Dr. Joel Seedman, Ph.D.
When it comes to improving performance and muscle function, mastering foundational movement patterns is key. Although I like to rely on eccentric isometric squats, hinges, lunges, presses, and pulls as well as core stabilization drills, I also like to periodically modify these patterns and take advantage of contralateral (opposite sides of the body) hip activation patterns that involve reciprocal (opposing) muscle groups. This can be applied to most foundational movements by simply including contralateral hip positions (i.e. hip flexion and extension).
For instance, when we run, sprint, or even walk, we repeat a series of contractions that involve contralateral muscle activation of reciprocal muscle groups in opposing limbs. Essentially, one hip is moving into hip flexion while the other is simultaneously moving into hip extension. Additionally, we often involve contralateral arm positions where one arm is responsible for driving one hip and the other arm is responsible for the other hip. Also known as the cross-crawl movement effect, this has tremendous benefit not only for athletic performance and sprinting but also for improving muscle function from head to toe. In fact, we’re seeing a large surge in contralateral movements that involve the oblique sling – a chain of muscles in the body responsible for transferring load or force across multiple joints particularly from the upper torso to the lower body and vice versa as the forces are transmitted through the core musculature.
Although there are many muscles groups involved from head to toe, and it can vary depending on whether we’re relying more on the posterior or the anterior oblique sling, these slings rely directly and indirectly on the upper body (shoulders, pectoral, and lats), on one side of the body, working with the contralateral or opposite hip. As a result, these forces cross through the core and other surrounding muscles that are responsible for stabilizing the pelvis and producing proper alignment throughout the lumbopelvic hip complex. Additionally, many rotational movements as well as anti-rotational drills also rely on these slings, as there’s typically a large emphasis on the obliques and abdominals to help transmit force across the contralateral extremities. This is also directly related to a functional anatomy and biomechanical concept known as the serape effect which describes how various muscle activation patterns cross the body to transmit force via rotational movements (i.e. punching, throwing, hitting, kicking). Read more here.
Although these systems are quite complex with further detail best illustrated throughout the following exercises, the key takeaway is to understand that training unilateral movements (single leg drills) and combining contralateral hip activation of reciprocal muscle groups (hip extensors and hip flexors) can help reinforce these functional activation patterns. Additionally, these movements not only improve athletic performance, they can also have a tremendous impact on improving low back health, hip pain, knee pain, posture, and overall body alignment. Here are some of my favorite drills that apply this concept to foundational movement patterns.
Single Leg Stand with Contralateral Knee Drive and Arm Drive
Perhaps the best way to start off training the oblique slings with contralateral hip and arm activation patterns is to perform a basic isometric sprinting simulation position. Simply hold a single leg stand while driving the elevated leg into maximal 90-degree hip flexion and simultaneously driving the arms into contralateral flexion and extension as my NFL athletes show here. Also make sure to maintain maximal dorsiflexion in the ankle of the elevated leg as this represents optimal foot position during sprinting mechanics.
Essentially you’re holding an isometric stride position that mimics the extension-driving position of a sprint during the maximal velocity phase or upright position. Focus on bracing the daylights out of the core and pulling the stomach in as aggressively as possible rather than allowing lumbar extension to occur in the low back region. Additionally, try to create as much full body tension as possible by continually driving the knee and arms as aggressively as possible. This is where the oblique slings come into play.
The harder you drive the front arm into 90 degree flexion (near the face) by aggressively recruiting the biceps, front deltoids, and upper chest, the more you’ll be recruiting the core, oblique, adductor, and hip flexor of the opposite/contralateral side as this represents the nature and function of the anterior oblique sling. Similarly, the harder you drive the rear arm into extension by aggressively firing the lats, triceps, and rear deltoids, the more you’ll recruit the lumbar muscles and contralateral hip extensors/glutes of the other leg as this describes the nature and function of the posterior oblique sling.
It’s important to make sure the hips are aligned mediolaterally as each hip, knee, ankle, and foot should form a relatively straight line without any side to side deviation. Additionally the foot of the support/down leg should be perfectly straight or even slightly internally rotated to help maximize foot torque into the ground.
The harder you drive the knee and arms while bracing the core and maintaining perfect body alignment, the greater the level of intramuscular tension that should build throughout your body until it ultimately ramps up to near maximal levels from head to toe. In fact, this should essentially feel like a maximal effort overcoming isometric hold where the athlete is giving 100% physical and mental exertion. This is one of those drills where you get what you put into it. If you do it right you should feel like you just performed several max effort sprints. Read more about foot and ankle training.
Single Leg Swap with Contralateral Knee Drive
To further help reinforce proper contralateral hip activation and limb alignment, the single leg swap added to the standing position can help expose and address a variety of weaknesses up the kinetic chain as any misalignment or instability will continue to result in the athlete losing his or her balance. This is a great drill devised by Ben Lai as he took the basic single leg swap I developed years back and modified it to incorporate contralateral hip activation.
Additionally, the hip that’s flexed must drive aggressively into the 90-degree position in order to allow enough room to swap the kettlebell from side to side. These crush the foot and ankle muscles not to mention the hips and core.
Sprinter Hip Thrust
Looking to make the standard hip thrust or glute bridge more sport specific particularly as it applies to running and sprinting? Try incorporating contralateral knee drive while also implementing contralateral arm drive of the upper extremities.
Besides producing a very similar activation pattern to that of sprinting mechanics as well as the single leg hold with contralateral hip and arm drive discussed above, these also have the potential to produce even greater glute activation in comparison to traditional single leg thrusts. Here’s why.
During contralateral movement patterns that involve reciprocal muscle activation of antagonist muscle groups, the harder one muscle group fires, the harder and more aggressively the opposing muscle is recruited. In this case the aggressive activation of one hip flexor helps to create stronger recruitment of the posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings) in the opposite hip.
However, the arms also play a key role by activating their corresponding hip muscles. For instance, the harder the front/top arm drives into shoulder flexion and elbow flexion (into the 90 degree position i.e. sprinter hands), by activating the deltoids, bicep, and upper chest, the more this in turn activates the obliques, adductors, and hip flexors of the opposite leg not to mention the entire core musculature that connect these muscles. In fact, this illustrates the nature and function of the anterior oblique sling.
Similarly, the harder the lat, tricep, and rear deltoid contract on the opposite arm that’s driving toward the floor, the more this activates the low back, glutes, and hamstrings of the opposite hip. This illustrates the nature and function of the posterior oblique sling.
The harder each hip drives into their corresponding positions, the greater the chain reaction throughout the body, which ultimately produces more and more functional recruitment within the various muscles that comprise the aforementioned posterior and anterior oblique slings. Simply put, we now just took a simple single leg glute bridge and turned it into a brutally intense yet highly functional full body movement that closely resembles the same high level full body activation that we witness during sprinting. Read more about hip thrusts and glute bridges here.
Contralateral RDL & Cable Row
The single arm, single leg RDL cable/band row with contralateral knee drive as shown here by pro basketball player Yelena Leuchenka is a movement that’s been highlighted by many fitness professionals and trainers. Besides targeting various elements of balance and stability it also taxes the entire posterior oblique sling as the lats, glutes, and core work together in one synchronized motion.
It’s important to note that this drill is only as effective as the effort and control you choose to apply to the movement. If you rush through this movement, don’t pause each rep in the contracted and stretched positions, and don’t focus on producing perfect alignment from head to toe, this drill will do very little for you other than reinforce sloppy activation patterns.
To truly reap the benefits of this drill requires the athlete to pay very close attention to the smallest details including 90 degree contralateral knee drive, braced core and abs, tall packed neck and head, straight foot and ankle alignment, 90 degree arm drive (rowing position), and dorsiflexed ankles of the elevated leg. Additionally, this movement is best performed by using a slow and controlled eccentric isometric which in turn helps the athlete dial in their body mechanics and fine-tune their position using enhanced proprioceptive feedback. Read more about eccentric isometrics here.
Bird Dog Renegade Rows with Band Tension
Here I have NPC national figure competitor Leslie Petch performing one of the most brutal renegade row variations you’ll ever attempt. Lets discuss why this is so effective.
First, the balance involved during a bird dog position (balancing on opposite arm & leg) requires incredible motor control. However, by adding the band it exponentially increases activation throughout the core & hips. That’s because on any plank, renegade row, pushup, or ab rollout, we want the hip flexors & abs firing like mad NOT the GLUTES!!! That’s right the concept of squeezing your glutes during planks, renegade rows, & pushups is actually the opposite of what we want. Simply put, the hip flexors & core work together to resist hip extension & lumbar extension. Now here’s where it gets interesting.
If we move to a single leg variation we’ve now magnified the same activation pattern in the support leg since firing the contralateral hip extensor (glutes) of the elevated leg helps fire the contralateral hip flexors of the opposite leg due to equal & opposite activation patterns associated with contralateral activation. In other words contralateral glute activation of the elevated leg helps reinforce hip flexor activation & core activation of the support leg.
Additionally, contralateral hip activation tends to greatly increase recruitment throughout the deep core musculature & lumbopelvic hip complex due to the intense stabilization required to resist rotational torque & twisting. This also very closely mimics oblique sling activation patterns we see during sprinting & other sporting activities (reciprocal muscle activation of contralateral hips) including single leg jumps, hitting, kicking, throwing, etc.
Here’s another variation that is similar but involves slightly more hamstrings and less quads since you're pulling the leg straight up rather than pushing back.
With that said, the main thing to remember here regardless of the variation you chose is to extend the elevated leg as hard as possible by firing the daylights out of the glute which in turn fires the opposite hip flexor and quad which in turn fires the core like mad!!! It’s basically a huge chain reaction which starts with the contralateral glute activation of the elevated leg. Although a mini band can work for this movement a thinner longer band tends to work better. Read more about renegade rows here.
Before attempting the renegade row, many folks will find the plank version a great regression as well as very effective exercise in its own right.
Bear Dog Renegade Rows with Band Tension
Similar to the above renegade row, the main difference with the bear dog version is you’ll be assuming a single leg bear crawl position (i.e. approximately 90 degree hip flexion) rather than a single arm straight-leg plank position. The hip flexors, quads, and core inevitably get crushed to an even greater extent here not to mention being even more specific to sprinting mechanics and contralateral knee drive patterns.
Bird Dog Quadruped Row
The bird dog quadruped row is a move I introduced several years ago on T-Nation. Since then I’ve seen it used quite frequently amongst fitness professionals and trainers due to its effectiveness. Unfortunately, over the years I’ve witnessed many coaches, trainers, and athletes, run into a variety of form & technique issues on this movement, particularly as it relates to the lower body, as they fail to reach proper alignment throughout the hips.
For instance the elevated leg is oftentimes not fully extended and the hip extensors/glutes of that leg aren’t fully engaged. If the hips aren’t properly aligned and activated this creates a chain reaction throughout the kinetic chain which compromises activation throughout the core thereby reducing spinal rigidity. Simply put, lack of proper leg positioning can impact the entire movement.
Performing these with a mini band around the feet and ankles of the legs as I show here, requires the lifter to maximally engage the hip flexor of the bent leg and the hip extensors of the elevated leg. Due to the contralateral hip activation effect associated with the oblique slings, the harder one leg/hip fires into flexion the more this causes the other hip to fire into extension and vice versa until incredibly high levels of full body tension are produced as these forces must be transmitted across the core and pelvis.
Additionally the harder the glute of the elevated leg fires, the greater the activation of the lat of the working arm (due to the nature of posterior oblique sling) which ultimately increases the effectiveness of this movement for targeting the upper back and lats. And yes, this can easily be turned into a functional strength and hypertrophy movement provided you’re core is strong enough to handle heavy loads as I demonstrate here with a 100 lb dumbbell.
Single Leg Chest Press
Here I have two of my awesome clients Charlene Harrison and Austin Kane performing a longitudinal hip thrust single leg chest press using contralateral knee drive. Besides blasting the glutes, hip flexors, and hamstrings, these also torch the abs as you’ll be working overtime not only to keep perfect body alignment but to maintain balance and control. Any mediolateral deviations with your feet, hips, or core will result in loss of balance and stability. The harder you drive your hip and knee into the 90 degree position the more dialed in this feels and the more stable the lift becomes.
With that said, a few things to point out about each persons’ form here. Charlene could have driven her knee slightly harder into the 90 degree hip flexion position especially as she fatigued. Austin could have elevated the foot of the hip flexion leg a bit more to maintain a sharper 90 degree angle which also would have worked his core and hips to a greater extent. These are deceptively difficult and require several sets to perfectly dial in. I also recommend starting off with the t-bench setup that I’ve written about over the past years (laying on the bench width wise like a hip thruster) as it’s easier to maintain balance and control in comparison to the longitudinal position where the sides of the bench can’t help anchor you. Once you’ve mastered these try using band tension on the hips to increase the difficulty.
The same concept can also be applied to pullovers as shown here. This is one of the most intense anterior and posterior chain exercises as the entire anterior core as well as posterior chain get crushed with high levels of tension.
Single Arm Single Leg Bottoms Up Chest Press
If you really want to get crazy with oblique sling activation pattern you can actually combine the single arm and single leg contralateral T-bench variations as well as the half-body off protocol into one incredibly challenging chest press variation as shown by bodybuilder and athlete Ben Lai.
This is literally one of the most challenging full body pressing movements there is as you’ll be forced to activate nearly every muscle in your body from head to toe as you resist enormous amounts of rotational forces. In addition this is one of the more physically exhausting chest presses you’ll ever attempt due to the high levels of continuous intramuscular tension throughout each set. Besides devastating your glutes (maximus and medius), it’s also one of the most brutal core exercises you’ll ever perform as it absolutely crushes your obliques and transverse abs as well as your rectus abdominals.
Lastly, if you have poor foot and ankle activation you’ll know almost immediately as you’ll find it quite difficult to maintain your balance for more than a few seconds. In fact, the only way you can reach equilibrium with your body on this movement and find a stable position is by producing perfect foot and ankle alignment. With that in mind this is an incredible foot and ankle exercise provided you’re able to lock your position in and stabilize your body.
If you really want to increase the instability try throwing in a bottoms-up variation as shown here with Leslie Petch.
The plate variation I demonstrate here with a 45 lb plate is also one of the most physically and mentally challenging drills you’ll ever perform.
Bear Dog Pushups
Adding in the contralateral hip drive into pushups by taking the simple bear crawl pushup and modifying it to a single leg variation can do wonders for cleaning up your pushup form however it’s also incredibly sport specific and transfers exceptionally well to sprinting mechanics. Here’s my awesome client and NPC physique competitor Eric McIntyre showing how it’s done.
Focus on extending the back leg and driving the opposite knee into 90 degree hip flexion throughout as this maximize core activation while also reinforcing high levels of spinal rigidity and full body tension.
If you want to further increase the difficulty of this movement and engage the core to an even greater degree, adding a stability ball to the mix takes the intensity up several notches as my awesome client Leslie Petch shows here.
Bear Dog Ab Rollouts
The contralateral hip drive position can also be applied to ab rollouts as Leslie shows here. Make sure you master the standard bear crawl ab rollout first before attempting these single leg bear crawl (bear dog) variations as the difficulty is inordinately high. The contralateral hip drive position, which engages both the anterior and posterior oblique slings, combined with the anti-extension component of the ab rollout literally fires up the abs and core to unusually high levels.
If that still doesn’t do it for you, try adding a mini band to the feet and hips as Leslie shows in the second variation.
If you’re looking to further emphasize the hip activation component, you can also do single leg knee drive rollouts. Focus on nailing 90 degree hip flexion in each contracted position while simultaneously keeping the hips elevated as you extend the leg back into the straight position. Performed correctly this is one of the most brutal core and hip exercises there is that also has tremendous transfer into sprinting mechanics and athletic performance. See 50 unique ab rollouts here.
Dead Bug Chest Presses with Mini Band
If you’re looking to increase core activation and minimize lumbar extension during your chest presses while simultaneously reinforcing full body tension and spinal rigidity, look no further than the dead bug bench press. This is one I’ve posted a few variations of over the last several years due to its effectiveness for eliminating the all-too-common excessive low back arch on bench press.
Besides reinforcing contralateral knee drive which transfers exceptionally well to athletic performance, there’s also a significant anti-rotation component involved that further reinforces high levels of motor control while forcing the lifter to slow the reps down and gain control of the movement. Also, shoutout to Shea Pierre, for upping that ante on the dead bug chest press by adding the mini band which further increases hip and core activation. See more about saving your spine on chest presses here.
Single Arm Dead Bug Chest Presses
Here I have NFL and XFL athletes Adrian Hubbard, Marquell Beckwith, and Marcelis Branch performing a single arm deadbug chest press with high levels of anti-rotation. The single arm variation is a great 2 in 1 drill that not only hits the upper body (chest, shoulders, & triceps) but it also blasts the entire core and abdominal region as well as the smaller muscles around the lumbopelvic hip complex as you’re literally trying to keep your body from rolling over. This is definitely a unique chest press in that ab and core strength are the limiting factors.
Just remember, not every time you perform a specific movement pattern is it necessary to go insanely heavy. By taking drills like this, it allows you to maintain a high level of effort and intensity while deloading the joints & tissues with unique variations of foundational movement patterns.
Oblique Sling Chest Flyes
Here’s bodybuilder, athlete & fellow PhD kinesiology candidate Ben Lai performing an eccentric isometrics oblique sling anti-rotation chest fly that crushes the hips & core. Also huge shoutout to Ben for coming up with this movement.
I had previously done with 1 dumbbell however the double arm version shown here provides added benefits. Whether you perform this with 1 or 2 dumbbells, the adductors, core, glutes, hamstrings, & smaller muscles around the lumbopelvic hip complex get targeted. You’ll also activate the entire foot & ankle complex as well as the big toe which is critical for waking up muscles up the kinetic chain especially around the adductors, groin musculature, & smaller muscles that help keep neutral alignment of the hips & stabilize the lumbopelvic hip complex. But here’s the difference.
With 1 dumbbell, the level of anti-rotation is so high the lifter is required to use a very light dumbbell to avoid getting pulled off the bench. Yes, the anti-rotation muscles, core, & hips get worked quite intensely however upper body activation is quite minimal due to the lighter loads & smaller ROM that’s necessary.
This version provides the best of all worlds as it allows the lifter to blast the muscles around the hips & core while also crushing the chest with adequate load, tension, & ROM.
Lastly notice Ben uses the eccentric isometric protocol. That’s because it helps dial in the movement & correct form & body mechanics while maximizing tension on the musculature. The reason is the emphasis on the eccentric & slow deliberate movement maximizes activation from proprioceptive mechanisms such as the muscles spindles which are responsible for kinesthetic awareness & sense of feel ultimately allowing the lifter to fine-tune their body mechanics & master movement.
Dead Bug Pullups with Mini Band
If you’re looking for a unique yet brutal pullup/chinup variation that torches the core and spinal stabilizers while also promoting optimal body alignment and vertical pulling technique look no further than the dead bug pullup. The offset position produces slight rotational forces that the lifter will be required to resist throughout thereby creating additional tension to the anterior core, transverse abs, quadratus lumborum, and obliques. Furthermore, due to the nature of the oblique slings, the contralateral hip drive position with one hip in flexion and the other in extension creates incredibly high levels of core activation as tension crosses from the lats and upper body into the hips inevitably forcing the core to act as the bridge that allows force to be transmitted across the upper and lower extremities. As a result of the heightened core activation it’s nearly impossible to over-arch the lumbar spine.
With that said, excessive low back arch is a very common problem on pullups. While it’s important to maintain a slight natural curvature of the spine during pullups many individuals attempt to keep their chest out by simply allowing excessive lumbar extension to occur. Instead the lifter should be producing extension through the t-spine while keeping the lumbar spine in a relatively neutral position. This deadbug pullup variation helps the lifter find this optimal position as it’s nearly impossible to over arch the low back. As a result the t-spine must take up the slack resulting in massive tension to the lats not to mention enhanced postural positioning. Perform these without any additional tension on the hips first. Once mastered, add the mini band to further increase core activation and tax the oblique sling.
Inverted Rows with Mini Band
Here I have NFL quarterback Taylor Heinicke performing inverted rows with contralateral hip activation while also using the mini band. I’ve also seen several other coaches use this drill including Shea Pierre.
Poor spinal alignment and faulty posture are perhaps the two most common issues witnessed during inverted rows. When this occurs it’s impossible to perform the movement with optimal body mechanics as the extremities are unable to perform their roles correctly both from a biomechanical as well as neuromuscular standpoint. Learning to improve spinal rigidity and full body tension on inverted rows can do wonders not just for improving overall positioning and posture but also for insuring the lats are full engaged.
Due to the nature of the oblique sling, particularly the posterior oblique sling that involves the lats and hip extensors (the glutes), the harder the hips drive into contralateral hip flexion and extension, the greater the activation throughout the core and obliques, ultimately producing greater recruitment throughout the upper extremities particularly the lats. In other words, it’s a chain reaction that begins with the hips and ends with the upper back. Besides having incredible transfer to sprinting and running mechanics these literally blast the lats as well as the hips making these an excellent full body exercise.
Dips with Mini Band
Although dips are a great mass builder, most folks end up performing them with very little core activation, collapsed shoulders, and poor spinal rigidity. This often contributes to dips that look very sloppy while also producing joint angles that are significantly past 90 degrees. Simply put, the way most folks perform dips, you could argue that they would be better off not performing them at all at least in terms of optimizing muscle function, shoulder health, and overall posture. And while they may still gain some strength and size from them, dips that are performed with proper technique, 90 degree joint angles, and high levels of full body tension will produce exponentially greater muscle growth and strength.
With that said, one of the best ways to increase full body tension, core activation, and posture alignment is by performing dips with contralateral hip activation. Throw in the mini band as my awesome client Leslie Petch does here and you’ve now just ensured maximal full body activation from head to toe due to the nature of the posterior and anterior oblique slings.
Simply put, the harder the hips drive into their contralateral hip flexion and hip extension positions, the greater the core activation as the core musculature is used to transmit force across the lower and upper extremities. Additionally, due to nature of these slings, this setup produces even greater pectoral and lat recruitment. That’s because the harder the hips drive into their positions the greater the recruitment up the kinetic chain. This increased lat activation also helps to ensure the shoulders don’t move excessively into protraction and elevation – 2 very common problems during dips that typically contribute to collapsing at the bottom and going below 90 degrees. This setup helps remedy that as it’s literally impossible to go past 90 degrees if you maintain the contralateral hip positions with maximal full body tension. To go deeper you would have to sacrifice these important kinetic elements. Read more about proper dip form here.
Overhead Presses with band
The single leg overhead press has always been one of my favorite combination stabilization and upper body movements. However, over the last year I’ve begun implementing the contralateral hip drive position more frequently as a means of creating greater full body tension as well as overhead pressing mechanics.
Here’s why this is so effective.
Perhaps the single most common issue during overhead presses is poor core activation that inevitably produces excessive lumbar extension and low back arch. By relying on the contralateral hip drive position this not only helps improve hip and postural alignment but it ensures that the low back can’t excessively arch since the core has to work overtime to maintain the contralateral flexion and extension position. To further increase both the effectiveness and maximize core activation, try adding a mini band as my NFL athlete Taylor Heinicke shows here.
The same concept can also be applied without a mini band as I demonstrate here with one of the most challenging bottoms up overhead presses you’ll ever attempts. It’s also a great diagnostic tool for exposing, assessing, & addressing various weakness, imbalances, & areas of dysfunction throughout the kinetic chain.
Single Arm Inverted Row with Contralateral Knee Drive
The inverted row is one of my favorite exercises not only for targeting the entire posterior chain including the upper back, lats, glutes, and hamstrings, but also for addressing posture and spinal alignment.
By performing it in a single arm fashion with a simultaneous hip thrust and contralateral knee drive (a.k.a sprinter inverted row), not only does this fire up just about every muscle throughout the body due to the targeting of both the posterior and anterior oblique slings but the transfer this likely has to athletic performance and sprinting mechanics is quite high.
Lets quickly discuss the various mechanisms involved which will also help the reader better understand how to perform this advanced yet highly effective drill. For the sake of simplicity lets focus on the right arm pulling/rowing
The posterior oblique sling dictates that the opposite hip extensor/glute and lat work together to create a coiling sensation. During this drill the lifter would essentially row up or pull with the right arm which in turn would fire the left glute/hip. The greater the hip activation the greater the lat activation and vice versa. However, we also know via contralateral activation patterns that the anterior oblique sling can work in conjunction with the posterior sling to create additional activation throughout the entire body as well as the working extremities.
In this particular scenario, the harder the opposite knee and hip drive into 90 degree hip flexion, the more the reciprocal muscles of the contralateral side will fire, which in this case is the glutes. However, to create maximal hip flexor activation of that elevated leg, this also would require us to engage the contralateral front deltoid and pectoral of the opposing arm as this represents the nature of the anterior oblique sling. This also happens to recruit the adductors, oblique and abs, as the force transmission crosses from the upper extremities into the lower extremities. Simply put, this chain reaction starts with contralateral hip flexion and shoulder flexion which in turn creates greater reciprocal muscle activation in the glute and lat of the opposing sides (i.e. contralateral activation).
Simply put, it’s a full body row that has tremendous transfer to athletic performance and postural alignment.
Once you’ve mastered the bent leg version with the foot on the floor try the bench version with a straight leg which is exponentially more challenging.
Single Arm Pushups
The single arm pushup actually involves very similar yet reciprocal activation patterns as the single arm row. Additionally the level of full body strength & oblique sling activation patterns is through the roof.
Contralateral Bent Over Row with Oblique Slings
The single leg RDL and Row is already an incredibly exercise not only for taxing the glutes, lats, hamstrings, upper back, and spinal stabilizers but also for providing an incredible stretch throughout the large muscles of the hips as well as the smaller muscles of the lumbopelvic hip complex. However, if we’re looking to amp up the level of functional stretch without overstretching the tissues and using excessive ROM (a common issue in yoga and other training modalities) then we can examine the oblique slings & their function and apply principles of these systems to this movement.
For instance the posterior oblique sling involves the hip extensors, lats, and rear delts on opposite sides of the body while the anterior oblique slings involve the hip flexors, front deltoid, chest, anterior core, and adductors on opposite sides of the body. As a result, these forces cross through the core and other surrounding muscles that are responsible for stabilizing the pelvis and producing proper alignment throughout the lumbopelvic hip complex. If you can figure out how to functionally stretch theses systems under eccentric isometric loading conditions you’ll literally feel substantial muscular elongation throughout the entire body.
This variation takes advantage of this system. The band tension allows the arm to stretch passed the midline of the torso which not only produces a massive functional stretch to the upper back, lats, and rear delts but also to the glutes, hamstrings, and abductors of the support leg (as well as the hip flexors of the elevated leg) due to the nature of the oblique slings.
As an added bonus the high level of intramuscular stretch combined with the significant levels of eccentric tension make this an effective strength and hypertrophy exercise as well. You also get a massive contraction in the upper back and lats in the contracted rowing position. Simply put if you’re looking for a functional strength & mass builder that also provides a safe yet massive stretch to the posterior chain, this is it!!!!
Note: Try doing this with no weight to begin with as this is a very advanced movement. Even without weight this provides an incredible stretch and makes for a great daily activation drill.
Good Mornings with Knee Drive
To employ the contralateral knee drive and oblique slings even further on single leg movements such as lunges, split squats, and hip hinges, try employing contralateral knee drive during the top extension phase.
Simply drive the knee of the elevated leg into 90 degree hip flexion and knee flexion as my awesome athlete Brandyn Bartlett shows here on a single leg good morning. Besides ensuring greater activation of the working glute particularly in the fully contracted position due to contralateral activation patterns described throughout this article, it’s also incredibly sport specific and exceptional for transferring to sprinting performance. Essentially, the harder the elevated leg drives into hip flexion, the more intensely the glute of the support leg fires to move that leg into hip extension. Read more about good mornings here.
Lunge and Cable Press
The traditional cable chest press can also be modified to incorporate a greater level of both the anterior and posterior oblique slings by simply performing a unilateral chest press in a contralateral lunge position as my awesome client Leslie Petch shows here.
Not only does this crush the upper body pressing muscles but it fully taxes the glutes, hip flexors, obliques, and abs. Read more about other cable chest presses here.
Single Leg Chinese Plank Pullovers
The Chinese Plank is a great position for working the postural muscles particularly of the posterior chain. This is something I’ve discussed numerous times in my writings over the years. When combined with the single leg contralateral hip drive position, the effects and benefits are even greater.
Here’s an example with NFL athlete Julian Williams as he performs a brutally difficult bottoms up pullover. The single leg position combined with 90 degree knee flexion does wonders for instilling proper lower body alignment and contralateral glute activation that also transfers exceptionally well to sprinting mechanics for athletes. This position can be combined with a number of movements particularly chest presses, chest flyes, pullovers, skull crushers, and more.
If you want to further magnify the contralateral hip activation and resulting full body activation associated with the oblique slings, try adding in the mini band as my awesome client Leslie shows here.
Just be warned the level of glute activation, core recruitment, and rotary stability needed to dial these in is inordinately high. Performed with the bench in a longitudinal position as I show here increases the core activation even further as there’s even greater rotational forces the lifter must resist to keep from falling off the bench.
It’s also worth noting that the incredibly high levels of full body tension does wonders for enhancing upper body pressing mechanics. Combined with the Chinese plank it’s nearly impossible to perform these with anything other than perfect postural alignment which invariably improves shoulder function and glenohumeral joint stability. And yes, that also means you’ll likely be hitting 90 degree joint angles on all of your presses unless you decide to lose complete control of your body and the movement. Read more about the Chinese Plank here.
Single Arm Oblique Sling Pullups
This is a single arm single leg band assisted pullup that incorporate oblique sling activation patterns using contralateral hip/ glute activation & lat activation on opposite sides of the body.
As with all oblique sling patterns, the harder the elevated leg drives into the 90 deg knee drive position, the greater the glute activation of the opposite leg which in turn causes the contralateral or working lat to fire with greater levels of recruitment. These also blast the core as there’s significant levels of anti-rotation to deal with.
Due to the full body recruitment involved with oblique slings, these help to ingrain optimal 90 deg positions which should be employed on most exercises
Lat Pulldowns with Band
Few gyms provide lat pulldown stations that are tall enough to allow the individual to stand and perform lat pulldowns. However by anchoring bands onto the top of a squat rack this provides such an option. Besides, providing a lat pulldown variation that transfers exceptionally well to improving the overhead press due to the same standing position, these also allow the implementation of the contralateral hip activation position.
Simply perform single arm or double arm lat pulldowns in a single leg standing fashion while also driving the contralateral hip into 90 degree hip flexion. Besides taxing the core and hips, this also produces incredibly high levels of lat activation. For instance, when performed in an ipsilateral fashion the harder the elevated leg fires into hip flexion the greater the opposite leg fires into hip extension. This creates high levels of glute activation ultimately traveling up the kinetic chain and posterior oblique sling producing greater lat activation on the opposite side of the body.
Single Leg Squat & Lat Pulldown
Here’s my awesome client Leslie Petch performing a very unique lat pulldown. Although somewhat complex and advanced, the single leg and single arm lat pulldown performed from a skater squat position provides a very unique stimulus that’s difficult to replicate with just about any other exercise. That’s because this allows the lifter to take full advantage of the posterior oblique sling to produce enormous levels of lat activation.
When performed in an ipsilateral fashion the harder the elevated leg fires into hip extension the greater the glute activation ultimately traveling up the kinetic chain and posterior oblique sling thereby producing greater lat activation on the opposite side of the body. Additionally, it’s a great way to kill two birds with one stone as you’re practicing locking in your single leg squat while simultaneously blasting each lat individually.
These also crush the core and abs not to mention just about every muscle from head to toe as you work overtime to maintain body alignment and balance throughout. Although the ipsilateral variation is the go-to method due to the nature of the oblique slings, the contralateral activation also has it’s own unique benefits as you end up working the outer hip and glute of the support leg as a means of resisting valgus forces on the knee. Read more about squatting lat pulldowns here.
Oblique Sling Squats
By simply performing single arm and single leg squat variations with either ipsilateral or contralateral loading we can mimic oblique sling patterns during squats. Here’s an example using a bottoms up squat with one of my NFL athletes Ameer Abdullah.
Performing the contralateral variation targets more of the outer hip, abductors, and ankle as you resist valgus forces whereas the ipsilateral variation targets more of the inner thigh and adductors as you resist varus or lateral forces. Try performing 2-3 eccentric isometric reps in each of the 4 positions.
If you really want to take things several notches further try these oblique sling barbell squat jumps. These provide 5 unique benefits.
1. Whether you do these with a dumbbell or progress to bottoms up kettlebells or use a single barbell, the goal is target the oblique slings while performing jumps. You’ll want to work both ipsilateral & contralateral loading as the oblique slings get targeted in different phases of the jump. When we’re in contralateral loading the oblique slings get targeted more on the eccentric phase. When loading ipsilateral, the oblique slings are worked more on the concentric jumping phase.
2. These target both inner & outer thighs while working on anti-pronation of the foot as well as anti supination depending on the variation. During contralateral loading the abductors & outer hip region are working to avoid valgus collapse not only at the hips & knees but also at the feet & ankles (anti-pronation). During the ipsilateral loading, the adductors & inner thighs are working to avoid varus collapse as well as supination of the feet & ankles.
3. This is a full body strength & power exercise. In fact the biceps, forearms, core & shoulders get pummeled particularly on the catch as you’ll need to brace every muscle from head to toe.
4. These expose any deviation in posture, shoulder stability, or body mechanics as well as any asymmetrical jumping mechanics. Any asymmetry becomes immediately apparent as the bar begins to tilt & twist.
5. This is incredible for teaching proper landing mechanics as the instability forces the lifter to brace full body on impact. This produces concurrent activation potentiation & greater neural drive to working extremities thereby teaching the lifter how to properly absorb force & stick the landing.
Advanced Dynamic & Explosive Variations
Once the slower and more controlled eccentric isometrics have been mastered on the above drills, the same contralateral knee drive and oblique sling emphasis can be employed on more explosive dynamic variations. This works particularly well on lunges, hinges, and split squats
For instance here’s a reverse pause-lunge to jump with contralateral knee drive as demonstrated by one of my collegiate high jumpers Bailey Weiland. Notice how she maintains a forward lean and hip hinge on the lunge phase which represents ideal lunging mechanics for any lunge variation. Once she locks the eccentric isometric into position and feels for the most stable and strongest mechanics she then explodes out of the lunge by loading her front leg while simultaneously driving with the opposite knee. Read more about jumps here.
In addition notice how she focuses on landing on one leg briefly to teach unilateral force absorption - a critical aspect of speed, power, and performance. Finally notice the use of the dorsiflexion throughout which is another subtle yet highly critical coaching cue and technique pointer.
Although the above variation emphasizes acceleration to a greater extent, the same movement pattern can be used to emphasize deceleration and force impact.
For example in this video I’m demonstrating a stride simulated split stance lunge using partner assisted manual acceleration. This is a great drill for addressing, deceleration, acceleration, stability, balance, and motor control not to mention sprint mechanics as you focus on using contralateral arm drive to maximize full body tension and lower body recruitment. The combination of vertical and horizontal forces produced from the partner launching the athlete forward also has tremendous benefits for athletes as you’re targeting sprinting as well as backpedaling.
Notice how I stick the lunge/split squat without allowing my knee to move too far forward into excessive anterior knee drift (an all too common problem on lunges). While a slight amount of anterior knee drift is acceptable and in fact quite natural particularly when there is a horizontal force vector, allowing the knees to move excessively past the toes simply means you’re relying too much on the quads and not enough on the posterior chain. Yes you may be able to get away with it but it’s not optimal both in terms of injury prevention as well as force production and force absorption.
Also notice how I stick the 90-degree position rather than allowing my body to collapse with excessive ROM. On that note, make sure you’ve mastered 90 degree eccentric isometrics lunges and split squats before attempting these as the impact is quite high and you’ll need to have built a proper foundation beforehand with less aggressive variations first.
The same technique can also be employed on lateral lunges as I show here with NFL athlete and GSP sponsored pro Marquell Beckwith demonstrating a partner goblet lateral lunge using partner assisted manual acceleration. This variation involves the same partner acceleration method as the forward lunge only applied to the lateral lunge and contralateral knee drive protocol I picked up from my awesome client Ben Lai.
This is a great drill for addressing, deceleration, acceleration, stability, contralateral knee drive, balance, & motor control not to mention lateral stride mechanics and lateral movement. It’s also great for bulletproofing the groin and inner & outer hips with high levels of eccentric force. Notice as he accelerates back into my hands he drives his opposite knee into a strong 90 degree position to mimic sprinting mechanics.
On a similar note if I had to give one critique of this it’s that Marquell went a tad too deep and should have stuck the landing just a tad more as he’s actually going slightly below 90 degree joint angles here. This is something we addressed on subsequent sets. Focus on bracing the daylights out of your core throughout as this will help you lock the movement in. Additionally work on doing this in barefoot conditions as this will improve foot & ankle strength a critical aspect of performance.
Oblique Sling Olympic Lifts
Using dumbbells combined with single arm and single leg clean and snatch variations allows the lifter to apply oblique sling patterns to Olympic lifts.
Here are examples of ipsilateral and contralateral oblique sling cleans shown by NFL athlete Ameer Abdullah as he preps for the season.
Here’s another example of some of my NFL and collegiate athletes Austin Larkin, Julian Williams, and Eduardo Alvalo performing both the contralateral and ipsilateral variations of the oblique sling snatches. In this set they’re hitting 2 reps of each of the 4 variaitons (2 ipsilateral and contralateral on the right leg, and 2 ipsilateral and 2 contralateral on the left leg).
Although the above oblique sling Olympic lifts are excellent they don’t quite include the complete oblique sling patterns. Here is the ultimate oblique slings clean and snatch by combining oblique sling activation patterns into Olympic lifts.
This is brilliant with huge shoutout to bodybuilder, athlete & fellow PhD kinesiology candidate Ben Lai Ben Lai as he took the basic concept I’ve highlighted with ipsilateral & contralateral oblique sling cleans & snatches & modified them a step further to turn them into the ultimate oblique sling cleans & snatches. This is done by adding an arm switch in them middle of the lift. Let’s discuss why this is so effective.
When performing basic oblique sling cleans & snatches, there’s one subtle flaw in all of those lifts - there’s always a slight oblique sling mismatch. Here’s what I mean.
Performing a contralateral oblique sling clean for example involves loading the opposite arm & leg during the eccentric RDL meaning the opposite lat & glute are firing thus indicating this is an ideal oblique sling activation pattern. However as we finish the clean in the top position, the knee & arm catch are mismatched in such a way that the ipsilateral arm & leg are firing rather than the desired contralateral. In other words it doesn’t follow the optimal oblique sling activation pattern we witness during athletic performance such as sprinting.
If we contrast that with the ipsilateral loading version, the top finishing position ends up being ideal as we finish with opposite arm & hip firing together in a contralateral oblique sling activation pattern. However the eccentric RDL portion involves same arm & leg loading rather than opposite. So in this instance we have an oblique sling mismatch during the eccentric. Fortunately the arm switch versions devised by Ben resolve this issues entirely as the entire clean or snatch involves oblique sling firing patterns with contralateral arm & leg sequencing.
Rotational Movements
As previously discussed the oblique slings are strongly involved in rotational movements. With that said if you want to improve your rotational movement while simultaneously addressing rotational mobility, power, motor control, and full body stability using the oblique slings? Try using this eccentric isometric rotational chop I show here.
Most rotational drills only reinforce pre-exiting levels of rotational movement quality and do very little to enhance it. For instance if there’s a weak link in the kinetic chain or a small compensation pattern it’s almost impossible to diagnose or correct during more traditional rotational movements. This is where the eccentric isometric comes in. Like all other eccentric isometrics I’ve highlighted over the years, the rotational EI allows the lifter to hone in on their movement, self-assess where various issues may be occurring (via sense of feel), and then fine-tune their body mechanics based on the enhanced sensory feedback produced from the eccentric isometric. In reality it’s fulfilling the same purpose as all other eccentric isometrics I post such as squats, hinge, lunges, press, and pulls, only it’s applied to rotational movement occurring in the transverse plane rather than the sagittal or frontal planes.
Just like any other eccentric isometric, the goal is never maximal or extreme range of motion but instead natural/optimal range of motion which ends up being more compact than what most coaches typically teach. Yes we you can go further on the ROM but you’ll be sacrificing activation, stability, motor control, and proprioception not to mention engraining faulty body mechanics as rotational movements that we see in sports don’t involve inordinately large rotational ROM but rather natural or optimal ROM in the transverse plane. Excessive ROM during rotational movements tends to compromise hip drive and lower body recruitment often resulting in over-rotating rather than relying on hip extension. Remember the functional purpose of most rotational movements is to allow the hips to fully coil, not to rotate to the point where you feel like your spine is going to snap.
Rotational Torque Added to Traditional Movements
Here I have my awesome client & NPC national level figure competitor Leslie Petch performing eccentric isometric trap bar deadlifts using the rotational trainer from Physical Industries.
Notice the 90 deg joint angles just like squats, lunges, presses, rows, & most other movement patterns. That’s because 90 deg positions represent the optimal position biomechanically, structurally, neurophysiologically, & functionally not only for producing & absorbing force but also for optimizing functional strength & hypertrophy while also sparing the joints. Think of this particular movement as a combination deadlift & Pallof press.
A very common & overlooked issue during deadlifts is lack of full body tension & tightness particularly in the core & smaller stabilizers of the lumbopelvic hip complex. Applying rotational torque forces the lifter to increase core & ab activation as a means of creating greater full body tension & intramuscular stiffness. Not only does this translate to greater motor control but it also means you’ll be lifting heavier loads once you return to normal deadlifts. This tool can be applied to any standing lift or movement pattern.
Another common issues during deadlifts & squats is shifting to one hip. Applying rotational torque to that side forces the lifter to clean this up. Additionally, I’ve found these are great for teaching the lifter to sit back into their hips & rely on their glutes while also improving foot & ankle activation during deadlifts. When combined with eccentric isometrics this helps the lifter fine-tune their positioning and dial in their form due to enhanced proprioceptive feedback.
Foam Roller Variations
Here I’m performing a unique Oblique Sling Chest Press by combining the dead bug protocol with a foam roller. Here’s how this works.
Essentially we’re recruiting the entire myofascial slings of both anterior & posterior oblique slings. As the lifter aggressively drives their knee & arm into the foam roller with 90 deg hip flexion this not only fires the opposite hip flexor contralateral to the pressing arm, but also the lat & tricep contralateral to the extended leg. As a result the chest, anterior deltoid, hip flexor, adductors, abs, & obliques on contralateral sides of the body are maximally recruited thereby engaging the entire anterior oblique sling.
Similarly the lat, tricep, glute max, glute med, & lumbar extensors on contralateral sides are fully taxed thereby engaging the entire posterior oblique sling. As a result just about every large muscle throughout the kinetic chain is recruited. Additionally the abs, core, & spinal stabilizers are also working overtime as the oblique slings are responsible for transferring load or force across multiple joints particularly from the upper torso to the lower body & vice versa. In essence these forces cross through the core musculature.
Technically the only piece of the puzzle that the deadbug version is missing is maximal glute activation since the extended leg is still using the hip flexors to elevated the leg off the floor.
With that said, this hip thrust half body off variation shown by Leslie Petch literally represents the perfect oblique sling chest press as every piece fits together like a beautiful puzzle. See if you can follow me while I walk you through why & how this one works so well. As the lifter aggressively drives their knee & arm into the foam roller with 90 deg hip flexion this not only fires the opposite hip flexor contralateral to the pressing arm, but also the lat & tricep contralateral to the extended hip.
As a result the chest & anterior deltoid as well as the hip flexor, adductors, abs, & obliques on contralateral sides of the body are maximally recruited thereby engaging the entire anterior oblique sling. Similarly the lat & tricep as well as the glute max, glute med, & lumbar extensors on contralateral sides are fully taxed thereby engaging the entire posterior oblique sling. As a result just about every large muscle throughout the kinetic chain is recruited. The harder your drive your arm into the foam roller the more locked in this movement feels as every muscle coils with greater & greater tension. Once again the main difference here compared to the deadbug version is that the glute of the extended hip is actually firing with maximal effort.
Here’s an example of the same oblique sling drill applied to the overhead press and pullover.
Advanced Banded Oblique Sling Drills
As previously mentioned adding mini bands to the hips and or feet can greatly increase the oblique slings stimulus due to more aggressive contralateral hip activation (i.e. opposite knee drive & hip extension. Here are some additional variations shown by Leslie Petch.
Advanced Sprinter Bodyweight Oblique Sling Drills with Mini Bands
Here’s my awesome client & national NPC figure competitor Leslie Petch performing 4 crazy advanced oblique sling sprinter bodyweight movements on rings using my favorite mini bands from NTLoops. A few also use a foam roller to increase extension forces on the core & hamstrings.
These upper body sprinter moves not only light up the entire upper body but also blast the core & hips via contralateral hip activation. This is further enhanced by using the bands as the contralateral hip extensors & hip flexors on opposite limbs are working overtime to pull against the band.
Additionally by nature of the oblique slings, the harder the hips fire, these forces transfer across the core & into the upper body ultimately producing even greater activation in the upper extremities. Additionally it locks the posture & body alignment into another level as oblique slings activation patterns essentially fire your whole body from head to toe while eliminating energy leaks & compensation patterns (if done properly).
The Most Difficult Oblique Slings Exercise Ever
Here I'm performing side 1 of the most brutal chest press ever. It’s for this reason I nicknamed it the “Impossible Chest Press”. This represents the epitome of full body activation & oblique sling firing patterns as I use a 30 lb kettlebell .
Here’s how to regress from most basic to most advanced.
1.Double Arm Plank Row (2 benches & one arm on each).
2.Double Arm Plank Row & Single Leg.
3.Single Arm Plank Row & Double Leg.
4.Single Arm Plank Row & Single Leg.
5.Single Arm Plank Row with Dumbbell Press on 2 legs.
6.Single Arm Plank Row with Dumbbell Press on Single Leg.
7.Single Arm Plank Row with Kettlebell Press on Double Leg.
8.Single Arm Plank Row with Kettlebell Press on Single Leg (Impossible Press).
These target just about every biomotor capability in existence including full body stability, motor control, postural alignment, mobility, symmetry, rotary stability, lumbopelvic hip control, foot & ankle activation, shoulder stabilization, core activation, & t-spine mobility.
I recommend starting with longitudinal bench (1.0 version) instead of latitudinal as I show here (the 2.0) as you’ll have more bench to work with.
With oblique slings activation patterns, the harder the right arm fires into the bench, the more the lat fires creating greater contralateral glute activation & oblique activation in the left side. Additionally the harder the right hip flexor drives into flexion, the harder the chest fires during the press as is the nature of the contralateral firing & reciprocal activation patterns associated with oblique slings.
To perform these successfully you’ll need to use eccentric isometrics. Furthermore unless you’ve been consistently training with eccentric isometrics you will truly find these impossible as EI’s allow you to fine-tune body mechanics to the point you can do any & all movements including “impossible exercises”.
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