The new video goes live on Thursday, 12.28.23, at 9am, EST

In this video series, I work with an HS Junior football player who has had an outstanding Junior year at OLD, MLB, and Strong Safety since this video was shot. We cover the warm-ups he should do before lifting in the weight room and then go from there as the series progresses next week onto the squat/bench/deadlift, etc.

I want to make clear that one colossal mistake coaches make with footballers is trying to turn them into powerlifters. Yes, Fullbacks and LBers resemble powerlifter builds, but the goals differ significantly to brush the surface. Get them strong, but strong for playing on the field; what an LB can pull from the floor means nothing. I’m not saying anyone deadlifting from the floor who plays football is an idiot. But if they are getting paid millions to tackle/hit/collide with the fastest athletes in the world running downhill at them, they should focus on that, not powerlifting.

In the first video, I first break down Slade’s squat form with the KB; then, we move to the barbell squat. Remember, we are doing this in real-time, so changing forms and getting everything dialed in can take a few sessions. I feel the barbell squat is an excellent strength builder for most football players, but the depth of the squat and load and too much emphasis on strength can become an issue for some.

In the second video, I reviewed Slade’s squat and worked with him on dialing his form and approach. Though not perfect, I think this was a perfect starting point for his squat going into his senior year, and we will do follow-ups. It’s hard to fix a lift in 30-minute working hours, but we did a good and adequate job.

In the third video, I reviewed Slade’s bench and worked on the bar path and setup. In this video, we go over his bench, approach, and bar path. Many lifters, especially footballers, butcher the bench press and press like a bodybuilder, which, in my opinion, isn’t ideal. You will see the corrections in the form, specifically the bar pathway.

And in this 4th video of the series, I cover the deadlift with Slade. From grip to overall strategy for the deadlift as we set and form the lifter’s wedge.

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