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As sport coaches, strength
coaches, trainers, and health professionals we all want our athletes to
work as hard as they can. We need to hold our athletes, clients, and
patients to a certain standard. This is to ensure that they are towards
their and the teams' goals.
But we all have experienced those individuals who prod through workouts,
skip reps, don't get to rehab, are a disruption, show up late and do all
the things that deter them from getting better. So how do we resolve the
situation?
1. Accountability
We need to hold our athletes accountable to a certain set of standards,
and treat all of our athletes the same. This means that we should not
play favorites, and hold these athletes to the rules we establish. If
your athlete does not show up or is late to a workout, make the rest of
the team members perform squat jumps, or some other exercise. That
athlete let the team down and needs to hear it from the team, and not only
the coach. It is those athletes' responsibility to be accountable to the
rest of their teammates.
2. Competition
Competition forces athletes to raise their effort level and forces them to
work harder. Adding competitive exercises and drills with a consequence to
a workout can be what some underachieving athletes need to spark their
interest. Athletes' never want to lose and will be forced to give it
everything they've got to win.
3. Mental Toughness
Challenging athletes mentally (if they can handle it) can be another way
to increase their effort. Using conditioning drills such as shuttles,
bodyweight circuits and isometrics are methods that challenge athletes not
only physically but also mentally. It is important to teach athletes how
to push through discomfort and reach higher levels. The mind will usually
give up before the body will. The mind can make the body very powerful if
it is willing to push through discomfort and reach a higher level.
These are ways that we get our athletes to work harder, and hopefully they
can work for you too!
©2004 S B Coaches College, LLC. All
Rights Reserved
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