5 Ways to Teach Your Athletes to Make Wise Decisions

Often times as a coach, you will have a certain vision for an athlete. One of the keys of being the most effective coach is to understand that you have to get the athlete to start making wise decisions on their own. Once the athlete begins to make their own decisions, they will become more passionate, knowledgeable, and driven. No one is more passionate about someone else's decisions than their own.

1. Let them make mistakes

As a coach, it is natural to want to shield your athletes from mistakes, but there is no better way to learn than to let your athlete learn a hard lesson

from a mistake and then talking to them about it afterward. An example is if a lifter wants to make an aggressive weight cut to the next class down. Let them experience the process so that they know what it feels like. Sometimes the athlete actually excels in these situations and teaches the coach, however, most of the time it is a great experience for the coach to give some valuable advice after the athlete made a choice instead of fighting with the athlete and keeping them from doing what they want to do. Be sure to use these situations as learning tools and not "I told you so" moments.

2. Teach them to know their strengths and weaknesses

Every athlete has strengths and weaknesses. Teach the athlete to embrace their weaknesses and not be embarrassed of them. Be extremely positive with your athletes, but do not lead them to believe that they are perfect. Teach them to be happy with where they are while they pursue the perfection they desire.

3. Learn your athletes' weightlifting interests

Talk to your athletes about what lifters they enjoy watching. Who do they think has the best technique? Who do they try to copy? Do they enjoy Hookgrip videos, All Things Gym videos, or IronMind videos? This can open up many conversations, and by listening first you can learn about what the athlete is attracted to when it comes to technique, lifting, and content. These types of conversations give the coach insight to how the athlete thinks and teaching opportunities. The coach can share information with the athlete about other articles, books, or athletes to copy with similar builds.

4. Praise them when they get it right

Be sure to give your athletes praise when they do things right. Make sure you have a healthy balance of positive to negative interaction. As coaches, we tend to focus on the things that we can fix to add those kilos to each athletes' total. Sometimes all an athlete needs is confidence! Make sure to let the athlete know when they hit a good lift or have a great attitude in training.

5. Be a good example

As a coach, try to lead a healthy lifestyle, admit your weaknesses, and communicate your strengths. Do not be afraid to show your athletes that you will reach out to others to learn. No one is perfect, and we all strive to get better each and everyday!