In order to teach and learn the ‘Clean’, you must break down the technique into parts of the total movements. This will help your athletes understand how each particular stage of the lift should feel before performing the entire lift. I have had greater success breaking the lift into partial exercises then trying to have my athletes try and perform the whole Clean right away.

I have provided some of the drills that I use with my athletes. These are great for beginners as I stated above, great for athletesthat are struggling with a particular stage of the lift, and great for advanced athletes as a warm up before performing the whole Clean. The focus is going to be on perfect form on each exercise.

Clean RDLS
tand with barbell in hands, feet at hip width, shoulders back and chest up. Keeping arms straight and eyes fixed straight ahead, lower bar by moving the hips backwards while maintaining a slight but fixed bend in the knees. Stop once the bar reaches the top of the knees or when the flexibility in the hams runs out. Quickly return to starting position by moving hips forward and standing up straight.

Clean RDL to Power Shrug:
Stand with barbell in hand, feet at hip width, shoulders back and chest up. Keeping arms straight and eyes fixed straight ahead, lower bar by moving the hips backwards while maintaining a slight but fixed bend in the knees. Stop once the bar reaches the top of the knees or when the flexibility in the hams runs out. Quickly move the hips forward, as the hips extend explosively shrug shoulders and rise on toes.

Clean RDL to High Pull:
Stand with barbell in hands, feet at hip width, shoulders back and chest up. Keeping arms straight and eyes fixed straight ahead, lower bar by moving the hips backwards while maintaining a slight but fixed bend in the knees. Stop once the bar reaches the top of the knees or when the flexibility in the hams runs out. Quickly move the hips forward, as the hips extend explosively shrug shoulders and rise on toes. Continue to elevate the bar to mid-chest height by bending elbows and continuing the upward movement of the bar. Be sure to lift elbows up and keep the bar close to the body.

Muscle Clean:
Standing erect with barbell in hands with a clean grip and feet at hip width, slide bar upwards almost along the body to near shoulder height. Once at shoulder height rotate elbows underneath the bar, releasing the hook grip andletting the bar fall onto the shelf created by the shoulders. Return bar to starting position the same way it got there.

Power Clean:
Stand with barbell in hand, feet at hip width, shoulders back and chest up. Keeping arms straight and eyes fixed straight ahead, lower bar by moving the hips backwards while maintaining a slight but fixed bend in the knees. Stop once the bar reaches the top of the knees or whenthe flexibility in the hams runs out.

Quickly move the hips forward, as the hips extend explosively shrug shoulders and rise on toes. Continue to elevate the bar to mid-chest height by bending elbows and continuing the upward movement of the bar. Be sure to lift elbows up and keep the bar close to the body. Once at shoulder height simultaneously rotate elbows underneath the bar, releasing the hook grip and letting the bar fall onto the shelf created by the shoulders while falling into a quarter squat. The quarter squat should be reached at the same time the barbell is received on the shoulders.

For more ideas, exercises and strategies to improve Olympic lifting for athletes, and to discover how easy it is to learn and teach the explosive Olympic Lifts, go now to: http://www.CompleteOlympicLifting.com

Here’s another one from Latif’s phone consult file:

Last week I had the opportunity to talk to an excellent coach who is running into a problem that I have had countless experiences with.

Since I know it’s something Patrick and I have seen many times, I figured there was a good chance you can relate to it as well.

Besides, over the past few weeks we’ve been sending you emails calling you out for not stepping up your coaching knowledge.

So this week I want to focus on a coach who has taken that nextstep and is making a safe, positive impact on the athletes around him.

My man Jim works primarily with youth football players, trainingthem at a small studio that he rents out where he focuses on developing their speed, strength and agility.

He’s seen some great results with his athletes, especially sincepurchasing the Complete Speed Training Program, and his base of athletes has seen a steady increase since then as well.
I really like how Jim focuses on a quality dynamic warm up before each session, stresses attention to technique with his useof speed drills, as well as developing perfect lifting form in theseyoung athletes using light resistance and bodyweight training.

As these young athletes grow into their bodies, they will find themselves light years ahead of the competition simply becausethey have ingrained proper technique into their nervous systems.
Honestly, it’s always great to talk to coaches who use proven training strategies with their athletes and Jim is a perfect example.

However, what most impressed me about Jim during our conversation was how he selflessly looked for a solution to a challenge he was facing.

And like I said at the beginning, this is something that is all toocommon in every youth sport, at every level, but especiallyfootball.

Some of his athletes were going into Junior High School and wereexpected to participate in that Junior High Football Team’s ’summer conditioning’ program.

But keep in mind, this could have been any other sport, so don’t think I’m trying to single out football coaches or programs. I’veseen some shockingly bad coaching from lots of sports.
Anyway, this is one of those programs run by coaches who don’t really know anything about conditioning or speed training beyond what they remember doing when they were high school football players.

And it didn’t get the job done back then either.

Jim told me that on the first day of the ‘program’ the coaches ran the kids through that legendary staple of most football speed/conditioning programs: Gassers.

In case you’re not familiar with these workout gems, I’ll give youthe nutshell breakdown…
Run as hard as you can handle for somewhere between 100-400 yards. Then, rest for an unacceptably short period of time.
Repeat until one of 5 things happen.

1. You throw up. (4 kids threw up the first day)
2. You cramp up.
3. You pass out.
4. You give up.
5. You become a man.

OK, I threw that last one in there for affect. But pretty much that’s the mind set of some coaches. By running kids into the ground theybelieve that it either gets you in game shape or makes you tougher.

Here’s a training secret. It does neither.

But it does improve athletes’ chances of injury and burnout.

So I guess that counts for something.

But again, I’ve seen this mentality applied to track, soccer, field hockey, you name it. So non-football coaches aren’t off the hook.

Needless to say, Jim was in a serious dilemma.

He knew that he could develop faster athletes in a safer environment than in the other program. He also knew thathis athletes wanted to go to this other program so they couldget recognized for future playing time, even though they hated every minute of it.

But Jim didn’t try to convince athletes to stay away from the other program. Instead, he called me to talk about how he could modify his training sessions to continue toimprove his athletes, while keeping in mind the kind ofcrap they’d be doing at the other program.

This meant less income for Jim and the frustration of seeing some of his results thrown away.
But he chose what was best for his athletes and in the longrun, those kids (and many more) will end up in Jim’scamp, taking their speed to the next level.

So we talked about how apply the concepts found in Complete Speed Training to a 2 and 3 day per weekTraining program considering these specific circumstances.

Since he’d been following the Complete Speed Training program we only had to make some subtle changes to his training plan.

One question he had that I get all the time is about how muchvolume each workout should be. If you’re running repeat 30 yard accelerations, how many should athletes do?
5? 10? 20?

Well there is no perfect answer because every athlete is different.

Personally, I can’t handle a high volume of speed work even thoughI can run really fast. So I always had to keep that in mind with my training.

I always start off with a number that is lower than I think athletes can handle.

Then, I time a select number of athletes. Usually it’s the fastest kid, an average kid and a slower kid. I don’t tell them their times because they don’t really need to know.

Once I see athletes’ times start to drop by more than .2 for two reps in a row, I usually shut them down for the day.

If they’re getting slower, they’ve reached the point of diminishing returns. So I always undertrain as opposed to overtrain.

I suggest you do the same.

You don’t have to train or coach athletes 5 or 6 days per week to see significant benefits with the Complete Speed Training Program.

And you don’t have to be a football coach.

If your athletes require speed to succeed in their sport, they can make some serious improvements to their speed even if they only have time to train 2 days a week.

Maybe you only have time to add a dynamic warm up right now.

Perhaps you need some tips for speed drills.

No matter what your speed training needs, Complete SpeedTraining has the answers.
Ask yourself, is your current training program more like Jim’s, or more like that ‘other’ program?

Which do you think gets better results?
Order now: http://www.completespeedtraining.comIn speed,

By the way, when you do order use your
free 30 minute phone consultation to fine tune
your speed training program to your specific
needs:

‘One of the most important benefits that I have experienced with Complete Speed Training is the phone consults with Latif himself. Latif’s professionalism and knowledge is unmatched. I have asked and had answered questions regarding specific programs, periodizaton, nutrition, timing protocols (hand held v. FAT), running mechanics and weight training. Never has there been a question that has gone unanswered, he has always made himself available. Our conversations and the program has made me a better, more knowledgeable trainer which in turn has made my athletes more athletic. Complete Speed Training will give you the advantage you are looking for…’
Joe Kubik
HS Football Coach
Chicago IL

http://www.completespeedtraining.com

For almost 3 hours this morning, I was glued to my television setwatching the United States play for its life in a World Cup matchagainst Ghana.

Even though soccer barely registers as relevant in the world ofAmerican athletics, the energy of this match helped me to furtherunderstand why soccer is the most popular sport in the world.In today’s match, superior speed, acceleration and agility proved to be a deadly combination as Ghana eliminated the United States from World Cup competition.

The inability to match Ghana’s speed to the ball, on the attack or on the defense crippled the United State’s ability to take control of the match.

The overall ineptness of Team USA’s offensive attack in their Group E matches serve as a painful reminder of how far America lags behind its international competition. Without the speed to match up with their opponents, there can be no expectation of consistent success at any level of the sport.

That being said, as a speed coach, something became quiteclear to me very early in the match.When it came to winning balls, attacking the goal or defending a breakaway, the athletes from Ghana were flat outfaster than the Americans on an almost man-to-man basis.

Within the first 10 minutes of the match, everyone in the room kept remarking about how the United States players simplylooked slower and less remarkable than their opponents.

In fact, many analysts have made mention about how Ghana’s success in advancing into the Round of 16 is the ’surprise of the World Cup.’

I can’t help but believe that a significant part of this success is due to their overwhelming speed, agility and acceleration.In this country, soccer coaches and players place almost exclusivetraining emphasis on conditioning: long, slow intervals on the trackor around the field and long, slow runs on the road.

You just can’t get fast by running slow.

The difference, in what we saw, was that Ghana’s speed in attacking the ball and the goal continuously made the difference in the game. If American soccer players hope to improve their respectability, coaches must shift their focus onto acceleration and speed development.

In a sport where much of the action requires short bursts of acceleration to make a play on the goal or the ball, programs that fail to specifically teach players how to accelerate and make quick changes of direction are doomed to fail.

It is incorrect to believe that speed can not be taught, developed or significantly improved.

Such a mind set is currently holding many soccer programs back, from the youth to the elite levels.

Preparations for the upcoming soccer season are being made right now. Are you doing anything different than you do each and every season?

Or have you given your athletes the same old conditioning program that you always use?

Breathe new life into your soccer (or any other sport) program. Your athletes are the future of the sport in this country.

Are you developing the speed and agility to keep up with thecompetition?

Develop the speed, coordination and agility that wins games andseparates the winners from the losers.

Get your risk-free copy of Complete Speed Training today.

Order now: http://www.completespeedtraining.com

Today’s match was perfect example of what happens when slow athletes match up with faster, more agile athletes.

Don’t think it won’t happen to your team too:

‘This is hands down the best, most complete speed training information product I have ever purchased. The team at Athletes Acceleration don’t just give you a list of drills to perform, they show you how to properly execute each drill with proper technique and give great coaching cues for teaching the various drills and correcting common errors.Each DVD is jam packed full of great information and drills that will enable you as an athlete or coach to better structure your warm up routines and speed sessions, ultimately leading to FASTER sprint times and improved athletic performance. The pre competition DVD alone is worth the cost of the entire package!I am 100% confident in recommending Athletes’ Acceleration’s Complete Speed Training product, it’s a must have for both the serious coach and athlete.’
Ian Graham
Dublin, Ireland

Order now:

http://www.completespeedtraining.com

Here in Virginia, most high schools let out last week.

Since my hometown has a very strong high schoolfootball tradition, (we went to the Super Bowl three out of my four years) I know that the official end of the school year means only one thing:

It’s the official start of Football Season.

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Get your season off on the right track:
http://www.footballspeed.com
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So, to get you in the right frame of mind, here are a Touchdown’s worth of great reasons to get your own copyof North-South Football Speed…

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‘I recommend North-South Football Speed to anyone interested in drastically improving their speed. The drills allow anyone to make substantial gains in a short amount of time and are extremely easy to teach or to perform on your own. Being a sports performance trainer in one of the hotbeds for high school football, athletes are always trying to get faster and quicker. This DVD has definitely given me the tools necessary to get the results me and my athletesare looking for.’
- Mark Tarle, ATC, CSCS
Ath-Elite Sports Performance Training
Canton, Ohio

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‘Once again you have yet another great product here. We used some of the drills at our high school football combine we did with Marty Lyons of the New York Jets. Marty and the players loved the great warm-up and speed drills. Keep up the good work and thanks again’
- George Loft
Performance Fitness
Long Island, NY

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‘Just to let you know, we tested our football guys in the 40. The guys from the track team and a few who have been working on your drills increased their times by over .2. For the first time in a long time we had many guys under 5.0, 6 running 4.8 or better and they’re just getting going. By summers end we will be much faster. Thanks!’
- Greg Labelle
Putnam High School
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‘As the father of a soon to be college football player, I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know how much your North-South Program has assisted my son preparing for the upcoming challenge. So much of the information reinforces much of the training he has been doing with me over the last year. Unfortunately, the HS program he is coming from does not utilize the cutting edge training techniques presented in your video. Rather than concentrate on dynamic warm-ups, explosive movements, flexibility and technique, they are stuck in a ‘time warp’ where speed training virtually non-existent, heavy slow movements and bicep work dominate the weight room and running 1.5 miles for time is the yardstick for GPP. I feel that tools like your video and other products available are essential for success and will ultimately separate the winners from the losers.’
Tom Girouard
Chicago, IL

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‘Just a note to let you know that my 12 year old son, Matthew has been using your North - South football speed program for 3 weeks now and he has taken .2 seconds off of his 40 yd time. His running form has increased dramatically and his balance and starts are also significantly better. Thank you for a great product!’
- Bobby Muehlstein
San Antonio, Texas

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‘I have used the principles taught in North - South Speed and Complete Speed Training DVDs with my athletes for the past year. Regardless of what level of athlete you are working with these programs will deliver you results. These methods are scientifically sound and will compliment or provide the basis for any sound speed training programme’
- Greg Muller
Fitness Coach
Kamaishi Seawaves Rugby
JAPAN

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Now what are you waiting for?

Order your copy of North-South Football Speed now:
http://www.footballspeed.com