Brett Bartholomew
@Coach_BrettB
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People struggle with conflict & hard conversations. I provide practical strategies to help them navigate these more effectively so they make more progress.
Atlanta, GA
Joined January 2013
More successful interventions are the result of more successful interactions. This is true in sport, business & life in general. Conscious Coaching is now just over 2 years old & has spread worldwide because of your support. Thanks to all who believed.
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Many young coaches are continually being sent a message that conveys the notion that they must work in the pro’s or D1 level to “be someone.” Not a great message in my opinion. Experience at EVERY level is valuable. Don’t discredit where you are, make the most of it!.
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Phenomenal. One of those times where no other words are needed.
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How high your athletes can jump matters very little if they don’t know how to land. Absorption before expression. #fundamentalsnotfluff
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This is spot on. Leadership is a messy, lonely, full-contact sport. A complex social process that involves imperfect people guiding other imperfect people through the gray area. It’s not one size fits all.
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Around 4 years ago I was told it wouldn’t be “worth it” to write a book. Around 2 years ago a few angry folks told me they could have written Conscious Coaching had they “wanted to.”. Wanting to do something doesn’t get it done & doing the work is harder than criticizing it.
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I still get anxious every time before I speak at a large conference. Used to think it was a weakness, the truth is I’m anxious because I care enough about wanting to do a good job. Never take one moment for granted, and learn to use your emotions to focus your work.
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Just overheard a guy at a burger restaurant ask the waiter if their cauliflower is gluten free. My concern for the overall resilience of the human race has just been amplified tenfold.
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Love this!.“Bruce Arians says he’ll fire any coach who misses their child’s event.”
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Young coaches looking for jobs: Take experience where you can get it! Too often a great opportunity opens up yet if it’s not with an illustrious team, club, or university it gets overlooked. A logo is not going to make your career. Doing good work and building useful skills will!.
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The longer I coach the more I question everything. There are so many conversations I would’ve loved to have had with prior versions of myself. The greatest evolutionary jump a coach makes is when they realize nothing is black & white & that you can’t take yourself so seriously.
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Professional development tip: quit worrying about the amount of books you read in a week, month etc. and instead dive more deeply into the material itself, and actually create something based off of what you learned from it. Do something with the material, don’t just harvest it!.
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What is the number one skill, regardless of profession, you believe most people should invest in improving upon?.
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Still one of the most useful tools I’ve come across. How many of you use some version of this?
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Professionalism is largely defined by how you treat people, and the value you add to their lives. The part that is often missed here is that it is especially magnified by how you treat those who can’t help you directly in moment, or the future. Give without expectation.
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Training great athletes does not automatically make you a great coach. Too many undervalue working with novices, youth and those that are challenged in a myriad of other ways. True experience comes from exposure that is multifaceted.
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Rousing speeches & “rah rah” tactics fare well in movies but not real-life. Motivation is NOT an external matter but rather an internal one. Don’t ask “how can I motivate (x) to do (y)?” Ask instead, “what conditions must be created to empower them to motivate themselves ?”
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Mediocre coaches stop learning once they have a little success. Good coaches continue to learn, but only from people within their specific expertise. Great coaches continually expose themselves to new ideas and new experts — no matter what field they’re in.
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Great coaches/leaders don’t spoon-feed. So many people want a path laid out for them step-by-step but don’t realize true learning comes from having to fight certain battles on your own. Especially those that occur in your own head.
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In strength and conditioning- resumes, a degree & certifications are no longer enough. Build skills that separate you. Seek out uncommon coaching opportunities and quit trying to land “thee” job right out of the gates. Be strategic, not hopeful.
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The more high-school strength coaches that I meet, the more I believe them to be the real "rock-stars" of S&C.Countless obstacles to manage.
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The Paradox of Social Media in S&C 🤔.If you share detailed info: You’re perceived as arrogant. If you don’t share any info: You’re perceived as being “secretive.”. If you share stuff that is vague on description but looks fancy: You’re perceived as an expert.
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A triple hop like this deserves a double take!! One of my favorite plyometric progressions. Purposeful and makes it easy for guys to compete against themselves and others.
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Ways to Stagnate Your Career:. -Speaking ill of any/every coach that threatens your ego. -Thinking the chip on your shoulder entitles you to immediate respect from others. -Trying to siphon attention by attacking a subject that is currently widely discussed. -Not giving back.
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If you try to appeal to everyone, your message will get lost and authenticity is eroded. You won’t be clear on your why, and neither will anyone else. Be willing to stand for what you believe in and those on a similar path will find you.
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Rarely does anything good come from gossiping about other coaches & the methods they use. Coaching is about context & environment as much as it is about people- we all have our opinions, but we don’t always know one another’s athletes or constraints. Stay focused on your work.
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College Strength Coach {while refusing to look me in eye}: So you’re that “Conscious Coaching” guy huh? Good for you, I don’t believe in building a brand.”. Me: Nice to meet you, my name is Brett. Regarding a “brand,” you already have one, it’s called your reputation. 🤷🏻♂️.
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Angry strength coaches, keep this in mind the next time you share disdain for coaches who create & share resources that they fund with their own time and money. Support your own. Not everyone who produces content is a “guru” with an evil master plan. #ditchthescarcitymindset
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People always chatter when strength coach salaries are released. I never understand the anger. I hope one of us makes a billion & does it by advancing our scope, reach & helping a broader population. Celebrate those who raise the bar & evolve in the name of a craft.
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There are countless coaches out there that are doing fantastic work that you may never hear of. Follow value, not a name, title or organization.
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“Too Much.” That’s what a publisher told me about my hospitalization story in Conscious Coaching. They also said nobody would care about a book about building trust. They were wrong. Conscious Coaching now approaching 93,000 copies sold #grateful.
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It seems like nearly every day a new product is touted for ⬆️ recovery. But once again, basic win. 2 best things for recovery =sleep + food.
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We live during a time where being offended has now become the #1 sport in the world, and angry voices pervade every medium. Don’t add yours to the mix simply because you want to be heard. Take a breath, work through an actual solution or 🤫.
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What you put on social media is your résumé to the world. You’re leaving it up to the perception of others to define your values by what you post. Be smart.
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Martyrdom has no place in coaching/effective leadership. All these ridiculous mantras related to “grinding”, mental toughness,being first in-last out etc. are not only cliche, but they have no bearing on the QUALITY of work done. Coaching isn’t about theatrics. Respect the craft.
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Stumbled across a concrete gym while traveling. Good reminder that it’s not about your resources, it’s your resourcefulness.
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Seek uncommon mentors and experiences. We grow the most from the inherent discomfort of putting ourselves in positions where we know the least, but are willing to learn from anything and anyone.
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Avoid getting sucked into training debates on Twitter. There is no universal “right” answer in human performance that will work every time for everyone. Coaching is context dependent. Have to know the situation, logistics and the athlete(s). Save yourself the headache-go coach!.
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Feel like you're stuck in your current gig? Never sacrifice your values or principles for blind loyalty. Think bigger.
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The art of coaching isn’t a catch phrase- it’s defined by one’s ability to recognize, analyze and adapt to variables that can impact performance- as well as the ability to connect and communicate effectively.
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I know mega-facilities and expensive equipment will never go out of style in S&C, but I’ll admit- having to pivot to training my athletes out of my garage is refreshing. Getting rid of excess is never a bad thing. It’s why the fundamentals in anything remain timeless.
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Most athletes can handle far more than you think. Be ethical at all times, but you can’t be scared to push them. The higher their training age the more stubborn adaptations are to come by. Parents & youth coaches: “training age” & biological age are NOT the same thing!.
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Early in your career, process matters more than product.Be patient, learn the craft & earn the respect.Nothing comes quick & nothing is owed.
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Early specialization isn’t just dangerous for athletes- but also coaches. Fixating entirely on one narrow demographic too early in your coaching career can limit your perspective, as well as your ability to program, communicate and relate across multiple spectrums.
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A great coach authentically adapts their communication style to the person they’re trying to connect with. They realize they coach people first, athletes second. The importance of adaptively relating to others transcends professions.
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People are often more comfortable with tradition, than they are the truth.
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A critical reminder that you’ll never please everyone-regardless of the quality of your work or your desire to help. Even if you sell ice-cream, you’re bound to have someone who is upset about the choice of flavors, or the fact that it’s made with dairy. Breathe & move forward.
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Today marks the one year anniversary of when I was told I needed to choose between releasing a book or accepting a “high-profile” job with a team. Glad I chose to release the book. Never allow yourself to be bullied into silence or sharing a message that can help others.
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You can come up with all of the fancy cues you want but sometimes it just comes down to letting your athletes get some reps in and diving head first into the process. Don’t undervalue the nature of exploratory learning. Yes mistakes will be made. That’s why coaching is teaching.
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Headed to SF to see this clown do his thing. He put in the work all off-season like a true pro.Happy to support him. http://t.co/Faq3CS7kTJ.
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Two clear indicators that you’re made for this field: you’re never satisfied with your own work, and you know that it’s not about you.
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Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress, working hard for something we love is called passion. -Sinek.
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Odd to me when people claim to have all of the answers of why a team/athlete isn’t performing well despite the fact they aren’t directly involved with their day to day. No S&C coach can work magic. Wins, losses AND injuries are multifactorial. Even championship teams have issues.
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The work these guys have put in this off-season @TeamEXOS has been no joke. Proud to know/coach them. http://t.co/rfUE4jIBhw.
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Adam Grant made a great point when stating, if you dislike someone’s work, ask yourself whether it’s due to quality or your own taste. I’ve said this before- not everything is for everybody. It should never be your goal to be a universal people pleaser. Stand for something!.
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Rousing speeches & “rah-rah” tactics fare well in movies but not real-life. Motivation is NOT an external matter but rather an internal one. Don’t ask “how can I motivate (x) to do (y)?” Ask instead, “what conditions must be created to empower them to motivate themselves?”.
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If you always read the same books as everyone else, attend the same conferences, follow the same path, and adhere to the same standard advice, don’t be surprised when you end up not accomplishing anything unique or different. Think laterally & diversity your experiences.
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Your athletes are more likely to follow your example than they are your advice. Don't preach commitment to them if you don't embody it.
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Some things you should never feel guilty about: being selfish when it comes to your time, your health and your family. If those go, so does everything else. Basic principle, but often neglected.
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There will rarely (if ever) be a time where your program is implemented in the exact manner in which it was originally written. This means you’re doing your job and adapting, not making a mistake.
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Female athlete tells me yesterday they spent last 2 years playing for head sport coach (at professional level) that “doesn’t believe in” strength training. We are in 2018 right? . Question is rhetorical & I’m all for keeping an open mind, but. 🤦🏻♂️.
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Lift weights at different loads, at different speeds in different ways, different times of year. Let's not act like this is life/death stuff
We use cleans & clean pulls. We do them from the floor, blocks & hang. These are tools not gang affiliations. You don't have to pick a side.
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While not every physicist is Einstein, they all know Algebra. As a S&C coach, don’t make the mistake of thinking that you need to learn all of the higher level stuff at once. Study the classics, get as much varied experience as you can, & keep an open mind.
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3 commonalities of great movers:.1) Gymnastics Background.2) Multi-Sport Athlete.AND/OR.3) Spent significant time playing outside as a kid.
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When I was a kid my dream was to be a firefighter or an assassin. As a teenager my dream was to be a pro-baseball player. As an adult my dream is simply to work with people I love being around, and who challenge me daily. #simplethings.
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Sometimes the best mentors are the bad ones who provide highly visible example of behaviors we should avoid. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.
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Coaches should be conductors, chameleons and conduits, NOT control hungry. Working with people is about managing, observing and adapting.
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Nothing is more toxic than a “victim” mindset. When things go wrong- people tend to point the finger at just about everyone else but themselves. Aside from great communication skills & self-awareness, personal accountability is 1 of the most critical traits any leader can possess
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Spend less time around people who complain, and more time around people who want to find solutions and act. Complaining takes little to no intelligence, and people who do it travel in packs. This contagion is easy to spot thanks to social media- your posts leave clues.
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.@tomhanks for "Conscious Coaching" Audible version. Help me get the legend to be the voice of the book. #TweetAtTom
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The surefire way to being average is to do the same things as most people while worrying about what everyone else will think about you.
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I have yet to meet a veteran S&C Coach who has said any of the following:. 📌I wish I would have worked more & seen my family less!. 📌I love coaching enough to do it for free- so I wish my job paid me less!. 📌The lack of job/career security really keeps things exciting!.
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Screaming "faster" and "quick feet" does little to help an athlete learn how to move. TEACH them. Reinforce body positions, angles & timing.
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Silence speaks volumes. Sometimes great coaching means shutting your mouth and getting out of the way.
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Humility= Understanding you don't have all the answers and that each person you meet as well as each experience, has something to teach you.
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Think you’ve “mastered” coaching?. No such thing exists. Coaching is a lifelong apprenticeship in humility, adaptability, communication, trust building and creativity. For every one thing you believe you have nailed down, you have at least 3 blind spots. Welcome to the field.
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Fact of life that some people are simply unhappy with themselves or the path they are in so they will project that onto you. Remain steadfast. That energy is better converted into focus than it is fury.
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The ultimate performance principle is people: how you connect with them, unify them & ignite them! #Mindset #PurposeDriven.
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If you want to be an S&C coach simply because you love training then you need to re-evaluate your career choice.
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“It’s not about the money” is a recurring mantra in S&C. From a values standpoint, that’s exactly how it should be. Unfortunately, it’s NOT something we can tell our landlord,bank,electric company etc. Passion for what you do & ⬆️ financial literacy aren’t mutually exclusive.
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Those who consider their opinions to be superior to nearly everyone else’s are the most prone to error and most likely to overestimate their relevant (applied), knowledge. Be open to learning. Be open to rebuffing even your strongest beliefs.
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It's not about being the "smartest" person in the room, it's about learning how to read the room. Be adaptable, learn to listen and actually care about what those around you are saying. Easy in theory but how many of us tend to forget it? I know I have been guilty.
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Be less afraid to admit what you do isn’t anything complicated. Leave the mystification up to the pretenders.Effectiveness loves simplicity.
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Always lots of fanfare for linear speed and “side to side” aspects off COD, but I’ve never understand why curvilinear work doesn’t get utilized more. Athletes need exposure to variable stresses. This isn’t a foolproof “cure” but it should be a component in a well-rounded program.
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Is it our job as strength coaches to prepare the athlete for their next set/next competition, or rather prepare them for the rest of their life? Most would agree it’s the latter. So what’s with all of the theatrical motivational tactics? Focus on education not entertainment.
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Average teams are led by coaches. Great teams are led by players. It’s not just about tactics, but also about accountability.
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Not an acronym guy but anytime I hear “I can’t” it is hard for me not to interpret it as:. I.Certainly .Am.Not.Trying.
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Some strength coaches will create elaborate macrocycles of training that detail everything down to the precise % range of an exercise, yet fail to remember the first name and 3 details about someone they met 5 minutes ago. There is an asymmetry here. .
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Angry Strength Coach: “If you’re on social media posting, you’re clearly not coaching 10 groups a day like I am!”. Common Sense Strength Coach: “You know there are apps that will schedule & post for you right? . 📍Take Home: It’s possible to coach and get other things done too.
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Represent the field responsibly. The value of a S&C coach expands far beyond the walls of the weight-room. Let’s act like it.
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Strength and conditioning can no longer remain insular if it wants to evolve. “Old-school” fundamentals of sound training will always reign supreme, but old-school communication & motivational strategies are overdue for an upgrade. #consciouscoaching.
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Created for coaches to use during staff development or by themselves as a practical guide. Free to download at
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The importance of practicing movement skills as a coach was drilled into me early. Friends/fellow coaches & I continuing that tradition.
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Too many people blitz through resources just to say they’ve read them or watched them. If you’re not applying what you’re learning, your consuming, not creating.
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An All Too Common Cycle. Stud Athlete Performs Well & Coach Goes Into Self-Promotion Mode. Stud Athlete Performs Poorly & That Same Coach Goes into Self-Preservation Mode. *Don’t Preach About the Coaching Process If You Don’t Stick By Your Athletes Through Thick & Thin.
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Coaches are holistic problem solvers above all else. The role requires an understanding of social skills, dilemmas, power struggles and people every bit as much as it does periodization and program design.
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The effectiveness of the basics will not change. Quit looking for the magic bullet that claims to solve all problems. Instead, shoot the ones that you have more accurately. Tired of hearing about the importance of doing simple things well? You may want to get out of coaching.
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Programming for your athletes is only as difficult as you make it. Resist the urge to include everything under the sun just because you can.
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Still so tiring seeing “art vs. science” debates in coaching. It’s not either or- there’s a science to the art and vice versa. Quit focusing on divides and instead learn to appreciate the interconnectedness between “things.”. Coaching is complex, not complicated.
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Productivity myth that is sure to stir the pot: Early wakers are no more productive than night owls. It’s contextual. Same hours in the day- just depends what fits with your lifestyle, and how you use those hours. Create habits that work for you.
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