I remember my early days of interning under Shaun. It’s been six years, so the details are a little fuzzy, but one funny incident stands out.

A client was squatting, and I was coaching while Shaun observed from behind.

The client squatted too high.

I said, “Push your knees out!”

No change.

I repeated, “Knees out more!”

Still nothing.

Then Shaun stepped in and bellowed, “KNEES OUT!”

And like magic, the client nailed it.

In my mind, I thought, Why does the client listen to Shaun but not me? We said the same thing! Maybe it’s the Shaun Effect!

It turns out this phenomenon isn’t unique. At my first Starting Strength Seminar, an attendee that was coaching struggled to fix a form issue until Rip delivered the exact same cue moments later—with instant success.

At the time, I shrugged it off, thinking it was the authority of the person giving the cue. But this question resurfaced when my mentee, Eunyong, from South Korea, visited us in October.

What Are Cues?

Cues are simple instructions or reminders designed to help lifters perform movements correctly. They can be delivered in three main ways:

1. Verbal – Shouting “Knees out!”

2. Visual – Pointing or demonstrating.

3. Tactile – Physically moving the lifter into position or providing physical feedback e.g. touching their lower back to bring attention to it.

Each method has pros and cons, but the key is ensuring cues are simple, actionable, and timely. A good cue cuts through the stress of lifting heavy weights and gives the lifter something they can act on right now.

Does the Person Giving the Cue Matter?

Yes, and here’s why.

Authority Matters

When someone with perceived authority gives a cue, it carries more weight. For example, if Rip yells, “Shove your knees out!” you’re more likely to respond than if a brand new intern says the same thing.

Unfortunately, we can’t change who we are or instantly gain authority, but confidence goes a long way. Speak with conviction—even if it’s your first day.

Familiarity Counts

Over time, lifters adapt to their coach’s communication style. My regular clients know my cues so well that they can predict what I’ll say before a set.

For a first-time session, this familiarity isn’t there. But you can build rapport and gain their trust by being clear, consistent, and confident from the start.

What if you don’t have those two to begin with? What if your cues don’t work on your lifter?

The Common Trap: Blame the Cue

When a lifter doesn’t respond to a cue, the first thing a coach does is to switch it up. “Hey, it didn’t work! Try something else!”

If that doesn’t work? Change it again.

And again.

Eventually, after going through some of the usual cues, you think that you must devise “creative” cues, thinking there’s a better way to make the lifter understand what you want.

It progresses from:

• “Go lower!”

• “Push your knees out!”

• “Bend your knees!”

To:

• “Pretend you’re sitting on a tiny chair!”

• “Do a bad girl pose!”

• “Balls to the tall grass!”

Does knowing the last three cues change the game?

Sometimes, the cue is not the problem—it’s the delivery!

And to understand how to deliver it effectively, we need to understand the fundamentals.

The Fundamentals of Effective Cueing

Cues Are Reminders

A cue works best when it reinforces something the lifter already understands. Use the rest period between sets to explain:

• What the issue is.

• What movement do you want to see

• The cue you’ll use during the set.

For example:

If a lifter’s elbows drop too low in the squat, you might explain the correct position while they’re resting. Show them the proper position, call it the “reset,” and say, “When I shout RESET, I mean this position!”

Thereafter, confirm their understanding:

• “Does that make sense to you?”

• “Can you show me the reset position?”

Then, as they step onto the platform before they start the next set, remind them: “Remember RESET as you go down; keep it high!”

Cues Should Be Simple

Remember the general rule: The fewer words, the better.

In my earlier example, I said, “Push your knees out!” Shaun simplified it to, “Knees OUT!” Same cue, half the words, better results.

Fix One Thing at a Time

Avoid stacking too many cues at once.

“Knees out!” – “Sit back” -“Look Down!” – “Stay on the heels!”

A lifter trying to follow four cues and trying to fix everything is fixing nothing.

“So, how many cues are ideal?”

It depends, but if there’s an ideal number of cues, how about starting with one?

Start with the most critical adjustment and build from there.

Cues Must Be Clear and Actionable

A cue is an instruction, not an observation.

Compare:

Observation: “Your balance is slightly on your toes.”

Cue: “Stay midfoot!”

Stating an observation doesn’t equal giving an actionable instruction.

Deliver cues with confidence. Speak clearly—don’t mumble—and match your volume to the environment. You don’t need to shout in a quiet room, but your voice can’t be soft in a noisy room.

To add clarity to your cue, you can combine verbal cues with visual or tactile guidance. For example, if a lifter’s elbows aren’t high enough in the press, physically place their elbows in the correct position and say, “Elbows here!” This should never be done on working sets.

Cues Should Be Timely

Timing is everything. Giving a cue too early or late can lead to confusion or unintended movement patterns.

For instance, ideally, when squatting, we want to unlock our hips and knees simultaneously and allow the knees to stay in place halfway through the descent. Then, they will continue bending the knees and hips without the knees continuing to move forward.

The cue “sit back” should come halfway through the descent—just as the lifter passes the point where their knees should stop moving forward. Too early, and the lifter’s back angle will be more horizontal than needed, potentially bringing the barbell forward of the center of balance.

On the contrary, it’s easy to imagine what would happen if the cues were given late. It happened to Eunyong a few times when he was coaching someone on the deadlift. The lifter was on the balls of his feet; at the last second, Eunyong cued him to shift his weight back. Unfortunately, the lifter had already started to pull.

Sometimes, it’s not entirely the coaches’ fault. Your cue timing will always be off when the lifter is rushing. For that, your solution is to slow them down. For example:

Deadlift: “Don’t pull until I say PULL.”

Squat: “Take 5 seconds to descend.”

Bridging Language Barriers

Coaching in a second language, like Eunyong did, adds complexity. Here are tips for overcoming it:

Use simple, concise words. Fancy language isn’t necessary, it’s detrimental

Pair verbal cues with tactile or visual guidance.

Speak with confidence, even if it’s outside your comfort zone.

Putting it into Work

Beyond understanding the principles, mastering the art of coaching takes deliberate practice. Here’s how to improve:

1. Set Personal Goals: Identify weak points in your coaching. For example, limit yourself to two cues per set if you tend to over-cue.

2. Review Yourself: Record your coaching sessions and evaluate your performance.

3. Seek Feedback: Ask a mentor, trusted peer, or even your lifter for feedback. A simple “Did ‘RESET’ make the movement easier?” can provide valuable insights.

As Bruce Lee famously said, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

Mastering cues is no different. Focus on deliberate, consistent improvement. With practice, you’ll improve your ability to communicate, connect, and coach your lifters.

Final Thoughts

Coaching isn’t just about what you say—it’s about how you say it. By focusing on clear, simple, and timely cues delivered with confidence, you can unlock your lifters’ potential and refine your craft as a coach.

Now, it’s your turn. Practice, reflect, and repeat. Master the fundamentals, and watch your coaching game reach new heights.