high school weight room help...

[hamr9]

So I just started helping at the local high school training the kids with their weightlifting program(offseason football players). I walk into the weight room and there are 3 smith machines,,4 benches, an old hip sled and an old hammer strength hip sled. DB's from 5-40 then a gap and then a pair of 100's they have 1 trap bar, and a peck deck. Thats really about it except for a broken lat pulldown machine. Basically I have no way to get the bar on these kids' back, to elicit the hormonal response we love so much from the squat.

Anyways, the gym teacher/nazi who runs the weight room, believes that squats are bad and that the smith machines are the best and safest way to squat.

I need help convincing him to sell them and buy some squat racks, also some creative ways that HS kids would be able to do legs would also help too.

 

[gamer2be08]

Hmm, you could use 2 guys to lift/take down the loaded bars from the guys backs.... Dangerous, but its an option..

 

[OrcasIsland25]

Haha I know how you feel Hamr9. Although I'm still in high school(senior), I got asked after the season ended to help out with the weight training. Our coach, who was the weight room coach as well, retired at the end of the 09 season, thus leaving me as the sole trainer for the football team until the administration can find a new trainer. we have three smith machines, 4 benches, and a few other out-dated/useless machines along with dumbells up to 55. What I eventually started to do was take the bars from the benches, and use those to do power cleans, hang cleans etc. The smith machines will be ok for squatting, but you can also supplement any leg training you cant do in the gym with HEAVY plyometrics. It wont build the same strength, but it will help get your guys quicker off the line, and faster through the hole.
Hope that helps

 

[hamr9]

orcasIsland25 explain to me your HEAVY plyometrics, as i am more of a lift heavy weights type of guy. and need a bit of educating on the plyo side of things, they actually have a few jumpstretch bands as well...

I'd rather not have 2 guys load a barbell onto a kids back for safety reasons these guys are pretty green, and i dont want one of them dying.

 

[rckvl7]

So I just started helping at the local high school training the kids with their weightlifting program(offseason football players). I walk into the weight room and there are 3 smith machines,,4 benches, an old hip sled and an old hammer strength hip sled. DB's from 5-40 then a gap and then a pair of 100's they have 1 trap bar, and a peck deck. Thats really about it except for a broken lat pulldown machine. Basically I have no way to get the bar on these kids' back, to elicit the hormonal response we love so much from the squat.

Anyways, the gym teacher/nazi who runs the weight room, believes that squats are bad and that the smith machines are the best and safest way to squat.

I need help convincing him to sell them and buy some squat racks, also some creative ways that HS kids would be able to do legs would also help too.

Trap bar deadlifts, all sorts of squat variations with dumbells. But as you said you really need a couple of squat/power racks and barbells.
I wish you luck in convincing him to buy the needed equipment.

 

[DBenedicto]

If there's room for front squats, that'd be better than nothing.

Donkey calf raises, and if they're against sitting on each other seated Barbell/Dumbell calf raises

can't neglect them calves ;D

 

[Resolve]

Pull the bbs off the benches and you can have tons of fun. Power Cleans w/front squat on the catch is an excellent movement for football players. You can also deadlift to your heart's content without a rack - you could even make it harder and incorporate the quads more by adding a deficit to pull from.

 

[bpchampion]

yeah man I'd do tons of cleans,hang cleans and regular power cleans. you can also do barbell lunges on the smith machine

 

[AZMIDLYF]

BB hack squats, single leg squats holding a DB on the loaded leg side, farmers walks, box jumps, Dead lifts, Pwr cleans, standing military press, DB pwr cleans...to name a few

 

[hamr9]

thanks for all the ideas guys, we have been doing power cleans and push press and DL's bench and i showed them how to to a GHR too(they didnt like me after that one)

anyone know how to make a pulling sled for use indoors? think of wood gym floor...

 

[stullsy]

check this squat rack out...... it costs less than 50 bucks

http://www.casualhacker.net/blog/2008/04/homemade-squat-stands/