It happens every year; the freshmen athletes arrives on campus, anxious and ready to get started. This year I had the opportunity to be the first to meet those freshmen at the door, shake their hands and welcome them into the weight room. Their first day I was asked to take them and show them how to move. Thrilled to have the opportunity to take on a more involved and hands-on role, I dove right in, hoping for the best.
Working with these athletes throughout the last three weeks I feel that I have learned so much and am excited to share a few notes I have taken away from the experience:
1. BE CLEAR AND CONCISE. Find cues that are simple and effective. Use external cues (“break that wall!”, “drive the ground away from you”, “shut the car door with your butt.” Don’t over explain things.
2. FIND THEIR CUE. Not every athlete responds to the same cues. Find out what works for them and stick to it.
3. USE YOUR TOOLS. Isometrics, eccentrics, bands, RNT- Use them all! Throw everything at them that may help them pattern the movement or get “that feeling” that you are aiming for.
4. DON’T BE AFRAID TO REGRESS. If something looks that bad, chances are they need some patterning and an exercise that is a little less complex (real life example = regressing DB RDLs to a PVC hip hinge). Take a step back, make it look good, and move on from there.
5. MICROMANAGE. Take charge. Be assertive. They move when you say so. This was one area that I was told to be more intentional about. “Left. Right. Go on me.” Coaching is not personal training. When you have a large group, the group is much more organized and time-efficient when you actively run the workout (especially the warm up and activation exercises).
This is by no means an exhaustive list of how to be an effective coach for beginners. These are simply things that I have taken note of that have helped me navigate these first few weeks working with freshmen athletes. I am happy to report that I have seen vast improvements in their core control and overall quality of movement and am excited to see them continue to improve with time and continued coaching and effort.