Common mistakes in supporting amateur athletes: towards a more global approach
Coaching amateur athletes is a stimulating challenge : they often arrive with great motivation and ambitious goals, but also with body habits acquired over time, sometimes poorly adapted to physical activity. Some classic approaches, although used with the best intentions, can limit their progress or, worse, increase their risk of injury. I suggest you look at four common mistakes, often underestimated, and concrete ways to avoid them.
Reducing movement to simple mechanics
The biomechanical analysis of movements – alignments, amplitudes, angles – is often at the heart of classic approaches. But while these aspects are essential, they are not enough to capture the full complexity of human movement.
❌ The mistake : Neglecting neurological and perceptive influences, such as proprioception or postural reflexes.
🔬 What science tells us : Lephart et al. (2002) demonstrated that proprioception plays a central role in injury prevention and the effectiveness of sports movements. A proprioceptive deficit, common among amateurs, can compromise their stability and motor control.
✅ Solution : Integrate simple but targeted exercises, such as balance activities or proprioceptive stimulation. These approaches promote more precise motor control, reducing the risk of injury while improving the quality of movements. It is even possible to use Romain Tourillon's electrostimulation protocol as I have already done on the abductor hallucis!
Underestimating the impact of cognitive constraints
Amateur athletes often juggle training, work, personal life and multiple obligations. This daily stress directly impacts their posture, their energy and their ability to learn new movements.
❌ The mistake : Not taking into account stress and its effects on sports performance and posture.
🔬 What the science tells us : McEwen and Gianaros (2011) explain that chronic stress can cause muscle tension (e.g., cervical blockages, locked diaphragm) and reduce motor learning.
✅ Solution : Incorporate relaxation exercises at the beginning of the session, such as breathing techniques or fluid mobility movements. This helps reduce mental and physical tension and prepares the body for a more effective workout.
Ignoring the importance of the fascia system
Fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds muscles, plays an essential role in the quality of movement and the transmission of force. However, it is still too often forgotten in traditional approaches.
❌ The mistake : Not including targeted work on fascia relaxation and elasticity.
🔬 What the science tells us : Schleip et al. (2012) showed that rigid or "stuck" fascia can limit range of motion, generate muscle tension, and promote chronic pain.
✅ Solution : Incorporate specific exercises such as self-massage with rollers, dynamic stretching, or myofascial release movements (MRM). These practices improve flexibility and make movements more fluid and efficient.
Believing that "more" means "better"
When faced with an identified difficulty, it is tempting to want to multiply the exercises: a little more mobility here, a little more strengthening there. But for amateur athletes, this overload can quickly become counterproductive.
❌ The mistake : Offering sessions that are too complex or too busy, which can discourage and disrupt motor learning.
🔬 What science teaches us : According to Wulf and Lewthwaite (2016), simple instructions and a controlled volume of exercises promote better assimilation of motor patterns and more sustainable progress.
✅ Solution : Simplify your sessions. Limit the number of exercises by focusing on those that have a direct and real impact. Clarity and simplicity improve adherence, and allow for smoother and more effective progression.
Reinventing support for amateur athletes
Supporting an amateur athlete is not just about correcting their movements or helping them progress quickly. It is about understanding their context – physical, mental, neurological – and building an appropriate, precise and sustainable approach.
💡 And you ?
What challenges do you encounter in your support ?
What solutions do you put in place to avoid these common mistakes ?
➡️ If these thoughts interest you, I invite you to discover my Posture & Perspectives. It is designed to provide you with concrete tools and a global methodology, so that every detail counts in the progress and satisfaction of your clients.
Because in coaching, it is the small adjustments that make the big differences. 💪
Scientific sources :
Tourillon R., Bothorel H., O. McKeon P., Gojanovicb B., Fourcheta F. (2022). Effects of a single electrical stimulation session on foot force production, foot dome stability and dynamic postural control
Lephart, S. M., Pincivero, D. M., Giraido, J. L., & Fu, F. H. (2002). The role of proprioception in the management and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 25(1), 130-137.
McEwen, B. S., & Gianaros, P. J. (2011). Stress- and allostasis-induced brain plasticity. Annual Review of Medicine, 62, 431-445.
Schleip, R., Müller, D. G., & Klingler, W. (2012). Fascial plasticity – A new neurobiological explanation. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 17(1), 150-160.
Wulf, G., & Lewthwaite, R. (2016). Optimizing performance through intrinsic motivation and attention for learning: The OPTIMAL theory of motor learning. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 23(5), 1382-1414.