Proficiency Check List

This year my Personal Fitness classes are much larger; usually about 50. Since there many more students in the weight room I had to do my best to ensure a safe lifting environment. With that in mind I developed a Proficiency Check List for all the core lifts in class. The core lifts are Squats, Deadlifts, Front Squats, Bench and Power/Hang Cleans. Also part of the check list is the progression I have for teaching cleans; Jump Shrug, High Pull, Front Squat and Tall Clean. This is the check list I require for all of my students. After they complete the check list I take them thought a max progression in their Fitness Evaluation.

NAME____________


PERIOD____________

SQUAT PROFICIENCY CHECK LIST

_____ BAR CENTERED ON BACK RESTING ON SOFT TISSUE NOT BONE

_____ FEET SHOULDER WIDTH APART

_____ HIPS MOVE BACK, WEIGHT ON HEELS OF FEET

_____ LEGS PARALLEL TO GROUND, KNEES AT 90’, BUTT BELOW KNEES

_____ MAINTAIN SPINE ANGLE

DEADLIFT PROFICIENCY CHECK LIST

_____ OVER UNDER GRIP

_____ FEET SHOULDER WIDTH APART

_____ HIPS AND SHOULDERS MOVE AT SAME TIME

_____ CONTROL WEIGHT TO THE GROUND

_____ MAINTAIN SPINE ANGLE

FRONT SQUAT PROFICIENCY CHECK LIST

_____ 2 FINGERS ON BAR, HANDS JUST OUTSIDE SHOULDERS

_____ WRIST FLEXION, BAR RESTING ON SHOULDERS

_____ ELBOWS UP

_____ PROPER SQUAT

_____ MAINTAIN SPINE ANGLE

BENCH PROFICIENCY CHECK LIST

_____ EYES UNDER BAR

_____ PROPER GRIP

_____ ELBOWS AT 90’ WHEN BAR TOUCHES CHEST

_____ BAR TRAVELS IN ARCH

_____ MAINTAIN SPINE ANGLE, FEET ON GROUND

CLEAN PROGRESSIONS PROFICIENCY CHECK LIST

_____ JUMP SHRUG

_____ HIGH PULL

_____ FRONT SQUAT

_____ TALL CLEAN

POWER/HANG CLEAN PROFICIENCY CHECK LIST

_____ HAND PLACEMENT ON BAR

_____ FEET UNDER HIPS

_____ JUMP-SHRUG-PULL UNDER THE BAR

_____ BAR STAYS CLOSE TO BODY, NO SWINGING

_____ CATCH/RECEIVE BAR IN DEEP FRONT SQUAT POSITION

_____ FRONT SQUAT WITH ELBOWS UP

_____ MAINTAIN SPINE ANGLE

Teaching Cleans

Many kids dont understand how cleans/power cleans is a lower body explosive movement and try to "pull" the bar with the upper body. You can see that upper body pull when the break their elbows early. As Coach Burgener says, "When the elbow bends, the power ends." I was trying to explain this to one of my football players and decided to use the IPhone to help with some video.

Now there is a tiny difference between the first and second videos but the form is so much better.

I teach a clean progression of Jump Shrug, High Pull, Front Squat and Tall Clean all to reinforce technique for cleans. When a kid breaks their elbows early I remind them to get in a good high pull and drop under the bar. It's all about "Jump, "Shrug," and "Pull."

Back to work

It's been quite awhile since I posted, had some vacation time and school started up. Working with football and my classes has kept me busy but now I am back to work.

Week 3

Day 1
Plate Warm up
Jump Shrug/High Pull/Front Squat/Tall Clean all x 5
Squats 55x5 65x5 70x5 75x5
Bench 52x5 70x5 75x5 80x5
Deadlift 60x5 65x5 70x5 75x5
Clean 52x5 57x5 60x5 65x5
Abs & Bridges
PNF Stretch

Day 2
Plate Warm up
Jump Shrug/High Pull/Front Squat/Tall Clean all x 5
Front Squat 50x5 55x5 60x6 60x5
DB Snatch 35x5 40x4 45x5 45x4
Deadlift 60x5 70x5 80x5 80x5
Clean 50x5 55x5 60x5 60x5
MB Sit ups 20 25 30
Abs & Bridges
PNF Stretch

Day 3
Plate Warm up
Jump Shrug/High Pull/Front Squat/Tall Clean all x 5
5 dot drill
Deadlift 50x5 55x5 60x5 65x5
Bench 50x5 60x5 70x5 70x5
KB Lunges 10 10 10
SL Squats 10 10 10
Abs & Bridges

PNF Stretch

Day 4
Plate Warm up

Jump Shrug/High Pull/Front Squat/Tall Clean all x 5
Squat 55x5 70x5 80x5 85x5
Bench 55x5 65x5 75x5 80x3
Deadlift 55x5 75x5 85x5 90x5
Clean 55x5 65x5 75x5 80x5
Turkish Get Ups 10 10 10
Abs & Bridges

PNF Stretch

The first two weeks were much more of an active rest period. The team needed some rest and recovery from spring ball and the end of school. This is the first week of our strength development phase. There are more sets and higher percentages this week. I also added the 5 dot drill on Day 3. If you are good you can complete the 5 dot in under a minute.

Day 3

Jump Shrug/High Pull/Front Squat/Tall Clean all x5

Squats 50x5 55x5 60x5 65x5
Bench Press 50x5 60x6 65x5 70x5
KB Lunges x10 x10 x10 (you choose the weight)
SL Squats x10 x10 x10 (you choose the weight)
Woodchoppers
SuperAbs & Bridges
PNF/Partner Stretch

Day 2

Jump Shrug/High Pull/Front Squat/Tall Clean

Front Squats 50x5 55x5 60x5
DB Snatch 35x5 40x5 45x5
Deadlift 50x5 55x5 60x5
Clean 50x5 55x5 60x5
MB Sit ups 20  25  30
Abs & Stabiliziations
PNF/Partner Stretch

Use your squat max to determine your front squat weights. You will have to do a little math for DB Snatch, those percentages are from your clean max and you have to take half of that weight. Since you are using one dumbbell at a time, that is half of the total weight lifted. So determine what 35% of your clean max is and take half of it.

Summer Training Day 1

Day 1


Exercise Set 1 Set 2 Set 3

Jump Shrug/High Pull/Front Squat/Tall clean

Squat 50x 5 60x 5 70x 5

Bench Press 50x 5 60x 5 70x 5

Deadlift 65x 5 75x 5 80x 5

Clean 50x 5 60x 5 70x 5

Woodchoppers 10 10 10

Abdominals & Stabilizations

PNF/PARTNER STRETCH

This is Day 1 of the Rajah Summer Training Program. Since the team just finished up with Spring Ball, this week is pretty light. Everything is based off your 1-rep max. For example; set 1 of your squats is at 50% of your max, set 2 is 60% and set 3 is at 70%. The same follows for all your other lifts except for your deadlifts. I take your percentage for your deadlifts from your squat max, so you need to adjust accordingly.  Make sure you warm up and do Jump Shrugs/High Pulls/Front Squat/Tall Clean before any core lifts. Remember to stretch after.

Getting ready for summer training

RAJAH POWER-SUMMER STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM




Dear Rajahs,



Welcome to the second year of the Rajah Power summer strength and conditioning program. The purpose of this summer training program is to develop power and explosion to be used in athletic competition. No matter how strong you are, success in athletics depends upon the ability to produce maximum power as quickly as possible. The Rajah Power strength and conditioning program is based on sport specific Olympic style weightlifting and core strength lifts. These lifts are multi muscle and multi joint lifts that produce neuromuscular and hormonal adaptation within the body. Lifting in this fashion will develop total body power, overall coordination, balance and postural awareness and improve speed and anaerobic endurance. All these components are necessary to be a successful athlete and improve your performance in competition.



Even if you are using the Rajah Power program to improve your overall fitness, and are not interested participation in athletics these lifts and these training methods will show dramatic improvements in your strength, fitness and body composition and are essential components in overall fitness.



The weight room will be open from Monday through Thursday starting on Monday June 14th from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm. The weight room will be reserved for the football team starting at 5:00 pm. All athletes and students of Indio High School are encouraged to come and use the weight room at these times over the summer.



The first two weeks of the summer will be a teaching phase. During this phase proper technique in squats, deadlifts, power cleans, front squat, snatch and bench press will be taught. It is highly recommended that you attend all training sessions the first two weeks so you can develop proficiency in these lifts because they will be emphasized during your training sessions. Not only will proper exercise technique be taught but instruction will also cover appropriate nutritional strategies, hydration and rest and recovery. After the teaching phase is complete, the work outs will shift to a strength development phase for the next four weeks. Once the strength development phase is completed a power and explosion phase will last for the next 4 weeks. As of right now, the weight room will be closed the week of August 23rd through August 27th. This down time will allow you to recover and be fully prepared and rested for the start of your season and the school year. The first day of school is August 30th and I would expect to see you in either 6th period Athletic PE or one of my Personal Fitness courses.



Any questions please feel free to contact me directly.



Michael Walsh –Michael.walsh@dsusd.us

Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA-CSCS)

USA Weightlifting Level 1 Coach

*You can follow the training program on line via my blog-http://coachmichaelwalsh.blogspot.com/

Indio High School Weight Room

Home of Rajah Power Strength and Conditioning

The weight room at Indio High School has nine full squat racks, two of which have platform inserts, three homemade wood platforms and three more thud rug/horse stall mat platforms. There are close to six thousand pounds of weights available; almost 2,500 in bumper plates and 3,500 in metal plates. Kettlebells and dumbbells are also available for use by the students and student athletes of Indio High School.

Back to Work

The Indio High School weight room has been shut down this past week due to spring break. The football team just completed 10 weeks of old school training (deadlifts, squats, cleans and bench) and my Personal Fitness Classes went through a 4 week cycle of strength development. All my teams (football, soccer and basketball) maxed out the week before break as did my fitness classes. Now it's back to work with new maxes and a new focus in training. Football will start working on speed and agility and their weight room sessions will focus on building up work capacity and explosion. All I can say is I hope everyone took advantage of the break and is fully rested ready to get back to work.