MOTIVATING
ATHLETES IN YOUR STRENGTH PROGRAM
By Allan Johnson
Former Director of Football Strength & Conditioning, Ohio State
Ask
any strength and conditioning coach to name their primary objective,
and almost all will say motivation. In my experience as a strength
and conditioning coach, the true foundation for optimal strength and
conditioning is effort. And the major factor contributing to effort
is motivation. Effort is the key to attaining the goals and
objectives you have set as a coach for your program. In order for a
coach to motivate any athlete they must develop relationships, trust
and coach-athlete trust. A strength coach is like a used car
salesman, trying to convince the athlete that the vehicle you have
to sell them is the best buy for their money. You let them kick the
tires, but they are never allowed to start the engine. The
intangibles involved with the sale is that the athlete must trust
you in telling them that the car you are trying to sell them is the
right car for them at this time. They must believe in you, your
program, and have developed the bond and trust necessary to take
their physical prowess to the next level. During the sale the only
thing the athlete knows is that the car looks good, but must trust
you that it runs smoothly and efficiently. If the athlete thinks
that you can be the vehicle that gets them to where they want to go,
they will commit to you and the strength program.
What is
Motivation?
Motivation is a process that starts with a physiological or
psychological deficiency or need that activates behavior or a drive
that is aimed at a goal or incentive. Attitude forms the basis for
motivation in athletes. Athletes must be receptive to instruction,
being motivated they must tune the coach in. The aim in motivating
athletes is to provide incentive for the athlete to give the effort
necessary to achieve attainable goals. Within a strength and
conditioning program, these goals may include improving strength,
power, speed, explosion, flexibility and conditioning.
There are two types of motivation – extrinsic and intrinsic.
Extrinsic motivation is something external to the athlete that
benefits them. For a player it may be material benefits, such as a
scholarship, awards, tee shirts and peer recognition. The motivating
impact of extrinsic motivation usually wears off because it is
usually temporary. The effect that it can have on an athlete can
vary from day to day, week to week, and even season to season. This
can cause a fluctuation in long-term discipline and performance of
some players.
Intrinsic motivation comes from within. Highly disciplined players
are intrinsically motivated because they have a burning desire to
excel. Their discipline is unwavering and relentless regardless of
the circumstances. They give you great effort consistently all the
time and give the team the chance to succeed long-term.
Goal Setting
“If you fail to plan, then
plan to fail.” Goal setting should always focus on the
positive and be specific. The research tells us that goal setting
can offer the following advantages: (1) goals can enhance skill
development; (2) goals improve athletes efforts; (3) goals increase
athlete’s persistence; (4) goals enhance the development of new
learning strategies.
• Set Specific
Goals
Have the athlete set goals at the beginning of each training phase
to help motivate and direct their efforts. The goals need to be
realistic based on past progress. Goals should be stated in very
specific, measurable, and behavioral terms. This meeting is a great
opportunity for the coach to have personal interaction that may even
include issues outside of strength and conditioning.
• Goals Should
Be Challenging
Realistic goals are difficult enough to stimulate and challenge the
athlete while remaining attainable. The goals will have little
meaning if little effort is required to achieve them. You, the
coach, must strive for a balance between challenging goals and
achievable ones.
• Set a Time
Frame for Achieving Goals
Make sure the athlete knows the time frame involved in the training
cycle to achieve the goals they have set. Sometimes athletes will
set goals without having the full concept of how long they will have
to achieve them.
MOTIVATING
ATHLETES IN YOUR STRENGTH PROGRAM- Part 2
•
Create a Sense of Urgency
“ The pace of the race is set
by the lead dog.” Instill in the athlete the importance
of achieving the goals they have set. Their attitude in achieving
their goals will be reflected in the emphasis you put on them.
Constantly be enthusiastic and energetic in regards to your athletes
reaching their goals. Setting short term and long-term goals will
contribute to assisting the athlete in reaching their full
potential.
• Visualize
Succssful Goals
Impress upon the athlete the importance of visualizing himself or
herself successfully achieving their goals. Achieving goals is
believing mentallythey can reach them. Belief in achieving the goal
is the key component to reaching them. If the athlete doesn’t truly
believe they can reach the goal, then in all likelihood they won’t.
Education
Explain and teach exactly what it is you expect them to do. This
speeds up the learning curve but also leaves no doubt as to what,
why and how you want them to do something. The better job you do
communicating to your athletes what you want them to do, the more
effort they will give to your program. Giving positive feedback
after an athlete demonstrates correct technique or gives a great
effort will encourage the learning process to continue. The goal is
to increase learning and exercise competence. According to the
research, individuals who perceive themselves as highly competent
demonstrate the greatest motivation.
Testing/Evaluation
It is imperative that you test your athletes periodically to make
them aware of their progress and to show them that their efforts are
being monitored. Athletes are competitive by nature, so we as
coaches need to provide constant feedback in their quest for
excellence and improvement. Testing helps to give them an idea of
where they not only stack up against their previous efforts, but
also at their position and within the framework of the team. The
athlete should be tested at the end of each training phase
(off-season, pre-season and in-season) when possible. Usually the
end of one phase is typically the beginning of the next. Just
knowing that they will test often is enough of a motivating factor
to keep an athlete committed with your program. Having various
record boards that show how the athlete compares with and against
his peers is a great way to motivate your players.
Ownership
An important component in getting your athletes motivated is to give
them a sense of ownership of the training program. By taking input
from your athletes periodically regarding the program it gives them
a sense of a personal stake in the outcome of the training. They are
then more likely to make a more conscious effort to do everything in
their power to make sure the training program succeeds. Today’s
athletes do not always respond positively to coaches who don’t take
the time to get input from them.
Player/Strength Coach Relationships
The athlete must believe that the coach truly cares about them not
only as a person, but also as a student-athlete. As in any
relationship you must first build a bridge before you can cross it.
You can’t talk before you listen. If you listen first, you will
motivate much more effectively. And when building a good
coach-athlete relationship use an approach that recognizes,
appreciates and respects each athlete’s individuality. You will
quickly gain the respect of athletes because they appreciate you are
trying to know them for who they are. This relationship is one that
must be built on love and trust. An athlete will truly run through a
wall for you if they know you care for them and their well being.
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