With the advancements in technology as of late, especially with apps like Coach’s Eye, it has become a reality that coaches and training partners may be able to video and review lifts without ever watching them in full speed. Because of the frame by frame options and the easy access to slow-motion video, we have seen a trend where lifts get videoed and then reviewed and broken down but never watched in full speed. I remember John North saying a while back that he is a coach who like to see and critique the lifts as a whole. I took that advice seriously as I had become a coach who only cared about positions and different segments of the lifts. The different parts of the lifts and the slow-motion work are hugely important but I believe we can become too dependent on them.
Just a quick piece of advice, if you are using slow-motion video and frame by frame technology be sure to watch the lift in full uninterrupted speed before watching and breaking it down piece by piece. Both of those elements are critical to understanding what is going on with your lifter and helping them move forward on a technical fault. There are some things that the naked eye can see full speed that a frame by frame view will not allow. For instance, a coach cannot see the change of bar speed at the knee and the hips if he is looking at the lift in slow-motion. Furthermore, the coach cannot see fully how the lifter interacts with the bar both prior to the lift and the aggression through the hips while at frame by frame speed. It is important to always let the naked eye critique the lift first. For all the reasons stated above but mostly because you’re not always going to have a camera or slow-motion capability with you. Training the naked eye is hugely important for any coach who wants to have the ability to help lifters move forward and become better at any given point time. Watch the full lifts first. Always.