High School Weight Training Progressions

I started lifting when I was 15 years old. This was in 1976, and I had the great benefit of training at gyms where the older lifters were only too happy to set us youngsters straight on what was expected. These gyms were powerbuilder gyms, where a diet of heavy weights and basic lifts was the only thing on the menu. Skip Hill, in a recent article, made some very interesting points regarding his early training days in Back to The Future.

Fast forward almost 50 years, and I feel that young lifters have lost the connection to the concepts of heavy and basic, and as Dave Tate often extols, “Time Under the Bar.” Lifting for the long haul is all about preparation and progressions, laying the foundation for what hopefully will be a life-long relationship with the iron.

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RECENT: Care Programming Versatility

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Recently, I was asked to present to high school coaches and students. I developed the table below to show progressions over time for the high school athlete. This is based on the New Zealand high school system but applies to all. I have added the approximate ages of each stage. The New Zealand school year is made up of four terms, with each term lasting ten weeks in duration. 

I would prefer that student-athletes continue to lift during vacation breaks, but I realize that this may not happen. A break program will be provided, but even if it is not adhered to, they can easily break back into training in the first week of the new term based on the progressions below. 

To this end, using an exercise selection chart to explain the movements that you want full proficiency in by the end of a certain level is a way of maintaining focus on the goal.

Often, I do not see great technique in a wide range of movements from players as they arrive into academy programs. There is always a need to regress specific exercises to ensure longer-term success. What is more concerning is that many players arriving at an academy setup have minimal lifting experience. With this in mind, but not wanting to cater to the lowest common denominator, I would progress through the following to ensure that after two years maximum, they are ready to graduate into specific needs-based programming.

Regular Gym Training for Six Months or Less

Three Days a Week

Workout A	Workout B
Deadlift	Back Squat
Bulgarian Sprinter’s Squat	Single Leg KB/DB Romanian Deadlift
Military Press	Bench Press
Chinup or Pulldown	Bent Over Row
Shrugs	Single Arm KB/DB Savickas (Z) Press
Rollouts	Hanging Leg Raises
CARE	CARE

Sets And Reps

Alternate 3 x 10 – 12 with 3 x 6 - 8

Regular Gym Training for Six Months to Two Years

Four Days a Week

Monday	Tuesday	Thursday	Friday
Lower	Upper	Lower	Upper
Deadlift	Bench Press	Front Squat	Incline Bench Press
Sprinter’s Squat	Bent Over Row	Romanian Deadlift	Chinup or Pulldown
Step Ups	Half Kneeling Landmine Press	Prowler® Push	Single Arm Savickas (Z) Press
Hip Thrust	KB Gorilla Row	Reverse Lunge	Landmine Kroc Row
Rollouts	Hanging Leg Raise	Banded Pallof Press	Plank
CARE	CARE	CARE	CARE

Sets And Reps

Alternate 4 x 8 - 12 with 4 x 4 – 6

Regular Gym Training for more than two years is Needs Based related to the following three categories. Most players are a mixture:

• Neural – Speed And Power
• Mechanical – Size And Strength
• Metabolic – Fitness And Body Composition

Every Workout begins with 10 minutes of Movement Preparation based on the following Dynamic Flexibility 

Dynamic Flexibility Movement Drills

• 10 reps per movement, each side if applicable
• Do not rush through them

Inch Worms

4-Way Lunge Pattern 

Mountain Climber 

Supine & Prone Scorpions 

Grasshopper 

Cat to Camel

Banded Rainbow 

Lateral Leg Swings 

Forward & Backward Leg Swing 

Rock and Rolls 

Thoracic Spine Rotation 

Salute the Sun 

Bird Dog Crunch 

Banded Fire Hydrants 

Hindu Push Ups 

Every workout finishes with five exercises from the following chart as part of your prehabilitation program, CARE – Core Accessory Rehab Exercises.

CARE Program

2 x 8 - 20 reps, Carries 20-40m, time 30-60 seconds

Neck	Scapular	Rotator Cuff	Core
Band Neck Work  YouTube YouTube Video prjxXR87Kaw Subscribe Subscribe	Cable face Pull + External Rotation  YouTube YouTube Video nSiIYndTlO4 Subscribe Subscribe	Incline Y & T’s  YouTube YouTube Video eMQJQz11zaU Subscribe Subscribe	Barbell Rollouts  YouTube YouTube Video 5v2j3zTe6T0 Subscribe Subscribe
Plate Extension  YouTube YouTube Video yRX7bGVx-ZE Subscribe Subscribe	Turkish Row  YouTube YouTube Video 6WWdSWIwX5I Subscribe Subscribe	Wenning Sequence   YouTube YouTube Video BJU1iPjO5hw Subscribe Subscribe	Hanging Leg raises  YouTube YouTube Video RuIdJSVTKO4 Subscribe Subscribe
Plate Flexion  YouTube YouTube Video 7CIM4N4KWHc Subscribe Subscribe	Scap Push Ups  YouTube YouTube Video 5YHZnEsE9hA Subscribe Subscribe	DB L Raise  YouTube YouTube Video tbPsqT3UP_g Subscribe Subscribe	Pallov Press  YouTube YouTube Video f_D0GByfZh0 Subscribe Subscribe
Neck Plank	Chinese Back Plank  YouTube YouTube Video Oc99M8hZdLE Subscribe Subscribe	DB Scarecrow   YouTube YouTube Video zp1FFu24CrU Subscribe Subscribe	Landmine Twist  YouTube YouTube Video SDLLsi98xJY Subscribe Subscribe
Groin/Hips	Knee	Hamstring	Loaded Carry
Monster Walks  YouTube YouTube Video aQXoUiz8_Y4 Subscribe Subscribe	Reverse Nordic  YouTube YouTube Video -yf6BI9d4Us Subscribe Subscribe	Pull Throughs  YouTube YouTube Video WljI_Cg7ths Subscribe Subscribe	Farmer’s Walk  YouTube YouTube Video Fkzk_RqlYig Subscribe Subscribe
Copenhagen Planks  YouTube YouTube Video HRYTyez2e4k Subscribe Subscribe	Poliquin Step Up  YouTube YouTube Video Mlj_4LmNGOk Subscribe Subscribe	Nordics  YouTube YouTube Video NfBGKhjedD8 Subscribe Subscribe	Waiter’s Walk  YouTube YouTube Video kGyWZg5WRos Subscribe Subscribe
Side Plank with Leg Raise  This error message is only visible to WordPress admins Error: No feed found with the ID . Go to the All Feeds page and select an ID from an existing feed.	Single Leg Squat to Box  YouTube YouTube Video _BX9SwZTurA Subscribe Subscribe	Reverse Hyper  YouTube YouTube Video kTf-fU5Tab8 Subscribe Subscribe	Suitcase Carry  YouTube YouTube Video bAnCoDrvXc4 Subscribe Subscribe
Goblet Lateral Lunge  YouTube YouTube Video 6DMXBtF_Spg Subscribe Subscribe	Low Box Step Ups   YouTube YouTube Video Mlj_4LmNGOk Subscribe Subscribe	Harrop Hamstring Curl  YouTube YouTube Video 9ZVxTfIRqpU Subscribe Subscribe	Combination Carries  YouTube YouTube Video KK9C7H_EvWQ Subscribe Subscribe

Grip

Calves/Feet

Yoga

11 Poses for Athletes

Neural Progressions

1a – Loaded Sprint

1b – Velocity Power Movements

Choose 1: Jump Shrug/Hang High Pull/Mid Thigh Power Clean or Snatch

1c – Unweighted Lower Body Plyometric Movements:

Choose 1: Box Jumps/Hops, Depth Jumps into long jump or hurdle jump, Repeat Long Jumps/Hops, Repeat Hurdle Jumps/Hops, Borzov Hops, Alternating Bench Blasts, Knees to Feet jumps, Squat to Split. 

2 – Maximal Force Movements

Choose from either the Squat or Deadlift option

3 – Secondary Force Movements: If you chose a squat, do a single-leg hinge; if you chose a Deadlift, do a single-leg squat

4 – Upper Body Push And Pull Super Set

Lower Body

Bilateral

Week 1 – 4 x 6 Week 2 – 4 x 4 Week 3 – 4 x 2

Unilateral

Week 1 – 4 x 12 Week 2 – 4 x 8 Week 3 – 4 x 4

Upper Body

Push

Week 1 – 4 x 6 Week 2 – 4 x 4 Week 3 – 4 x 2

Pull 

Week 1 – 4 x 12 Week 2 – 4 x 8 Week 3 – 4 x 4

Mechanical Progressions

1 x Lower Body Push (Day 1 Bilateral, Day 2 Unilateral)

1 x Lower Body Pull (Hinge) (Day 1 Unilateral, Day 2 Bilateral)

1 x Upper Body Push & Pull (superset)

1 x Loaded Carry

(Farmer’s Walk, Waiter’s Walk, Suitcase, Combo, Overhead)

Lower Body

Bilateral

Week 1 – 4 x 6 Week 2 – 4 x 4 Week 3 – 4 x 2

Unilateral

Week 1 – 4 x 12 Week 2 – 4 x 8 Week 3 – 4 x 4

Upper Body

Push

Week 1 – 4 x 6 Week 2 – 4 x 4 Week 3 – 4 x 2

Pull

Week 1 – 4 x 12 Week 2 – 4 x 8 Week 3 – 4 x 4

Armour Plating

LEGS	CHEST	BACK	SHOULDERS	ARMS
Quadzilla/Wowstrings	Pectoral Punishment	Big Back Maniac	Boulder Shoulders	Arm Race
1a. Front Squat (6)1b. Reverse Lunge (12)1c. Goblet Squat (25)	Triple Drop Incline DB Bench Press (45/30/15)	Head Supported Yates Row s/s Landmine Kroc Row	1a. Savickas Press (6)1b. Dips (12)1c. DB Laterals (25)	EZ Barbell Curl s/sSwiss Bar Close Grip Bench Press
1a. Back Squat (6)1b. Leg Press (12)1c. Leg Extension (25)	3-way Standing Cable Flys Complex: Low to High, High to Low,Horizontal to Floor	1a. Pullovers (6)1b. Pulldowns to Chest (12)1c. Straight Arm Pull Downs (25)	Shoulder Press Ladder on Hammer Press 1 – 10 alternate sides	Seated DB Hammer s/s Skull Crushers
1a. RDL (6)1b. Hip Thrust (12)1c. Reverse Hyper® (25)	Mechanical Advantage Push Ups Complex: Feet Elevated, Normal, Hands Elevated	Mechanical Advantage Chins Complex: Wide/Shoulder/Close	DB Lateral Raises s/sBradford Press	Incline DB Curls s/s Lying DB Rolling Extensions
1a. Trap Bar Deficit Deadlift (6)1b. Back Extension (12)1c. Banded Good Morning (25)	Mechanical Advantage Dips: Ring Dips, Parallel Bar Dips, Bench Dips	1a. Muscle Snatch (6)1b. Fat Man’s Chins (12)1c. Face Pulls (25)	3-Way Shoulder Raise1a. DB Press (6)1b. Seated DB Lateral (12) 1c. Cable Bent-over (25)	DB Twist Curls s/sLow Incline Tate Presses

Metabolic Progressions

Day 1: (Beast Circuit) x 6

Deadlift/Power Clean from Hang/Front Squat/Push Press/Bent Over Row/Romanian Deadlift 45 seconds on WattBike going every 4 minutes. (6 reps on each movement, use the same weight all the way through)

Day 2: (Canterbury Circuit) x 5

300m Rowing/50 m Sled Push/DB Hang Clean/Hand Release Pushups/Gorilla Row/See Saw Shoulder Press/One Arm KB Swing & Release. (10 reps on each movement)

Day 3: (Loaded Carry Circuit)

20m Prowler®/20m Single Arm Overhead Carry/20m Farmer’s Walk/20m Zercher Carry/20mBear Crawl with weight plate on back or weighted vest/20 Calories on Assault Bike x 6

Mechanical Progressions

1 x Lower Body Push (Day 1 Bilateral, Day 2 Unilateral)

1 x Lower Body Pull (Hinge) (Day 1 Unilateral, Day 2 Bilateral)

1 x Upper Body Push & Pull (superset)

Lower Body

Bilateral

Week 1 – 4 x 6 Week 2 – 4 x 4 Week 3 – 4 x 2

Unilateral

Week 1 – 4 x 12 Week 2 – 4 x 8 Week 3 – 4 x 4

Upper Body

Push

Week 1 – 4 x 6 Week 2 – 4 x 4 Week 3 – 4 x 2

Pull

Week 1 – 4 x 12 Week 2 – 4 x 8 Week 3 – 4 x 4

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Ashley Jones has worked in three professional sports across 30 years and four continents. He was awarded the NSCA's Professional Coach of the Year in 2016. Ashley holds his CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) since 1988 and is an honorary lecturer in the School of Therapeutic Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA.