These are Kinda BRUTAL Like they can get really hard, really fast... Hard Where? Hard All Over. This exercise was popular for a minute a few years ago, but you don't hear about it much anymore. I guess cause it's kinda F-ing hard, takes your breath away, makes your whole body burn and you sweat instantly. Why Do Kettlebell Figure 8's? Cause they hit EVERYTHING at once. Literally: Core (all of it) Upper Back Shoulders Quads Hamstrings Glutes They all get hit pretty hard. Why Else (the Real, Real Reason I use them): The Kettlebell Figure 8 (when done correctly ie. not all slop city) forces you to CONTROL movement, in an ATHLETIC … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Double Kettlebell Racked Front Squat
December 1, 2017 by
Q: Why do Double Kettlebell Racked Front Squats? A: Cause you hate yourself.... Personal Opinion: These are the hardest F-ing Skwaats in the world. And they might be the best. This is paraphrased: These FORCE you to "lock down" the core in a way that no other squat does. And in a world full of duck butt lumbar hyperextension/ overarching and butt wink these are one of the best instant remedies for BOTH of those. Why? Cause to handle the bells well you MUST stay in a perfect NEUTRAL spinal position which means the core is 100% activated and acting as a corset... You know, the way the core is meant to work? Because you're spine and pelvis are … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Plate Resisted Dead Bug
November 1, 2017 by
"Roll the belt buckle to the chin.." "Push the bottom rib into the abs...." I say those about 50 times a day. Why? It's all about the Open Scissor position. It's no good. But its the default for lots of people. Instead of using the "core" to brace against the forces, this default makes you Instagram famous uses the lumbar spine and pelvis, driving into each other, to buttress forces. In a perfect world we want a neutral scissor position. The neutral scissor is just the "Pillar" or "Cylinder" position, nothing new. Core Control: You don't want excessive lumbar movement, flexion (rounding) or arching (extension). We need to be able to put the … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Band Snatch
October 24, 2017 by
The Band Snatch Is Super Cool and Neat-O The Band Snatch has two strengths: 1: It's easy on the shoulder joint for almost everyone. 2: It'll fry your shoulders in the process. All three heads, front, medial, rear delts will all get swoled up. Plus, I stole it from Shelby Starnes, and he's super jacked, so it must be good. You should do it. Checklist: Shoulders IN the joint, the whole time: NEVER Over-reach at the top: Once the shoulder joint is fully extended, that's it. Don't reach as far back as you CAN, reach to the end range of motion. Once the scapula are retracted and the upper arm (humerus) is centered, STOP! Just like … [Read more...]
Yeah, I Still Foam Roll.
September 22, 2017 by
The Fitness Pendulum Always Swings to the Extremes: Short Term, Everyone Overreacts. Long Term, Everyone Underreacts..... Rarely does the industry look at anything critically, simply on its merits and faults, weigh them and apply that tool as necessary. Case in point: Foam Rolling Lets take our way back machine to circa 2005. The foam roller took the fitness world by storm <----I know I'm being dramatic here, but it kinda is true. Everyone was using it, for everything.. Core Stretching To "break up scar tissue" <----I used to say that too. No, its not true. Hell, places were doing complete "classes" on foam rolling. Then the last 5 … [Read more...]
Why I Love Zerchers and You Should 2
May 10, 2016 by
Do you know where Zercher Squats came from? Prison... Supposedly the Zercher squat came about because there are weights, but no racks, in the joint. They needed a way to squat and figured out that they could pick up a lot of weight off the ground in the crooks of the elbow. Zercher Squat. Ed Zercher came up with this squat variety many years ago. In 1966 or 1967, I read about a prisoner by the name of Robert Barnett, who had just pulled a 675 deadlift at 165 BWT. He related that the Zercher squat was responsible for his success. He reported that his best was 395 x 5 reps done off the floor.- Louie Simmons I don't know if that's the truth, but it's a hell of a … [Read more...]
Lumbar Hyperextension, Fake Lockouts and The Pillar Position.
March 31, 2016 by
Booty, Booty, Booty, Rocking Everywhere... https://youtu.be/znUS2KqPYCw IDK if this is NSFW or what, it's kinda hilarious. That line of literary genius was "spit" (that's what the cool kids say these days) by Bubba Sparks circa 2009. With the rise of Instagram "Glute Building Experts" (aka. soft core porn veiled as fitness) and Pintrest 30 Day Butt Challenges there's a whole lotta hyperextension, ie sticking your ass out, getting passed off as "technique". I guess that's what happens when your "fitness expert" is just a model with a big butt who likes to workout.... This "Duck Butt" position that you see a lot of these "experts" exhibit is actually just jamming … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: McGill Side Plank With Band
November 3, 2015 by
Planks are really good for you. IF you do them correctly they can help teach and train a few very important concepts.. 1. Pillar Strength/ Bracing 2. True "Core" Activation 3. Core Endurance Abzzz 101: The "core" isn't just meant to look all awesome on the beach with your bros when your tan is banging and you're trying to pick up bitches.... bro... It's also supposed to stabilize your spine and protect you from hoop, compressive and shear forces. You know, keep you from breaking the first time you pick up a kid, have to carry groceries, or push a car out of a snow rut...<-----all of these are secondary to the more bro(ish) use listed above, … [Read more...]
