The Power Load System
As a football coach of five decades, I understand the importance of performance and safety. Each coach has the ultimate responsibility to decide which football techniques should be taught for the best performance, wellbeing and safety of his players and there is not one specific technique or safety device that can completely eliminate the risk of injury from impacts related to football. Coach B
Key Components of the Power Load Strike
The Power Load Strike is a “unique application” of two researched documented performance enhancement concepts:
- Concurrent Activation Potentiation (CAP) which simply stated means muscle A becomes stronger if you contract muscle B at the same time.
- Activation of the Posterior Muscle Chain which is often referred to as “The Powerhouse of the Human Body” and is important to transfer explosive power from the legs and hips through the back and shoulders.
The basic “fundamental concepts” of the Power Load Strike can be adapted to basically any position in football to block, strike or tackle an opponent regardless of the style of offensive or defensive scheme. By design, the Power Load Strike more safely maximize the power that can generate from the ground by:
- Providing a stability platform where the muscles act more efficiently and contract harder.
- Allowing more force to move efficiently instead of wasting motion.
- Keeping joints in safe positions allowing strength to direct force in the right direction.
- Assisting the transfer of “explosive power movement” through the core.
- Increasing the acute response of the prime movers the hips and legs.
- Enhancing athletic tasks like football that require acute maximal strength.
The Power Load Strike biomechanically applies the strength football players develop in the weight room and makes it practical and directly applicable to football practice and the game field.
Concurrent Activation Potentiation
Simply stated means muscle A becomes stronger if you contract muscle B at the same time. These power enhancement agents include:
- Clenching on a mouthpiece
- Bracing or tightening abdominal muscles activates all three layers of the abdominal wall, improving both stability and performance while stabilizing the spine to transfer movement through the core because for “explosive power” movement to occur anywhere in the body force must be transferred through the core.
- Gripping tightly with hands
Practical Application using CAP Agents: A mom hands her son a jar to open and he thinks it’s easy so gives a halfhearted attempt and fails. Now a bit embarrassed his biological instincts kick in and he then grips tight, clinches his teeth, tightens his abs (core).
Research has proven that in various combinations CAP Agents (clenching, bracing, gripping) can create an advantage to enhance physical performance by Improving Performance in High Muscular Activities, Joint Stabilization, Start and Speed and Increasing Explosive Ground Power and Grip Strength./
The Posterior Muscle Chain
The Posterior Muscle Chain is often referred to as “The Powerhouse of the Human Body” and is important to transfer explosive power from the legs and hips through the back and shoulders. The Posterior Muscle Chain includes the Traps, Middle of Back, Gluts, Hamstrings, Calves as well as the Multifidus, External Obliques, Erector Spine Muscles, Posterior Deltoids.
Activating the Top of the Posterior Muscle Chain (Trapezius Muscles)
Current research overwhelmingly supports a critical way to reduce concussions and sub-concussive impacts is to “stabilize the head from moving during impact.” Research from as far back as 1987 stated “the athlete should be taught to contract the large muscles of the neck for proper tackling and blocking.”
The activation of the top of the Posterior Muscle Chain begins with shoulder-shrugging the trapezius muscles (Hulk Shrug) allowing the trap muscles to stabilize the head, neck, shoulders and upper back “to function simultaneously as a solid single unit during football impact”. The “Hulk Shrug” Technique works much like the Hans Device in auto racing.
Important Note
Incidental contact with the helmet can not be avoided that’s why it’s important to stabilze the head and neck prior to and during contact.
Combining the Shoulder Shrug with CAP Agents
Combine the Shoulder Shrug with the CAP Agents by Clenching the Teeth/Jaw and Bracing the Core at the top of the Posterior Muscle Chain to stabilize the head, neck, shoulders and upper back to function simultaneously as a solid single unit during football impact.
Practice vs. Air to create muscle memory.
Power Load Squat
The Power Load Squat is a challenging drill to engage the CAP Agents and the Posterior Muscle Chain into a single movement:
- Shrug, Brace, Clench and Grip cloth (optional) with Elbows Squeezed and pull out on cloth keeping hands in the eyes (See Through the Hands)
- Feet staggered hold Power Load posture through the squat
- Alternate feet and increase reps as needed
Power Load the Stance
Power Loading the Stance makes it easier to “See Through the Hands” and “Lead with the Hands” at impact to protect the head and neck.
See Through the Hands starts in the stance with the placement of both the up and down hand to effectively strike with the thumbs up at impact to better protect the head and neck as well as transfer power and control the opponent.
The up hand is held open at the face mask with the thumb up to get on the opponent faster “if” the hand is at the hip, thigh or hanging down impact can easily occur before the hand gets to the proper and placement. Also tuck elbow under to better to establish power transfer. The down hand is placed in a “C” Cup position much like in a sprinter’s stance.
In the “C” Cup position the down hand on the lineman’s first movement can more rapidly to get the thumb up in proper impact fit position with the up hand but “if” the down hand gets hit while rotating from the traditional 3-point stance then it can fail in its mission. Stop and think when sprinting the hands are always in the same posture for fastest movement so why not in football get both hands to that posture as fast as possible with the thumbs up. If using a 4-point stance ”C” Cup both hands.
Understanding Lines of Power
Activating the Posterior Muscle Chain first requires an understanding of the Lines of Power necessary to develop a “great safe strike”. These Lines of Power include all the muscles in the Posterior Muscle Chain and must be activated in the stance and maintained to, through and beyond contact with an opponent. Load the Upper Posterior Chain (clench, shrug and brace in the stance). Then Power Load the Lower Posterior Chain down the back through the glutes, hamstring and calves to feel like a horse pressing to exploded and come out the Gate in the Kentucky Derby.
The Lines of Power include the angles of chins, back and forearms must be as close to parallel as possible at impact with YOUR opponent. Clench, shrug, brace and “SEE through YOUR Hands” and “Squeeze YOUR Elbows” and DRIVE POWER from the ground through YOUR legs, hips, back, core, shoulders, arms and hands.
If YOUR Lines of Power vary too much or go in different directions YOU LOSE!!!
As previously stated, the Power Load Squat is a challenging drill to engage the CAP Agents and the Posterior Muscle Chain into a single movement while helping the player understand Lines of Power (chin, back, forearms).
Power Load Fit
Purpose to establish and FEEL proper Power Load Strike posture at impact without movement using “partner using” all Power Load Components. Partner pushes to activate Posterior Muscle Chain. Repeat with sled with no launch step or movement into the sled, focus just proper fit. Important:
- Shrug, clench, brace
- SEE Through the Hands with hands in the eyes this helps get YOUR body in to proper power alignment and protects your head at impact
- Grab Cloth with Thumbs Up to better transfer the power from the posterior muscle chain through the arms at impact into YOUR opponent
- Squeeze Elbows for Safer and Better power alignment with the hips and it helps stabilize the arms and hands at impact, plus it protects your pits & pecks from the opponent’s hands from getting control of YOU!
- Maintain Lines of Power
Practice with partners and stationary fit with sled.
Power Load Strike from 2 Point Stance to Strike Fit
Purpose to establish and FEEL proper Power Load posture at impact with minimal movement using all Power Load Fit Components. First with a no step strike and then one step (add a second step?).
Key Point – both feet in the ground at contact.
Important Note
Arm Extension, Separation and Control
Arm Extension comes as a result of a great strike to create separation, if you extend arms without a great strike arm extension elevates and stands a player up like a “Jack in the Box” making it easier for the opponent to win the battle at the LOS.
ALL Together
From Stance to Get Off (Launch) to Strike Fit
The ultimate objective is to maintain the Power Load in the stance and transfer fully Power Loaded to the striking fit position at impact. Power Load it ALL while maintaining Line of Power through movement.
Important Note
The Power Load System is a concept that can be incorporated in the off-season weight room and strength development program as well as without helmets & shoulder pads in spring practice and summer camps then when the pads go on it’s a lot easier to put it all together when players have sufficient repetition on the how, what and why of the Power Load System.
Please Contact for Questions
Thank You, Coach B
“To Play SAFER and BETTER Football”
Head Up – Eyes Up – HULK UP!
DISCLAIMER
The Football Safety Academy acknowledges the coach has the responsibility to decide which football techniques should be taught for the well being and safety of his players and there is not one specific technique including the Hulk Shrug Technique or safety device that can completely eliminate the risk of injury from impacts related to football including catastrophic injury and death. To the knowledge of the Football Safety Academy no specific research has been done regarding the Hulk Shrug Technique, however the Football Safety Academy is actively pursuing this goal.