Telling Ain’t Teaching

I remember my first coaching gig.  Being an uncle. My nephew, Mike, wanted to learn how to ride a bike.  All his friends knew how and he was ready to join the pack.

 So I'd take him out to practice.  I'd explain all the things that he needed to do to ride. Where to put his feet, how to pedal. How to brake, how to steer… All the mechanics

 He'd give it a try, and bam!  He'd fall over.  Get up, try again.  Fall again. This happens over and over.  He's getting more frustrated as the attempts go by. 

 Day after day.  He's getting better, but still falling pretty frequently. I'm thinking, he's got the mechanics down, It's got to be mindset.  He's thinking he'll fall so he falls.

 So, I keep up with the words of encouragement and we're getting the same outcome.  So we call it a day earlier than usual on one particular occasion. He takes the extra time to go hang with his friends before he has to come in.

 I'm not in the house 10 minutes when he comes running in.  Uncle Adam! Uncle  Adam!  I got it! Come look!

 Okay, check you out.

 He hops on his friends bike, which is much smaller than his.  Starts pushing his feet on the ground Flintstones style.  Picks them up, starts pedaling and is riding like he's been doing it forever.

 So I ask him to show me on his bike.  Same thing! He got it!

 So how does this apply to training?

 Well, as I found out then, telling ain't teaching.  And having information ain't learning.  It's a necessary part, but it's just that.  A part.  It's easy to get caught up in the details of sets, reps, form, rest periods, when to take your protein.  Forget all that. For now.  Play! Play safely, but play. Have fun and improve.  In that order.  Fun>>Improve.  As I was reminded at last weekend's StrongFirst coaching webinar by the infamous (so famous he's in-famous) Brett Jones.  You learn movement by feel.  Set up the guard rails and have fun.