Other Eyes

The Three Horsemen episode of Weightlifting Scoop is so good I had to listen to it again. As I was listening I heard something that got me thinking about my own coaching style and territorial nature.  During that show they talked about how sometimes coaches can become territorial and protective of their lifters in such a way that good lifters are not able to get in front of other coaches who may be able to give them good coaching. One of the things that Coach Pendlay does so well is allows other coaches into Muscle Driver to coach his athletes.  When Don McCauley shows up at Muscle Driver and helps coach the team, often times certain athletes excel that day. It’s not that Don’s a better coach or that Glenn isn’t a good coach, it’s that sometimes you need other eyes on your lifters.  Other eyes can bring different perspective. Other eyes coaching and watching your lifters can bring new coaching cues to the table that are often times better than your own. Allowing other coaches to help and to coach your lifters is pivotal for this reason. Furthermore, if you are lifter it’s important that you find yourself in front of different styles of coaching every now and then.  I’m not against having a main coach who coaches you the majority of the time. I think that is a pretty essential part of consistent training. However, making an effort to get in front of other coaches and around other lifters that you are not often around will allow for growth in the sport where you would’ve been limited otherwise.
This weekend I’m headed to Tampa to do a Texas Outlaw Seminar at Art of Strength Tampa Bay and I’m excited about getting  to coach some lifters I have never seen before. Not only does this chisel and refine me as a coach but it also gives these athletes a fresh set of eyes. It will give their coaches the opportunity to see another coach coach their lifters in maybe a little bit of a different way. I love it when other coaches coach my lifters for this exact reason. Another set of eyes and another perspective is never a harmful thing.
This is why we believe so strongly that in our seminars we need to let and push lifters to lift heavy. Yes, we are there to teach but we also want to see athletes under heavy load so that we may have the opportunity to coach them under heavy load. My coaching staff offers a different set of eyes and each of us individually coaches differently. Often times a new set of eyes can bring success that was there already and just needed to be look at a little differently. If you are a coach my encouragement to you is to never hold your lifter so tightly that you prevent greater success by preventing them from getting in front of other coaches. For the lifters I would encourage you to find yourself in training camps, seminars, and other training environments where you are in front of other coaches on a semi-regular basis. Some of my best learning experiences have come when I took a trip and lifted in front of other coaches.  And most often I learn something new.