Be Open Minded

“If you do not understand something, you cannot successfully oppose it.” -Adam Guasch-Melendez

Over the past 3 months StrongerAthletes.com has attempted to seek out the logical arguments for opposing strength training philosophies, specifically, Olympic lifts. As a reader, Adam Guasch-Melendez, pointed out to us, “If you do not understand something, you cannot successfully oppose it.” However, we seek to do more than know the opponent. We want to find the best methods to train our athletes safely.

What we find frustrating is the closed mindedness we receive when presenting our philosophies. As those other non-Olympic lift advocates seek out research and studies of prominent training staffs, such as Husker Power, and use many of those finding in their programs, in turn Olympic lifting coaches should seek out research and studies from prominent non-Olympic staffs, such as Michigan State University. Instead what could be constructive discourse invariably turns to finger pointing and bashing.

StrongerAthletes.com has been invited to speak at an up-coming high school track clinic. We will be speaking opposite an Olympic lift advocate. It should be a productive, informative session for other coaches to see both sides. However, more than likely the coaches in the room will have made up their mind who is right and who is wrong before we even get started. That is not in the best interests of our athletes.

In order to take the desired step, which is to build a program of stronger athletes, we as coaches need to “beg, borrow, and steal,” as much information that we can. There will never be that 1 perfect system. However, with a little open mindedness and communication we can get a little closer to that perfection in our own systems.