TIER 3: PEAK EXERTING ELITE POWER.
This is where your strength turns into power. For people with a solid strength base. I focus on explosive lifts, jumps and conditioning.
ADVANCED ATHLETICS
8 MOVEMENT STANDARDS.
These 8 movements take everything from Tiers 1 and 2 and make it explosive: how fast you produce force and how well you absorb it. Loads are listed for men and boys 16–17, then women, girls 13–17 and boys 13–15, then ages 8–12.
- 01
DEADLIFT + CARRY
3REPS + 20-YD WALK
- Trap bar: 1.5× · 1.1× · 0.75× bodyweight
- Immediate transition to walk
- Zero postural breakdown
- Steady breathing on the walk
WHYTests absolute strength and the ability to keep a “rigid spine” under extreme fatigue.
PHOTO · DEADLIFT + CARRY - 02
FRONT RACK SPLIT SQUAT
6PER LEG
- Load: 50% · 35% · 20% of bodyweight
- Barbell in high front rack, chest up
- Vertical shin / stable knee
- Explosive drive on ascent
WHYMaximum demand on core and upper back stability while building single-leg power.
PHOTO · FRONT RACK SPLIT SQUAT - 03
DEPTH DROP + JUMP
5REPS
- Box: 18″ · 12″ · 12″. Step off, no jump off
- Instant forward explosion, minimal ground contact
- Jump past your own standing broad jump
- At least 1.3× · 1.1× · 1× your height, box edge to heels
WHYTrains the “amortization phase”: the ability to absorb force and redirect it into explosive speed.
PHOTO · DEPTH DROP + JUMP - 04
ROTATIONAL SLAM
6PER SIDE
- Ball: 18 · 14 · 10 lb
- Max intent on every slam
- Full hip & core rotation
- Aggressive triple extension
WHYDevelops high-velocity rotational power for field sports and throwing.
PHOTO · ROTATIONAL SLAM - 05
REACTIVE PUSH-UP
10REPS
- Reps: 10 · 6 · 6 (ages 8–12: hands on a bench)
- Hands leave the floor every rep
- Soft, bent-elbow landing
- Zero trunk movement
WHYBuilds the reactive stability needed for contact sports and high-speed upper body movement.
PHOTO · REACTIVE PUSH-UP - 06
LATERAL BOUND + JUMP
5PER SIDE
- Max distance side-to-side
- Stick each landing on one leg for 2 seconds
- Immediate vertical explosion
- Knee stays over toes
WHYMulti-planar power. Essential for cutting and changing direction on the field.
PHOTO · LATERAL BOUND + JUMP - 07
ELASTIC HURDLE HOPS
3 × 5HURDLES
- Hurdles: 12″ · 12″ · 6″
- Toes up (dorsiflexion) in air
- Minimal ground contact, no double bounce
- Rhythm and flowing speed
WHYBuilds “elastic energy,” making you bouncier and more efficient when you sprint.
PHOTO · ELASTIC HURDLE HOPS - 08
ANTI-ROTATION PRESS
8PER SIDE
- 2-second hold, arms locked out
- Statue-like core stillness, zero rotation
- Diaphragmatic breathing
- Shoulders packed down
WHYTeaches the core to stay stiff and protect the spine during rotational sports.
PHOTO · ANTI-ROTATION PRESS
TIER 3 DEMANDS
YOU EARN COMPLEXITY. GYM STRONG TO GAME FAST.
Tier 3 turns strength into power. These movements take your full focus. Expect 12+ weeks here to bridge the gap between “gym strong” and “game fast.” I add more impact only when your landings are clean every time.
ADVANCED TESTING
CAPACITY TESTS.
Being fast once isn’t enough. These tests show you can keep putting out power when you’re tired, and recover fast. I run Test 01 and Test 03 in one session: your heart rate is taken the moment your last push ends. Test 02 gets its own day, at least 48 hours later, so fatigue doesn’t decide the result. You pass each test on its own.
TEST 01
SLED PUSH ENDURANCE.
6 × 40-yard pushes on the TANK® M1 at Level 3 (about 220–275 lb of resistance at test pace), one push every 75 seconds. More pushes, less rest and a faster pace than Tier 2. Ages 8–12: 4 pushes at Level 2 (about 125 lb at test pace), each under 40 seconds.
THE STANDARDS
<28S
Each push · men and boys 16–17
<35S
Each push · women, girls 13–17 and boys 13–15
10%
Last push within 10% of the first. Consistency over 6 efforts.
75S
One push every 75 seconds, rest included
Low hips, full drive. Posture holds deep into the set.
PURPOSETests sustained lactic power: not one explosive effort, but six.
TEST 02
TANK + EMOM COMPLEX.
8-minute EMOM: every minute, 1 × 40-yard push on the TANK® M1 at Level 2 (about 165–210 lb of resistance at test pace), then 8 kettlebell swings (50 lb for men and boys 16–17, 35 lb for women, girls 13–17 and boys 13–15). Form must hold through minute 8. Ages 8–12: 6 minutes at Level 1 (about 60 lb at test pace) with a 15 lb kettlebell, done inside 50 seconds each minute.
THE STANDARDS
45S
Push and swings done each minute · men and boys 16–17
50S
Push and swings done each minute · women, girls 13–17 and boys 13–15
M8
Kettlebell hinge still clean in minute 8
1 = 8
Minute 1 looks exactly like minute 8
PURPOSETests work efficiency under load: can you keep elite mechanics when you’re gassed?
TEST 03
HR RECOVERY.
How fast your heart rate comes down tells me how fast you recover. Taken right after the last sled push: stand still, hands off knees, chest strap on.
THE STANDARDS
30+BPM
Heart rate drop in the first 60 seconds
25+BPM
Heart rate drop in the first 60 seconds · ages 40 and up
<65%
Of your peak heart rate within 3 minutes
STILL
Standing tall, hands off knees, the whole time
PURPOSEElite athletes recover fast. This tracks your system’s ability to bounce back between plays.
SHORT BURSTS ARE EASY. RECOVERY IS A WEAPON.
Anyone can go hard once. I train you to go hard, recover, and do it again. How fast your heart rate drops is the clearest sign of how well your body handles stress.
ELITE MINDSET
BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS.
At Tier 3, your habits matter as much as your strength. How you handle a missed rep tells me more about Tier 4 readiness than any number.
INTENT.
Don’t just “do” the rep. Move with maximum intent and explosive effort every single time.
PRECISION.
At high speeds, small errors lead to big problems. I chase technical perfection in every movement.
RESILIENCE.
A missed lift isn’t a failure; it’s feedback. Analyze the error, reset your system and go again.
FOCUS.
Phone stays in the bag, head stays in the session.
PRO RECOVERY.
You can’t train like an athlete if you sleep like an amateur. Performance happens in your sleep.
CONSISTENCY.
Progress isn’t a straight line. Showing up on the bad days makes it stick.
OWNERSHIP.
No excuses. Your effort is on you.
COMPOSURE.
Stay regulated under pressure. Panic kills power. Breathe, stay calm and execute.
READY FOR TIER 4?
PEAKMAX.
Tier 4 is for athletes training at the top of what their body can do. Nobody gets moved up. You prove you’re ready. Preview Tier 4 →
SIX THINGS TO MOVE UP
- 01
ELITE DISCIPLINE.
At least 12 weeks in Tier 3 with no missed weeks. That’s the entry fee.
- 02
AUTOMATIC FORM.
You move with perfect mechanics without “thinking.” If you’re still analyzing form, you aren’t ready for Tier 4 velocity.
- 03
FULL INTENT.
Every rep is an attack. You move the bar and the floor with maximum explosive intent. No passive training.
- 04
SET THE TONE.
Tier 4 athletes set the tempo for the room. You don’t just train; you raise the standard for everyone around you.
- 05
24-HOUR ATHLETE.
Tier 4 is hard on your body. Sleep, water and food stop being optional.
- 06
RESULTS-DRIVEN.
You don’t ask for Tier 4. Your performance shows it. Pass all 8 movement standards and all 3 capacity tests above, and your numbers leave no room for debate.
COACH’S NOTE
Master the Peak before you chase the Max.
Tier 3 is where most people make their biggest gains, and plenty stay here for years.
READY TO BEGIN?
FIND YOUR
TIER.
Every client starts with a free 60-minute assessment. I’ll find your baseline, screen for injury risks and show you exactly where you start.