"Pack Yo Scaps!" We know the back is important. Lats are super important. But what about the upper back? That area over/ around and in between the scapula? "If You Want Healthy Shoulders You Need a Strong Upper Back" - Matt Wenning What's my most prescribed exercise? Band Pull-Aparts An upper back exercise. Literally EVERY client I train is performing some form of the band pull-apart in every workout. Why? Well, we ALL need more upper back. Desk Jockey Syndrome Living in a hunched over/ flexed forward anterior based world has left us, as a population, devoid of rear delts, mid traps, rhomboids and scapula control. Why's The … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Snatch Grip RDL
June 27, 2019 by
Deadlifts are Cool Again. Wasn't too long ago they weren't. But they are now, and in 3-5 years, they wont be again. How Do I Know This? I watch people do them on the reg and just because you picked it up off the ground, doesn't make it a good deadlift. "It's Not a Deadlift That Hurt Your Back. It's What YOU Did, and Called a Deadlift, That Hurt Your Back" Here's the common deadlift issues I see. <----yes, they usually all go together. Arches collapsed Knees Collapsed Hips posteriorly tilted Low back rounded Thoracic spine rounded Shoulders out of the joint Reaching for the weight Knees driving forward (and in) Why Do … [Read more...]
Lats are Core: Engage the Lats to Create TRUNK Superstiffness.
June 20, 2019 by
"You've Got a 400lbs Squat cause You've Got 600lbs Legs. But 400lbs Abs" - Louie Simmons, Via Dave Tate See, the key to lifting big weights, athletic performance and staying injury free is, in part, moving the correct thing, at the correct time. The forgotten (or more often ignored) part of that statement is... NOT MOVING WHAT SHOULDNT MOVE. or more accurately Not ALLOWING What Shouldn't Move To Move. This part of the equation is EQUALLY and maybe MORE important. If stuff starts moving, under heavy loads, at high velocities or positions of great instability/ challenge. YOU'R DONE And in my opinion probably exponentially exposed to tissue … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: TRX Row
October 9, 2017 by
If I could do only one pulling (rowing) motion what would it be? "100% it would be the TRX row." In my opinion the TRX is the greatest row machine ever built. It's scales easily from beginner to advanced, it's self-limiting, and it's almost foolproof. Plus, and mostly its one of the best tools I've found for training the lost art of scapular retraction. True, you can overdo it. But in my, desk jockey, sitting all day slumped over, world, 9/10 people have a real issue pulling those shoulders down and back, pinching the shoulder blades together in the back. So we NEED to train scap retraction and depression and need to be able to do it with a tool that … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Band Pullaparts
September 28, 2017 by
The 4 exercises that, I think I program for literally every single client. 1) Cat Camel Stretch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxCDP4IzxVs 2) Quadruped Thoracic Rotations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4XAD8N8DH0 3) Glute Bridges: https://youtu.be/MwNP1Ure28Q 4) Band PullAparts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haXhpH20eFc All 4 address "posture" deficiencies more than anything. In an era of perpetual flexed forward, shoulders rounded forward, desk jockey syndrome we need some more upper back to help PULL and HOLD us up. Besides, I was once told you can never have too much ass, abs and upper back. Band PullAparts 101: Stand tall: … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Modified Rope Climb
December 9, 2015 by
This may be the most deceptive exercise EVER. I saw it on Onnit Academy and thought... Ehhhh, that's probably hard on the grip, but not much of a challenge really. WRONG. The first time I did this I had to re-learn a valuable lesson: I SUCK.....BAD. Here's what you need: Battle Rope (or any rope for that matter) Rack (or anywhere to attach it for that matter) Vice Grips for hands Modified Rope Climb: Youtube Version Key Points: Tight line, ears through ankles or knees (if bent) Abs and Glutes on. Shoulders in the joint (tension on the back side) CRUSH the rope...<---this is of the utmost importance if you didn't figure that … [Read more...]
Spoon Bending, Physical Capital and Being Injured!
November 23, 2015 by
"I got hurt doing: insert activity that I associate with the pain I'm currently having" Actually...it's not that simple. That's probably not the case. At least not entirely.... You're just not that fragile. There's a good chance that the activity that you associate with the pain you're currently having wasn't just from: THAT Swing THAT Lunge THAT Pushup Picking up THAT couch... It's more insidious than that. I've Got a Snowball, I Need to Throw it...... From: capt_tain Tom When someone’s back hurts they don’t want to blame their lifestyle, fitness level, or daily patterns. Instead, they want to blame their back pain on starting the lawn … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Battle Rope Row
November 11, 2015 by
Pulling, we all need more. Like a lot more. Like on a set per set comparison, 2:1, pulling to pushing is a good start for most people. IF you've ever been a client you already know that I'm VERY partial to the TRX/ Ring row. I think it's the best rowing exercise going. It's scalable and basically fool-proof, plus and best of all, it's self-limiting. You can do an ugly rep, but you, and everyone else is going to know it instantly and hopefully that's when you stop. So I was looking for new stuff on the Onnit Academy website and saw Battle Rope Inverted Rows and was like whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa? So I did them and they're sick nasty.....that means really … [Read more...]
