goergen1
09-24-2007, 01:36 PM
Overhead Squats
by Rusel Lewis
We use the ""Keep It Simple"" philosophy when it comes to the power/strength program here at Modesto Christian High. We squat, squat, squat, dead, dead, dead, press and pull. Don't get me wrong, this is not Powerlifting High (only in my dreams), our mission is to develop agile, mobile and hostile gridiron gladiators.
An exercise we feel is extremely helpful for our men in the trenches is the overhead squat (OS).
In this lift, the lifter takes the bar from the rack with a behind the neck snatch grip, and spaces his feet as if to do a front squat. The bar is pressed or jerked into the locked arms(starting) position. The lifter takes a deep breath and holds it throughout the duration of the lift. The back is set as the lifter slowly descends into a rock bottom Olympic squat with arms firmly fixed overhead. The lifter then stands up into the starting position. Ya! One rep done!
It is important to move steadily in this exercise, controlling the bar, and feeling the movement. You must teach the linemen confidence in the bottom position, we accomplish this by doing the movement with a PVC pipe. This is an excellent hip, quad and trunk movement that teaches body control and stabilization.
Teaching Notes: On the descend we always initiate the our squat by breaking at the hips. Bar, foot and hip placement are primary factors in teaching young athletes power, Olympic or in between squat style.
A good way to teach the hip break for the OS is to have a lineman squat to a very low bench placed directly under him with his eyes closed. After three closed eye sets, move the bench away...another squatter is born!
Teaching Note: With the bar fixed overhead, we like our linemen to pull on the bar, to stretch the bar out and shrug their shoulders. This creates a tight fixed position with the bar slightly behind the ears.
Put the OS in your lineman programs, it will be a direct link to the line's success on the field.
by Rusel Lewis
We use the ""Keep It Simple"" philosophy when it comes to the power/strength program here at Modesto Christian High. We squat, squat, squat, dead, dead, dead, press and pull. Don't get me wrong, this is not Powerlifting High (only in my dreams), our mission is to develop agile, mobile and hostile gridiron gladiators.
An exercise we feel is extremely helpful for our men in the trenches is the overhead squat (OS).
In this lift, the lifter takes the bar from the rack with a behind the neck snatch grip, and spaces his feet as if to do a front squat. The bar is pressed or jerked into the locked arms(starting) position. The lifter takes a deep breath and holds it throughout the duration of the lift. The back is set as the lifter slowly descends into a rock bottom Olympic squat with arms firmly fixed overhead. The lifter then stands up into the starting position. Ya! One rep done!
It is important to move steadily in this exercise, controlling the bar, and feeling the movement. You must teach the linemen confidence in the bottom position, we accomplish this by doing the movement with a PVC pipe. This is an excellent hip, quad and trunk movement that teaches body control and stabilization.
Teaching Notes: On the descend we always initiate the our squat by breaking at the hips. Bar, foot and hip placement are primary factors in teaching young athletes power, Olympic or in between squat style.
A good way to teach the hip break for the OS is to have a lineman squat to a very low bench placed directly under him with his eyes closed. After three closed eye sets, move the bench away...another squatter is born!
Teaching Note: With the bar fixed overhead, we like our linemen to pull on the bar, to stretch the bar out and shrug their shoulders. This creates a tight fixed position with the bar slightly behind the ears.
Put the OS in your lineman programs, it will be a direct link to the line's success on the field.