5 Ways to Wow at the Whiteboard

By Shawn McQueen, Mentor for Two-Brain Group Coaching Course

Let me ask you something – when at the whiteboard delivering your brief for the day, do you want to:

• Better maintain your members’ focus and attention?

• Easily settle into comfortable speaking speed that allows you to do so clearly and confidently?

• Communicate better by avoiding fillers like “umm” or “ughhh” or rushing?

• Make it easier for members to follow your lead and understand what you’re saying?

• Ultimately help your members retain information easier, avoid questions and confusion?

In our Group Coaching Course at Two-Brain Coaching, we teach a systematic 5-Step Whiteboard Brief sequence that does just this.

Here are the 5 steps:

1 – Deliver board brief using the ‘STOP AND GO’ method:

An easy example would be: 

“Today gang (stop) 

We have a workout named “CINDY” (stop) 

Which is  (stop) 

As many rounds  (stop) 

And reps as possible  (stop) 

In, 20 minutes  (stop) 

Of 

5 pullups  (stop) 

10 pushups (stop) 

& 15 squats  (stop) 

 (stop & go) 

Clear, understood – and digestible for all. 

2 – Brief the INTENDED STIMULUS 

[share what they can expect] 

Lay out what the intention of the day is. 

What they can expect, what they’ll feel and where. 

What muscle groups we are working. 

And whatever you know matters to your community. 

If you don’t know  – Ask them!

This matters way more than expressing what is “RX.”

Guide them in the decision making process of loading and forewarn them of upcoming challenges.

3 – Brief the intended TARGET RANGES:

This is subtle but makes a big difference, especially in how they feel. 

And how they feel dictates most of their decision making. 

Let’s give our members a RANGE to shoot for OPPOSED TO a fixed time or result.

Avoid saying something like “a fast time here would be 5 minutes…” 

Because how am I supposed to feel if it takes me 9 minutes? 

Slow? 

Out of shape? 

A failure? 

An easy example of how to communicate this would be:

“We are looking to complete our workout of the day in the range of time frame of 6 to 12 minutes today.”

Now as the Coach to better understand how to do this we should always ask ourselves what’s the fastest we’ll see this done to the slowest we’d want this workout to take today.

[this gives you the range.]

It always helpful to understand movements, cycle rate of certain movements, rest factored in.

General programming knowledge and the intent of every workout. 

Giving them ranges better helps them understand the intended stimulus of the day –

And is more realistic (since we are coaching varied abilities), and is better for their esteem. 

They’ll feel better about themselves, living or making it within the range, than if we gave one fixed time, percentage, or score. 

4 – Brief the PACE for the workout: 

Want to instantly be more valuable to your members? 

Teach them how to better pace their workouts. 

I am sure we could all agree on making the mistake of starting a workout too fast, or holding on too long to a certain movement only to pay for improper pacing shortly after. 

Teaching members how to appropriately pace and manage their physical (& mental) states going into the difficult thing that is physical fitness is critical.

And in doing so will lead them to better results and create a wealth of respect because you are literally teaching them how to be smarter, more efficient and get the most out of something. 

And they’ll always appreciate that. 

5 – Brief the ADJUSTMENTS:

[Aka CUSTOMIZE the day for each person]

Remember this is step 5, your final step. 

A common mistake I see is coaches make is giving adjustments as they are briefing the workout in step 1.

And what happens is we begin to deliver information overload, confusing our members.

Once they have the important info then let’s help them customize the workout for them!

And always Remember this: 

It’s never about the actual workout. 

It’s not about doing the workout “RX” or as prescribed. 

We are guiding people to a stimulus.

And along the way making that experience enjoyable, improving their health and fitness and all the meanwhile making it digestible for all fitness levels. 

—————————————————————

If you want more tools like these or need help with implementation to add more value, then check out our Group Coaching Course by clicking here!