The Art of Coaching

I read this quote the other day and it made me think about how I’ve developed as a strength and conditioning and personal trainer in NYC.

In my earlier days, there was a lot of pressure on me for my athletes to perform. So I focused HEAVILY on building my programming knowledge and eye for coaching.  There was a lot of pressure to succeed through my athletes performance. If they didn’t perform as well as I know they could have or if they were horsing I didn’t handle it correctly- think screaming and a bunch of sled pushes. Essentially I ran practice like a drill sergeant. This clearly didn’t win me brownie points with many of the athletes.

Long story short, after working with some of the best coaches out there, I realized that it wasn’t about the program, the right exercise selection, what regeneration method to use, etc… it was much greater than what I know and what I could do for them, it was about building a relationship of trust.

Most athlete’s will do what you ask and some will put in full effort. But if you build a relationship of trust and cultivate a strong team culture, then you’ll get their full effort. Afterwards, you can start to implement everything you want and start working at a higher capacity.

Here are a few things that I didn’t prioritized as a young coach but should’ve.

Emphasize Communication

A lot of mistakes happen not from the athlete being aloof or screwing around but from them not fully understanding what is expected or being on a different page as you. Building a relationship where the athlete feels comfortable enough to ask questions in front of the group or step aside to talk to you, is a VERY important culture you must build.

You also should keep an eye out for certain athlete’s that maybe a bit more hesitant. Your job as a coach is to cultivate the relationship, this means YOU should be actively asking them questions so that you and the team/athlete remain on the same page. It’s up to  you to build this culture, not the athlete.

Every situation is different but I typically like to explain what we’re doing and what’s expected in the beginning and ask if anyone has questions. As you go through the warm ups, you can talk to each athlete and feel out if there’s any questions to be answered.

Also, if you feel like the team or athlete is losing focus, approach the situation in a CALM manner. Ask, “What’s going on?” and see the issues from their side then develop the dialogue. Letting things brew under is VERY bad, especially in a team setting where the team culture can sway very quickly.

Be Supportive

I’m invested in all my athletes and clients and I’m sure that they know that. Everyone of my relationships are different, some are closer than others, so you’ll have to figure out what works best for you and the individual person. But for anyone to want to work hard for you or believe in your system, they have to know that you’re also invested in them.

For some, I’ll text them supportive messages, others maybe we’ll catch a quick post-workout meal together, and for some we may take a few minutes out to talk about overcoming certain obstacles. Taking small steps to show that you care about them and not just their performance outcome, goes a long way.

The Right Approach

I’m still working on this, since I can be pretty brash. While it’s a work in progress, the “Right Approach” is something that every coach and trainer needs to understand and it’ll develop with time.

The “Right Approach”, is making sure that you relay your message in a non-aggressive or brash manner. Most of your clients and athletes work their butt off for not only their own end goal but because they are invested in you too. If you approach the situation with a negative attitude, it will only make matters worse.

For example, the athlete that you keeps coming in late, instead of just yelling at them, maybe ask them why and then you BOTH figure out a way to get their on time.

Keep in mind that the “Right Approach”, isn’t just about handling negative manners but it also includes your coaching method. Say your athlete isn’t really executing the exercise correctly, you see that they’re getting disappointed. Do you keep trying to correct the issue and give light that they’re not succeeding in this aspect?

Sometimes that maybe effective, but making sure that you approach the manner with more positives then negatives will keep their morale up. So highlighting the positives vs. the negatives in a ratio of 2:1 (positive: negative) is usually a good way to approach the situation.

Conclusion

To end, all you young sports performance coaches, personal trainers, and strength and conditioning coaches, it’s not JUST about the program and your knowledge base. Coaching is about developing a strong relationship, listen to your athlete and be proactive if you see any issues developing. Take time to show that you care, send them a text, show up to their games, just be supportive and you’ll see a big difference in their effort.

That’s it for today,

Stay strong,
New York City Personal Trainer