Coaching Q's

[Josh K]

Hey coaches, got some coaching questions if you don't mind:

1. In the videos I've see of the teaching method the coach doesn't demo the movement for the person. I was teaching my mother to squat and she had no idea what a barbell squat was whatsoever. In this situation would it be useful to demo the movement so that they have a rough idea of what they're going to be learning?

2. Are there any other ways of describing tightness? A couple of times when people have been a bit loose and accelerating quickly at the bottom of the squat and I've cue'd 'stay tight' or 'stay tight at the bottom', they've asked me 'what do you mean by tight?'. The only explanations I have are to squeeze their muscles or control their descent speed evenly.

3. When teaching the deadlift to begin with, do you have them lower the bar very quickly like most of us do, or do you have them lower it a bit slower and controlled (almost like a reverse deadlift) to start off with?

Thanks!

[Michael Wolf]

1. Yes, if the person has literally no idea or concept of what a squat is, a visual demonstration probably makes sense. This has it's downsides, as it's not likely to be a perfect demo, and then they'll be imperfectly copying an imperfect demo, but probably a necessary step.

2. Your last comment - control your descent. Slow down. I did an instagram post about this the other week that you may find helpful: https://instagram.com/p/7LvshsGITy/?...=wolf_strength

3. Quickly, but under control. Unless the person is doing something totally awful on the way down, save more specific instruction about how to put the bar down until after they've learned to pick it up correctly. Sometimes they're rounding so severely, or putting the bar down out in front of their feet, and you need to address this sooner. But usually if you just tell someone to put it down quickly but under control, it'll be good enough for the moment.

[stef]

1. Yes, if the person has literally no idea or concept of what a squat is, a visual demonstration probably makes sense. This has it's downsides, as it's not likely to be a perfect demo, and then they'll be imperfectly copying an imperfect demo, but probably a necessary step.

Videos are another option.

- You can explain things, stop the movement, repeat it while you watch it with the person
- You aren't dependent on doing it right, right then
- If you're real ambitious you can have a few to show and show the person someone who has similar anthropometry. Not good to have a long-limbed lifter trying to copy someone with dwarfish proportions, for example.

[Josh K]

The video idea is a good one, and I linked the person to that instagram post which they found useful, thank you!