[This is a guest post by Hanna Cabrera. Hanna is a recent Exercise Science graduate from UNC Charlotte. She is passionate about strength and conditioning and enhancing sports performance through evidence-based coaching. She is currently taking part in the Athletic Lab Coaching Mentorship Program.]
Frans Bosch is a Dutch sports scientist, author, and renowned coach recognized for his innovative approach to athletic performance, particularly in the areas of biomechanics, motor learning, and strength training. He has lectured in motor learning and biomechanics at Fontys University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands and has coached elite athletes across multiple sports, including track and field, rugby, soccer, and baseball [1].
Throughout his career, Bosch has challenged traditional strength and conditioning practices that focus on isolated muscle training and strict technical instruction. He promotes a systems-based approach that emphasizes coordination, variability, and adaptability [1,2]. He believes these qualities are essential for developing athletes who can perform effectively in unpredictable, real-world environments. His work has inspired coaches to rethink how they teach movement, highlighting that athletic success depends not only on physical strength but also on the ability to coordinate and adapt efficiently under pressure [1].
Building Athlete Independence
Bosch’s coaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of aligning feedback with the athlete’s developmental stage and the specific demands of the sport [1,2]. He believes that athletes develop a stronger sense of self-efficacy when they are given the freedom to explore movement challenges independently rather than relying too heavily on instruction. This approach encourages athletes to take ownership of their learning process and ultimately build confidence in their ability to problem-solve during performance. By creating space for exploration, athletes learn to self-organize and discover efficient movement solutions on their own.
Understanding how to foster this independence requires knowing what type of feedback to use. Effective communication between coach and athlete depends on what is said, how it is said, and when it is delivered [3]. Overwhelming an athlete with excessive verbal instruction can interfere with natural movement patterns, whereas well-timed cues can improve focus and facilitate learning [3]. This leads into the concept of cueing, which is the use of verbal or visual prompts to guide movement. Recognizing the difference between internal and external cues is essential for applying Bosch’s principles, as the way a cue is framed can significantly influence how an athlete perceives, understands, and executes movement [4].
Introduction to Cueing: Guiding Movement
There are two primary types of cues: internal and external. Internal cueing directs an athlete’s attention to their own body’s movement during an exercise. Examples include instructions such as “squeeze your glutes” during a hip thrust or “push through your heels” during a squat. Internal cues are particularly useful in the early stages of learning a movement to build proprioceptive awareness.
External cueing, on the other hand, shifts attention to the outcome or environment. Examples include “push the ground away” during a deadlift or “bend the bar” during a pull-up [4]. Effective coaching involves knowing when and how to use each type of cue. Sequencing internal and external cues based on an athlete’s skill level, learning style, and the complexity of the movement, coaches can promote more effective learning.
Training for Adaptability Through Feedback
No movement scenario is ever identical; every repetition occurs under slightly different conditions. Therefore, “perfect” technique does not exist, only a range of adaptable solutions for a given moment. Attempting to simulate ideal, repeatable conditions in practice fails to prepare athletes for the unpredictability of competition. Training should instead include variability and environmental challenges that encourage athletes to find movement solutions in real time [1,2]. For example, a long jumper might practice takeoffs from different starting points and in varying wind conditions, learning to adjust technique and perform consistently under unpredictable circumstances.
To support adaptable performance, coaches use process and outcome feedback strategically. Process feedback focuses on the “how,” the techniques used, while outcome feedback focuses on the “what,” or the result. For example, in a kettlebell swing, if an athlete struggles to generate explosiveness, a coach might regress to process feedback, breaking the movement into manageable steps such as hinging at the hips, bracing the core, and driving the hips toward the wall. An effective coach recognizes the interplay between each type of feedback and how to blend process and outcome cues to help athletes refine technique and respond to changing conditions.
Practical Application
Common Pitfalls in Cueing
Excessive cueing and technical language can do more harm than good [1,4]. Giving athletes multiple corrections to implement at one time can lead to cognitive overload and interfere with natural movement. Cues should be minimal and intentional, focusing on the most important part of the movement. Internal cues such as “engage your core” may lead to overanalysis during complex movements. External cues such as “push the ground way” are more effective, helping the athlete focus on the result of the specific exercise as opposed to an individual body part [5]. Cues should be minimal, external, and integrated into the task itself.
Coaches should also consider the timing and context of cues, providing feedback when the athlete is most receptive, such as during the setup of a lift or after a completed repetition. Delivering feedback at these moments ensures that the athlete can process and apply the information without disrupting the flow of the movement [5]. Observing the athlete closely allows the coach to identify subtle errors and provide real-time guidance.
Delivering cues thoughtfully and sparingly allows athletes to maintain focus and make appropriate adjustments. This approach prevents mental overload, reinforces consistent execution, and fosters confidence and independence in the athlete. By emphasizing feedback that is clear, well-timed, and purposeful, coaches can effectively support skill development, even under challenging conditions.
Example: External Cues for the Barbell Bench Press
When coaching the barbell bench press, several external cues can help create an efficient and safe movement pattern. Instructing a lifter to “break the bar in half” promotes upper back tightness and external rotation, enhancing shoulder stability. Cueing to “push the floor away with your feet” encourages engagement of the posterior chain and improves force transfer from the lower body to the upper body.
Incorporating these cues selectively, rather than all at once, allows the lifter to focus on the most important aspects of the lift. For example, a coach might emphasize shoulder stability during the setup and lower body engagement during the drive. Over time, consistently using outcome-focused cues helps athletes solidify proper technique, making the movement feel instinctual [1].
Individualization
Cueing is not a one-size-fits-all approach and is most effective when it aligns with how athletes learn best [4]. In the context of baseball pitching, a visual learner might benefit from watching video feedback of their own throwing mechanics, allowing them to identify subtle errors and make corrections in real time. A kinesthetic learner, on the other hand, could improve by using drills with implements like weighted balls, helping them feel proper mechanics through tactile feedback. Auditory learners may respond best to concise verbal cues, such as “punch the ceiling” during a dumbbell bench press. By understanding how each athlete processes information, coaches can tailor strategies that enhance retention and optimize performance.
Bridging Theory and Practice
Frans Bosch’s approach to coaching emphasizes that skill development should be rooted in independence and adaptability [1,2]. To combine a constraint-led approach with effective cueing, coaches should create drills that help athletes discover solutions on their own. Cues should be minimal, external, and integrated into the task itself [4]. Modifying factors such as tempo, load, height of implements, and training intensity can guide an athlete’s movement without relying on excessive verbal instruction. This approach aims to develop adaptability while still providing a sense of guidance through the environment. Adjusting these variables challenges athletes to respond to changing conditions, encouraging problem-solving and decision-making. For instance, altering the height of a box in a plyometric drill can teach athletes to adjust force production and landing mechanics, while smaller changes, like increasing movement speed from 50% to 70% effort, creates new effort demands. Introducing variability enhances an athlete’s ability to self-organize and respond effectively in unpredictable situations, building skills that transfer to game performance.
Coaches can measure progress and effectiveness by reviewing video performance, discussing observations with their athlete, and conducting pre-, mid-, and post-training tests to collect objective data. For example, they might use motion capture analysis to track joint angles during a baseball pitch or timed sprints to assess speed development. Monitoring these metrics not only helps evaluate improvements but also allows coaches to determine how effectively athletes are applying cues in practice and transferring them to performance.
Cueing should evolve alongside the athlete’s level of development. Novice athletes benefit from simple, outcome-focused cues that establish foundational movement patterns. As athletes refine their skills, cues should gradually encourage reactivity, decision-making, and greater autonomy, enabling them to adapt effectively to dynamic and unpredictable environments [1,2,4].
Recommendations
Top 3 Recommendations:
- Keep cues: Short, simple, and few
- Example: Instead of saying, “Hinge at the hips, maintain balance at the midfoot, and engage the posterior chain” during a Romanian deadlift, you might simply instruct the athlete, “Hinge as if you were closing a car door.”
- Use the environment or implements to naturally guide movement
- Example: A coach can utilize boxes lower or higher height during a box squat to encourage varying squat depths.
- Progress cueing as athlete develops (Structured ⟶ Autonomous)
- Example: A coach might instruct a novice lifter to push their knees out during a squat. Over time, the cue can evolve to “spread the floor” to encourage increased hip stability. Eventually, the lifter will develop the ability to self-monitor their positioning without external reminders.
Takeaways
Frans Bosch’s coaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of independence, adaptability, and intentional feedback in athlete development. By using minimal, well-timed, and primarily external cues, coaches can create an environment where athletes self-organize, problem-solve, and perform effectively under pressure [5]. Understanding what to say, when to say it, and considering individual learning preferences ensures that feedback is both received and applied, enhancing skill acquisition. Athletic success is defined not only by strength or technique, but by the ability to react and adapt to constantly changing, unpredictable environments. Applying these principles allows coaches to develop athletes who are not only technically proficient but also autonomous, resilient, and capable of success in competitive challenges [1,2].
References
- Bosch, F. (2016). Review of Strength Training and Coordination: An Integrative Approach by Frans Bosch. Retrieved from https://www.bettermovement.org/blog/2016/review-of-strength-training-and-coordination-an-integrative-approach-by-frans-bosch-i0SDK
- HMMR Media. (2016). 4 Things I Learned from Frans Bosch. Retrieved from
https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2016/11/4-things-i-learned-from-frans-bosch/ - Connected Performance. (n.d.). The benefits of Frans Bosch’s training philosophy for pitching performance. Retrieved from https://www.connected-performance.com/blog/the-benefits-of-frans-boschs-training-philosophy-for-pitching-performance
- Starting Strength. (2017). Cueing and Feedback: Science or Art? Does it Matter?. Retrieved from
https://startingstrength.com/training/cueing-and-feedback-science-or-art-does-it-matter - ACE Fitness. (2017). Internal vs. External Cueing: How to Help Your Clients Move More Efficiently and Effectively. Retrieved from https://www.acefitness.org/resources/pros/expert-articles/7324/internal-vs-external-cueing-how-to-help-your-clients-move-more-efficiently-and-effectively/? srsltid=AfmBOopNo8qKv0cED0ttTF0OVCyMkI5RWz16YW29OARcs_KEFowHbmBm
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