fbpx
  • Start Here
  • Consultation
  • Store
  • Podcast
  • Get Certified
    • SSPC
    • Underground Strength Coach
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Course Login

Zach Even-Esh

Blog » Are You NOT Ready for Barbell Lifts? When to NOT Squat, Bench & Deadlift?

Are You NOT Ready for Barbell Lifts? When to NOT Squat, Bench & Deadlift?

by Zach Even - Esh Leave a Comment

I was chatting with a friend over the weekend over dinner and I train his son for the past 2 years. 

He told me how another Dad was worried about training at The Underground Strength Gym because his son was 14 and he was afraid he would squat, deadlift, bench, etc.

First off - These 3 exercises are NOT bad.

Context matters here. Let me explain why......

- At what training age are these exercises done? 

- How are they performed? Is the technique correct? 

- At what intensity? Are we lifting heavy weights that can not be controlled safely or properly? 

- What is the physical AND emotional readiness level of the athlete?

I can ask 50 more questions here......

When my friend asked about his own son, I told him that his son (age 14) has MAYBE had a bar on his back 5 times with me in these past 2 years.  His son is starting to get closer to the point of some light trap bar deads, light squats and maybe a year from now, light benching.

Front Squats are the first barbell lift when it comes to squat variations for our athletes. They have been built up to this stage, with plenty of dumbbells, kettlebells, med balls, bands, calisthenics and sleds.

They EARN their way to the barbell. 

We use progressions and regressions.

And most of all, we organize training in such a way that it FEEDS the sport, it does not interfere with the sport. It's not about training hard, it's about blending the science & art of coaching together. THAT is what builds BEASTS.

We reverse engineer the big lifts and do what the athlete needs according to their training age and emotional readiness. I also look at what the athlete needs with regards to building athleticism.

I don't worry if we don't have a bar on your back as an athlete. I've met enough athletes who dominated the weight room but struggled in sport. They needed more speed, more power, more agility, more athleticism! They also needed to dedicate time to their sports skills more so than they needed the weight room.

That means, a LOT of the athletes I get to work with do NOT squat, bench, deadlift, clean, etc. These 3 big lifts are NOT always what is best for the athlete. By no means am I encouraging weakness. I never have, never will. 

Athletes MUST get strong.

To build the Squat and prepare the athlete, we have a HUGE list of prep exercises, here is a short list of prep exercises:

- Sleds (All Types and various speeds as well)

- Back Extensions (45 degree and glute ham bench / horizontal)

- Lunges of ALL types / ALL directions

- Bulgarian Split Squats 

- Carries of ALL types (use various loading patterns & different tools)

- Med Ball Shouldering / Sandbag Shouldering

- Various Ab exercises from planks of all types, med ball throws, leg raises, etc.

- LOTS of Kettlebell training 

- Band Work

We BUILD you up before you touch the barbell.

You must earn the right to perform the big barbell lifts.

It's more complicated than people understand yet I LOVE to simplify the process. 

Reverse Engineer everything.

And, Everything is an assessment.

Each exercise tells you what is weak on the athlete and what needs work.

From there, you must know the exercises which target weak areas and build them UP!

This is a HUGE part of The USC Certification.

If you're a Serious Strength Coach, you don't wanna miss this.

Learn how you can build BEASTS and in turn, change the lives of athletes.

If you're in the private sector, your results will attract new students. I don't adhere to these 30 day quick fix marketing schemes. If you're a high school or college strength coach, plug this training system into your current routine and push your program and knowledge to greater heights.

We build BEASTS and that requires commitment!

ALL Details are Here:

(Visited 990 times, 2 visits today)

Filed Under: Articles, AWESOME Business, Kettlebells, Muscle Building, Powerlifting, Q & A, Sports Performance, Strength Building, Underground Strength Coach Cert, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Wrestling Training, Zach's Workouts Tagged With: athlete training, bench, certification, deadlift, garage gym, program design, progressions, regressions, squat, underground strength coach, underground strength gym, usc cert, warehouse gym business

FREE gifts & advice

Unnamed_(1)

Get exclusive training advice from me, Zach Even-Esh, and I'll also send you these FREE gifts.

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

I HATE spam as much as you. Powered by ConvertKit

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I accept the Privacy Policy

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

zach even-esh instagram   zach even-esh twitter   zach even-esh youtube

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Top Articles

  • Lessons From Golden Era Bodyweight Bodybuilding…
  • Can You Build Muscle In Your 40s (And Older)? 25…
  • How to Get Built Like a Brick Sh*t House
  • The Benefits of High Rep Bodyweight Training
  • Grease The Groove (GTG) For Greater Strength…
  • John Grimek Workout + Strength Training in Your 40s
  • 7 Tips on Developing Superior Physical Conditioning…
  • 5 Garage Gym Workouts For Strength, Size &…
  • We Need MORE People Getting Farm Boy STRONG
  • Top 10 Bodyweight Exercises Making You a TRUE Beast!
Privacy Policy
Disclaimer
Press Inquiries

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT