Just take a four- or eight-week ride on " The Program that Will Make You Better At Any Sport" and get back to me in the comments. If you're looking for a program to help you maximize some or all of these skills, I've got that, too. Like any test, you probably won't ace things right away-especially if you haven't studied for the exam! However, with some dedicated work, I guarantee you can make some significant improvements in all areas of your strength and power development. Stick the landing, and mark where your heel lands to determine your broad jump. Stand up tall with your arms outstretched overhead, and quickly rip your arms down and then back while simultaneously bending and then extending your hips and knees to propel yourself forward. Along those same lines, many sports have a high demand for horizontal power, which makes the broad jump a great indicator of potential performance.īroad-jump test: Take a tape measure and stretch it out, placing a plate on both ends to keep it taut. The broad jump is fantastic, because it accurately assesses the explosive power of the posterior chain, particularly the glutes and hamstrings. While many coaches fall in love with the vertical jump, the broad jump may be an equally powerful assessment tool. Take 3-5 attempts, then measure the difference between your standing reach and your maximum vertical jump. Touch as high as possible, using the chalk to make another mark. Quickly rip your arms down and then back up while simultaneously bending and then extending your hips and knees to jump straight up. Once completed, stand up tall with your arms outstretched overhead. Reach as high as you can, and place a fingertip at the point of your highest reach. Stand next to a wall, and put chalk on your hands. However, if you don't have access to one of these tools, try this old-school workaround: Vertical-jump test: The easiest way to test your vertical jump is to use a Just Jump mat or Vertec device, as they can give you your numbers immediately. However, the ability to be fast and explosive is a critical element for any athlete, and the vertical jump is, and has always been, a premiere way of measuring these attributes. Much like the bodyweight tests, you might be awesome at moving external loads, or even performing movements where strength endurance is the primary focus, and find yourself deficient here. The final two tests will put a premium on explosive strength and power. Last but not least, focus on getting a full reach at the top, spreading your shoulder blades and pushing your torso as far away from the floor as possible. Lower down to a lacrosse ball or similar-sized object to make sure you're using a full range of motion. Push-up test: Set up in a push-up position with your hands just outside of shoulder width, your spine in a neutral position, and the core engaged. Rep-max calculators exist for just this reason! Just keep in mind that the more reps you perform, the less accurate rep-max calculations are. You may not be comfortable doing 1RM testing on the big strength exercises, and that's totally fine. One other word about the external loading: It's perfectly OK to use a rep test instead of a one-rep max, or 1RM. This is normal! But at the same time, it should make you wonder: "How much more impressive of an athlete would I be if all my weaknesses were in the same class as my strength?" Yes, it would be challenging to get there, but it might be just the challenge you need. You might be great with some of the external loading exercises such as squats and deads, but struggle more with exercises that put a focus on body weight or explosive power. That said, the list is designed so that there's a checks-and-balances system. I'm sure you're awesome, and this is just one man's opinion regarding strength and power development. Regardless of where you fit on the scale above, it's not a statement on your worth as human being. So, before explaining anything else, let me say this: Don't take the standards personally. But of course, this brings problems, because there are bound to be plenty of people who meet the top standard on one movement, but are barely in Class 3 on the others. My standards are based on a class system, with Class 1 lifters being the most elite of the bunch.
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