More appropriately this should be titled 2019 Best Exercises (I Stole From Other Coaches) You Should Be Doing.
Nevertheless, I shared a bevy of (new to me) exercises in 2019 that garnered some interest on social media. Here are the ones that received the most traction.
Be sure to click the links so you can not only watch see the exercises in action, but also learn the why’s, key coaching cues, and, more importantly, to see how jacked I am.
Before we get to today’s “Exercise You Should Be Doing,” a quick parenting tip:
If or when your two year old wakes up from a nap and says his tummy hurts, and even if he seems in good spirits, don’t assume he’s just hungry (like I did) and then proceed to take him out for ice cream because it’s Easter.
Cause inevitably, what’s going to happen is what happened to me two hours later…..
…projectile vomit E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E.[footnote]What’s next Tony? Letting him run around with scissors? No, wait, a field trip to the asbestos factory? Idiot.[/footnote]
Who Did I Steal It From? – I honestly can’t remember, but my inclination is to say Chad Rodgers of Show Me Strength.
Or, I don’t know, maybe it was Jesus.
What Does It Do? – Well, before I say anything on that front I should probably show you what the heck it looks like, huh?
Pretty fancy.
I’ve long championed the notion that the single (or 1-Legged) RDL is fairly advanced exercise as it requires a hefty dose of “things” to pay nice together:
– Lumbo pelvic stability
– Core control
– Stable spine
– Balance
– Hip extension
– Lat activation
– Stark’s shaking hands with Lannister’s
Many trainees are unable to perform a traditional single-leg RDL without my corneas resisting the urge to jump out of their sockets, which is why I’m such a stern fan of more “intermediary” variations such as the one that’s highlighted today.
It provides the support/balance many people need, albeit allows an opportunity to load the standing leg making it more or less a “fake 1-legged” version.
Key Coaching Cues: It takes a bit of trial and error and finesse to get the feel down, but one cue that helps a lot is to push the back foot INTO the wall while also pushing BACK with the standing foot.
This way you elicit a bit of a “wedge,” and thus more full-body tension.
From there, simply push the hips back towards the wall. I like to remind people they’re not lowering the weight with their arms, but rather pushing their hips back.
Continue as such until you feel the bulk of the pressure in the hamstring.
NOTE: The other advantage of this exercise is you can go heavier compared to traditional single leg RDL variations.
So, meatheads will love how this torches the hamstrings.
