Powerlifting Coaching Guide - Special Olympics

Section D
Improving Athlete Performance
Bench Pre s s
38
❑ Did the athlete take the bar to the chest with go o d
c o n t rol (can include assistance by spotter or coach ) ?
❑ Did the athlete wait for the “ p re s s ”signal
b e fo re pressing the weight upwa rd ?
❑ Did the athlete extend the bar upwa rd with eve n
extension of the arm s , no movement of the feet or
b o dy, and under contro l ?
❑ Did the athlete lock out the bar with full
ex t e n s i o nof both arm s ?
❑ Did the athlete wait for the “ ra ck ” signal befo re
placing the bar into the ra ck ?
D e a d l i f t
❑ Did the athlete begin the lift without ex c e s s ive
m ovement of fe e t ?
❑ Did the athlete begin the lift with bu t t o cks
d ow n ,head and chest up?
❑ Was this correct position maintained thro u g h o u t
the lift?
❑ Did the athlete pull the weight without support i n g
the bar on the thighs and without hitch i n g ?
❑ Did the athlete perfo rm the lift without the bar
stopping or dropping one side?
❑ Did the athlete complete the lift and wait for
the “ d ow n ”signal when shoulders we re in line
with the tors o ?
❑ Did the athlete re t u rn the bar to the plat fo rm
under control and without dropping it?
Home Tr a i n i n g
Training at home is sometimes necessary or prefe
rred for athletes. Training at home should incorp o rat e
the same safe t y, skill progre s s i o n ,c o a ch i n g, and tra i n i n g
c o n c epts as presented earlier in the text. If these concep t s
a re adhered to, t raining at home can be a good altern at
ive to training at a gym or health cl u b.
The athlete can maximize training effe c t ive n e s s
while minimizing cost of equipment by purchasing or
building a few key pieces of equipment. A power ra ck
and bench can be purchased or bu i l t , and with a go o d
set of we i g h t s , you have the essentials of a complete
p owe rt raining program.
The power ra ck is a simple box l i ke stru c t u re that
a l l ows the athlete to squat , b e n ch pre s s , and deadlift
with only an adjustable bench as an accessory. Th e
p ower ra ck includes four ve rtical posts that are spaced
s l i g h t ly closer together than the inside collars of an
O lympic bar and are about 15” to 25” ap a rt betwe e n
f ront and back posts. Bracing between the side and
b a ck ve rtical supports at the top and bottom of the ra ck
should assure that the ra ck is sturdy and safe. Each
post should have holes drilled at ap p rox i m at e ly two -
i n ch intervals to allow for hooks to support the lifting
bar at diffe rent heights. These holes should also provide
for safety bars that will be set to c at ch the at h l e t e
at a level just below parallel if necessary.
The power ra ck can be welded from two - i n ch by
t wo - i n ch square tubular steel (at least 11 ga u ge metal)
or made from fo u r- by - four pre s s u re tre ated lumber. In
either case, it is ve ry important that the ra ck be we l l
b ra c e d, with ve ry little give or sway. In addition to
s t u rdy bracing at its top and bottom, the ra ck should be
at t a ched to the floor or wall if possibl e.
A bench that can be adjusted for fl at or incl i n e
b e n ching is the only accessory needed for training at
home other than a good set of Olympic weights. Th e
b e n ch should be sturdy with a strong support mech a n i s m
t h at will be used when doing incline benches.
All exe rcises ex c ept the dumbbell exe rc i s e s , p u l ld
ow n s ,l eg curls and ex t e n s i o n s ,and the leg press can
be perfo rmed with the power ra ck and bench. A purchase
of a couple pairs of used dumbbells can be
a dded to the equipment as needed.
Because of the specific nat u re of each powe rl i f t ,
f rom its specialized equipment, mu s cle energy use, a n d
b a l a n c e, c ro s s - t raining during the competition season is
not adv i s abl e. Howeve r, c ro s s - t raining may be a healthy
d ive rsion during the off-season. Other sports playe d
d u ri n gthe off-season can benefit gre at ly from the stre n g t h
and power the athlete has gained from powe rl i f t i n g.
S t rength Training Application to Other
Special Olympics Sport s
The training in this guide is applicable to
strength and conditioning programs for other sports.
The muscularity, strength, and power gained before,
and, to a degree, during, the competitive season for
any Special Olympics sport can greatly enhance an
athlete’s performance. The power training program as
covered earlier in this manual can provide very real
increases in performance for athletes participating in
other Special Olympics sports. Generally, the training
routine for weeks one through seven, as indicated on
page 26 of this manual, with a reduced number of
exercises, will best fit the strength and conditioning
needs for other sports. Strength and conditioning
training should be reduced to as little as two days per
week (a condensed four-day option as found on page
26) during the competition season, and weight and
repetitions should be moderate. A torso rotation exercise
should be added for most sports when this movement
contributes significantly to performance. Some
sports such as soccer require less upper body strength
and allow for fewer upper body exercises. However, a
good full body workout is important for all athletes.