Topic
Power Clean & Olympic Lifts.
866 articles
Explosive triple-extension power from the platform. The BFS Magazine archive holds 866 articles on Power Clean & Olympic Lifts, published from 1980 to 2020 — coaching how-tos, athlete profiles, and program stories drawn from five decades of the magazine.
Recurring themes include Power Clean, Squat, Football, and Speed. Coaches and writers featured here include Dr. Greg Shepard, Kim Goss, and Greg Shepard. Every story is free — read it online or open the original magazine layout as a PDF.
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.
ReadThe 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
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Balance of Power
In this remarkable sequence of photos taken by Pam Tabone, Myles McKinney demonstrates tremendous jumping power. McKinney is the starting tailback and leading receiver at Churchville-Chili, a high school near Rochester, New York, which was featured in our September/October 2007 i
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Strong Beginnings: Amber Moss
One of the distinguishing aspects of today’s best athletes is that they tend to get an early start with sport skills and also conditioning. This trend prevails in women’s sports as well as in men’s – and one young woman who is benefiting from early sports preparation is Amber Mos
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Mike Carter Jr. Muscles Up at Rutgers
When we first interviewed Mike Carter Jr. for our September/October 2013 issue, he had just graduated from Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He finished his baseball career with a .450 batting average and became the all-time school leader in hits with 152, exceedi
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ACL Injuries and Women: What Coaches Need to Know
The incidence of ACL injuries in young women is a serious problem today. Depending upon the sport, women are far more likely than men to injure their ACL. In fact, it’s estimated that one out of 10 NCAA women will tear their ACL at some point in their college career – despite the
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Physical Superiority Made Simple
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
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2014 National High School Power Clean Championships
National records were shattered once again at this major event The power clean is one of the fundamental exercises in athletic training, and in fact is one of the BFS core lifts. That’s why BFS has always had an interest in the National High School Power Clean Championships, held
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Olympic Legends: The Dufour-Lapointe Sisters
An unprecedented highlight of the 2014 Olympics was seeing the three Dufour-Lapointe sisters, Justine, Chloé and Maxime, dominate in mogul skiing. Justine won gold, Chloé came away with silver, and Maxime, the oldest at age 25, rounded out the trio by finishing an impressive 12th
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Upgrade Your Coaching with the Six Absolutes
In the coaching profession there is an overwhelming amount of information available about biomechanics. If you want to know the optimal position of your thumbs at the start of a 40-yard dash, you could probably find some research study on it. Although these details are important
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Boot Camp and Strongman Training on a Budget
Training and Equipment BXI racks and rigs are built with primarily 3-inch x 3-inch steel tubing for maximum durability. Boot Camp and Strongman Training on a Budget The BXI line of rigs and racks is revolutionizing an industry At the college level, strength coaches often purchase
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Multisport Powerhouse Sesely Omli
football and strength coach, Terry King. “Sesely is an amazing talent.” What makes this high school senior so impressive? Sesely is, first of all, a student-athlete. She carries a 3.96 GPA and plans to attend college to study kinesiology and dietetics. She also is involved in man
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Mr. Olympia Larry Scott: 1938-2014
The Iron Game lost a legend on March 8 when Larry Dee Scott passed away at the age of 75. In 1965 Scott won the inaugural competition of the most prestigious bodybuilding competition in the world, the Mr. Olympia. Scott competed at a bodyweight of 205 pounds, and his biceps were
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Power Clean Meet Enters 11th Year
If you like Las Vegas and you love power cleans, then this spring, you need to head to the Entertainment Capital of the World. That’s when the best high school athletes compete in the WK$QQXDO 1DWLRQDO+LJK6FKRRO3RZHU&OHDQ &KDPSLRQVKLSV The quality of competitors grows e
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The Safe Way to Get America's Youth in Shape
to Get America’s Youth in Shape Strong solutions to a growing fitness crisis Physical education departments in middle schools are facing a twofold problem: Fighting widespread childhood obesity while dealing with a staggering increase in injuries in PE programs. BFS has the answer
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What's new with the BFS Online Learning Center
BFS Online Learning Center BFS’s ultimate social networking site for coaches BFS has a vast amount of information for coaches at all levels. In addition to presenting hands-on clinics and certifications, we supplement the learning process with books, study guides, posters, videos
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2014 BFS High School Female Athlete of the Year
Female Athlete of the Year Abby Lealaimatafao is the winner of our most prestigious award With athletic benchmarks being established every day in our high schools, it’s extremely difficult for students to excel at the state level in any single sport. It’s even more exceptional to
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Chinese Weightlifters: Why They Win Olympic Gold
FOR WOMEN ONLY 6XQ&DL\DQSKRWRE\%UXFH.OHPHQV The Chinese have dominated women’s weightlifting since it was introduced at the Olympic Games of 2000 in Sydney, Australia. Chinese Weightlifters: Why They Win Olympic Gold How the strongest women in the world train BY KIM GOSS, MS
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Big Men Can Squat
WHAT’S HAPPENING 3KRWRFRXUWHV\RI7UDYLV.ZRN)ORULGD Big Men Can Squat In the 1980s when BFS staff began training the Utah Jazz, they immediately found that these extremely tall athletes often had trouble performing basic exercises such as the squat and the power clean. It’s o
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Build a Better Weightroom
Weightroom How to design weightrooms that look good and do good ou only pay for quality once!” is an essential motto for anyone who is designing a weightroom. After all, if you purchase poor-quality equipment, it will require more maintenance and will need to be replaced sooner.
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Update: BFS Advisory Board
On January 28-29, 2012, the University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic sponsored a human performance seminar that included two BFS Advisory Board members, Dr. Peter Gorman and Dr. William Brechue. Shown l-r: BFS Editor in Chief Kim Goss, Dr. Frank Zolli, Dr. William Brechue
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The BFS Off-Season Workout
Regarding basketball, if you just went by the physiques of players from several decades ago, especially in the NBA, you would think that you were looking at a different sport. Gone are the days of teams comprised of a tall, lanky center supported by four smaller, quicker teammate
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2014 BFS High School Male Athlete of the Year
Braden Smith is a 6-foot-6, 294-pound lineman who is one of the most highly recruited football players in the country. 2014 BFS High School Male Athlete of the Year Braden Smith is this year’s winner of our most prestigious award Braden Smith is a wanted man. He is wanted by Alab
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The Education of a Pro Soccer Player
Pro Soccer Player How Anisa Guajardo turned her passion into a profession BY LAANNA CARRASCO, MA hen Anisa Guajardo started her junior season playing soccer at Pepperdine University, she decided it was time to go from being a bench player to a play maker. Guajardo says, “I analyz
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11 Practical Ways to Increase You Athletes' Vertical Jump
The power clean is considered a vertical jump with weights, so it’s a great exercise for improving an athlete’s vertical jump. Shown here is University of Florida’s Devon Walker, a 6-foot-6-inch sophomore for the Gator Basketball Team. As a high school senior, he was the Winter H
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Box Jumping: Do It Right!
BFS PROGRAM Austin John Ryf is the 2010 BFS Male Athlete of the Year. He is a graduate of Winneconne High School in Winneconne, Wisconsin. In these photos Ryf shows how vertical jumping ability is an essential athletic quality in both basketball and football. Box Jumping: Do It R
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Training Smarter at Mountain View High School
wo years ago BFS magazine featured Mountain View High School, a D4 school in Orem, Utah, that has won 84 state championships and earned the title of “Utah Sports Program of the Century.” Some Mountain View graduates have competed in the Olympics, and some have gone on to play in
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BFS Scholarship Athlete Presses On
Since winning the 2012 National High School Power Clean Championships, Brittanie Mastricola has been making great progress in the sport of Olympic-style weightlifting. A BFS-sponsored athlete, Mastricola has successfully made 50 out of 52 attempts in competition, and has exceeded
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The Truth About Functional Training
TRAINING & EQUIPMENT 3KRWRVE\%UXFH.OHPHQV Muscle size is not necessarily an indicator of muscle function. Indonesia’s Erwin Abdullah and Bulgaria’s Yoto Yotov both competed in the lightweight (about 150 pounds) bodyweight division. Abdullah snatched 314 pounds and clean and j
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BFS High School Female Athlete of the Year
3KRWRE\&KULVWLQD:DOO&KULVWLQD:DOO3KRWRJUDSK\ZZZFKULVWLQDZDOOFRP Athlete of the Year Selena Haas is the recipient of our most prestigious award oung people face many distractions today, and sometimes their academics and sports take a back seat. Selena Haas is one amazin
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Keeping up with the Carters
At Bloomfield High School, Mike Carter Jr. was a multisport athlete who excelled at football playing quarterback and at baseball playing centerfield. Keeping up with the Carters How BFS helped high school baseball player Mike Carter Jr. earn his college scholarship t takes great co
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The BFS-Swedish Connection
On May 18 BFS Editor in Chief Kim Goss (right) attended an Olympic lifting seminar by Anders Lindsjö (left). Lindsjö competed in the 1992 Olympic Games and today is the head coach for the Swedish Olympic Weightlifting Team. Lindsjö says there are three main qualities to mastering
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Coaching Legend Pat Summitt
FOR WOMEN ONLY 3KRWRVFRXUWHV\7HQQHVVHH$WKOHWLFV3KRWRJUDSK\ Lady Vols head coach Pat Summitt with her team’s record eight national championship trophies. Pat Summitt Summing up the life of the NCAA’s winningest coach BY LAANNA CARRASCO, MA at Summitt is one of the best coaches
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Weightroom 101: Olympic Plates
hen it comes to sports equipment and training, good coaches always emphasize the importance of the basics. For a weightroom those basics include Wbars, plates and platforms. Beyond those, if your department budget permits, there is a place for machines; they are especially valuab
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Low Back Training for Athletes
TRAINING & EQUIPMENT %UXFH.OHPHQVSKRWR John Kuc was a three-time IPF world powerlifting champion (1974, 79, 80) in the 242-pound bodyweight class. He was the first man to deadlift 850 pounds and had a best of 870 pounds. Training for Athletes For a powerful core, bring the ere
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Neck Training: The BFS Approach
Weightlifting and powerlifting are sports that develop the muscles of the neck and trapezius. Shown are Olympic champion David Rigert from Russia and powerlifting world champion Marv Phillips. Why training these muscles is more important than ever BY KIM GOSS, MS he movie poster
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BFS Goes to the Arnold
WHAT’S HAPPENING 3KRWRVE\6WHYH)DXHUZZZIDXHUSKRWRUHÁHFWFRP BFS Goes to the Arnold The Arnold Weightlifting Championships were held on March 1-3, and in attendance this year were BFS editor Kim Goss and BFS scholarship winner Brittanie Mastricola. Mastricola not only made
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The Education of a Professional Runner
Professional Runner A few words with USA Road Mile National Champion Heather Kampf BY LAANNA CARRASCO, MA eather Kampf, the current USA Road Mile Champion, is perhaps best known for falling during a heat of the 600 meters at the Big Ten Championships in 2008 and coming back to wi
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The BFS Difference
Here is Coach Shepard spotting a heavy squat when he was a strength coach at BYU. note: Although this article week developing their bench press by The BFS on the(Editor’s origins of Coach Shepard’s training doing many exercises and sets because Difference It has never been easier
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Tottenville Highs's Rise to Success
BFS clinician Ray Cosenza (left) with Tottenville’s head football coach, Jim Munson. Since adopting the BFS program, the football team at Tottenville High School (Staten Island, New York) has built a 41-6 record. BFS clinician Ray Cosenza, Jr., has worked with head coach Jim Muns
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Which Squat Variation Is Best for Your Program?
TRAINING & EQUIPMENT 3KRWRE\%UXFH.OHPHQV Which Squat Variation Is Best for Your Program? Antonio Krastev of Bulgaria snatched 476 pounds in 1987, a record that has yet to be broken. Although it seems that Krastev is squatting high, this is deceiving because his legs are so l
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The Quest for Physical Superiority
Physical Superiority How Paul Gagné uses the OptoJump to guide his athletes to winning ways Paul Gagné is a strength coach and posturologist who uses the OptoJump in his practice. He is shown here testing the effects of a compression suit on his balance. aul Gagné is a Canadian s
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Frequently Asked Questions about BFS
BFS is a company dedicated to helping young people succeed on and off the athletic field. about BFS Information for our readers about the company and its program FS is a unified program designed to get all the coaches in a school working together to improve the overall physical an
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Fast Track to Success at Edgar High School
to Success at Edgar High School Hard work has paid off for these outstanding student athletes hey say you can’t go home again, but Greg Streit knows better. For the past seven years Streit has been a track coach at Edgar High School, the school he graduated from in 2000. As a stu
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More Awards for Jared Abbrederis
WHAT’S HAPPENING 3KRWRE\'DYLG6WXND:LVFRQVLQ$WKOHWLF&RPPXQLFDWLRQV Jared Abbrederis, starting wide receiver for the University of Wisconsin, was selected first team to the 2012 All-Big Ten Conference football team. Abbrederis was the 2009 BFS High School Male Athlete of the
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Don't Let the Deadlift Die
BY KIM GOSS, MS 3KRWRE\.DULP*KRQHP3ROLTXLQ3HUIRUPDQFH A former strength coach at Miami University of Ohio, Ryan Faehnle is a strength coach who still “walks the talk” by staying in shape with heavy deadlifts. ften a specific weight training exercise is associated with o
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Power Clean Problems and How to Fix Them
How to Fix Them Easy coaching tips to get the most out of this great exercise BY KIM GOSS, MS 3KRWRE\%UXFH.OHPHQV n a perfect world, middle school athletes would begin with the BFS Readiness Program. They would learn how to stretch, run, lift and spot properly. By the time the
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Balance Control: A Critical Component of Sport
7LPHOHVV,PDJHV3KRWRJUDSK\ZZZWLPHOHVVLPDJHVFRP Chloe Van Tussenbroek displays the degree of balance control needed to perform at the elite level in gymnastics. As we guide our athletes along the road to optimal performance, we coaches emphasize power, strength, speed, quic
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Showdown at Sibley East
A section title and the first-ever nine-win season – 2012 was a great year for football at Sibley East High School. at Sibley East BFS training took a team from middle of the pack to champs BY CHUCK HARTMAN, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, SIBLEY EAST very program wants to get to the next le
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Getting Young Athletes Off to a Strong Start
BFS PROGRAM Through his clinics Coach Shepard has personally inspired countless young athletes to achieve their goals in all areas of their lives. A look back at how BFS helps young athletes catch the vision of athletic success (Editor’s note: Although this article on the origins
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Ryan Faehnle: Walking the Talk
Aformer strength coach at Miami University of Ohio, Ryan Faehnle was struggling with his power clean form and decided to try something different. So in October he switched from a conventional starting stance to a frog stance. With the frog stance, an athlete begins with the heels
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The Science of Strength Curves
Strength Curves The evolution of variable resistance training Kristel Ngariem shows how to vary resistance in squats by using lifting chains. Ngariem represented Canada in the 2012 Junior World Championships, where she placed 12th with an 83-kilo snatch and 104-kilo clean and jer
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Monitoring Athletes for Physical Superiority
n weightlifting and powerlifting it’s natural to assume that the athletes who lift the most weight have the best training program. At the last two Olympics in weightlifting, the Chinese lifters dominated both men’s and women’s lifting, so obviously they know what they are doing.
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The Evolution of Athletic Training Programs
Editor’s note: Although this article on the origins of Coach Shepard’s training methods was written 16 years ago, the ideas are still relevant today.) op coaches who desire state-ofthe-art strength and conditioning programs must be acutely aware of the importance of a total progr
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Girl Power at Leesburg High
Sydney McWilliams and Kendra Young have turned themselves into legitimate state-level weightlifters – and have the medals to prove it! Girl Power at Leesburg High A powerful program for strong women BY COACH JOSH BOYER t Leesburg High School I teach weight training and also coach
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2012 BFS High School Male Athlete of the Year
Male Athlete of the Year Nick Benhoff is part of a new generation of lacrosse players n the past most of the recipients of our annual award for exceptional high school male student athletes were multi-sport athletes who excelled in football. This year, our selection for this pres
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Womens's Training vs. Mens's Training
vs. Men’s Training 0DU\3LHU*DXGHWSKRWRE\.DULP*KRQHP3ROLTXLQ3HUIRUPDQFH Important findings on how to coach women to achieve physical superiority BY PAUL GAGNÉ, STRENGTH COACH AND POSTUROLOGIST hose of us who watched the televised gymnastics competitions of the London O
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Power Balance Drills Revisited
Overhead lifting is often avoided by many athletes due to shoulder injuries. Nikki Gnozzio was a Division I college field hockey player at Ohio University and is now a full-time weightlifter for Team BFS. Correct round shoulders with variations of these powerful exercises BY KIM G
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A few Words with David Lawrence
David Lawrence A look at this young strength coach’s rapid rise to success Lawrence working with Nick Bellore, a linebacker for the New York Jets. At the Jets’ camp this year Bellore, who has deadlifted 605 pounds for 6 reps, received his team’s “Defensive Lifting Award” for his
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The Power Clean for Athletes
Editor’s note: Although this article on the origins of Coach Shepard’s training methods was written 18 years ago, the ideas are still relevant today.] t BFS we believe the power clean is essential for athletes who want to achieve their full athletic potential. Moreover, athletes
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The Art of the Comback: Abbey Ristow
The Art of the Comeback: A serious knee injury was not going to stop her from achieving greatness hat other athletes may call extra work, Abbey Ristow calls opportunity,” says BFS program coach Chad Whalen of Ellsworth High School in Wisconsin. Enduring athletic energy, sheer int
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Records fall at Power Clean Championships
Las Vegas has earned another nickname: Power Clean City! On May 12th, strong male and female high school athletes from across the country came to Bonanza High School in Las Vegas to compete in the 10th Annual National High School Power Clean Championships. As happens every year t
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Breaking Barriers: Women in Strength Coaching
Breaking Barriers: Strength Coaching Strength coach Nikki Gnozzio is changing perceptions in her profession BY LAANNA CARRASCO, MA Nikki Gnozzio has worked hard to earn a position as a college strength coach. ou could call them your secret weapon. Or your quiet iron. They are str
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Why Endurance Athletes need BFS
E C N A R U D N WHY E S F B D E E N S E T E L H AT Mountain View High School in Utah excels in distance running and was featured in our March 2011 issue. A different perspective on training for distance BY KIM GOSS, MS a 45-minute time trial and in their rate check out YouTube, y
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The Right Track
BFS PROGRAM BFS Vice President John Rowbotham is carrying on Coach Shepard’s vision of teaching young athletes the right way to lift for physical superiority. The Right Track Timeless insight into the most effective way to train young athletes BY DR. GREG SHEPARD, BFS FOUNDER/CEO
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Conway Springs High Training with the Best
3KRWR 1DWH-RQHV:HOOLQJWRQ'DLO\1HZV n 1999 BFS published an article about the success of the football program at Conway Springs High School in Conway, Kansas. It was an amazing turnaround story, because when Mark Bliss stepped in as head coach, he inherited a program that ha
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2012 BFS High School Female Athlete of the Year
Female Athlete of the Year Jessica Marie Staggs is one powerful young woman 3KRWR -LP(OOLV0LDPL1HZV5HFRUG 2NODKRPD hat do cheerleading, track and field, basketball, powerlifting and academic excellence have in common? Answer: Jessica Marie Staggs, the recipient of our annu
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A Closer Look at Overhead Lifting
TRAINING & EQUIPMENT 3KRWRVE\%UXFH.OHPHQV The jerk is a total-body lift that helps athletes develop tremendous power. Here Ian Wilson is shown jerking a personal record of 423 pounds to win the 207-pound bodyweight division at the 2012 Senior Nationals. Overhead Lifting The va
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How Olympians Train: US Skiing and Snowboarding
FOR WOMEN ONLY 0DOFROP&DUPLFKDHO$OSLQH&DQDGDSKRWR Stacey Cook finished last season ranked 10th in the world in downhill skiing. How Olympians Train: US Skiing and Snowboarding An exclusive interview with strength coach Ernie Rimer BY LAANNA CARRASCO, MA rnie Rimer is a stren
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A New Look at Posture
BY KIM GOSS, MS Posturologist Paul Gagné performing a postural assessment in Napa, California. To his right are BFS writer Laura Dayton (blue shirt) and BFS Editor Kim Goss. he basic theory of corrective exercise is that you stretch muscles that are tight and you strengthen muscl
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Periodization Analysis
BY DR. GREG SHEPARD, BFS FOUNDER/CEO (Editor’s note: Although this article for coaches was written 16 years ago, the ideas are still relevant today. The periodization methods that Dr. Mike Stone developed were used in many publications by the National Strength and Conditioning As
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The Do-It-All Solution to Weightroom Design
Design The practical solution for training large groups of athletes hen it comes to training tools for athletes and anyone interested in physical fitness, strength and conditioning, there are limitless choices. Many of these devices can be extremely valuable – others, not so much
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2012 Power Clean Championships Set for Vegas
FROM THE EDITOR A Message from BFS Editor in Chief Kim Goss, MS Confirm As Friend? section – it will be devoted to content of particular interest finally broke down and started a Facebook page. No, I to young women athletes, their parents and coaches. won’t use it to tell the wor
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Free Weights 101: The Power Rack
lthough strength coaches are always looking for the next big thing to give their athletes an edge, they must consider that some pieces of equipment will never go out of style. One such item is the power rack. Sure, there are many accessories Athat can be added to a power rack, su
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11 Practical Ways to Get Quick Feet
Quick Feet How to improve this vital athletic quality – fast! ne of the most coveted qualities an athlete can have is quick feet. Being able to move almost instantaneously in any direction can be what it takes for a fullback to break through a defensive line, or a tennis player t
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Redefining Strength with Rob Adell
Rob Adell A look at one of America’s best hopes for iron game gold ne of the greatest venues for recruiting talent for the sport of weightlifting is the National High School Power Clean Championships in Las Vegas. Now in its eighth year, this meet has put several outstanding weig
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What's Your Goal?
During Be an 11 clinics, Coach Shepard has teams work to determine their goals and establish an action plan to achieve them. What’s Your Goal? Timeless insight into a proven mindset and training philosophy for success (Editor’s note: Although this article for coaches was written
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Answering the Critics: The Back Squat
BY KIM GOSS, MS ver since BFS was founded in 1976, we have been promoting the back squat as a core exercise for athletes – but it hasn’t been easy. On occasion the medical community has discouraged its use, thinking it was harmful to the knees and could stunt a young athlete’s gr
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What's Happening
FROM THE EDITOR A Message from BFS Editor in Chief Kim Goss, MS Game, Interrupted I would say that if Rabinoff were to compile a top 10 list he scandal at Penn State has been the focus of every of what Paterno should have done when he first heard major sports network and the gene
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How Women Athletes Should Eat
An interview with body composition expert Francine Savard chieving an optimal bodyweight and bodyfat level is a major concern among young women athletes, as well as for young women in general. Unfortunately, there is so much misinformation circu- Savard was a national champion in
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2011 BFS High School of the Year
High School of the Year How Dulaney High embraced the principles of the BFS Total Program BY LAANNA CARRASCO, MA eenagers who become physically fit and happier will always be a great thing to see. That’s what the students at Dulaney High School in Timonium, Maryland, have become
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Wrestling to the Top at Jeffersonville High
en years ago Danny Struck and his wife, Dawn, were searching for teaching jobs. They ended up at Jeffersonville High School in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Both were from rural high schools and this new school was urban, so they thought they might have a short stay. They were mistake
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Hoop Strong: Gator Basketball
BY KIM GOSS, MS he winningest coach in University of Florida’s history is Billy Donovan. His legacy includes three appearances in NCAA championships games, two of which were victorious. This year Donovan has another strong team – ranked sixth in preseason by Sports Illustrated –
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What's Happening
FROM THE EDITOR A Message from BFS Editor in Chief Kim Goss, MS That’s Why They Play the Game! Every summer I head to the local bookstore and pick day this magazine reaches your mailbox, those predictions up several of the college football preview magazines might not hold up. One
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The BFS Football Experience
Football Experience Why the BFS program has proven to be the choice of champions Heritage High School won its first-ever state championship in 2009 after adopting the BFS program. y the time this magazine gets into the hands of most high school football coaches, their seasons will
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Rediscover the Overhead Press
Overhead Press Why you should take a stand with upper body strength training with these important exercises ne of the events in strongman competitions is the log press, which involves hoisting a log-shaped cylinder to the shoulders and then pressing it to extended arms. The world
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A Closer Look at the 10-8-6 Program
10-8-6 Program Understanding the fourth week of the set-rep system BFS clinician Paula Davis double-checks the workout log of one of her athletes. he BFS Set-Rep System is designed to provide the optimal balance of structure and variety to ensure that athletes continue to break p
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How Good is Good?
BFS PROGRAM (Editor’s note: Having been involved with BFS for nearly a quarter of a century, I find it interesting that a lot of coaches I’ve talked to have kept every issue of BFS magazine. The reason is that much of the information, particularly the training physiology and idea
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What's Happening
FROM THE EDITOR A Message from BFS Editor in Chief Kim Goss, MS The Voice of Reason the standard by which you are measured professionally – it’s ne of the best things about being the editor of BFS your behavior in your profession. Let me put it another way: magazine is chatting w
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The Dark Side of Sports
on Sports Liability Informative, and sometimes shocking, statements r. Marc Rabinoff has been contributing to BFS for nearly a decade, and he has written dozens of articles on many aspects of liability in sports and fitness. He has discussed the value of waivers, the basics of we
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A New Slant on Back Training
TRAINING & EQUIPMENT The glute-ham raise combines a hip extension exercise with a knee extension exercise. A New Slant on Back Training A look at great, but often overlooked, back extension exercises WRegarding athletes, if you focus on the strength aspect of this theory, a weakn
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The Research Confirms It The Hex Bar Rules!
The Hex Bar Rules! A new peer-reviewed study of deadlifts compares the hex bar to the straight bar ell, it took a while for the sport scientists to catch up to what we at BFS already knew, but the data is in: The hex bar deadlift is superior in just about every Wway to the straig
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2011 BFS High School Male Athlete of the Year
Male Athlete of the Year Parker Adams is this year’s winner of this prestigious award ne of the requirements of being eligible for the BFS High School Male Athlete of the Year award is being a good student as well as a great athlete. Parker Adams is great in both, excelling in mu
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Whats Happening
FROM THE EDITOR A Message from BFS Editor in Chief Kim Goss, MS Staying with It in a game? After all, you have a supportive audience watching ack when I was a strength coach at the Air Force your every move, your teammates and coaches encouraging Academy, I remember one summer in
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Barbell Basics: The Power Rack
Rediscover this versatile training tool trength coaching has evolved into a profession in which there are professional organizations, peer-reviewed journals, national conventions, and coaches who make sixfigure salaries. But along the way, the profession experienced a rough patch
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2011 National High School Power Clean Championships
Power Clean Championships It was another record-breaking day at this annual strength event Darryl Brown won the 187-pound bodyweight class and established a new national record. ord has gotten out about the National High School Power Clean Championships – every year the contestan
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Working with the Six Absolutes
Pound-for-pound, the best lifter of the 2011 National High School Power Clean Championships was CJ Fort. At a bodyweight of just 169.5 pounds, Fort lifted 315 pounds. A commitment to achieving perfect technique enables athletes to achieve such remarkable results. Six Absolutes Pr
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The Three Rules of Speed Training
Speed Training Simple, proven methods to dramatically increase running speed arly in my career I spent my summers in the Los Angeles area training with track athletes. I was amazed at the size and speed of their throwers. There were about 30 of these men who weighed an average of
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Striving for SIXCESS: Panther Softball
BY KEVIN WERTH Head softball coach, Piedra Vista High School hen I took the job at Piedra Vista High School in the summer of 2004, I never imagined that seven years later we’d be six-time Class AAAA State Champions. Farmington, New Mexico, has a rich tradition of baseball and sof
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Whats Happening
FROM THE EDITOR A Message from BFS Editor in Chief Kim Goss, MS The Public’s Right to Know f you’ve ever watched TMZ or visited their website, you players who had to be hospitalized after a workout. Because of this latter incident, Chris Doyle, the may wonder how these people can
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The Consumers Guide to Bumper Plates
$OLVH/DUVRQ+XQWHU+LJK6FKRRO3KRWRE\6WHYH.LQVORZ Bumper Plates A brief history of these essential training tools BY BOB ROWBOTHAM, PRESIDENT, BFS trength coaches are always looking for the next big thing in exercise equipment – that special apparatus that will give their
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How to Develop Powerful Athletes
BY KIM GOSS, MS n comedian Eddie Izzard’s standup routine on martial arts, he notes that tai chi is not very effective for self-defense because it is “a little too slow.” Likewise, one of the reasons for Bruce Lee’s popularity was his incredible speed, and it was reported that fo
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A Closer Look at Power Balance Drills
Power Balance Drills Unique exercises that develop dynamic flexibility Marilou Dozois-Prevost, a 2008 Olympian from Canada, shows exceptional strength, balance and flexibility. e admire Olympic lifters for their exceptional strength and speed, for sure, but also for their flexibil
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Training to Win at River Ridge High
River Ridge High It was a banner season for these young women with the help of BFS iver Ridge High School is in Patch Grove, Wisconsin, and serves 210 students. This may not seem noteworthy until you understand that the student/teacher ratio is 13 to 1 and the school has a 98 per
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Breathing Easy at Sibley East High School
BY CHUCK HARTMAN, HEAD VARSITY FOOTBALL COACH When you want to win as badly as you need to take that next breath, you will win.” That was the moral of the story I told the Sibley East Wolverines football team on the first day of practice in August. But in truth, it was back in Ja
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Whats Happening
FROM THE EDITOR A Message from BFS Editor in Chief Kim Goss, MS Are You a Philanthropist? t’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business,” is an expres- many times over. As a result, he donates up to 10 percent of his business profits to causes he believes are important. One sio
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The Evolution of Strength Coaching
BFS editor in chief Kim Goss began his education in strength coaching as a weightlifter, and is shown here competing in the 1977 Junior Olympics. Strength Coaching A personal look at the recent history of athletic and physical fitness BY KIM GOSS, MS ranted, there’s a lot of self
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Positive Results with Negative Training
hen performing core BFS exercises such as the power clean, bench press and hex bar deadlift, your focus is on pulling and pressing the weights explosively. After all, speed is king in sports, and if you want to be faster and more powerful, you need to lift fast. But sometimes to
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Six Absolutes of Perfect Technique
Now in Print: Six Absolutes of Perfect Technique These important training principles finally have a book of their own lthough many individuals in the field of athletic fitness call themselves pioneers, the truth is that it’s rare that a single individual has more than one remarka
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Eight Tips to Make Weight Training Classes Run Smoothly
ailing to plan is planning to fail” is a quote from popular author and time management consultant Alan Lakein. This is especially true when trying to run a strength and conditioning program at the middle school or high school level. These programs face numerous challenges today,
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Staying on Top at Mountain View
The Mountain View Bruins have won over 83 state championships in a wide variety of sports. This Utah high school has the right plan for athletic superiority ince it opened its doors three decades ago, Mountain View High School has made a powerful impact on the Utah sports scene.
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What's Happening
FROM THE EDITOR A Message from BFS Editor in Chief Kim Goss The Ethics of Service record. The result was that the corporate office refunded he following incident might not make the next ediall my labor costs and gave me two new tires, with the tion of the Be an 11 Guidebook, but
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Boot Camp Basics
lthough fancy gyms with high-tech treadmills and expensive selectorized machines with lots of bells and whistles are here to stay, the fastest growing trend in athletic and physical fitness is the smaller, hardcore “boot camp” gym. This type of training is called “functional,” as
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Top 11 Ways to Build a Championship Program
or over three decades at BFS we’ve seen an amazing number of successful athletic programs, and among them we’ve noted underlying themes. Some of these ideas can be implemented immediately, and others may take a few seasons to fully establish. But if you’ve been reading all the hi
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Rethinking the Deadlift
BY KIM GOSS, MS s with the squat and the bench press, the deadlift has been a staple in the workouts of serious athletes for many years. Football players, weightlifters and even bodybuilders frequently include this total body movement in their workouts. In fact, three decades ago
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A Closer Look at Absolute #6
eep your eye on the ball!” is a popular bit of wisdom heard often in golf and baseball, but it also has expanded to many other sports. How often, for example, have you seen a football player fail to catch a kickoff because he took his eyes off the ball for a split second to deter
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Of Tribes and Triumphs
Coach Wade McGee (left) receiving Coeur d’Alene Tribe Chairman’s Award of Excellence from Chief Allen. hen Wade McGee came on board as a clinician at BFS, we felt blessed. His passion for helping young men and women achieve their goals, and his commitment to the BFS program and i
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Parish Episcopal: State Champions!
ny high school football team would treasure winning a state championship, and Parish Episcopal High School in Farmers Branch, Texas, is no exception – especially when you consider how their program evolved. But let’s start by recapping the 2010 season. On November 20, 2010, the P
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Irish Football Goes Green
Quarterback Kevin Larson, #4, led his team to a 12-1 season. Providing him running room in this photo are #61 Ryan Link and #23 Adam Jackson. A great success for Rosemount High School BY JEFF ERDMANN, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, ROSEMOUNT HS Will. We Will.” This slogan was printed on th
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WHATS HAPPENING
FROM THE EDITOR A Message from BFS Editor in Chief Kim Goss Road Trip! hockey players, as evidenced by a 319-pound power clean! ow that I live in Rhode Island, I’m aware that This issue of BFS is considered our college football the coming winter will turn the area into a giant is
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