Most coaches train and run practices by focusing on the neck down. But what if the body is just the messenger?
We have been taught in most athletic pursuits to train the body to fix the brain. “Work out to feel better.” “Practice this shot a thousand times to train your mind.” However, elite performance happens when the brain is the architect to lead the body. To see lasting changes in player development, a coach must stop being a physical instructor and starting being a behavior architect.
To start, we must first look briefly at how the nervous system sends signals. The common mistake lies in trying to change the physical outcome (the output) without addressing the neurological blueprint (the input). The reality is the body doesn’t move unless the brain feels safe, capable and “programmed” to do so.
A coach has the distinct responsibility of serving as a “behavior architect.”
An architect doesn’t just lay bricks; they design the flow of a space. A coach designs the environment where the right behaviors become inevitable. The coach must design and create a blueprint for player development. That happens through unit plans and practice plans, along with individual connections within the structure of the program itself.
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
The first step in the process is the coach must envision and create an environment conducive to learning. How does the training space or the “vibe” in the space dictate the effort. The physical space is important – how is the field, court, rink laid out?
The second step is the communication piece of the training. Verbal cues are crucial to sparking the brain into a performance-based approach. Something like “keep your back straight” or “keep your elbow in” is a physical cue. While these aren’t bad, a coach may consider migrating to a cue that triggers internal neurological patterns. An alternate example of “keep your back straight” could be the “tall crown cue.” Tell the athlete “imagine a string attached to the crown of your head pulling you to the ceiling.” Another example would be, “imagine there is a laser on your chest, keep that laser pointed at the wall in front of you not the floor.”
While this may seem silly and extra words, what it does is it uses visual spatial awareness. By focusing on where the chest is “looking,” the spine and upper back naturally extends, fixing the slump neurologically instead of mechanically.
The third step is the power of prediction. Helping the athlete’s brain “pre-visualize” success to reduce the “threat” response. By predicting success, the fight or flight response is lessened, allowing the athlete to play more freely and faster.
FLIPPING THE LOOP – LANGUAGE
Rewiring an athlete does not happen overnight. A coach must use “micro-wins” as small successes to push them in the right direction. Language matters. How the coach phrases instructions can either trigger a scared response or a “flow” state that all athletes strive for. The brain will always sabotage the body if it doesn’t feel psychologically safe in the training environment.
The brain processes language in two ways – literally and emotionally. If a coach’s language triggers the threat part of the brain, the body tightens up, range of motion decreases and the feedback loop becomes noisy. If the language triggers safety and intent, the body moves freely and fluidly.
One simple way of framing through language is affirmative vs. negative.
The brain has a hard time processing “don’t.” If I tell you “don’t think of a pink elephant,” you immediately see one. How many times where an amateur golfer sees water on the right of the fairway, they hit their ball into the water. They may not have hit a ball right all day, but by thinking “don’t hit it in the water,” they do.
The error in communication is negative language. “Don’t round your back.” The brain visualizes a rounded back and creates a brief glitch in the movement map. By flipping the language to “keep your spine long,” your brain has a singular positive image to execute.
By taking this one step further, a coach has to move away from threat language to challenge language. If a coach has an athlete in the weight room, threat language is “This is going to be heavy. Don’t hurt yourself.” Immediately, the brain perceives a threat that increases cortisol and tightens muscles.
Instead, a coach can say “This is going to require high tension,” or “Focus on your stability.” This frames the effort as a technical requirement rather than a physical threat – allowing for better motor unit recruitment.
When you change language you change the neurological environment. You move from telling someone what to do with their muscles to telling them how their brain can solve a problem.
Simple framing in communication and focusing on solving a problem can pay immediate dividends in increasing athletic performance.