Primary Lift Fundamentals

A. Fundamentals of the Bench Press (also Incline Press)

1. Eyes directly under bar when lying on bench.
2. Feet flat on floor. Buttocks stay on bench.
3. Even grip with hands. Use notches on bar to measure width. Proper width puts angle of bar and forearm at
90 degrees when bar is rested on chest. ider or narrower grips may be used to change focus of the lift
regarding chest and tricep involvement.
4. ith help of spotter! lift bar off rack and over chest.
5. "ower bar to chest slowly. #nhale while lowering. $o not drop %uickly. &ouch bar to chest.
6. "ift with a controlled e'plosion. E'hale while lifting.
7. (eep feet on floor and buttocks on bench throughout movement.
8. )ack bar with help of spotter. Be sure bar is secure before releasing.
Spotting procedures
9. *tand directly behind lifter+s head.
10. Use dead lift grip ,alternating grip- to help lifter remove bar when he.she is ready.
11. (eep eyes focused on lifter. Encourage and count his.her reps. Be aware of his.her workload and
ability. "ook for any signs of distress for which the lifter may need your help. #f no help is needed! do not
touch the bar.
12. #f your help is needed! grab bar with dead lift grip and gently aid the lifter with last few reps. $o
not take entire load of the bar for him unless necessary.
13. ith some ma' attempts! / spotter may be necessary ,add 0 at each end of bar-.
14. hen set is complete! grab bar with dead lift grip and secure bar on the rack.
B. Fundamentals of the Squat
1. Be sure safety pins and 12hooks are at proper height. *afety pins should be at hip level. 12hooks should be
slightly below shoulders.
2. 3rip bar with even grip a few inches inside the 12hooks. *lide head under middle of bar.
3. Place bar across shoulder on upper back 4 not on the neck.
4. $rop hips under bar and lift with legs to clear the bar from the rack. 5ead back! feet shoulder width apart
as you clear the bar from the 12hooks. Use assistance of spotter as you lift the bar and step back to clear the
12hooks.
5. *et feet slightly wider than shoulder width! toes pointed slightly outward! head back! eyes focused on point
slightly higher than eye level.
6. *%uat slowly to get thigh parallel to floor. )otate hips back as you s%uat. (eep heels on floor. #nhale as
you lower the weight.
7. (eep head and shoulders back and eyes focused on original point as you lift. E'hale through the upward
lift.
8. )ack bar with help of spotter by walking forward slowly to 12hooks. Bend at knees to rack bar.
Spotting procedures
9. *tand directly behind lifter and help him.her clear the bar from the rack by grabbing bar 6ust outside lifter+s
shoulders.
10. 7fter lifter has set his feet! set your toes 6ust outside and behind his.her heels.
11. *%uat with lifter with arms 6ust outside upper torso. $o not touch lifter if no help is needed.
12. 8ount reps and encourage.
13. Be aware of lifter+s workload and ability. 9ake sure he is getting necessary depth. atch for
signs of distress or sticking point and be ready to assist.
14. #f your help is needed! assist by hugging upper torso and lifting chest. $o not put hands around
waist to lift hips. 3irls will be aided by spotter grabbing bar 6ust outside shoulders and.or by using an
additional spotter on each end of the bar.
15. 7ssist lifter as he.she racks bar. 9ake sure bar is secure on 12hooks before releasing.
C. Fundamentals of Power Clean (ang Clean)
1. *et feet at armpit width! toes straight ahead! feet under bar ,bar should contact shins-.
2. Balanced 8lean grip! arms straight down from shoulders! 6ust outside knees.
3. )otate hips back! sit butt down! chest up! head back! eyes focused straight ahead or slightly up.
4. $rive feet down through floor and straighten legs while keep chest up and butt down.
5. 7s bar clears knees! e'plosively roll hips forward and shrug shoulders. (eep bar moving straight up as
close to the body as possible by pulling with elbows high. $o not allow bar to move away from the body
by rolling elbows under as if performing a reverse curl.
6. Feet should be driven slightly off floor as if 6umping with the bar.
7. 7t the top of the lift! feet should %uickly widen and knees should bend to drop under the bar. rists should
%uickly roll under the bar.
8. 8atch the bar with elbows under and in front of wrists and the bar racked across sternum. 8atch the bar in
a front s%uat position.
9. *traighten from the front s%uat position to finish the lift.
Spotting procedures
10. *tand behind partner and be ready to catch him or support him should he.she fall backwards on a
failed lift.
D. Fundamentals of Push !er"
1. &ake bar from power rack with bar in a rack position across chest and hands a clean position.
2. *tep away from 12hooks.
3. *et feet parallel and under hips.
4. *ink hips and e'plode up! throwing bar overhead. &hrow chin back to allow bar to travel straight line
upward.
7s hips are rolled forward and e'ploded upward! feet should replace themselves not moving out and
staying under the hips.
5. hen bar is caught overhead! feet should be split with front knee over the toes and knee bent at about
0:020/; degrees.
6. Bar should <ring= when it is caught overhead in a good 6erk. $o not press the bar overhead.
7. 7fter a short pause! return bar to rack position on chest! s%uare feet! and prepare for ne't repetition.
8. 7lternate feet on split. For e'ample! on first rep! right leg goes forward and left leg back> ne't rep! left
leg forward and right leg back.
Spotting procedures
9. *tand behind lifter.
10. 7s lifter 6erks bar overhead! lifter may be spotted at the elbows insuring that he.she does not lose
control of the bar
forward or backward.
0:. *pot the bar as the lifter returns the bar to the 12hooks on the rack after the final rep.
E. Basic principles of lifting
1. Full )?9 4 lift through full range of motion
2. Proper *peed 4 lift with a controlled e'plosion through concentric movement ,lifting-> slow movement
through eccentric movement ,lowering-. #t should take longer to lower the weight than it does to lift it.
3. Proper techni%ue 4 never sacrifice proper techni%ue for heavier weight.
4. Proper weight 4 to improve strength@ high resistance.low repetition
to improve muscular endurance@ low resistance.high repetition
5. Proper breathing 4 Aever hold breath during lift. E'hale through strenuous phase> inhale through lowering
of the weight.