New Coach, New Competitors
 

Hello. I am a novice coach taking a pair of new lifters to their first weightlifting contest this weekend. Could anybody share some advice on how I should prepare? Warm-ups, timing of lifts, etc.? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

Hey, Paul. I will send you a PM in case I don't have time to come back and answer this tonight.

Why not use material that you've used in the past &/or material your mentor coach has taught you?


For first time competitors...or rookies...I make it clear to them that what they total foesnt matter too much. What matters is that they have excellent technique. I also remind them that their first few competitions are somewhat training-competitions...they're learning how to lift in a competition..

/rant

Paul, I am making a video with some of this information. Hope the meet went well!

Because not all new coaches have a mentor coach. I handled myself at meets in the beginning. Trial by fire. That's part of the problem with this sport. If we had enough experienced coaches to teach new coaches, we probably wouldn't suck so hard at weightlifting.

I remind my first time competitors that what matters is making the lift. No one is EVER judged on technique at a meet. If I told my new lifters that technique mattered, most of them would never do a meet because they would be afraid that their lifts didn't "look right."