Teaching, like instructing, is the artwork of serving to somebody obtain one thing they beforehand couldn’t do. When it’s simply you and the athlete on the platform, and so they can’t appear to determine methods to finest pull the bar off the ground with out their hips rising too quick, figuring out methods to coach them via this second is what separates the great and the good.
Any coach can level out incorrect method, and plenty of can display appropriate method…however what number of coaches can speak an athlete via a sticking level, utilizing cues and instruction to assist talk the duty’s finish purpose? Much more importantly, how do you coach them via a sticking level when what you normally do just isn’t working?
Do you blame the athlete? Get pissed off? Blame your self? Hand over?
If the athlete isn’t getting one cue, stop and try another. You can’t fit a square peg through a round hole, says @Tate_Tobiason. Click To Tweet
Each athlete is totally different and can reply to totally different cues. A coach can’t preserve yelling “CHEST UP!” for the fourth week in a row if their athlete just isn’t responding to it and their chest retains collapsing as their hips shoot again. At this level, it might be time to discover totally different cueing choices, comparable to “drive along with your quads.” If the athlete just isn’t getting one cue, cease and take a look at one other. You may’t match a sq. peg via a spherical gap.
Broadening Your Teaching Capability
So, let’s take the time to develop our cueing choices and assist our athletes turn into the most effective variations of themselves. The next is my try at increasing cueing choices for widespread method points I’ve seen within the fitness center for 3 foundational motion patterns.
1. Squat
The squat is a staple in practically each coaching program. Whether or not bilateral or unilateral, athletes discover quite a few advantages from the king of motion patterns; as coaches, we needs to be prepared to assist them do it safely and effectively.
Cue: “Open your hips.”
When squatting, many lifters battle with shifting their weight ahead as they descend into the squat. Their knees are pushed ahead, and as soon as ankle mobility runs out, they find yourself on their toes, compromising security and effectivity. Coaches generally instruct their athletes to push their knees out in hopes of the athlete drifting ahead. Whereas this cue appropriately identifies what must occur, I don’t consider it successfully cues the athlete to repair the problem. Early in my teaching profession, I used this cue on a regular basis, but it surely solely resulted in athletes pushing their knees thus far aside that their toes would start to supinate as they continued shifting their knees ahead.
Sooner or later, whereas attending a lifting seminar, I heard powerlifting legend Ed Coan teaching up a volunteer, and he talked about how lifters wanted to “open their hips” so they might descend straight down into the squat. He used extra colourful language for his cue, however the idea remained the identical, and I took it again to my athletes, telling them to “open your hips,” as I demonstrated whereas descending right into a squat. Immediately, it began clicking for them. Their chests stayed extra upright, their knees didn’t shoot excessively ahead, their squat numbers went up, and most significantly, their confidence improved.
Cue: “Root your foot” or “Three factors of stress.”
In any squatting motion, whether or not bilateral or unilateral, a superb elevate begins with stable toes. Some lifters battle to steadiness their weight all through their foot, leading to unstable weight shifts and dangerous working units as soon as the load will increase.
To remedy balance issues, I tell my athletes to ‘root your foot’ or ‘3 points of pressure,’ explaining how to distribute pressure between 3 points of contact in our feet: big toe, pinky toe, and heel. Click To Tweet
It’s not adequate to inform the athlete in entrance of us to seek out their steadiness or regular themselves. They want one thing extra. To treatment steadiness points, I inform my athletes to “root your foot” or “three factors of stress,” explaining how we must always distribute stress between three factors of contact in our toes: large toe, pinky toe, and heel. That is what I name “rooting the foot.” I’ve discovered this cue helps athletes higher stabilize themselves, and each time I say “root your foot” in a session, they instantly know what I’m speaking about.
Video 1. Root the foot—To provide good power into the bottom, it’s essential to have a steady foot base.
Cue: “Drive via the entrance of your heel.”
Constructing on foot stress in any squatting motion, when ascending from the squat, many athletes shift ahead onto their forefoot. That is neither protected nor optimum for efficiency. To treatment this, some coaches inform their athletes to drive via their heels or, when within the elevate, “heels, heels, heels!” Nevertheless, I discover this cue to be ineffective.
In my expertise, athletes shift their weight too far again, opening themselves to a brand new host of issues. I like instructing my athletes to drive via the entrance a part of their heel as an alternative. This cue helps them perceive that they should shift their weight again—however not too far again—permitting them to successfully steadiness and apply power successfully via their decrease physique.
Cue: “Squeeze your glutes and let your toes naturally rotate out.”
Whereas this isn’t essentially a cue, it’s a superb tip to assist your athletes discover their optimum toe angle whereas squatting, in contrast with the widespread instruction of “flip your toes out 45 levels.” You may both use this on day one with athletes or pull it out of the toolbox while you discover an athlete struggling to seek out their stance.
Merely have the athlete stand on the platform of their socks, in a shoulder-width stance. Beginning with their toes pointing ahead, instruct them to squeeze their glutes, permitting their hips/legs to rotate out naturally. The outcomes ought to place the athlete in a superb toe angle for squatting with their particular person anatomy. This course of just isn’t foolproof, so teaching discernment might be required. Use your finest judgment.
Video 2. Discovering the appropriate place to begin for the toes in a squat.
2. Hip Hinge
The hip hinge is arguably the toughest motion to show within the fitness center. When performing a hinge, I’ve seen athletes do every little thing however hinge on the hips. This motion takes some time to click on for some, and as coaches, we needs to be prepared with a big selection of cueing choices.
The hip hinge is arguably the hardest movement to teach in the gym. It takes a while to click for some, and as coaches, we should be ready with a wide array of cueing options, says @Tate_Tobiason. Click To Tweet
Cue: “Shave your legs with the bar.”
What do most of us coaches inform our athletes after they let the barbell drift away from their legs in the course of the hip hinge? Maintain the bar shut! Okay, however what does shut imply? Many athletes might consider that 2 inches away is shut. If I had been 2 inches away out of your face, you’d assume I used to be fairly shut. Thus, many miss the purpose of the cue.
I’ve discovered success with the cue “shave your legs with the bar” or just “shave your legs,” because it communicates to the athletes how near their legs they want the bar. Clearly, they don’t want to really drag the bar up their legs, however this helps get the purpose throughout in a enjoyable and unorthodox manner.
Cue: “Brace such as you’re about to get gut-punched.”
Many athletes battle with correct core bracing throughout weight coaching, particularly within the hip hinge. Some appear to be a flamingo with a very arched backbone, whereas others may cross because the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Relatively than merely inform the athlete to brace their core, which usually ends in them flexing their abs and never bracing them, I’m going a bit additional and inform them to do it as if they’re about to be gut-punched.
Generally, to assist illustrate the purpose, I slowly deliver my fist towards the athlete’s intestine. It then clicks of their head how they should brace outwardly, bringing their rib cage barely down to guard themselves. This cue has labored wonders for me in optimizing bracing method and, in flip, has resulted in higher hip hinges.
3. Bench
Whereas the bench press will not be thought of essentially the most practical elevate, it’s nonetheless a staple throughout many applications. No matter your opinion on the motion itself, many coaches nonetheless program some horizontal press variation, which many of those cues can be utilized for interchangeably.
Cue: “Row the bar to your chest.”
Should you do any powerlifting or prepare to maximise your bench press, you shortly perceive how essential stability and tightness are to the elevate. Nevertheless, many athletes don’t obtain and even keep tightness within the bench press on account of how they decrease the bar. Of their minds, the purpose is to easily get the bar again up. Who cares about the way it goes down, am I proper?
This mindset results in sloppy bench press reps and an eventual plateau in energy. Relatively than reminding my athletes to “keep tight,” I prefer to cue them to “row the bar to your chest.” This cue helps them decelerate the elevate and be purposeful all through the motion. As well as, after I clarify that they need to row the bar, I’m going on to instruct them to really flex their lats. The ensuing stability and confidence are instantly noticeable.
Cue: “Flip your knuckles white.”
After I start to see athletes plateau within the bench press, I have a look at two issues: their fingers and their legs. Many athletes passively maintain the bar of their fingers with none (or with little or no) muscular engagement of their forearms. Now, I don’t at present have a elaborate examine to again this up, however I do consider that while you grip the bench bar tightly, your CNS is healthier engaged; with that, your physique enters right into a extra optimum combat response, permitting you to elevate extra. A tighter grip on the bar can also be safer for the spotter and lifter.
When I begin to see athletes plateau in the bench press, I look at two things: their hands and their legs. Many athletes passively hold the bar in their hands, says @Tate_Tobiason. Click To Tweet
Cue: “Make it a full physique elevate.”
The bench press can and needs to be a full-body elevate. This implies the legs needs to be concerned. The athlete ought to plant their toes into the bottom, and as soon as the bar touches the chest, their quadriceps ought to flex violently. This drives power up into the higher physique, serving to the athlete push heavier weight whereas offering added stability. It is a nice cue for the athletes whose legs appear to be they’re dancing mid-lift.
It Will All Begin to Click on
Whereas not an exhaustive record, I hope these cues develop your toolbox and enable you to turn into a greater communicator on the fitness center ground. Keep in mind that teaching is an artwork, and easily plugging these cues in doesn’t assure success. Use your discernment and discover what clicks for the athlete in entrance of you. Watch their physique language, ask them if what you simply stated made any sense, and even ask them to educate it again to you.
Take the time to work with them, attempting a number of cues, and as soon as it begins clicking, you’ll understand it. Their face will mild up, and the weights will begin transferring higher. Take this time to have a good time with them; it’s the most effective emotions in teaching.
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