Coaching Tip: When NOT to Correct Someone's Form
This past Saturday while out on the coaching floor, I was explaining something to one of our interns, and, in the middle of our discussion, I realized it would make for excellent blog fodder, at least for the trainers and strength coaches in the crowd.
So, on Saturday morning, I was helping one of our *quasi-distance coaching clients, Rob, during his deadlifts. As he moved through the sets, he worked up to 335lbs for a set of 3, which was a personal best for him (cue fist bump).
However, during the first rep of this 335x3 set, his form broke down a bit. His hips were "prematurely" extending, or, in other words, he was throwing them forward a bit too early. Here's an example of what it looked like (although, to his credit, it wasn't quite this extreme):
I waited until he finished the set, had him drop the bar weight down to 135lbs, and then I showed up what he was doing (video above), and then demoed what he needed to be doing, such as in the video below. Notice how the hips and shoulders rise at the same rate, and then the hips extend ("hump the bar") to finish the lift.
He practiced the correct technique a few times with 135, gave me "ah hah, that makes sense!" expression, and moved on. Smooth as puddin'.
Yet this begs the question, WHY did I not immediately correct him during the heavy set, when his form was a bit off? Why did I let him finish the set without saying anything?
Quite simply, his form wasn't quite bad enough to risk injury, and the cue I was about to give him was one that we, Rob and I, hadn't discussed before. Which leads me to my main point:
Avoid giving coaching cues that the athlete or client hasn't heard before while they're in the middle of their set. ESPECIALLY when maximal weights are being used.
Yelling a cue or instruction at an athlete while they're in the middle of a maximal working set will most likely do one of two things: A) Utterly befuddle them, or B) Injure them. I think it goes without saying that both these scenarios are unfavorable.
So, if you notice they're doing something wrong, you typically have one of two options:
1) If their form is so bad, and/or they are breaking down so much that it looks like they're going to get hurt, STOP the set there. I don't care if they were supposed to do five reps and only got through one before everything fell apart.
Reduce the weight on the bar, describe what they are doing vs. what they need to be doing, and then have another go.
2) If their form isn't perfect, but it doesn't look bad enough to risk injury (ex. their elbows flaring too much on the bench press), allow them to finish the set, and then discuss what needs to be happening, and lower the weight if needed. Sometimes it's just a matter of them knowing what needs to be done, and other times the weight is simply too heavy.
Bret Contreras did an excellent job discussing this very topic in his post, The Three Most Idiotic Things I've Done as a Personal Trainer:
One of my best female clients was performing heavy high box squats (15? height). I had her squatting with 155 lbs on the bar and during the set I felt that she wasn’t arching hard enough at the bottom of the lift. I noticed that she’d relax a bit and fail to keep a rigid lumbar extension moment while she was seated on the box. During her set I instructed for her to “arch the low back.” Unfortunately, she wasn’t thinking clearly and she confused “arch” with “flex” and rounded her low back. Heavy axial loading + rounded lumbar spine to end-range flexion = herniated disc. She couldn’t train for over a month.....
.....As a personal trainer, you review proper form prior to the lift, you have them practice perfectly with lighter loads, you use simple phrases such as “chest up” so the advice cannot be misconstrued, and you make sure they know what “arch” means prior to having heavy loads on their back. “Arching” in the direction of lumbar extension results in a successful lift, while “arching” in the direction of lumbar flexion will likely have drastic consequences, so a good personal trainer doesn’t leave the client’s interpretation up to chance.
Couldn't have put it any better myself!
It can be sooo tempting, as a coach who wants to see things done correctly, to shout corrections during someone's lift if you see something out of whack. Just be sure that it's the right time and place. Sometimes you need to keep your mouth shut and wait until after the set to go over things with them.
*Quasi-distance clients refer to the "SAPTers" that train with us 1-4x/month in-house, and perform the other sessions in their program outside of SAPT. This works quite well for those that travel frequently throughout the week (such as Rob from the example above), and/or have geographical/scheduling/financial constraints that don't make it practical for them to train at SAPT multiple times each week.
Dark Knight Rises
Last night I went out to catch the opening night showing of The Dark Knight Rises (hey, even strength coaches gotta live a little, right?), so needless to say I slept in later than usual today. I'm about to head in to the facility, but all I have to say for now is, I highly recommend it.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Random Thoughts: Facing Challenges and Gallagher
I have two random thoughts for the day. The first is just about the positive changes going on with SAPT and its crew and the lesson you can take away from it. The second is a training update from… MY GIRLFRIEND!
SAPT and its employees have been going through quite the change as of late, and it’s been all for the better. Sarah had a handsome little boy Duke while simultaneously working as a full time strength coach at a D1 university AND running a full time business. Kelsey has become fully adjusted to her job(s) at SAPT in terms of coaching and also dealing with current clients, potential clients, new contracts, old contracts, answering a million emails a day, defeating Voldemort, etc. all while swinging a kettle bell. Most people wouldn’t be able to handle ONE of Sarah or Kelsey’s jobs; they manage to do it all. Stevo’s still taking over the world one book, one cue, one article, one program at a time, in his quest to become the best strength coach in the industry and trust me, he’s closer than you think. And just when you think he can’t do his job any better he somehow proves you wrong. In the immortal words of Sir Ludacris, he’s coming for that number one spot!
Then there’s me. The past couple of months have been eye opening for me to say the least and it’s a great feeling to know that SAPT has become my home with a family I love dearly. I’m in the midst of coming into my own with my own discernible differences from my peers in my personal life, coaching style, and even business. It’s truly calming when you realize what is truly important in your life. These are all huge, awesome changes and we’ve done all this while moving facilities. These are the times when you find out what you and your team are made of. Do you see a challenge, look at it in the eye and run away? Or do you stand toe-to-toe and GO GALLAGHER ON IT AND SMASH IT WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER! That’s really my point of telling you all this. You, your friends, your family, your business, your schooling, YOUR TRAINING; it will all be presented with change and challenges. It is how you confront and tackle those changes and challenges that will define you as a person. I always talk about being average and this goes hand in hand with that; the average person will become consumed and beaten down by changes and challenges. The above average person will get up, dust themselves off and go Gallagher on it….
My last random thought is in the form of a training update, not from I, but from my girlfriend Shannon. Since we started dating she has been incredibly supportive and has now shown interest in moving weight (either that or she just wants me to stop bugging her). Nonetheless, I am extremely proud of her quick improvements in confidence and strength. I recently had her start Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength as I believe novice, intermediate, and even advanced lifters can stand to benefit from its simplicity and concepts (I recently started this program as well). Shannon has already seen great strength gains as well as a huge refinement of technique as Starting Strength exposes her to the same barbell movements multiple times per week. Plus, I told her if she lifted consistently for 3 weeks I would take her to see Magic Mike in 3-D. As I said before I am extremely proud of all of her improvements and hard work as well as her commitment and consistency. The video below is a clip from one of her recent squat sessions. Look at that technique! She must have a good coach.
The Art of Coaching vs. The Science of Programming: Which is More Important?
A few years ago I traveled up to New Jersey to attend a fitness+business seminar. At one point, the speaker of the main event got on the topic of program design vs. coaching. In other words, the act of sitting down and writing a program specific to an individual signing up at the gym, versus the act of running the person through said program on the gym floor. The speaker paused in the middle of his power point, and commanded everyone in the room to perform a quick scenario:
"Everyone turn and look at the person seated next to you. Now, say to them, 'Put your left hand in the air. Good. Hold it there for a count of one one thousand. Put your hand back down now.'
Congratulations, you just ran a training session! Yes, it may have been only one rep of one exercise, but see how easy that was to tell them what to do and have it perform it? The reality is, the most valuable part of the whole training process is the program design, not the actual training. It takes much more expertise to be able to construct a program rather than watch over someone as they perform sets and reps."
He then went on to say that the highest-level, expert trainers in his gym are the ones writing the programs, and the "lower-level" trainers are the ones who actually run the clients through the programs.
Fast forward a bit, I was having a conversation with Chris, one of the old SAPT coaches, about this very occurrence/speech that took place at the seminar. He and I came to the simple conclusion that the aforementioned speaker's thought process (program design being vastly more important/valuable than coaching) is egregiously wrong*.
Sure, it's one thing to tell someone to lift their hand up in the air and put it back down. But are we joking ourselves by using that as an example of the average motor skill a new client has to learn?
What good is it if you write a "perfect" program, with a flawless progression of intensities, volume, loading, and exercise selection if the trainer responsible for administering the program can't properly teach the movement patterns? You can do a "pushup," sure. But then you can do a pushup, and receive infinitely more value from the exercise by actually doing it correctly. This goes for everything ranging from squats and deadlifts to chinups, spidermans, and planks.
Is the trainer's job really that "easy," to simply count reps for someone as they do an exercise, providing no other feedback other than when to start and stop?
Yeah, it is that easy I suppose......If you don't care at all about the safety of the client, and could care less whether he or she receives the most out of the time, effort and money they are investing.
Coaching and guiding a person through correct technique takes time, patience, discernment, and tact on the part of the coach. Some people respond best to touch. Others are audible learners. Others visual. And others are kinesthetic learners.
And unless you live in some sort of magical Wonderland, the technique of someone learning a new exercise is going to be far from pretty. Heck it will probably take days for them to get it right. And of course it will. They are learning something new. It's up to the coach to guide them through this process.
Not to mention, I can't tell you how many times an athlete or an adult client walks in the door (right after I wrote them their next month of programming, of course), only to say any of the following:
-I sprained my MCL two days ago, so I can't do anything on that leg today. -I just found out from the doctor I have spondylolisthesis, can you modify my program for me so I can still train today? -My shoulder has been bothering me from pitching too much, what can I do to help it today? -I just had an AWFUL day at the office, I was stuck in traffic for over two hours, my back hurts, and am having a family crisis at home, can we modify things a bit?
In each of the scenarios above, the coach can and should be able to modify the program on the fly, providing the person with a solid training effect but yet remaining prudent with regards to the red flag(s) at hand.
Is the ability to write a good resistance training program a unique skillset, requiring due diligence and an astute mind on the part of the program writer, and thousands of hours to master? Absolutely. But so does coaching. The two go hand in hand. They must.
I guess I get pretty fired up about this because there are so many coaches and trainers out there who can practically recite an exercise physiology textbook, or Vladimir Issurin's Block Periodization, and yet cannot teach someone how to do a proper lunge, deadlift, or row. Or maybe it's just that they get too impatient when someone doesn't pick up on a new motor pattern right away, or they're lazy, or simply don't even care. I'm not really sure.
Heck, just last week I was lifting at the local commercial gym (sometimes I go for a change of scenery), and I'm not kidding you when I say that a trainer was having her client do over a hundred sit-ups, all the while while slouching against the back extension machine, typing on her phone!
AAARRRGGGGHHHH!
But yeah, I guess all that matters is program writing.....
In fact, just the other day I was speaking with one of our interns and I asked him what he felt were a few things (good or bad) he had received from his experience at SAPT so far. He quickly responded with,
"Definitely one of the most valuable things has been seeing how you all coach people. The cues you utilize, and how you prod them into correct positioning. That's just not something I've learned from all the textbooks I've studied."
To conclude, I'm certainly not saying that program design should be thrown by the wayside. On the contrary, there are many people out there with training certifications that, as my wife recently put it, "Couldn't program their way out of a wet paper bag." But try not to get so obsessed with the "science" side of the equation that you completely miss the reason you wrote the program in the first place.
*In case some of you reading know who this anonymous speaker is - after all, he is quite popular - know that my intent is not to bash him. I actually have the highest respect for him and he has influenced (for the better) many of the things I do today at SAPT. I was simply using this story as a segue into the post. And hey, it's O.K. to disagree with others in the industry**
**Unless it's me.
SAPT's New Facility: Q's & A's
Well, we've been in the new facility for about 10 days and I've already been able to spend more time at my desk than I have in ages. This is a pretty big deal because I'll have the baby with me - something that was simply not possible at the other space. That space was always either too hot or too cold for small children (and most other humans, ha)... and on the few days of the year when the temperature happened to be ideal, then I'd have the dirt floating in from outside to worry about. I suppose because of the speed with which we made the move, we've had some questions and curiosities come up from a few of our clientele regarding certain decisions.
So, here is a bit of a Q&A about our new digs:
Q: Seems like you guys just up and moved overnight. Why such a fast and abrupt transition? A: I figured it was better to aggressively make the transition over when we were 85% ready than wait for the next 100 degree days (ahem, there happen to be another cluster of them coming today). Thus, why we've needed an bit of an adjustment period for training floor flow.
Q: The new space is smaller than the old one... what gives? A: Well, I hate to break it to you, but we actually had TOO much square footage before. In fact, I have been experimenting with session size over the last 9 months in an effort to make the most of the abundant square footage we had. But, after careful thought and review of how sessions were flowing, observation of both coaches and clients during sessions, I made the decision to STAY SMALL!
We've actually decreased the session size for each hour with our move to the new space. Shocking, I know - you are officially in the presence of someone who has fully committed to quality over quantity. As a side note, our new space is STILL larger that the weight rooms I've worked in at both VCU and Mason. In both places I've witnessed in excess of 50 athletes training simultaneously. So, have no fear! We can make a session that's capped at 8 work pretty well in comparison.
Q: The temperature on the training floor seems a bit warm - didn't you say we have A/C now? A: We sure do have A/C! But that doesn't change the fact that I'm one hell of a penny pincher AND that I genuinely can't stand training areas that are kept too cold. Plus, I generally consider 78 degrees an ideal day in the outdoors! The point is to get warm and sweat a bit, you know? It's all part of the fun! Some may prefer cooler, some warmer, but at least it's not 110.
Q: Those offices are pretty nice. What do you guys do all day that you need offices? A: This may be an "Ah-ha" moment for some people, but we actually spend a great deal of time at our desks planning programs, researching training methods, engaging with clients via phone and email, writing blog posts, pursuing new business, etc. There's a reason we're as good as we are: preparation!
The offices are actually a very big deal to me, personally, for several reasons: 1. We need them (see above). 2. As the owner of a business whose primary concern and "claim to fame" is the best quality with the best coaches in the DC Metro area, I NEED to keep the SAPT coaches happy, comfortable, and feeling a sense of progress at most times. They deserve it! 3. SAPT was started with Chris sitting on sandbags, while I occupied a folding camp chair, and we huddled around a folding card table from Chris' college apartment. So, to come from that distant point 5 years ago to these beautiful and comfortable offices is something that I will never take for granted. 4. You probably work in a building with modern, clean offices, climate control, and a conference table. We've wanted to achieve the same thing!
Q: Where can I park? A: ANYWHERE - none of the businesses have assigned parking, so take your pick! The whole lot is at your disposal. And if anyone suggests differently, let me know.
Q: What's happening at the old facility? A: Secretive and magical things! Haaaa, I wish I had some magic to work with. Actually, we're retaining the space to begin offering some new services (team training and batting cages). And if one more wannabe Crossfit owner calls me to ask when I'm moving out, my head will probably pop off!
Q: You've cancelled Buttkamp?!? A: I have no problem admitting when I've made an error and this was an error. Buttkamp classes will resume next Tuesday. Thanks to all for letting us know how much you love the class and Kelsey!
I think that about wraps up the main questions that have come up over the last week and a half.
It's always wonderfully humbling for me to (re)discover how much our clientele care about SAPT and the health of our business.
Thank you for all the questions and comments!
A Tale of Two People
I'll admit, despite the fact that I do genuinely love my job, there are still days where I feel "off" a bit. This could be due to any excuse ranging from a poor night's sleep, to having an enormous To-Do list for the day, or maybe the fact that, as a self-proclaimed introvert, sometimes I simply become exhausted from spending the entirety of my afternoons and evenings surrounded by people, blaring music, weights crashing, and questions thrown my way every few seconds.
However, I've found that the scary thing is, you never know how you may permanently impact someone - whether for good or for bad - by a simple "off the cuff" statement directed their way. And you need to be especially considerate of this during those hours that you're particularly tired, edgy, when your patience has worn thin.
One of my favorite short stories - to remind me that you just never know, and to always be cognizant of how you treat other people despite your external circumstances - is A Tale of Two People by Alwyn Cosgrove. For those of you who haven't read it, I hope it impacts you as much as it did me.
A Tale of Two People - Alwyn Cosgrove
