awesome, a bragging thread. When I was 17 I was benching 330lbs at a body weight of 179lbs. My squat was only 405 though 
Why did you go away from box squats? Do you just use regular back squats now and if so what depth?
Regarding athletes of lower trainedness with respect to proper weight training, I found, over time, that the box squat requires more instruction than the free squat.
As a result, while I believe the box squat to be a fine teaching tool for the power style squat as well as a great strengthener of the hips, I find the back squat to be a more economical lift from a logistics standpoint.
In addition, the box squat, if performed around parallel or higher, greatly deloads the knee and supporting structures (connective tissues, VMO, etcetera) and as a result I’ve come to wonder if prolonged box squatting with no other significant means of quad strengthening might actually increase ones probability of sustaining a knee injury- specifically in regards to team sports. This is just a personal theory, however.
I should also note that I place no significance on any exercise in particular so long as the muscles are strengthened sufficiently.
In regards to squat depth, I don’t really scrutinize too heavily so long as my guys achieve 90 degrees of knee flexion. Anything beyond that is up to them although I do think it is important, mobility wise, for them to be able to squat to parallel or deeper without going into posterior pelvic tilt.
The only time I require a certain depth to be attained is during testing; however, as time moves forward I’ve found myself less concerned with testing squat 1RM as speed improvement, to one capacity or another, is my primary barometer of the training.
I was expecting to see him fly in the first 40 and then drop off slightly… however, he did the complete opposite! Challenging the traditional believe of what strength does over 100m - I remember PJ saying that Olu’s max velocity suffered when there was a lack of weights…
Keep in mind, however, that not knowing the totality of his program makes it unwise to suspect that his 100m times are a result of one aspect of his training or another.
Meaning, just because it was said that tempos don’t play a role does not mean that he does not perform speed or special endurance runs.
These are things I know about him, and have talked to him about. His main focus is strength and power training, while sprints are also done, but didnt go into detail. See if I can ask him about that as well.
I would be surprised if he doesn’t/didn’t perform any longer sprints at least to the race distance or 120m mark at some capacity in his training.
Wait, I’m confused. Was there a video of the squat before the edit?
Well I asked him, and wait for a reply now.
Do you know the height & weight? 450lb is pretty strong, but I think there are quite a few 18 year olds who can squat 400lb+.
I think 179 in the stats on the football highlights video. Not positive, but he isnt more than 180… at the most. And 450 ASS TO GRASS is incredibly impressive and there are quite a few 18 year olds squatting 400+…parallel and what we usually we used to…quarter squats…
I assumed you meant quads parallel - people often exaggerate online. Have you a video of this squat?
450 is a good squat for 17 yo. But most sprinters would squats 20% more if they didn’t sprint. Minus the neural load from sprinting leaves much more neural tissue for lifting.
Good post!
What places greater neural load? 95% of 1RMax or max speed work?
I wouldnt have a clue. Maybe one of the more learned members could answer that.
Depends on type of movement for 1rmax. More recruitment in 95% 1rmax for power clean than back squat. Power clean v max velocity. I am estimating PC because max velocity has a large elastic component and elastic tissue doesn’t have motor unit innervation.
Sprinters shouldn’t lift that heavy.
Why should’nt they ?