Positive feedback

As a caveat right upfront, this is an opinion piece. Anecdotal experience only. Sure I’ve studied some coaching science as part of my degree, and yes, I’ve done several coaching courses. That said, I’m certain some people will disagree with what I’m going to write. One of my lifters suggested the subject - she knows who she is - and maybe she’s hinting I should be more… positive?

I’d describe my coaching style as sarcasticly friendly bordering on rude. I don’t work that well with anyone that doesn’t have a sense of humour. My sense of humour I suppose. I’m not known to take myself very seriously but I take coaching and doing a good job at it very seriously. I like calling people out in a group where others stand to learn from it, even if it for minute it makes that person a bit uncomfortable. A thick skin, patience and resilience to failure are pretty key qualities in weightlifting so I try to (and sometimes fail) to inject a bit of humour into these instances.

Everything I say is with the intention of making you a better weightlifter and in the most part I think through my delivery prior to telling you it was wrong or correct in some way. I don’t use positive feedback willy nilly because I want people to want it, earn it and deserve it. You cannot be proud of easy wins as much as you can hard fought small improvements so I try not to blow smoke up anyones bum…

Don’t say good if it isn’t good

This is something I’ve heard a lot working as a Personal Trainer. Someone stood over a paying client looking off in the distance saying “good, keep going” which is akin to saying “yep, yep…yep” to your significant other on the phone while paying zero attention. In reality the paying client is moving like crap and has no idea about the lack of attention paid by the trainer. He’s not present. He’s not doing his job.

If something is good I will say it is good. I may still point out that it could be better. I may not. It entirely depends on what I wanted to see and if I saw that. If someone makes a snatch comfortably but still didn’t fully extend I’m liable to say something like “do it again but fully extend” or simply “nope”. Out of context and in a group setting it seems like negativity or even being a bit mean. You could look at it and say “but she made the lift and it looked easy”. Without knowing that I’ve already given the lifter written notes and a verbal briefing about fully extending being the aim of todays training, you can’t understand the feedback or even some of the cues.

Better

Thinking about it, the most common positive bit of feedback I give is “better”. It doesn’t assume you’ve done everything right, just ‘more right’ than previously. There’s still something to improve so you don’t get complacent but you can start to associate the feel of a lift with something that has improved.

Well done

“Well done” and “good work” are reserved for effort. If you get a “well done” or a fist bump (more common post covid) you’ve done something that’s impressed me. Not that you should be trying to impress me. I’m not Bricktop, but I do believe you should be training with the intent to get better and it takes real, focused effort and it should be rewarded when witnessed. I don’t often get animated. It’s not really me but I’ll smile and say well done to someone most sessions. I’m buzzing inside, I promise.

Here’s a sock

Perhaps the highest honour I can bestow on a lifter is the famous “Dobby’s sock”. If you are lost & don’t know what I’m talking about you probably shouldn’t come train with me. I’m not going to explain it either.

Why

It’s important to say that the reason for high expectations and standards is both the safety and long term progress of the people I coach. Good technique and quality movement patterns happen within a band width and there is no one exact way. That doesn’t mean that simply making a lift in training should be accepted if it was technically terrible and wouldn’t transfer to getting the next weight attempt. In competition you do what you have to to make the lifts. But we train at lower percentages of our best so that we can refine and improve our technique. It’s not simply about getting under the bar at all costs.

Do I think this is the best way to coach? For me, yes. I wouldn’t be being myself if I did anything differently. I try to accommodate people and obviously there’s an element of having a range to work with different people. I’m much more amenable and malleable in my work as a strength coach and personal trainer where the technical proficiency required is lower and the reasons for being there are a bit different.

Hopefully the lifters I coach continue to get what they need from me, whether its positive feedback and high fives or a heavy dose of reality. I also hope that I don’t come across as a dick who just likes the sound of his own voice and abusing the ‘power’ that comes with coaching a sport. Only time will tell. And you, you’ll probably tell me.