Top 3 Lessons Learned at the USA Weightlifting Certification Course

You’re never done learning.

I attended last weekend’s USA Weightlifting Level 1 Certification Course at NapTown Crossfit in Indianapolis. The two-day session was taught by Coach Michael McKenna (@mckennasgym), with assistance by one of his coach-athletes Jessica Granger (@jmgrange).

I spent 4 years learning from one of the best high school coaches in Strength and Conditioning industry, and since leaving that job and launching Raymer Strength, I definitely need to stay on top of my A game. That’s why I went to Notre Dame Football’s Strength and Conditioning Clinic in February, and it’s why I earned my USA-W Level 1 Certification last weekend.

Here’s the Top 3 lessons I learned.

1. Always Assess

This is something I’ve emphasized for a while, but I watched a master in action last weekend. It’s important to develop your coach’s eye and be able to identify imbalances in the body. For example, if an individual has a problem squatting below parallel, the coach needs to determine where that imbalance is (tight achilles, tightness in the hips or low back, etc.). The four assessments we focused on were overhead squat, front squat, military press, and the snatch deadlift.

2. Concise Coaching Communication

Short, definitive, and understandable

You always have a limited amount of time to teach so that you can prioritize time for execution. Keep it focused, precise and exact so that you don’t lose your athletes along the way. One cue does not fit all, so make sure you have more than one in your back pocket when a person doesn’t understand it.

Then, demonstrate the movement and watch their execution.

3. Prioritize Corrections

Obviously, first address errors that affect safety. Safety of my club members is paramount. Second, like all other sports, you need to address the fundamentals. Errors in the fundamentals results in more errors down the line. Last, you refine. You focus on specific technique faults that don’t impact overall execution of the movement.

I would highly recommend this course to any coach or trainer in the industry.