Videos

Gunnery Sergeant Gates conducts a proper explosive calf raise.

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – N/A Preparation: The Marine will stand facing the anchor point with feet hip width apart and the TRX at mid-length. They will hold handles with palms facing in and elbows bent at the sides. The Marine will place tension on the TRX by slightly leaning back. Execution: The Marine will drop the hips down toward the deck while trying to externally rotate the feet, referred to as “tearing the newspaper”, as they descend. They will keep the chest up and feet flat on the deck. As the Marine descends, the arms will rise upwards while maintaining a bent elbow. Once the Marine gets to the bottom of their squat, they will press into the floor and jump as high as they can. They will give at the hip to absorb the landing force and try to keep ground contact time to a minimum. Common Mistakes: - Dropping the chest - Not giving at the hips to absorb the landing force

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – N/A Preparation: The Marine will hold the bar at mid-thigh with hands slightly wider then shoulder width and an over hand grip. Their feet will be hip width apart. Execution: The Marine will hinge at the hip until the bar is just above the knee cap. In one motion they will forcefully extend the hips, knees, and ankles. At the top of the motion they will shrug their shoulders as high as they can. When viewed from the side the hips, knees, and ankles should all be fully extended and in a straight line. Due to the explosive nature of the movement the torso may be slightly behind the hips. Common Mistakes: - Pulling with the arms - Moving too slow - Not triple extending

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – N/A Preparation: The Marine will start in the standing position with feet hip width apart. Execution: The Marine will jump out at a 45 degree angle as far as they can on one leg, landing softly and absorbing the force with their glute and hamstring. When the Marine lands on the deck they will hold the single leg stance for a 2 count. Then in the opposite direction they will drive off the leg that is on the ground at a 45 degree angle and land on the opposite leg. Common Mistakes: - Landing on a locked out knee - Not absorbing the force of the landing

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – Shoulders Preparation: The Marine will execute a proper squat and grasp the end of the bar. They will stand up with the bar held at the center of the chest. Execution: The Marine will squat down keeping their back and feet flat on the deck. From the bottom of the movement the Marine will stand up with as much force as they can and extend the bar overhead until the body is in a straight line. The Marine should be using their lower body to get the bar overhead, not pressing the bar to lockout. The Marine will lower the bar back to chest level under control. Common Mistakes: - Dropping the chest - Pressing the bar overhead, not using the hips - Not getting the body in a straight line

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – N/A Preparation: The Marine will start in the standing position with feet hip width apart. Execution: The Marine will jump out as far as they can, keeping their feet hip width apart. They will land breaking at the hips and knees to absorb the force of the landing. Once the Marine lands they will continue to jump out as far as they can keeping their feet hip width apart, spending as little time on the ground as possible. Common Mistakes: - Landing on a locked out knee - Not absorbing the force of the landing - Not extending the hips during the jump - Staying on the toes

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – Calf Preparation: The Marine will un-rack the bar and hold it at mid-thigh with an over hand grip. Their feet will be hip width apart and the shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles will be in a straight line. Execution: The Marine will in one motion press up as high and as fast as they can on to the balls of their feet without hinging, squatting, or shrugging. They will come back to a flat foot stance and repeat. Common Mistakes: - Hinging or squatting - Moving too slow - Rounding in the upper back

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – Traps Preparation: The Marine will step up to the dumbbell so it is in the center of their stance. They will squat hinge at the hips and grasp the dumbbell with an overhand grip. Execution: In one motion the Marine will forcefully extend the hips, knees, and ankles. At the top of the motion they will shrug their shoulders followed by bending their elbow to keep the dumbbell traveling up and close to the body. At this point the Marine will dip at the hips to pull themselves under the dumbbell. They will rotate their arm and hand around the dumbbell and extend the elbow. The dumbbell should be received so it is over mid foot, same side shoulder, and the hips are above the knees. The Marine will stand up with dumbbell overhead so shoulders, hips, and knees are in a straight line. Common Mistakes: - Pulling early and not using hip drive -Not keeping elbow locked out during stand up phase

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – N/A Preparation: The Marine will start in the standing position with feet hip width apart. Execution: The Marine will jump out at a 45 degree angle as far as they can on one leg, landing softly and absorbing the force with their glute and hamstring. Once the Marine lands on the deck they will try to keep the ground contact time to a minimum. In the opposite direction they will drive off the ground at a 45 degree angle and land on the opposite leg. Common Mistakes: - Landing on a locked out knee - Not absorbing the force of the landing

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – Traps Preparation: The Marine will step up to the bar so their toes are under the bar and the feet hip width apart. They will squat down so the hips are lower than the shoulders and the back is flat. The Marine will grasp the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider then shoulder width and outside of the knees. Execution: The Marine will lift the bar off the ground by forcefully extending the hips and knees without letting the hips rise faster than the shoulders. As the bar raises just above the knee the Marine will push the hips slightly forward and flex the knees to move the thighs against, and the knees under, the bar also known as the “Scoop”. From this position they will continue to forcefully extend the hips, knees, and ankles. At the top of the motion they will shrug their shoulders followed by bending their elbows to keep the bar traveling up and close to the body. Common Mistakes:- Letting hips come up first - Rounding the back -Pulling with the arms early

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – Traps Preparation: The Marine will hold the bar at mid-thigh with hands slightly wider then shoulder width and an over hand grip. Their feet will be hip width apart. Execution: The Marine will hinge at the hips until the bar is just above the knee caps. In one motion they will forcefully extend the hips, knees, and ankles. At the top of the motion they will shrug their shoulders followed by bending their elbows to keep the bar traveling up and close to the body. Common Mistakes: - Moving to slow at the hips - Not triple extending - Pulling too much with the arms

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – N/A Preparation: The Marine will stand facing a box with their feet hip width apart and toes 4 to 6 inches away from the front edge. Execution: The Marine will hinge at the hips and in one powerful movement from the bottom drive the arms and extend the hips in an upward motion. They will land on top of the box with their whole foot and again break at the hips and knees to absorb the force of the landing. The Marine will step back down off the box and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions. Common Mistakes: - Not landing with feet all the way on box - Not absorbing force on the landing - Staying on the toes

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – N/A Preparation: The Marine will start standing on top of the box with their toes on the edge. Execution: The Marine will step off the box with one leg as if they were “walking off a plank”. They will land on the deck giving at the hips and knees to absorb the impact of the landing. From the bottom position they will jump straight up as high as they can. Common Mistakes: - Not landing with both feet at same time - Spending too much time at bottom of landing

Lower Body Power Primary Muscle Groups – Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps Secondary Muscle Groups – N/A Preparation: The Marine will start standing on top of the box with their toes on the edge. Execution: The Marine will step off with one leg like they are “walking off the plank”. They will land on the deck giving at the hips and knees to absorb the impact of the landing. From the bottom position the Marine will jump straight up and when they land will sprint out 25yds. Common Mistakes: - Not landing with both feet at same time - Landing with feet not side by side - Spending too much time at bottom of landing - Not giving and hips and knees