The HAM Plan

Why and How to Use Levels

We use levels to provide quick scaling options for all levels of athletes. Our levels are a RX, Level 2, and Level 1 options.

👍 The RX and level scaling options should not limit athletes or coaches. Levels should make everything we do easier.

👟 Choose an RX or level scaling option that allows you or your athletes to achieve the desired workout stimulus. Remember that the stimulus is how long the workout lasts, how heavy it should feel relative to an athlete’s ability, how complex it is, and the volume of the workout.

🪤 Don’t get stuck picking the same option; instead, pick and choose pieces from each option to best achieve the workout stimulus given your ability.

🎯 Start using the level scaling options to target weaknesses. You might take two or three movements from a beginner option and then one movement from the intermediate or RX options to challenge yourself with a new movement you are targeting.

Touch Everyone Twice
..at least twice. Interact, check-in, cue, acknowledge, cheer on, and coach each athlete in your class at least twice. Also, understand that this is a low benchmark, but it is a decent starting point.

📓 What works well about two check-ins is that it allows you to watch a few reps, give a single cue or acknowledgment, and then watch a second rep to assess if it got better, stayed the same, or got worse.

👍 On athletes who are moving well, two check-ins allow you to look for consistency or provide them coaching tips that reach beyond movement quality. You could share an efficiency tip, a pacing tip, or even some pointed motivation.

🎯 Aiming to check in with each athlete twice in a class helps you map out the class and create a triage plan on a larger scale. Instead of darting around the class randomly like an excited puppy, follow a consistent path around the round. This ensures you don’t gravitate to your favorite athletes or find yourself stuck only on the new athletes.

🔎 Lastly, checking in two times lets everyone know you are tuned in. Seeing and correcting aside, this is a simple way to start building a template for group management. This check-in process also creates a tangible framework that builds presence & attitude.

Set up to Setup

How often do you see someone in a terrible setup position and think, “Well, I am sure as soon as they start moving, everything will get better”? Hopefully, you never think this way; we sure don’t. Start with building better setups.

Coaches, if you struggle with seeing, cueing, and correcting athletes, start with setup positions.

🍇 Low Hanging Fruit: Setup positions are static positions, which means we can assess them when the athlete isn’t moving. Once you know what to look for, fixed positions are much easier to evaluate in group classes.

🎰 Common Themes: Set yourself up to set up athletes in the proper setup positions. Commit the setup points of performance to memory. A small amount of studying builds your confidence and seeing efficiency. Functional movements exhibit common setup principles.

🚑 Triage Setups: Holding athletes in a single setup position for :30 while you rush through the room is inefficient and painstaking. Spread your setup assessment across multiple full movement reps. Check 1-3 athletes, and then have them perform a repetition. This keeps athletes moving, and it provides you with plenty of reps to review everyone’s setup.

🏆 Small Wins: Effective setup positions improve safety and effectiveness for all movements. They are also easier to continually improve compared to dynamic points of performance. Focus on setup positions to build your coaching confidence and athlete comfidence. Enthusiastically acknowledge when an athlete achieves a correct setup position.


📸 .photography