Bigger Faster Stronger by Greg Shepard

Author:Greg Shepard [Greg Shepard, EdD, and Kim Goss]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781492545811
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Published: 2017-03-17T04:00:00+00:00

One reason we felt the need to promote a youth hex bar was that in addition to other benefits, the hex bar teaches athletes to lock in the lower back, which is important for squats and cleans. However, with the weight of a regular hex bar and Olympic-size metal or bumper plates, the weights could be too heavy to perform repetitions with. Repetitions are a key to good technique, which is one of the goals of the BFS Readiness Program.

Straight-Leg Deadlift

Along with the box squat, one of the most controversial exercises in the BFS program is the straight-leg deadlift. And as with the box squat, the opposition to the straight-leg deadlift is not based upon facts but upon a misunderstanding of the purpose of the exercise and its execution. Let’s try to clear up some of these misunderstandings.

One of the most important variables in designing strength and conditioning workouts for athletes is exercise selection. There are barbell exercises, dumbbell exercises, medicine ball exercises, plyometric jumping exercises, and . . . well, you get the idea. In the high school environment, where there are often limited equipment and large classes, it’s more practical from an administrative standpoint to keep the exercise choices to a minimum.

At BFS, we’ve tried to keep the matter of exercise selection simple. We describe core exercises, such as squats, that are used year-round to develop strength. And then we have auxiliary exercises, such as glute-ham raises, that are used at specific times during the year depending on what sport an athlete participates in. These auxiliary lifts simulate specific movements in sports or are performed as prehab exercises to work frequently injured muscles. Under the BFS system, a hex-bar deadlift, which is a multijoint exercise that uses a lot of muscle mass, would be considered a core exercise. This is in contrast to an isolation exercise, such as the leg curl, which would be considered an auxiliary exercise. The straight-leg deadlift should also be used as an auxiliary exercise. Controversy surrounds the straight-leg deadlift when it is treated as a core exercise rather than as an auxiliary.

With the straight-leg deadlift, a straight bar is used and the bar remains in front of the body (see figure 8.3). Thus, potential power is reduced and the exercise lends itself to rounding the spine. As such, it should not be used as a strengthening exercise by being performed with heavy weights. Instead, it should be thought of as a stretching exercise.

Figure 8.3 The straight-leg deadlift performed on a low platform is an effective way to stretch the hamstrings and lower back.

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