The 2010s.

Recommendations From the Mayo Clinic

Notes from the BFS Total Program Camps and Certifications Don’t confuse strength training with weight lifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting. These activities are driven by competition, with participants vying to lift heavier weights or build bigger muscles. For kids, light resistance and controlled movements are best, with emphasis on proper technique and safety. Your child can do many strength training exercises with his or her own body weight. Free weights and machine weights are other options.

3 Critical Deadlift Tips

Practical advice on the best way to get strong with this powerful exercise There is absolutely no question about it: The deadlift is the most misunderstood lift in America today. Many coaches tell me they are concerned that it can cause lower back pain, and certainly there are several deadlifting mistakes that can cause this problem. Here are three valuable tips to help athletes deadlift more weight and perform the exercise safely: Tip 1. Only perform low reps. To perform more than 5 reps in the deadlift, especially in the 10-rep category, is asking for serious trouble. The maximum number of heavy reps that should ever be attempted in the deadlift is 5.

A Common Thread in Wisconsin’s Middle Border Conference

Seven of the past eight years a Middle Border Conference School has played for the Division IV State Championship. Not a bad track record, but why are these schools so successful? One consideration is the style of offense. All of these offenses are run orientated with limited passing. The defenses are premised on stopping the run first and many athletes play both ways. With that said the other common denominator is, they all use is the Bigger Faster Stronger Total Program.

Young Athlete Impact with BFS

Learn from first-hand experiences of young athletes as they work with the BFS Total Program. By emphasizing a safe and incremental system of encouraging young people to grow and develop to their own potential our program is the best answer for your growing students and young athletes! BFS is designed to be started at any age using bodyweight only ensuring a safe start to technique based resistance training. The following BFS Athletes Interviews feature Trace (age 13) and Addy (age 11). Their stories shed light on the physical, and mental benefits of a real, engaging development program for young minds and bodies.

Think Twice about Romanian Deadlifts

Despite advanced sports medicine care and the best-of-the-best coaching staffs, there were a reported 45 hamstring injuries during the first three weeks of the 2019 NFL season! For over four decades, BFS has taken a multi-faceted approach to prevent hamstring injuries. In addition to a stretching program that addresses both hamstring and hip flexor tightness, the BFS program includes many weight room exercises that strengthen the hamstrings, including glute-ham raises, hex bar (or straight-bar) deadlifts, squats, straight-leg deadlifts, and Olympic lifting movements such as cleans. Why so much attention to a single muscle group? Besides helping to prevent injuries, hamstring development is critical for improving speed.

You Must Train In-Season!

BFS recognized that for single-sport athletes these programs did have their advantages and were obviously successful, periodization programs were not practical when coaches were working with multiple-sport athletes at the high school level – especially those in team sports. First, these periodization programs usually focused on peaking for only a few competitions a year. If you’re a football coach, under this system which game would you peak for? ...

Experience and Execution at Mountain Ridge High School

A BFS weight room installation at Mountain Ridge High School is an opportunity for the school to come together and get invested in their own success. With sports teams and PE classes assisting the BFS installation crew the whole process was a fun time and great for team building.

Training Bars Set You Up For Success

BFS offers a wide variety of tools to help beginner lifters learn technique before adding too much weight. In this video Coach BFS talks about the BFS Aluma Lite Bar (15-pounds) and the BFS Youth Hex Bar (15-pounds).

Playing Up!

“We may not be able to pick the best athletes to come into our athletic program, but weight training is one of the things we have power over and we maximize that. We also come for the perspective that if you work hard you’re not only helping your team but helping your teammates. We want to give a positive experience and we want to produce quality members of society when they get out of Athens High School.”

6 Ways to Improve Agility and Lateral Speed

There is no question that simply playing a sport will improve agility and lateral speed. There are many methods of increasing these essential athletic qualities that will help any athlete beyond their natural talent or how much they practice their sport. Learning proper movement skills is, of course, essential to moving quickly, and this is one of the primary jobs of the sports coach. Here are six effective ways to step up your athlete's game...

Weight Room Organization and Safety

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: The BFS Tech Protector is the answer to your messy weight room. The Tech Protector offers a safe place for student-athletes to store their Set Rep Log Books, phones, or tablets while they are working out.

Board Spotlight: Anne Shadle Goes the Distance

It was while attending South Sioux City High School in South Sioux City, Nebraska, that Shadle learned about the BFS Total Program. “A BFS clinician came to our school, set up our weight room, and taught our coaching staff how to implement the program,” says Shadle. “I liked the BFS program and thought it helped me stay healthy and set up a strong structural foundation for my future athletic career. Distance runners often have reservations about lifting weights, but this wasn’t the case with Shadle’s high school coaches. “The message I got from my coaches was that performance is all about the strength-to-weight ratio. It was important to be structurally strong and fast.” She says that not only did the BFS program fulfill her goals of being a faster and stronger runner, but also helped keep her injury-free. “Strength training for a distance runner is much more than just strengthening bones,” says Shadle.

Stay the Course with BFS

In college sometimes the stars align over a team of gifted athletes who demonstrate that “talent prevails”. At the high school level the playing field is more even, as schools are categorized according to the size of the student body. Another major difference is that most athletes at the high school level are multisport athletes – with the result that the strength and conditioning programs used at the college level (which are characterized by long off-seasons) are not practical in grades 9-12. Further, training methods that are appropriate at the high school level may not be appropriate at the middle school or even elementary school level. BFS understands these differences...

BFS Dot Drill for All Athletes

Top 3 Auxiliary Lifts for SPEED!

Gaining SPEED is one of the main objectives in athletic development. At BFS we have 3 Favorite Auxiliaries that we add to the core lifts to increase SPEED. Check out this video blog for BFS MAgazine and get more details on each Auxiliary in the magazine page.

BFS Plyo Boxes and Your Program

In recent years more and more coaches in a wide variety of sports are incorporating plyometric box jumping into their training programs. At BFS we have been advocating the use of of this explosive training method for all athletes since our inception over 40 years ago. Learn how to get your plyo program started BFS!

BFS Stretching For Speed #2

For increasing speed, flexibility maximizes the effectiveness of gains in strength. Intensity and technique are critical to making gains in your flexibility. Get on board with the BFS Total Program for Athletic Development!

BFS Impacts Generations at Southwest Middle School

Southwest Middle School in Searcy, Arkansas was named "Best of the Best" for 2018 by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and looks to raise their goals even higher in 2019. Principal Carrie Parsley has welcomed teachers and staff back to school with a message from BFS that inspires everyone, from students to educators, to be the best they can be!

Gain Strength with Variable Resistance

Training with VARIABLE RESISTANCE is a great way to add variety to your workouts and increase strength.

BFS Stretching For Speed #1

Intensity and proper technique are critical to making gains in your flexibility. Learn what a Total Program can do for your improvement get on board with the BFS Total Program for Athletic Development!

Weight Room Safety is No Accident

At Morrilton, Arkansas Jim Brown, one of our most experienced clinicians, led 23 teachers and coaches from across all sports and ages in a BFS Weight Room Safety and Strength Certification (WRSC).

The BFS Approach - Preventing Knee and Ankle Injuries

How important is ankle mobility to injury prevention? One study of 10,393 Australian basketball players found that the “players who did not stretch before the game were 2.6 times more likely to injure an ankle than players who did.” Let’s look at another example. Many athletes believe that tendons are fragile and that they should wear high-top tennis shoes for added support – however, there is no research to support the idea that high-top tennis shoes reduce the risk of any injury. Further, in the sport of weightlifting (snatch and clean and jerk), the athletes wear low-top shoes. And although male athletes have lifted triple bodyweight overhead and women have lifted double, ankle and knee injuries are rare.

Capacity: Physical and Neurological

The ability to compensate is known as an athlete’s capacity, or resistance to change. Capacity has a foundation in both the physical and neurological aspects of performance and should be analyzed in an environment that equals or exceeds game speed. This article will explain both the physical and neurological sides of capacity and how they can impact performance.

District Wide Commitment

In this video LT Erickson Ph.D., Twin Falls School District, Secondary Programs Director explains how incorporating the BFS Total Program and Weight Room Safety Certification give the students in his district the best opportunity to reach their full potential.

3 Keys to Variety in the Bench Press

Performing a Bench Variation once a week can alleviate shoulder stresses. When training larger groups and teams the Towel Bench has one disadvantage which is that the towel or block takes time to get in position in a consistent manner. BFS has the solution - The BFS Bench Block. This sturdy foam block secures to the bar - not the lifter - so moving from athlete to athlete in the rotation is smooth and efficient.

Strong and Flexible

The core of the BFS Program is a tried & true formula for increasing athleticism. However, there is great flexibility within the Program in regards to auxiliary lifts, equipment, facility, recovering athletes, etc. Watch this video to learn about some of the ways the BFS Program can be adapted to fit any situation.

Eyes on Target! Absolute #6

In the weight room, Eyes on Target is a great teaching tool for coaches. In the squat, often an athlete is taught to look up at the ceiling at the start to help keep their back tight. While this posture may seem comfortable at the start, it’s at the bottom position where things go bad because it is virtually impossible to look at the same point on the ceiling when you’re in the bottom position. As a result, the eyes move to a different target, the head follows and the body moves out of position. Don’t look up and don’t look down; instead, stare intensely straight ahead and fix your eyes on a single point throughout the entire lift.

Team Goals and the BFS Total Program

The BFS Total Program is a time tested program for schools and students of all ages. With this program, incremental gains are set out in a self-driven system of keeping and breaking records.

Biomechanics of Injury Reduction!

Coaches often comment on an athlete as having “good feet.” They want athletes who are light on their feet, are quick on their feet and have a fast “first step.” But having good feet is not a mysterious quality that only a few fortunate individuals are blessed with. Every athlete can improve this important athletic quality, much more than you might suspect.

BFS Absolute #3 - Lock in the Lower Back

One of the most serious errors in the weight room occurs when the lower back is rounded (posterior pelvic tilt) when a barbell is lifted off the floor or when squatting. When the back is rounded, the erector spinae muscles are relaxed, and as such the discs of the lower back and their ligaments are exposed to high levels of dangerous forces. Using the verbal cue “Spread the Chest” gives athletes a visual image of the posture they should be using.

HEX BAR Revelations

The relative safety of the hex bar is one reason why the US Army recently decided to include it in the new version of their combat readiness assessment. In October 2020, the hex bar deadlift, along with five other tests, will replace the previous three-event combat readiness assessment instituted in 1980. The Army’s initial research on the hex bar deadlift involved 500 military personnel -- there was not a single injury, despite the soldiers giving it their all. The initial plan is for up to 40,000 soldiers to be introduced to the hex bar before the launch date.

BFS Absolute #2 - Be Tall

A Closer Look at Absolute #2 - Be Tall - Why this absolute is the key to good posture and athletic performance “Good posture is that state of muscular and skeletal balance which protects the supporting structures of the body against injury or progressive deformity irrespective of the attitude (erect, lying, squatting, stooping) in which these structures are working or resting. Under such conditions, the muscles will function most efficiently and the optimum positions are afforded for the thoracic and abdominal organs.”

SPOTTING THE BENCH PRESS

BFS at Home and Coach BFS returns to Bob's Basement to demonstrate how to properly spot the bench press. Safety is paramount with the bench press and a team of spotters should be used every time.

Start Strong! BFS Absolute #1 - Stance

All sports require the use of one or both of the same two basic foot stances, a jump stance, and an athletic stance. Collectively, we refer to this as the first absolute of the Six Absolutes of Perfect Technique, which is “Use an Athletic or Jump Stance.”

Culture Shock!

When Coach Jessen at Piute High School was looking to change the culture of his school's athletics he did what many coaches and athletic directors do. He looked at upgrading his facility. But equipment is just a great FIRST step. Really changing the attitude of teams also takes a Total Program that gets all students and athletes involved and excited about physical development and physic

Constant Improvemnt

BFS has a decades-long history of working with schools, athletics, and PE departments. Our Total Program has successfully helped thousands of teams improve the physical development of athletes while building self-esteem and character. At BFS we could look back and point to our record of success but we choose to look out and forward and keep learning about new ideas and methods of improving students lives through strong bodies and minds.

Program vs Workout for Teams

There is a huge difference between "working out" and following a PROGRAM. BFS is a balanced, progressive program that will lead to improved athletic performance. Check out the video to learn more...

A Few Words with Dennis Moon

Jeff Kasuboski, who was the principal at the time of that first BFS clinic, said this about the influence of BFS: “BFS has made all the difference in the world – it turned everything around. Attitude, character, work ethic... everything has changed.” What Moon did was call Jeff Scurran, a BFS clinician who had developed a reputation for turning around football programs. The first step was a BFS clinic, which Moon made happen!

Beginning Plyometric Progression

Learn about the basic Plyometric Progression for athletes. See the first four drills in motion. Be sure to complete Ground Based Jumping prior to introducing Plyo Box Jumping (see Ground Based Jumping video). 2019-08: Right now when you purchase a set of Varsity Plyo Boxes we will offer full Verti-Block Package at HALF OFF! Save $224 Now Learn More About Starting a program here: Getting Started In Plyos: Equipment THE BASICS: Ground-Based Jumping

Agility: Vital Development and Fun!

Agility training is an activity that all students can begin and immediately build their physical development. With a wide variety of drills, activities and games to work from kids will stay engaged and have fun while training! Incorporate some cognitive decision making into agility drills and you really have a recipe for success!

The BFS Lifting Rotation

One of the most common questions we get at BFS is “how can I train my students with the limited time we have in high school?” BFS has the answer in our Total Program. In this week’s tip Coach Rowbotham covers the rotation that keeps students engaged, safe, and training.

Next Steps in Speed Training

Because the basis of speed is strength, athletes need to perform multi-joint core lifts such as squats and power cleans. That’s a given. Certainly, being stronger and more powerful will improve your ability to sprint for short distances, but if that’s all you do, then your program is incomplete. You need to use tools that will improve your ability to continue to accelerate and to maintain that speed over longer distances or through-out an entire game, especially in sports such as football and soccer.

Program vs Workouts

Without a program, it is easy to lose motivation and intensity. With a program, the athlete is aware every time they enter the weight room of specific goals and achievements they want to mark. Creating and working on records in a structured, and varied program is the key to incremental progression that will improve athletic performance and quality of life.

Fine Tuning BFS Speed and Plyo Workouts

BFS is called the “Total Program” because it has balance. Although a 400-pound bench press is impressive, the time it would take an athlete to develop the strength for such an accomplishment would take away from developing other athletic qualities – qualities such as speed, agility, flexibility, jumping ability, and muscular endurance. Let’s look at what the research says, for example, about jumping ability.

Why We Test!

A key part of the BFS program is PERFORMANCE TESTING. Performance testing is the link between your training and your athletic performance in competition. Watch the video to learn "Why We Test".

WIN AS ONE! Newcomb High School Skyhawks

The Skyhawks are SoaringNewcomb High School in New Mexico is part of the Central Consolidated School district in the four corners region of New Mexico. Through the district’s commitment to improving facilities for students and athletes, all three high schools and three middle schools were introduced to the BFS Total Program and equipped with new, highly functional weight rooms. Newcomb High School is the smallest high school in the district but the Skyhawks are proving to have unrivaled heart and character.

4 Ways to Avoid Injury in the Weight Room

The Weight Room can be an extremely dangerous place when not used properly. At BFS we have 40+ years of experience helping coaches and teachers run their weight rooms safely and effectively. Over the years we have come across 4 easy things that you can do today to make your facility safer. Watch the video to learn more...

10 Front Squat Factors

After the back squat, there are many other challenging leg exercises that can be a part of a coach’s weight training toolbox. The front squat is one such exercise, but is it for you? First, consider that the front squat is not a wimpy exercise. the front squat more effectively activates the quadriceps, increased quad strength is essential is the start of a sprint, whereas the hamstrings and glutes increase their importance as you move into an upright position.

THE BASICS: Ground Based Jumping

Learn the basics of GROUND-BASED JUMPING in this video. See the basic drills to prepare young athletes as they start to learn about agilities and plyometrics. These drills lead to more advanced agility, box jumping, and plyometric drills.

3 Steps to a Balanced Progressive Program

Steps to Success at Siloam Springs High

There are four assumptions you can make about athletes at Siloam Springs High School: 1) You are attending an outstanding academic institution, 2) Your coaches are dedicated to helping you fulfill your athletic potential, and 3) You are participating in a strength and conditioning program designed to work all aspects of athletic fitness, and 4) You are used to winning. Siloam Springs High School athletes fulfill the definition of student-athlete. They excel in sports and in the classroom, and their example makes us feel good about our future.

How NFL High School Coach-of-the-Year Bruce Larson developed a winning tradition

I don’t believe that I’ll ever forget my first conversation with Somerset’s Head Football Coach Bruce Larson back in 2002. Coach Larson’s message to me was clear and precise; Somerset High School was mired in mediocrity. Despite his efforts to change things, the community was OK with the status quo and the school wasn’t willing to make a large investment in a radical change. Larson convinced me that the plan I laid out for his school would be followed and he was willing to put himself on the line to get it done. His sincerity and willingness to learn the BFS System convinced me to work out a spring clinic...

Jim Brown - BFS Legend

Coach Jim Brown is a man on a mission. He is working tirelessly to help as many kids, students, and athletes as he can. His impact has stretched across 40 years. Since he first began implementing the BFS Total Program to his students in 1978 Coach Brown has recognized the value of a clear and consistent program that all students and athletes can run. Either for sports or physical education classes.

The Risks of Early Sports Specialization

Most kids do not know which sports best suits their athletic gifts, or which ones they will enjoy the most. Having a young athlete focus on one sport that they are not physically suited for, or one they do not enjoy, may encourage them to quit sports altogether. These issues, along with the higher rate of injuries, help explain why approximately 70 percent of young athletes will quit organized sports by the age of 13!

Leadership and Life

At BFS we are committed to helping coaches reach their full potential. We are pleased to bring you this powerful multi-part interview with D1 head coach Brian Holman.

Strong & Safe with Weightlifting Belts

One of the basic tools of strength training is a weightlifting belt. Some may think of it as “cheating,” as a way to artificially lift more weights. Not exactly. What the researchers found was that weightlifting belts could increase intra-abdominal pressure (i.e., compressing the gases and fluids in the abdominal cavity) that serves to decompress the spine. Or, to use modern-day terminology, belts serve to create a stable “core.”

The Winning Room

Bangor High School wanted to promote the idea that they were a total program, and for this reason, decided not to call their strength and conditioning facility a weight room, but a “Winning Room!” Mary Spade, assistant principal and athletic director at Bangor says, “We had had BFS at Bangor before I came here, but we kind of got away from it, so I decided to bring BFS back.” That decision started with a two-day WRSC Certification and Total Program clinic.

20 Sports, 1 Team at Jeffersonville High

By Carlos Molina. Most people don’t associate weight training with swimming, but they share a connection. The JHS Swim Team supplements their swimming practices with pumping iron to increase speed, strength, power, and reduce the risk of injuries.

Knees in Front of the Toes?

One of the prevailing ideas in strength coaching is that during squats, the knees should not travel in front of the toes to avoid placing excessive stress on the knees. This advice is also prevalent in physical fitness classes; for example, aerobic instructors often tell their students to keep their knees back when they squat and lunge. There’s just one problem – it’s impossible!

Record Breaking Performance!

Team BFS weightlifter Nicole Patruno broke all the New England records in the 130-pound bodyweight class at the 2018 American Open Series 3, held during September 13-16 in Las Vegas.

Dominate with the Hex Bar Deadlift!

When BFS began doing clinics over 40 years ago, we taught that the three powerlifts, along with the power clean, were key to success in a unified program. We still believe that, but with one change – we found that the hex bar deadlift is superior to

Thank You Dr. Waters

BFS ROCKS SWEDEN

BFS is once again traveling to Sweden to work with their American Football program. BFS President John Rowbotham is excited to reconnect with his coaching colleagues in Europe and bring the BFS Total Program to a new generation of Swedish players. Catch up on previous international impacts from BFS with this 2012 Article from the BFS Archives!

BFS CEO Bob Rowbotham Retires

After four decades of service to helping athletes and coaches achieve their goals, Bob Rowbotham has stepped down as CEO of Bigger Faster Stronger.

St Croix - Culture of Champions

St. Croix Central has made its presence known in the state. Only three other schools in the state have achieved the level of consistent success we have seen this fall. It is a feat that can only be contributed to the culture we teach and model for our athletes every day of the year. As we continue in our winter season and into the spring, the Panthers look to continue their dominance of the Middle Border.

HEX BAR for PEAK POWER

As the popularity of the hex bar continues to grow, so has the number of research studies extolling its effectiveness.

Multi-Sport Athletes Win!

I recently saw an Internet discussion where a track coach said that if football is an athlete’s primary sport, the best approach to off-season conditioning would be to have him participate in indoor and outdoor track. BFS is a strong proponent of athlete’s participating in multiple sports.

An Athlete’s Guide to Power Racks

Other than being used as an apparatus to rest a barbell on for squats, the power rack is often overlooked in most gyms. The fact is, the power rack enables you to safely perform many other core exercises and experiment with many unique training methods that can help you add muscle, get stronger, or become more powerful. That said, what makes a good power rack?

Six Squat Myths that Must Die

Back squats have been a key component of the BFS Total Program since Day 1, which translates into 40+ years. It is unquestionably one of the single most productive exercises that can be performed in the weight room to increase overall strength and power.

Maximize Your Workout Time, Dot Drill For Efficient, Effective Warm Ups

At BFS, we have the simple and effective method of properly warming up for lifting. It's called the Dot Drill. Download your free Dot Drill Instructions here. If nothing else, a warm-up needs to increase your body temperature, breathing rate and heart rate to the level of the activity you will be performing. This means you need to break a sweat, so static stretching is not what you need.

Mario Martinez Passes On

Martinez started his weightlifting career lifting on 5-foot exercise bars with non-revolving sleeves, and when he was a teenager did 6 sets of 6 in the clean and jerk with 295 pounds with such a bar. He eventually moved to San Francisco to train with legendary coach Jim Schmitz, who was featured in our Spring 2002 edition.

The Science of Hex Bar Deadlifts

As the popularity of the hex bar continues to grow, so has the number of research studies extolling its effectiveness. The lasts appeared in the January 2018 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Family Man, Teacher, Coach, Friend: Remembering Rick Bojak

Since our early years, BFS magazine has featured many articles sharing the wisdom and accomplishments of BFS Clinician Rick Bojak. Bojak was a class act who inspired countless young men and women to succeed in not just sports, but academics. Rick passed away on Friday, May 12, 2017. To get an idea of the lives this amazing man has touched and changed for the better, consider these tributes:

Taking Charge with Dakota G. Elliott

BFS is the best program for youth or anyone wanting to learn a great amount as they progress. I would even argue it’s great for college-level athletes simply because of the growth and development that comes with the constant challenge that is your work out.

CERTIFICATION CAN REDUCE LIABILITY CONCERNS AND IMPROVE YOUR STUDENT'S PERFORMANCE

Increase the effectiveness of your strength training program! BFS has the answer for every high school coach and teacher!Get Certified and run the entire BFS Total Program used by hundreds of championship teams across the country!

Technology in the Weight Room

More and more often we are seeing new technology-driven changes in the weight room. Do you absolutely need these changes? Maybe not, the athlete must still pick up the weight and put it down to get benefits of strength training. However, these new workflows can make big difference in getting most out of your workout time.

BFS Professional Development Can Make A Difference In Your Career, Your School, And Your District

Young bodies are growing and maturing and PE classes are where students can learn how much their bodies are capable of. In PE, and in school athletics, lessons in health and self-esteem are taught and BFS is a part of that. BFS is committed to strength, conditioning and agility training for your students. Bringing in a Professional Development Day can change the trajectory of many PE teachers relationship with the weight room.

MONTE VISTA SUCCESS! Monarchs Crowned CIF Division 4 Champions

Congratulations to the Monte Vista Monarchs! In a stunning 71 to 48 victory the Monte Vista Monarchs rode their strength and conditioning to a record 8 touchdowns. Pulling away in the second half the Monarchs sealed the championship with junior Jahon McClendon rushing for 380 yards! After the victory, Coach Hamamoto was quick to text BFS president, John Rowbotham, the news: "We won today. Another championship for BFS". BFS is honored and humbled to have a great coach like Ron Hamamoto in our corner.

MONTE VISTA ON THE ROAD TO A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!

Coach Hamamoto is a shining example of a BFS Coach. His passion for the kids he teaches and influences is second to none. Coach has brought this passion - and The BFS Total Program - everywhere he has coached across Southern California. Now on the eve of a championship game, BFS takes a look back at the career of this dedicated coach and teacher!

BFS Anti Bullying with P2P

BFS is proud to attend the Los Angeles Clippers game at the Staples Center on November 30th as part of the many fine organizations supporting young people. This exciting event will bring anti-bullying organizations together and serve as a fundraiser for Speak Out and Silence Bullies.

SEASONS CHANGE, SPORTS CHANGE, BUT YOUR TRAINING? NO WAY!

This is a time of year many educators and coaches assess their athletic programs and explore ideas on what could make a difference in the future. Few teams make the playoffs, even fewer are division champions and only one is state champion. Is your team in this elite group? How can your school crack the code to improving from year to year - season to season?

BFS Impacts Large and Small Districts Across the Country

BFS is a company founded and built by teachers and coaches, for teachers and coaches. The BFS Total Program is a training program that came into existence to solve the problem of unifying training for sports and physical education students. The original coaches of BFS were inspired by track and field athletes who used the weight room to run faster, throw further and leap higher - all skills that are essential to excelling in most other sports. So the Total Program was born to bring these development and training techniques to the entire student body.

HOT AUXILIARIES! Why BFS Athletes Need Lat Pulldowns

Auxiliary lifts are special exercises that are sport specific and help prevent common injuries. One auxiliary exercise that BFS has been promoting for the past four decades is the lat pulldown, which may seem odd as most coaches would consider it a bodybuilding, or general fitness exercise. Some even believe that it's a harmful exercise that may cause injury. Let's look at the facts.

The Squat in 2017

Because the squat was such a controversial exercise at the time BFS opened its doors in 1976, almost every article that appeared in BFS magazine about the squat included a section about how it could help prevent injuries, not cause them, and improve athletic performance. The BFS founder and his team of clinicians also took our message on the road, each year giving hundreds of clinics at schools and athletic training facilities promoting the value of squats.

Five Things You Probably Didn't Know About BFS!

With over 41 years in the business, BFS has established itself as the leader in athletic and physical fitness training. We've not only shared our message through our magazine, website, and social media outlets, but our clinicians have given nearly 20,000 hands-on total program clinics, coaching certifications, and character education seminars. Despite this exposure, there are a few unique aspects of BFS that many people may not know about. Here are five of them: Read more

Spanning Generations with Sean Waxman

BFS had a great weekend at FitCon Utah's St George edition. At events like these we are often approached by people who come through the BFS program and have great stories to tell. (After 40 years of making an impact across the country there are a lot of stories tell!) This event was no exception.

MONTANA STRONG AND TEXAS DYNASTIES! Did you miss these BFS summer issues? Free digital mags available now!

BFS Clinician and Coach, Jim Brown was in Texas and was honored to meet with Steve Wood, Head Football Coach of the 6 time, 5A Texas State Champions, Aledo Bearcats. After running the table at 16 - 0 The Aledo Texas Bearcats have been recognized by MaxPreps as one of the top 25 varsity football programs out of more than 1700 programs across the country and have received the National Guard National Ranking Trophy.

BFS on the Road - Professional Development in New York Public Schools!

Working with New York City Public Schools this month has been an awesome experience for BFS. Our all new Professional Development seminars have really been making an impact across the largest school district in the country. Many PE teachers and administrators have hailed the day as one of the most fruitful seminars they have ever attended.

BFS on the Road in Aledo Texas!

BFS Clinician JIm Brown is on the road again. BFS Clinicians are privileged to travel around the country and help athletes students and coaches reach their full potential. On these journeys we get to meet with some of the brightest and best influencers in athletics.

New Weight Rooms and New Connections

One of the perks of being a BFS Clinician is the sheer number of great people we get to meet and interact with as we travel across the country. From teachers and coaches and high school athletes at the highest level, we love the chance to impact lives. However, we also know that we are equally impacted by the people we are fortunate enough to come across in our journey. Case in point: BFS Clinician Jim Brown.

How I learned more from training 9-year olds than from training pro athletes

As winter training slowly come to an end, athletes eagerly await the start of a new season. Nowhere is this more apparent, than in the sport of Baseball. The boys of summer are once again ready to set new records, and, hopefully, replace any previous disappointments with cheers and thrills. This goal of achievement relies heavily on the fact that, the winter training program was fundamentally sound and efficient in correcting weaknesses and forging new strengths. The winter training program has to realize that, like most sports, Baseball is a "True Agility" sport. Every movement on the field is decision-based, which, in essence, is the definition of True Agility.

Record Keeping is Central to the BFS Total Program

You can keep the simplicity of our Set-Rep Log books, but get the management functions and portability of a phone app. App includes predefined weekly schedules with recommended lifts for all common sports. Customize your weekly schedule using any lift on any day.

BFS CONFIRMS COMMITMENT TO P.E. IN BOSTON

Program, People, Product

Before taking any action, ask yourself, “How can this money improve our facility to optimize the performance of our athletes and enhance the health and wellness of our students?” Unless we first address potential problem areas – in the equipment, the space, the level of instruction or the ages of the students and athletes – we’re sure to face unnecessary financial and physical costs later. Here is the most effective and efficient process I have found as an athlete, educator and parent for building a safe and fiscally responsible program for the highest level of athletic performance: The 3 P’s: Program, People, Product.

Plate Loaded Equipment Delivers on a Budget

Selectorized equipment is certainly a time-saver. To change resistance the user only has to move a pin attached to the weight stack, and the machines tend to take up less space than plate-loaded equipment, especially when weight holders are required. But in terms of performance, there is no difference between selectorized machines and plate-loaded variations. There is, however, one major advantage of plate-loaded equipment: cost.

UNIFIED TRAINING FOR MULTI-SPORTS ATHLETES

When the strength coaching profession was in its infancy in the 1970s, it was difficult to find information about periodization. Much of the material appeared only in articles published in expensive journals or a few hard-to-acquire books, many not available in English. All that has changed in today’s computer age, but easier access comes with its own set of problems.

Hex Bar for Athletic Superiority

Forty years ago the deadlift was one of the core exercises we encouraged athletes to perform year-round. BFS pushed this great core exercise in our early years because it was unparalleled in developing the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. We still believe that, but the fact is that we soon played less emphasis on it because we found something better.

First Issue of 2017 Now Available

Amanda Vesti is a motivating young cross country runner who has exceeded expectations and shocked her entire state with her 2016 exploits! Her coach, Paul Dick, credits her success to building a proper power to body weight ratio with BFS Core Lifts. Her increased metabolism from strength training helped Amanda run faster while maintaining a cross country physique.

BFS Whats Happening

The BFS Total Program is a comprehensive system with one goal. To help young people be the best they can be in athletics, in academics, and in life. In this issue of BFS Magazine, we have assembled articles for the archives to help you get started!

Bob Rowbotham’s Tradition of Excellence

40 Years Strong In 1979 Bob Rowbotham joined the Bigger Faster Stronger team as a clinician, and eventually took over the company as president and later CEO. Although there have been many advances in the fields of athletic and physical fitness since BFS headquarters opened its doors, the principles BFS was founded on have not changed. Coach Rowbotham has made certain of that.

Jumping into Plyometrics

NO Fad or quick fix Plyometrics have been an essential part of the BFS Total Program since it's inception. Plyometrics have proved to be vital to championship programs across the country for 40 years! Plyometrics is a powerful tool for athletic training, in the middle school and high school environment, the most practical and effective form of plyometric training is box jumps.

BFS Leadership Program Exposes Young Leaders to Top Coaches in Athletics and Sports Science

In the first week of November, BFS hosted our Leadership Program which exposes top students and athletes to real-world applications of leadership. Coach Kyle Fiat and Athletic Director Rich Reed from Dulaney High School in Maryland, accompanied four leaders from the Lion's Lacrosse program to Salt Lake City to learn from top coaches and researchers in the world athletics.

BFS Magazine From the Editor - Up Front by Kim Goss

It’s been said that the number of sports medicine clinics in the US is growing at such a fast pace that by the year 2019 they will all be connected by a giant walkway. That’s a joke. What’s not a joke is seeing a large number of athletes disappearing from high school athletes to specialize in a single sport.

Pick Your Spots

In working with high school athletes in my area, one challenge I’ve found is convincing coaches that it’s important to lift hard in-season. It’s a message that BFS has been preaching for the past 40 years. Take the example of track and field, specifically high school sports where I live. There is the indoor season, the outdoor season, and in the summer the sport can continue with amateur competitions run by the AAU and USTAF. Let’s break down the outdoor season.

Run the Total Program on your Terms

Boys, girls, soccer, football, volleyball or track - it does not matter, running faster and jumping higher will improve your winning chances. And strength training and conditioning will build your speed and power. The BFS Total Program provides a clear system of record keeping so you know that the training done in the weight room is translating to results on the field of play.

Free February Magazine Live and BFS Set Rep App Explained!

With the advancement of technology and the push for integrated PE program, BFS set about developing an app for the BFS Set/Rep Log Book. Because the app is based on the web, BFS offers this software across any device or operating system with a web browser.

GHD For Speed!

The Glute Ham Developer The GHD has been the number 1 auxiliary exercise for the BFS Total Program since it's inception 40 years ago. Now in the last decade this posterior chain essential has gained respect and understanding across many athletic and fitness training programs. Whether getting through the WOD at your local box or building speed in a Division 1 weight room, the GHD is now seen everywhere!

40 Years and Growing Stronger

There is no shortage of social media outlets that promise you the best athletic training system for young athletes. There are good programs, and there are some that are…well, not so good. What separates BFS from all of them is our 40-year history of success. That’s right – four decades!

Be an 11! The Case for Character Education

Every year BFS clinicians visit numerous schools and youth organizations to give Be an 11 presentations that guide young people in setting worthy goals, both athletic and personal, and then help them develop action plans to achieve these goals. The Be an 11 program shows young people the importance of making positive choices, maintaining their self-respect and being team players and role models for others. The Be an 11 program is simply about being successful in all areas of life.

BFS 101, Strength - Training and Equipment

BFS has been in the business of building championship quality weight rooms since 1976. With our Total Program, BFS has helped turn around more high schools programs in every sport than any other strength and athletic development system. Now more streamlined and advanced than ever, getting your athletes in and out of the weight room is facilitated with your choice of recording methods. The classic Set Rep Log Book is time tested, the brand new Set Rep Log App takes advantage of web based recording, and the Beat The Computer program delivers with built in incremental improvement goals.

15 Minutes on Implementing the BFS Total Program

Boys, girls, soccer, football, volleyball or track - it does not matter, running faster and jumping higher will improve your winning chances. And strength training and conditioning will build your speed and power. The BFS Total Program provides a clear system of record keeping so you know that the training done in the weight room is translating to results on the field of play.

3 Minutes on why 45 Years of BFS Means Success For You!

Breakout! The Championship Camp begins with a "coaches only" breakout session to get the staff up to speed on how the Total Program provides results through record keeping and goal setting. Then the student-athletes get two days of coaching and education on correct lifting, speed, plyometrics, all the while breaking personal records every week!

3 Minutes on Power Balance with the Lunge

BFS Championship Camps promote strength, agility and speed which add up to "power balance". Power balance is important in all sports, for boys and girls. Football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer, wrestling and in track: hurdles, high jump, long jump, pole vault, discus, shot put, javelin and more. Whenever an athlete needs to change direction explosively and transfer quickly from one leg to the other, power balance is required. Lunges are fantastic for that purpose.

4 Minutes with the Straight Leg Deadlift

The Straight Leg Deadlift is a recommended auxiliary lift in the BFS Total Program. Essential for building range of motion and speed this lift is often misunderstood. While it does build strength the primary goal is to build speed and flexibility. Measuring your results should be kept track of on the "sit and reach" flexibility test

6 Minutes with Alina K. Fong, PhD

Character education a dominant attribute of high school sports! BFS Magazine tells the story!

High school football is making a lot of news in the last couple of weeks. And it is not good. From athletes in Texas blindsiding a ref to a top college recruit allegedly smearing a painful cream into an opposing player's face, these are the stories being told about high school athletes. At BFS we acknowledge these sort of events happen, but we firmly reject the notion that they are the norm. We work with 1,000s of students and coaches annually through our Total Program and Be An 11 Seminars and we have seen all the good high school sports brings to individuals, schools and entire communities!

Training the Power Snatch Get this free article on advanced technique!

In the BFS program, the power snatch is considered an advanced auxiliary exercise that can be used in place of the power clean. Both exercises develop the same muscles and increase power, and in fact improving your ability in one lift with improve your performance in the other. The power snatch, however, offers several advantages over the power clean and other types of explosive lifts.

Concussion, Beyond Awarness

BFS has worked hard for the past five years to increase awareness of the problem of traumatic brain injury in athletics. Through out social networking channels we have shared research on the latest ways to diagnose and treat concussions. Our coaching staff has teams with experts in the field of neuroscience and medicine to given formal and informal presentations to coaches, administrators, parents and athletes on the subject. It was time for us to take the next step.

The Basics Help Timpview Win! “The BFS core lifts are the most important exercises for football: power cleans, squats, deadlifts, and bench presses,” Cary Whittingham

Fred Whittingham was a coach for the Los Angeles Rams from 1982-1991, his son Kyle is the head football coach for the University of Utah Utes, and Kyle’s younger brother Cary is the head coach for the Timpview High School Thunderbirds in Provo, Utah. This is Ca

From Your Computer to Your Phone BFS Has Modern Solution to Weight Room Training!

The BFS True Squat App for iPhones, and soon Android, duplicates what happens during the marble test. It's even more accurate to use the True Squat because it's 100 percent objective.