Robertson Training Systems

on December 23, 2024   |   by Michelle Boland

Be A Better Coach By Training Yourself: The Pros and Cons of Being in the Arena

As coaches, we need to both know the value of having our own training routine and managing our advice to clients and athletes. There is a large amount of practical knowledge to be gained from putting ourselves in the arena. However, we need to develop skills to best translate that experience to our clients and athletes effectively.

Here, I am going to explore some key coaching skills through two examples, Brad and John. 

We all know that eager 20-year old, who spends four hours in the gym every day, obsessing over their powerlifting competitions – let’s call him Brad. 

Brad is extremely enthusiastic about his powerlifting. He has a long-term training schedule, counts every gram of protein, and spends his weekends studying training programs.

Brad trains fellow powerlifters and amateur adult clients. He relates well to his powerlifting clients, but can sometimes lose sight of their training needs and capabilities; as when he designed a powerlifting program for his 58-year old client who has knee pain, likes to ski, and has never lifted weights before.

Where can Brad improve in his coaching?

We also all know the 40-year old cross-country coach who peaked in high school- let’s call him John. After years on the sideline, John recently signed up for a race and started running again. 

John loved running in high school, but since then has lost his motivation to be physically active, race, and has put on a few pounds that he would like to lose.

Entering into the new school year, John signed up for a 5K race and started training. Previously, John’s  athletes found it hard to relate to him because he didn’t run with them, expressed negative feelings about his days as a cross-country runner, and failed to provide practical advice.

Now, John strategizes with his athletes more, talks about the training tactics, and builds camaraderie by joining in on practice runs.

What changes did John make that positively impacted his athletes?

Both Brad and John coach, guide, and support clients and athletes while trying to navigate their own personal biases, choices, and experiences. Let’s break down the Pros and Cons of Brad and John’s personal fitness and performance journey in relation to their coaching.

The Pros

Pro #1: Brad is an interesting guy that people like to be around when he shares his story about competing and training – allowing him to provide advice to other powerlifters and lead by example. 

Coaches serve as both examples and mentors, sharing lessons to help their athletes accelerate learning.

Experience is often the best learning accelerant; there is only so much you can learn from a textbook, course, or certification.

Brad is now capable of carrying over his experiences in a professional setting where he can share practical advice, advising other powerlifters about competition preparation and expectations. High performance coaches are masters of the details, and the details require experience- Brad is positively impacting his clients with his knowledge and training experience. 

Pro #2: John started to have some skin in the game. 

There is value in practicing what you preach and being willing to take on some risk, sacrifice, and failure by involving yourself in achieving a goal.

It makes you more relatable, interesting, and authentic. Participating in your own fitness routine and journey can help you relate to your clients – John is opening avenues of communication through shared experiences and hardships of the process with his athletes. 

Pro #3: Both Brad and John are learning lessons and gaining practical knowledge through experience. 

Chasing your own physical goal makes you a better coach.

In the weight room, when you coach clients through an exercise, you can coach it better if you have had experience doing it yourself.

You will know how the exercise feels, how to progress it, how to regress it, and what cues may change it- both Brad and John are gaining knowledge that they can use to benefit their clients and athletes. 

Pro #4: John is allowing his athletes to be inspired by his comeback. 

Actions speak louder than words John’s athletes feel inspired and involved in his new athletic pursuits which helps motivate their own goals in a shared experience.

John is providing his athlete’s an example to follow by his actions. 

The Cons

Con #1: Brad has trouble separating his training from his client’s training.

As a coach, you need to separate what you do for exercise from coaching your clients.

Your experiences and knowledge are useful, but not always relevant to your client’s needs or interests.

You also need to recognize your biases when planning your training and your client’s training. If Brad provides his training program to his powerlifting athletes, the results won’t necessarily translate.

If Brad provides powerlifting programs to his non-powerlifting clients, it may be too difficult for them or be unrelated to their needs and goals.

Brad needs to separate his interests from his client’s needs and capabilities.  

Con #2: John had trouble separating his high school cross-country experiences from his athlete’s training- for example, recently John told his athletes that a course he ran as an athlete was “always muddy” and the course “will be muddy” on race day. He also told his athletes that he “always hated the course” and “it was really hard”. 

John should instead have said, “be prepared for mud”, “sections of the course include gravel roads” and “there are 5% grade hills throughout the course”.

Why?

As coaches, we need to know how to filter information and separate feelings from facts.

John should share objective,  instead of personal or emotional, tips and facts. Elements of performance can be relative, and telling athletes that they will struggle isn’t as useful as advice that they can strategize for.

Your experience and feelings will not be the same as your athletes, so stick with the facts and provide options for different strategies or exercise preferences.

Your athletes may prefer to attack different parts of the course related to their strengths, instead of what sections you thought were  “hard” or “easy”.

This is similar to the weight room, when coaches say to their clients, “I hurt my knee doing lunges, so you shouldn’t do them”. The coach is placing their own biases and experiences on their client.

Coaches are most useful when they can help athletes and clients problem-solve or guide them, instead of creating self-imposed limitations and black-and-white statements.

John needs to stick to the facts and understand that race environments, conditions, and level of difficulty is relative. 

Summary

So, what should you do?

Lift weights.

Try a yoga class.

Try rock climbing.

Hike.

Sign up for a 5k. 

Then encourage your clients to do the same!

Firsthand knowledge of training, trying new physical interests, having physical curiosity, and competing can help you better communicate and relate to your clients and athletes.

When training and coaching try to

  1. Translate your experiences through facts, not personal feelings.
  2. Connect through shared experiences and overcoming challenges. And
  3. Check your exercise selection for programming biases. 

Keep training! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me at [email protected]

About the Author

Dr. Michelle Boland


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