The following is provided by Dan John, Head Track and Field coach at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper, Utah (www.danjohn.org) and is taken from his book From the Ground Up. This may be one of the most significant articles you will ever read about strength training. Read slowly and absorb the knowledge. Dan has forgotten more than many of the current gurus pretend to know. For years I have enjoyed his t-nation writings and he has been kind enough to share some of his best work with us. From the Ground Up 11 The Southwood Junior High Weightlifting Program Every so often, I will get an email from a high school coach about teaching a group of kids to lift weights. The emails often sound like the task...to get kids to lift...is insurmountable. Some of the coaches sound like they need a miracle worker to come in and exorcize the student body before beginning the exercise program. I always argue back to these fine men and women that it can be done...easily and inexpensively. I can't claim any credit from the following program, but I am indebted to Mr. Dave Freeman, my ninth grade P.E. coach for making us do this program! After eight years at St. Veronica's School, I transferred to Southwood Junior High to begin junior high. It was a helluva transition. From Irish Nuns to public school is transition enough, but I was also going to play football. At 118 pounds of ...ahem...pure muscle, it was obvious to everyone I needed to lift weights. It was at this time I was introduced to Southwood's lifting program. In a portable building, the school had outlaid about 15 of those cement filled weightlifting sets that everyone from my generation remembers as their first bar. Mr. Freeman spent little time explaining the "rep-set" system of 8-6-4 because of course everybody, except me, knew what to do. That is part of the brilliance of the program...you learned it once and then you lifted. Not exactly rocket science...but who needs rocket science on the football field? The program was very simple. First, groups of four boys were given a bar. The bars were weighted from very light...maybe 25 pounds...up to perhaps close to 100 pounds. Each cohort of boys would lift one at a time, put the bar down, then the next boy would lift. The four would constantly move from lifter to watcher...the bar never stopped. The three sets (explained in just a moment) would not take very long...in fact, sometimes it was hard to catch your breath in time for your next set. The reps were very simple: First set: 8 repetitions Second set: 6 repetitions Third set: 4 repetitions The goal was simple: when you got all 18 reps (8+6+4), you added weight. If you started with a bar that was too light, the next workout, you would be bumped up to the next weight and a stronger group. (Of course, actual variations could include making a whole new group with more weight, too...or whatever necessary to make the group work together). The program involved three lifts: 1 Power Clean 2 Military Press 3 Front Squat
Each lift was done in the 8-6-4 format. The bar was cleaned (once) for the set of Military From the Ground Up 12 Presses and the bar was also cleaned (once) for the Front Squats. So, each workout the athlete cleaned the bar from the ground to the chest 22 times. If, as some people believe, the Power Clean is the "King of the Exercises," that is a lot of reps with the King! To "hurry up" the training...as if it was necessary, there were times when Mr. Freeman recommended combining the Power Clean and Military Presses...one clean and one press, repeated for a total of eight reps. This was done with a lighter weight. One could also do the Front Squats after the clean and presses, too. I have only done this once...and it was an amazing cardiovascular workout. Each day, to warm up, we had to "run two laps and an obstacle course." The two laps were about 600 meters and the obstacle course had a wall, various upper body challenges, and some balance walking. All in all, this was not a bad program. We trained this program three days a week during the summer before football season...when we could. Unfortunately, as I was unschooled in proper lifting logic, I started to focus on the bench press in high school and erred by ignoring the clean, press and front squat. I was on the right track here, but, as youth often does, I went the wrong way. The "Rapid Ascent" Program Three Days a Week in the Weightroom: Power Clean: 8-6-4 reps Military Press: 8-6-4 reps Front Squat: 8-6-4 reps Increase weight when you get all the reps! Other "musts:" Begin each morning with a good breakfast including protein. Try to eat five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Sleep for more than eight hours a day (Eight hours and one minute is more!) Wear your seatbelt. Don't smoke. Drink water as your major beverage. That's it...that's the "Rapid Ascent Program." As I always note when I explain one of my training programs...it looks so easy on paper! Now, go and do it! Summary: No, it's not a perfect program, but it ain't bad either! One bar on the floor with absolutely nothing else in the way of equipment can help you on the path to athletic success and your goals in body composition. Many people have used this program as a "fat loss" training program and have found it to be excellent because of the speed of the workout and the lack of stress on the body's resources. When trying to lose fat, it is a good idea not to beat the body up as it often causes the system to cling on to fat even harder than before. Don't forget the basics of sleeping and eating, too. It makes no sense to begin a rigorous training program, then to undermine it with poor nutrition or simple exhaustion. And, wear your seat belt! After you finish this workout a few times, you might be ready to start considering something else...like the Olympic lifts.