CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Rocked Back Adductor Stretch w/ Extension-Rotation

So I have to assume that for many people reading my site today one of two things is happening:

1.  You’re recovering from the chocolate and/or peanut butter fudge* induced insulin coma you put yourself into yesterday. Was that 11th piece of fudge really necessary?

Yes, yes it was….;o)

Or

2.  You’re covertly folding the hideous homemade “whatever it is” you received as a present – along with a few pair of the 47 pairs of socks you received – and placing them into the “donate” pile for the Salvation Army.

Don’t worry, I won’t judge.

In any case it’s my hope that everyone reading had a joyous and wonderful few days spending time with their families and loved ones.

I for one had an amazing few days off.  On Christmas Eve Lisa and I headed to the local gym near our apartment and killllled it in preparation for our meal later that night at Fogo de Chao.  Here’s a picture Lisa took of me kneeling on the front steps of the restaurant before we walked in.  I’m classy like that.

I won’t go into all the details of Christmas Day, but suffice it to say Lisa and I were like two giddy kids on Christmas morning. At a little past 6 AM (which, technically, is the time we get up anyways on a normal day) the conversation went like this:

Lisa: Pssst, are you awake?

Me: Yeah.

Lisa: OMG, I want to open my stocking.

Me:  NINTENDO 64!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, Lisa and I are both in our mid to late 30s, and yes, we were both excited to get up at the crack of dawn and see what Santa brought us.

And not for nothing, the coolest (and funniest) present I got was a Wampa Claw ice-scraper!

For those not geeky enough to know what a Wampa is:  1) I feel sorry for you. and 2) I suggest you watch The Empire Strikes Back. Gosh!!!!

As is the case every year……..it goes by way too fast.  It’s back to reality today.

I figured I’d ease my way back into my normal routine today and introduce a new exercise that you may or may not be doing.

Rocked Back Adductor Stretch w/ Extension-Rotation

Who Did I Steal It From:  Eric Cressey, actually.  He came into the facility a few days ago and mentioned to all of us how he was “toying around” with a few things the day prior – this is what Eric does in his free time – and he came up with this doozy.

What Does It Do: It kills a few birds with one stone.  For starters it bears a close resemblance to the regular ol’ quadruped extension-rotation, but with this variation we’re able to work on adductor length.

Of note, in the rocked back position, we take the lower back out of the equation so-to-speak, which makes it less likely someone can compensate through that area.

And, of course, this is also an excellent drill that works on thoracic mobility.

Key Coaching Cues:  I think this one is pretty self explanatory – it’s not like we’re trying to cure cancer or solve an advanced algorithm or anything.

Simply kneel down, brace your abs, try not to place yourself in too much extension and then rotate on one side following your hand with your eyes.

I will say, though, that for those who do tend to live in a little more extension it may be more beneficial to kneel down onto the forearms to help flatten out the back a bit more (I actually demonstrate this in the video).

This drill is more or less something I’d include as part of a warm-up, but it can just as easily be included as a filler in between sets of deadlifts or squats or nunchuck training.  I tend to stick to sets of 5-6 repetitions per side.

Give it a try today and let me know what you think!

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing

Exercises You Should Be Doing: DB Goblet Lateral Lunge – from Deficit

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these so I figured today would be as good of a day as any to give you something new to try at the gym today.

Well there’s that, and today’s my first day back at CP in like six days and I have approximately somewhere between a crap-load and metric shit-ton of programs to catch up on and write.

So, needless to say I have my hands full this morning.

DB Goblet Lateral Lunge – from Deficit

Who Did I Steal It From:  I didn’t have to look too far for this one, as I witnessed fellow CP-coach, Greg Robins, implementing this one with one of our pro-baseball guys the other day.

And when I saw it I couldn’t help but think to myself, “huh, I’m a complete moron for never thinking of that myself.”

What Does It Do: It’s no secret that we incorporate our fair share of single leg work at the facility in all shapes and sizes……..and directions.

The lateral lunge is definitely nothing revolutionary, but it’s a variation that many people neglect to utilize, which is unfortunate since it’s a great option to train more in the frontal plane.

Adding the deficit – in the form of a stepper or mats piled up on one another, or a person (kidding) – just serves as a way to make it more challenging and to help increase the ROM for those who may need it.

Key Coaching Cues: It’s pretty self-explanatory, so I won’t belabor any minute talking points here.  However, I will say that it’s important to make certain that when you do lunge laterally that you SIT BACK into the landing hip.  Ideally I like to see the heel stay on the ground, and while the knee will translate forward slightly, you should try to keep as much of a vertical shin angle as possible.

Something else to consider:  yes, you can hold DBs in each hand, but for those who present with a more depressed shoulder girdle (and live in extension), it may be more advantageous to perform this exercise as shown (holding the DB as a Goblet) so as not to feed into the dysfunction.

Just something to think about.

I like to shoot for 6-8 reps per side.  Give them a try and let me know what you think!

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Off-Bench Oblique Hold w/ Pulse

Let me preface all of this by asking you a question.  How stoked are you to go see Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim this weekend?  If you don’t know what it’s about all you need to know is this: Giant robots vs. giant alien monsters.

The only way this movie could be more manly is if the robots all had beards or something.

Or if by some stroke of writing genius (and movie studio cross promotion), Batman comes out of nowhere and starts Sparta kicking aliens left and right.  And Matt Damon reprises his role as Jason Bourne.  Just because.

I defy anyone to tell me that that wouldn’t win an Oscar for “Most Awesome Movie Ever Made.”

Think about it.

Anyhoo, I’m sitting here in a Panera Bread as I write this post and I told myself I was going to sequester myself into “academic quarantine” (a term I stole from Eric Cressey) so that I could spend a few solid hours working on my tan presentations for mine and Dean Somerset’s Boston Workshop at the end of the month (Hint: there are still some spots OPEN.)

But I wanted to make sure I posted up a little sumthin, sumthin before the weekend. And since it’s been a few weeks since I’ve shared a new Exercise You Should Be Doing, I figured it was perfect timing.

Off-Bench Oblique Hold w/ Pulse

Who Did I Steal it From:  On Tuesdays I typically train at Boston University Strength & Conditioning, and I’ve seen this exercise done with their athletes numerous times.  I liked it, so felt I’d steal it.

What Does It Do: I’ve long trumpeted the notion that I think planks (and all their infinite variations) reach a point of diminishing returns once people start getting carried away with how LONG they go for.

There’s no denying that there’s a lot of efficacy for their use with people suffering from low back pain, as guys like Dr. Stuart McGill and Dr. Craig Liebenson have long demonstrated their practicality in that regard

Watering things waaaaay down:  one of the major red flags when it comes to chronic back pain is when there’s a huge discrepancy or asymmetry in anterior, posterior, and lateral spinal endurance.  In this context, planks are a god-send as it helps teach people to engage and fire more efficiently the appropriate musculature (rectus abdominus, external/internal obliques, TVA, erector spinae, longissimus, iliocostalis, etc),  – SYNCHRONOUSLY (it’s NOT about isolating anything) – in an effort to better stabilize the spine.

But even then, it’s not like the objective is to plank people to death and make a run at the Guinness Book of World Records.

Technique can get dicey for many after a certain point, and I believe as of late, McGill et al are more in favor of short, intermittent planks holds such as several 5-10s holds done in succession.

And this doesn’t even take into consideration that when we’re referring to healthy, UN-injured people, performing planks for minutes on end makes about as much sense as wiping your ass with sandpaper.

I still find value in planks – I’m not trying to poo-poo on them altogether. Which is why I’d much prefer to make them more challenging than to worry about length.

To that end, the off-bench oblique hold with pulse is a great plank variation that ups the ante on core stabilization, as you not only have to fight gravity to a higher degree, but also resist the dynamic “pulse” of the plate coming back and forth from the body.

Key Coaching Cues:  Hook your feet underneath a secure bench (or GHR if you have one), and then extend your body so that your hips are on the very edge of the bench.  From there it’s important to ensure that you’re body is in a straight line, and that your not rotated too far one way or the other and that your neck is packed and not protruding forward.

Grab a plate, dumbbell, kettlebell, Easy Bake Oven, whatever (I was using 10 lbs in the video and that was plenty challenging) and “pulse” it back and forth from from your chest until your arms are fully extended.

Perform 8-10 reps per side and switch and perform the same process on the other.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

CategoriesFat Loss

Exercises You Should Be Doing: 1-Arm (Perpendicular) Landmine Row

I don’t know about you, but if I looked down at my program and saw that one of the exercises listed was called a 1-arm perpendicular landmine row I’d probably take said program, ball it up, dip it in cement, let it dry, and then find whoever wrote the program, wind-up and unleash a fastball square into the middle of their grill

While it’s the name of the exercise in the literal sense – it’s just not a cool name for an exercise. It’s lame in fact.  So it’s only appropriate that I give today’s exercise its due diligence and call it by its real name. In meathead circles it’s also known as the Meadows Row – named appropriately after professional bodybuilder, fellow T-Nation contributor, and absolute BEAST, John Meadows.

^^^^^^^That Guy.

By the way:  you know you’re kind of a big deal when an exercise is named after you. I remember reading about this row variation a while ago HERE. but for some reason never really gave it a go because, well, I forgot about it. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago when I was training with my buddy, strength coach Dave Rak, at Boston University that I gave it my first test-drive. Needless to day:  me likey.

1-Arm Perpendicular Landmine Row Meadows Row

Who Did I Steal It From:  Technically John Meadows, but I’ll also give credit to Dave Rak and Ben Bruno (who, coincidentally, wrote about it here, along with some other cool landmine variations).

What Does It Do:  This is an awesome alternative for those who train at lame gyms that don’t carry heavy dumbbells, or for those who have “out-grown” their gyms and need to up the ante a bit. You can load these fairly heavy, and you’d be hard pressed to find another rowing exercise that will add significant meat to your backside like this one. What’s more, because the end of the barbell is much thicker than a standard dumbbell, you’ll also get a grip-training effect.

Key Coaching Cues:  Even if you don’t have a standard “landmine,” you can just as easily set-up a barbell in the corner and do just fine.  I’d advise that you load up the barbell with 25 lb plates (or lower) – as anything larger tends to get in the way and make the exercise a bit cumbersome. I like to use a staggered stance on these, but you could use a squared stance as well.

A word of caution however:  these will also fry your lower back, so if you have a history of lower back shenanigans going on, I’d probably lean more towards using a bench to prop yourself on (which Ben demonstrates in the link above).

While I’m fine with using a bit more “body english” on these, try your best to maintain as much of an arch in your back as you can and to prevent too much forward head posture.

In addition, since these are designed to go heavy on, I like to use a 6-10 rep scheme, but if you’re feeling a bit more like He-Man or She-Ra (don’t want to dis any ladies who may be reading), feel free to go higher. While I can’t promise your back will end up looking like John’s, I can say that these will give your upper back an unparalleled pump.  Try them today and let me know what you think!

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Prone Plank Push-Pull

There’s no debating the fact that planks (and all their infinite variations) have a place at the “big boy” table in terms of exercises which 1. offer a horde of benefits, and 2. are wildly popular in the fitness community.

Personally I have a love/hate relationship with them.

I love them because, well, it’s hard not to appreciate/respect the long-standing work of guys like Dr. Stuart McGill, Dr. Craig, Liebenson, and a slew of others who are way smarter than me who have routinely shown that building and improving upon spinal endurance is a key factor in addressing low-back pain.

Having the ability to buttress shear loads and maintain a “neutral” spine both from an anterior/posterior perspective (prone planks) as well as laterally (side planks) goes a long ways in demonstrating one’s ability to control the lumbo-pelvic-hip area.

While I don’t have the exact numbers in front of me, Dr. McGill has noted that one should be able to hold a perfect prone plank position for roughly 90-120s, and a side plank for roughly 60s (on both sides).

If one is unable to do so, compensates in any way, or there is a major asymmetry between left and right sides on the side plank, it’s cause for a red flag and more than likely will result in a dolphin gets punched in the face.

In short, planks (or to be more precise:  the ability to perform them correctly) can be a valuable assessment tool.

Which brings me to why I also hate them.

Walk into any gym, anywhere, at any time, and you’ll undoubtedly see people planking away.  And, more often than not they look god awful.

There’s this….

And this….

And this, which is actually kinda cool….

Worse is that some people will brag – like it’s a badge of honor – that they can “plank” for five minutes.  Well la-de-freakin-do. Unless you’re training for some World Planking Championship, who cares????

And that’s not even the worse offense. I’ll give a free pass to the general fitness population because they don’t know any better.  But what really grinds my gears is when I see personal trainers having their clients perform planks for minutes on end, and it looks like the first two pictures from above.

What purpose does that serve?  And more to the point:  how is it you’re letting your client get away with such atrocious technique???????

AHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Okay, deep breaths Tony.  Everything will be okay.

Just so we’re on the same page:  I am NOT saying that planks are a waste of time.  Like I said there’s definitely a ton of efficacy for their inclusion in a well-designed training program.  But I’m also in the camp that believes there’s a rate of diminishing returns after a certain point.

If you’re working with a banged up client with a history of low back pain that’s one thing; but if you’re working with a “healthy” client with no contraindications or symptoms then I’d rather make planks more challenging rather than go for longer periods of time.

Which brings us to today’s exercise you should be doing.

Prone Plank Push-Pull

Who Did I Steal It From:  fellow strength coach and Cortland State alum, Justin Kompf.

What Does It Do:  it definitely brings a new flavor into the mix on two fronts.

1.  By taking one arm off the floor, you’re taking away a base of support which inherently makes the exercise more challenging.

2.  It also adds a dynamic component where the trainee has to RESIST me  with the push component, and then pull AGAINST my resistance with the pulling part.

All this while still maintaining a “neutral” spine and not allowing the torso to compensate in any way.

Key Coaching Cues:  All the same rules apply, and this means making sure your technique is spot on.  Meaning, there should be absolutely no compensating in the lumbar region (dipping or hiking), no forward head posture, and the glutes should be firing along with a significant abdominal brace throughout the duration of the set.

Additionally, I like to yell out the cues during the set:  Push!, Pull!, Push!, Pull!, your sister’s hot!, Push!, Pull!, Push!, Pull!,  so on and so forth.

Shoot for 6-8 reps on one side, switch, and repeat the same process on the other.

And that’s about it.  Give it a try today and let me know what you think!

CategoriesUncategorized

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Goblet Bulgarian Split Squat

Note:  Goddammit!!!!!!!!  My bad everyone. I know filming “vertical” videos is a big no-no on the interwebz and is about as convenient as watching a whale give birth, but you’ll have to forgive me as it’s a video that I filmed last night and it’s the only one I took.

At some point I’ll eventually learn how to use my iTouch correctly. Until then you’re just going to have to suck it up a deal I’m afraid…..;o)

Anyhoo……….

Ask any coach who’s been in the game for a while whether or not he or she feels single leg training is kind of important, they’ll inevitably give you “the look” as if to say, is the Pope catholic?  Does a bear shit in the woods?  Does David Hasselhoff like alcohol?

You get the idea.

At the expense of preaching to the choir – as I know a vast majority of people who continually read this site are uber intelligent, not to mention painfully good looking – single leg training serves a plethora of benefits.  Including but not limited to:

– Helps ascertain whether or not there’s an imbalance between one leg or the other.

– Helps improve athletic (and life) performance – there aren’t many sports we play or things we do in everyday life that don’t require us to stand, run, leap, walk, jump, etc on one leg.

– Helps improve hip stability and overall lumbo-pelvic-hip function.  Single leg training targets what’s known as the lateral sub-system (glute medius & adductor complex on one leg, and the quadratus lumborum on the opposite leg).

– Makes people of the opposite sex want to hang out with you.

– Helps improve single-leg strength, which in turn, almost always translates to increased strength in the bigger, more popular lifts like squats and deadlifts.

– Helps reduce axial loading and gives the spine a bit of a break from the grind of constantly lifting heavy stuff.

– Furthermore, single leg training helps to fix or alleviate many of the issues that cause chronic knee, lower back, and hip pain (which reverts back to the whole lateral sub-system thing noted above).

Honestly, the list could go on and on, and like I said, I don’t want to seem like I’m preaching to the choir.

Today with Halloween right around the corner, I want to do my best Ben Bruno** impersonation and showcase a cool single leg exercise that I’ve grown to really love and appreciate.

Goblet Bulgarian Split Squats

Who Did I Steal It From – I guess technically, the one and only Dan John.  Since he’s the one who invented the Goblet Squat, I can’t have the word “goblet” in the name of an exercise without giving credit to him.

Likewise, I don’t even know why the Bulgarians get credit for the the “bulgarian split squat.”  I mean come on:  are we REALLY supposed to believe that no else in the history of the world ever thought of this concept?  It took some random Bulgarian to put two and two together?

I digress.

What Does It Do: Along with all the benefits mentioned above, I love this variation for two reasons.

1.  By holding the dumbbell in a Goblet fashion, there’s a (more) significant anti-flexion component to the exercise, and as such, it will encourage people into more thoracic extension, which is generally never a bad thing considering most people are a walking ball of flexion in the first place.

2.  In a sense, because the load is more anterior (and you’re not placing a barbell directly on your spine) you could make a case that there’s less compressive spinal loading. If that’s something that concerns you, this may be a more viable option.

Key Coaching Cues: I think this one is pretty self-explanatory.  A few things, however:

1. Try to keep the knee of the standing leg in line with your second toe as you perform the exercise.  Many trainees tend to allow their knee to cave in during split squat variations (or any squat variation for that matter), and it’s important that you don’t allow this to happen.

2.  From a comfort standpoint – some may find it more prudent to place a half foam roller or maybe even a rolled up towel on top of the bench so that their foot stays in place or so they don’t crush their toes.

3.  From a mental cue standpoint, try to think to yourself, “chest up,” “chin tucked,” and to sit back and drive THROUGH THE HEEL!!!!!

In other words:  don’t lean forward, stay as upright as possible, and try to prevent your weight from shifting into your forefoot while performing your reps. The brunt of your weight should be in your heel.

4.  Also, try to squeeze the glute of the trailing leg throughout.

5.  I generally prefer people perform 6-10 repetitions on one leg, rest for 20-30s, and then finish off their set by completing the same number on the opposite.

Try it out today and let me know what you think!

** = Just in case someone blows their gasket and thinks I’m throwing Ben under the bus, I understand that he trains bilateral movements too.  In fact, he and I train together every now and then, and I’ve seen him do it.  Sooo, deep breaths.  Relax. Everything will be okay.

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing Rehab/Prehab

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Slideboard Push-Up vs. Band

It’s no secret that I love push-ups and that I feel they’re an important component of any well-rounded fitness program. They offer a bevy of benefits ranging from improved upper body strength (pecs for days!), improved scapular kinematics, and core activation.

As such, in relation to the last point, push-ups serve as an excellent assessment tool to gauge a person’s ability – from an anterior/posterior perspective – to control the entire lumbo-pelvic-hip area.

If someone can’t maintain a neutral spinal position doing something as standard as an (un-loaded) push-up, do you think it’s going to be a good idea to place a heavy barbell on their back?

They’re also really smart, love to go for walks on the beach, can cook like no one’s business. And OMG, I can’t tell you how funny they are. Just the other day we were watching an old episode of Friends – you know, that one where Joey’s lounge chair breaks and Chandler tries to replace it? – and push-ups was like “and that’s why you never bring two rams in heat to a tap dancing recital.”

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Eh, I guess you had to be there. Trust me, it was HIL-arious.

Anyways, basically all I’m trying to say is that everyone needs more push-ups in their lives. I know they’re often deemed “wimpy” or a waste of time, but I truly feel they’re one of the rare exercises that provide a lot bang for our training buck, and can easily be “tweaked” to the lifter depending on his or hers needs or goals.

Which brings us to today’s Exercise You Should Be Doing

Slideboard Push-Up vs. Band

Who Did I Steal it From:  I originally heard about this variation from my buddy, Nick Tumminello, in an article he wrote for T-Nation a few years ago – HERE.

What Does It Do:  Well, we get all the prerequisite advantages – upper body strength, core activation, shoulder health, and we get a ton of leeway in that we can make them as easy (0r challenging) as we want depending on the person we’re working with.

The main advantage of THIS variation, however, and as Nick noted in the article linked above:

Slide board band push-ups increase muscle tension around the shoulder joint by forcing the posterior shoulder muscles to contract by resisting the band pulling the hands together. Many people who can’t perform a normal push-up due to shoulder pain can successfully perform this variation pain free.

Key Coaching Cues:  In terms of basic technique, all the same “ingredients” still apply.

  • Keep chin tucked – don’t poke it towards the ground.
  • Abs should stay tight or braced (sometimes I’ll gently tap the stomach to help the trainee engage their core).
  • Squeeze the glutes (provides more posterior pelvic tilt and keeps people out of lumbar hyperextension).
  • Hands/elbows should be directly underneath the shoulders.
  • Likewise, hands should be around shoulder width apart.
  • Knees should be locked and legs in a straight line.
  • The entire backside should make a straight line.
  • Elbows should not flare out during the set (it places far more stress on the shoulders), nor should they be glued to your sides (which causes too much “crowding” and will cause people to go into excessive scapular anterior tilt). Instead, the upper arms should make a 45-degree angle to the body.
  • Chest touches floor (or in this case, the slideboard) on every rep.

Another key point I want to note is how to “finish” each rep.  Try to push yourself away from the floor as much as possible at the top of each repetition (scapular protraction).  By doing so, you’re allowing the scapulae to function through a full ROM (adduction AND abduction), and you’re inviting the serratus anterior into the mix as well. Never a bad idea.

You’ll note in the video I do a fairly decent job of doing it correctly.  You’ll also note the lame music in

the background.

Specific to this variation, though, is you’ll need to grab a mini-band (or something equivalent) and wrap that around your wrists.  Place your hands on top of the “footsies” that come with the slideboard and as you perform your push-up, you’ll need to place tension in the band by pulling it apart and then preventing it from forcing your hands together.

This will help activate the posterior shoulder.

NOTE:  for those who don’t have access to a slideboard you could easily use a pair of ValSlides or even those cheapo furniture gliders you can purchase at your local Home Depot.  Either way, the objective is to perform these on a slippery surface.

Try them out today and let me know what you think!

 

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Barbell Reverse Lunge – Front Squat Grip

Today we’re starting the CP expansion, and the staff – along with the interns and other helpers – are going to be moving equipment, rubber matting, and god knows what else, over to the new facility for the next 12-16 hours

I didn’t want to leave all of you hanging, so here’s a quick post on one of my favorite exercises I hate.

Enjoy (wish us luck)!

Quick, off the top of your head pick a handful of exercises you absolutely hate.  Exercises that, if you had to choose between doing one of them or throwing an ax into your face, you’d seriously consider the ax.

I know “hate” is a strong word. Speaking from a personal standpoint there are plenty of exercises that I hate doing, but LOVE how they make me feel and the results they elicit on my body.

– Bulgarian split squats and bench pressing come to mind (the latter making the list because I’m an absolutely abysmal bencher).

– Turkish get-ups really come to mind.

– And yes, sometimes I even dread my beloved deadlifts – particularly when I have to pull from a deficit.

If we were to pool everyone’s answers, though, I’m sure we’d get a hodge podge of exercises and movements ranging from the OLY lifts to rotator cuff drills. Still, if I were a betting man I’d be willing to wager that two exercises could easily make it into the Top 5 Exercises We Hate But Love Them Anyways:

Single leg work (in any form) and front squats.

NOTE: Just so we’re clear, in this context “hate” doesn’t mean people don’t do them.  It just means there’s a teeny tiny part of them – a molecule! – that would rather swallow a live grenade than head to the gym that day and perform what’s on the paper.

So it only makes sense to combine the two!

Barbell Reverse Lunge – Front Squat Grip

What Does It Do: As with any single leg variation, we’re getting a crock-pot of benefits:  increased single leg strength, improved hip stability, increased core  strength and stability, ankle mobility, glute activation, blabbidy blah, blibiddy boo, you’ve heard it all before.

By that same token, what I really like about this variation – reverse lunge – is that it tends to be a little more “knee friendly,” as there’s very little deceleration involved compared to things like forward lunges or walking lunges. In other words, compared to the latter, reverse lunges don’t entail you having to step forward and slowing down your entire bodyweight.

As such, this variations bodes well for those who have cranky knees.

Something else to consider is the bar placement.  With the barbell loaded anteriorly (in front of the body) there’s a fairly aggressive anti-flexion component of the torso, which will encourage a bit more thoracic extension.

Key Coaching Cues:  I prefer the cross body grip as shown in the video, but if someone has ample wrist flexibility to do it, I’m not opposed to using the clean grip.  I just find that those people are few and far between, and generally opt for the cross grip.

The bar should rest on the “meaty” part of the shoulders – I like to tell people to find their shelf – right up against the neck.  Yes, it’s uncomfortable.  Yes, you’re just going to have to suck it up.

Elbows should point straight a head, and NOT towards the floor.  I like to tell people, “chest up, elbows up” throughout.

With your eyes also looking straight a head, un-rack the bar and take two steps back to set up.  From there, extend one leg back to perform a reverse lunge.  The back knee should GENTLY tap the floor, and then, pulling through the front heel of the front leg, you’re going to return back to the starting position making sure to “finish” with that same side glute. Squeeze that bad boy!

God you’re sexy.

Try this one out and let me know what you think.

 

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing Strength Training

Exercises You Should Be Doing: 1-Arm Landmine Row

Things have been cranking the past few days, and it’s been hard for me to keep up with the blog.  I posted one up late on Monday, skimped yesterday, and am posting a short one today. I’m slacking, I know.

If it’s any consolation I’m really sorry everyone, but I promise I’ll make it up to you soon.

(Bambi Eyes)

I actually do have a lot on my plate right now:

1.  Within the next week or so, strength coach Dan Trink and I will be exposing to the world a project we’ve been working on in collaboration with Greatist.com.  It’s thiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to being complete – everyone’s busy putting the finishing touches into place – and we’re pretty certain it’s going to help out a lot of people, if not win us a Nobel Prize.

Stay tuned.  News to come shortly.

2. I’m cranking away on my next T-Nation article, which discusses some of more common exercises that trainees tend to butcher.

3.  And yesterday I actually spent the afternoon hanging out with JC Deen, lifting heavy(ish) things and eating some dead animals. We met up in the city, headed over to Boston University to get a quick lift in and then spent the afternoon talking about training, marketing, writing, and even read some poetry to orphans.

Okay, we didn’t really do that……..but we did spend a fair amount of time shooting the shit and talking about the industry.

All I have to say about JC is that he’s a great dude, and my man has a very, very bright future a head of him.  You might even say I officially have a little man-crush.

I know some of you reading may already be familiar with his work, but if not, I’d highly encourage you to check out his website HERE.

So anyways, enough with the small talk.  Lets get to today’s Exercise You Should Be Doing

1-Arm Landmine Row

Who Did I Steal If From:  I know Ben Bruno has been posting a lot of new exercises as of late with the landmine, so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s already highlighted this one. However, in my defense I looked at the date from when I actually filmed this video and it was November 23, 2008 (hence the winter skully on my head).  HA – take that Bruno!

What Does It Do:  Actually, a lot. As with any row variation we’re hitting the upper back, lats, and biceps pretty hard, so this should be a popular “go to” exercise for all the meat heads out there reading – especially for those who train in a gym who’s dumbbell selection is limited.

You could foreseeably load this sucker up pretty heavy.

A little less known is that this exercise is an absolute beast when it comes to anti-rotation (or, rotary) training.  Because it’s done in a two-point stance – only two points of contact – there’s a strong demand on the torso to resist rotation, which I feel makes this exercise pretty key.

Key Coaching Cues:  Maintaining a “neutral” spinal position throughout is paramount.  If we’re going to keep ourselves honest, if one were to place a long PVC stick down the backside, there should be three points of contact – back of the head, between the shoulder blades, as well as the sacrum.

This is just a point of reference, of course, I don’t expect you to really place a PVC pipe on your back while performing this exercise. But it might not be a bad idea for those struggling with proper positioning.

Moreover, it’s important to refrain from using too much “body english” on these.  While it’s inevitable there’s going to be “some” movement in the torso, the key objective here is to not look as if you’re having an epileptic seizure and stay as still as possible while performing the movement.

To that end:  you’ll want to push your hips back, keep your knees “soft” (don’t lock them), brace your abs, and focus on pulling “through the elbow.”  Ideally, I like to tell trainees to pull their elbow towards their hip……..and to NOT go past that point.

Another thing to consider is the size of the plates used.  It’s actually less cumbersome to use the smaller 10 lb plates and just load the bar up with as many of those as you need.

Using the larger plates – while they look waaaaaaaay cooler – will just get in the way of everything.

I like to perform these for sets of 6-10/side.  Try them out today and let me know what you think.

NOTE:  For those who don’t have access to a landmine apparatus (the thingamajig on the floor that the bar goes into), you can just as easily place barbell in the corner between two walls and do the exact same thing.  You might have to place a towel around the bar so that it doesn’t mark up the wall, but that shouldn’t be too much of a hassel.

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Exercises You Should Be Doing: Kneeling Overhead Press to Standing

Quick Update:  1. I want to first thank everyone who chimed in on yesterday’s post (as well as sent me personal emails) offering their advice this whole car buying process I’m going through. I’m not one for confrontation, so the whole idea of walking into a car dealership to negotiate a price makes me a bit skittish.

It’s funny:  ask me to deadlift 500+ lbs, I won’t bat an eye. I’ll crush, and then some.  Ask me to sit down with a salesmen and negotiate paint trim, I’ll start hyperventilating into a brown paper bag.

Anyways, to make this short – because I know people don’t visit this site to listen to me talk about buying a car – after several people suggested I do so, I logged onto FightingChance.com and decided to ask for their help during this process.  Outside of actually handing me a Lightsaber, these guys are going to arm me with all tools I’ll need to get the right price for the car I’m looking for.  Thanks again everyone!

2. As many of you know, I’ve been banged up as of late dealing with some lower back issues, and it’s only been within the past few weeks that I’ve been able to train with any ounce of intensity.  My Canadien half-brother, Dean Somerset, has been helping me out with some programming the past few weeks, and I couldn’t be happier with my progress.

A few weeks ago sucking my thumb would make me wince.  Yesterday I was able able to work up to a 315 lb deadlift with an additional 150 lbs of chain weight for sets of five.

Holla!

While I still have a ways to go, I just want to send a huge debt of gratitude towards Dean and to note to everyone reading that, more often than not, it’s about what you NEED to do and not necessarily what you WANT to do that’s going to get you better.

Which is as good of a time as any to discuss today’s exercise you should be doing:

Kneeling Overhead Press to Standing

Who Did I Steal It From:  Dean.

What Does It Do:  the question should really be:  what DOESN’T it work?

For me this exercise is challenging because I don’t have great active t-spine extension, which wreaks havoc down the kinetic chain – especially as it relates to hip extension and not compensating with HYPERextension.

In this case I’m able to work on my t-spine extension (going overhead) while trying my best to control my lumbo-pelvic-hip area so as to not compensate with any shimmying, shaking, or lateral shifting from side to side.

Digging a little deeper, we can see a other benefits as well:

1. There’s a definite anti-extension/anti-lateral flexion component for the core.

2. Obviously we’re working some overhead pressing into the mix (while I keep me arms extended throughout, you could just as easily “tweak” the exercise to press in the kneeling position on every repetition).

3. Assuming one is “packing” their shoulders appropriately (not shrugging), this is a fantastic exercise to work scapular stability.

4. In addition, there’s a significant hip stability (and mobility for that matter) component compounded with a fairly challenging single leg strengthening component as well.

Key Coaching Cues:  I’m telling you right now this exercise is humbling, so don’t go playing a hero and think you’re going to be crushing this exercise with 50 lb DBs over your head.  If you do, you suck, and really hate you.

Start conservative – say, 10-20 lb DBs – and be sure to “set” your scapulae so that you’re not actively pressing the weight throughout the entire movement.  Too, it’s IMPERATIVE that you DO NOT compensate with any lateral shifting or hyperextending of the hips/pelvis in any way.  Tighten your core – or brace (whatever term works for you) – and try to stay as stiff as possible throughout the duration of the set.

In particular, on the descent, try not to allow your butt to stick out as you go back into the kneeling position.  This is going to be a real challenge for many reading – so again, start conservative with the weight!

I’ve been implementing this exercise into a lot of my own client’s programs, and I prefer to  perform these for sets of 3-5 reps/per side, with a 30s-60s rest in between left and right sides, possibly even pairing this with another exercise in such a way:

– 5 reps on the RIGHT leg.

– 8-10 push-ups (grip is going to be a factor here, so if you’re going to pair this exercise with something, you’re best to use an exercise that won’t require a lot of grip).

– 5 reps on the LEFT leg.

And there you go.  Try it out today, and let me know what you think!