Big 3 Lifts

How to stay safe while building power in the squat, bench, and deadlift.

Updated: Oct 23, 2025
Authors: Roman Hudson

Brief Project Intro. I will be creating three 1-minute videos regarding working out. I want to provide quick, engaging information for people who may be new to the gym or are seeking to lower the risk of injury and improve their lifts.

THE PROCESS

Understand (Discover, Interpret, Specify)

DESCRIBE THE CHALLENGE:

People often join the gym and injure themselves due to being untrained, having lots of motivation. This can lead to an increased risk of injury as their body has not built a tolerance to extraneous loads. These people need information on how to perform movements correctly with proper form, and understand how the body works as a unit to perform these movements so as to avoid injury. Because motivation is high but movement literacy is low, learners benefit from just-in-time micro-guidance, short cues delivered at the exact moment of need (before or during a lift) to bridge the “I just want to get it done” impulse into safe execution.

CONTEXT AND AUDIENCE:

Audience

Beginners who have recently joined the gym.
People who want to improve their lifts to get stronger.
People who have experienced discomfort or potential minor injuries from improper form.
Viewers who prefer practical, visually engaging explanations over long tutorials.
This series is designed for generally healthy, relatively fit 16-30-year-olds. If you are managing injuries, chronic pain, or medical conditions, or are returning from long-term inactivity, consult a qualified professional for individualized guidance; these videos provide general education, not medical advice.

Needs

Guidance for safe lifting techniques and correct form.
Clear explanations of how different muscle groups work together. (For example, your lats are involved in stabilizing when doing pushing motions.)
Short, digestible information that they can recall during workouts.
Tips for preventing injury and managing workout intensity. Example beginners, intermediate, and advanced lifters have different requirements when it comes to frequency and amount of volume to promote hypertrophy
Short, digestible, just-in-time prompts that can be recalled during a set (for example, feet, grip, brace, press).

Goals

Educate viewers on the basics of proper lifting form.
Reduce the number of preventable gym injuries.
Build awareness around progressive overload and body tolerance.
Encourage sustainable training habits for long-term fitness.
Empower new gym-goers to feel confident and capable.
Foster a training mindset that prioritizes technique quality over load, embraces gradual progression, and normalizes deloads and regressions.
Increase self-efficacy: viewers feel capable of checking their own setup with a 3 to 4 cue checklist before every working set.

Motivation

They want to see faster progress without getting injured.
They feel unsure about their form and want to learn how to lift safely.
They’re motivated to build strength and confidence in the gym.
They want short, trustworthy videos that explain things clearly.
They’re tired of conflicting advice online and want reliable guidance they can actually use.
They want quick wins they can feel today, such as less pain and more control, and reassurance that they are doing it right, which reduces anxiety and information overload.

POV STATEMENT:

A new gym-goer who feels unsure about their form and overwhelmed by conflicting advice needs short, trustworthy videos that clearly explain how to lift safely so that they can build confidence, prevent injury, and make consistent progress in their fitness journey. They also need timely, confidence-building cues that meet them at the moment of action (before and during a set) so emotions like doubt or urgency do not push them into unsafe choices.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Viewers will be able to demonstrate proper form in foundational compound lifts (e.g., squat, bench press, deadlift) to reduce risk of injury and improve movement efficiency.
Viewers would be able to identify and explain how major muscle groups work together during common lifts to understand the body’s functional movement patterns.
Viewers could analyze common lifting errors and propose form corrections to enhance safety and performance during resistance training.
Given a barbell setup, viewers could apply a 3 to 4 step just-in-time checklist (for example, “feet, grip, brace, path”) with at least 80 percent adherence across two consecutive sets.
Viewers could articulate one mindset shift they will adopt (for example, “I will stop a set one rep before form breaks”) and implement it in their next session.

Plan (Ideate, Sketch, Elaborate)

IDEATION:

When I began brainstorming, I thought about the challenges that most beginners face when they first step into the gym. Many people are motivated and eager to see progress, but they often lack the technical understanding needed to move safely. I wanted to create something that would bridge that gap, short, engaging videos that deliver essential information in a way that feels approachable. My goal was to help viewers understand not just how to perform a lift, but why proper form matters for preventing injuries and building long-term strength.

To shape these ideas, I spent time studying a variety of short-form fitness videos on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. I paid attention to how pacing, framing, and clear cues made some creators more effective than others. I noticed that the best videos kept their message simple and visual, showing movement rather than overexplaining it. I also looked at coaching tutorials and sports science resources to make sure my teaching points were grounded in accurate biomechanics. This helped me plan how to translate more technical information into quick, easy-to-digest lessons.

After comparing a few different concepts, I decided that focusing on one compound lift per video would be the most effective. Each video will target one or two key teaching points that are common problem areas for beginners. These are issues I have seen in myself as I was learning and that I’ve seen when helping others. This structure will make it easier for viewers to absorb the information, apply it immediately, and see real improvement in their form. I thought that doing the 3 compound movements was a great starting point because a lot of the things you learn from them apply to every other lift you do. For example, engaging your back to have proper shoulder position is something that is important during every single chest movement.

Prototype Outline

Bench Press: Focuses on how leg drive and lat tension create a stable foundation for generating power throughout the lift.
Squat: Emphasizes bar position and proper bracing of the core to maintain balance, control depth, and protect the lower back.
Deadlift: Highlights grip setup, hip placement, and lat engagement to build tension through the body and prevent spinal rounding during the pull.

STORYBOARD OR SCRIPT: (Prototype)

Video 1: Bench Press – Leg Drive and Lat Tension

Visual 1:
Camera on me standing with soft lighting
Script: “Most people think the bench press is just about pushing the bar up, but real strength comes from how well you set up.”

Visual 2:
Cut to a side shot of me lying on the bench. Feet planted firmly on the ground, demonstrating a slowed-down version of applying leg drive.
Script “Before the bar even moves, your setup starts from the ground up.[transition] Drive your feet into the floor like you’re trying to push the bench backward. [arrow shows direction] That pressure connects your legs to your upper body.”

Visual 3:
Close-up of back and shoulders as I retract shoulder blades.
Script “Now, think about pulling your shoulder blades together and down. This locks in your upper back and lets you use your lats to stabilize the bar.”

Visual 4:
Slow-motion of bar lowering and pressing up. Highlight arrows showing tightness through lats and legs.
Script “As the bar moves, keep that tension. You’re pressing with your whole body, not just your arms. That’s how you build power and protect your shoulders.”

Video 2: Squat – Bar Position and Core Bracing

Visual 1:
Camera on me standing with soft lighting.
Script: “When it comes to the squat, bar placement and core tension are everything.[pop up of bar position and core tension] They decide how strong and stable your lift will be.”

Visual 2:
Cut to over-the-shoulder shot of bar placement on upper back.
Script “For a high-bar squat, rest the bar on your traps. For low-bar, set it across your rear delts. Both are fine just pick the one that feels balanced and natural.”

Visual 3:
Side angle showing bar aligned over mid-foot.

Script “Keep the bar directly above your mid-foot. Doing this while keeping your chest up [visual example] and your core tight [ visual example] leads to a stronger lift and lower risk of injury.”

Visual 4:
Close-up of torso as I take a deep breath and brace.
Script “Before you descend, take a deep breath and tighten your while core. Imagine you’re preparing to get punched in the stomach that’s how solid your midsection should feel.”

Visual 5:
Slow-motion of full squat. Visual cue highlights bar path and spine alignment.
Script (voiceover): “Keep your chest up, knees tracking over your toes, and maintain that brace all the way down and up. Control every part of the movement.”

Video 3: Deadlift – Grip, Hip Position, and Lat Tension

Visual 1:
Camera on me standing over the barbell, relaxed stance.
Script: “The deadlift is simple on paper pick the weight up and put it down. But the real key is in the setup. Every inch of your body should be connected before the bar even leaves the floor.”

Visual 2:
Cut to close-up of feet and bar alignment over mid-foot.
Script “Start with the bar right over the middle of your foot. That’s your power line. Too close or too far and you’ll waste energy correcting your position.”

Visual 3:
Tight shot of hands gripping the bar.
Script “Grab the bar like you mean it. A strong grip sends tension through your arms, shoulders, and core.”

Visual 4:
Cut to side angle. I lower hips until shins touch the bar, chest lifted, lats tight.
Script “Bring your hips down until your shins touch the bar. Squeeze your lats by imagining you’re pinching oranges under your armpits.”

Visual 5:

Slow-motion of full deadlift. Arrows highlight hip drive and bar path.
Script “As you lift, push the floor away with your legs and keep the bar close. Move as one solid unit. That’s what makes a clean, strong pull.”

Visual 6:
Return to me facing the camera, bar on the ground.
Script: “The key to all three lifts is control. When your body moves as a single system, you not only lift more and stay injury-free.”

PROTOTYPE EXAMPLE:

This is a reel a made a few years ago for something else but it is in the same vain of what I will be creating. This is the first time I ever edited or done anything and so it is very all over the place but I think it gives a good example of pacing, visual elements, and content.

VIDEOS AND SCRIPT: (FINAL)

Video 1: Bench Press Ques

Video 2: Squat Ques

Video 3: Deadlift Ques (Visual elements corrupted)

SCRIPTS

Video 1: Bench Press

The bench press is a great exercise to build your upper body but only if you do it right, here are 5 steps to do just that.

Step one to find your ideal grip width, lay on the bench pull your elbows back to 90° then tuck them in until your thumbs line up with your nipples. The space between your hands is how wide you should grip the bar.

Step two stabilize your body by pushing your feet down with your quads and driving your knees out with your glutes, bring your armpits down to your hips to activate your lats and finally extend your chest up to create a slight arch in your upper back.

Step three stay tight and push the bar up off the rack then pull the bar over your shoulders re-engage your lats by thinking about bending the bar in half.

Step four pull the bar down towards your lower chest while tucking your elbows in towards your sides think arrow shape instead of t-shape.

Step five pause for half a second on your chest and then push the bar up and back until your arms are straight over your shoulders. Congrats you’ve just done the perfect bench press.

Video 2: Squat

I’m about to show you the simplest set of 6 steps for a perfect barbell squat that you’ve ever seen.

Step one take a grip as close as your shoulder mobility will allow for placing the bar in your upper traps while pinching your shoulders together and pulling your elbows back hold this tension the entire time you squat.

Step two stand straight up and take short deliberate steps back onto a flat or stable elevated surface your stance should be just outside of shoulder width.

Step three toes should be slightly pointed out, stand straight up with your hips and knees locked and equal balance in your feet from heels to toes.

Step four slightly and I mean slightly push your hips back and then begin to sink down allowing your knees to travel over your toes until the crease of your hip is at least parallel with your knees.

Step five stand back up with your hips and chest rising at the same rate of speed until your hips are fully locked now that is a perfect squat. Did you know that—

Video 3: Deadlift

You’re about to see the best 5 steps for you to have a perfect deadlift.

Step one approach the bar so that your shins are one inch away from the barbell putting it directly over the middle of your foot.

Step two without bending your shins to the barbell grab the barbell just on the outside of your shins do not move the barbell.

Step three push your knees forward until your shins meet the barbell dropping your hips down into position.

Step four push your chest through and pull your shoulders down towards your hips.

Step five push your knees out into your forearms and drag the barbell directly up your legs keeping it in contact all the way until you’re standing straight up and down then push your hips back and lower the bar down the floor keeping it in contact with your legs the entire time.

And that my friends is how you do a perfect deadlift. Thanks for watching. Did you know

PRINCIPLES APPLIED:

Modality Principle

The modality principle suggests that people learn better when information is presented through both visuals and spoken words rather than through text alone (Oberfoell & Correia, 2016). Throughout my videos, the main form of instruction comes from my voice paired with demonstration footage. Instead of displaying on-screen text explaining each step, I use my narration to guide attention to what is happening on screen. For example, in the squat video, as I describe “taking a deep breath and bracing your core,” the video cuts to a close-up of my torso tightening to visualize the action. This pairing of auditory instruction and visual movement reduces the cognitive strain of reading while watching, allowing viewers to focus on how the body moves rather than splitting attention between multiple text elements.

Dual Coding Theory

Dual coding theory highlights how learners retain information more effectively when content is processed both verbally and visually (Paivio & Clark, 2006). Each video intentionally combines spoken explanation with imagery that reinforces the concept. When I explain “driving your feet into the floor” in the bench press video, an arrow graphic appears showing the direction of force. Similarly, during the deadlift segment, lines appear along my spine and bar path to emphasize alignment. These visual anchors create a second memory pathway that reinforces what is being said, helping viewers link the physical movement with the verbal cue. By encoding the idea in both systems, the information becomes easier to recall later when they are actually lifting.

Reducing Extraneous Load

Extraneous load comes from unnecessary or confusing information that distracts from learning (Taylor et al., 2022). To minimize this, I kept each video simple, focused, and free from clutter. The visuals are clean—plain gym background, neutral lighting, no loud music or unnecessary camera cuts. On-screen text is used only for keywords like “brace,” “drive,” or “setup.” Every cue has a clear purpose tied directly to what I am explaining. The pacing of my narration also supports this: I leave small pauses after key phrases to let the viewer process before moving on. This approach keeps the focus on the movement itself rather than overwhelming viewers with extra details or background noise that add no educational value.

Personalization Principle

The personalization principle suggests that conversational and relatable language helps learners engage and understand better (Brom et al., 2017). My narration is deliberately casual and first-person. I speak the same way I would if I were teaching someone beside me in the gym: “Think about pulling your shoulder blades together” or “Imagine you’re about to get punched in the stomach.” This use of direct address and imagery makes the information feel personal and easy to visualize. It creates a sense of connection between me and the viewer, making it feel less like a lecture and more like a short coaching session. This tone helps viewers feel encouraged rather than intimidated, which supports confidence and motivation to apply what they’ve learned.

References

Brom, C., Hannemann, T., Stárková, T., Bromová, E., & Děchtěrenko, F. (2017). The role of cultural background in the personalization principle: Five experiments with Czech learners. Computers & Education, 112, 37–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.01.001

Oberfoell, A., & Correia, A. (2016). Understanding the role of the modality principle in multimedia learning environments. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 32(6), 607–617. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12158

Paivio, A., & Clark, J. M. (2006). Dual coding theory and education. In S. J. Samuels & A. E. Farstrup (Eds.), Pathways to literacy achievement for high-poverty children (pp. 149–210). International Reading Association.

Taylor, T. A. H., Kamel-ElSayed, S., Grogan, J. F., Hajj Hussein, I., Lerchenfeldt, S., & Mohiyeddini, C. (2022). Teaching in uncertain times: Expanding the scope of extraneous cognitive load in the cognitive load theory. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 665835. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.665835

PEER FEEDBACK:

Therese’s feedback emphasized the importance of adding reflective prompts and visual comparisons to strengthen learner engagement and align with the contiguity principle. She suggested that showing correct and incorrect forms side by side and adding short reflective questions such as “Can you spot the correct hip alignment here?” could help viewers process information more actively. I thought this was a valuable suggestion, but I decided not to include those elements in my final videos because of time constraints. The Big 3 lifts are complex movements that require many cues to explain properly, and staying within the one-minute limit already made pacing challenging. Instead, I focused on subtle reflection built into my instructions and visuals. For example, in the bench press video I told viewers to “bring your armpit to your hip” while showing an arrow overlay to help them visualize muscle engagement and connect the movement to the cue without extending the video length.

Nagarjun’s feedback about experimenting with different camera perspectives was very helpful and encouraged me to go out and film additional shots. Adding side and overhead angles allowed me to show alignment and bar path more clearly, especially in the deadlift, where these details are hard to see from the front. This change made the demonstrations easier to follow and supported spatial contiguity by presenting visual and verbal information together in a clearer way. Filming from multiple angles helped me realize how much camera positioning can affect comprehension, and I plan to continue using this approach in future projects to make complex skills more understandable and precise.

Reflect and Refine

Note: This project was completed individually, so this reflection represents both the design process and my personal learning experience.

Reflecting on my prototype and feedback, one of the main things that worked well was the overall clarity and pacing of the videos. I focused on keeping the cues simple and consistent, which made each lift easy to follow without overwhelming the viewer. The use of arrows, freeze frames, and on-screen captions helped to visually reinforce the key points while the narration guided attention. I think this balance between verbal and visual information made the videos feel polished and informative for beginners. Viewers could connect what I was saying with what they were seeing, which helped reinforce the learning experience.

After receiving feedback from Therese and Nagarjun, I realized that using real footage instead of stock images was an important shift. Originally, I was planning to use front-facing clips and still photos to represent each cue, but through their suggestions and my own reflection on what type of fitness content I enjoy watching, I decided to film everything myself. This gave me more creative control over the demonstrations, angles, and lighting, which ultimately made the videos feel more authentic and detailed. It also allowed me to apply ideas like signaling and contiguity more intentionally, since I could plan exactly where arrows, overlays, and captions would appear on screen while I was filming.

The biggest challenge during this process was managing the level of detail within the one-minute limit. The Big 3 lifts each require multiple setup cues, safety considerations, and technique refinements, so I had to be selective about what to include. I found it interesting trying to balance educational clarity with short-form engagement. For example, I wanted to include explanations for why certain cues mattered, but doing so would have doubled the video length. Instead, I relied on visual reinforcement and brief, targeted cues that kept the viewer’s focus on the essentials. I also experimented with pacing by trimming silent pauses between sentences and strategically splitting my intro into two parts so the video would loop seamlessly. This helped boost engagement without sacrificing instructional quality.

Filming the movements myself was both rewarding and nerve-wracking. I struggled to find stock footage that matched the precision and timing I wanted, which pushed me to take on the filming process directly. My friend and I even drove to the Langford YMCA during non-busy hours because I was too embarrassed to record in our usual gym. Once I started filming, though, I realized how much easier it was to demonstrate concepts like leg drive or hip positioning in ways that stock footage couldn’t capture. Having control over the shots also allowed me to test different camera perspectives, such as side and overhead angles, to show alignment and technique more clearly.

If I were to make further revisions, I would explore adding quick reflection prompts or comparison visuals between correct and incorrect form, as Therese suggested. These additions would help viewers actively assess their technique and build a deeper understanding of what “proper form” looks like in real time. I would also consider adding short interactive segments or polls for future versions, especially if I were publishing them on a platform like YouTube Shorts or TikTok. Overall, this project helped me understand how important thoughtful pacing, visual signaling, and camera perspective are for teaching physical skills through multimedia. It also showed me that clear structure and authenticity matter more than overloading a video with information—something I’ll keep in mind for future projects.

“You know, kid, sometimes you gotta just let go and ride the wave you’re given.” — Big Z, Surf’s Up (2007)

Challenge B: Big 3 Lifts