Spring 2023 - 29

BACK SQUAT
We want the athletes to pull their shoulders
back and their scapulae together in order to build
a solid base to rest
the bar. The bar
should
not be
pressed against
the cervical spine
region.
Teach a neutral
head position, in
what is called a
" conversational
plane, " with the
head slightly pulled
back. Head and
shoulders lead the
ascent. Deliberate contraction of the abdominal
wall at the onset of the descent.
Pro-Tip: It is imperative that the teaching cues
for this lift remain constant with extra emphasis
placed upon the aforementioned posture, back
position, and pelvic tilt.
THE BARBELL LUNGE
Step forward with the lead leg into hip flexion,
transferring body and bar weight from rear leg
to front leg. Lead shin is perpendicular to the
floor. The thigh
approximately
parallels to
the floor.
Rear leg knee
almost touches
floor-a result of
dropping the hips
when planting lead
foot. Head,
shoulders, upper
tacticaltrainingandconditioning.com | 29
torso and low back all adhere
to postural and mechanical
components of the squat
techniques. Transfer weight
from the front leg to the rear leg
with a push-off back into hip flexion
to secure starting position.
The movement is repeated
for the contralateral limb.
Pro-Tip: Place the bar on the same
shoulder shelf described with the back
squat. These do not require heavy
weight load to be effective.
THE UNILATERAL LEG PRESS
The added feature of unilateral training
brings another important piece to the training
environment. Not only in the inevitable cases of
injury to one limb, but for focusing and targeting
the training to one limb at a time.
There are several heavy-duty, well-designed,
size-accommodating units that provide variable
resistance throughout a full-range, smooth
strength curve. They allow deep hip flexion with
firm back support, which is always a plus, and
are requirements in specific cases.
Pro-Tip: Well-constructed leg press units offer
unique features that qualify them as meeting any
one or more of the following requirements:
* The feature lower-body lift of the day.
* An adjunct to the noted
barbell movements.
* A functional, required,
alternative
mode. n
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Spring 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spring 2023
