A coach hovering at the squat rack, cuing every movement is something every high school weight room will see at some point. While technical coaching has its place, there’s a line where well-meaning instructions lead to overcomplication.
Over-coaching, the habit of micromanaging every rep, actually holds athletes back. It interrupts natural movement, erodes confidence, and hinders athletes from developing the critical skill of self-correction. The end goal isn’t perfect reps under constant supervision — it’s resilient, adaptable athletes who are empowered to perform on their own.
Recognizing over-coaching
It’s natural for coaches to want to prevent mistakes. But managing every detail is unfeasible and creates cognitive overload, leaving athletes second-guessing themselves rather than learning by doing.
One sign of over-coaching is hesitation: when athletes seek approval before each rep or permission to lift. Another is lack of self-adjustment: when technical imperfections result in confusion instead of correction. Not every flaw is a crisis and most minor errors resolve naturally as strength, body awareness, and reps accumulate over time.
The next time you feel tempted to jump in with an immediate correction, ask: is this a safety issue or just part of the learning curve? If it’s not dangerous, sometimes the smartest coaching move is to let them figure it out.
Promoting autonomy without losing control
Coaching autonomy doesn’t mean standing back and hoping for the best. It means being intentional about how to intervene.
“Guided discovery” is one proven strategy. Set clear expectations for safety and movement standards, then let athletes explore within those boundaries. For example, when squatting say, “Find the deepest squat you can while keeping your heels down”. Broad guidelines encourage athletes to problem-solve.
Small tweaks to your coaching style make a big difference:
- Establish general guidelines before warm-ups or skill-building sets.
- Use environmental adjustments (like heel wedges) instead of verbal corrections.
- Ask questions like, “What did you notice?” or “How did that feel?” to guide athletes through the thought process.
People learn best when they experience the lesson, not when they are told about it.
Dialing back without dialing out
One way to combat over-coaching is by building “silent reps” into training sessions, where no corrections are given unless there’s a real safety concern. Another method is constraint-based coaching, where the task is modified slightly to encourage natural corrections.
Elevating the heels during squats naturally leads to better depth and posture. Using external goals like “move quietly” or “explode up” instead of correcting knees, hips, and hands helps athletes self-organize around the lift. The goal isn’t perfect movement on command — it’s confident athletes who know how to adapt, adjust, and thrive even if things aren’t perfect.
Building Athletes With Confidence
Although it may seem careless, sometimes the most powerful way to teach is by stepping back and trusting the process. It’s daunting to let athletes learn through experience, exploration, and a little bit of struggle — but it’s the only way for them to truly grow.
