Coaches: motivating athletes through tough times?

Triathlon Forum
1

Hey fellow coaches.

All athletes have tough times. It is not hard to coach someone who has a burning motivation where you more or less have to tell people to do less. It is however hard to motivate an athlete who has a tough time. I bet there are a lot of different thought on this, if it even should be a coach’s work to try to get the athletes motivation back but I feel that I want to help my athletes as much as I possibly can to reach their athletic potential. That also means trying to minimize the impact of lost motivation and drive. I am now talking of motivation loss due to factors that we as coaches can not rule over, ie not overtraining symptoms.

How do you do it? Do you do it?

2

I’ll be interested to read what others say as a couple of the athletes I’m coaching are unmotivated right now and I’ve been giving this some thought.

I do try to motivate them a bit and give them goals to help keep them focused, but in the end I don’t really feel like it’s my job to keep them motivated. Ultimately, that needs to come from them. I would probably answer differently if I were coaching elites, Olympic hopefuls, pros, etc. But then I’d be coaching people who have chosen to make training the priority in their life. The athletes I’m coaching have made their families and jobs their priority and racing/training is just a hobby. The times my athletes have lost motivation have usually been times when they have a lot of family and/or job commitments or stress and since those things are their priority I don’t feel like it’s my place to push them too hard to fit in the training. Plus, that adds more stress to an already stressful time and that could push them too far.

I’m meeting with them next week to talk about 2015 so I’m hoping that along with the start of a new year will light a fire under them.

3

Prepare them lunch and have it ready when they get back from a tough workout.

Toss them a recovery shake after a tough day.

Babysit their kid so they can take a nap.

Help them find a good bike trainer to make training easier when time is tight.

Help them keep their bike equipment well maintained and organized to getting out to ride is easier.

Tell them to shut up and get out the door!! (obviously, not the right approach for everyone)

4

It s a case by case issue. so this is my approach…

With many, i give them more space so they can think a little and come back BY THEM SELF with renew motivation. When motivation goes down, it point out to a issue that is unresolved. I m sometimes a little brutal a pointing that specific issue that they need to address…work, life, relationship etc. My job is to give them tools but i m definitely not a motivator and don’t think i should be in this sense. my job is to often put them in a uncomfortable position where they will do a lot of growing and learning. it s not always a fun process but it works.

So…look at that athlete, look at the situation and be super honest with him…even if he gets hurt in the process and point him to what the issue is…give him the tools and let him sort out and face it.

5

This is actually covered pretty well in the Triathlete’s Guide to Mental Training. A great book that for some reason doesn’t get a lot of play.

But the key aspect for the coach is making sure the athlete has an end goal in mind and make sure that the athlete sees how today’s training relates to the end goal. If your athletes don’t have 2015 season plans yet, then it’s obvious they might not yet be seeing the purpose.

In the absence of a season goal, a goal for the current mesocycle would do as well.

If both of those are in place and the athlete sees the reason but still doesn’t have the mojo, we try to ride it out. I emphasize that even 20 minutes of running will help immensely more than not going out. In this situation that’s my goal, get them out there instead of doing nothing at all. So I tell them even if they don’t feel like it, get your shoes on, get outside and run for 20 minutes you’ll be back before Big Bang Theory is over.

6

In the absence of a season goal, a goal for the current mesocycle would do as well.

.

As Kevin said, I find that goals are key. I have clients write down long term goals and I will have them post their goal some where they can see it when they first wake up such as a bathroom mirror. Having the carrot on the string to train towards makes all the difference. Without a goal it is just exercise not training. I also have them write down why they want to achieve their long term goal/goals and put them in a drawer. When motivation wanes they can go back and remember why they wanted to do this in the first place and if need be, reassess to get back on track.

7

Prepare them lunch and have it ready when they get back from a tough workout.

Toss them a recovery shake after a tough day.

Babysit their kid so they can take a nap.

you’re hired!

8

(caveat with my answer, I do have a Ph.D in sport psych/kines, so I could point you to the techniques in Jim Taylor’s book, which are totally legit, but I will give the answer to what I would do prior to that)
I think pretty much all the answers are correct here, even Jack’s answer (sometimes thats all it takes)

Motivation is an individual thing, so the only way to help is to dig down as to why: lack of goals, too many things on the plate, overtraining, general need for rest, significant other complaining, boss complaining, too many solitary workouts, just not fun, hit all goals from previous year and has “champion syndrome”.

This sport has changed in the last 10-15 years to a full year-round sport, so many more opportunities to get unmotivated, since the season never really ends for many people and begins early. Sometimes its just time for an athlete to go away from the sport. Mainly, find out why they may feel that way then try to offer support, or adjustments as needed. As a note, Jonny O can probably attest, and someone mentioned about elites and pros, but in my experience they go through much of the same stuff at times, but as a coach you can “shake them up” a bit more than an Ag’er, but Elites are many times “one the edge of overreaching” so it is monitored more closely by their coaches. Its hard when you don’t know that an athletes boss is giving them grief and there are rumors of downsizing at the office and their life stress is over the top, or your CPA ironman athlete is supposed to hit a hard training block in April when taxes are due. So ask the pointed question.

So my suggestion is to have a heart to heart and ask them pointedly, what the problem might be, dig down, reassure them and then plan a work around. It might take a few weeks.

9

Prepare them lunch and have it ready when they get back from a tough workout.

Toss them a recovery shake after a tough day.

Babysit their kid so they can take a nap.

you’re hired!

Ha ha…I think you just said “I do!”

10

Jonnyo pretty much hit the nail on the head. Not surprising since he comes from the Sutton school of thought.

As with all things in coaching, it’s context dependant and they’re all different.

But empowering the athlete is key, and giving them what we like to refer to as ‘little opportunities to shine’.

SB.

11

I’ll be interested to read what others say as a couple of the athletes I’m coaching are unmotivated right now and I’ve been giving this some thought.

I do try to motivate them a bit and give them goals to help keep them focused, but in the end I don’t really feel like it’s my job to keep them motivated. Ultimately, that needs to come from them. I would probably answer differently if I were coaching elites, Olympic hopefuls, pros, etc. But then I’d be coaching people who have chosen to make training the priority in their life. The athletes I’m coaching have made their families and jobs their priority and racing/training is just a hobby. The times my athletes have lost motivation have usually been times when they have a lot of family and/or job commitments or stress and since those things are their priority I don’t feel like it’s my place to push them too hard to fit in the training. Plus, that adds more stress to an already stressful time and that could push them too far.

I’m meeting with them next week to talk about 2015 so I’m hoping that along with the start of a new year will light a fire under them.

Yeah man better believe it is your job as their coach to motivate them, that is a big part of coaching. For some reason in AG triathlon coaching many think its not the coaches job to motivate (I have never understood this, look at all the great coaches). But the catch is ultimately it is up to them to be motivated i.e. you can only do so much (or in some cases not too much to push them over). If they love the sport, it doesn’t matter if they are a pro, amateur, or weekend warrior, they will get that motivation. Your job is to harness that love for the sport they have, remind them of it when times are tough and keep them in track, also to help them balance sport with life.

Sometimes its as easy as reminding them why they do what they do, why they love what they love, etc. For all purposes I will relate this one to triathlon, but I would recommend to get their mind off the numbers and goals (end result) and focus on the now. Through all metrics out the window, let them reconnect with the sport. Challenge them in a local running race, do something they wouldn’t ordinarily do.

Its more or less then off-season for many now, getting back into it, etc. But the next 2 weeks are tough with the holidays. No matter what you want your athlete to be itching to be training come early January. That is your goal and thought process to get them motivated.

12

I’ll be interested to read what others say as a couple of the athletes I’m coaching are unmotivated right now and I’ve been giving this some thought.

I do try to motivate them a bit and give them goals to help keep them focused, but in the end I don’t really feel like it’s my job to keep them motivated. Ultimately, that needs to come from them. I would probably answer differently if I were coaching elites, Olympic hopefuls, pros, etc. But then I’d be coaching people who have chosen to make training the priority in their life. The athletes I’m coaching have made their families and jobs their priority and racing/training is just a hobby. The times my athletes have lost motivation have usually been times when they have a lot of family and/or job commitments or stress and since those things are their priority I don’t feel like it’s my place to push them too hard to fit in the training. Plus, that adds more stress to an already stressful time and that could push them too far.

I’m meeting with them next week to talk about 2015 so I’m hoping that along with the start of a new year will light a fire under them.

Yeah man better believe it is your job as their coach to motivate them, that is a big part of coaching. For some reason in AG triathlon coaching many think its not the coaches job to motivate (I have never understood this, look at all the great coaches). But the catch is ultimately it is up to them to be motivated i.e. you can only do so much (or in some cases not too much to push them over). If they love the sport, it doesn’t matter if they are a pro, amateur, or weekend warrior, they will get that motivation. Your job is to harness that love for the sport they have, remind them of it when times are tough and keep them in track, also to help them balance sport with life.

Sometimes its as easy as reminding them why they do what they do, why they love what they love, etc. For all purposes I will relate this one to triathlon, but I would recommend to get their mind off the numbers and goals (end result) and focus on the now. Through all metrics out the window, let them reconnect with the sport. Challenge them in a local running race, do something they wouldn’t ordinarily do.

Its more or less then off-season for many now, getting back into it, etc. But the next 2 weeks are tough with the holidays. No matter what you want your athlete to be itching to be training come early January. That is your goal and thought process to get them motivated.

Slippery slope… 100% athlete responsability to be movtivated. it as to come within… cheerleading vs coaching. perhaps i had bad coaches in the past. Perhaps what your trying to say is LEADERSHIP

13

I am in the process of getting the ACSM Personal Trainer certification, and it is very obvious in their study materials how motivation is one of the biggest tasks and duties of a personal trainer or coach. For people to meet goals there is a huge mental component that requires just as much guidance as the physical part does. I don’t understand why some coaches here don’t see motivation as their responsibility. What if it is your training that gets a client demotivated? Or their goals are unrealistic and they come to that realization at some point? What about the 1000 little obstacles that people have that prevent them from doing their training, wouldn’t it be part of good coaching to help identify them and find ways around it? I would think part of what makes a coach great, is guide an athlete through good and bad times physically and mentally. So the thinking that the motivational part is not a coach’s responsibility seems very odd to me.

14

Yeah man better believe it is your job as their coach to motivate them, that is a big part of coaching. For some reason in AG triathlon coaching many think its not the coaches job to motivate (I have never understood this, look at all the great coaches).

It’s tough because this varies depending on the situation. I try to motivate my athletes and push them with yearly/weekly goals. I’ve had to get a few of them refocused on certain aspects of triathlon training, swimming usually, and push them to get to the pool and remind them of their goals. If we’re in the thick of the season and an A race is approaching and an athlete is losing motivation a little, I’ll do what I can to motivate them. But that’s working with athletes that are generally motivated but maybe losing focus a bit.

When it comes to them losing the motivation to get out the door and train at all, that’s where I don’t feel it’s my job to motivate them. I’ll do what I can to help them get through it, but ultimately it has to come from them. It’s just a hobby. It’s just for fun. If they’ve lost the love of the sport and don’t want to train anymore, that’s their choice. They can quit any time.

Like I said in my original post, I would probably have a different answer if I were coaching pros or athletes with dreams of qualifying for the Olympics, etc. But that’s different from coaching someone with a job, 3 kids and a hobby.

15

Ride with them. Use this gear:

http://www.cyclelicio.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/gun.jpg

16

I am in the process of getting the ACSM Personal Trainer certification, and it is very obvious in their study materials how motivation is one of the biggest tasks and duties of a personal trainer or coach. For people to meet goals there is a huge mental component that requires just as much guidance as the physical part does. I don’t understand why some coaches here don’t see motivation as their responsibility. What if it is your training that gets a client demotivated? Or their goals are unrealistic and they come to that realization at some point? What about the 1000 little obstacles that people have that prevent them from doing their training, wouldn’t it be part of good coaching to help identify them and find ways around it? I would think part of what makes a coach great, is guide an athlete through good and bad times physically and mentally. So the thinking that the motivational part is not a coach’s responsibility seems very odd to me.

If I were to hire a coach to get faster at tri’s, it would be for their tri-specific and general exercise physiology knowledge.

If I were to hire somebody to get me more motivated or stable or some such, I would hire a counselor.

Admittedly, I’ve figured out exercise regulates my mental illness struggles better than any medication regimen or therapist I’ve tried, so I’m going to do some sort of sweating every single day, no matter what.

17

I am in the process of getting the ACSM Personal Trainer certification, and it is very obvious in their study materials how motivation is one of the biggest tasks and duties of a personal trainer or coach. For people to meet goals there is a huge mental component that requires just as much guidance as the physical part does. I don’t understand why some coaches here don’t see motivation as their responsibility. What if it is your training that gets a client demotivated? Or their goals are unrealistic and they come to that realization at some point? What about the 1000 little obstacles that people have that prevent them from doing their training, wouldn’t it be part of good coaching to help identify them and find ways around it? I would think part of what makes a coach great, is guide an athlete through good and bad times physically and mentally. So the thinking that the motivational part is not a coach’s responsibility seems very odd to me.

If I were to hire a coach to get faster at tri’s, it would be for their tri-specific and general exercise physiology knowledge.

If I were to hire somebody to get me more motivated or stable or some such, I would hire a counselor.

Admittedly, I’ve figured out exercise regulates my mental illness struggles better than any medication regimen or therapist I’ve tried, so I’m going to do some sort of sweating every single day, no matter what.So if your training would not progress the way you had planned it due to whatever reason, you’d expect to get a counselor to tell you how to get your training back on track?

18

I am in the process of getting the ACSM Personal Trainer certification, and it is very obvious in their study materials how motivation is one of the biggest tasks and duties of a personal trainer or coach. For people to meet goals there is a huge mental component that requires just as much guidance as the physical part does. I don’t understand why some coaches here don’t see motivation as their responsibility. What if it is your training that gets a client demotivated? Or their goals are unrealistic and they come to that realization at some point? What about the 1000 little obstacles that people have that prevent them from doing their training, wouldn’t it be part of good coaching to help identify them and find ways around it? I would think part of what makes a coach great, is guide an athlete through good and bad times physically and mentally. So the thinking that the motivational part is not a coach’s responsibility seems very odd to me.

If I were to hire a coach to get faster at tri’s, it would be for their tri-specific and general exercise physiology knowledge.

If I were to hire somebody to get me more motivated or stable or some such, I would hire a counselor.

Admittedly, I’ve figured out exercise regulates my mental illness struggles better than any medication regimen or therapist I’ve tried, so I’m going to do some sort of sweating every single day, no matter what.So if your training would not progress the way you had planned it due to whatever reason, you’d expect to get a counselor to tell you how to get your training back on track?

No. If I’m having trouble getting out the door, I’d hire a counselor.

If I’m getting out the door a reasonable amount and I’m not getting results that satisfy me, I’ll hire a coach.

And by ‘hire a coach’ I mean ‘Ask ST and hope for good replies’./semipink

19

I’ll be interested to read what others say as a couple of the athletes I’m coaching are unmotivated right now and I’ve been giving this some thought.

I do try to motivate them a bit and give them goals to help keep them focused, but in the end I don’t really feel like it’s my job to keep them motivated. Ultimately, that needs to come from them. I would probably answer differently if I were coaching elites, Olympic hopefuls, pros, etc. But then I’d be coaching people who have chosen to make training the priority in their life. The athletes I’m coaching have made their families and jobs their priority and racing/training is just a hobby. The times my athletes have lost motivation have usually been times when they have a lot of family and/or job commitments or stress and since those things are their priority I don’t feel like it’s my place to push them too hard to fit in the training. Plus, that adds more stress to an already stressful time and that could push them too far.

I’m meeting with them next week to talk about 2015 so I’m hoping that along with the start of a new year will light a fire under them.

Yeah man better believe it is your job as their coach to motivate them, that is a big part of coaching. For some reason in AG triathlon coaching many think its not the coaches job to motivate (I have never understood this, look at all the great coaches).** But the catch is ultimately it is up to them to be motivated i.e. you can only do so much (or in some cases not too much to push them over)**. If they love the sport, it doesn’t matter if they are a pro, amateur, or weekend warrior, they will get that motivation. Your job is to harness that love for the sport they have, remind them of it when times are tough and keep them in track, also to help them balance sport with life.

Sometimes its as easy as reminding them why they do what they do, why they love what they love, etc. For all purposes I will relate this one to triathlon, but I would recommend to get their mind off the numbers and goals (end result) and focus on the now. Through all metrics out the window, let them reconnect with the sport. Challenge them in a local running race, do something they wouldn’t ordinarily do.

Its more or less then off-season for many now, getting back into it, etc. But the next 2 weeks are tough with the holidays. No matter what you want your athlete to be itching to be training come early January. That is your goal and thought process to get them motivated.

Slippery slope… 100% athlete responsability to be movtivated. it as to come within… cheerleading vs coaching. perhaps i had bad coaches in the past. Perhaps what your trying to say is LEADERSHIP

Didn’t I say that, no?

20

Yeah man better believe it is your job as their coach to motivate them, that is a big part of coaching. For some reason in AG triathlon coaching many think its not the coaches job to motivate (I have never understood this, look at all the great coaches).

It’s tough because this varies depending on the situation. I try to motivate my athletes and push them with yearly/weekly goals. I’ve had to get a few of them refocused on certain aspects of triathlon training, swimming usually, and push them to get to the pool and remind them of their goals. If we’re in the thick of the season and an A race is approaching and an athlete is losing motivation a little, I’ll do what I can to motivate them. But that’s working with athletes that are generally motivated but maybe losing focus a bit.

When it comes to them losing the motivation to get out the door and train at all, that’s where I don’t feel it’s my job to motivate them. I’ll do what I can to help them get through it, but ultimately it has to come from them. It’s just a hobby. It’s just for fun. If they’ve lost the love of the sport and don’t want to train anymore, that’s their choice. They can quit any time.

Like I said in my original post, I would probably have a different answer if I were coaching pros or athletes with dreams of qualifying for the Olympics, etc. But that’s different from coaching someone with a job, 3 kids and a hobby.

Yup and sometimes what is in the plan, **or what isn’t **is the key to keeping them on track. If they have lost their personal motivation, love for the sport, etc. then it’s not your job, but if they are coming to you for help or the opportunity presents itself your athletes best interest should be your goal.