Keep Students Invested in Their Own Success

Maintaining a safe weight room is a responsibility all coaches have to protect their athletes from injury and themselves from liability. 

Attitude of the athlete is by far the most important factor in weight room safety. Young people need to know exactly "why" they are in the weight room and specifically "what" behavior is expected of them. They also must know that any rules a coach has set forth will be strictly enforced.

Teaching proper attitude is a simple task and takes very little time. Before students ever touch a weight they should listen to what BFS calls, a pride and safety talk. First students need to know that your strength program is "special" and that it is a privilege, not a right, to work-out in the weight room. The students need to feel that the strength program is a place for them to improve themselves and in effect is "theirs," not the coaches.

When students feel the weight room really belongs to them its amazing how much pride develops and behavior improves. Usually at this point we would talk about how much work and money went into "their" weight room to help them appreciate further the value of the program. This is also a good time to talk about some athletes at your school who have accomplished great things with the help of strength training. Anything which helps develop pride also helps with safety.

The next step is actually discussing weight room rules. It is important that students understand the rules are there for their own protection and to keep the weight room neat and clean. We have compiled the BFS "Code of Conduct" should be discussed point by point.

The BFS Weight Room Rules poster is a simple and affordable way to keep you and your students on track!

POINTS OF DISCUSSION - CODE OF CONDUCT