Modelos de educación sexual

Do not use a crossover grip in the clean-grip front squat.

Athletes must be able to execute a proper front squat to be able to clean properly. The front squat start position is used for the clean catch, the push jerk, and the push press.

Even if you elect to use the back squat as your primary lower-body exercise, the front squat is actually an excellent way to teach the squat. Why?

• Front squats require perfect body position.

• Front squats develop shoulder flexibility, a big plus in the bench press–dominated world of strength training. Flexibility is enhanced only if a clean grip is used, which I recommend.

Front squats require less weight and put less pressure on the ego.

No one seems to beg for more weight in the front squat.

It is important to note that if you are having trouble developing proper squat technique with your athletes, you are attempting to use too much weight too soon or your athletes have inadequate flexibility or mobility in the hips and ankles. The optimal way to stretch for the squat is to sit in the full squat position, place the elbows on the inner sides of the knees, and push the knees out over the toes while arching the back. Master the technique over the first month if necessary, and work hard on the single-leg exercises after your squat workout.

Why Do Squats Cause Unusual Inner Thigh Soreness?

Until recently I often asked myself the above question. Why do athletes often report unusual levels of soreness in an area that appears to be the adductors or the medial hamstrings and, why does it seem even worse with lunges? I can’t tell you the number of athletes that I have encountered who have described a sensation of

“pulling their groin” after being introduced to squatting or lunges for the first time. My answer came from a book called Anatomy Trains, written by a Rolfer named Meyers. Meyers describes the adductor magnus as the “fourth hamstring”. Not only do some people refer to the adductor magnus as the fourth hamstring but, the adductor magnus is in fact the third most powerful hip extensor. Many athletes will never use the adductor magnus as a hip extensor until they begin to squat low or perform walking lunges. When they do either of these exercises they “wake up” the adductor magnus. The response is usually a painful one.

Klaus Wiemann wrote an article entitled “Relative Activity of Hip and Knee Extensors in Sprinting- Implications for Training”

(Weimann 1995, p32) In his article, he describes how the adductor group, primarily the adductor magnus, plays a critical role in

sprinting. It acts as both a powerful hip extensor and a

counterbalance to the powerful external rotating capability of the glute max. Many in the performance world have not even explored this fact. When we discuss single leg strength, this fact will be even more critical.

Adding Instability to the Front Squat

Over the past few years, my training philosophy has changed in regard to the number of times per week to perform a lift.

The old philosophy was a heavy–light system in which a specific lift, such as the front squat, was done twice per week, once with a heavy load and once with light load. Light days were difficult to enforce and regulate. Instead of light days, I often opt for unstable days or unilateral days. Unstable days serve two purposes. Unstable-surface work forces the athlete to lift lighter while also developing balance and proprioception.

The unstable surface also requires the athlete to concentrate on technique and weight distribution to be successful.

Unstable surface training has become controversial over the past few years with the explosion of stability ball training and the use of other unstable environments. Opponents of unstable surface training tend to be old school powerlifters or Olympic lifters who feel that the old ways are the best ways.

The advocates of unstable surface training feel that unstable surface training adds additional proprioceptive demand to the exercise, a position that rehab specialists have taken for years. In my mind the science here is undeniable. Physical therapists have designed exercises to increase proprioceptive demand in a rehab setting for years and would never think of discontinuing this practice. The application of this concept to healthy athletes as a preventative measure is sensible.

The opponents of unstable surface training frequently cite studies indicating that unstable surface training does not cause additional activation of the prime movers and, they may be right. However, those of us who advocate unstable surface training are not doing it to add additional stress to the prime movers but rather to add additional stress to stabilizers and neutralizers. The next time someone tells you that unstable surface training is a waste of time, see if they haul out these same examples. In my opinion, unstable surface training is

actually used in my opinion to decrease the stress on a prime mover while increasing the stress on that prime mover’s synergists. Many of the opponents of unstable surface training are in fact opposing the concept without actually understanding its purpose.

Balance-Board Squats

Balance-board squats are an excellent way to provide additional proprioceptive stress to the lower body while continuing to develop technique in the front squat. This drill is done exactly the same as the front squat except that athlete or client stands on a balance board such as the Reebok Core Board. For heavy balance-board squats, our boards are constructed of three-quarter-inch plywood measuring 18 inches by 36 inches, attached to a base made from a four-by-four. These boards must be sturdy. The four-by-four is trimmed with a router to provide a surface of slightly less than three inches in contact with the floor. The base is attached to the four-by-four with both construction adhesive and screws.

Please realize that if you construct your own balance boards, you assume responsibility for the construction quality and for liability.