Verbal cues for training

The ‘Bakers Dozen’

Continuing our small series of edible bites relating to mysteries of coaching, we thought we should have a look at some verbal cues.

Verbal cues are the short, process stimulating commands, given by a coach to produce a particular movement or outcome. Now, it’s important to note that the ‘brains on legs’ from Academics Ville tell us that 70% of all communication is none verbal,  so standing in the corner yelling certainly isn’t the whole story.

However, just the right phrase, at just the right time, can make all the difference.

With this in mind we put the word out to the PerformancePro team in order to gather our top 12 verbal cues…..well actually top 13. 

1. ‘Nipples facing forward’ – Any exercise where the back needs to be extended e.g. deadlift.
2. ‘Stand up tall’ – Anytime where full hip extension is needed at the end of a movement.
3. ‘Shoulder blades in the back pocket’ – Postural, to establish scapular depression.
4. ‘Drive out of the whole’ – Encourages acceleration out of a deep squat/deep hip and knee flexion position.
5. ‘Rip the floor apart with your feet’ – Encourages glute med’ activation and keeps knees tracking correctly during a squat pattern.
6. ‘Bend the bar over your shoulders’ – During the back squat to encourage activation of the lats and spinal erectors
7. ‘Push the bar together’ – During barbell bench press to encourage extra input and recruitment from the pecs.
8. ‘Take the slack out of the system’ – Encourages stiff body posture and primes the lift during a deadlift.
9. ‘Push your bum to the ceiling’ – Encourages strong spinal posture and hinging at the hips during an RDL.
10. ‘Pull your chest through’ – Puts the spine in a strong postural position prior to deadlift, clean or a snatch.
11. ‘Rip the handles off the frame as hard as you can’ – Encourages increased drive and aggression during a pull up
12. ‘Put the brakes on’ – Encourages a slow eccentric movement
13. ‘Explode’ – Speaks for its self.