Safe uncertainty: the best environment to train in

Richard Shuttleworth, a top high performance coach development leader, along with his colleague Professor Keith Davids, suggest that it’s better for players to be challenged in the right environment to see performance improvements.

We all want our players to get the most out of training. That precious time can be made even more productive if we set the right challenges. Richard Shuttleworth and his research group have developed a psychological model to show how we can create that environment.

I am sure we have been in all four sectors at some time, either as a coach or as a player, whether we thought it was right or not. Let’s look at the graphic and see how we can apply it to our own training and move to a zone of “safe uncertainty”, which can be regarded as the preferred place to train.

Safe

Safe has two meanings in this model. First, the player has to feel they are supported. If they make a mistake, then they won’t face any permanent consequences. Crucially, that doesn’t mean that mistakes go unnoticed or poor behaviour isn’t corrected.

Second, it means the players that, with support, feel they can experiment. They can innovate. In this case, they are discovering new ways of regulating performance for themselves without fear.

It’s a continuum though. You cannot feel totally safe all the time, just as in competition. There will be times when you might face being dropped, or losing a vital game. Players have to be exposed to a controlled amount of “unsafety”.

Note, I’m interpreting that this model suggests that unsafe training is not in fact teaching physically dangerous techniques.

Certainty

Certainty is closely related to risk avoidance. There is typically too much certainty in sports training. It refers to knowing the outcome before you start and probably not trying different ways of achieving it. It relies on a detailed plan and repetitively rehearsing that plan. This is a default zone for much coaching.

Uncertainty means taking more risks, exploring and performing actions where we aren’t sure of the outcomes.

It’s okay to have some certainty in training, sometimes. It’s a balance. But with constant certainty, players can slip into a comfort zone and turn the handle in practice. With uncertainty, the danger comes when we are highly critical of mistakes when things aren’t going to plan. That’s when teams start to doubt themselves. Pro-rugby is sacking a lot more coaches mid-season these days. Someone hasn’t followed the plan and you sense the toxic atmosphere in the club.

Training for safe uncertainty

According to the model, the best sector to operate in is safe uncertainty. That will allow creativity and innovation, which is key to unlocking defences or stifling attacks. It also promotes positive risk taking and exploration, so players can push themselves and expand their own boundaries.

These sessions will be the most engaging and produce more permanent learning. You will have adaptable players who are willing to think for themselves to beat what’s in front of them, not play to a plan that’s unsuitable for this situation.

Principle concepts in safe uncertainty

1. Adaptive training

The session, with all the activities and games change to suit the moment. It adjusts the challenge to explore a different aspect of rugby. For example, when playing touch rugby, you allow one player to be offside.

2. Tactical Action Dexterity

Trying something different that is needed when confronted with a problem during play.

3. Active Learning

Players are empowered to find innovative ways of beating a defence or stifling an attack.

4. Exploration & Discovery

The players are given challenges for which they find their own ways to overcome. They are self-regulating their performance, but a coach can nudge them in certain directions or suggest different ways, depending on the level of the players.

5. Create, Deceive and Disguise.

Ultimately an invasion game like rugby needs the attack to overcome the defence. Players should be able to choose different ways to win by doing something the opponent doesn’t suspect. This is best done through games and game situations. Any activity where there is more than one way to win, and the more ways, the better.