Analysis of the Top 10 Foundational Movements for Forging Powerful Athletes - Movements 6-10

#6. PUSH PRESS
The Push Press teaches an athlete to recruit power from their hips. Much like the shoulder press the athlete starts with the load on the frontal deltoid then explosively rebounds their hips through a full ROM and comes to extension overhead. This teaches proper hip function and athleticism. Proper hip function is the largest deciding factor when looking at those players that are successful on the field. In high school size is the largest deciding factor in who is successful but once the player reaches a collegiate or professional level where age, size and strength are more consistent, hip function and the ability to generate violent force through a full range of motion is the deciding factor in who makes it and who does not.

#7. POWER CLEAN
One of the fastest movements in sports, the Clean is used for explosion and violent movement. Much like the push jerk and the front squat it requires an athlete to generate force from their hips. A player starts with an active hip and they travel into “triple extension” generating force in a vertical plane. Much like the vertical jump and push jerk, it forces the athlete to move dynamically. This vertical dynamic movement is vital to athletic success.

#8. PUSH JERK
The Push Jerk is the second part of the Clean and Jerk movement. This movement teaches the player to activate their hips and drive through a full extension and re-bend to catch the weight in a squatted position. It teaches a player how to explode through their hips and generate power in a short time period. The movement is done quickly and violently and has correlation to a player exploding their hips upon contact to make a hit or make a tackle. Hip function is vital to a player’s ability to be successful on the field. A vertical jump also demonstrates an athlete’s ability to generate force in a vertical plane. A push jerk demands the same task from a player except with weight and a vertical movement by the shoulders.

#9. OVERHEAD SQUAT
It is said that you can tell a lot about an athlete by how they Overhead Squat. This is a true statement. It is a marker for athleticism and flexibility. The ability to reach a squatted position with weight held overhead is not an easy task. The ability to activate a player’s shoulders to support the weight and the flexibility and strength to complete the lift are a show of strength and athletic nature. The Overhead Squat, along with the Snatch, is the single greatest movement that can possibly be performed to improve midline stability (commonly termed “core strength” by globo-fitness “professionals”). (My contention with the term “core” is a whole other topic that will soon be hashed out). The Overhead Squat may very well be considered the vertical jump of the various squats. The vertical jump has long been considered the mark of the athlete.

#10. SNATCH
With the Overhead Squat being the marker for the various forms of squat the Snatch would be the marker for all lifts. This lift is a culmination of all of the lifts in one movement and rather visibly demonstrates the movements or positioning of nearly all of the movements previously listed. It is considered the greatest test of strength, speed, and power (while incorporating a great deal of flexibility and coordination) that can be demonstrated. Upon performing the Snatch an athlete will have moved a load the greatest distance that an athlete can possibly move a maximal load in a controlled manner – from the ground to a locked out overhead position. The Snatch maximizes the benefits largely recognized in the push jerk and the clean.

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com