When friend and fellow Boston-based coach, Lana Sova, pitched an article shedding light on some common mistakes she see’s other women make with regards to deadlifting, it goes without saying she had me at deadlift.
Lana’s a great coach and strong herself, boosting a 300+ lb deadlift. She knows a thing or two when it comes to picking things up and putting them down.
Four years ago, I could spot one or two women in the strength area of my gym doing deadlifts, and one of them was a trainer. Now, the love for deadlifts has increased among women.
As a powerlifter and a coach, I love to see the change 99% of the time, but there is still that one percent that makes me want to throw myself into the wall every time I see someone deadlifting.
These days, it seems like deadlift technique is being preached from every corner of social media. And if you are not a fitness professional, you have no idea whether it’s good or bad advice.
Therefore, in true Wonder Woman fashion, I’m attempting to save the world, or at the very least to save you from getting injured while deadlifting, and potentially help you put 20 to 30 pounds — even 50 —on your deadlift instantly.
Here are four deadlift set-up mistakes I see women make.
Mistake #1. Bar and Shin Distance
There are two ways I see women approach the barbell. They either stand too far away from the bar, like it’s gonna bite them, or they step so close it tickles.
The thing is, in both cases, you end up pulling the bar with your lower back. Why? Because the bar is either set up too far forward or ends up being shifted there.
Feet too close.
Lets see what it looks like in action:
As you can see from the video above the initial set-up is awkward – namely, not allowing for any forward translation of the tibia – which then pushes the bar away, which then makes the DL more “squatty” and pushing the axis of rotation (hips) further away, which then places much more stress on the lower back.
Not cool.
Conversely, here’s what it looks like when the feet are set up too far away.
Feet too far (away)
And here’s what that looks like in action:
Again, not an optimal set-up. And a lower back that will end up pissed off.
So we gotta find the middle ground.
To avoid pulling the barbell with your back, set up so that your middle foot is right underneath the barbell.
Feet juuuuuuust right.
The end result is something that looks like this:
Mistake #2. Slacking to Pull the Slack
Did you know there are such things as Meggings? I might be late to the party, but damn those things are tight.
When you deadlift, you want your whole body to almost explode from the tension you created in your set-up.
Pulling the slack out of the bar means exactly that. Make that shit tight. Just like the meggings.
You want to create tension in your hamstrings, gluteus muscles, and lats.
Here’s how I like to teach my clients to pull the slack out:
We first make sure their heels are screwed into the floor – check.
Gluteus muscles engaged — check.
Then we squeeze the purses in their pits. Lats are tight — check.
And lastly, as they reach the bar, they “bend” it and shift their weight onto their heels. Bend the bar — check.
Impromptu dance-parry prior to set is optional – check.
Mistake #3. Head Position
Your body is like a chain that consists of segments. Your head is the last piece of this chain. If your head is tilted, turned, extended, or, I don’t know, rotated 180 degrees, it will change the position of the next piece of the chain — your upper back.
An excessively rounded upper back is a big no-no when deadlifting. If you’re one of the people who always has to watch herself in the mirror while deadlifting, you might want to stop.
I get you want to make sure your form is right, but you’re making it even worse.
Instead of looking in the mirror, look at the bottom of the mirror. This will help you to put your head in a position that doesn’t force your upper back into flexion, or excessive rounding.
Mistake #4. Mindset
For some reason, when it comes to deadlifting, every client turns on her lady-like operations, and treats the barbell like it’s a kitten.
But if your goal is to deadlift your significant other’s weight (or triple that), you might want to be a little more aggressive.
You want to attack the bar.
So leave all your love for kittens behind the gym doors, and rip that shit off the floor, like you’re family’s life depends on it.
About the Author
Lana Sova is a coach at Shameless Strength Academy and a personal trainer atHealthworks Fitness Center in Brookline, MA. She empowers women to build and own their strength via powerlifting and strength training.
Outside of several other health/fitness arguments – steady state cardio vs. HIIT, low bar vs. high bar squats, weight belt vs. not wearing weight belt, Paleo vs. eating like a normal human being with a life, blue yoga pants vs. black – there aren’t many topics which rev people up or bunch panties more so than the deload week.
Some people believe they’re crucial for long-term progress, while others feel they’re a complete waste of time?
For the uninitiated, in simplest terms, the deload week or “deload” is a purposeful, structured, and oftentimes planned reduction in training volume or intensity (or both) with the intention of improving performance, recovery, and/or injury prevention.
The concept has its roots via the Fitness-Fatigue Model (or, Two-Factor Theory Model) popularized by I have no idea (probably some Russian dude, they’re smart) and is a tool used to help optimize an athlete’s preparedness for training, and subsequently effect their ability to “peak” or perform at a high-level in his or her’s respective sport.
Photo Credit: BarbellShrugged.com
Feel free to peruse Wikipedia – or any number of my friend’s and colleague’s websites – for a more thorough, eloquent, and potty-mouth free explanation.
However, in even more simpler terms the Fitness-Fatigue Model can be explained as follows: you lift heavy shit in the weight room and you either build “fitness” or accumulate “fatigue.”2
Broadly speaking deload weeks are widely accepted as most “relevant” for a few demographics:
Professional or elite-level athletes (<— probably not you).
Advanced or “strong as shit” lifters (<— probably not you).
Jason Bourne (<— probably not you. But if so, can we hang out?).
Those who are often injured (<— might be you).
If you’re a competitive athlete with an in and off-season and your livelihood relies on your ability to perform at a high level or you’re someone who’s strong AF, it’s likely you’ll benefit from a healthy diet of deload weeks.
On the other hand, if you’re Dale from accounting and you spent two weeks on 5/3/1 or, I don’t know, took a CrossFit class two days in a row, relax, you don’t need a deload week.
“Deloads are like cheat meals everyone wants one but not many have earned one.”
In reality, though, the real best answer as to whether or not a deload is warranted is: it depends.
I mean, if you want to keep things as succinct as possible look no further than a brilliant quote I stole from Molly Galbraith (courtesy of Greg Nuckols):
“If you feel good and are making progress, do more. If you feel bad and aren’t making progress, do less.”
Jordan Syatt has written in the past regarding the idea of the traditional deload and why he feels it’s a bit misguided to assume everyone needs to follow it.
In short, a traditional deload encompasses a full-week of pre-planned reduction in training preceded by three weeks of intense training. The deload week usually involves using submaximal loads (40-60%) and can also include nothing more than dedicated mobility/activation work, bodyweight drills, or, for those inclined to do so, Netflix and Chilling.3
An important distinction Jordan makes is that the traditional deload (three weeks “on,” one week “off”) doesn’t always fly or serve people’s best interests:
“Not only does it neglect individual needs and preferences, it fails to account for inevitable variances in how you feel on a day-to-day basis.
Cybernetic periodization, a term coined by the late Mel Siff, essentially refers to accounting for and modifying your program based on your subjective perception of how the weights feel on that specific day.
This skill, learning how to listen to your body and understand what it needs based on how you feel, is arguably the single most important skill to master for both coaches and lifters a like.
Unfortunately, the traditional deload completely neglects cybernetic periodization.”
Often times this approach can derail one’s training mojo. Just when someone is starting to make decent progress in the gym and starting to move some appreciable weight, and despite feeling great on any particular day and ready to get after it, they tap the brakes too soon and toss in a deload week.
You know, because that’s what’s supposed to be done.
NOTE: Admittedly, from a programming perspective, regardless of most variables, it’s not uncommon for me to toss in a “fake” deload week every fourth week. Part of it is because of how I prefer to write the bulk of my programs.
Each one is written in four-week blocks (in terms of overall training volume):
Week 1 = High
Week 2 = Medium
Week 3 = Hahaha, You’re Going To Hate Life
Week 4 = Low
And then the following week after that a “new” program starts and the intention is the client/athlete feels “fresh” to handle the additional volume and/or handle the novelty of any new exercises that may be thrown their way.4
Of course, this is not set in stone. Someone who’s training 2-3x per week as it is probably doesn’t need a dedicated deload week every fourth week. In this case it may be extended to every six to eight weeks, if not more. It depends….;o)
In addition, from a business and gym owner standpoint, the Week 4 “fake deload” subconsciously primes people into preparing for the next program.
I.e., they pay.
All That Said
If we’re honest: most people don’t work hard enough to warrant a deload.
Some people will use any excuse – they had one hard workout, they strained a little bit and their neck vein appeared, it’s Wednesday, anything – to not work hard.
Most general population clients don’t require structured deloads because the clusterfuckedness of “life” (work, school, family obligations, vacation) feeds them more than enough.
“Life will sprinkle in more than enough deloads. I’ve always found too many people take a deload right when they start making progress. They get the slightest bit uncomfortable, or they think they need to be on some three week on, one week off deal…and in pops a deload that’s more a derail of progress.”
As an industry we jest that “cardio will steal your gainz.” I’d posit that “you’re lack of making gainz (via incessant training deloads) is stealing your gainz.”
When To Deload
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here.
However my sentiments tend to mirror that of many other coaches:
Even with my most consistent and dedicated clients they’ll still miss some time every month due to work or vacation or any other legitimate reason (Laser Tag Tournament?).
If it’s been 6-8 weeks of heavy training, I’ll incorporate a low(er) volume/intensity week and we’ll turn the page and get back after it the following week.
Heck, sometimes a client will walk in on a random day and I know he or she is not feeling it. When that happens I’ll gauge biofeedback and ask questions about sleep, how they feel, etc and adjust accordingly.
Again there’s no one-size-fits-all approach here, but below are some of my favorite options:
I find the term overtraining is drastically overused. Most trainees don’t come close to overtraining, but if they do volume is usually the culprit. To that end my “go to” deload strategy is a simple one.
1. Keep intensity high (as a % of 1RM) and cut training volume by 50%, sometimes as high as 2/3rds.
2. Another approach comes via strength coach Chris Butler: Deload the main lifts to 40-60% of training max (5/3/1).
3. Perform bodyweight only circuits for a week. Use the week as an opportunity to re-charge and prioritize mobility/activations drills like this:
4. Toss in a training curveball. Change up your training entirely. Instead of focusing on the “Big 3,” maybe do a body-part split for a week. Mentally this is huge.
5. Along the same lines maybe a deload week is nothing more than omitting all axial loading exercises.
Give your joints (particularly your spine) a break.
6. Some coaches use the deload week as a “Test Week.”
Meaning, choose one lift per session and go to town. Hit a top set (or maybe a PR?), drop the mic, and peace out.
7. Movement Variability – incorporate movements you rarely perform.
Experiment.
Go outside and do some agility work (skipping, sprinting, etc).
Play around with some sled work KB swings.
Never done frog pumps and try to make people feel really uncomfortable watching you?
Do that. DO IT.
Like I said, there’s no right or wrong here. Have your own strategies to share? I’d love to hear about them.
For the sake of brevity, this post assumes you can perform a deadlift – trap bar, straight bar, bag of groceries of the ground, person, whatever – without shitting your spine.
If you can’t, go seek out a reputable fitness professional – or Google it5 – to show you how.
Much like if someone wants to get better at writing they should, you know, write, or if they want to get better at not getting laid, they should attend Star Trek conventions…if you want to get better at deadlifitng, you should deadlift.
The more you (purposely) practice something the better you’ll get at it. I understand it’s stating the obvious, but it can’t be repeated enough.
There are many moving parts to executing a pristine deadlift, however, and oftentimes it bodes in our favor to include exercises, drills, and/or movements that compliment the lift or, more germane to the conversation, address a technique flaw or general weakness.
Below are a handful of quick-n-dirty suggestions that may (or may not) apply to you and help increase your deadlift badassery.
1) Deadstart Squats
This is one of my favorite deadlift accessory movements for a few reasons:
When set up to match your hip position for the deadlift it offers a ton of carryover in terms of both mechanics and musculature targeted.
The deadlift is (mostly) a concentric movement. The Deadstart Squat, too, is (mostly) a concentric movement.
For people who struggle with keeping their chest up (preventing their upper back from rounding) during the deadlift, this will be a challenge. NOTE: I’d likely revert to a FRONT squat hold for those who really struggle with back position here. Front squat position is also a better option for those who lack the requisite shoulder mobility (external rotation) to perform well. Another great option is using the Safety-squat or Yoke bar.
Great option for training power/explosiveness.
Because I said so.
As far as sets/reps there are two approaches I like, both of which gravitate more towards the low(er) end of the spectrum.
One (3-5)
Here, reps will stay in the 3-5 (25ish total reps) range using 60-75% of 1RM. A 4-week macro-cycle may look something like this:
Week 1: 5×5 @ 65% 1RM, 90s rest
Week 2: 6×4 @ 70% 1RM, 90s rest
Week 3: 8×3 @ 75% 1RM, 90s rest
Week 4: 3×5 @ 60% 1RM, 90s rest
Idea is to stay tight throughout duration of set. You should always come to a complete stop on the pins, however you shouldn’t relax
Two (Singles)
I love this option as I feel it offers the most carryover to my deadlift.
Because I’m only performing one-rep, I can place a premium on getting as tight as humanly possible and being as explosive AF. In addition I can go a little heavier in weight here (70-85% of 1RM)
A 4-week macrocycle may look something like this:
Week 1: 12×1 @ 70% 1RM, 30s rest
Week 2: 10×1 @ 75% 1RM, 30s rest
Week 3: 8×1 @ 80% 1RM, 60s rest
Week 4: 6×1 @ 85% 1RM, 60s rest
2) RKC Plank
I don’t know about you, but this is what I look like whenever someone brags to me about how (s)he can hold a two-minute plank:
You might as well be bragging to me about how you can point out the color red or, I don’t know, walk in a straight line.
That’s how many fucks I give about your fucking plank.
Besides, you know and I know if you’re holding a plank that long it (probably) looks like garbage.
NOTE: This is not to insinuate I’m against the plank or find zero value in it.
Au contraire.
Without going too far down the rabbit hole of spinal mechanics, prone (and side) planks (and how long someone can perform them) are a legitimate assessment tool and are staples in terms of low back rehab and performance.
Teaching the RKC Plank offers a quick primer on how to 1) perform the plank right and 2) allow people a window to appreciate what it really feels like to get and maintain full-body tension.
The RKC Plank is all about building context.
More specifically it’s about appreciating full-body tension. If someone can’t understand (or feel) what this means while lying on the floor…how in the hell are they going to understand it standing up while attempting to pick up a heavy object off the floor?
Trust me, when done right, 10s will feel like torture.
3) Straight-Arm Band Pulldowns
I stole this tip from Dr. John Rusin when I was giving his Functional Hypertrophy Training program a test-drive last year.
For the Record: it’s an awesome program.
The idea is pretty simple (and effective).
Prior to each set of deadlifts you perform a set of 5-10 repetitions of band pulldowns (holding each rep for a 3-5s count).6
This serves a few functions:
It allows the trainee to prime or feel his or her’s lats firing. Setting your lats (and subsequently posteriorly tilting your scapulae) as part of your DL set-up will help with leverages and moment arms getting you closer to the barbell. Greg Nuckols does a fantastic job at explaining things more thoroughly and nerdely HERE.
Offhandedly, it also helps with anterior core engagement, which in turn aids with rib position. Less rib flare = less lumbar extension = more stable position to lift a metric shit-ton of weight.
Closing Thoughts
None of the above are revolutionary ideas or are going to win be any fitness writing Pulitzers. However, they are exercises/drills I use myself (and with my own clients/athletes) and have found they provide a lot of benefit.
Give them a try yourself and let me know your thoughts/experiences.
I have a 7-month old here at home and to say that my day-to-day routine – wake up, casual breakfast, peruse the internet, take a pic of my cat, do a little writing, go lift heavy things, go coach, come home, eat dinner, watchForensic Files7, repeat – that I like(d) very much and grew accustomed to over the years has been interrupted would be an understatement.
Now my world revolves around diaper changes, eating & sleep schedules, and subconsciously rocking back and forth while standing in place (oddly, many times despite not holding a baby).
Sure I may bitch and whine about having to be more on-point and expeditious with my training – gone are the two hour bro-sessions – and also be more steadfastly aware that my ability to recover has been compromised (again, gone are the two hour bro-sessions), but it’s all good.
In the grand scheme of things I have little to complain about.
Julian is growing, happy, healthy, and already has his sights on the 2040 Olympics.8
My kid’s cute and stuff and I’d love to talk about him more, but lets get back to topic of training.
The peeps over at BodyBuilding.com knew I had become a Dad recently and asked if I’d be willing to drum up a quick-n-dirty program not necessarily directed towards new parents per se, but more so for people who are busy and don’t have copious amounts of time to get their diesel on.
I was happy to oblige and this is what I came up with.
I get it: boring isn’t sexy. And it sure as shit doesn’t help sell DVDs or keep people’s attention at 3 o’clock in the morning watching the latest infomercial on how performing 47 different bodyweight calisthenics while juggling two machetes – you know, to keep the body guessing – is the key to your ultimate body.
BONUS: If you order within 30 minutes you’ll also receive a month’s supply of grass-fed acai berries soaked in the belly-button sweat of a Centaur.
Because, why the fuck not? And, science.
People have been sold on the idea of incessant novelty and variety being the determining factor in getting results at the gym.
I disagree.
“The greatest gap in most people’s training isn’t lack of novelty, but rather lack of mastery.”
It’s telling, then, that many of the most popular training programs around and top coaches in the industry often predicate their roots and training around these basic movements: squat, hinge, push, pull, lunge, carry.9 That’s it.
That’s about as un-sexy as it gets.
However, what’s often lost in the age of exercise ADD is that those six categories alone can be broken down into hundreds of iterations when you factor in variances in grip used, stance used, sets/reps, load, tempo, speed of movement, not to mention barbell vs. dumbbell vs. kettlebell vs. bulldozer (depending on how ginormous of a human you are).
There’s more than enough variety to keep even the most strident exercise enthusiast satiated for a fitness lifetime.
To that end, I can see why some people aren’t as enamored with the Landmine Press as others.
Upon first glance it’s the vanilla ice-cream or NASCAR of the strength and conditioning world.
“Oh, you mean, like, you just press the barbell up and down like that? At an angle? Repeatedly?
It’s nerds like me who can see the bigger picture and can appreciate how valuable of an exercise/drill the Landmine Press is.
I’ve waxed poetic enough in the past on the importance of overhead mobility and people’s lack of ability to do so in a safe and efficient manner.
You can check THIS article out; or THIS one; or THIS one; or not.
I’m cool either way.
In the end, it’s a fantastic, joint-friendly way to perform “fake” overhead pressing for those who lack the requisite range of motion to do so.
Pressing up and down, at an angle, indeed, while seemingly boring, helps keep people out of their “danger zone”…yet still glean an effective training effect that helps build strong shoulders, core, and general levels of badassery.
And as much of a champion of monotony as I am, I can appreciate that, after a certain amount of time, it’s often prudent to up the ante and provide more excitement and, GASP, variety to the movement.
Here Are Some of My Favorite Progressions/Regressions/Lateralizations (Whatever Word Piques Your Interest Most) of the Landmine Press
1) A Quick Primer on Set-Up and Execution
In general, much how I program my warm-ups, I prefer to progress my landmine variations from the ground to standing. When you adopt a tall kneeling or half-kneeling stance you take joints out of the equation (ankles, knees, hips, lumbar spine) and provide less of a window for people to default to aberrant movement patterns that can cause injury or exacerbate any painful symptoms they may have.
2) Tall Kneeling 1-Arm Landmine Press
I should note there are a handful of tenets with regards to technique across the board:
Abs and glutes engaged. Both will nudge people into a little more posterior pelvic tilt and less likely to crank through their lumbar spine.
If you are performing these 1-arm at a time I like to cue people to make a fist with their free hand to encourage more full-body tension.
The shoulder of the working arm should not “dip” or round forward on the lowering phase.
Keep the chin tucked.
When appropriate, there should be a slight “reach” (or shrug) at the top to more fully engage the upper traps (which play a role in scapular upward rotation).
Also when appropriate, play some Wu-Tang.
3) Half Kneeling 1-Arm Landmine Press
This is probably my favorite variation regardless. I like this one because we’re hitting a lot of problematic areas at once: shoulder health (upward rotation), rotary stability, hip flexor length, and glute activation (on kneeling side).
I prefer to coach people to dorsiflex the toes of the back foot (dig them into the ground), but in the end it comes down to whatever feels better for the person.
4) Half Kneeling Sideways Landmine Press
This is one I stole from my buddy Dean Somerset.
Here we’re training more in the frontal plane, which is important…cause we should get people out of the sagittal plane once they master it.
NOTE: you could also combine this one into a 1-arm clean-to-press hybrid movement if you wanted.
Honeybadger don’t give a shit.
5) Plain Ol’ Boring Standing 1-Arm Landmine Press
You can toss in a few curveballs here. You can adopt a staggered stance (one foot in front of the other), which makes things more challenging due to a narrower base of support.
You can also add bands into the mix.
6) Band Resisted Landmine Press
I like adding bands because it provides an added challenge to the anterior core musculature, in addition to forcing the lifter to control the eccentric portion of the lift more.
We can also make the case it “saves” the shoulders even more in that the band automatically decelerates the movement at the top.
Also, on a side note: When the hell are Jon Snow and Daenerys going to hook up on Game of Thrones?
7) Side to Side Landmine Press
This is a great option for when you want to be a little more aggressive with loading.
8) 2/1 Technique Landmine Press
The 2/1 technique is a concept I picked up from Christian Thibaudeau years ago, and something I’ve used in my own programming and that of my clients ever since.
We all know that we can handle more weight on the yielding (eccentric) portion of any lift compared to the overcoming (concentric).
The 2/1 technique takes this into account.
The idea is simple: Press up with both arms (preferably, in an explosive manner) and lower with one under control.
9) Deep Squat 1-Arm Landmine Press (<– Only For Those Who Want to Hate Life)
I hate this one so much. And by hate, I mean love.10
I wasn’t sure where to place this one, so I guess I broke my “from the ground up” rule here.
Whatever, it’s my blog, I can do whatever I want.
Like, yell out “I’m Batman!” or post a picture of a unicorn shitting rainbows and cupcakes.
This one is a doozy and requires someone exhibits sufficient t-spine extension to perform well. Even though it’s a ground-based variation I’d be reticent to place have beginners perform this one.
That’s It, Folks
I hope you learned a few new variations in today’s post. If you have some of your own you’d like to share please feel free to post them in the comments section here or on Facebook.
BONUS Option
Because nine sucks, here’s a 10th variation.
Viking Landmine Press
If you have the Viking attachment (which you can purchase HERE) you can add another nice variation, which includes a neutral grip option.
In today’s guest post by strength coaches and physical therapists, Sam Spinelli and Jason LePage, they break down the hip hinge from beginner level to more advanced iterations.
Your hips have a powerhouse of potential for performance. In the realm of athletics hip extension is one of the most vital components for success. Through the progression of strategies to develop incredible hip extension, the start is to learn how to hip hinge. By hip hinging we can develop a potent supply of hip extension strength and movement capacity that will feed into our other exercises (jumps, cleans, snatches, etc.).
In a hip hinge we are moving our body through hip flexion and extension, while maintaining our spinal position in a neutral range. In most hip hinge exercises we are minimizing (not eliminating) knee movement, allowing for a focus to be placed on the hips; this is often referred to as a “soft bend” in the knees.
By having this soft knee bend, in contrast to a squat motion, we are going to encourage bending over. Due to this, understanding how to move through the hips and not the low back is vital to long term development.
While the hip hinge holds the opportunity to develop some awe-inspiring power, it is not the most simple movement, and for some people can be a real struggle to just pick up. That is where the following “hacks” come in. These are a collection of some of our top picks for learning the hip hinge motion.
Wall Referenced Hip Hinge
Back to Wall Hip Hinge
Wall Facing Hip Hinge
By using the wall we can have an external source of feedback guiding us. When we have our back to the wall, if you aren’t able to do a posterior weight shift and move your hips, you won’t reach the wall.
In contrast, when we face the wall, if you aren’t able to do a posterior weight shift you’ll make contact and not get very far.
Combine the two to get the best of both worlds and own the hinge pattern.
Handcuff Hip Hinge
With the weight held behind our back, it gives a reference of where to push into and guide the weight shift. As well, it places our shoulders in a more retracted and depressed position which cues to keep our chest proud through the movement.
Finally, with your arms secured behind your back you can feel if your lower back begins to round during the movement.
Kneeling Band-Assisted Hinge – Video link + Commentary
Struggle to move through just the hips and not bend the knees excessively or arch your back?
This variation will be a huge help.
The tall kneeling position temporarily eliminates the ankles which brings the focus to the hips! For this drill, simply try to sit your butt onto your heels. If you are struggling to move at the hips, the band will assist that movement to show you what it feels like to perform a hinge.
Some repetition here will help your body sense what the hinge feels like before moving on to a standing strategy.
Foam Roll Assisted Single Leg Hinge – Video link + Commentary
With this hip hinge hack, we transition to a single leg to hone the mechanics for unilateral hinging. In this variation, the foam roller functions as an external cue that allows you to create tension using the entire body as well as increase the stability of the movement allowing you to move slower if needed.
In most people, the foam roller will fit nicely between the foot and hand and is a solid option if you are struggling with a single leg variation of the hinge prior to loading the movement pattern.
Once you’ve begun to hone the hinge pattern, it’s time to start loading it up and building a monstrous posterior chain. Below are some of our top picks for beefing up your training program and solidifying your backside.
Pull Through
Banded Pull-Through
Pull-Through Added Band Resistance
Transitioning from the hip hinge hacks to loading can be challenging for some people. That is where the pull through can be utilized perfectly.
The pull through is an excellent exercise for novices to begin loading the hip hinge as it helps to give great feedback through the cable/band pulling your hips and weight in the direction we want them to move. As well, due to the direction of pull, their is a greatly reduced amount of loading on the back, making it a very safe exercise to begin with.
For those of you who are more advanced, the pull through can still be a great option for loading the hamstrings and glutes without putting as much stress on the low back/erectors. If you find yourself struggling with having enough load, consider adding in a band for additional loading.
Elevated Deadlift
The deadlift is arguably one of the best movements in general – challenging most of the body in one motion, but it is in particular one of the best posterior chain exercises.
It allows for great loading of the hamstrings, glutes, and lumbar extensors while also incorporating much of the upper back musculature to stabilize the spine and shoulders. Most people struggle to effectively pull off the floor and by elevating the bar a few inches we can get into a much better starting position and focus on good mechanics.
Hip Thrust
When we talk hip hinge, we are generally referencing movements that have us in an upright posture. However, there are some fantastic exercises that use the hips that are not done being upright. The hip thrust is an incredible strength movement for the glutes and other posterior chain muscles and really helps those who have a need for horizontal force production – such as most field sport athletes.
Landmine 1-Leg SLDL
Working the posterior chain on a single leg can put a big focus on hip, knee, and ankle stabilization, while also reducing how much loading is on the lower back and placing more on the legs and hips.
However, many people struggle initially learning the mechanics of the 1 leg SLDL. Utilizing the landmine we are able to take advantage of the arcing motion of the bar and also the increased amount of structural stability to have a slightly easier time learning the motion.
KB Swing
The KB swing offers us the ability to ramp up the speed of the movement and incorporate some higher rate of force development. This can be very beneficial for all athletes and incorporated as a primer before heavy work. As well, the KB swing can be a great exercise to use in a conditioning format as it can really get the heart rate going.
About the Authors
Sam Spinelli
Sam Spinelli is cofounder ofThe Strength Therapist, a company devoted to educating people about strength training for rehab and performance.
Coming from the great white north of Canada, Sam spent 5 years working with high level hockey as a strength and conditioning coach. Currently he has taken up a nomad status in the United States to pursue his doctorate of physical therapy and hang out with really smart people (Like Tony G).
Outside of spending his time reading research papers and drinking coffee, he is a competitive strength athlete in sports such as powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman.
Jason LePage is a Doctor of Physical Therapy student at Quinnipiac University and the founder of PrimePhysioFitness. For the last 4 years, Jason has worked as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor with a passion for promoting fitness and wellness for all ages. Outside of school and work, Jason loves playing a variety of sports including basketball, tennis, and volleyball and spending time with his family. If you want to learn more from or connect with Jason:
Ever wonder what some of the best coaches/trainers say their favorite mobility drills are? Squat regressions? Favorite exercise in general? No? Well, too bad.
Shane McLean asked some well-known coaches (John Rusin, Meghan Callaway, Meg Julian, Eric Bach, and myself) what some of their favorites are. Go learn something.
My favorite food is potatoes. I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like yet.
My favorite movie line is “I feel the need, the need for speed.” I’m pumped that Hollywood is making a sequel to Top Gun. I’m already counting down the days to its release next July.
I wonder if they’re going bring back Goose from the dead?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O1ZhHts8MI
Bring the subject back to exercise, my favorite move is deadlifts. If left to my own devices, I’d deadlift, do some curls, slam down some coffee and then go home. However, my coach makes me do a bunch of stuff I hate but really need.
That’s what great coaches do.
Great coaches also have their go to exercises that end up in most of the programs they write. Usually, you need to attend a seminar or deep dive the internet to find out what the smartest minds in the fitness industry are doing.
However, let me save you the trouble. I’ve asked some of the industry biggest names about their go to moves and exercises they never go without. Who knows, you might learn something.
Tony Gentilcore. <– That’s Me
1) Number One Foam Roll Drill. And Why?
My #1 foam rolling drill comes in the form of a brief rant. Now, mind you, understand I am a fan of foam rolling and do encourage my clients to partake prior to each training session. Or after, I don’t care.
This is my ” go to” series.
That being said I do feel many people place too much credence/emphasis on foam rolling. I can’t tell you how many people have come to me seeking advice on why this hurts and that hurts and why they can never stay healthy. Whenever this happens I’ll inevitably ask them to show me their warm-up.
Fast forward 30 minutes.
Yeah, that’s right….it’s not uncommon for some people to spend upwards of 30 minutes (sometimes more) foam rolling. Foam rolling. After that long even Sting, a proponent of something like 7-hour tantric sex sessions, would be like, “come on already, let’s get it over with.”
When this happens, I’ll come straight out and say it: “THAT’s why you’re always hurt.”
People need to get out of this delicate flower, corrective exercise bubble mentality. Sure, foam rolling helps…but not for the reasons most people think. Do it if it makes you feel better. But get the eff off and go TRAIN.
2) Number One Mobility/Flexibility Move. And Why?
My favorite move is the Yoga Push-Up Complex.
I like it because it’s ONE move that hits a lot of trouble areas for most people:
T-Spine Extension & Rotation
Hip Flexor Length
Glute Activation
Hamstring & Adductor Length
Scapular Protraction & Upward Rotation
About the only thing it doesn’t address is small biceps….;o)
3) Your Number One Squat Regression. And Why?
Slowing people down.
Lets discuss this under the guise of butt wink and squatting. It’s a thing.
Basically, it’s a less nerdy way of informing someone “dude(tte), you’re running out of hip flexion so you’re compensating with excessive lumbar motion.”12
Many think the culprit is tight hamstrings. Nope.
The hamstrings are bi-articular muscle crossing both the knee and hip joints. When we squat (go into deep(er) hip flexion) the hamstrings shorten at the knee and lengthen at the hip; there’s very little net increase in length.
When butt wink occurs it’s almost always a lack of tension issue. Meaning, often, there’s lack of pelvic control either due to one of two scenarios:
Lack of strength/stability.
Lack of motor control.
If your trainer tells you it’s because of tight hamstring he’s a dickwad.
In either case one of the best ways to address it is to slow down. You need to control slow before you can control fast. Coaching people up to adopt a better bracing strategy (core on, spread the floor with feet, PULL down into the squat in a controlled manner) will make a significant improvement for most.
On an aside: what may present as a mobility issue (unable to squat deep) may just be a stability issue. Adding a slight anterior load (plate or Goblet Squat) can fix things quickly.
4) One Exercise You Cannot Do Without. And Why?
I know most people who read my stuff think I’m going to say deadlifts here. But I’m not. I think the one exercise I do the most – and incorporate into my client’s programs the most – are carry variations.
What’s not to like about them? They work on core stability, hip stability, posture, grip, and take little to no coaching to perform them. And, they can be done with dumbbells, kettlebells, various barbells, people, you name it.
Just don’t make these common mistakes:
Trainer Meg J (I Guess It’s Like a Self-Titled Album)
Touch Down, or a wall slide, on a foam roller. Not an actual rolling drill, but a great chest opener and client favorite. Much of the general population (and even athletes), battle “Upper Crossed Syndrome“.
Due to how much time we spend behind computers, looking down at phones, or sitting behind a wheel or TV, our necks and shoulders begin to round down and in. This can be a factor in neck, back, and shoulder pain, as well as impact breathing. This drill allows gravity to help naturally open the tight chest area.
2) Number One Mobility/Flexibility Move. And Why?
Wall slides. Like the Touch Down on the foam roller drill, wall slides help opens the chest, engage the back muscles, and bring more blood flow to those areas.
3) Your Number One Squat Regression. And Why?
Goblet squat with raised heels. Goblet squats are excellent for building anterior core (abs) strength and maintaining balance while learning the movement pattern. If someone has tight calves, or several other potential lower body issues, adding plates under their heels allows them to move more smoothly.
4) One Exercise You Cannot Do Without. And Why?
While I’m tempted to pick the phenomenal, almost as good as bacon, exercise of the Deadlift, my final answer will the ASLR (Assisted Straight Leg Raise) with band. This exercise is incredible for building core strength, teaching tension, and getting the hips and abs to work in unison.
Meghan Callaway, Strength Coach
1) Number One Foam Roll Drill. And Why?
Truthfully, I don’t do much with the foam roller. In most cases, I find that when you prioritize stability, the need for foam rolling is much less. While rolling out your quads might feel good, I don’t think it will make or break your performance or overall health.
Many people expend too much of their time energy aimlessly using the foam roller, when their time would be better served focusing on improving other areas of their overall health and fitness.
Note From Tony:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAryFIuRxmQ
2) Number One Mobility/Flexibility Move. And Why?
I will occasionally use the foam roller to perform thoracic mobility drills, particularly flexion and extension. Of course, whether I use this drill will depend on the individual, and their unique needs.
I like to use the roller to perform band resisted hamstring curls, a single arm push-up/roll-out combo, or ab roll-outs, but obviously these are not flexibility/mobility drills.
3) Your Number One Squat Regression. And Why?
The goblet squat is one of my go-to squat regressions. This exercise helps people master the squatting movement and acquire the requisite levels of technique, strength, and controlled mobility so they can progress to performing more advanced squatting variations.
I also like the landmine squat for the same reasons. (Are Meghan and John Rusin related?)
Negative Goblet Squat
Negative 1.5 Rep Goblet Squat
4) One Exercise You Cannot Do Without. And Why?
I can’t pick one exercise, so I’ll choose two. I cannot go without trap bar deadlifts, and pull-ups, particularly some of my crazier ”play” variations.
It’s important to understand that just because you are utilizing the foam roller as a tool doesn’t necessarily mean that you are addressing soft-tissues. The foam roller can be a powerful manipulator of position in the spine, pelvis and extremities due to the acute force angle it has the ability to create.
So, do I view the thoracic spine foam rolling technique as a self-myofascial release technique? No. I view it as a corrective exercise that addresses the mobilization of the thoracic spine. Like this for example.
2) Number One Mobility/Flexibility Move. And Why?
Single Leg Adductor Rock Back with T-Spine Rotation
Most people have lost the ability to stabilize their pelvis and lumbar spine. This is a problem since the lower portion of the spine is anatomically designed to be stable; it functions best under low amounts of relative movement.
Creating super-stiffness at the pillar is nonnegotiable if you’re a lifter. It starts with positioning the pelvis and lumbar spine together synergistically. But achieving a position is vastly different than maintaining a position, especially when there’s a heavy barbell on your back.
That’s where this movement comes in. It’ll help you brace your core by creating tension in a controlled environment. You’ll relearn what stability should actually feel like.
3) Your Number One Squat Regression. And Why?
Landmine Goblet Squat
This variation provides the full body stability benefits of placing a load into the anteriorly loaded goblet position, but also aids in the balance and coordination requirements of the squat pattern by increasing the ground contact between the barbell and your hands.
Instead of just having your feet in contact with the ground, the barbell is in contact as well.
The unilateral position of the barbell also alters the strength curve, pushing you back into your hips further and further as you ascend deeper into the squat pattern. This characteristic is what makes this variation of the goblet squat the logical starting point for rebuilding the movement pattern from the ground up.
4) One Exercise You Cannot Do Without. And Why?
Trap Bar Farmers Carry.
For long-term orthopedic and functional success, you should be able to pick up a heavy object, stabilize, then walk with it. The inability to do so is a sign your grip is fragile and that you’re susceptible to chronic issues in places like the lower back, shoulders, and elbows.
Not many gyms have dumbbells that go up into the 200’s, so don’t think carries are limited to dumbbells. If you want to train grip with continuous progressive overload, the trap bar or farmers-carry handles, which can be loaded with weight plates, are your best bet.
Why: Chances are you’re spending hours each day in a crouched, internally rotated position which leaves you with poor posture and terrible thoracic mobility. And chances are you like to hoist heavy bench presses every Monday despite your shoulders screaming at you.
While I’m not going to tell you not to bench press, I will tell you to combat poor posture and battle back against achy shoulders with the side lying windmill on a daily basis. Posture takes time to improve. This simple drill attacks one of your biggest weak points to long-term, pain-free training.
2) Number One Mobility/Flexibility Move. And Why?
Groiner with T-Spine Rotation
Why: The groiner with the t-spine rotation attacks two common weak points: hip and thoracic mobility.
By killing two birds with one stone you’ll open up pain-free ranges of motion to improve both upper body and lower body training during a warm-up.
3) Your Number One Squat Regression. And Why?
To improve the squat patterns, I’ll move clients from a typical back squat all the way back to a bodyweight squat to a box.
Why such a regression?
It’s much easier to rebuild a movement from the beginning than taking a stab in the dark with other regression models. By doing a body weight squat to a box you’ll reinforce basic mechanics from holding an active foot position to properly shifting the hips back, pushing the knees out, and bracing the abdominals without weight.
Often, this simple regression will progress quickly through the following process: bodyweight squat to box>bodyweight squat>goblet squat to box>goblet squat> goblet squat with 5 second eccentric> barbell squat of your choice.
4) One Exercise You Cannot Do Without. And Why?
Front Squats.
For starters, front squats require hard work, which most gym goers avoided like the bubonic plague, opting to post every gym P.R. and dozens half-naked selfies on Instagram. Further, few exercises match the high-performance benefits of the front squat.
Anterior bar placement keeps the torso vertical, preventing the hips from going into an excessive anterior pelvic tilt, and requiring incredible core strength to prevent flexing forward.
Anterior bar placement forces lifters to attain an upright posture, decreasing shear stress on the spine, a bonus for minimizing back pain.
Front squats require scapula and clavicle elevation and upward rotation to keep the elbows up and the bar in proper position. This requires the traps, serratus anterior, levator scapulae, rhomboids, and lats to work in conjunction to hold position and prevent you from dumping the bar forward.
This gets you yoked and prevents you from developing smeagol like posture.
Wrapping Up
I hope you take this new-found knowledge and apply it to your own or client programs. These exercises will have you and your clients moving and feeling better and crushing life.
And it didn’t cost you a dime.
About the Author
Shane “The Balance Guy” McLean, is an A.C.E Certified Personal Trainer working deep in the heart of Texas. Shane believes in balancing exercise with life while putting the fun back into both.
Seems how I won’t be giving Langston Hughes a run for his money anytime soon, lets get into the meat and potatoes of the Meadow’s Row and why I like it so much.
First off, John Meadows, the guy who popularized the movement, is a brick shit house:
It’s long been a staple exercise in his routines, and, if you want a back the size of Nebraska, like John, you’d be remiss not to start peppering it into your exercise routines as well.
I’ve been a big fan of the Meadow’s Row for awhile, ever since I first saw John mention it in THIS article over on T-Nation a few years ago. It wasn’t until earlier this week, however, when I posted the picture below on Instagram that I felt compelled to write about it.
A post shared by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on
Basically, someone saw the picture and asked if I’d discuss coaching cues and provide a few videos?
Given I’ve been in a little “coming up with new content funk” I was more than happy to oblige. So, here you go.
The Meadow’s Row
What Does It Do? – I’d like to preface everything by saying I do feel it’s important for most trainees – especially beginners and intermediates – to pump the brakes a little and learn to perform a strict 1-Arm DB Row first.
The 1-Arm DB Row should not be performed in a straight up and down motion. This often leads to faulty mechanics and people “rolling” their shoulder(s) too far forward due to excessive humeral extension.
The resultant abducted and anteriorly tilted scapular position makes it cumbersome to target the upper back muscles, which is kinda the point of the exercise in the first place. So, there’s that.
Rather, the more kosher way to perform them is to have the DB move in an “arc” fashion; forward and back. This does two things:
When conjoined with the cue “bring your elbow to your hip or back pocket” it prevents the elbow from going past the midline of the body, avoiding that “rolling” of the shoulder mentioned above.
It matches the fiber orientation of the lats, which is what we’re really trying to target.
Side Note: I also agree with Lee that you can only be so strict with the DB Row for so long before it loses its moxy.
Meaning: I think it is important to be strict – at first – so that you can target the scapular retractors (namely, rhomboids). However, it won’t take long before the limiting factor of how much weight you can use is, you know…being strict.
As Nick Tumminello notes in THIS excellent article, two things to consider are the Resistance Curve and Strength Curve of any exercise.
The Resistance Curve: This refers to how the load changes throughout the range of motion based on changes in lever-arm (or moment-arm) length.
The Strength Curve: This refers to how your strength changes throughout the range of motion of a given exercise, which is due to a principle of physiology known as the length-tension relationship or the length-tension curve.
Photo Credit: T-Nation.com
Muscles have the lowest potential to produce force when they’re either fully elongated or fully contracted – somewhere in the middle is when they produce the highest amount of tension.
Moreover, when performing a horizontal row (like a 1-Arm DB R0w) the lever arm gets LONGER at the end range of the concentric motion (when your humerus is perpendicular to the ground).
As Nick notes:
“This is why you often see lifters pull the weight halfway with good form, then jolt it the rest of the way when doing exercises like barbell bent-over rows and one-arm dumbbell rows. It’s also why you see so many people turning their torso towards their rowing arm as they pull the dumbbell in on dumbbell rows, along with seeing people staying too upright on bent-over barbell rows and one-arm dumbbell rows, or leaning back to far when performing seated rows or machine rows.”
Anyways, I’m a firm advocate for coaching strict technique in the beginning. But we also need to recognize said strictness can be a limiting factor if muscle growth is a goal.
And, it is…..always……….;o)
By all means, be strict!
Just know you (likely) won’t be turning any heads or building an impressive upper back with your “strict” 45 lb rows.
So What is it About the Meadow’s Row That I Like So Much?
It builds ginormous backs.
Specifically, it hammers the lats (which is your largest back muscle).
It makes you feel like a badass diesel motherfucker.
It’s fun to do, and nice change of pace from plain ol’ vanilla DB Rows.
A great option to go heavy if your gym is lame and doesn’t have heavy DBs.
Key Coaching Cues:
1. Use straps.
Don’t listen to internet trolls who will tell you you’re “cheating” if you use straps. They brag about 225 lb deadlifts and their parents still pay their phone bills.
Use straps. You don’t want your grip to be the limiting factor on these.
2. John himself advocates you open up your hip closest to the bar. As in: the hip closest to the bar should be higher than the outside hip. I believe he prefers this method as it puts the lats on stretch a bit more.
Either way, play around with hip position and see what feels best for you.
3. I like to support my torso with my “free” hand by resting it on my opposite knee. I feel this takes the burden off my lower back.
4. I still use the same cue: “elbow to back hip or back pocket.”
5. Try to feel a slight “stretch” in the bottom position, when arm is straight.
6. Holy shit, lats for days.
Another option would be to perform the Meadow’s Row with a Meadows Attachment.
The thinner handle helps with grip issues, and won’t result in demerit points if you’re adamant on not using straps.
In addition, you can also play around with different handle positions to see which one you prefer or feel most. There’s no right or wrong here.
NOTE: You can purchase the attachment HERE on Elitefts.com.
And That’s That
If you haven’t already, give the Meadow’s Row a try today. It’s one of my favorites and I’m sure you’ll learn to appreciate them as well.
I remember the first time I saw Eminem perform. I was at my apartment in between classes watching a little TRL on MTV. It was spring break, 1999. I was in my living room. Many of my friends were somewhere else, not in my living room, galavanting around on some beach in Cancun soaking up some rays and debauchery.
Customary during Spring Break week MTV was also in Cancun, and hoping to catch a glimpse of my friends – and Britney – I tuned in.
“Hi, my name is, what? My name is, who? My name is, chka-chka Slim Shady.“
Mouth agape with a spoon full of Fruity Pebbles I was like, “what in the what is this?”
Eminem something er other now? Trying to impregnate Spice Girls?
“Pfffft, whatever,” I thought. “He won’t last.”
Ten #1 albums, 45+ million records sold, and one not so sucky movie – 8 Mile – to his credit, I guess you could say I was an idiot.
Eminem didn’t do so shabby for himself.
And while I could sit here and reminisce over you13other past pop-culture snafus I made….
Chicks will always dig stone washed jeans.
Robert Downey Jr will never make it as Iron Man.
ABC’s What About Brian? (2006) will become the next Grey’s Anatomy or Lost. It’ll be a sure fire hit.14
…lets not bask too much in my ineptitude.
I mean, Adele?
She’s okay. I guess.
Speaking candidly, my “misses” can extend to the coaching side of the spectrum as well. I can think of a few things I used to think or say back in the day that, upon reflection, were pretty idiotic.
What are some examples you ask?
Good question.
1. Telling People to Arch…HARD.
Like many people interested in lifting heavy things I used to read – and still do – anything and everything by the likes of Dave Tate, Jim Wendler, and Louie Simmons.
All three are strong mofos and have, arguably, put out some of the best training advice on getting strong within the past few decades.
I mean, are you going to argue with this guy?
Or this guy?
Or him?
Uhhhh, no.
They’ve all contributed to the greater good of the industry and many of us owe our PRs to any number of articles or resources they’ve produced throughout the years.
That being said, I had to audit myself a few years ago when it came to coaching the squat. After being introduced to the concepts of PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) and listening to other strong dudes like Chad Wesley Smith speak on the topic, I wondered if cueing people to “arch, hard!,” and to” sit back” were the right things to be saying to the bulk of my athletes/clients when they were getting under the bar?
Very few were competitive powerlifters and even fewer were geared lifers. I.e., none wore squat suits when training (which require an aggressive arch and sitting back to reap the benefits).
To be clear: There are still many very strong dudes (and coaches) who advocate squatting with a hard arch, and that’s their prerogative. The thing to appreciate, however, is that what works and is ideal for a geared lifter won’t necessarily (read: rarely) ever translate well to a non-geared lifter.
If I were to balance the “I want to be brutally strong AND not shit my spine on this next set” teeter-totter, I’d opt for not arching (aggressively).
The ribs & diaphragm are pointing in one direction (up) and the hips & pelvic floor are pointing in another (down).
Put simply, this is all sorts of fuckeduppery not a stable position.
We’re placing a ton of shear load on the spine.
What’s more, this will invariably force the lifter to initiate the movement by sitting back (rather than down. You know, a squat). As a result, often, the chest will fall forward, and the cue we default to is “arch, arch, arch, chest up, chest up, chest up.”
This only feeds instability.
A better, I believe, approach (again, for non-geared lifters) is to tone down the arch and adopt what’s been referred to as the “canister” position.
Giving credit where it’s due, the first person I ever heard use this phrase was Dr. Evan Osar. A simple analogy he used was to think of your pelvis as one ring and your rib cage as a bunch of other rings.
We want all those rings to be stacked.
This will nudge us into a more stable, joint-friendly environment
Now, a minor glitch in this way of thinking is that some people think this infers going into posterior pelvic tilt, where we flatten out the lumbar spine.
This is not what’s happening. As you can see in the picture above, my hips are still behind the bar (still very important) but there’s less of an aggressive arch. Telling people to posteriorly tilt their pelvis towards spine neutral is different than telling them to flatten out their spine.
From there it’s a matter of owning the canister position and to squat down rather than back.
2. Knees Forward Instead of Knees Out
The “push your knees out” cue is something I’ve slide-stepped away from within the past year.
To defend my position I’ll need to piggy back off my comment above – the squat, for most trainees, is more about “sitting down” than it is “sitting back.”
I want the squat to look like a squat.
This means there will be forward translation of the tibia over the toes (but not so far that the heels come off the ground) and that there is equal parts knees coming forward and hips going back.
The net result = down.
My good friend, smart-as-balls physical therapist, and owner of Resilient Performance Physical Therapy (in NYC), Dr. Doug Kechijian, stated it best in a Tweet recently:
Cueing knees forward first then sit down in a loaded squat minimizes the need for the knees out “correction”. Vertical tibia days are #’d.
That’s right: it’s okay, nay, better?, for the knees to travel forward.
Cueing someone to break with their knees almost always negates the need to remind them to push their knees out.
They’ll do it automatically:
I’m all for using less coaching to clean up someone’s technique. The last thing most of your clients need is you barking a plethora of cues at them: “chest up, knees out, eyes forward, chin tucked, what’s the square root of 47?”
Play around with knees breaking first and then sitting down. My suspicions are that things will feel cleaner, more powerful, and the squat will feel like a squat.
Huh, weird.
ADDENDUM: NONE of this is to say I’m right. These are nothing more than cues and approaches that have worked for me in recents months/years with my clients and athletes. You may think I’m batshit crazy, and that’s cool.
I mean, to reiterate, I’ve been wrong on many things prior.
Amazon.com? Such a stupid idea.
I hope you’ll consider these suggestions however, and play around with them yourself. I think you’ll be surprised.
Every dude who lifts weights wants an impressive, well-defined chest.16
For men I think it’s pretty much engrained in our genetic code to A) miss the toilet seat when peeing and B) to want to train our chest whenever possible. In the most primal sense possible, we could make the case that a muscular looking chest is our version of a peacock spreading his feathers.
It’s a sign of masculinity, bravado, (perceived) sexual prowess, and encourages the ability to do this in public whenever the occasion arises…which, is all the time:
Throughout my lifting career I’ve always placed a premium on training my chest and it should also come as no surprise that 97% of the guys I’ve coached throughout the years have prioritized the same.
We’ve been programmed to think that barbell variations are the best way to build an impressive chest. And although I’d be remiss not to note that many guys with big bench press numbers do, in fact, have enviable pecs, I’d note there are far more guys with average (if not laughable, by powerlifting standards) bench press numbers who would make He-Man swoon with their chest development.
Having a 300 lb bench press – while baller and worthy of a fist-bump – isn’t a requirement for building respectable pecs.
Again, to reiterate, this is not to downplay the bench press.
Hoisting some heavy-ass weight off your chest, repeatedly, is never a bad approach. But if we take a look at the actual anatomy of the Pectoralis major muscle and it’s function(s) we can note why, from a developmental standpoint, dumbbells are almost always a better option.
Pectoralis major
Actions:
1. Flexion of humerus.
2. Adduction of humerus.
3. Medial rotation of humerus.
4. Cutting of diamonds (when maximal pecification is achieved).
NOTE: We could, also, divide the Pectoralis major into two separate “areas.” The sternal head, mostly responsible for humeral extension, as well as adduction, and the clavicular head which is mostly responsible for humeral flexion.
Barbell variations limit things because they don’t allow for any humeral adduction. This is why, if pec development is the goal, dumbbell variations are a better play because THEY ALLOW MORE ADDUCTION, GOSH! How many times do I have to tell you.
Regular, plain ol’ DB Bench Presses are fine and will get the job done. However, what kind of post would this be if all I did was say “go do some DB Bench Presses.”
Lame. That’s what.
So, here are some of my (other) favorite dumbbell variations that are (hopefully) new to most of you reading.
1. DB Press – Accentuated Eccentric
Nothing too revolutionary here. All I’m doing in this video is accentuating the lowering (eccentric) portion to help attenuate more muscle fiber damage and subsequent muscle growth.17
I like to keep people in the 3-5s range as far as the lowering portion is concerned and aim for 8-12 repetitions. A sneaky trick I’ll often implement is a MAX set on the last set. So it may look something like this:
Set #1 = 10 reps
Set #2 = 8 reps
Set #3 = MAX reps
But you can always use straight weight or a pyramid scheme or whatever. It’s all good.
2. DB 1-Arm (Offset) Press
This is a nice way to address any strength imbalances between one side and the other. Too, it adds an intense core-stability (rotary stability) component as well, as you have to fire all you have as to not fall off the bench.
3. DB Alternating Press
This is a classic variation I always revert back to. I like this one as it kinda-sorta emulates a 1-arm press. Plus, it requires a fair amount of scapular stability on the straight-arm side as you perform the set.
4. DB Elevator Press
This is a play on something Ben Bruno discussed with Goblet Squats not too long ago. Here, the idea is to lower the DB 1/4 of the way, then back up, then lower 1/2 down, then back up, then lower all the way down, then back up again.
That’s one rep.
It sucks, but in a “holy shit, my pecs are so juicy right now kind of way.”
I’ll often shoot for 6-10 repetitions.
5. DB “Reverse Batwing” Press
This variation is the counterpoint to Dan John’s Batwing Row exercise. Here, you’ll hold one DB a few inches above the chest as you perform all your repetitions on the other side.
Switch, and repeat on the opposite side.
Ouch.
6. DB Squeeze Press
This is probably my favorite DB exercise to hammer the pecs. Here you promote both actions of the pecs into one hybrid exercise.
The idea here is to squeeze the DBs together as you press up and down.
The idea here is to, again, increase time under tension (TUT) in an effort to increase metabolic demand and muscular damage.
Start with a 10s isometric hold at top. Another 5s hold half-way down. And then another 5s hold a few inches above the chest. Then perform 8-10 repetitions.
If you really want to hate life, after you perform your reps, repeat the three separate iso-holds again on your last set.
8. DB Floor Flye – Hollow Position
This isn’t a press, but it’s still a very effective exercise to build the pectorals since it’s 100% adduction. I got this idea from strength coach Joel Seedman as it’s also a nice variation that hammers the core too.
Moreover, since it’s performed on the floor it can be considered a more “shoulder friendly” flye variation since it limits the ROM and keeps trainees out of the “danger zone.”
