Strength and Conditioning for PTs and Athletes

Improve shoulder and forearm mobility with dowel pass-throughs and behind-the-back stretches, then enhance hip hinge with good morning stretches and overhead squats for barbell movements.

Move through a warmup sequence tailored to athletes and upcoming exercises. Include spider-man lunge, samson stretch, walking quad stretch, knuckle drag, arabesque, and balance work to mobilize hips and hamstrings.

Banded good mornings train a hip hinge with a neutral spine, standing on a band midfoot and bar on the upper back. Load the glutes and hamstrings.

Perform seated good mornings to stretch, keep a straight back and lean forward to depth, use the rack position and spotter to rerack, and add weight for a deeper stretch.

Demonstrates air squats with feet shoulder-width apart, hip crease below the knee, and a back that stays near vertical; corrects train wreck form using a pole and ring-assisted depth.

Goblet squats fix air squat faults by counterbalancing with a kettlebell, and promote a straight back and vertical shin with a forward gaze, and prepare for kettlebell swings or snatches.

Perform slant board squats while keeping your torso upright to reach a deep range. Regress by not going as deep and add weight with a goblet squat in this position.

Master front rack barbell lunges by performing stationary, reverse, and walking variations with controlled knee depth and full extension, building leg strength and athletic conditioning.

Perform barbell bent over rows with a neutral back, pulling the bar to the belly button using the arms while keeping elbows close and no torso movement for controlled reps.

Perform good mornings with the bar on the back, hinge at the hips, and keep a neutral spine as the hamstrings and glutes load, maintaining the high-bar back squat position.

Master the back squat with high bar and low bar variations, maintain a neutral torso, elbows under the bar, and press through the heels with knees out.

Learn the bench press setup and execution with cues for a vertical forearm, back arch, quad tension, bar pull apart, and a controlled descent, press, and rack.

Master the deadlift by selecting slimline shoes and a powerlifting belt, mastering grip variations and conventional and sumo stances, with top-down breathing.

Explore walking lunges and variations from bodyweight to weighted, with narrow and wide stances, front rack or overhead holds. Keep an upright torso, control knee travel, and engage the core.

Demonstrates the Bulgarian split squat from bench to dumbbells, emphasizing core engagement, balance, and proper torso and foot alignment, with front rack and back rack variations for athletes.

Explore reverse step ups such as the Patrick, Pelican, and Peterson variations to improve ankle mobility, quad loading, and joint stabilization, with progressions using height or dumbbells.

Master the ATG split squat with progressive variations from bodyweight to dumbbells, emphasizing knee over toes, adductor stretch, ankle flexibility, and a vertical torso for strength and plyometric warmups.

Belt squat using a belt swap machine: strap the belt, set the hook, lift and release the lock, squat with a straight back, push through heels, and engage safety lock.

Master plyometrics to develop power and athletic performance through targeted drills and conditioning strategies. Tailored for physical therapists and athletes within a comprehensive strength and conditioning framework.

Approach box jumps as a high-risk plyometric, using hip extension, knee drive, and calf power, with foam mats to reduce injuries and progress to rebound jumps for competition-style speed.

Perform a lateral skate slide into a quarter squat, then jump to a box with a soft land. Repeat on both sides, adjusting reps and rest to the sport.

Explore jump squats and progressions, from straight-arm to thrust, to boost plyometric propulsion. Incorporate goblet squats and med ball sport-specific moves for variety.

Master depth jumps by absorbing weight, executing a soft landing, and rebounding quickly, with coach-driven progressions and options for 24- and 30-inch jumps and stacking weights.

Perform pogos as a dynamic warm-up for sports or functional movements, starting with up-and-down jumps, then progressing to forward, backward, and side-to-side movements for about a minute.

Perform a single leg step up with a front rack, reaching upward, in a controlled motion; add a ball-and-layup variation for sport-specific movement and rotate sides for balance.

Warm up with pass thrus and grip changes before overhead squats, then perform with hips below parallel and a vertical torso. Note common faults and cues like heel elevation.

Master the strict press with neutral wrists to protect wrist health, compare front versus back shoulder positions, and maintain a straight bar path through the lift.

Master the push press with a fast dip and drive, maintain a vertical torso and bar path, and use hip and knee drive to lift heavier weights overhead.

Learn the push jerk technique, building from strict press to push press, including hip-driven dip under the bar, neutral wrist alignment, and a strong lockout to lift heavier safely.

Master the hang position above the knee and perform the muscle clean by practicing pulls from the hang, without a dip, with feet under hip width.

Perform hang power cleans from a hip-width stance, focusing on a solid stick landing and correct foot position between lines to prevent knees caving in and feet widening.

Master hang squat cleans from above the knee with vertical shins and shoulders over the bar. Catch on the shoulders with an upright torso, fast elbows, and hip-to-shoulder grip.

Execute the full clean and jerk from squat clean to split jerk, keep the bar close, reach full extension, catch in a squat, and stand with the front foot first.

Learn the hang muscle snatch progression from the hang with a wide grip, to feel hip drive, straight arms, and bar overhead with no re-dip.

Execute hang power snatches with footwork from hip-width to squat stance above the knee, catch in a stable, close-to-body squat, and maintain a fast turnover without jumping forward or backward.

Demonstrates the hang squat snatch, from deadlift to catch below the knee, emphasizing neutral spine, hip crease below the knee, and pull-apart cues to stabilize the overhead position.

Master the full squat snatch setup and execution, from hip-aligned foot position to a vertical explosive jump, using concise cues like raise your chest earlier to preserve back angle.