The 6 Absolutes Of Perfect Technique

This information is sourced from the Bigger Faster Stronger book by Greg Shepard.  It is great book and a great program and the results speak for themselves.  Insist that all athletes act as coaches when coaching their teammates when spotting or performing any phase of strength and conditioning.  If you want to win, then all athletes have to be unified in helping each other become great.

The 6 absolutes of perfect technique are:

1.  Eyes on target.

2.  Use an athletic or jump stance .

3.  Be tall.

4.  Spread the chest.

5.  Align the toes

6. Align the knees 

The six absolutes should be used in the weight room by all athletes.  They also apply to stretching and sport specific skills.  They are essential for perfect form.  They encourage all coaches to use the same terminology when teaching weight training and sport specific skills.  After all how can athletes be expected to follow instructions when the instructions vary from coach to coach as this is very confusing for the athlete.  If athletes learn the 6 absolutes of perfect technique it will make it easier for them to learn new more advanced movements. The 6 absolutes should be used as tools by the coach to help improve the athlete.   Study these 6 absolutes, write them down and see the difference they will make.

1. Eyes On Target

Eyes on target is a great tool to use in the weight room especially during squats.  When an athlete looks up at the ceiling at the top of the movement (beginning the squat) everything may seem comfortable and right.  However at the bottom of the movement it is virtually impossible to look at the same point on the ceiling so therefore the eyes move, the head moves and the body moves out of position.  You should not look down at the bottom of a squat as this is very dangerous.  You should stare straight ahead at a point on the wall throughout the movement.

2. Use An Athletic Or Jump Stance

All sports require one or both of the two basic stances- the jump stance and the athletic stance.  We use the jump stance primarily when we lift from the floor e.g power clean, power snatch and hex bar deadlift.  We use an athletic stance with lifts such as the squat or the rack position in the power clean (when the bar is caught on the shoulders).  All sports use basically the same stance.  It is therefore imperative that we always squat from an athletic stance so we can access the strength and power we build from that stance.  We want these gains to be meaningful and functional.

3. Be Tall

You need to be tall all the time whether your sitting, sprinting, running, lifting or stretching.  You cant slump or lean forward outside of your center of gravity and still perform well.  Being tall produces dramatic improvements in posture.  These improvements that you make in posture will translate into better sport performance and reduced risk of injury.  In an athlete is slouching the coaches immediate response should be "be tall".  Immediately, good things will happen.  If the athlete is bending at the waist with a rounded back the quickest way to fix this problem is to say "be tall".

4. Spread The Chest

Spreading the chest and locking in the lower back work together, but you must visualise and coach both techniques.  The lower back must swoop way in into what is called a concave position.  This creates a neutral spine.  When an athlete spreads the chest the lower back will start to lock in properly to a concave position.  You will be a better athlete is the lower back is correct.  You will reduce the chance of injury.  All coaches and training partners need to say is "spread the chest". 

5. Align The Toes

You should always strive to have an athletes toes aligned or slightly pointed out for balance.  The toes should be aligned for all parts of a program,even when stretching.  If the toes are aligned it does not take very long for an athlete to experience big improvements in technique.  

6. Knees Aligned (knees over toes)

The knees must be over the toes at all times in the weight room, in every phase of strength and conditioning, in every drill and in every athletic movement.  Many times the knees will be way forward in front of the toes.  The athlete needs to learn to balance on the entire foot; the heels cannot come up.  Be tall, spread the chest, eyes on target and sit with the hips way back.  This will keep the knees aligned over the toes.  Knees that are aligned perfectly will be straight from every position.