Cueing our clients for success

Have you ever wondered what is going through someone's head when you demonstrate a squat pattern and give them a fluent explanation of what body parts should be moving, where they should feel it, how it should feel, and yet, they still perform a movement that puts them at risk in doing more harm than good?

How did it make you feel that this person was taking all of the cool explanations you gave and churned out some pseudo-instagram worthy exercise right in front of you?

Frustrating, not good, tiring.

There should be a better, simpler, and more efficient way to get our clients to move better.

Before we get into what this method is, I first want to define "method" versus "system" training.

What is method training? What is a method?

A method is a tool, a device, a way of approaching the dynamic flow of information acquisition that occurs during a training session. The central nervous system (CNS) is constantly dialing in new information that the coach is shouting in the form of corrections and feedback, weight room noises, and constant processing of information. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is then consistently relaying information to the brain on how the movements "feel", and regulating muscle activity and "noise". This seems like a lot is going on, and is just the tip of the iceberg for nervous system association during a training session, and really, at any point in our day.

So a method's purpose is to make lasting impact and enough "umph", importance, relevance and power behind it, that it gets perceived by the nervous system and stored as information in the brain to be used again in the future (If you remembered every smell, sound, sight, touch, taste, every bit of sensory information, our brains would explode).

Method training is the utilization of specific tools to enter and engrain the nervous system for successful information storage. That is what we call "the client learning something today/ learned how to squat" and being able to apply, to a degree, for a lasting period of time.

Methods include: External/Internal cueing, demonstrations, exercise variation, load, velocity, position, feedback (verbal, non-verbal, tactile, concurrent, fading, etc).

Now what is system training, and what is a system?

The system, in reference to the above paragraph, is the whole. Put in other words, it is the human, person, nervous system that we are working with to make an impact on usually in forms of improved longevity, performance, and wellness.

System training now, builds on the roles of method training, in that we are actively choosing what method seems to imprint, enlighten, and teach the person that we are trying to educate. Have you ever heard of the corrective exercise? The best diet? The best cue to use?

The one that works.

The system training approach is one that looks for actual improvement in the system itself, regardless of what kind of method is being used (In an ethical and appropriate manner).

Think of it like this, who is the best performing strongman? What does he do for optimal benefit in performance? Does he eat vegetables and meat, all vegetables and fish, only fish, only meat?

Those are all methods. The outcome is to become the best strongman, and regardless of nutritional "ethics", or beliefs, he will do the one that helps him become the best strongman, if that is his primary goal (e.g., best vegan strongman, best strongman I can be, while still focusing on longevity, etc).

The system approach is first being clear on the end goal, knowing how the system works, in this case the human system in response to being the most strong/powerful/robust man on earth.

Now there are many methods that can be utilized to approach this, some better than others, and few that work to the epsilon required to be the strongest man on earth. Even fewer that can hold adherence from the one following it. We as coaches, now must know the difference in training methods versus training a system and realize when different feedback/change of course needs be applied.

This can take shape in as big as a system example as mentioned, or even in a specific exercise, rather than training for the exercise itself, training for what the goal of the exercise is (System), and being able to adapt and apply any of the feedback/modification tools necessary (Methods) to improve learning within the system.

Now, the method I have found useful when coaching others is the differential ability between using an internal/external cue.

What is an internal/external cue? What is a cue?

A cue is a instrument of feedback that can be non-verbal or verbal. In this case, I am referring to verbal cues with regard to internal/external association.

Internal Cue; Specific and directed feedback at the anatomical and positional level. Think, what are my body parts doing, what action is doing what, the position needed for optimal recruitment of force and efficiency of movement. "Flex your knee, push your hips forward and arms up, drive your knees up" are some examples of what an internal cue would be.

External Cue; Global feedback in relation to the environment, patterns/lines of movement, and prior schema in the nervous system. "Push the ground away, spin the earth, stand tall, and strong as steel head to heel" are some examples of external cues. These convey an image of your mind of what they might be applicable for in weight room, movement use, and all in between. This is because it builds off of an already created pathway in our nervous system that allows us to more efficiently initiate and act out the required motor response.

Finally, as evidence on external cueing increases, here are a few studies with ending conclusions and results adapted from the literature, from prior presentations, and my past experience of having this brought to my attention. Jacob Rivera, CSCS, a mentor of mine, taught and demonstrated the usage of this method, along with many others, and its application within training the system.

Within one study, sprinters were asked to run a 20 meter dash with different cueing strategies being applied before sprinting.

The external cue was: "focus on driving forward as powerfully as possible while clawing the floor as quickly as possible as you accelerate".

Internal:"focus on driving 1 leg forward as powerfully as possible while moving your other leg and foot down and back as quickly as possible as you accelerate.” 

Control/Neutral: "please run the 20 meter dash as quickly as possible".

What do you think the results were?

External: 3.75 seconds

Internal: 3.87 seconds

Control/Neutral: 3.87 seconds

The external cueing group was significantly faster than the internal and control group, which had no statistical difference.

That was my reaction too when I realized one difference in cueing can reap measurable, tangible, and statistical results.

There are many other studies that show the benefit of external cues in situations like above, connecting performance to self-organization for movement outcome, rather than the internal actions needed to perform it [2].

In closing, the relationship between internal/external cues is an interesting and dynamic relationship between what method is more effective, and when, and how this can apply to system training. In my experience, using too much cueing of any kind can hinder performance and efficient patterning of movement, whether in the weight room or on the field. Drinking too much water, can do damage. I have also found, for some rare and few in between, that internal cues may some times work better for some and add more benefit to the actions performed during the session. With different age gaps, ability, experience, and prior training, this can alter the effectiveness of cueing strategies used with different clients, such as elite athletes, who may respond better to neutral feedback [3].

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References

Jacob Rivera, CSCS

[1] Porter, Jared & Wu, Will & M Crossley, Richard & W Knopp, Seth & C Campbell, Olivia. (2015). Adopting an External Focus of Attention Improves Sprinting Performance in Low- Skilled Sprinters. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29, 947-953. 10.1097/JSC.0000000000000229. 

[2] Walker, O., & Bartholomew, B. (2017, July 09). Coaching Cues. Retrieved November 17, 2020, from https://www.scienceforsport.com/coaching-cues/

[3] Porter, Jared & Sims, Blake. (2013). Altering focus of attention influences elite athletes sprinting performance. International Journal of Coaching Science, 7, 41-51.