Safety & Injury Prevention.

Signage for safety and performance

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.

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.

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.

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...

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!

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!

6 Minutes with Alina K. Fong, PhD

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.

Advances in Testing and Training Athletes with the OptoJump

Conversations in developing balance in a growing athlete and student for lifelong wellness benefits. Advances in Testing and Training Athletes with the OptoJump Exciting updates on how new technology is helping athletes succeed First, we’re honored to announce the addition of Ali

Keys to Progress: Training Logbooks

BFS Program A key component of the BFS Total Program is record keeping, and the BFS Set/Rep Logbook is an effective tool for ensuring accountability and motivating athletes to break records. Keys to Progress: Training Logbooks The mental and physical benefits of managing progress

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

More Than a Game

A Message from BFS Editor Kim Goss, MS for that award, but he got back on track in the NFL. In his rookie season Peterson set the NFL single-game rushing record (296 yards), and the records kept coming, including his becoming the third-fastest player to reach 10,000 rushing yards

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

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

Building Girl Power at Hayward High

Hayward High serves a student body that comes from a wide geographical area, quite rural. For some students, it’s a 30-minute commute via their parents to school; for others, it’s a 15-mile bike ride. So, when a student commits to playing sports as a Hayward Hurricane, it means t

Practice Makes Perfect

BFS President John Rowbotham, shown here with his son Trace, loves the game of football. Practice Makes Perfect Through its publications, clinics, certifications, and special presentations, BFS is a leader in educating coaches, athletes, and parents about the dangers of concussio

The Davis Twins: Defying the Odds

Barrett and Mary Catherine Davis are athletic twins who started weight training in middle school to help them become better athletes. Not only did they have a head start pumping iron many years before most coaches would consider allowing a young athlete in the weightroom, they ha

The BFS Online Learning Center, BFS at Home,

BFS at Home Safety and Strength Training BFS at Home is an initiative to help young athletes train train throughout the year. The BFS Total Program has built-in muscle confusion and recovery days that make it an ideal system for year-round development. The BFS Online Learning Cen

Up Front

A Message from BFS Editor Kim Goss, MS “When I was young and played football briefly, there were a couple of times where I’m sure that that ringing sensation in my head and the need to sit down for a while might have been a mild concussion,” said Obama. “At the time you didn’t th

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

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

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

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

The Benefits of Unifying a PE Curriculum

Dulaney High has benefited in many ways by integrating the BFS program into their physical education classes and school curriculum. of Unifying a PE Curriculum Dulaney High brings BFS into the classroom It used to be that the interests of physical education and athletic department

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

Justin Sacco Getting Back on Track

Justin Sacco performs an advanced balance exercise at the BFS Science Lab. Justin Sacco Getting Back on Track How this remarkable young man overcame a serious brain injury In the fall of 2013 Justin Sacco, an eighth grader at Mahopac Middle School, suffered a serious brain injury

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

The Weightroom Checklist

Gentry High School in Gentry, Arizona, features a BFS weightroom that was carefully planned to ensure safety and efficiency. Checklist Practical advice to keep your gym safe and organized Ijust love it when a plan comes together!” is a famous line by John ‘Hannibal’ Smith, a lead

The Turnaround Artist

Catalina Foothills finished the 2012 season with a 0-10 record, but in 2013 they won eight games and made the playoffs. Jeff Scurran leads the Catalina Foothills Falcons to greatness Jeff Scurran has coached football for over 40 years and has yet to accept a job with a team that h

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

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

Running Faster: The Tools You Need

than if they eing able had tested to run fast their vertical is a key jump before athletic quality that squat that virtually all workout. athletes want to Here’s how it develop, especially works. those who play Let’s say field sports such as an athlete is football and soclifting

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.

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

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

BFS Advisory Board

To keep abreast of the latest information in the areas of strength and conditioning, BFS has assembled an advisory board. One of the goals of the advisory board is to help teachers, parents, coaches and student-athletes understand the risks of concussions and a child’s right to s

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

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

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

Power Weight Training

A look back at the basic ideas that have made BFS so successful for nearly four decades BY DR. GREG SHEPARD, BFS FOUNDER 3KRWRE\%UXFH.OHPHQV Mike McDonald is a powerlifter who during the ’70s held world records in the bench press in four different bodyweight categories at the

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

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

Elena Delle Donne: Sky-High BB Dreams

A two-time All-American at Delaware and now a promising WNBA player, Delle Donne is a role model for all young athletes. Elena Delle Donne: Sky-High BB Dreams It’s a Donne deal for this WNBA draft pick BY LAANNA CARRASCO, MA n high school, Elena Delle Donne was called the future

Making Tight Spaces Work with the Space Saver Rack

Make It Work!” is the catch phrase of a popular TV fashion show called Project Runway. Due to the popularity of weight training in the US, coaches must find safe, efficient ways to work with a lot of athletes while having limited space. One piece of vertical equipment that can ma

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

Testing Made Simple with OptoJump

Canadian strength coach and Posturologist Paul Gagné is shown performing a march in place test, which assesses balance and coordination. Practical methods to accurately test large groups of athletes BY DR. PETER G. GORMAN, PRESIDENT, MICROGATE USA Ready, set, play! Now, as the se

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

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

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

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

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

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

The BFS Rules of Engagement

FEATURE STORY 3KRWRE\-LP(OOLV0LDPL1HZV5HFRUG 2NODKRPD Rules of Engagement Three simple rules to ensure athletic superiority BY DR. PETER G. GORMAN, PRESIDENT, MICROGATE USA t’s summertime – ready, set, play! For many, the end of the school year means family vacations, fun

The Rise of Youth

Youth A look back at how BFS can help young athletes catch the vision of athletic success Difference It has never been easier to win! BY DR. GREG SHEPARD, BFS FOUNDER A hands-on coach during his career, Dr. Greg Shepard believes that perfect technique is essential for athletic su

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

Jacob Tompkins BFS Male Athlete of the Year

hen it comes to selecting a BFS Athlete of the Year, all the great qualities we look for can be summed up in one word: balance. There are many superb athletes who have excelled using the BFS program, and many athletes who have excelled in the classroom. What BFS is searching for

Staying Strong at John Carroll High

hen Rich Stichel Jr. started coaching football at John Carroll High School five years ago, he had a tremendous challenge ahead of him. In the previous two Wseasons, the Patriots had won only three of their 21 games. Stichel, however, had never coached a losing team in the seven y

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

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

Stop Hamstring Pulls

Now! Stop Hamstring Pulls 10 tips to prevent this frustrating injury BY KIM GOSS, MS t the Olympic Trials in track and field, an athlete must finish in the top three in their event to earn a spot on the Olympic Team – finishing fourth is essentially equivalent to placing last. At

Forgotten Secrets to Improving Lateral Speed

TRAINING & EQUIPMENT %HFN\0LOOHU3KRWR Lateral speed is a key ingredient in many sports, even those performed on ice by skaters. Shown are Michelle Hyselle of the MedCity Mafia roller derby team pulling ahead of the Moose Lake Mafia; and football player Eric Corona of Fruitand Hi

A Question of Balance

BY BOB ROWBOTHAM, CEO, BFS 3KRWRE\1DWKDQ%RRW] The skill sets needed to punt a football or block it rely on balance and timing. To read more about the Ithaca High School football team, see page 10. n March 13 of this year we had a special visitor at BFS headquarters in Salt La

Back to the Basics with Static Stretching

Model: Emilie Williams, Hunter High School, Salt Lake City Sound advice on developing a safe and effective stretching program t is our intention at Bigger Faster Stronger to provide coaches with a stretching program that not only benefits the athletes but also is useful in coachi

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

Finding a Way to Win at Mason County

BY DAVID BUCHANAN, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH MASON COUNTY HS, MAYSVILLE, KY t Mason County High School we have an old-school athletic program. By that I mean we still want our student-athletes to play multiple sports. We believe this approach is beneficial to the students and ethical a

Three-Peat State Champions Ithaca High School

Ithaca High School Insight into a great football program that went 42-0! uild it and they will come,” that memorable line from the film Field of Dreams, brings to mind what happened at Ithaca High School in Michigan. In 2012 the school finished a $1 million renovation on their fo

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

Coach Andrea Hudy's Path to Basketball Greatness

Coach Andrea Hudy’s Path to… Andrea Hudy is a hands-on strength coach whose collegiate basketball teams have played in two Final Fours. How this D1 strength coach produces champions at the University of Kansas BY LAANNA CARRASCO, MA desire to motivate and improve those around her

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

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

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

Unity and Organization: Your Winning Secrets

All high school athletes, male and female, will benefit from a total athletic training program. This photo was taken in 2005 during a BFS clinic at Amherst High School in Amherst, Wisconsin. Unity and Organization: Your Winning Secrets A look back at how BFS can put an entire athl

Staying Strong: Frederica Academy

Coach Clint Morgan and Coach Travis Absher celebrate during the obligatory Gatorade shower after their 34-30 state championship victory. Staying Strong: Frederica Academy How a great prep school created a championship football program from scratch n November 30, 2012, Frederica A

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

Women as Personal Trainers: Strategies for Success

areers in fitness, physical education and coaching are some of the most satisfying and rewarding in the country today. They also are very fast-growing fields – the US Department of Labor projects there will be 24 percent more jobs for fitness workers and 30 percent more jobs for

Don't Let the Deadlift Die

BY KIM GOSS, MS 3KRWRE\.DULP*KRQHP‹3ROLTXLQ3HUIRUPDQFH 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

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

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

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

The Power to Prevail

Athens athletes are using BFS to win games and prepare for life after high school BY LAANNA CARRASCO, MA “Nothing can duplicate the confidence you gain from working hard in the weightroom. It gives you a physical and mental edge.” — Luke Mroczenski, senior at Athens High School e

The Roar of the Grizzlies

he 2012 Fruitland football season began with the bar set extremely high. Coming off six straight appearances in the Idaho 3A Championships, this Idaho high school team was expected to return for a seventh appearance with a team that included two Division I Boise State University

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

Body Image and the Female Athlete

BY LAANNA CARRASCO, MA leaner athlete is a better athlete.” Do you agree with this statement? It’s a common belief that is certainly true from a biomechanical perspective: The less mass an athlete has to move, the less force is required to move it at a given speed, meaning that e

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

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.

Heisman Fever

ne of the most predictable aspects of college football is its unpredictability. Take for example, Utah State and the University of Utah. Twice in recent years the Utes had undefeated seasons and yet were kept out of the national championship game due to the peculiarities of the c

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

The Lighter Side of Weightlifting

Geoff Fleming is a former weightlifter and publisher of the classic weightlifting newsletter parody, The International Weightlifting Newsletter and Gazette. Fleming is allowing us to share with BFS readers some of his cartoons, such as this one describing the history of barbell b

Womens's Training vs. Mens's Training

vs. Men’s Training 0DU\3LHU*DXGHWSKRWRE\.DULP*KRQHP‹3ROLTXLQ3HUIRUPDQFH 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

The Look of a Champion

Team BFS athlete Chloe Van Tussenbroek, ready to train in customized athletic wear. ne thing is obvious from watching the Olympics – it’s not only important to perform well, you’ve got to look good while you’re doing it. With the eyes of the world watching, Olympians from every c

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

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

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

What is BFS

BFS? Here’s why the BFS program is so effective for young athletes ne statement BFS clinicians keep hearing over the years is “We did parts of your program and had some success, but it wasn’t until we decided to do the entire BFS Program that our program stepped up to the next le

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

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

The ABC's of Box Jumping

TRAINING & EQUIPMENT /XVLD$QJLODXSKRWRE\6WHYH.LQVORZ Box Jumping The safest and most effective ways to perform this great exercise FS has been saying it for nearly four decades, and finally the message is going mainstream: “Box jumps work!” Not just a way to make athletes m

Upper-Level Testing and Training with Optojump

FEATURE STORY 3KRWR 0DOFROP&DUPLFKDHO$OSLQH&DQDGD Alice McKennis rips to 8th in her first World Cup race since breaking her knee in December 2010. Optojump How technology is improving the way we train Olympic athletes BY ERNIE RIMER, BS, MED ptojump Next is a timing and measu

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

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

Girls Lacrosse Steps Up at VVS High School

wo years ago Duey Weimer took over the girls lacrosse program at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School in central New York. This area of the country is considered a hotbed of lacrosse, and unfortunately the school’s first season three years ago ended with zero wins. But with a posit

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

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

Balance of Power

FEATURE STORY 3KRWRE\'HDQ$WNLQV7LPHOHVV,PDJHV3KRWRJUDSK\,QFZZZWLPHOHVVLPDJHVFRP Balance of Power How the OptoJump is transforming athletic and physical fitness BY BOB ROWBOTHAM, PRESIDENT, BFS alance of power” is an expression often used to describe political and m

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

BFS High School of the Year

3KRWRE\-LP(OOLV0LDPL1HZV5HFRUG 2NODKRPD High School of the Year After one year with BFS, the Bears went from being a 0-10 football team to a 9-3 team. Wyandotte High is the recipient of BFS’s highest award yandotte High School is a terrific place to get an education, not

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

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

The Health Care Community Meets BFS

he University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic has a policy of pushing the envelope by offering creative programs to enable its graduates to provide the best care for their patients. A recent example was the human performance lecture series that took place on January 28-29,

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

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

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

Wide Receiver Jared Abbrederis University of Wisconsin

Jared Abbrederis University of Wisconsin A former BFS Athlete of the Year is making it big in college football espite the advances in sports medicine, when a high school football player tears their ACL, especially if they are in a skill position such as quarterback, that often me

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

Penn State: A Be and 11 Perspective

Penn State: A Be an 11 Perspective Personal thoughts on leadership BY DR. GREG SHEPARD, CEO/FOUNDER BFS ’ve started many successful businesses in my life, one business plans. Business plans are a great idea – in fact, they are critical to success – but there is a big problem if t

Getting Back to Chin-Ups

TRAINING & EQUIPMENT 0DU\3LHU*DXGHWSKRWRE\.DULP*KRQHP The fast track to developing upper body pulling power n July 16, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the President’s Council on Youth Fitness, a governmental organization that was created after a study foun

The Dark Side of Sports: Penn State

Penn State Reflections on the right way to handle scandal BY DR. MARC RABINOFF hat is happening at Penn State is a public relations nightmare, and why it became so is the focus of this article. First, I need to make it clear that I am not going to make judgments about the guilt o