The Coaches “Cueing” Cheat Sheet!
Man does it helps when you have a cheat sheet. It allows you to peek to know what cue goes with what mechanics.
Take a closer look…
Let’s say our athletes are running a staggered stance acceleration for 5-yards. What are some valuable cues?
- Cue: “Chase Your Shoulders”! This cue is fantastic for getting athletes to push their center of mass forward!
- Cue: “Throw Your Hands Back”! This cue is a great cue to get athletes to release the arms on the backswing during the first few steps to support a longer push.
- Cue: “Escape Current Space”! This cue gives the athlete the sense of moving their body forward and not just stepping down without pushing themselves out of their current area. Great cue!
Now your athletes are transitioning to a 10-20-yard acceleration:
- Cue: “Step Faster”! This cue doesn’t do what you think it might. It doesn’t make the runner start taking quick short steps. It actually allows them to keep moving through space by pushing, and it starts to get them to not over-push and get caught on the backside.
There are many different cues you can use for top-end postures and running mechanics. The cues I’ve mentioned are for acceleration up to 20 yards. The key to cueing is to figure out what language matters to the athlete. Not all cues work for all athletes and all situations. I often come up with a cue based on the feedback I get from my athletes.
Cueing is an essential aspect of coaching. Another critical factor is having tools or resources you can count on to help you when you need to grow your programs, help your athletes, and build greater skill progressions. Be sure to join us at www.SpeedToolbox.com so you can be in the fastest-growing community of its kind.