Coaching Lessons Learned - #441

<div> <p>We share our coaching lessons learned - professionalism over mastery, personability and personalization over optimal programming, flexibility over rigidity, long-term good over short-term gains, and more.</p> <h3>Coaching Lessons Learned</h3> <p>If you're not growing, not learning, not improving, then you're getting worse - that's the nature of this existence. Entropy comes with the deal.</p> <p>That's why, coming near the end of this year and during a time when we reflect on what we've learned, what we'd like to improve on going forward, and what we're thankful for, some BLOC coaches share their coaching lessons learned.</p> <p>Whether you're a coach, lifter, or within earshot of this because your spouse or significant other plays their podcasts too loud, we hope you learn something from this.</p> <h3>Personalization over the "Perfect Program"</h3> <p>The perfect program, lost to moderns, either buried in the lost city of Atlantis or created by some super secret Soviet coach, still encoded and not translated into English, does not exist.</p> <p>The principles of programming always matter, but they must be applied to the person who presents himself in real time in front of you - your client.</p> <p>What are his <a href= "https://youtu.be/pbnnN_NztVw">circumstances, limitations, preferences, fears, goals</a>? These matter more than perfect technique, 12 minute rest periods, or the DUP template you've improved for decades.</p> <p>The programming has to work for your client, not, for the long-term.</p> <h3>Coaching Lessons Learned - S<span style= "font-size: 16px;">ource of truth.</span></h3> <p>An easy example of this, especially early on, is the reality of biomechanically efficient form when it comes to the lifts. The truth of gravity tells you when you're doing it wrong.</p> <p>Personal records can be a source of truth, but look for other metrics as well. What is the client's motivation? Is nagging pain not improving?</p> <p>Seek ways to understand and track truth.</p> <h3>Outside the Gym & Technique</h3