Culture of Commitment: An Off-Season to Build From
In-season success starts in the off-season. The off-season is an opportunity to attack what needs to be done to dominate the in-season.
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Squat Therapy
Looking for exercises to improve squat form and technique? Squat therapy is a dynamic way to improve squat form for all students and athletes.
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Teaching Jump Rope
Back as a first year PE teacher and high school strength coach, one thing that surprised me most was the inability of many students and athletes to jump rope. I had assumed that jumping rope was a universal skill kids picked up along the way during childhood. Turns out, that’s not necessarily the case. Again…
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How to Teach Push Ups
We teachers and coaches are constantly faced with the challenging task of introducing new and inexperienced students and athletes to what many may call “the basics.” It is this foundation that we lay when they first walk into the gym, that serves as the basis for their long-term fitness and performance. Our responsibility, then, is to demonstrate and instill mastery of these basics within each and every athlete.
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Teaching the Thruster
The Thruster. Arguably one of our favorite movements, as well as one of the most challenging in almost any training scenario. The thruster is a true full body movement that combines a full-depth squat with a press to lockout overhead. It is a serious “bang for buck” movement when it comes to athletic development.
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Teaching the Front Squat
One of the 3 most common loaded variations of our standard air squat – the Front Squat is widely regarded as the most “athletic” of the weighted squat movements. When attempting the Front Squat for the first time, there are a few main coaching points to keep in mind.
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Teaching the Overhead Squat
One of our very favorite movements here at PLT4M, the overhead squat is a must-have in any athletic training program. Here’s how to teach your athletes the overhead squat.
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Teaching the Back Squat
Once our athletes have mastered the foundational air squat (and only then), the first loaded variation we introduce is the “High Bar Back Squat”. The back squat, along with the bench press and barbell deadlift, is one of the 3 “Power Lifts” and is widely considered one of the best tools for developing raw strength.
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How to Teach the Squat
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.
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Fix Your Deadlift
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.
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Snow Day? Workout Anyway.
Snowstorm ruining your week of training? A day off from school and away from the gym doesn’t have to be unproductive. Even being stuck in the house, we can put together a simple yet effective workout for our athletes.
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A Secret Weapon for Off-Season Training
Often, we see high school coaches and athletes get so caught up during the off-season with such a motivation and desire for intensity that they neglect proper scheduling, recovery, and injury prevention. Training with intensity is great, but we must have purpose and planning or we will never see true progress.
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