Back in high school, the most asked question for anyone who had access to iron was, “how much can you bench?” It didn’t matter if the weight bounced halfway off of your chest just as long as you got it up. I’m sure that still goes on in weight rooms across the country today. The attitude that goes along with that question is something to hone in on though. I like for young athletes to have a competitive attitude. Hell, I still have a competitive attitude at age 32. My partner and I will challenge each other in the weight room on a daily basis. Competition builds character. I have learned many of life’s lessons through the pain and joy of athletic competition.
I’m going to discuss the goals that young athletes should have and how, as a coach, you can help them achieve those goals. Athletes today constantly want to improve themselves, and they continuously want to get bigger, faster, and stronger, which I think is great. It is important for the young athletes that we train to set goals. These goals do not have to be “how much can you bench?” Although this question may arise, it is more important to focus on setting goals in general.
When I start athletes on a training program, I discuss what they would like to see happen. Most of the time, the answer is the same—“I want to get huge.” After I explain that this is a given when training with me (just kidding), we talk about some of their more serious goals. We discuss what they want to achieve on the field—run faster, hit harder, get stronger than their opponent, etc. After we discuss their sports-related goals, we discuss the training we are going to do and how the training in the weight room has a direct effect on their goals on the field. Once they understand this, it’s easier for them to take weight training more seriously. Working on muscle imbalances takes on a whole new meaning for them once they understand how strength training can make them a better athlete overall.
When I establish this kind of relationship with athletes, it improves their training program much more. This is where goal setting in the weight room comes into play. If you look at what Louie Simmons does and the theories behind his famous Westside method, there is a recurring theme. For the max effort days of the week, Louie tries to top that max number from the previous week. It does not have to be a 1RM, but with any max effort lifts that you do, you try to beat the number from the week prior. This to me is a big component of goal setting. If you walk into the weight room with no agenda except to workout, then you won’t achieve much. If you go in with the intention of beating a specific number from the last time that you did that lift, then you have a pretty good chance of having a more productive workout. Even if you don’t hit that mark all the time, you’re at least trying to improve on a weekly basis. This attitude has a direct effect on your performance on the field. I find this to be an integral part of a young athlete’s training program.
When I design a program for an athlete, I design it with the specific athlete in mind, taking into account all of their past training history along with their present condition. I design the program to fit their needs on their designated field of play. This means that not all athletes do a 1RM or even a 5 RM. However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t any goals set for that exercise. The “breaking records” attitude should always be in the weight room no matter what the athlete’s program dictates.
If an athlete is brand new to training and has never lifted weights, then that athlete is certainly not going to do a 1RM in ANY exercise. However, what I will do with that athlete is have them work on breaking their previous goal. For example, a newbie was working on a wall squat. The first time that he did the wall squat, he could stay in a solid position for 12 seconds. The goal for the following week was to break that 12 second mark. As long as he beat that number, he was progressing, even if he only broke it with a 13 second hold. I would much rather have an athlete who is brand new to training take smaller, more frequent jumps than to have an athlete progress rapidly and then plateau. If you can get the athlete to think like this, he or she will stay in the training game much longer.
Training goals should vary during each training session. I teach my athletes to think SUCCESS. No one specific lift in the weight room is going to make them the best on the field. However, if we teach athletes to increase the number of times that they succeed in the weight room, they will become better, well-rounded players on the field. If an athlete continues to break all types of exercise records, you can rest assured that they will be ready to play when the time comes. Success in the weight room could mean a max bench, squat, or deadlift. It could also mean the total number of pull-ups, push-ups, or kettlebell snatches that he or she can do. You can put a time limit on the drill or you could measure the specific time it takes to finish an exercise, like, for example, a 40-yard farmer’s walk. There are endless ways to increase the amount of successes athletes have during their training.
The success in the weight room will have a direct effect on how that athlete perceives themselves on the field. They will have more confidence, which will increase the desire for competition, and they will learn how to be aggressive at beating goals, allowing them to push harder and be more aggressive on the field. They will develop mental toughness by breaking barriers that they might have thought impossible to break in the weight room. Take a freshman in high school who has never lifted weights before in his life. He has played some pop warner ball but lacks the confidence that athletes need to succeed. By setting small attainable goals in the weight room, he will start to develop confidence in himself. I have seen it too many times for this not to be true. Once they break some weight room records, it’s like a snowball effect. This kid becomes more aggressive in the weight room and takes it right out onto the field with him. It is a joy to watch.
To summarize, set realistic goals for young athletes. We are in a position to help them achieve the goals that can help mold their lives. Make a point to set goals with the exercises specific to them. Relay the importance of setting goals, breaking them, and then setting new ones. Setting goals in the weight room is what I call training. There is a difference between training and working out. Athletes need to be taught how to TRAIN. To go into the weight room and workout is one thing but to go into the weight room and TRAIN is an entirely different arena. When athletes train, they will see progress. Teach them how to TRAIN, not just workout. Instill in them what was so freely instilled in you and what made you feel so compelled to work with young athletes. It is our duty as strength coaches.
Mike Hanley, RKC, is a strength and performance coach at Fit for Life Personal Training Studio in Marlboro, New Jersey. He uses a wide variety of training styles including powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, and kettlebell training as well as numerous other forms of performance enhancement methods. He can be contacted at mhanley5903@yahoo.com or visit www.fitforlifemarlboro.com For more articles and interviews from one of the most innovative coaches and athletes, visit www.UndergroundStrengthCoach.com.