Coaching Yourself
When we all started training for our sport, we all had a coach and learned from the ground up. It was great. If you did something wrong, you got corrected. Somewhere along the way, there are a few of us that went off on our own to help others in the realm of fitness. In doing so, we have a ton of fulfillment in helping others but something suffers in the process. Our own athleticism can be one of the first things to go and it can be a hard thing to deal with unless you do it right.
So what are some things that you can do to get better while “coaching yourself”? We will talk about 3 ways that you can better yourself while being your own coach…
Number 1: Back to basics. We cannot forget about the basics. “Stay on your heals!” “Knees out!” “Head through!” If you are in doubt about technique, go back to the beginning. There is nothing wrong with pulling some weight back on the rack. It is cool to deadlift 500 pounds right? Ya, but its way cooler to deadlift 450 while maintaining that lumbar curve. Oh, and not to mention, it is safer and will actually develop the areas you need to get even better. Do not forget the basics and do not be scared to revisit them often.
Number 2: Use your own athletes and clients. This may seem a little different to you since you are and have been the authority on fitness at your gym but there is a great advantage of taking your best athlete and helping them to coach you. It does a few things that are beneficial. First, you have given them the cues that have made them your best athlete. Sometimes, our own cues are the ones that resonate the best with ourselves. Second, you are helping them become a coach. What better way to start training a new coach then to have them train the trainer. You can help them understand training principles, cues, movement and more.
Number 3: Use both number 1 and 2. They are important and they work but if you are looking for a little more than find a remote coach. There are tons of coaches out there to do your homework. I would suggest that you find a specialty coach. Meaning that if you are suffering in gymnastics movements, hire a gymnastics coach. If your Olympic lifts are deficient, hire an olympic coach. There are some incredible coaches out there that can help you in a very short amount of time.
Training yourself is difficult. But hey, you’ve been doing it for a while right? Give these a try and see how much better you can become. Remember the basics. Basics are key. Develop yourself while developing a new coach. Also, do not be afraid to hire a remote coach and use your resources.