Training to Your Strengths

Training to your strengths is certainly not a new idea but in many ways it runs contrary to the way most coaches think. There is something about coaches and coaching that lead us to do the opposite, train the weaknesses. It is so typical to hear a coach talk about what if. What if so and so had a better kick, was stronger or could just handle running heats? I propose that before you focus on what the athlete cannot do find out everything they can do. What are their strengths? How do they use their strengths at the present time? How is training structured now? Is an inordinate amount of emphasis being given to training to improve weaknesses to the exclusion of the strengths? When this happens, mentally the athlete begins to focus on their weaknesses to the exclusion of their strengths.

With the young developing athlete, ask the obvious question: Are they in the correct event? Instead of spending an inordinate amount of time working on a perceived weakness see if the athlete is better suited for another event. Sometimes what is perceived, as a weakness in one event will be strength in another event or sport. Find the talent that suits the event; do not try to make someone they are not.

Know yourself and know your athlete. Recognize the patterns that are strong and build on those. Just as you should not be defined by the competition, the athlete should not be defined by their weaknesses. Focus on weakness makes two fallacious assumptions

1) That anyone can become competent in most anything

2) The greatest room for growth and improvement comes in the persons weak areas

Each athlete’s strengths are unique and personal. The more that we as coaches can help the athlete explore their strengths the more sold they will be on the training. They will see progress and then begin to factor in work on strengths that can be systematically addressed.

Do not focus on strengths to the exclusion of working on the weaknesses; rather learn to manage the weakness. To begin to deal with any weakness first identify it. Is it something that is holding you back from being significantly better? This is not to say ignore your weaknesses. Work around the weaknesses to enable you to use your strengths more wisely. One approach is to let your strengths overwhelm your weakness.

Ask yourself if it is really your weaknesses that are defeating you or are you not completely exploiting your strengths. Must start by being acutely aware of your strengths. To really be a strength the athlete must be able to do it consistently. Make sure the weakness does not undermine the strength. A weakness is anything that gets in the way of excellent performance. Do not take your strengths for granted, learn them, and appreciate them. Know what is standing in the way of using your strength (s).