WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.379 If your goal is to compete at a national or international 00:00:04.379 --> 00:00:08.419 level, you need a support team. You can't just 00:00:08.419 --> 00:00:11.050 rely on your coach because your coach... is needs 00:00:11.050 --> 00:00:13.349 to be focused on weightlifting right and the 00:00:13.349 --> 00:00:15.710 coach can seek outside education but the coach 00:00:15.710 --> 00:00:17.949 doesn't have the qualifications and the educational 00:00:17.949 --> 00:00:22.089 background to do nutrition to do the sports psych 00:00:22.089 --> 00:00:25.890 to do you know the massage therapy right like 00:00:25.890 --> 00:00:28.850 body work right yeah the the physical therapy 00:00:28.850 --> 00:00:30.649 right these are things where you need a support 00:00:30.649 --> 00:00:34.859 team Hi, Tom. It's my pleasure to have you on 00:00:34.859 --> 00:00:37.539 Evidence Strong Show. If you could briefly introduce 00:00:37.539 --> 00:00:39.500 yourself. Yeah, thank you so much for having 00:00:39.500 --> 00:00:41.539 me. This is super exciting. So I'm Tom Smalley. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:43.840 I'm a certified mental performance consultant, 00:00:44.140 --> 00:00:46.740 the founder and owner of my own private practice, 00:00:46.899 --> 00:00:49.240 Struggle and Destrain Performance. And it's all 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:51.840 about helping high performers with their mental 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:54.460 fitness and getting them to be the best they 00:00:54.460 --> 00:00:57.619 can be when their best is required. So it's been 00:00:57.619 --> 00:01:00.939 kind of my MO and my career is to help people 00:01:00.939 --> 00:01:02.619 bridge the gap between fitness. physical and 00:01:02.619 --> 00:01:05.079 mental fitness and understand that there's a 00:01:05.079 --> 00:01:06.900 whole different side to things that you need 00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:09.200 to address. You have some experience in Olympic 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:11.659 weightlifting too, don't you? Yeah, yeah. So 00:01:11.659 --> 00:01:13.579 I am a competitive weightlifter myself. Being 00:01:13.579 --> 00:01:16.569 in weightlifting, seeing how... welcoming the 00:01:16.569 --> 00:01:18.650 community is seeing how really how small the 00:01:18.650 --> 00:01:20.010 community is right like a lot of people know 00:01:20.010 --> 00:01:22.230 each other it's been a joy to start working with 00:01:22.230 --> 00:01:24.310 some weightlifters you know starting out that 00:01:24.310 --> 00:01:26.769 wasn't my main population and then pretty soon 00:01:26.769 --> 00:01:30.069 when people figured out that I was a competitive 00:01:30.069 --> 00:01:31.590 weightlifter I think there's something to be 00:01:31.590 --> 00:01:33.810 said about someone that's been in in the same 00:01:33.810 --> 00:01:36.769 arena as them and so when I'm working with weightlifters 00:01:36.769 --> 00:01:39.030 you know I have about about 30 weightlifters 00:01:39.030 --> 00:01:42.989 I see consistently as individual clients. It's 00:01:42.989 --> 00:01:45.349 really, really interesting to work with people 00:01:45.349 --> 00:01:48.769 that I think very much connect with on a personal 00:01:48.769 --> 00:01:51.049 level too, because I know what they're going 00:01:51.049 --> 00:01:53.030 through. And so I think I address things a little 00:01:53.030 --> 00:01:55.870 bit differently and I'm a little bit more creative 00:01:55.870 --> 00:01:58.370 because I know the sport so well. Excellent. 00:01:58.430 --> 00:02:02.049 So excited to have you and to pick your brain 00:02:02.049 --> 00:02:05.870 on some tips, how to support weightlifters best 00:02:05.870 --> 00:02:08.310 for coaches and for weightlifters too. So let's 00:02:08.310 --> 00:02:10.729 imagine we are... bringing the weightlifter to 00:02:10.729 --> 00:02:13.710 the gym and we are a coach, how to create the 00:02:13.710 --> 00:02:17.229 environment that will be amazing in terms of 00:02:17.229 --> 00:02:19.650 not only training the physical part of the sport, 00:02:19.729 --> 00:02:22.430 but also the mental? Yeah, it's a really good 00:02:22.430 --> 00:02:24.930 question. I think a lot of people do it differently. 00:02:25.310 --> 00:02:27.789 I think I want to start with a lot of coaches 00:02:27.789 --> 00:02:30.590 in weightlifting and in, you know, in other sports, 00:02:30.750 --> 00:02:33.090 people have, athletes are often given labels, 00:02:33.289 --> 00:02:35.669 right? So they're always, you have athletes that 00:02:35.669 --> 00:02:38.479 will be given labels like they're not. a clutch 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:41.539 or they're not they don't they have a low motor 00:02:41.539 --> 00:02:44.099 right their their effort isn't great and it's 00:02:44.099 --> 00:02:47.060 our job as coaches it's the coach's job to produce 00:02:47.060 --> 00:02:50.340 a culture and an environment that allows them 00:02:50.340 --> 00:02:53.340 to one understand how to face adversity head 00:02:53.340 --> 00:02:55.719 -on understand how to cope with adversity and 00:02:55.719 --> 00:02:58.819 manage it Manage pressure. And then also the 00:02:58.819 --> 00:03:01.840 environment needs to be made a environment that 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:05.199 is self -motivating. Right. So a lot of times 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:07.740 I'll have coaches that I that I consult with 00:03:07.740 --> 00:03:10.240 and they'll ask me, this person's effort isn't 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:12.199 like they're just not giving everything they 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:14.259 have. And it's like, OK, well, what are we doing 00:03:14.259 --> 00:03:18.439 as coaches to produce an environment that makes 00:03:18.439 --> 00:03:20.319 that athlete want to give everything they have? 00:03:20.419 --> 00:03:22.879 Right. And so I think that is like the struggle 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:25.979 that the coaches have is is producing that environment. 00:03:26.219 --> 00:03:29.240 that makes athletes autonomous, right? And give 00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:31.180 everything they have. And I think that starts 00:03:31.180 --> 00:03:34.199 with creating a culture of emphasizing the process 00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:36.879 over outcome. Like that is like number one. If 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:38.840 you're already, if a new lifter is coming into 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:40.599 the gym and they're new to weightlifting and 00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:42.659 you're already emphasizing, we want to hit these 00:03:42.659 --> 00:03:46.419 numbers and we want to do this and medal and 00:03:46.419 --> 00:03:48.840 podium at nationals, you're going to lose them 00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:51.219 real fast because one, you're already going to 00:03:51.219 --> 00:03:53.240 place them in a place where they're going to 00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:55.340 experience some burnout because now they're. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:57.379 feeling fresher immediately to be at a certain 00:03:57.379 --> 00:03:59.919 level so we want to try to almost i like to say 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:02.699 there's a difference between standards and expectations 00:04:02.699 --> 00:04:05.520 right expectations are placed on us by other 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:07.560 people maybe they're placed on us by ourselves 00:04:07.560 --> 00:04:11.020 by past performances but those expectations are 00:04:11.020 --> 00:04:14.039 outcome related right and we can't necessarily 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:16.920 control the outcome but we can control as coaches 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:19.600 as athletes as people we can control our standards 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:23.000 and so the biggest i would say objective for 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:26.350 a coach is to have standards in your gym. Have 00:04:26.350 --> 00:04:29.750 standards of your values, right? Is it consistency? 00:04:29.930 --> 00:04:33.550 Is it discipline? Is it empathy? Whatever those 00:04:33.550 --> 00:04:36.689 values are, define those. Have clear standards 00:04:36.689 --> 00:04:39.430 of what your gym's values are. And then when 00:04:39.430 --> 00:04:42.689 the athlete walks in, make sure those values 00:04:42.689 --> 00:04:45.069 are known because that athlete is going to understand, 00:04:45.170 --> 00:04:47.569 like, this is what's important first, is being 00:04:47.569 --> 00:04:50.329 this type of athlete, right? Trying to... show 00:04:50.329 --> 00:04:52.990 up as this type of athlete not worried about 00:04:52.990 --> 00:04:55.230 outcome aside how do they how do you want to 00:04:55.230 --> 00:04:57.750 show up on competition day on in training day 00:04:57.750 --> 00:05:00.449 to day and that having values and standards that 00:05:00.649 --> 00:05:02.850 of we're going to give all of our effort. We're 00:05:02.850 --> 00:05:05.709 going to, even as something as simple as we're 00:05:05.709 --> 00:05:08.709 going to reflect thoughtfully after training 00:05:08.709 --> 00:05:10.709 sessions, right? So like these are standards 00:05:10.709 --> 00:05:12.870 we can control, right? And when you can control 00:05:12.870 --> 00:05:14.949 those standards, now you're thinking very process 00:05:14.949 --> 00:05:18.050 oriented. Any practical tips? So should you have 00:05:18.050 --> 00:05:20.889 a board with your values written on the wall? 00:05:21.029 --> 00:05:23.889 Should you, what are the options coaches have? 00:05:24.110 --> 00:05:26.050 Yeah, I think the options are, you know, I think 00:05:26.050 --> 00:05:29.290 having signs and like signage on the wall. People 00:05:29.290 --> 00:05:31.490 don't view. Realize how far that goes. Like, 00:05:31.649 --> 00:05:34.670 you know, even a website that lists your core 00:05:34.670 --> 00:05:37.829 values. Right. It brings legit feeling to, OK, 00:05:37.910 --> 00:05:39.990 these are this is what matters in this space. 00:05:40.149 --> 00:05:43.629 Right. And then the as a coach, they need to 00:05:43.629 --> 00:05:45.870 embody that as well. Right. So you can't have 00:05:45.870 --> 00:05:48.170 core values and not follow them yourself. So 00:05:48.170 --> 00:05:50.230 when you make those core values, make sure that's 00:05:50.230 --> 00:05:51.970 something that you're going to adhere to also, 00:05:52.069 --> 00:05:55.449 because I've been in rooms where the coach, the 00:05:55.449 --> 00:05:57.870 leadership expects people to follow something. 00:05:58.009 --> 00:06:00.129 But the leader isn't. doing it themselves and 00:06:00.129 --> 00:06:03.209 it's very very challenging as an athlete to try 00:06:03.209 --> 00:06:06.529 to follow something that even that it looks like 00:06:06.529 --> 00:06:08.850 the leader doesn't even believe in right so as 00:06:08.850 --> 00:06:11.189 a coach i think the practical tip is finding 00:06:11.189 --> 00:06:14.709 values and standards putting Weights back, you 00:06:14.709 --> 00:06:16.089 know, putting things back where you found them, 00:06:16.110 --> 00:06:18.329 cleaning the barbells off, little details like 00:06:18.329 --> 00:06:20.509 that, cultivating that environment, having those 00:06:20.509 --> 00:06:23.509 standards that aren't necessarily outcome based 00:06:23.509 --> 00:06:26.329 and forcing the athlete to think about numbers 00:06:26.329 --> 00:06:29.350 creates an environment that is going to allow 00:06:29.350 --> 00:06:31.569 the athlete to grow because you're not just coaching 00:06:31.569 --> 00:06:33.490 them in weightlifting. You're coaching them for, 00:06:33.529 --> 00:06:36.569 you know, for for life, too. Right. Like you're 00:06:36.569 --> 00:06:38.889 coaching them for real life outside of weightlifting 00:06:38.889 --> 00:06:42.629 things. And so I think if you can. applied those 00:06:42.629 --> 00:06:44.689 standards in a weight room, they're going to 00:06:44.689 --> 00:06:46.949 translate outside too. So I think, yeah, I mean, 00:06:46.970 --> 00:06:49.370 whiteboard, I like to have, I like to make sure 00:06:49.370 --> 00:06:52.009 every, I would, if I was a coach starting a club, 00:06:52.050 --> 00:06:54.329 I would say, make sure everybody has a training 00:06:54.329 --> 00:06:57.889 journal because how you reflect on things after 00:06:57.889 --> 00:07:00.189 training is going to carry into the next session. 00:07:00.350 --> 00:07:02.670 And, you know, I think having a training journal, 00:07:02.689 --> 00:07:05.149 allowing them to write things down. Shows them 00:07:05.149 --> 00:07:07.029 the process a little bit more than, you know, 00:07:07.029 --> 00:07:10.050 just posting it on Instagram. So how would you 00:07:10.050 --> 00:07:14.069 advise while here how the training log, the training 00:07:14.069 --> 00:07:16.589 journal should look like? Typical training journal 00:07:16.589 --> 00:07:18.389 for me, personally, the weightlifter, I like 00:07:18.389 --> 00:07:20.850 to do like put my training in what, you know, 00:07:20.870 --> 00:07:23.310 what my coach is giving me. And then I have a 00:07:23.310 --> 00:07:26.149 spot for reflection. So as a mental performance 00:07:26.149 --> 00:07:29.149 consultant, I do with my clients what I call 00:07:29.149 --> 00:07:33.970 a WWW, WWI list. So it's just a T chart, right? 00:07:34.029 --> 00:07:36.129 down the middle and then it's just what went 00:07:36.129 --> 00:07:39.230 well what's worth improving so what the idea 00:07:39.230 --> 00:07:42.569 is to try to get rid of language around good 00:07:42.569 --> 00:07:45.670 and bad right the minute we start labeling things 00:07:45.670 --> 00:07:48.029 as good and bad we start falling into narratives 00:07:48.029 --> 00:07:52.149 and our thoughts are now labeled as I shouldn't 00:07:52.149 --> 00:07:53.569 have this thought or I should have this thought 00:07:53.569 --> 00:07:55.470 or this thought is bad to have during training 00:07:55.470 --> 00:07:57.149 and competition. And this thought is good to 00:07:57.149 --> 00:07:59.170 have during training and competition. And so 00:07:59.170 --> 00:08:01.629 when we start thinking about that, we start getting 00:08:01.629 --> 00:08:05.050 into a fight or flight if we start having certain 00:08:05.050 --> 00:08:07.730 thoughts. And so we want to try to get away from 00:08:07.730 --> 00:08:10.670 the language of good and bad, negative and positive, 00:08:10.790 --> 00:08:13.529 right? Where a lot of people are and really just 00:08:13.529 --> 00:08:16.759 take. Three or five things that we felt we did 00:08:16.759 --> 00:08:19.699 well that we can control. Right. So it's not 00:08:19.699 --> 00:08:22.620 like, oh, I snatched 100 today. That was great. 00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:25.040 Right. Like, that's awesome. Right. That's yeah. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:27.060 I mean, that's a great day. But like, no, we 00:08:27.060 --> 00:08:29.819 want to say like I was intentional with how I 00:08:29.819 --> 00:08:32.720 stayed. I kept the bar close to my body today 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:35.220 during my during my first poll. Right. So like 00:08:35.220 --> 00:08:37.399 something really down to the details. And then 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:40.059 or like I would I loved how I was intentional 00:08:40.059 --> 00:08:43.059 about the affirmations that I was telling myself 00:08:43.059 --> 00:08:45.519 before. taking a tough look. Right. So something 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:47.820 that we did that we could control and carry into 00:08:47.820 --> 00:08:49.659 the next session. And then the other side is 00:08:49.659 --> 00:08:51.980 what's worth improving. Right. And so it's not 00:08:51.980 --> 00:08:55.279 the negatives. Right. It's looking at these things 00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:57.799 that we did that maybe we didn't do at the highest 00:08:57.799 --> 00:09:00.860 level that we want to take for next time to improve 00:09:00.860 --> 00:09:03.240 on. Right. So it's not saying like this was bad 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:05.700 and I don't know how I'm going to fix it. It's 00:09:05.700 --> 00:09:07.980 looking at these things we didn't do great and 00:09:07.980 --> 00:09:10.620 looking at it as an opportunity to improve on 00:09:10.620 --> 00:09:12.899 them for next time. Right. So we take some. something 00:09:12.899 --> 00:09:15.080 self -defeating maybe and turn it into something 00:09:15.080 --> 00:09:17.519 self -enhancing. So it's looking at that what's 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:20.120 worth improving with that growth mindset of, 00:09:20.299 --> 00:09:22.379 hey, like these are just a few things that I 00:09:22.379 --> 00:09:24.139 want to be intentional about next time. There 00:09:24.139 --> 00:09:26.840 are athletes who are very easy to talk to. Maybe 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:29.399 they have similar personality to the coach. So 00:09:29.399 --> 00:09:31.700 they, you know, the bonding is very easy and 00:09:31.700 --> 00:09:34.620 instant. But there are other athletes who are, 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:36.419 maybe they are different. Maybe they are just 00:09:36.419 --> 00:09:38.519 different from the coach. Maybe they are a little 00:09:38.519 --> 00:09:41.480 bit more reserved. How to build an effective 00:09:41.480 --> 00:09:44.100 community. communication because the more coach 00:09:44.100 --> 00:09:47.740 understands the athlete, the better the coaching 00:09:47.740 --> 00:09:52.779 would be, presumably. So how to implement effective 00:09:52.779 --> 00:09:55.039 communication? Totally. And I think this is a 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:58.759 PSA to athletes too. It isn't all on the coach, 00:09:58.899 --> 00:10:01.240 right? So when you choose to be an athlete at 00:10:01.240 --> 00:10:04.639 a competitive level, you're choosing the responsibility 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:07.340 to also communicate. It doesn't mean you have 00:10:07.340 --> 00:10:10.139 to be this outgoing, you know, extroverted human 00:10:10.139 --> 00:10:14.049 being. Your bare minimum responsibility as an 00:10:14.049 --> 00:10:16.149 elite level athlete or as a competitive athlete 00:10:16.149 --> 00:10:18.429 is to communicate with your coach because your 00:10:18.429 --> 00:10:21.149 coach is not a mind reader. So any athletes listening 00:10:21.149 --> 00:10:24.190 to this, you have is your responsibility as well 00:10:24.190 --> 00:10:26.549 as much as it is the coaches. That being said, 00:10:26.669 --> 00:10:29.570 I think it's really a good practice to get into 00:10:29.570 --> 00:10:32.549 to for the coach to just ask straight up. Hey, 00:10:32.629 --> 00:10:35.049 like what are your preferred communication styles? 00:10:35.289 --> 00:10:37.950 Like, do you want me to check in daily? Do you 00:10:37.950 --> 00:10:40.549 want me to check in weekly? Can I match? your 00:10:40.549 --> 00:10:43.850 expectations for me. Athletes have, coaches have 00:10:43.850 --> 00:10:45.950 expectations for their athletes and athletes 00:10:45.950 --> 00:10:48.289 should have expectations for their coaches. And 00:10:48.289 --> 00:10:51.190 it's important for both sides to understand what 00:10:51.190 --> 00:10:54.129 those expectations are. Similar to the athlete. 00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:58.059 joining a gym. These are our standards. And these 00:10:58.059 --> 00:11:01.059 are the standards and values that we go by at 00:11:01.059 --> 00:11:04.240 this gym. And we want you to embody that. And 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.299 so the coach and the athlete need to make sure 00:11:06.299 --> 00:11:09.519 they can meet the expectations. Is that an expectation 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:12.120 that I can meet? Can I check in with this person 00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:15.860 every day? I wouldn't tell my client that I'm 00:11:15.860 --> 00:11:17.779 going to check in daily if I actually knew I 00:11:17.779 --> 00:11:19.919 wouldn't be able to do that. So really setting 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:23.019 those clear boundaries of understanding what 00:11:23.019 --> 00:11:25.320 that athlete needs in terms of communication 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:27.879 but then the other aspect right is is the athlete 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:30.639 needs to understand that coaches are mind readers 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:33.580 and you can't get what you need from a coach 00:11:33.580 --> 00:11:36.080 if you're not going to ask for it right the worst 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:38.460 thing is they could say is no so I think there's 00:11:38.460 --> 00:11:41.159 there's obviously two sides to it in terms of 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:44.700 understanding what an athlete I really think 00:11:44.700 --> 00:11:46.940 that's a discussion that you have to have with 00:11:46.940 --> 00:11:49.179 the athlete. I don't think it's something you 00:11:49.179 --> 00:11:51.259 don't want to leave it up to chance. Right. So 00:11:51.259 --> 00:11:53.240 like you don't want to get this athlete coming 00:11:53.240 --> 00:11:55.980 to your gym and then, you know, try to check 00:11:55.980 --> 00:11:58.580 in frequently and then just back off because 00:11:58.580 --> 00:12:00.720 you realize they're not responding. Right. So 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:03.620 the more legwork you do up front with getting 00:12:03.620 --> 00:12:05.720 to know the athlete and building that relationship, 00:12:05.980 --> 00:12:08.220 the easier the communication is going to be down 00:12:08.220 --> 00:12:10.840 the line. How would you go about it? Would you 00:12:10.840 --> 00:12:13.289 suggest having an interview? when the athlete 00:12:13.289 --> 00:12:16.549 comes into the gym or what are the best ways 00:12:16.549 --> 00:12:18.309 to do it, do you think? Yeah, I think it's a 00:12:18.309 --> 00:12:20.929 conversation. I think, you know, if athletes 00:12:20.929 --> 00:12:25.350 are unable to advocate for themselves or if it's 00:12:25.350 --> 00:12:28.929 a younger athlete, scales are great, right? Inventories 00:12:28.929 --> 00:12:31.590 are great. You know, it's an easy way for an 00:12:31.590 --> 00:12:33.750 athlete to fill something out and you to get 00:12:33.750 --> 00:12:36.350 an idea of, you know, okay, maybe they don't 00:12:36.350 --> 00:12:40.350 want me to talk to them as much or what kind 00:12:40.350 --> 00:12:42.990 of... of motivation do they like, right? Do they 00:12:42.990 --> 00:12:45.720 like someone that's rah -rah and pumped up? Or 00:12:45.720 --> 00:12:48.220 do they like someone that's calm, right? So people 00:12:48.220 --> 00:12:50.659 respond differently to different styles of coaching. 00:12:50.820 --> 00:12:53.980 So I think trying to put together an inventory 00:12:53.980 --> 00:12:56.940 of finding out what that athlete needs is another 00:12:56.940 --> 00:13:00.419 way, or like a survey, right? To understand what 00:13:00.419 --> 00:13:02.820 that athlete needs is another way to get information 00:13:02.820 --> 00:13:05.100 without having to have a direct conversation. 00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:09.220 But in my opinion, if you can't have that conversation 00:13:09.220 --> 00:13:12.159 with an athlete, then they're not at the emotional 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:15.039 maturity level. to handle being a competitive 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:17.620 athlete. Interesting. Two questions on that. 00:13:17.799 --> 00:13:20.080 Some young athletes, you know, they come from 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:22.360 different backgrounds. They may actually be lacking 00:13:22.360 --> 00:13:24.639 in communication skills when they come to the 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:27.159 gym and yet they may be a talented athlete and 00:13:27.159 --> 00:13:30.000 you as a coach may decide, okay, I will try to 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:32.379 work with them nonetheless. Now, how would you 00:13:32.379 --> 00:13:34.980 bridge this gap or how would you teach the athlete 00:13:34.980 --> 00:13:38.399 to communicate? Would you have any advice or 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:41.200 tips? The first thing I would do is make sure 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:43.470 that the athlete knows that they're talented 00:13:43.470 --> 00:13:45.409 right and that they have a good shot at being 00:13:45.409 --> 00:13:48.549 good at this but like with like every elite athlete 00:13:48.549 --> 00:13:50.590 there's going to be work involved with it so 00:13:50.590 --> 00:13:52.490 understand getting them to understand what it 00:13:52.490 --> 00:13:55.940 takes right and what what it takes to be great 00:13:55.940 --> 00:13:58.679 and then with that you start building buy -in 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:00.940 so trust isn't built overnight and i think that 00:14:00.940 --> 00:14:02.980 is something that people struggle with because 00:14:02.980 --> 00:14:05.620 they want that instant trust right but trust 00:14:05.620 --> 00:14:09.220 is like you putting dollars into an atm in small 00:14:09.220 --> 00:14:11.759 moments where you showed up for that person right 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:14.039 it's not you know there might be some moments 00:14:14.039 --> 00:14:17.350 bigger than others but as a as an athlete You 00:14:17.350 --> 00:14:20.289 don't just immediately gain trust. A coach can't 00:14:20.289 --> 00:14:21.830 just immediately gain trust from an athlete, 00:14:21.990 --> 00:14:24.169 right? So some quicker than others, but you want 00:14:24.169 --> 00:14:26.730 to make sure you're daily depositing that trust, 00:14:26.929 --> 00:14:29.710 right? And so a lot of that goes with just continually 00:14:29.710 --> 00:14:31.789 showing up for the athlete, showing in different 00:14:31.789 --> 00:14:34.090 ways that you care, and then trying to adapt 00:14:34.090 --> 00:14:37.230 to how the athlete communicates, right? So I 00:14:37.230 --> 00:14:39.960 think in terms of maybe they have... poor communication 00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:42.419 skills. I think coaches need to look at it as 00:14:42.419 --> 00:14:44.740 an opportunity to help build those communication 00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:47.360 skills. Maybe they came from a background where 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:48.879 they didn't have parents around or they didn't 00:14:48.879 --> 00:14:51.559 have a good home life. Okay, great. This is a 00:14:51.559 --> 00:14:54.820 good opportunity to build up communication skills 00:14:54.820 --> 00:14:57.220 and help them for life, right? So looking at 00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:59.860 things similar to how athletes need to look at 00:14:59.860 --> 00:15:02.240 things with a growth mindset and the odds and 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:04.220 opportunity, coaches should do the same. And 00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:06.480 so I think, you know, the things I've helped 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:08.539 coaches implement is like weekly check -ins. 00:15:08.779 --> 00:15:11.259 readiness scales right so things of that nature 00:15:11.259 --> 00:15:13.659 where you're getting information and it's more 00:15:13.659 --> 00:15:15.840 in a scheduled way so you're not i think the 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:18.200 more you can schedule it the more official it 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:20.940 becomes and more serious it becomes in their 00:15:20.940 --> 00:15:23.460 mind so that they won't they'll know that hey 00:15:23.460 --> 00:15:25.820 wednesdays we communicate right so if they're 00:15:25.820 --> 00:15:28.419 not someone where you can have that fluid communication 00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:31.360 and check in wherever start scheduling it and 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:33.759 make it a priority show them that they're a priority 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:36.419 to you as an athlete and that you're a priority 00:15:36.419 --> 00:15:38.480 to them as a coach, right? And this is a real 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:41.720 business relationship and something that matters 00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:43.889 to you. And you want to see them grow. So I think 00:15:43.889 --> 00:15:46.610 scheduling it helps. Awesome. I like that. Very 00:15:46.610 --> 00:15:50.769 practical. How to transition from being a young 00:15:50.769 --> 00:15:53.490 lifter who just comes to learn weightlifting 00:15:53.490 --> 00:15:56.730 and then has talent or doesn't, but works hard 00:15:56.730 --> 00:15:59.870 and gets somewhere. How to get them from being 00:15:59.870 --> 00:16:03.090 totally dependent on the coach to being in a 00:16:03.090 --> 00:16:07.120 partnership with coach? Yeah, I think it requires 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:09.480 a few different facets, right? So it requires 00:16:09.480 --> 00:16:12.399 the open communication of a coach and athlete. 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:16.120 and what they both need from each other, right? 00:16:16.220 --> 00:16:18.320 So understanding that what the athlete needs 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:20.580 and what the coach needs is number one, right? 00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:22.960 So they're going to be a lot more dependent on 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:26.580 a coach if their coach is providing them with 00:16:26.580 --> 00:16:30.759 a lot more than they need, right? So you're almost 00:16:30.759 --> 00:16:33.179 building patterns early on. So when you get an 00:16:33.179 --> 00:16:36.279 athlete at a young age, like... Don't do everything 00:16:36.279 --> 00:16:37.919 for them because then that's what's going to 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:40.919 be expected, right? So putting them in a safe 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:44.580 place of controlled adversity, right? Or of controlled 00:16:44.580 --> 00:16:47.940 accountability, right? Builds those habits so 00:16:47.940 --> 00:16:50.379 that they're not as dependent later on, right? 00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:53.059 So when I worked at the college level for athletics, 00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:56.100 I saw a lot of hand -holding and these were 20... 00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:59.360 to 23 -year -old men, right? And, you know, my 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:01.320 thought was like, these coaches are holding their 00:17:01.320 --> 00:17:03.419 hands and then they're going to graduate and 00:17:03.419 --> 00:17:05.279 then they're going to have no life skills, right? 00:17:05.380 --> 00:17:07.779 And so the more you can, you're actually doing 00:17:07.779 --> 00:17:10.039 them a disservice by doing everything for them, 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:13.059 right? So I think having a checklist for athletes, 00:17:13.299 --> 00:17:16.039 having that accountability, right, where there's 00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:19.579 an expectation, the athlete has a focused accountability 00:17:19.579 --> 00:17:23.240 of, I need to do, my requirement on my end is 00:17:23.240 --> 00:17:25.500 to do this, this, and this, right? And then, 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:29.940 often like kind of readapting and re -evaluating 00:17:29.940 --> 00:17:33.039 what those accountability checklist items are 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:35.799 right it could be anything from hydration to 00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:38.480 you know i need to not look at my phone while 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:40.700 i'm training right so little things like that 00:17:40.700 --> 00:17:43.950 but i think understanding that Both the coach 00:17:43.950 --> 00:17:47.630 and athlete need to put in the same effort. And 00:17:47.630 --> 00:17:50.410 once there's a lack of effort from one side, 00:17:50.650 --> 00:17:53.250 that's when things get very difficult. Weightlifting 00:17:53.250 --> 00:17:57.369 is about the numbers, but it also is a weight 00:17:57.369 --> 00:18:00.190 class sport. So there's a nutrition and sports 00:18:00.190 --> 00:18:02.769 performance goes hand in hand with nutrition. 00:18:03.029 --> 00:18:05.529 There is the psychological, the mental part to 00:18:05.529 --> 00:18:08.470 it. You have to learn skills to cope with stress. 00:18:08.690 --> 00:18:11.049 There are only six lifts, three and three, and 00:18:11.049 --> 00:18:14.069 you have to make them. And they are on the stage, 00:18:14.089 --> 00:18:16.009 you are by yourself and the weight is heavy. 00:18:16.049 --> 00:18:21.109 So what is your view on an athlete having a coach 00:18:21.109 --> 00:18:24.589 versus athlete having a coach, but also a nutritionist, 00:18:24.589 --> 00:18:28.130 psychologist, whatever network or a team they 00:18:28.130 --> 00:18:31.150 may need or have around them? Yeah, definitely. 00:18:31.309 --> 00:18:33.910 I think, so I'm huge on scope of practice, right? 00:18:33.990 --> 00:18:36.809 And I think it's super important to have a support 00:18:36.809 --> 00:18:39.750 team, right? So understand like, listen, I get 00:18:39.750 --> 00:18:42.460 some people can't afford it. Right. I get, you 00:18:42.460 --> 00:18:45.200 know, some people know that's not possible. But 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:49.819 if your goal is to compete at a national or international 00:18:49.819 --> 00:18:53.759 level, you need a support team. Like you can't 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:56.140 just rely on your coach because your coach is 00:18:56.140 --> 00:18:58.339 needs to be focused on weightlifting. Right. 00:18:58.440 --> 00:19:00.799 And the coach can seek outside education. But 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:02.920 the coach doesn't have the qualifications and 00:19:02.920 --> 00:19:05.339 the educational background to do nutrition, to 00:19:05.339 --> 00:19:10.109 do the. sports psych to do you know the massage 00:19:10.109 --> 00:19:13.329 therapy right like body work right yeah the the 00:19:13.329 --> 00:19:15.369 physical therapy right these are things where 00:19:15.369 --> 00:19:18.440 you need a support team and the best athletes 00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:20.640 i've been around have a support team but not 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:22.319 only do they have a support team but though that 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:24.839 support team knows each other right and knows 00:19:24.839 --> 00:19:26.819 what's going on with their nutrition knows what's 00:19:26.819 --> 00:19:29.259 going on with their pt and it's all connected 00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:32.220 right and so the best athletes i see take care 00:19:32.220 --> 00:19:33.759 of their body at a high level take care of their 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:35.640 mind at a high level right it doesn't mean they 00:19:35.640 --> 00:19:37.299 don't have setbacks so they don't face adversity 00:19:37.299 --> 00:19:39.740 but they have a support team around them right 00:19:39.740 --> 00:19:42.160 and those are the ones that last a long time 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:45.240 in the sport and in and see a lot of success 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:47.769 so i think it is really important Coach is super 00:19:47.769 --> 00:19:49.809 important, no doubt about it, right? You need 00:19:49.809 --> 00:19:51.170 a weightlifting coach if you're going to be an 00:19:51.170 --> 00:19:53.029 elite level weightlifter. That being said, I 00:19:53.029 --> 00:19:55.230 think you start seeing a lot of strain on the 00:19:55.230 --> 00:19:57.930 relationship when the coach tries to do more 00:19:57.930 --> 00:20:00.269 than just be their weightlifting coach, right? 00:20:00.329 --> 00:20:03.069 And so I think if a coach could just be the weightlifting 00:20:03.069 --> 00:20:04.829 coach and allow someone else to do nutrition 00:20:04.829 --> 00:20:07.210 and allow someone else, if the coach, if weightlifting 00:20:07.210 --> 00:20:09.029 coach is checking in about nutrition, there's 00:20:09.029 --> 00:20:11.670 just going to be a blurred line of like how many 00:20:11.670 --> 00:20:14.450 jobs they hold for the athlete. So I think getting 00:20:14.450 --> 00:20:17.240 qualified professionals around you. is vital 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:20.220 to success. All right. How coaches could think 00:20:20.220 --> 00:20:24.339 about teaching athletes the skills for transition? 00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:28.140 So the weightlifting could be teaching life. 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:33.019 Now, how the coach could be thinking about implementing 00:20:33.869 --> 00:20:36.009 more than just weightlifting skills in their 00:20:36.009 --> 00:20:39.430 athletes. Yeah, totally. Like you said, the relationship 00:20:39.430 --> 00:20:42.029 can be so beneficial. This is a really, really 00:20:42.029 --> 00:20:45.069 unique sport where that relationship, the coach 00:20:45.069 --> 00:20:47.349 -athlete relationship is like no other. It's 00:20:47.349 --> 00:20:50.130 just you're placing a lot of trust in the coach 00:20:50.130 --> 00:20:52.349 and the coach is placing a lot of trust in the 00:20:52.349 --> 00:20:54.450 athlete. And you're with each other a lot, right? 00:20:54.529 --> 00:20:56.349 And you're with each other during tough times, 00:20:56.490 --> 00:20:59.670 during great, the best of times, the PRs, right? 00:20:59.710 --> 00:21:01.809 You're with each other in really, really important 00:21:01.809 --> 00:21:04.779 times in life. And so with that, I think comes 00:21:04.779 --> 00:21:07.859 for the opportunity for both of you to look at 00:21:07.859 --> 00:21:09.980 adversity from a different lens. Right. And so 00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:13.299 I think when though I was looking at like a bomb 00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:15.599 out as an opportunity for the athletes showing, 00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:18.859 you know, what they need to do to to face that 00:21:18.859 --> 00:21:21.359 adversity. Right. Like helping them understand 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:24.500 what what adversity looks like. Like I think 00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:26.259 as a coach, they just need to understand that 00:21:26.259 --> 00:21:29.059 like you're when you decide to be any sort of 00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:32.500 coach, you're also taking up a human being. as 00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:34.660 well. Right. And that human being is going to 00:21:34.660 --> 00:21:36.920 have tough times. That human being needs to be 00:21:36.920 --> 00:21:39.079 thought of as a human being first. Right. And 00:21:39.079 --> 00:21:41.740 so the minute coach forgets that the athlete 00:21:41.740 --> 00:21:44.930 is a human being is the minute you start. losing 00:21:44.930 --> 00:21:47.990 the application of these skills that you're building 00:21:47.990 --> 00:21:50.269 translating into real life, right? And so like 00:21:50.269 --> 00:21:53.190 every opportunity, every setback, every adversity 00:21:53.190 --> 00:21:56.750 instance is a chance for this coach to help them 00:21:56.750 --> 00:21:59.529 build these skills. And so as a coach, you need 00:21:59.529 --> 00:22:01.450 to remember that you're taking on the human being 00:22:01.450 --> 00:22:04.069 because then you're going to keep those skills 00:22:04.069 --> 00:22:06.750 at the forefront of your mind of trying to help 00:22:06.750 --> 00:22:09.670 them for that transition to life too. I've rarely 00:22:09.670 --> 00:22:13.630 seen in my time an athlete that works hard in 00:22:13.630 --> 00:22:17.180 a way. weight room not being a great person and 00:22:17.180 --> 00:22:20.779 very resilient human being on outside of the 00:22:20.779 --> 00:22:23.259 weight room right these two are very correlated 00:22:23.259 --> 00:22:25.960 it's very very rare to see someone give everything 00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:27.460 they have in the weight room and not be that 00:22:27.460 --> 00:22:30.079 type of person outside of it right so it translates 00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:33.240 and so as a coach i think understanding your 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:36.799 why and in that aspect and like taking it that 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:39.099 seriously that you're in you're you're creating 00:22:39.099 --> 00:22:41.720 a really great opportunity for to help develop 00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:44.869 a human being You mentioned a few times our diversity 00:22:44.869 --> 00:22:47.849 and dealing with our diversity and how that builds 00:22:47.849 --> 00:22:51.529 a great weightlifter. So could we go there? Let's 00:22:51.529 --> 00:22:53.849 imagine that the athlete had horrible competition 00:22:53.849 --> 00:22:56.670 or they plateaued and they are not improving 00:22:56.670 --> 00:22:59.609 anymore for various reasons. Maybe there's an 00:22:59.609 --> 00:23:02.269 injury. Maybe there's no apparent reason. How 00:23:02.269 --> 00:23:06.250 would you... I mean, the first thing is we reflect, 00:23:06.450 --> 00:23:09.250 right? We do that. Even in the worst competitions 00:23:09.250 --> 00:23:11.589 we ever had, what went well, three things that 00:23:11.589 --> 00:23:14.250 went well that you controlled, right? So you're 00:23:14.250 --> 00:23:16.109 immediately taking a competition and thinking 00:23:16.109 --> 00:23:19.589 about the, you know, what possibly went well. 00:23:19.609 --> 00:23:21.390 And then you're like, oh, well, I did maintain 00:23:21.390 --> 00:23:25.349 composure between this rap, you know? So I think 00:23:25.349 --> 00:23:27.829 like immediately trying to reflect, but not in 00:23:27.829 --> 00:23:30.259 a way that's going to... cause you to have more 00:23:30.259 --> 00:23:32.779 overthinking, more stress, right? So controlled 00:23:32.779 --> 00:23:35.920 reflection and controlled and intentional reflection 00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:38.019 post -meeting, right? And then the other aspect 00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:41.740 is the cool thing about the brain is that neuroplasticity, 00:23:41.740 --> 00:23:44.880 we can actually practice how to formulate a better 00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:48.500 response to stress. And so if we take these instances 00:23:48.500 --> 00:23:52.329 of adversity, and reflect thoughtfully, understand 00:23:52.329 --> 00:23:55.210 reframing thoughts, start using mental imagery, 00:23:55.450 --> 00:23:58.349 right? And start applying mental skills and then 00:23:58.349 --> 00:24:01.150 get back on the platform. We're reinforcing the 00:24:01.150 --> 00:24:03.750 habit of overcoming adversity and actually building 00:24:03.750 --> 00:24:06.809 our mental resilience and like that neuroplasticity 00:24:06.809 --> 00:24:08.710 and that stress response. It's super cool. So 00:24:08.710 --> 00:24:11.970 if you fail at something, it's actually an opportunity 00:24:11.970 --> 00:24:14.920 to... rebuild your stress response. And coaches 00:24:14.920 --> 00:24:17.359 have a really, really big impact on that, right? 00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:20.740 And how they go about looking at failure, right? 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:23.000 You know, it's corny, but, you know, I always 00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:25.589 heard that. fail means first attempt in learning, 00:24:25.750 --> 00:24:28.410 right? And it's the acronym. But it's true. If 00:24:28.410 --> 00:24:32.349 you look at failure as just another attempt at 00:24:32.349 --> 00:24:34.450 learning and being better for the next time, 00:24:34.490 --> 00:24:36.690 then all of a sudden you're reframing the fault. 00:24:36.829 --> 00:24:39.529 The problem people run into is they have a negative 00:24:39.529 --> 00:24:42.309 thought or so, and they just try to think positively, 00:24:42.329 --> 00:24:45.359 right? And if I told you to... This is a very 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:48.220 common problem with self -talk, right? If I told 00:24:48.220 --> 00:24:51.279 someone to not think of a pink elephant, they're 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:53.079 going to immediately think of a pink elephant, 00:24:53.220 --> 00:24:55.940 right? And so just telling someone to... think 00:24:55.940 --> 00:24:58.319 positively isn't going to actually do anything 00:24:58.319 --> 00:25:00.579 for them. So we want to take the self -defeating 00:25:00.579 --> 00:25:02.700 thought and turn it into something self -enhancing. 00:25:02.819 --> 00:25:05.920 So instead of, oh, gosh, I, you know, missed 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:08.779 all three snatches or I missed my first snatch. 00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:11.220 I'm going to miss this next one. And if I miss 00:25:11.220 --> 00:25:12.599 this next one, my coach is going to hate me. 00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:15.559 OK, one, diffuse the thought. What evidence do 00:25:15.559 --> 00:25:17.400 you have to support that thought? And what evidence 00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:19.660 do you have against that thought? Right. If you 00:25:19.660 --> 00:25:21.660 have any, you're not going to have any evidence 00:25:21.660 --> 00:25:23.299 to really support that thought. Right. And so 00:25:23.299 --> 00:25:26.180 diffusing the thought and then. actually reframing 00:25:26.180 --> 00:25:28.380 it to be like an opportunity. OK, I missed my 00:25:28.380 --> 00:25:30.940 first snatch. This is a really awesome opportunity 00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:33.339 to show how resilient I am in the second attempt. 00:25:33.500 --> 00:25:36.579 This is a really great opportunity to show all 00:25:36.579 --> 00:25:38.500 the preparation, hard work I've been putting 00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:41.319 in. Right. So not guaranteeing an outcome with 00:25:41.319 --> 00:25:43.619 that self -enhancing thought, but almost looking 00:25:43.619 --> 00:25:46.420 at things from a lens of, oh, I can't wait to 00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:48.680 show people how I show myself and show other 00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:51.200 people how much work and preparation I've put 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:53.240 in. Right. So relying on that preparation, because 00:25:53.240 --> 00:25:55.759 that's where confidence. comes from aside from 00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:58.180 achievement so what i'm hearing is that you advise 00:25:58.180 --> 00:26:01.599 to going back to the process and making sure 00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:05.299 that the process is as good as it could be then 00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:08.279 you can always go back to that now the work actually 00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:12.519 is done i may miss this lift but I've done, I've 00:26:12.519 --> 00:26:15.700 put the work in and that's the opportunity to 00:26:15.700 --> 00:26:18.740 show it. If it happens, it does. If it doesn't, 00:26:18.740 --> 00:26:21.519 it doesn't cancel the work that has been done. 00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:24.039 No. And people, especially in this sport, right, 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:26.519 come, like you said earlier, they come with a 00:26:26.519 --> 00:26:28.619 lot of all or nothing thinking, right? Because 00:26:28.619 --> 00:26:30.980 it is six lifts, right? And how many times do 00:26:30.980 --> 00:26:33.099 people could pee a year, maybe four or five, 00:26:33.140 --> 00:26:35.900 right? Like, yeah, maybe 18 attempts at something, 00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:38.539 right? Where you're practicing hours and hours 00:26:38.539 --> 00:26:40.779 and hours at something, right? So it is, it is. 00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:42.519 People come with that all or nothing thinking, 00:26:42.599 --> 00:26:45.119 oh, all this work that I put in is for nothing 00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:46.920 if I don't make this lift and I don't medal. 00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:49.420 Right. But if you think about it like and you 00:26:49.420 --> 00:26:52.759 ask them, OK, so all that growth as a human being 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:54.839 and all that growth as an athlete wasn't worth 00:26:54.839 --> 00:26:57.099 it. Right. And then they're like, then they'll 00:26:57.099 --> 00:26:59.779 say, oh. Well, no, I'm glad I did all that, right? 00:26:59.880 --> 00:27:02.619 So it's very easy to fall into that all or nothing 00:27:02.619 --> 00:27:04.740 pattern of thinking, right? If I don't make this 00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:07.240 lift, it was all for nothing. But the reality 00:27:07.240 --> 00:27:09.420 is like you grew as a human being, you grew as 00:27:09.420 --> 00:27:11.640 an athlete. Maybe you didn't reach your outcome 00:27:11.640 --> 00:27:13.839 goal, but that doesn't mean it was for nothing. 00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:16.009 And then I think. Like you said, the preparation 00:27:16.009 --> 00:27:18.210 aspect, right? Like confidence, you know, there's 00:27:18.210 --> 00:27:21.069 no denying, right? Confidence comes from achievement. 00:27:21.150 --> 00:27:23.069 If you do something successfully over and over 00:27:23.069 --> 00:27:25.109 again, you're going to have more self -efficacy. 00:27:25.150 --> 00:27:26.730 You're going to have more confidence, right? 00:27:26.849 --> 00:27:29.250 There's no denying that. But confidence also 00:27:29.250 --> 00:27:32.150 comes from preparation, right? And if you put 00:27:32.150 --> 00:27:34.230 in the work and prepare, you're going to feel 00:27:34.230 --> 00:27:36.890 more confident. And that's part of that is having 00:27:36.890 --> 00:27:39.450 that support team around you, right? Where you're 00:27:39.450 --> 00:27:42.150 putting work in all the different buckets. And 00:27:42.150 --> 00:27:43.730 if you prepare in all those different buckets, 00:27:43.910 --> 00:27:45.289 you're going to... gonna feel pretty good on 00:27:45.289 --> 00:27:47.410 competition day and then like you said right 00:27:47.410 --> 00:27:49.710 like if it doesn't happen at least you don't 00:27:49.710 --> 00:27:52.250 have that regret of i left something out there 00:27:52.250 --> 00:27:54.750 right or i left you know i had more in the tank 00:27:54.750 --> 00:27:57.670 right i had i could have done this right discipline 00:27:57.670 --> 00:28:01.210 weighs ounces but regrets regret weighs tons 00:28:01.210 --> 00:28:03.869 man regret weighs a lot more than the discipline 00:28:03.869 --> 00:28:05.950 right so if you're disciplined and put in the 00:28:05.950 --> 00:28:08.230 preparation and it just doesn't come together 00:28:08.230 --> 00:28:10.390 on me day okay we're gonna reflect and we're 00:28:10.390 --> 00:28:12.769 gonna build off that but you also you can no 00:28:12.769 --> 00:28:14.990 doubt about but be disappointed, right? There's 00:28:14.990 --> 00:28:17.390 no, every feeling is valid. You could feel disappointed. 00:28:17.569 --> 00:28:19.829 You could feel bummed, but you'll feel still 00:28:19.829 --> 00:28:22.809 like you gave everything you had. You know in 00:28:22.809 --> 00:28:24.930 your gut, I gave everything I had. It just didn't, 00:28:24.930 --> 00:28:26.869 it didn't come together and I didn't perform 00:28:26.869 --> 00:28:28.750 the way I wanted to. But you'll also know in 00:28:28.750 --> 00:28:31.170 your gut if you didn't do everything you could 00:28:31.170 --> 00:28:33.109 have done. And I think that's really what it 00:28:33.109 --> 00:28:35.329 comes down to. All right. So in the case where 00:28:35.329 --> 00:28:37.789 the person has some regrets, I don't know, they 00:28:37.789 --> 00:28:39.849 didn't go to bed on time. They didn't eat enough. 00:28:39.950 --> 00:28:43.819 They did some crazy stuff. two days before because 00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:46.480 they were in a new city excited blah blah blah 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:51.880 how to make a positive impact out of that a learning 00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:55.339 experience right i think listen i think self 00:28:55.339 --> 00:28:59.259 -compassion and giving yourself some grace for 00:28:59.259 --> 00:29:01.799 your journey and your environment. And maybe 00:29:01.799 --> 00:29:04.720 things weren't exactly how they needed to be 00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:06.619 for yourself, but we also have a lot of control 00:29:06.619 --> 00:29:09.420 over things. So I think also having honest conversations 00:29:09.420 --> 00:29:13.359 too, right, are important for growth. And in 00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:15.859 that case, you know, hey, these were our goals. 00:29:16.059 --> 00:29:18.240 Your actions didn't align with them, right? So 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:20.660 we can't be upset if we didn't reach these goals 00:29:20.660 --> 00:29:23.960 or if we weren't in position, in the best position. 00:29:24.170 --> 00:29:25.890 possible to reach these goals, right? Because 00:29:25.890 --> 00:29:27.769 we can't guarantee an outcome, even if we goal 00:29:27.769 --> 00:29:29.710 plan. And even if we do everything, we can't 00:29:29.710 --> 00:29:31.589 guarantee an outcome. But if we did something 00:29:31.589 --> 00:29:34.210 too nice before, or we weren't taken care of 00:29:34.210 --> 00:29:37.569 at XYZ, we can't really be mad about not hitting 00:29:37.569 --> 00:29:40.670 our lifts and getting a gold medal, right? Because 00:29:40.670 --> 00:29:42.509 that means our actions didn't align with our 00:29:42.509 --> 00:29:44.470 goals. And that's a really, really tough pill 00:29:44.470 --> 00:29:47.470 to swallow, right? Because it forces the athlete 00:29:47.470 --> 00:29:50.190 to accept, like, I didn't do my job, right? And 00:29:50.190 --> 00:29:52.289 that's when the coach needs to step in and say, 00:29:52.430 --> 00:29:54.430 okay, you didn't do this. your job this time. 00:29:54.470 --> 00:29:56.630 What can we do differently next time, right? 00:29:56.750 --> 00:30:00.410 How can I best support you to do the things you 00:30:00.410 --> 00:30:02.970 need to get done next time, right? So there's 00:30:02.970 --> 00:30:04.829 accountability on both ends. Even if the coach 00:30:04.829 --> 00:30:07.730 doesn't believe in that, they need to act like 00:30:07.730 --> 00:30:11.210 they do because the athletes already self -defeated, 00:30:11.329 --> 00:30:13.029 right? They're already down on themselves and 00:30:13.029 --> 00:30:15.089 already bummed and disappointed themselves that 00:30:15.089 --> 00:30:16.630 they didn't take care of what they needed to 00:30:16.630 --> 00:30:18.829 take care of. They know what they did. So if 00:30:18.829 --> 00:30:21.349 they already know what they did, then hey, compassion, 00:30:21.650 --> 00:30:24.150 but also keep them accountable and say, hey, 00:30:24.190 --> 00:30:25.950 let's look at the next opportunity. Here's what 00:30:25.950 --> 00:30:28.490 X, Y, Z, what you didn't do last time. What can 00:30:28.490 --> 00:30:30.470 we do to do things differently this time? But 00:30:30.470 --> 00:30:32.970 there is an aspect of like, hey, you need to 00:30:32.970 --> 00:30:35.190 be accountable too, right? Like that's, you know, 00:30:35.190 --> 00:30:38.109 and listen, if you don't want to meddle or you 00:30:38.109 --> 00:30:40.410 don't want to compete at this high level, that's 00:30:40.410 --> 00:30:43.190 fine. But don't say you do and not have your 00:30:43.190 --> 00:30:46.099 actions align with it. Right. So getting your 00:30:46.099 --> 00:30:48.900 values and goals to align with your actions and 00:30:48.900 --> 00:30:50.359 your actions to align with your values and goals 00:30:50.359 --> 00:30:52.539 is super important. Negative talk. So some athletes 00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:55.880 find it motivational to be speaking phrases in 00:30:55.880 --> 00:30:58.380 their head about how useless they will be if 00:30:58.380 --> 00:31:01.420 they don't hit that lift. And it works. Would 00:31:01.420 --> 00:31:03.539 you try to change it? Would you leave it as it 00:31:03.539 --> 00:31:06.980 is? Gosh, you know, I think, you know, I don't 00:31:06.980 --> 00:31:10.039 like I think self -talk that is guaranteeing 00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:12.299 an outcome is not is not great. So I think when 00:31:12.299 --> 00:31:15.140 people are using self -talk, that's like, I'm 00:31:15.140 --> 00:31:16.380 going to make this lift. I'm going to make this 00:31:16.380 --> 00:31:19.039 lift. If there's no thought behind it or no feeling 00:31:19.039 --> 00:31:20.980 emotional attachment behind it, that thought 00:31:20.980 --> 00:31:23.019 is just words. Right. So if they don't actually 00:31:23.019 --> 00:31:25.200 believe it, then it's not the affirmation is 00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:27.420 not helping them. So in that sense, I don't love 00:31:27.420 --> 00:31:29.799 that kind of positive self -talk. I like affirmations 00:31:29.799 --> 00:31:32.319 that are like, I am capable. I am prepared. I 00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:34.930 am ready. Right. Breathing. breathing confidence, 00:31:35.289 --> 00:31:37.690 exhale doubt, right? So things of that nature, 00:31:37.829 --> 00:31:39.930 things that we could control. In terms of someone 00:31:39.930 --> 00:31:41.910 yelling at themselves or telling themselves, 00:31:42.170 --> 00:31:44.509 you know, you're nothing, like you're, you know, 00:31:44.509 --> 00:31:47.269 I've seen people do that, right? They psych themselves 00:31:47.269 --> 00:31:51.430 up enough to almost like prove themselves wrong, 00:31:51.589 --> 00:31:54.650 right? And for some people, right, it brings 00:31:54.650 --> 00:31:57.349 enough physiological arousal and frustration 00:31:57.349 --> 00:32:00.109 and anger that they're able to go out there and 00:32:00.109 --> 00:32:03.029 make a lift. Now, I don't... In my professional 00:32:03.029 --> 00:32:07.190 opinion, I don't think it's... intelligent to 00:32:07.190 --> 00:32:10.009 rely on that right because what what happens 00:32:10.009 --> 00:32:13.210 when you miss a lift after telling yourself you 00:32:13.210 --> 00:32:15.470 just you're you're gonna be useless if you miss 00:32:15.470 --> 00:32:18.089 this lift now your your whole demeanor has changed 00:32:18.089 --> 00:32:21.250 because okay well now i'm useless right and now 00:32:21.250 --> 00:32:23.930 your your psychological and physiological arousal 00:32:23.930 --> 00:32:26.549 is depleted because you just proved yourself 00:32:26.549 --> 00:32:29.390 right like you know so if you don't make the 00:32:29.390 --> 00:32:31.829 lift after doing something like that then now 00:32:31.829 --> 00:32:33.950 you're going down a really really tough path 00:32:33.950 --> 00:32:36.960 so i really don't think that kind of self -talk 00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:40.519 is helpful. But again, you know, I can't go into 00:32:40.519 --> 00:32:42.920 somebody in a session with somebody and tell 00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:45.579 them they're wrong. Right. I mean, I think long 00:32:45.579 --> 00:32:47.859 term, how we talk to ourselves is going to be 00:32:47.859 --> 00:32:50.599 largely dependent of how we see our self -worth. 00:32:50.740 --> 00:32:52.640 And so I think building up an athlete's self 00:32:52.640 --> 00:32:55.609 -worth is going to. slowly get them to not talk 00:32:55.609 --> 00:32:58.650 to themselves like that naturally but it I it 00:32:58.650 --> 00:33:00.529 is it is interesting though Alex because like 00:33:00.529 --> 00:33:02.970 I have seen that right like and I I have people 00:33:02.970 --> 00:33:05.410 that will will tell me like oh I just call myself 00:33:05.410 --> 00:33:07.789 an idiot and like that I can't then I'm nothing 00:33:07.789 --> 00:33:10.569 and and I get jacked up and I go make the lift 00:33:10.569 --> 00:33:13.369 but like this is such a technical sport and such 00:33:13.369 --> 00:33:16.150 it's not just a raw strength sport and at some 00:33:16.150 --> 00:33:18.130 point you're gonna hit a weight and you're gonna 00:33:18.130 --> 00:33:20.430 hit an adversity in competition where you can't 00:33:20.430 --> 00:33:23.069 rely on anger just to lift something right so 00:33:23.210 --> 00:33:25.910 So your approach is to broaden the toolkit of 00:33:25.910 --> 00:33:28.410 an athlete. So this is not the only thing they 00:33:28.410 --> 00:33:31.609 have. It worked in the past, but you think it 00:33:31.609 --> 00:33:34.250 may be better to have other things to complement. 00:33:34.329 --> 00:33:36.750 Yeah, I think relying on that consistently is 00:33:36.750 --> 00:33:38.789 a dangerous game, right? It's the same thing 00:33:38.789 --> 00:33:41.710 as people relying on being an adrenaline lifter, 00:33:41.829 --> 00:33:43.809 right? Adrenaline is going to come and go and 00:33:43.809 --> 00:33:45.410 it's going to be there for a lot of competition. 00:33:45.569 --> 00:33:48.750 But if you're relying on that, who knows what 00:33:48.750 --> 00:33:50.410 the environment is going to be like? Who knows 00:33:50.410 --> 00:33:51.829 how long you're going to be sitting for your 00:33:51.829 --> 00:33:54.369 attempts? It's just a dangerous game to rely 00:33:54.369 --> 00:33:58.009 on adrenaline to stay focused or to stay intentional. 00:33:58.250 --> 00:34:00.589 So that's when that self -talk comes in. Right, 00:34:00.609 --> 00:34:03.809 and it's a whole thing with dealing with all 00:34:03.809 --> 00:34:07.130 the adrenaline after the competition, the lump 00:34:07.130 --> 00:34:12.190 and the downhill and recovery from that. Yeah, 00:34:12.289 --> 00:34:16.829 absolutely. Okay, one more question is how, as 00:34:16.829 --> 00:34:20.739 a coach... they can support in general mental 00:34:20.739 --> 00:34:23.579 health of a lifter. Are there any things that 00:34:23.579 --> 00:34:26.179 should be taken care of? What would be your advice? 00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:28.780 Yeah, well, so I do want to emphasize one thing 00:34:28.780 --> 00:34:31.119 is that language matters. And this is something 00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:34.420 I didn't mention earlier. And it goes along with 00:34:34.420 --> 00:34:36.639 the environment piece and language really matters. 00:34:36.699 --> 00:34:39.800 So like not labeling athletes as weak or soft 00:34:39.800 --> 00:34:43.119 or like not believing their injuries, like those 00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:45.500 things really create an environment that is toxic 00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:48.460 and then also cause. as the athlete to think 00:34:48.460 --> 00:34:50.239 that they're it's almost like gaslighting them 00:34:50.239 --> 00:34:52.119 and thinking they're they're the problem right 00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:55.280 so language how what what language you use and 00:34:55.280 --> 00:34:57.639 how you speak to somebody is going to really 00:34:57.639 --> 00:35:00.619 either improve the relationship and improve the 00:35:00.619 --> 00:35:03.199 environment or really be a detriment to the environment 00:35:03.199 --> 00:35:07.099 so not using mental disorders as adjectives like 00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:10.380 saying they're ocd they're so ocd or that they're 00:35:10.380 --> 00:35:13.300 you're being bipolar like not saying phrases 00:35:13.300 --> 00:35:17.340 like that right not using language like soft 00:35:17.340 --> 00:35:20.639 or, or you're, you're, you're being too emotional, 00:35:20.820 --> 00:35:23.820 right? Like things like that are just super invalidating 00:35:23.820 --> 00:35:26.820 and, and only create toxicity in the culture 00:35:26.820 --> 00:35:29.360 of environment. So similar to that, I think coaches 00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:32.000 can one, watch the language they use, how you 00:35:32.000 --> 00:35:34.380 speak to your athletes is going to every, every 00:35:34.380 --> 00:35:37.000 sentence you'd say to an athlete is going to 00:35:37.000 --> 00:35:39.199 have an impact regardless of you want it to or 00:35:39.199 --> 00:35:41.019 not, right? Because these are a lot of times 00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:44.320 younger minds and, and things that are minds 00:35:44.320 --> 00:35:46.969 that are still developing. Right. So you're going 00:35:46.969 --> 00:35:49.150 to have an impact regardless if you want to or 00:35:49.150 --> 00:35:52.250 not. And so using specific language and the correct 00:35:52.250 --> 00:35:54.349 language matters. And then also not going out 00:35:54.349 --> 00:35:56.429 of scope of practice, like understanding, listen, 00:35:56.630 --> 00:35:59.170 coaches get super, super close with their athletes. 00:35:59.230 --> 00:36:01.110 I get it. But there's boundaries still. Right. 00:36:01.190 --> 00:36:03.730 And so understand those boundaries and doing 00:36:03.730 --> 00:36:06.389 training on looking for signs of mental health 00:36:06.389 --> 00:36:08.889 concerns. Right. Having that open dialogue and 00:36:08.889 --> 00:36:11.510 building enough trust for them to come to you 00:36:11.510 --> 00:36:14.760 and then listening. more than you speak. I think 00:36:14.760 --> 00:36:17.579 people fail to do that. And they also don't, 00:36:17.579 --> 00:36:20.460 a lot of people are always listening, just waiting 00:36:20.460 --> 00:36:23.699 to respond and aren't actually hearing what. 00:36:24.059 --> 00:36:26.539 and ingesting what the athlete is saying or in 00:36:26.539 --> 00:36:29.039 just just in general in society today we're always 00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:31.440 waiting to respond what about just listening 00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:33.300 and not going into problem solving immediately 00:36:33.300 --> 00:36:36.219 just listening to to hear them and what they're 00:36:36.219 --> 00:36:38.199 going through and validating what they're going 00:36:38.199 --> 00:36:40.500 through so i think that is that's going to build 00:36:40.500 --> 00:36:42.699 that trust for them to open up about mental health 00:36:42.699 --> 00:36:45.400 stuff about life's challenges be honest with 00:36:45.400 --> 00:36:48.170 you and be more communicative right like and 00:36:48.170 --> 00:36:50.750 be more accountable with their communication. 00:36:51.550 --> 00:36:54.190 On that note, this sport, any professional sport, 00:36:54.510 --> 00:36:58.469 favors persistent and resilient and people who 00:36:58.469 --> 00:37:02.929 push through adversity, but it can go too far. 00:37:03.150 --> 00:37:06.230 How would you navigate that? Yeah, totally. I 00:37:06.230 --> 00:37:08.170 mean, I wrote an article not too long ago about 00:37:08.170 --> 00:37:10.489 the pursuit of excellence and the pursuit of 00:37:10.489 --> 00:37:12.929 perfectionism, right? And so these are two different 00:37:12.929 --> 00:37:15.090 things when you think about it. So perfectionism 00:37:15.090 --> 00:37:18.829 is going to, one, definitely push more burnout. 00:37:18.969 --> 00:37:21.030 Like that's a that's a given. It's going to push 00:37:21.030 --> 00:37:24.349 more burnout. It's going to cause us to be trying 00:37:24.349 --> 00:37:27.570 to always kind of being consumed by it. And so 00:37:27.570 --> 00:37:29.949 when you pursue excellence, you look at mistakes 00:37:29.949 --> 00:37:32.610 as learning opportunities. When you pursue excellence, 00:37:33.010 --> 00:37:36.130 you're looking at progress, not perfection. Right. 00:37:36.230 --> 00:37:38.989 And so. With athletes, I think it's important 00:37:38.989 --> 00:37:42.510 to think about, one, what are good reps and what 00:37:42.510 --> 00:37:45.550 are you just pushing yourself to absolute exhaustion 00:37:45.550 --> 00:37:48.369 and not actually helping reps, right? Like if 00:37:48.369 --> 00:37:51.170 you're, you know, if you're falling into that 00:37:51.170 --> 00:37:53.269 perfectionism trap, a lot of times athletes, 00:37:53.510 --> 00:37:55.929 people will deem it as like, oh, well, he or 00:37:55.929 --> 00:37:58.489 she is just putting extra work in, right? And 00:37:58.489 --> 00:38:02.670 in society today, wearing extra hours as a badge 00:38:02.670 --> 00:38:04.730 of honor is like a real thing in the work world, 00:38:04.829 --> 00:38:07.900 right? Like, oh, I work. So hard. I work so hard. 00:38:07.900 --> 00:38:09.699 Right. But like, OK, that's great. You work so 00:38:09.699 --> 00:38:12.099 hard. But like, why not just work smarter and 00:38:12.099 --> 00:38:14.500 take better care of yourself and be ready better? 00:38:14.599 --> 00:38:16.219 Right. And that's the pursuit of excellence. 00:38:16.380 --> 00:38:19.559 Understanding that line between these are quality 00:38:19.559 --> 00:38:22.579 reps and quality things I'm pursuing. And this 00:38:22.579 --> 00:38:26.280 is or this is. just tired reps and me just, you 00:38:26.280 --> 00:38:27.920 know, banging my head against the wall kind of 00:38:27.920 --> 00:38:30.280 thing. The same thing as someone, you know, attempting 00:38:30.280 --> 00:38:33.139 10 max attempts on a PR, right? Like one, you're 00:38:33.139 --> 00:38:35.179 only getting three attempts for that lift. So 00:38:35.179 --> 00:38:37.579 you might as well stop after three, right? And 00:38:37.579 --> 00:38:39.679 like, yeah, you might get lucky one time out 00:38:39.679 --> 00:38:41.880 of 10, but is that really reinforcing anything? 00:38:42.239 --> 00:38:45.320 No. So I think understanding the difference between 00:38:45.320 --> 00:38:47.619 the excellence and the pursuit of excellence 00:38:47.619 --> 00:38:49.559 and the pursuit of perfection, right? You're 00:38:49.559 --> 00:38:52.820 going to be pursuing more setbacks as learning 00:38:52.820 --> 00:38:55.840 opportunities. You're going to pursue progress 00:38:55.840 --> 00:38:59.820 and have these process oriented goals over time. 00:38:59.880 --> 00:39:02.119 Right. So I think falling in love with the process 00:39:02.119 --> 00:39:04.219 is going to push you more towards that pursuit 00:39:04.219 --> 00:39:07.719 of mastery and pursuit of excellence, not perfectionism. 00:39:07.760 --> 00:39:10.980 If you would have to give one to three pieces 00:39:10.980 --> 00:39:13.559 of advice for coaches, Olympic weightlifting 00:39:13.559 --> 00:39:16.619 coaches on psychological skills they could be 00:39:16.619 --> 00:39:18.800 implementing. The first one I would say that's 00:39:18.800 --> 00:39:25.429 most important to me is. Mindfulness is the ability 00:39:25.429 --> 00:39:29.289 to accept your thoughts as thoughts and not and 00:39:29.289 --> 00:39:32.809 allow them to be there. Give them space, but 00:39:32.809 --> 00:39:35.010 not give them the energy, right? And so, like, 00:39:35.090 --> 00:39:37.690 I always say, like, I give the example of, like, 00:39:37.690 --> 00:39:39.630 tug -of -war. Like, the more you tug on a self 00:39:39.630 --> 00:39:41.250 -defeating thought, the more it's going to tug 00:39:41.250 --> 00:39:43.530 back and pull you away from your values. So, 00:39:43.530 --> 00:39:46.730 as coaches, help your athletes identify their 00:39:46.730 --> 00:39:49.050 values as an athlete, who they want to show up 00:39:49.050 --> 00:39:52.380 as on competition day, in training. regardless 00:39:52.380 --> 00:39:54.820 of the outcome. And those are their values. Those 00:39:54.820 --> 00:39:58.400 are their athlete values, right? And the thoughts 00:39:58.400 --> 00:40:00.739 that are self -enhancing, they'll pull them towards 00:40:00.739 --> 00:40:03.420 their values. But if they're self -defeating 00:40:03.420 --> 00:40:06.780 and an athlete is pulling on that rope, we need 00:40:06.780 --> 00:40:09.280 to let go of that rope because that rope is pulling 00:40:09.280 --> 00:40:11.539 us away from our values. So it's accepting the 00:40:11.539 --> 00:40:14.239 thoughts as thoughts. Right. And understanding 00:40:14.239 --> 00:40:17.300 that it's not reality, but being mindful of them, 00:40:17.400 --> 00:40:19.420 because that's how we are able to redirect our 00:40:19.420 --> 00:40:22.159 focus. When what's important now. Right. You'll 00:40:22.159 --> 00:40:23.619 hear me say that's my habit all the time. Hey, 00:40:23.659 --> 00:40:25.739 when what's important now. Right. What's important 00:40:25.739 --> 00:40:27.619 in this moment. And that's when in competition, 00:40:27.860 --> 00:40:29.699 that stuff starts to have an effect. Then the 00:40:29.699 --> 00:40:31.989 second one would be self -talk. how we talk to 00:40:31.989 --> 00:40:34.969 ourselves is so important. And I think, you know, 00:40:34.969 --> 00:40:37.170 again, a lot has been said about self -talk to 00:40:37.170 --> 00:40:39.150 just be negative to positive, but we want to 00:40:39.150 --> 00:40:42.670 reframe thoughts to be self -defeating to self 00:40:42.670 --> 00:40:45.050 -enhancing, right? So it's not this negative 00:40:45.050 --> 00:40:47.530 to positive action because we want the self - 00:40:47.980 --> 00:40:50.400 enhancing thought to be something that the athlete 00:40:50.400 --> 00:40:52.559 actually believes in right and then the third 00:40:52.559 --> 00:40:55.179 one is mental imagery so people get mental imagery 00:40:55.179 --> 00:40:57.860 and visualization the difference very incorrect 00:40:57.860 --> 00:41:01.519 so mental imagery is using all of your senses 00:41:01.519 --> 00:41:03.900 and that's and that's one that i really think 00:41:03.900 --> 00:41:06.239 coaches should reach out to somebody like me 00:41:06.239 --> 00:41:08.639 and say like hey how do i start introducing mental 00:41:08.639 --> 00:41:12.230 imagery right like you know How do I start implementing 00:41:12.230 --> 00:41:14.730 this? Because that is a real skill. But visualization 00:41:14.730 --> 00:41:17.730 is just looking at, you know, through your eyes, 00:41:18.010 --> 00:41:20.530 doing a skill. But like really using all your 00:41:20.530 --> 00:41:23.789 senses, that's mental imagery. We have to have 00:41:23.789 --> 00:41:26.869 another lead for you. Yeah. So two short questions 00:41:26.869 --> 00:41:29.190 to finish. The first one is what is your favorite 00:41:29.190 --> 00:41:31.769 lift? My favorite lift is the jerk. I don't know 00:41:31.769 --> 00:41:34.949 why, but it was the one that kind of came naturally 00:41:34.949 --> 00:41:38.889 to me when I came into weightlifting. I know. 00:41:38.929 --> 00:41:41.369 I know. I know. That's what I've been told. Yeah. 00:41:41.469 --> 00:41:44.170 It just came very naturally to me. I think I 00:41:44.170 --> 00:41:46.230 have a pretty good amount of overhead strains 00:41:46.230 --> 00:41:49.710 in my legs. I think it was just the cues that 00:41:49.710 --> 00:41:51.880 I was given early on. It was just like. you know, 00:41:51.880 --> 00:41:55.280 short step back, reach with the front and and 00:41:55.280 --> 00:41:57.800 drive under like it just you could come out of 00:41:57.800 --> 00:42:00.380 a messy clean and everybody's like, oh, gosh. 00:42:00.420 --> 00:42:02.719 And then you hit the jerk and it's just the most 00:42:02.719 --> 00:42:05.840 euphoric feeling in the world. And so I think 00:42:05.840 --> 00:42:07.599 there's there's something about that that just 00:42:07.599 --> 00:42:10.079 is like, you know, you're almost you know, people 00:42:10.079 --> 00:42:11.940 are almost counting you out like, oh, gosh, that 00:42:11.940 --> 00:42:13.860 was a tough clean. And then you hit that jerk 00:42:13.860 --> 00:42:16.360 and everybody's like, whoa, like and it's just, 00:42:16.400 --> 00:42:18.519 you know, that recovery is really cool. Awesome. 00:42:18.599 --> 00:42:20.719 And the last question is where people can find. 00:42:20.780 --> 00:42:23.780 Find you if they want to work with you or do 00:42:23.780 --> 00:42:26.519 what you opt to. The website is struggleandastrength 00:42:26.519 --> 00:42:30.599 .com. And then my Instagram handle is S2SFOF. 00:42:30.679 --> 00:42:34.320 And so you can find me on Instagram and my website. 00:42:34.460 --> 00:42:36.360 And I'm also on LinkedIn as well. I know we connected 00:42:36.360 --> 00:42:38.719 on there. So I try to post content in all different 00:42:38.719 --> 00:42:41.380 areas and try to get more about weightlifting 00:42:41.380 --> 00:42:43.400 specific stuff. You know, I'm thinking about. 00:42:43.800 --> 00:42:47.039 doing some some ebook resources on mental imagery 00:42:47.039 --> 00:42:49.199 for weightlifters and that type of thing. So 00:42:49.199 --> 00:42:50.980 definitely going to be more resources coming 00:42:50.980 --> 00:42:53.059 out. Awesome. Thank you, Dom. It was truly a 00:42:53.059 --> 00:42:53.780 pleasure. Thank you.