Coaching Advice: Trust Your Gut

This post is really for strength coaches, those already working in the field and those working towards their degrees and gaining experience. One thing I want you to remember is, trust your gut. There have been many times in my career where I felt like I was being questioned or told what to do by those who weren’t in the position to make those calls. However, they felt like it was their role to tell me how to fulfill mine.

I just want to encourage you, if you're a strength coach, even if you're new, open your eyes, observe what’s going on around you, and if something looks off, speak up in an appropriate way. You don’t want to be constantly challenging people, that’s usually just annoying and disrespectful. However, it will be valuable for you to speak up, voice your observations and voice your opinions. I say this because after probably fifteen years of experience, I’ve realized our eyes are about the most important thing for what we do.

Watch practices, watch how the players move their feet, their hips, how they turn. Watch every little detail of how they move. After thousands and thousands of hours of images logged into your brain, it is shocking what you are able to notice.

If something doesn’t look right to you, after all the data in your brain about movement patterns, you should speak up. There will be many times where someone will disagree with what you have to say, and that’s alright. Take their opinions and information and try to make sense of it. Do some research and really give their opinion an unbiased look to see if it works out. If it truly doesn’t make sense, move on and continue with what you are doing.

I think the tides are changing in the strength and conditioning field, I think strength coaches are beginning to be viewed as extremely knowledgeable and a foundational component to any performance program. They are the experts on performance, not the medical staff. The medical staff are sometimes the people that believe they know better than you, but in truth have no idea what they are doing when it comes to the nuts and bolts of a safe, effective, and up-to-date performance program.

Trust your gut, performance is your profession, not theirs. They don’t have the eyes you do, they haven’t seen the things that you have seen. They would most likely never be able to notice a correct movement pattern from a faulty one at full speed. Stay in your lane, but make sure others stay in theirs as well.

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Open Letter to the NSCA From A Disappointed Coach

Dear National Strength and Conditioning Association, I am a female strength coach. I have been a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) for 5 years. As a fresh-out-of-college kinesiolgy major, I couldn't wait to earn my CSCS; after all, it is the gold-standard of strength certifications. I was so very proud when I passed the test and added those four letters to my email signature. Once I earned them, I stepped into the world of the strength industry.

I discovered that there are many beast women out there, and many of them are strength coaches too. Molly Galbraith, Nia Shanks, Naghar Fonooni, Jen Sinkler, all the ladies over at Breaking Muscle... the list goes on and on. These are all intelligent, strong women who pick up heavy things. They are amazing coaches and I am continually encouraged by what these coaches do for the strength industry (not just for women, but the industry as a whole).

I'd like to think that I have at least a small impact on the industry as well here in northern Virginia with SAPT. I may not be as influential (in the broader sense of the term) as the aforementioned coaches, but I am proud to be a compatriot in the industry and relish telling people I am a "strength coach."

I recently recertified this past December. I received my certificate in the mail and, after opening it, I experienced shock, disgust, dismay, and fury. THIS is the cover picture of the NSCA flyer, congratulating me on my certification:

nsca

I don't swear often, but I think the occasion warrants it.

What the hell NSCA?

First, she's holding 5lb dumbbells- really? My 50-year old ladies press more than that! Secondly, how come it's the guy coaching her? Thirdly, why is he standing so close to her? Does she really need a spot with those super heavy dumbbells. Heavens forbid she hurt herself with dumbbells that weight less than my cat!

I mean, really NSCA? Of ALL the pictures of strength training out there you chose this?! You're in an wonderful position rise above a silly women's fitness magazine, yet you placed your organization on that level with this image. You are supposed to tell your members that strength is desirable, encouraged, and prized. You should be the antithesis to the general media's portrayal on women's fitness. You should proudly display photos of women AND men performing feats of athletic prowess. How about a picture of an athlete and coach that actually display what strength coaches do- like coaching a heavy squat, or a power clean, or sprints?

Or something like this?

Or this, from my alma mater:

Why did you choose a picture that perpetuates the subliminal message that women shouldn't lift more than 5lbs? Why are you demeaning the hundreds of female strength coaches out there by your ridiculous photo? As the colloquial expression goes, "Do you even lift?"

NSCA, please stop insulting us.

In Iron,

Your CSCS in Virginia