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OPTION #1

If you’re looking for a very user friendly & joint friendly variation of the more traditional barbell snatch, try this single arm landmine snatch as shown by my awesome bodybuilder Ben Lai. This has 7 unique benefits.

1. Requires a much smaller learning curve than barbell snatches as well as dumbbell & kettlebell snatches.

2. The topic of nailing a perfect bar path is much less of a concern. That’s because the bar essentially snaps into the ideal slot position at the top.

3. Most snatch variations are pretty tough on the shoulders. While the shoulders do get taxed during the landmine snatch, the movement is much more therapeutic on the shoulders & rotator cuff as the motion is very conducive for retracing & depressing the scapula in the top position while also engaging the rear deltoids, lateral deltoids, upper back, & shoulder stabilizers. It’s also great for mobility restrictions.

4. The landmine snatch is a bit of a 2 for 1 movement as its not just a lower body power drill but it also targets muscles around the rotator cuff as well as the entire shoulder cap similar to an overhead Y position on a TRX.

5. These require the lifter to launch the weight up by extending the hips & relying on triple extension rather than attempting to jump with the weight like so many lifters erroneously do. It’s nearly impossible to jump with these therefore lifter is forced to stay on the ground and create a strong impulse into the floor by launching their hips similar to a medicine ball toss.

6. Generally speaking these are significantly safer as there’s little chance of the person dropping the bar overhead or missing a lift and catching it in a dangerous position.

7. Due to the thickness of the collar, the forearms, hands, & grip also get taxed.

OPTION #2

The single arm single leg oblique sling hang clean from the RDL position is one of my favorite functional power exercises that not only works hip power but also alignment, stability, symmetry, balance, and more. Read more in full article at https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/oblique-slings-functional-training

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OPTION #1

This next exercise is a landmine ab rollout that involves offset leverage. Not only do these crush your rectus abdominals & transverse abs, you’ll feel your obliques & other smaller stabilizers in the lumbopelvic hip complex getting torched as this represents the complete ab movement due to anti-extension, anti-rotation, & anti-lateral flexion. As a result, the landmine rollout doesn’t just tax each side of the core & abdominals, it helps expose and eliminate a number of imbalances & asymmetries that might exist.

Also notice how my client is keeping his hips tall rather than allowing them to sag. Simply put, he’s NOT using the “squeeze your glute cue”.

In fact consciously contracting your glutes while performing ab rollouts or any anti-extension core exercise is not something I recommend. Instead focus on firing your deep core muscles & hip flexors. This is something I’ve stated repeatedly over the years but it’s worth repeating.

During any anti-extension core exercise, the stomach should remain pulled in and the hips should remain tall & relatively high as this facilitates a hollowed core position similar to a hollow body leg raise.

Dropping the hips even slightly, reduces this hollowed core position & places undue stress on the low back (i.e. extension forces) not to mention the core musculature loses significant intramuscular tension. Flexing the hip flexors helps to promote optimal mechanics as the hip flexors resist the very thing the rollout is attempting to do to your spine, namely hip and lumbar extension. Contracting the glutes (hip extensors) works against optimal body mechanics as it simply adds to the already high levels of extension forces working against the hips and core.

Simply put, because the ab rollout is an anti-extension exercise (of the spine and hips) this necessitates activating both the anterior core musculature & hip flexors as they work in conjunction with each other. Forcefully contracting the glutes on these would degrade natural body mechanics.

OPTION #2

The single arm ball plank rollout with feet elevated is one of the most challenging core movements you'll ever do. Focus on keeping your body square and not letting your torso, hips, or back rotate. Perform 5- reps per side. If too challenging simply keep feet on the ground.

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MAIN OPTION

Agility loaded carries can also be combined with just about any other protocol highlighted in this article. One of the most challenging is combining it with the longitudinal trap bar method as NFL athlete Kevin Minter shows here as he performs several eccentric isometric deadlifts beforehand.

The of level motor control, intramuscular tension, and full body stability required to successfully complete these is off the charts.

ALTERNATE OPTION

OVERVIEW

When it comes to building explosive power including jumping performance, rapid eccentric isometrics are one of the most effective training techniques in existence. That’s because they not only maximize muscle spindle feedback due to the rapid rate of stretch but they also wake up high threshold motor units and survival fibers that normally would not be forced to activate.

In fact it’s not uncommon for athletes to feel an immediate increase in jump height due to the hyper-activation of the nervous system associated with the quick deceleration that’s produced from the rapid eccentric isometrics. Just make sure you’ve already mastered your squat form and jumping mechanics with traditional eccentric isometrics as these can be quite stressful on the joints and connective tissue if technique is not dialed in.

SINGLE LEG JUMPS

Learning to produce and absorb force in a unilateral (single leg) fashion is critical not only for optimizing jumping performance but also for eliminating asymmetries and instability in the lower body. This has a tremendous impact not only on jumping mechanics but also on sprinting technique, agility, speed, and overall footwork.

Because many athletes have greater difficulty dialing in their mechanics with single leg jumps, I typically program eccentric isometric jump squats as NFL athlete Marquell Beckwith demonstrates in the above video, using the dumbbell pinching method. The combination of single leg stabilization, eccentric isometric skater squat, and dumbbell pinching method does wonders for enhancing motor control, biomechanics, proprioception, and overall technique. You’ll also notice how I include a core stabilization drill (bear crawl bird dog) mixed in with the circuit to ensure that the core is fully engaged as this also greatly helps dial in jumping and landing mechanics.

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OPTION #1

This is an incredibly difficult movement that challenges nearly every muscle in the body. The quadruped row is already very effective for improving rowing mechanics, core stability, posture, body alignment, and rotary stability. Throw in a narrow base position (kneeling widthwise on a bench rather than lengthwise) and it requires greater core stability and motor control. In addition, using a barbell requires the most precise and properly executed rowing mechanics as any faulty movement or form will expose itself as a tilt in the barbell which will produce even greater destabilizing forces on your body making it nearly impossible to maintain balance on the bench. When done properly this one absolutely crushes the lats and core. Start with the basic variations using a dumbbell, kettlebell, or plate and progress from there. If you really want to amp up the intensity try performing these eyes closed.

OPTION #2

The renegade plank row from a bird dog position with band resistance is one of my favorite oblique sling exercises that targets just about every muscle from head to toe. Read more about oblique slings in full article at https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/oblique-slings-functional-training

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OPTION #1

Here I have NFL defensive back Vernon Harris performing an explosive stability ball pushup. This variation is similar to the ricochet pushup developed by coach Nick Tumminello. In this version I’m having Vernon focus on power output with max hang time in order to recruit the highest threshold motor units and fast twitch fibers. During this particular workout we supersetted this movement with a heavy single arm dumbbell floor press and a single arm seated cable row. Each movement had a positive impact on the next exercise as the heavy loading from the dumbbell press along with the heavy rows helped to engage the appropriate recruitment patterns for maximizing power output and body positioning on the explosive pushups.

Besides teaching athletes to control and stabilize their power output which is a critical component of performance, this variation also teaches rate of force development as well as rate of stabilization development. Rate of stabilization development is an often-times neglected component of athletic performance however it’s absolutely critical as athletes much learn to stabilize their body’s quickly in order to avoid body deviations from destabilizing forces. On a side note Vernon was using a tad too much body bounce off the ball but this is something we corrected on subsequent sets.

OPTION #2

The single leg hip thrusting dumbbell chest press is a great way to work horizontal pressing movements using full body power while also allowing a degree of eccentric overload due to the biomechanical drop rep principle.

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OPTION #1

Plate swings are one of my favorite explosive hip hinge moves that crush the entire posterior chain (glutes & hamstrings) as well as the upper back & traps not to mention the grip. In fact my first ever article on T-Nation over 6 years ago was on plate swings & other plate drills. Although it’s somewhat similar to kettlebell swings, plate swings provide 5 benefits that can’t be replicated even with kettlebells.

1. The side plate swing is more transferable to close-stance movements including conventional deadlifts, trap bar deadlifts, Olympic lifting variations, & RDL’s. 2.Although this can be done with kettlebells, the bulky nature often causes the lifter to feel apprehensive about hitting their knees with the kettlebells resulting in either less powerful hip drive or slight valgus knee collapse to avoid hitting the bells. Fortunately the plates remedy this as they fit very naturally to the sides of the body.

2. Plate swings are more specific to jumping due to the similar stance width & arm drive.

3. There’s typically a greater range of motion the plates must travel. Not only do the hips have to extend more forcefully to propel the load, but there are also greater deceleration forces involved during the eccentric component due to the momentum buildup accrued from the larger ROM.

4. Some individuals feel a bit apprehensive swinging a heavy object in between their legs & find it more comfortable with the load at their sides.

Technique cues: Make sure to commit to the hinge in order to avoid loss of balance. Also make sure to drive arms back like a broad jump. Lastly keep a tight grip to avoid taking anyone out at the gym.

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OPTION #1

Looking for an exercise that improves your running mechanics, enhances your mobility, improves your speed and power, and enhance your jumping performance? Try this reverse pause-lunge to jump with knee-drive combo 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. 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. Try performing several sets of 3-5 reps using lighter loads and watch your athletic performance, explosive power, and overall muscle function improve.

OPTION #2

A majority of explosive power movements should be simple bilateral drills such as jumps, Olympic lifts, plyometrics, & med ball. However I periodically incorporate explosive movements that also address unilateral power, stability, mobility, motor control, & contralateral activation between upper & lower body limbs. This drill does just that by targeting the oblique slings.

It’s one thing to produce high levels of power, it’s another thing to control it. High levels of power & explosiveness without the ability to control it are useless as it’s simply setting the individual up for injury. Additionally just because someone can produce high power doesn’t mean that have good stability, symmetry, balance, motor control, stability, & coordinated movement. It’s drills like these when periodically used help to expose & address these weaknesses.

Notice I often incorporate eccentric isometrics on power moves as shown here with the RDL. That’s because it helps the athlete fine-tune their mechanics. They may not necessarily have as high of power output during the actual drill but once they return to traditional explosive movements they’ll be able to produce greater power with better control due to improved body mechanics & activation patterns. More in my book MOVEMENT REDEFINED.

Dumbbells & kettlebells can be used however the landmine requires more coordination with the catch (athletes need to work on eye-hand-coordination). Additionally, the rotational nature of the landmine from the swiveling base creates greater rotational instability. Dumbbells are great but they’re not as sensitive to form aberrations as the landmine.

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OPTION #1

If you’re looking to spice up your pullup workout while also taxing your lower body try performing the sprinter pullup is a must. On a side note, you’ll notice I’m using the longitudinal the trap bar method on the first variation which provides additional mediolateral instability requiring the lifter to pull with symmetrical form to keep the bar from tilting to one side.

Besides being brutally intense, the sprinter pullup has 5 unique benefits.

1. Sprinter pullups and chin-ups work both the anterior and posterior portions of the hips and thighs due to contralateral hip flexion and hip extension. In fact, these are unusually intense on the hip flexors, glutes, and hamstrings, making these very conducive for working similar muscles involved during sprinting

2. The combination of 90 degree knee flexion with contralateral hip flexion and hip extension not only crushes the lower body but it locks the spine and core in very aggressively. As a result it forces the lifter maintain near perfect upper body mechanics and postural alignment throughout the pullup if in fact they keep their hips and legs in the perfect sprinter position. It’s as if the sprinter position prevents any form of cheating, compensation, or postural aberrations.

3. One of the most common problems on pullups and chin-ups is knowing just how much extension you’re supposed to incorporate to achieve a good lat contraction and upper back squeeze. Too much extension and you’ll place excessive tension on the lumbar spine. Too much focus on keeping your core braced and you’ll often run into issues associated with shoulder protraction, forward head tilt, and slight spinal flexion, all of which make it impossible to optimally contract the upper back. So how do you find that balance between spinal extension and anterior core tension? Although there are a number of cues to help this, the sprinter pullup is literally one of the best techniques I’ve used for helping people find that optimal balance between extension and flexion. That’s probably because one hip is driving maximally into flexion while the other is pulling maximally into extension thereby producing an equilibrium effect of sorts where the spine is locked in between the lower extremities. It also helps create a bracing effect around the entire spine producing heightened levels of concurrent activation potentiation and irradiation. In other words expect unprecedented levels of full body tightness and intramuscular tension as well as increased neural drive to the rest of the body.

4. Besides crushing the upper body, core, and legs, sprinter pullups are a great diagnostic tool and corrective exercise for sprinting mechanics. Simply observe the athlete from the front, sides, and back and any aberrations in the hips and lower body including alignment and mobility issues will become immediately exposed. In addition, because the legs are holding an isometric contraction the ability to both diagnose and correct these issues is quite simple as the coach can easily cue and re-position the athlete.

5. Over-pulling and using excessive range of motion in the top position on pullups, chin-ups, and lat pulldowns is one of the most common mistakes. Instead of attempting to pull your head over the bar or pull the bar below chin height, the optimal range of motion for any vertical pulling movement is somewhere between 90 degrees (forehead level) and lower chin level. Beyond this ROM the lifter will be forced to compensate in some form or another typically with either shoulder protraction, shoulder internal rotation, spinal flexion, reduced core activation, excessive lumbar extension, or cervical flexion (forward head tilt). Fortunately the sprinter pullup helps resolve this almost immediately as pulling significantly beyond 90 degrees with the arms causes the lower extremities to move out of alignment. That’s because the body acts as one calibrated system where each area impacts all others similar to a ripple effect. In other words, when one area moves out of alignment and creates dysfunction it impacts all other areas producing various forms of serial distortion patterns. Stay tuned for my large book on eccentric isometrics coming out in mid 2018, which will provide further detail on this topic.

OPTION #2

Straight arm lat pulldowns and variations thereof are highly effective for targeting the lats and core as well as the triceps, chest and shoulders. However, many individuals rely on momentum and sloppy form ultimately causing various technique issues including excessive range of motion, asymmetrical pulling, faulty shoulder mechanics, and poor spinal alignment. Although there are a number of cues and techniques I use to resolve this in my athletes and clients, one of my favorites is incorporating greater instability by using the band strap method as demonstrated by Pittsburg pirates baseball player Austin Meadows.

Essentially you’re incorporating the hanging band technique into the straight arm pulldown. This produces oscillating kinetic energy and subtle perturbations to the bar thereby enhancing proprioceptive feedback and kinesthetic awareness. In other words it helps improve your body mechanics and positioning by helping you tune into your sense of feel. The bar also has a tendency to tilt to one side if you favor one arm or pull asymmetrically. In addition, the lifter is forced to use strict and smooth mechanics to minimize the bouncing effect. Just be prepared to feel your upper back, lats, core, triceps, and other upper body muscles get torched.

Lastly, the grip also gets thoroughly taxed which provide an additional shoulder stabilization and centration effect through concurrent activation potentiation. In other words it improves shoulder stability/packing through full body tension. Try incorporating several sets of 6-10 reps during your next upper body or back workout.

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Here's some of my NFL guys training their upper body with chain military presses which is a fantastic upper body strength and mass builder.

The eccentric isometric overhead press using 90 degree joint angles is my go-to method for performing barbell military presses. That’s because the 90-degree angles combined with the eccentric isometric hold maximizes intramuscular tension, overload, body mechanics, motor unit recruitment, and proprioception (sense of feel), while also minimizing stress to the joints and connective tissue.

If you’re sick of beating-up your shoulders, elbows, neck, and low back from traditional military presses, try these, Make sure to have a natural elbow tuck on the eccentric, while bracing the core but also allowing ample levels of t-spine extension. A slight extended wrist is acceptable as it may be more natural for some athletes.