A closer look at the Classic BFS Off-Season and In-Season Workouts

Organization is key to any successful athletic program. One way that BFS helps coaches plan their athletes training is with hands-on clinics.

Five-Day Workout A closer look at the classic BFS off-season and in-season workouts Failing to plan is planning to fail,” an expression credited to visionary businessman John L. Beckley, was a motto used by legendary basketball coach John Wooden to lead his UCLA Bruins to 10 national championships. At BFS, we believe that if it’s good enough for Coach Wooden, it’s good enough for us! One of the reasons for our success over the past 33 years is not that we have any secret exercises – after all, exercises such as power cleans and squats are used by many strength coaches – but that we teach coaches now to successfully plan their strength and conditioning programs, in-season as well as off-season.

We call the BFS workout “The Total Program” because it provides specific guidelines on all aspects of athletic fitness: speed, power, strength, agility, flexibility and muscular endurance. What’s more, it’s easy to implement. The basic BFS system for off-season training is set up on four-week cycles, each focusing on a different set-rep cycle:

Week 1: 3x3; Week 2: 5x5; Week 3: 5-4-3-2-1; Week 4: 10-8-6 (or 4-4-2 for power cleans and deadlifts). During the week weight training is performed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; speed, agility and plyometrics are performed on Tuesday and Thursday. Table 1 shows the general outline of the workout, and Table 2 provides an example of specific lifts and speed, plyometrics and agility drills that can be performed during a five-day, weekly class schedule.

MARCH/APRIL 2009 Table 1: BFS Off-Season Program (Outline) MONDAY Dot drill Squat variation Bench variation Auxiliary lifts BFS Flexibility Dot drill Sprint work Plyometrics BFS Flexibility Agility Sprint technique Dot drill Power clean Hex bar deadlift Auxiliary lifts BFS Flexibility Dot drill Sprint work Plyometrics BFS Flexibility Agility Sprint technique Dot drill Parallel squat Bench press Auxiliary lifts BFS Flexibility Table 2: BFS Off-Season Program (Sample Workout) MONDAY Dot drill Box squat Towel bench Lat pulldown Glute-ham raise SL deadlift BFS Flexibility Dot drill Speed chute Box jumps BFS Flexibility Plyo ramp Ladder drills Medicine ball Sprint technique Dot drill Power clean Hex bar deadlift DB lunge Dips SL deadlift BFS Flexibility Dot drill Sprint sled Box jumps BFS Flexibility Plyo ramp Ladder drills Medicine ball Sprint technique Dot drill Parallel squat Bench press Lat pulldown Glute-ham raise DB lunge Dips BFS Flexibility Table 3: BFS In-Season Program (Outline) MONDAY Dot drill Squat variation Bench variation Hex bar deadlift Lat pulldown Neck machine BFS Flexibility Dot drill Sprint work Plyometrics BFS Flexibility Agility Sprint technique Dot drill Power clean Bench variation Squat variation DB lunge Dips BFS Flexibility Dot drill Sprint work Plyometrics BFS Flexibility Agility Sprint technique Dot drill Auxiliary lifts BFS Flexibility Agility Sprint technique Table 4: BFS In-Season Program (Sample Workout) MONDAY Dot drill Box squat Bench press Hex bar deadlift Lat pulldown Dips Glute-ham raise BFS Flexibility Dot drill Speed chute Box jumps BFS Flexibility Plyo ramp Medicine ball Sprint technique Dot drill Power clean Towel bench Box squat Neck machine Glute-ham raise SL deadlift BFS Flexibility Dot drill Sprint sled Box jumps BFS Flexibility Ladder drills Medicine ball Sprint technique Dot drill Lat pulldown Dips Neck machine SL deadlift BFS Flexibility Plyo ramp Ladder drills Sprint technique BFS PROGRAM Athletes on the BFS in-season program perform core lifts only twice a week, which brings up the question “What do you do on the fifth day?”

The answer is to perform auxiliary exercises that will not excessively fatigue your athletes, even if they have a game that same day. They would also perform the dot drill, flexibility, agility and sprint technique. The time also could be used to let the athletes have a free day with some quick games of basketball or dodge ball. The more you get into the BFS Total Program and start implementing it with your athletes, the more you will discover how much flexibility is built into the workouts. Additionally, BFS offers many multimedia tools to help you master the BFS program, depending upon your learning style.

We have set-rep logbooks, Beat the Computer software, instructional DVDs, an online learning center, clinics and certifications. And with 32 years of championship success stories, you know you’re using a proven system that will help you win!

A sound strength and conditioning program, off-season and in-season, is why Logansport High School in Logansport, Indiana, was selected as the 2006 BFS High School of the Year. ear y 1 s t tion s c a L u r t • s n I d an e u q i n , h s c e e m i t •T , s p , re s t e s d r o c e r o m • Re & s d cor e r n e k o r b ogbooks L m o t s u C • inimum) m 0 0 1 ( ch $5.50 ea • 100 pack $79 / 50 pack $39.50 • Keeps 16 weeks of records • Black, Blue, Green or Red • Other colors available for only $1.00 each (100 min.) • Printed on sturdy card stock The BFS Readiness Program was designed by BFS for junior high school athletes. The emphasis is on the technique of each lift.

When athletes achieve the graduation standards, they are ready to move on to the BFS Set-Rep Program.

• See how to record lifts correctly and track progress • Watch how to break 8 or more records every week! • 63 minutes of instruction on sets & reps BFS set rep cards, books and videos are TRADEMARKED Products. It is illegal to reproduce these items in full or in partial form.

From BFS Magazine — March/April 2009. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).