SOAR Physical Assessment

The SOAR physical assessment is where we will get a snapshot of how you move physically. We need to see how strong your are, where you are weak, and what injuries and deficiencies you may have so that we can prescribe you the proper fitness program.

The Back Squat / Lower Body Pushing

The back squat is the lift that we use in SOAR to funnel people safely into the broad world of strength and conditioning. This lift strengthens the back and entire posterior chain, along with everything else in the human body. This back squat also strengthens the mind, as it is a lift that creates toughness, coordination, and confidence. The back squat is linked to goal setting.

Picture the individual who sets the goal of squatting 400#—and the change in body composition, confidence, and mind strength that has to takes place from having the discipline to accomplish this goal. Therefore, showing discipline to getting stronger leads to feelings self worth.

The back squat can play a key role in helping those that struggle with addiction by helping them to feel athletic, strong, and better about themselves. The one who is strong physically can be led to being stronger mentally. The confidence from the physical can lead them to finding the necessary motivation to enhance their spiritual and mental selves as well, which makes the back squat the lift of all lifts–by how it can lift the physical, mental, and spiritual.

  1. Air Squat

  2. Lunge

  3. Elevated Single Leg Squat

  4. Weighted Elevated Single Leg Squat

  5. Back Squat

  6. Front Squat

The Strict Press / Upper Body Pushing

There is the importance of being able to push weight overhead since in our everyday lives we will need to do so.

Our shoulders on their own aren’t that strong, which is why after our strict press strength stalls out, we will need to dip and then press (push press) in order to take the weight over head. And then when we can push press no more, our next move will be to push jerk.

  1. Push-Up

  2. Dip

  3. Strict Press / Bench Press

  4. Push Press

  5. Push Jerk / Split Jerk

Dead Lift / Lower Body Pulling

It makes sense that we should learn how to dead lift properly since in all of life we are required to pick things up that are often times heavy and awkward. Why is it that so many people have lower back pain? Maybe it's because no one knows how to dead lift properly, or basically no one knows how to pick something up properly. Everyone wants to pick something heavy up off the ground by using their back only, when they should be using their hamstrings mostly.

  1. Waiters Bow

  2. Back Extension

  3. Dead Lift

  4. RDL

  5. Power Clean / Power Snatch

Bent Over Row—Pull-Up / Upper Body Pulling

The bent over row is considered to be one our SOAR core lifts because it teaches us how to use our entire posterior chain while also pulling with our arms and our lats. Its important that we strengthen our entire back, hamstrings, and arms so that we can be prepared to take on higher loading and volume as we linear progress in all of our lifts.

  1. Strict Pull-Ups

  2. Weighted Pull-Up

  3. Kipp Pull-Up

  4. Bent Over Rows


Dustin Hawkins