Transitioning to remote coaching presents unique challenges for strength and conditioning coaches, especially when athletes lack access to standard gym equipment. Effective communication and creative programming are essential to maintain engagement and ensure athletes continue to progress in their training.​

Open New Doors by Coaching Remote

For coaches, the squat rack is sacred. Coaches plan movements around how they can do their basic foundational movements in the rack. But the pandemic revealed just how useful it is to have a home gym, and many coaches must now adapt to how they train their athletes for success in their sport.

For many athletes, a rack, barbell, dumbbells, and other luxuries college programs have in the weight room are not an option.

Adapting a program with an emphasis on squat, bench, clean, and deadlifts is a challenge that all strength and conditioning coaches face. Finding ways to keep athletes engaged with maintaining strength levels is essential. Whether the institution has the financial means to provide training sessions to their athletes or if the staff sends an outdated Word document to each team providing workouts, the athletes must continue to train.

Coaches need to keep their primary movements at the center of the program, but simply adapt what modalities they use.

Communication is Key

With a focus on athletic development, keeping a connection to coaches and teammates may be more critical. Keeping athletes engaged with each other, and their coaches, will maintain cohesion between everyone — maintaining a sense of team camaraderie is a must. Text, GroupMe, FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom are a few examples of ways to say in touch and interact with athletes. Any form of communication can help keep the athlete feel as if they are still part of the team and provide them with a support system in a new way.

Keeping athletes engaged socially is essential, but doing so can be challenging. After ensuring that the athletes are still engaging with teammates and coaches, the next priority is to make sure that athletes are training correctly. Creating a training environment for athletes is a difficult task. There are a variety of ways to help student-athletes while training from home.

How to Boost At-Home Training

Creative ways to keep athletes engaged during home training sessions:

• Odd Object Equipment: Less traditional equipment may include cinder blocks, bungee cords, gallon jugs, backpacks, and buckets filled with books.
• Social Challenges: With athletes using social media as frequently as they do, issue challenges via Twitter and Instagram. Challenges can include who can find the largest or strangest item to squat safely or how many days in a row they can go outside and walk for 10 minutes (while maintaining proper social distancing).
• Game-ify Movements: Creative lifts break up the monotony of bodyweight squats, pushups, and running. For example, a deck of cards can be used to by picking the face cards to decide a movement and the number cards to determine the reps.

Transitioning to remote coaching can open new doors for strength coaches, allowing them to reach more athletes and build a scalable business. Making the shift seems daunting at first — from choosing the right technology to structuring effective programs and keeping athletes engaged. But whether you’re a seasoned coach or just starting out, these insights will help you navigate the transition with confidence and success.

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