other hand, is very talented (2100-something is his rating, not sure of the exact number) but never had a coach and doesn't want one. He learns better on his own.

 

I say try a couple sessions and see what you think! Maybe you'll like, maybe you won't.