Practical Flashcards

A football lineman is learning to perform a lateral shuffle drill. Which coaching point is MOST important for maintaining a proper athletic base throughout the drill?

Answer: Keep the feet parallel and maintain a low center of gravity

Maintaining parallel feet and a low center of gravity during a lateral shuffle prevents crossing of the feet and preserves the athlete's ability to change direction rapidly.

When performing a seated cable row, an athlete hyperextends the lumbar spine at the end of each row. The BEST correction is to:

Answer: Cue the athlete to maintain neutral spine and stop the row when the elbows pass the torso

Instructing the athlete to keep a neutral spine and stop the pull when elbows pass the torso prevents lumbar hyperextension caused by excessive range of motion.

During a depth drop exercise used to train the stretch-shortening cycle, what is the MOST critical technical factor to ensure correct execution?

Answer: Minimal ground contact time upon landing and immediate rebound

The purpose of a depth drop is to train the reactive amortization phase; minimal ground contact time maximizes the stretch-shortening cycle stimulus.

A strength coach is setting up a new athlete for the conventional deadlift. Where should the bar be positioned relative to the athlete's shins at the start?

Answer: Directly over the mid-foot, with shins nearly touching the bar

Starting with the bar over the mid-foot and shins nearly touching allows for the most efficient vertical bar path and optimal leverage at the start of the pull.

An athlete is performing a Nordic hamstring curl. As the athlete's body descends toward the floor, which phase of the exercise provides the greatest hamstring stimulus?

Answer: The eccentric phase as the body lowers under control

The eccentric lowering phase of the Nordic hamstring curl generates the highest mechanical tension in the hamstrings, which is associated with the greatest strength and injury-prevention adaptations.

A coach is administering a vertical jump test. Which instruction most improves the reliability of results across multiple trials?

Answer: Standardize the number of preparatory steps, stance, and arm swing before each jump

Standardizing preparatory movement, stance, and arm mechanics eliminates sources of variability and ensures that differences between trials reflect genuine performance changes.

When teaching the two-arm dumbbell row in the bent-over position, which technical element MOST reduces lumbar injury risk?

Answer: Maintaining a neutral spine with a hip-hinge rather than a back-flexion posture

A neutral lumbar spine achieved through proper hip hinging removes excessive flexion stress from the lumbar vertebrae during the row.