NCSF Certified Strength Coach - Exercise Technique and Coaching
Domain 3: Exercise Technique and Coaching
This domain tests safe execution, fault identification, and cueing. The exam favors lifts that underpin strength and power-squat, hinge/deadlift, press, row, and Olympic-lift derivatives-plus spotting and facility safety.
Core rules
- Set a stable base: feet planted, bar over midfoot in squat and deadlift, neutral spine, brace before descent/pull.
- Joint alignment: knees track over toes; elbows stack under wrists in presses; avoid excessive lumbar extension.
- Bar path and control: keep the bar close in pulls; control the eccentric; use full range of motion the athlete can achieve without pain.
- Cue simply: one or two external cues ('push the floor,' 'spread the floor') often work better than a paragraph of internal cues.
- Spotting: spot free-weight barbell exercises that pass over the face or head; use qualified spotters and safety pins. Do not spot power cleans, snatches, or deadlifts in the usual sense-teach the athlete to bail safely.
- Progression: technique before load; add complexity before maximal intensity.
Worked example
An athlete's knees collapse inward during a back squat. The coach first checks foot pressure and hip control, then cues 'spread the floor' and reduces load. If the fault persists, the coach adds gluteus medius and single-leg work and rechecks. The fix is not 'knees out' shouted louder; it is a stable base, adequate mobility, and controlled load.
Traps
Adding load to a broken pattern; over-cueing; spotting a power clean; allowing a rounded lumbar spine under maximal load; using a cue that conflicts with the athlete's anatomy; ignoring pain or prior injury.