06
CHAPTER

STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT & LIFTING TECHNIQUES

Part 3: Sport-Specific Exercises

The sport-specific exercises are special auxiliary exercises that are designed to add a sport-specific element to your program and aid in injury prevention. Below is a chart that provides examples of sports-specific exercises that can be inserted into your program. For multi-sport athletes, the sport-specific exercise can be based on their primary sport or exercises can be rotated using the exercises for the sports the athlete participates in.

Table 6.1:

Part 4: Full-Body Power Exercises

PowerRev full-body exercises are explosive lifts that feature triple extension of the hips, knees, and ankles. These are the program’s primary power development exercises. The primary core lifts in the program are the Power Clean and Snatch movements. Both these lifts are taught using a progressive series of exercises. The Push Jerk and any of the Clean or Snatch progression exercises can be used as secondary full body movements in the program.

Power Clean Progression Series

Box/Rack Pull

    • Use rack or box to elevate bar off the floor to above the knees (feet shoulder width, hands placed on bar at side of legs)
    • Bend knees so that bar is aligned with middle of upper thigh
    • Lean trunk forward so that chest is over bar (cover bar)
    • Explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend

Figure 6.100: Box/Rack Pull Start Position

Figure 6.101: Box/Rack Pull Top Position

Box/Rack Shrug

    • Use rack or box to elevate bar off the floor to above the knees (feet shoulder width, hands placed on bar at side of legs)
    • Bend knees so that bar is aligned with middle of upper thigh
    • Lean trunk forward so that chest is over bar (cover bar)
    • Explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend
    • Continue to accelerate the bar (introducing the upper body) by aggressively shrugging the shoulders

Figure 6.102: Box/Rack Shrug Start Position

Figure 6.103: Box/Rack Shrug Top Position

Box/Rack High Pull

    • Use rack or box to elevate bar off the floor to above the knees (feet shoulder width, hands placed on bar at side of legs)
    • Bend knees so that bar is aligned with middle of upper thigh
    • Lean trunk forward so that chest is over bar (cover bar)
    • Explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend
    • Continue to move bar upwards, keeping elbows above wrists
    • Pull bar as high as possible (as weight is increased, ability to pull bar up high decreases)

Figure 6.104: Box/Rack High Pull Start Position

Figure 6.105: Box/Rack High Pull Top Position

Hang Pull

    • Picking up bar from floor, lift bar above knees and bend knees so that bar is aligned with middle of upper thigh (feet shoulder width, hands placed on bar at side of legs) – hang position
    • Flex at the hips, slightly leaning trunk forward so that chest is over bar – cover bar (power position)
    • Immediately from power position, explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend

Figure 6.106: Hang Pull Start Position

Figure 6.107: Hang Pull Power Position

Figure 6.108: Hang Pull Top Position

Hang Shrug

    • Picking up bar from floor, lift bar above knees and bend knees so that bar is aligned with middle of upper thigh (feet shoulder width, hands placed on bar at side of legs) – hang position
    • Flex at the hips, slightly leaning trunk forward so that chest is over bar – cover bar (power position)
    • Immediately from power position, explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend
    • Continue to accelerate the bar (introducing the upper body) by aggressively shrugging the shoulders

Figure 6.109: Hang High Pull Start Position

Figure 6.110: Hang Shrug Power Position

Figure 6.111: Hang Shrug Top Position

Hang High Pull

    • Starting with bar in hang position
    • Perform same movement as hang shrug
      • Explosively extend hips forward
      • Complete triple extension
      • Aggressively shrug shoulders upwards
    • Continue to move bar upwards, keeping elbows above wrists
    • Pull bar as high as possible (as weight is increased, ability to pull bar up high decreases)

Figure 6.112: Hang Shrug Start Position

Figure 6.113: Hang High Pull Power Position

Figure 6.114: Hang High Pull Top Position

Floor Initial Pull

    • Feet at hip width, hands should be placed on the bar just outside of legs
    • Barbell in close to the body with arms straight with the elbows rotated out
    • Shoulder blades should be squeezed back with the chest as high as possible
    • Hips are higher than the knees but lower than the shoulders
    • Eyes straight ahead
    • Raise up hips slowly, pulling bar off ground
    • Maintain consistent back angle
    • As soon as the bar gets to above the knees, initiate a violent, explosive hip extension
    • Complete triple extension rising up on toes
    • Return weights to the ground

Figure 6.115: Clean Start Position

Figure 6.116: Floor Pull Top Position

Floor Shrug

    • Perform same steps as Floor Pull
    • Add in aggressive shoulder shrug by lifting/shrugging shoulders up towards ears

Figure 6.117: Clean Start Position

Figure 6.118: Floor High Pull Top Position

Floor High Pull

    • Perform same movement as Floor Shrug
      • Explosively extend hips forward once bar passes above knees
      • Complete triple extension
      • Aggressively shrug shoulders upwards
    • Continue to move bar upwards, keeping elbows above wrists
    • Pull bar as high as possible (as weight is increased, ability to pull bar up high decreases)

Figure 6.119: Clean Start Position

Figure 6.120: Floor High Pull Top Position

Power Clean

    • Perform the Floor High Clean Pull
    • Spread the feet to squat width (heels under the shoulders with the toes pointed slightly out)
    • At the same time, violently force the elbows forward and up while dropping the hips down and back
    • Catch bar in a Front Squat (Clean Grip) position and stand up with it

Floor Shrug

Figure 6.121: Clean Start Position

Figure 6.122: Clean Catch Position

Figure 6.123: Clean Finish Position

Snatch Progression Series

Box/Rack Pull

    • Use rack or box to elevate bar off the floor above the knees (feet shoulder width, using a snatch width grip – overhead squat grip)
    • Bend knees so that bar is aligned with middle of upper thigh
    • Lean trunk forward so that chest is over bar (cover bar)
    • Explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend

Figure 6.124: Box/Rack Snatch Start Position

Figure 6.125: Box/Rack Snatch Pull Top Position

Box/Rack Shrug

    • Use rack or box to elevate bar off the floor to above the knees (feet shoulder width, using a snatch width grip – overhead squat grip)
    • Bend knees so that bar is aligned with middle of upper thigh
    • Lean trunk forward so that chest is over bar (cover bar)
    • Explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend
    • Continue to accelerate the bar (introducing the upper body) by aggressively shrugging the shoulders

Figure 6.126: Box/Rack Snatch Start Position

Figure 6.127: Box/Rack Snatch Shrug Top Position

Hang Snatch

    • Picking up bar from floor, lift bar above knees and bend knees so that bar is aligned with middle of upper thigh (feet shoulder width, using a snatch width grip – overhead squat grip) – hang position
    • Flex at the hips, slightly leaning trunk forward so that chest is over bar – cover bar (power position)
    • Immediately from power position, explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend

Floor Shrug

Figure 6.128: Hang Snatch Start Position

Figure 6.129: Hang Snatch Power Position

Figure 6.130: Hang Snatch Pull Position

Hang Shrug

    • Picking up bar from floor, lift bar above knees and bend knees so that bar is aligned with middle of upper thigh (feet shoulder width, using a snatch width grip – overhead squat grip) – hang position
    • Flex at the hips, slightly leaning trunk forward so that chest is over bar – cover bar (power position)
    • Immediately from power position, explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend
    • Continue to accelerate the bar (introducing the upper body) by aggressively shrugging the shoulders

Figure 6.131: Hang Snatch Start Position

Figure 6.132: Hang Snatch Power Position

Figure 6.133: Hang Snatch Shrug Position

Floor Initial Pull

    • Feet at hip width, using a snatch width grip – overhead squat grip
    • Barbell in close to the body with arms straight and with the elbows rotated out
    • Shoulder blades should be squeezed back with the chest as high as possible
    • Hips are higher than the knees but lower than the shoulders
    • Eyes straight ahead
    • Raise up hips slowly, pulling bar off ground
    • Maintain consistent back angle
    • As soon as the bar gets to above the knees, initiate a violent, explosive hip extension
    • Complete triple extension, rising up on toes 
    • Return weights to the ground

Figure 6.134: Snatch Start Position

Figure 6.135: Floor Initial Snatch Pull Top Position

Floor Shrug

    • Perform same steps as Floor Initial Pull
    • Add in aggressive shoulder shrug
    • Lifting / shrugging shoulders up towards ears

Figure 6.136: Snatch Start Position

Figure 6.137: Floor Initial Snatch Pull Top Position

Snatch

    • Perform the Snatch Shrug continuing to accelerate the bar upwards
    • Spread the feet to squat width (heels under the shoulders with the toes pointed out)
    • At the same time, allow the bar to fly right by the lifter’s nose while dropping the hips down and back to catch the bar in an Overhead Squat position
    • Stand up with the bar overhead

Figure 6.138: Snatch Start Position

Figure 6.139: Snatch Catch Position

Figure 6.140: Snatch Finish Position

Secondary Full Body Movements

Pressing Continuum

    • Shoulder Press – all upper body and no help from the lower body
    • Push Press – primarily upper body with some help from the legs
    • Push Jerks – primarily lower body with some help from the upper body

Push Press

    • The Push Press and Push Jerk are very similar movements (see Push Jerk teaching points)
    • The difference is in the use of the arms and the legs
      • In the Push Press emphasizes the upper body, using more force production from the upper body and shoulders, with some help from the legs
      • The Push Jerk emphasizes the lower body, using more explosive force production from the lower body with some help from the upper body

Push Jerk

    • Starting position – Shoulder Press-In Front
    • Slightly dip the hips down and back while slightly bending the knees
    • Immediately extend the legs, explosively pushing the bar upward and slightly back, tucking the chin out of the way
    • Once the bar passes the head, return the head to its original position
    • Finishing the lift by pressing the bar with the shoulders
      • Allow the heels to return to the ground
      • Dip with knees slightly bent to absorb impact of bar coming down (getting under bar)
      • Lock the elbows out with the bar right behind the ears and straighten legs out to standing position

Figure 6.141: Push Jerk Starting Position

Figure 6.142: Push Jerk Hip Dip Position

Figure 6.143: Jerk Extension Position

Figure 6.144: Push Jerk Catch Position

Figure 6.145: Push Jerk Finish Position

Kettlebell/Dumbbell Swings

    • Bend knees so that kettlebell/dumbbell is aligned with middle of upper thigh
    • Lean trunk forward so that chest is over kettlebell/dumbbell (cover weight)
    • Explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend

Figure 6.146: Kettlebell Swing Bottom Position

Figure 6.147: Kettlebell Swing Power Position

Figure 6.148: Kettlebell Swing Top Position

Figure 6.149: Dumbbell Swing Starting Position

Figure 6.150: Dumbbell Swing Power Position

Figure 6.151: Dumbbell Swing Triple Extension Position

Figure 6.152: Dumbbell Finishing Position

Kettlebell/Dumbbell Clean

    • Lean trunk forward so that chest is over kettlebell/dumbbell (cover weight)
    • Explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend
    • Continue to accelerate (introducing the upper body) the kettlebell/dumbbell by aggressively shrugging the shoulders

Figure 6.153: Kettlebell Snatch Bottom Position

Figure 6.154: Kettlebell Snatch Pull Position

Figure 6.155: Kettlebell Snatch Receiving Position

Figure 6.156: Kettlebell Snatch Top Position

Figure 6.157: Dumbbell Snatch Bottom Position

Figure 6.158: Dumbbell Snatch Pull Position

Figure 6.159: Dumbbell Snatch Receiving Position

Figure 6.160: Dumbbell Snatch Top Position

Kettlebell/Dumbbell Snatch

    • Bend knees so that kettlebell/dumbbell is aligned with middle of upper thigh
    • Lean trunk forward so that chest is over kettlebell/dumbbell (cover weight)
    • Explosively pop hips forward as you triple extend

Figure 6.161: Kettlebell Snatch Bottom Position

Figure 6.162: Kettlebell Snatch Pull Position

Figure 6.163: Kettlebell Snatch Receiving Position

Figure 6.164: Kettlebell Snatch Top Position

Figure 6.165: Dumbbell Snatch Bottom Position

Figure 6.166: Dumbbell Snatch Pull Position

Figure 6.167: Dumbbell Snatch Receiving Position

Figure 6.168: Dumbbell Snatch Top Position