Where Is Your Base?
By
Mark Philippi
Any top powerlifter will tell you how important the setup or base is before a heavy lift. Poor base, poor lift. I assumed most athletes knew how to set their base while performing strength training exercises. I found this not to be the case. All power is generated from applying force to the ground, and many athletes do not apply maximal force to the ground. I watched their weight rock and shifted to different parts of the foot. This was affecting strength and power application to the ground ultimately affecting the ability to perform the lift effectively. The reason was two-fold: Lack of focus on what part of the foot contacted the ground while training and failure to set their core. We as coaches focus on how our athletes’ foot strikes the ground while running because it is optimal for applying force into the ground to project the body forward and create more speed. The same emphasis should be placed on how our feet contact the ground while strength training so we can generate more force, power, balance, and ultimately speed. Start from the ground up, check the athlete’s foot position and weight distribution first, followed by making sure their core is set, and lastly checking their posture to make sure their torso is in a powerful position. It must be checked and emphasized with the athletes before each lift.
When performing most double leg standing movements, we have our athletes keep the majority their weight on the front 2/3 of the foot. We also have them pretend they are trying to tear the ground between their feet apart and dig in like a baseball player while forcing their knees out over the feet. One variation occurs while squatting where the much of the pressure on the bottom of the foot will shift to the heel while initially descending. During the deadlift the pressure starts on the front of the foot during initial push then transfers to the heal on lockout. Most of the time, the pressure applied to the ground by the foot should mimic the jumping position.
When doing single leg movements the weight is distributed on the same front 2/3 part of the foot with the knee also slightly bent. When doing the exercise allow the knee to come forward to the toe creating a positive shin angle. Theoretically the athlete should be able to sprint forward or jump from the foot placement or weight distribution on the ground. There are some exceptions if the hamstrings are trying to be emphasized.
In addition to focusing how the foot should contact the ground, make sure that the athletes have their core set during the entire set regardless of the exercise being performed. By strengthening and controlling their core, they will be able to keep their center of gravity in optimal position and apply maximal force into the ground. There will be little wasted movement. Take the time to focus on foot position and center of gravity control during strength workouts and your athletes will improve their strength, power and balance, which will carry over to their athletic performance.