By Dr. Greg Shepard

there is no substitute tor intensity.

Basic Squat Guidelines: Athletes should have two Squat workouts per week during both off-season and in- Basic Bench Guidelines: Athletes should have two season. Three workouts are too many and one is not Bench workouts per week all-year round. Three is too enough. many. One of the workouts should be very intensive, while One of the Squat workouts should be an intensive the other should be different. Variations in the Bench will Parallel Squat routine. If you don’t Parallel Squat, you help keep new maxes coming month after month. Our don’t have a chance on making your potential happen. choice for the second workout is the Towel Bench, which is The second workout can be one of several choices.

a round cushion made up of three towels rolled up to Whatever your choice, the second Squat workout should about a five-inch diameter. The Towel Bench also helps in be different. Variation is the key in overcoming plateaus. confidence and helps prevent pain and or injury to the Our choice for the second Squat workout is Box shoulder-joint area.

Squats. They create great hip and hip-tendon strength, Other choices for the second workout could be a explosive strength, and confidence. Learning correct lifting combination of wide- and close-grip Benches, or a light-toform with the chest spread and lower back locked in tight medium regular Bench workout, or a high concentration of is easy to learn with the Box Squat. Care should be taken to heavy dips and tricep push downs. always keep proper form and never plop down on the box during this exercise.

Bench Press Technique should include: A wide base for the feet, bring feet underneath the knees with feet flat, Other choices for the second Squat workout might be a bring shoulders toward hips creating a big chest, wrap medium to light Parallel Squat workout, Front Squats, thumbs around the bar, focus on a point on the ceiling, Safe-Squat Bar Squats, or Trap Bar Squats. We've had great bring bar down under control, drive bar up several degrees success with all the above choices. The equipment for these back towards the rack, and keep arms driving up evenly. variations is discussed on page 28.

The best information We like a closer grip for football players a wider grip for anywhere on squatting is on our BFS Core Lift video (see basketball. page 8). We spend 20 minutes on just the Squat. Basic Technique Guidelines: Assume an athletic stance with the toes pointed out slightly, spread chest, lock in lower back, get an even grip with the thumbs behind the bar, take a wide grip, place the bar on a shoulder DEAD LIFTS Dead Lifts need only be done once a week by football players. We always use a spotter.

A spotter can make up for poor technique and prevent injuries by pressing on the groove—not on the neck, focus on a point straight ahead, lower back and bringing the line of gravity back to the don’t look down or up, take a huge breath, descend under lifters heels. Since the main reason we do this lift is control, don’t drop down fast, always use three spotters motivation, coaches have the option of doing this lift one, who know and care about you, keep knees in a straight two, or four times per month. Non-football players would line with toes, knees should not bend inward out of make the Dead Lift an elective or an auxiliary lift.

Nonalignment, keep the upper body upright (we say sit tall), at football players use light Straight-Leg Dead Lifts for their the sticking point bring the hips forward, and remember Core Lift.

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Power Cleans are done once a week, all-year round.

Optional Quick Lifts: Power Snatches could be done in Cleans are classified as a quick lift and designed to create place of, or in addition to, Power Cleans. Learning this explosive power. An Upper-Limit program should include movement is not nearly as hard as it looks. Start with just at least one quick lift. the bar. Bring the bar up just past the knees, slowly and with the shins against the bar. The athlete squats down and under control, just like the Clean. Now, Jump! Then, rack spreads the chest with the lower back locked in tight. The the bar as illustrated above by Stefan. Another added hands should be placed on the bar right next to the legs.

benefit is the expertise and confidence to lift in an Olympic Always start the upward movement under control, and meet. You don’t have to Squat super low in a contest. You never jerk the bar off the floor. The athlete should then can do a Power Snatch. keep the hips back as the bar gets just above the knees, as illustrated in the photo of Stefan.

We like Behind-the-Neck Jerk Presses for creating explosive power in the shoulders and arms. You can Split Now, JUMP! The most result-producing coaching Jerk the weight or Squat Jerk it. When you get the hang of point that I’ve found while doing clinics is to have it, you can do an impressive amount of weight. To start, everyone yell “Jump.” [ can talk about double dipping, or take the weight off like doing a Squat with the weight on using the thighs, or ramming the hips forward, but nothing the shoulders. Now, dip down several inches, explode works like yelling “Jump.” When an athlete jumps at the upward, and then quickly drop under the bar.

right time, the net effect is good technique at a crucial part of this most-important lift. After the jump phase, rack the bar by popping the feet out to the side (don’t split) and squat. The bar should rest on the deltoids and fingers with the elbows thrust forward and up.

STRAIGHT-LEG DEAD LIFTS This is a top priority auxiliary exercise for football players and a core lift for all other athletes. High school athletes should use between 135 and 200 pounds. It should always feel light. Do two or three sets of 10 reps, always in a slow and controlled manner. You may stand on an elevated bench or platform for an increased stretch. Our objective is to strengthen and stretch the hamstrings and glutes at the same time. Straight-Leg Dead Lifts done this way will greatly aid in speed development.

THE POWER CLEAN Fully Illustrated Booklet by Bruno Pauleletto Tennessee Strength Coach N.S.C.A. Coach of the Year 27

From BFS Magazine — November/December 1988. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).