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The longitudinal goblet squat is one of my go-to methods for improving squat mechanics. This was only our second session and there’s still small adjustments that need to be made but overall it was a huge improvement from the first session as the eccentric isometric protocol combined with the longitudinal goblet squats really helped him find his squat form which can be tricky for tall athletes. Speaking of, if you need any additional info on training for tall athletes check out Lee Boyce as he has loads of information on this topic.

Besides being deceptively difficult, there are 10 reasons why the longitudinal goblet squat is so effective.

1. Many athletes place too much load to the balls of their feet when squatting. The longitudinal goblet squat forces the lifter to sit back onto their heels or else the forward weight shift will literally cause the front end of the dumbbell to tilt in which case they’ll dump the weight.
2. Many athletes tend to bend over excessively at the spine even with goblet squats. Any level of excessive forward torso lean or exaggerated hip flexion on these will result in the athlete dumping the weight
3. Learning to brace the core & abs can do more for squat mechanics than just about any other cue. Fortunately the longitudinal goblet squat forces the core to be braced more intensely than just about any squat variation I’ve ever used.
4. The longitudinal goblet squat also helps eliminate shoulder rounding which is another common problem particularly on anterior loaded squats such as goblet squats and front squats. Unless the athlete packs their shoulders and tenses their lats while bracing their core, they’ll be unable to hold the weight in the longitudinal position.

5. Similar to the core bracing cue, learning to create high levels of full body tension can do wonders for your squat by producing concurrent activation potentiation and irradiation. In other words it teaches you how to stay tight ultimately resulting in greater neural drive to the working extremities including the muscles of the quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

6. Few if any individuals will be able to use more than a 50 pound dumbbell when performing the longitudinal goblet squat. However, the amount of tension to both the lower and upper body is inordinately high. As a result this is perhaps the single most intense “lightly-loaded” squat variation you’ll ever perform. If you have low back issues, knee pain, or hip problems, this represents an ideal variation as it’s one of the most joint-friendly yet intense squat variations out there.

7. Because the longitudinal loading protocol creates a scenario where the dumbbell can easily tilt over and dump out of the lifters hands, it ends up eliminating any excessive momentum as it forces the lifter to squat in a slow and controlled fashion. In fact unless the athlete incorporates the eccentric isometric protocol they’ll find it quite difficult to perform these without losing control of the dumbbell.

8. While the amount of tension to the lower body is quite high especially considering how light of a load the lifter will be using, the amount of tension to the upper body particularly the upper back, biceps, shoulders, grip, and forearms is quite significant. In fact, some athletes will find that their upper body strength gives out before their legs do.

9. If in fact upper body strength is the limiting factor when performing these the longitudinal goblet squat is also very conducive for single leg squat variations ultimately resulting in the legs giving out before the upper body. Just be prepared to perform one of the most brutally challenging squat variations you’ll ever perform.

10. The longitudinal goblet squat is quite versatile. In fact it can be employed in a number of ways including as a warmup protocol to prep the body for heavier squat methods, as the main squat variation for a particular workout, or as a high intensity finisher. It’s also one that’s quite conducive for performing on days where you’re attempting to deload the spine yet create an intense full body training stimulus.

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OPTION #1

Ring Pushups are a great mass and strength builder for the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Be sure to keep a tight core and perfect posture. Research has proven time and again that eccentric overload is one of the most potent forms of training not only for building incredible levels of functional strength and hypertrophy but also for injury prevention. It’s for this reason I’ve posted numerous articles and methods over the years that highlight unique but effective protocols to take advantage of eccentric overload including the Power Rack Eccentric Potentiation Method, BANA 2:1 Method, Compound Isolation Movements, Biomechanical Drop Rep, Eccentric Accentuated Push Press, Landmine Negative Training, Table Top Squeeze Press, and more. Each of these allows the lifter to handle substantially more load during the eccentric phase of the exercise. This has been scientifically proven to produce incredible improvements in strength and size as the muscles can handle 25-35% more load during the eccentric phase of the movement.

While all of the above movements are incredibly effective free weight variations of eccentric training, few of them involve traditional bodyweight movements such as pushups, pullups, dips, and inverted rows. These particular bodyweight exercises are oftentimes the most natural and comfortable for many folks making them very conducive for eccentrically overloading in a safe and comfortable fashion. Here are my favorite ways to eccentrically overload traditional bodyweight movements. Read more at https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/bodyweight-eccentric-overload

OPTOIN #2

Here is probably the single most intense chest press ever that's only for advanced lifters as it targets the daylights out of the oblique slings. The oblique slings rely on the upper body musculature on one side of the body working with the contralateral or opposite hip & leg. These forces cross through the core & surrounding muscles that are responsible for stabilizing the pelvis & producing proper alignment throughout the lumbopelvic hip complex. The key is to understand that training unilateral movements & combining contralateral hip activation of reciprocal muscle groups (hip extensors & hip flexors of opposite sides) can help reinforce these functional activation patterns.

As the lifter aggressively drives their knee & arm into the foam roller 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 sling.

Similarly the lat & tricep as well as contralateral glutes, & lumbar extensors are fully taxed, engaging entire posterior sling. As a result all muscles throughout the kinetic chain are recruited. Additionally the abs, core, spinal stabilizers work overtime as oblique slings are responsible for transferring force across multiple joints particularly from upper to lower body. The harder your drive your arm & knee into the foam roller the more locked in these feel as every muscle coils with greater tension. Read more at: https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/oblique-slings-functional-training

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Inverted rows are a great exercise for building strength and size in the upper back as well as improving posture and spinal alignment. Taking it one step further, the partner assisted eccentric potentiation is also incredibly effective when applied to inverted rows as I have one of my awesome figure athletes Leslie Petch demonstrating here. Besides being an exceptionally effective strength and hypertrophy exercise for the entire posterior chain including the upper back, lats, glutes, and hamstrings, these also do wonders for spinal alignment and posture.

Unfortunately many individuals perform them improperly often with subtle form mistakes. Most importantly there needs to be a significant degree of t-spine extension just like there would be on any row. As I tell my athletes and clients try to tilt the chest up to the point where it feels like your body and head are are about to lean back into the floor while simultaneously keeping the core tight and stomach. In other words focus on military style posture with an elongated and tall spine including a big chest and tall head. Technically you should be able to take a snap shot of your inverted row and tilt it up 90 degrees and it should resemble perfect standing military-like posture. In addition, the feet and ankles should be dorsiflexed throughout as this helps to create lengthening of the calves, glutes, and hamstrings thereby allowing better spinal alignment up the kinetic as it's more conducive for maintaining a neutral arch and t-spine extension. It also helps to promote irradiation and concurrent activation potentiation thereby eliminating energy leaks throughout the body.

In fact the dorsiflexed foot position is perhaps the most subtle but also the most important cue for locking in the inverted row. The range of motion should be natural without over-pulling at the top or overstitching at the bottom. When the shoulders and spine have to lose position you know you've stretched to far or pulled to high. You'll also notice I'm using a rotating or semi-rotating grip with a pronated hand position in the bottom and neutral position in the top contracted position. I've found this to be the most natural mechanics for optimizing scapulohumeral rhythm and shoulder packing as it helps to keep the scapula depressed and retracted throughout especially in the contracted position. This also allows a more natural squeeze at the top resulting in greater strength and hypertrophy development.

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As many of you know I’m a huge fan of the foam roller but not for the purpose of foam rolling or soft tissue work. In fact I use it exclusively to modify exercises and make them more effective or challenging. If you're looking for a suitable replacement for the overhead Z press as well as an exercise that helps master your overhead mechanics and crushes your delts look no further than this exercise. Essentially you're performing an overhead press while sitting on a foam roller. Here are several advantages of using the foam roller for overhead presses as I demonstrate in the video.

1. The overhead press while seated on a foam roller is actually a more low-back friendly variation of the popular Z-press. While I’m a huge fan of the Z-press, the compact torso angle and extreme hip flexion position can periodically cause low back and hip discomfort in some populations. Sitting on the foam roller helps to resolve this due to the less extreme hip flexion angle. Here's what the traditional Z-press looks like as demonstrated by one of my NFL athletes Bryce Jones.
2. One of the most common problems on overhead presses is learning how to position your center of gravity throughout while also producing optimal t-spine extension. This often creates issues where the individual is either overly upright (not enough t-spine extension) which places excessive tension on the glenohumeral joint and rotator cuff or the individual overly extends at their lumbar spine (leaning back too much) thereby placing undue stress on their low back. Performing overhead presses while seated on the foam roller helps to resolve this issue. Essentially if you’re too upright or are too extended you’ll feel like you’re going to roll off the foam roller and lose control of your body position. Simply put it teaches you to find the perfect balance of torso placement, t-spine extension, and spinal positioning. While sitting on a stability ball can produce a similar effect, the foam roller is even more sensitive to anteroposterior deviations in weight distribution and body shifting which further helps teach proper pressing mechanics. With that said I highly recommend using a spotter when performing these to ensure you don’t slip off the foam roller.
3. Learning to brace your core and recruit your abdominal musculature during overhead presses is critical not only for maximizing motor control and overall load but also for minimizing stress to the low back. The overhead press while seated on a foam roller helps cue the lifter to recruit their abs as a means of stabilizing the load and their body.
4. This is a surprisingly intense overhead press that requires precise levels of motor control and muscle activation from head to toe. As a result the shoulders, upper back, triceps, and core get pummeled. However the lifter will be able to use substantially lighter loads relative to other presses to produce this effect. Simply put this is a very suitable overhead pressing variation for individuals with shoulder injuries due to the intense levels of activation yet reduced loading parameters.

Read more at https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/master-your-overhead-press-with-the-foam-roller

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This may look like a normal pull-up however it's anything but. This anti-rolling barbell pullup as performed by my NFL athlete Prince Charles Iworah is one of the most physically demanding pull-up variations you'll ever attempt. Simply place a barbell in a squat rack on top of the safety pins without the bar touching either side of the columns (this allows the bar to spin and roll). This variation provides 4 unique benefits

1. Because the barbell will want to spin and roll out of the hands throughout the movement, this is one of the most effective exercises for crushing the grip, forearms, and hand muscles not to mention the upper back and lats.
2. Anti-rolling barbell pull-ups and chin-ups force the lifter to use smooth and controlled technique. Any excessive momentum, kipping, cheating, shifting, and wiggling will exponentially magnify the rolling effect of the barbell causing it to spin out of your hands. In other words you’ll have to use an eccentric isometric protocol as shown here.
3. These also do wonders for cleaning up pullup mechanics particularly by helping the athletes hone in on the optimal range of motion. Excessive collapsing at the bottom (allowing the shoulders to over-elevate) as well as trying to over pull at the top also magnifies the spinning effect of the barbell. To keep the bar locked in requires the athlete to use the ROM shown in this video (pulling to approximately mid face height). And yes this represents the ROM I recommend for pull-ups. Stay tuned for future writings about this.
4. The anti-rolling barbell setup provides a number of grip options and widths (including extremely wide options) to suit literally any body size and shape.

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Eyes closed training is something I frequently incorporate with all of my clients and athletes. That’s because it improves movement mechanics and muscle function. In fact I’ve seen it do wonders for my clients and athletes almost immediately. The reason for this is that closing your eyes on any exercise forces your muscle spindles and other proprioceptive mechanisms to work overtime in order to stabilize the movement and control the load. In other words it teaches the lifter to rely more on kinesthetic awareness rather than sight. Instead of watching your way through the movement, feel your way through the movement.

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OPTION #1

The overhead barbell lunge performed in an eccentric isometric fashion is one of the best exercises for improving mobility, stability, coordination, motor control, and strength from head to toe. Any dysfunction is quickly exposed and corrected as you perform this movement. Focus on keeping the hips back and arms in line or slightly in back of the ears.

OPTION #2

Want to improve your first-step speed, unilateral power output, knee drive, hip extension, and lower body stability? Try this split stance dumbbell clean with an eccentric isometric protocol. This is a great drill for teaching athletes how to burst out of that starting position and maximize their first step speed by relying on their hip drive. It’s also a great way to work on single leg Olympic lifts while still providing a slightly more stable base thereby allowing the athlete to focus more on power output and less on the instability.

I recommend dumbbells or kettlebells rather than a barbell for this particular variation as the split stance position would require the athlete to position the barbell significantly in front of their center of mass which ultimately places more tension the low back. Furthermore dumbbells allow the athlete to snap into the catch by supinating their arms which tends to feel incredibly natural & safe on the shoulders.

The eccentric isometric elements (slow eccentric phase followed by a pause in the stretched position) maximizes proprioceptive feedback & kinesthetic awareness due to the increased activation of the muscle spindles – a result of the emphasized eccentric elongation. Ultimately this allows the athlete to maximize their form, technique, body mechanics, as well as their speed & power output due to enhanced neuromuscular efficiency resulting from the eccentric isometric protocol.

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OPTION #1

Here's a brutally effective yet very advanced oblique sling exercise using the pullover motion. These blast the lats, core, abs, triceps, and more. Read more in full article at https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/oblique-slings-functional-training

OPTION #2

The lying cable pullover is a great lat/back, core, tricep, and chest movement as it produces constant tension throughout the movement and really taxes the entire upper body and core. It's also an excellent movement for individuals who experience chronic low back pain. People with low back pain usually suffer from an overly flat back or lack of a natural arch due to prolonged sitting in a slouched position during the day. But some individuals fall on the opposite end of the spectrum and have an excessive low back arch as well as unusually weak core muscles.

This Supine or Lying Cable Pullover is a great exercise for correcting this. Even if you don’t fall into this category, the movement is a great core and upper body drill for thoroughly taxing the surrounding musculature. The key is to keep your core fully engaged throughout by trying to minimize the amount of arch produced in your low back and keeping the low back pushed into the floor particularly in the contracted position. Its also important to keep the shoulder packed (depressed and retracted) and not allowing them to excessively elevate or protract as this places undue stress on the shoulder joint. f you don’t have access to a cable system, this movement can also be performed with exercise bands.

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Here’s one of many drills I use to improve forearm, wrist, bicep, grip, and arm strength as well as core stabilization, postural alignment, motor control, and shoulder stability. Simply hold kettlebells with a neutral hammer grip in the 90-deg position & walk in a smooth and controlled manner while simultaneously trying to keep perfect body alignment & gait mechanics.

This one is exponentially more demanding than it looks as you’ll literally feel every muscle from head to toe engaged as a means of teaching the lifter to eliminate energy leaks & stay tight with max full body tension. Lack of these will make it nearly impossible to keep the kettlebells from slipping. Besides blasting the grip, forearms, & core (due to the biomechanically disadvantageous leverage), this drill also does wonders for cleaning up posture, elbow/bicep injuries, & gait mechanics as it reinforces a neutral spine & near perfect alignment throughout the feet, ankles, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists, & neck.

Looking for a workout program that incorporates this & many more functional strength & unique mass builders? Check out my members section on my website.

For more on forearm & grip training check out my article that highlights 10 of my go-to grip & forearms drills + 5 methods at the following: https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/build-massive-forearms-and-herculean-grip-strength