This is a little discussed topic, but it can literally alter the performance and negate or elevate the training that has preceded it. Coaches can influence the outcome of a performance by acting improperly or by assuming the appropriate leadership role. This is because it is quite common for the athlete to imprint on the demeanor of the coach.
Effects of Coaching Demeanor
Qualities to be avoided by the coach are anxiety, fearfulness, nervousness and indecisiveness. They can in turn cause the athlete to be apprehensive about the guidance being provided and furthermore distract the athlete from focusing on the most important part of the performance—execution. If any of these behaviors come into play on the part of the coach, the athlete will become distracted and begin to look at the coach for modeling. At that point if the coach is hesitative about making decisions the athlete can lose confidence in the guidance of the coach and become fearful of the performance.
On the other hand, the coach should display intrepidness, organizational procedure, focus and confidence. By doing so, the athlete gains a sense of trust in the actions and decisions of the coach and is then free to proceed through the competition without distractions.
At the Weigh-in
Let me begin this subsection by explaining that the only weightlifters who should be reducing bodyweight to compete in a certain weight class are fully developed athletes who are consuming a large quantity of food just to maintain a bodyweight that is only a few percent above the class limit. Everyone else should just be weighing in without any effort to reduce weight.
Thus the weigh-in is not a major event in the process of competing. I’ve seen many athletes whose greatest trepidation is the weigh-in. The lifting thus becomes an afterthought. The athlete should be informed beforehand by the coach what to expect as far as the rules are concerned and just walk in and weigh in. The athlete should also be briefed on starting attempt numbers.
After the weigh-in the coach needs to insure that the athlete is properly nourished (whether or not bodyweight has been reduced), and to make sure the athlete knows the time at which he or she should be present in the warm-up. Furthermore it is a good idea to make sure the athlete is isolated from non-weightlifters during the time from weigh-in until the beginning of warm-ups.
During the Warm-up
The coach should act in a decisive, but not overbearing manner. He or she should know how many warm-up lifts are to be taken and what their weights are. The coach should also not show alarm or disappointment if a warm-up lift is not performed with great precision. The coach should be aware of the amount of time between warm-up lifts and the progress of the weight on the competition platform and to be alert to sudden changes in attempts by competitors. All this needs to be done in a calm, confident, decisive fashion. The important thing here is always going to be the performance of the athlete on the competition platform.
At the Competition Platform
The coach should approach each lift as though it will be a successful one. The focus of the coaching should be on the one weakest aspect of the lifter’s technique. A cue to address that aspect should be the only one provided as the lifter mounts the platform. The coach should also be watching for a weakness in the technique that will become more extreme with a heavier weight and should be ready to address that upon completion of the current lift in a precise, directed manner.
After A Lift
The emphasis should not be celebratory after a first or second attempt. Upon completion of a successful first or second attempt, the coaching priority should be on the next attempt and it is important to redirect the athlete’s focus on that upcoming lift. The coach should know with confidence the weight of the next attempt. I see beginning coaches often asking the athlete how much weight he or she would like to take on the next attempt. This does not build confidence as the coach is in a much better situation to make the call.
After a missed first or second attempt, the coach should address the correction that should be made and take the athlete’s mind off the failure.
After the Snatch
Whether the performance in the snatch was wonderful or an abysmal failure or something in between, the athlete needs to immediately refocus on the clean & jerk. This is the function of the coach—refocusing attention on the clean & jerk. There will probably be some time prior to the warm-up for the clean & jerk, and it is a sound practice to keep well-wishers away from the athlete.
Conclusion
The planning for the next competition begins the next day after the conclusion of the current meet. The coach should provide an evaluation of the performance and see how closely it coincides with the perception of the athlete. If there is a discrepancy, then either or both needs to re-evaluate his or her own perceptions. The coach should be able to determine the goal weights for the next competition and confidently lay out the impending training cycle. Coaches need to own the fact that they are the facilitators of a performance, and that his or her role is a significant one that needs to be executed properly and with proper demeanor to elicit that performance.