The Squat. Arguably the most foundational movement within any fitness or training program. Why? It’s simple. Mastering it boasts the most bang for your buck.
For good reason, the Deadlift is beloved by coaches everywhere. It is an excellent way to develop pure, total body strength as well as reinforce good posture and proper mechanics that relate to many other movements. Unfortunately, though, it is also a movement where strength can trump form – it’s too easy to do it the wrong way.
We believe the squat to be one of, if not the most important movement in which all athletes should become proficient. Learning a proper squat is crucial for athletes as it has applications in strength, mobility, stamina, injury prevention, and above all, sets a great foundation of strength and movement mechanics.
The clean, and all of its variations, is an incredible tool for athletic development, as well as general fitness. When executed properly, this one movement can help an athlete improve in all of these areas.
At St. Paul High School in Nebraska, a smaller school comprised of just a few hundred kids, Rusty Fuller serves as the Physical Education director for grades 7th through 12th, and is the Head Football Coach. Like many schools across the country, St. Paul has recently initiated a school-wide approach to fitness and physical training.…
One of the biggest issues we see on a regular basis is athletes sacrificing depth and form during the back squat in favor of loading up the bar with heavy weight.
Avoid the Starfish Catch – one of the most common faults we see with athletes performing the clean. Reinforce a good power position, allowing for depth at greater loads.
The Air Squat. Arguably the single most important movement for young students and athletes to learn. Proper squatting is vital to both athletic performance and overall physical health. Teaching such a foundational movement should be simple right? Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
Want to build more powerful athletes? Most coaches would agree that incorporating lifts like the clean is a good start. The clean is an explosive, athletic movement, utilizing the entire body that can drastically increase power output.