SEALgrinderPT Strength Program 4 Basic Lifts

Check out these tips and pointers for the SGPT Strength Program 4 Basic Lifts.

DEAD LIFT

The deadlift is a powerhouse move for SGPT athletes because it builds raw strength from the ground up—just like we train everything else. It hits your posterior chain hard: glutes, hamstrings, back, and core, all in one brutal lift.

That translates directly to real-world grit—picking up heavy gear, dragging a buddy to safety, or moving fast under load. Deadlifts teach you how to brace, breathe, and grind through discomfort, building both muscle and mental toughness.

It’s not just about lifting weight—it’s about owning the moment when it’s heavy, hard, and real.

Key Points to Perform the Deadlift:

Set Your Feet:
Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Bar should be over midfoot.

Grip the Bar:
Bend at the hips and knees. Grab the bar just outside your knees with a strong, full grip—double overhand or mixed grip if needed.

Lock In Your Back:
Flatten your back, tighten your core, and pull your shoulder blades back and down. Spine stays neutral—no rounding.

Brace Like You’re in a Fight:
Take a deep breath into your belly, tighten everything, and get ready to move like you mean it.

Drive Through the Ground:
Push through your heels, engage your glutes and hamstrings. Stand tall by driving your hips forward—don’t pull with your back.

Finish Strong:
At the top, stand fully upright with chest up and shoulders back. Don’t lean back or overextend.

Control the Descent:
Hinge at the hips first, then bend the knees. Lower the bar with control like a pro, not like a crash landing.

Reset and Repeat:
Re-brace before every rep. Every lift is a fresh mission—treat it with respect.

Back Squat

The back squat is a cornerstone lift for SGPT athletes because it builds real-world strength, grit, and power from the ground up. It targets your legs, hips, and core—muscles that carry you through rucks, climbs, sprints, and long missions under load.

Squatting under weight also sharpens mental focus and teaches you how to stay calm and drive through the hard reps when it burns. It’s not just a gym lift—it’s a battlefield builder. Whether you’re hauling gear uphill, jumping over walls, or grinding through a tough workout, a strong squat is your foundation. You don’t skip leg day when the mission depends on it.

Key Points to Perform the Back Squat:

Set Your Stance:
Feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Stand tall and centered under the bar.

Bar Placement:
Rest the bar across your upper traps (high-bar) or rear delts (low-bar), depending on your style. Grip the bar tight—wrists straight, elbows down and locked in.

Brace Like a Warrior:
Take a deep belly breath, tighten your core like you’re about to get punched, and lock in your spine neutral.

Unlock the Hips:
Push your hips back slightly and bend at the knees—control the descent. Keep your chest up and eyes forward (not up, not down).

Squat Deep:
Drop until your hips are at or just below parallel—no half reps. Range of motion matters more than ego weight.

Drive Up With Power:
Push through your heels and midfoot. Engage your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Explode up like you’re standing under load in a combat zone.

Stay Tight at the Top:
Fully stand, hips and knees locked, but don’t overextend or lean back. Stay tight and ready.

Control Every Rep:
Don’t crash into the hole or bounce at the bottom. Own the movement. Every rep should look clean and strong.

Repeat with Discipline:
Re-brace before every rep. Maintain form like your life depends on it—because out in the field, it might.

Bench Press

The bench press is key for SGPT athletes because it builds upper body pushing power—plain and simple. It trains your chest, shoulders, and triceps, which you need for everything from climbing ropes and scaling walls to pushing sleds and dragging teammates in the field. It’s not just about looking strong—it’s about being strong when it counts.

The bench press also builds shoulder stability and teaches you how to control heavy weight under pressure. Whether you’re doing BUD/S-style grinders, moving gear in the field, or crushing a bodyweight burner, pressing strength helps you dominate. Weak upper body? That’s a liability. The bench press fixes that.

Key Points to Perform the Bench Press:

Set Your Feet and Back:
Lie flat on the bench with your feet planted firmly on the ground. Slight arch in your lower back. Shoulders pulled back and down—tight like you’re ready for a fight.

Grip the Bar Right:
Hands just outside shoulder-width. Full grip, knuckles to the sky. Wrists straight—don’t let them fold back.

Lock in the Setup:
Squeeze your shoulder blades into the bench. Engage your lats like you’re trying to bend the bar in half. Total body tension from head to toe.

Unrack With Control:
Don’t lose tightness. Unrack the bar and bring it directly over your chest—not your face.

Lower with Precision:
Lower the bar slow and controlled to your mid-chest. Elbows at a 45-degree angle—don’t flare them out wide.

Touch, Don’t Bounce:
Let the bar touch your chest lightly—no bouncing, no ego. Keep control.

Drive Through the Bar:
Press up hard and fast. Push through the bar like it owes you money. Keep your feet driving into the ground and core tight.

Stay in the Fight:
Lock out strong at the top, shoulders still pinned, core still braced. Every rep should look like you mean business.

Repeat with Discipline:
Re-check your form every rep. No sloppy presses. You’re training for life, not just looks.

Shoulder Press

The shoulder press is a mission-critical lift for SEALgrinderPT athletes because it builds raw overhead strength—something you need when pushing, climbing, lifting, or holding gear overhead under stress. It targets your shoulders, triceps, and core, and teaches you how to move heavy weight in a vertical plane with control and power.

In the real world, you’re not always pressing from a perfect angle—so training strict overhead press builds the kind of strength that transfers to unpredictable situations in the field. It also hardens your posture, strengthens your spine support, and makes you more durable. Bottom line: if you can’t press overhead with force and control, you’re leaving a hole in your armor.

Key Points to Perform the Shoulder Press:

Stand Like a Warrior:
Feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward. Lock in your stance—solid base, ready to drive power upward.

Grip the Bar Tight:
Hands just outside shoulder width. Full grip—wrists straight, elbows slightly in front of the bar, not flared out.

Brace for Battle:
Tighten your core like you’re taking a punch. Squeeze your glutes and quads. No leaning back or over-arching—stay solid.

Press Straight Up:
Drive the bar overhead in a straight line. Move your head slightly back, then through once the bar clears your forehead—like you’re peeking through a window.

Lock Out Hard:
At the top, arms straight, elbows locked, bar directly over shoulders and midfoot. Full-body tightness—no soft reps.

Lower with Control:
Don’t drop the bar. Lower it back to your upper chest with control, keeping core and legs engaged the entire time.

Stay Vertical, Stay Tight:
No swaying, no cheating with your legs. Strict press means upper body does the work—build real strength, not shortcuts.

Repeat with Focus:
Each rep should be clean, strong, and controlled. Reset your breath and form before every lift. Sloppy reps don’t count.

Ground to overhead (GTO)

The ground-to-overhead lift is a full-body, no-nonsense movement that builds real-world strength, explosive power, and grit—exactly what SEALgrinderPT athletes need. Whether you’re using a barbell, sandbag, or log, this lift trains you to pick up a heavy object from the ground and get it overhead fast and with control—just like you might in combat, rescue, or field work.

It fires up your legs, core, back, shoulders, and grip all at once. It’s not just a gym move—it’s a tactical test of how well you can generate force, stay in control, and move weight when your body’s tired and the clock is ticking. In short: ground-to-overhead is how warriors train to move like warriors.

Key Points for Performing Ground-to-Overhead (SEALgrinderPT Style):

Start with a Solid Stance:
Feet shoulder-width apart. Barbell, sandbag, or object over your midfoot. Grip it like it’s a weapon—not loose, not lazy.

Set Your Back and Brace Hard:
Flat back, tight core, hips down. Shoulders slightly over the object. Engage your lats—get ready to drive.

Lift with Power:
Explode upward using your legs and hips. Drive through the ground like you’re launching off the deck.

Keep It Close:
Pull the object close to your body—don’t swing it out. It’s a clean path from ground to shoulders or straight overhead.

Transition with Control:
If going through the shoulders (clean and press), reset your base. Then press or jerk overhead with force and precision.

Lock Out Overhead:
Bar or object should finish directly over your head, arms locked out, body in full alignment—core tight, glutes squeezed.

Lower with Discipline:
Control the object back down—no slamming unless the workout calls for it. Reset tight before the next rep.

Repeat with Focus:
Every rep is a rep that could save your life or your teammate’s. No sloppy lifts. Move like it matters—because it does.

Questions from athletes in our program:

Question: Coach Brad; what is a good barbell to get started with lifting?

Answer: Good question. Yes; check out this SGPT article that we put together that has some pointers on what to look for in a barbell and bumper plates.

About the Author:

Are you looking to achieve huge goals?

Do you have a big event on the horizon and you want to finish the drill?

Wanting to complete a Spartan Race, GORUCK, Tough Mudder or SEALFIT 20X Challenge?

Are you ready to push forward and kick @ss in life, business and family?

Get individual life coaching with Coach Brad McLeod.

SEALgrinderPT is a proud sponsor of the UDT/SEAL Veterans Assistance 2024 Program. In 2022 during Covid SGPT raised $5360 to help veterans and their families in need.

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