Push and Pull

Recognising when to give your athletes a push and when to pull them back!

As a Coach, one of the hardest decisions to make is when to give your athletes a gentle nudge forwards or when to hold them back. This is a constant judgement call and vital to the longevity of your riders.

PUSH

The “push” is more discrete than it sounds but can take many forms. It might be a little more verbal encouragement, over and above the usual encouragement you provide. It might be a stimulation focus, like a big hand clap, with a positive change in your pitch or tone of voice.

The purpose is to get the rider focused and ready to try something that they have never tried before or something they find scary.

Your athlete may be ready for a push when they are…

Repeating the same tricks or skills with little effort
Talking about trying something new but not quite committing yet
Riding consistently
Displaying good energy levels

PULL

The “pull” is a very necessary part of coaching snowboarding and should be used to help athletes stay injury-free. This doesn’t mean you need to finish riding for the day (although sometimes it might) but it will mean a change in tact, such as getting out of the park or refining an easy trick/skill they can do more easily.

The purpose here is to try and recognise when to pull them back from trying new tricks or skills, to avoid injury and maintain a positive state of mind.

Your athlete may need to be pulled back when they are…

Repeating the same tricks or skills without the desired outcome
Showing frustration or talking negatively
Not riding to their usual standard or falling more than usual
Riding erratically or unsafely
Displaying low energy levels

Using Maslow’s

The simplest guide to use here is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs!

Look for signs in your riders where they may be moving up or dropping down Maslow’s Hierarchy, and you will quickly see when they are ready for a push or a pull.

Physiological Needs - PULL

Are your athletes showing signs of being cold or tired? Are they hunger, thirsty, or generally fatigued?

PULL THEM BACK!

Safety and Security - PULL

Are your athletes feeling unsafe in their surroundings? Are the snow or weather conditions inhibiting them? Do they keep knuckling the jump because they can’t get enough speed?

Guess what? You probably need to PULL THEM BACK.

Belonging - PULL

Has your athlete gone quiet? Are they less engaged than usual? Have you got a new rider who doesn’t feel like they are part of the group yet?

Yep, you may need to PULL them back too.

Self Esteem - PUSH

Are your athletes showing confidence in their abilities? Are they landing in the sweet spot every time or nailing the new skill switch? Are they displaying positive body language, like a fist pump or clap?

It could be time to give them a PUSH.

Self Actualisation - PUSH

Are your athletes riding effortlessly or landing everything they try? Do they have an extra level of excitement in them than usual?

They could well be in a flow state… it’s time to PUSH!

Timing is Everything!

An effective PUSH or a valuable PULL is likely to be just a short moment within your session. It may only be 2% of your coaching but it’s a very important 2%. Always take the time to ask yourself… Is this the right moment?

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