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Easier Option

Weighted Jump Squats are treating for increasing explosiveness in the entire lower body and improving vertical jump. Try landing back in the bottom of a squat, pausing, then exploding up again for each rep.

Harder Option

Performing rapid eccentric isometrics on squatting movements including barbell squats, front squats, goblet squats, overhead squats and others, is a highly effective speed and power movement for the lower body. In essence the effect is very similar to advanced plyometric drills that involve a rapid eccentric phase. Adding in the band tension further emphasizes the declaration component due to the bands producing a sling shot effect that launches the lifter into the bottom of the squat. The amount of deceleration and force absorption is quite high making it a very effective neural charging movement that also activates the highest threshold fast twitch motor units of the lower body.

Rapid Eccentric Isometrics are an advanced proprietary training technique developed by Dr. Joel Seedman used to increase proprioceptive feedback from muscle spindles with the goal of improving performance and muscle function. Rapid Eccentric Isometrics (REI’s) also improve rate of force development (RFD), Rate of Stabilization Development (RSD), Rate of Force Absorption (RFA), and Reactive Stabilization as the muscles are forced to turn on rapidly to absorb high impact forces. Rapid Eccentric Isometrics should only be used once proper form has been established with standard eccentric isometrics (EI’s).

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Before performing this variation it's imperative that the lifter has mastered basic pullover technique with standard pullover variations. Once you've mastered those, adding in the rapid eccentric isometric variation of the pullover is one of the best exercises you can do to activate the fast twitch survival fibers of the core, lats, and shoulder stabilizers. If you can learn to properly do these your level of core and shoulder stability will be phenomenal.

Rapid Eccentric Isometrics are an advanced proprietary training technique developed by Dr. Joel Seedman used to increase proprioceptive feedback from muscle spindles with the goal of improving performance and muscle function. Rapid Eccentric Isometrics (REI’s) also improve rate of force development (RFD), Rate of Stabilization Development (RSD), Rate of Force Absorption (RFA), and Reactive Stabilization as the muscles are forced to turn on rapidly to absorb high impact forces. Rapid Eccentric Isometrics should only be used once proper form has been established with standard eccentric isometrics (EI’s).

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This is an advanced variation of the single leg swap that works on rate of stabilization development (RSD) as well as reactive stabilization, and uniform stabilization. The key is performing the swap rapidly to force the muscles to turn on quickly.

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Once you've mastered your hip hinging mechanics the rapid eccentric isometric RDL is an excellent way to reinforce the proper movement pattern into your central nervous system. The effects are similar to a kettlebell swing as there is a high level of deceleration and force absorption involved particularly as you hinge over into the RDL position. Focus on rapidly lengthening and contracting the glutes and hamstrings while maintaining a neutral spine throughout.

Rapid Eccentric Isometrics are an advanced proprietary training technique developed by Dr. Joel Seedman used to increase proprioceptive feedback from muscle spindles with the goal of improving performance and muscle function. Rapid Eccentric Isometrics (REI’s) also improve rate of force development (RFD), Rate of Stabilization Development (RSD), Rate of Force Absorption (RFA), and Reactive Stabilization as the muscles are forced to turn on rapidly to absorb high impact forces. Rapid Eccentric Isometrics should only be used once proper form has been established with standard eccentric isometrics (EI’s).

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Here's one of my athletes Ben Lai performing an advanced plyometric exercise for the upper body. This depth drop pushup variation produces high levels of fast twitch fiber activation and also forces the surrounding musculature to turn on quickly while firing at a very fast rate. This improves rate of force development and rate of force absorption both of which are vital for athletic performance as well as power and high strength development. It's also very effective for improving power and strength on upper body pressing movements as well as acting as a functional hypertrophy movement due to the high levels of mechanical tension and muscle damage achieved from the sudden and intense eccentric declaration. In fact if you're not accustomed to these, the level of soreness you'll experience in your chest can be quite extreme so start off with low volume to begin with. This is also a great exercise to pair with heavy pressing movements as the post activation potentiation produced from the heavy loads will allow even greater power development on these explosive pushups thereby enhancing the training stimulus. You'll also experience improved neural drive on the bench press as there is direct crossover from one to the other. To avoid injury and joint inflammation keep the elbows tucked with the lats engaged throughout. Also focus on keeping the hips tall without letting the low back sag as this can produce excessive stress on the lumbar spine. Make sure you're able to efficiently perform standard hand clap pushups before performing these as this is a more advanced variation that requires even greater strength and power.

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This may be the single most challenging exercise you've never tried. Or if you actually have tried it you know how incredibly difficult this is. This renegade quadruped bird dog row, as the name implies, combines two of my favorite and most brutally difficult exercises, the quadruped bird dog row and the renegade row. The degree of core stability, anti-rotation, balance, motor control, shoulder stability, spinal rigidity, hip alignment, and overall core activation produced from this one is some of the most intense you'll ever experience. To reap the benefits of this there are several key factors you'll want to implement into your technique.

1. First off, don't allow the weight to touch the floor throughout the exercise. In other words there will be continuous constant tension.

2. Second try to perform all of the movements slowly and with a pause in an eccentric isometric fashion.

3. Third, make sure the entire body from head to foot of the back leg maintains a straight line that's parallel to the floor.

4. Fourth, focus on getting as tall on the toes and ball of the foot as possible on the loaded leg rather than sitting back on the heel. When the heel drops close to the ground this subtle but common compensation patterns eliminates much of the tension to the core making it much easier to hold the position.

If you follow each of the steps and don't cheat the drill, the movement will be unbelievably challenging. However it will also serve as one of the better diagnostic tools and indicators letting you know immediately if you have any imbalances, weakness, asymmetries, or movement deficiencies anywhere from head to toe as anything but proper activation and alignment throughout the entire body will result in a loss of balance.

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As many of you know I’m a huge fan of unique weighted pullup and dip variations as I often recommend the straight leg dorsiflexion loading method or knee flexion load method (read more about these unique pull-up loading methods here). I also like to incorporate plyometric pullup variations into my routines as well as that of my athletes. Unfortunately these can be a bit tricky to progressively overload as most loading methods are not suitable for depth drop and plyometric pullups.

However, by using a medicine ball held between the feet and ankles, this allows us to safely and efficiently progressively overload plyometric and drop catch variations of pullups. The medicine ball adduction loading method also helps to create increased core tension which results in irradiation and concurrent activation potentiation (CAP) all of which helps increase neural drive to the working muscles. However, to fully maximize these effects it’s important that the individual keep the ankles and feet dorsiflexed throughout as this optimizes neural signaling and biomechanics.

Due to the extreme eccentric component and deceleration forces produced from the drop and catch, the amount of impact and force absorption on these is enormously high. As a result drop catch and plyometric pullup variations take advantage of both mechanical tension and muscle damage making them highly effective for producing gains in both strength and functional hypertrophy. Read more HERE.

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Great variation of the overhead press with accommodating resistance. Make sure you get get thoracic spine extension at the bottom by flexing your lats and upper back and sticking your chest out while keeping your core tight. At the top drive the weight up and back and get the head through.

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The rapid eccentric isometric lunge is highly effective for improving and correcting sprinting and stride mechanics as it teaches the body proper stride positioning as well as optimal recruitment patterns associated with running form. Focus on using the arms to rapidly drive the body into position, decelerate before touching the ground, pause, then drive the arms again to explosively propel the body upwards out of the lunge. Watch video for a detailed tutorial.