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NOTE: Use 50% of your typical 1RM with 5-20 lbs more on one side.

The barbell back squats is one of the most butchered strength training movements in existence. Between poor spinal alignment, excessive range of motion, lack of motor control, poor hip hinge mechanics, and overall sloppy technique, the number of aberrations and types of dysfunction witnessed on barbell squats is endless. Although there are numerous methods that can help clean up squat mechanics including proper coaching and cueing of the basic squat pattern, one of the most effective techniques I’ve used for enhancing squat form is offset loading. Simply place 5-10% more weight on one side of the bar and perform the traditional back squat as demonstrated by several of my NFL and collegiate athletes.

These are inordinately brutal and absolutely pulverize the body as the level of full body tension, motor unit recruitment, spinal rigidity, core activation, foot and ankle activation, and motor control are through the roof. In fact, this is one of but many ways to illustrate that 90-deg is in fact optimal for humans when it comes to squatting under high intensity scenarios as it’s nearly impossible to perform a squat with significant offset loading unless you hit 90. That’s because collapsing & going significantly deeper requires the body to produce energy leaks, sacrifice alignment, decrease core activation, destabilize the hips & pelvis, and forfeit optimal levels of intramuscular tension & co-contraction all of which will make it impossible to maintain control. There are actually 10 reasons why offset loading improves barbell squat form.

1. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Performing loaded squats with ass-to-grass depth (ATG method) is plain wrong and not ideal for most lifters as it represents excessive depth and collapsed body positioning (read more about proper squat depth here). The offset barbell loading helps to eliminate this collapsing and excessive range of motion as the increased full body tension helps promote strong 90-degree angles rather than excessive range of motion. Even the slightest collapse or going beyond parallel will cause the lifter to lose control of the movement as the body will tend to twist or laterally flex. If you’re not sure about how deep your should be squatting or are still on the fence about optimal squat depth mechanics just use the offset loading protocol. Essentially it forces the lifter to produce optimal range of motion which happens to be somewhere between 90 degrees and parallel.

2. Lack of core activation is a common issue during squats that can quickly lead to a variety of dysfunctional squat patterns. The offset squat method not only works the primary muscles including the quads, glutes, and hamstrings but also crushes the core and spinal stabilizers. In fact you’re essentially resisting rotation and lateral flexion throughout each movement making it incredibly effective for hitting all of the spinal stabilizers and core musculature. Think of it as a combination of a squat and single arm plank or Pallof press performed at the same time.

3. Offset barbell squats are incredibly effective for eliminating momentum and jerky mechanics as they require the lifter to lift the weights smoothly and in a very controlled manner without wiggling, shifting, or use of excessive momentum. That’s because they force the lifter to synchronize the movement so that both sides of the barbell move in unison rather than out of synch with each other. Besides improving mechanics this also places more tension on the targeted muscles making it highly effective for hypertrophy training.

4. Lack of full body tightness and intramuscular tension is a common problem on squats. One of my favorite features of the offset barbell squat is that it teaches the lifter to stay tight by increasing intramuscular tension throughout the entire body. In fact this method helps promote concurrent activation and irradiation. Simply put it produces increased neural drive from staying tight which helps eliminate energy leaks and clean up form. Once you go back to standard loading don’t be surprised if your squat strength as well as other similar movements such as deadlifts, lunges, and RDL’s greatly improve.

5. A subtle yet frequent issue I commonly witness on the barbell squat is asymmetrical positioning as well as asymmetrical loading (placing more tension on one side of the body). The offset technique helps eliminate these symmetry issues as it forces the weaker side to catch up to the stronger side. In fact, if one side is even slightly weaker it will be immediately exposed. This is one of the single most effective methods I’ve ever used for correcting side to side imbalances and asymmetries in the squat pattern for my athletes and clients.

6. If you’re in need of an intense squat variation that crushes the quads, glutes, and hamstrings while minimizing total loading, joint tension, spinal compression, and muscle damage the offset barbell method is it. Because you won’t be able to handle quite as heavy a loading as you typically would (I recommend you start with 50-60% of your 1RM) it allows increased training intensity and activation but with decreased soreness, reduced joint tension, and less demands on recovery. This also allows the individual to train more frequently yet still with a relatively high intensity. In addition, if you have low back pain or spinal issues on squats I highly recommend incorporating the offset barbell method with lighter loads as it’s incredibly therapeutic on the spine not to mention brutal on the surrounding musculature.

7. A common squat cue that helps improve form is to pull the barbell into your upper back and traps by firing your lats and upper back. While this is something that takes practice to ingrain, the offset barbell loading method forces the lifter to adopt this cue out of pure necessity. In fact, the key to keeping the barbell level on your back and avoiding a tilted position is to literally squeeze and pull the barbell forcefully into the upper back and traps. Besides creating a stable position and level bar, this does wonders for improving squat mechanics and full body tension.

8. One of the first things my athletes notice when they perform offset barbell squats is how brutal and intense the movement is not just from a physical standpoint but also from a mental one. The level of mental focus and concentration as well as physical effort involved to make the movement one smooth and seamless motion is difficult to replicate with other squat variations. Once you return to traditional squat variations you’ll find your body and your mind better prepared for the task.

9. As previously mentioned when it comes to the various form aberrations and dysfunctional patterns witnessed during barbell squats the list is endless. Some of these include valgus collapse, anterior knee drift, excessive external rotation of the feet, foot and ankle pronation, lack of hip hinge mechanics, and numerous other issues. Fortunately the offset squat can help with each of these as I’ve literally seen it improve nearly all form issues on the squat. Although there are a number of explanations, it’s most likely a combination of core stabilization, full body tension, and greater motor control that causes the lifter to clean up their body mechanics within seconds in order to successfully complete the lift.

10. Although this article highlights the use of offset loading for traditional barbell squats it can actually be a applied to a number of lifts including all barbell movements such as bench press, deadlifts, overhead press, rows, and more, as well as a number of dumbbell and kettlebell exercises. It can also be applied to specialty barbells such as the trap bar, football bar, and fat bar.

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Here’s one of my NFL athletes Brandon Chubb demonstrating a very difficult narrow base bird dog quadruped row with a 75 lb dumbbell. Notice how he’s also using the rotational dumbbell version which requires incredible core strength as well as back and lat activation. With that said there are 5 key benefits to this.

1. The narrow base (widthwise on the bench rather than lengthwise) is significantly more challenging as it requires even greater body control & stricter mechanics to remain stable.

2. One of the beneficial features about the narrow base bird dog rotational row is that it allows for heavy loads to be used without hitting the bench. In contrast during the standard quadruped bird dog row (kneeling lengthwise on a bench) the bench gets in the way especially when rowing a thicker/heavier dumbbell or kettlebell. These remedy this common issue.

3. The rotational row is very conducive for reinforcing natural scapulohumeral rhythm and centrated glenohumeral joint mechanics (locked in shoulder joint).

4. The rotational movement is also very effective for stimulating significant lat activation & growth. That’s because the overhand/pronated position allows a greater lat stretch during the eccentric phase, while the underhand or supinated position produces a more forceful contraction in the lats at the end of the concentric rowing phase. This produces mechanical tension, muscle damage (to a moderate degree), metabolic stress, & local occlusion. As a result the stimulation to the lats & upper back is enormous

5. The rotational method combined with the unstable bird dog position absolutely blasts the core & abs as it increases rotational forces acting on the spine that the lifter must resist.

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There are several unique benefits of the close stance double plate swing

First, the side plate swing will have more specific transfer to close-stance movements including conventional deadlifts, trap bar deadlifts, Olympic lifting variations, Romanian deadlifts, and bent over rows. Secondly, the movement is more specific to jumping due to the similar stance width employed. Although many would argue that hip extension is hip extension, period, performing dynamic hinge activities in a more sport-specific fashion may provide a highly valuable training alternative for athletes.

Another unique benefit is the greater range of motion the plates must travel as a result of using a taller body position. Not only do the hips have to extend more forcefully to propel the load to the proper height, but there are also greater deceleration forces involved during the eccentric component due to the momentum buildup accrued from the larger drop height.

Plate width is another reason to perform swings from the sides. I’ve witnessed many scenarios with myself and other individuals trying to perform dumbbell swings from the sides of the body only to find that the exercise soon turns into a lateral deltoid-emphasized exercise. When the weights become too thick as is the case with 30lbs dumbbells or heavier, most of the effort is expended trying to avoid hitting the knees and thighs. Fortunately plate swings completely resolve this issue, as the plate width is thin enough to allow the arms to hang freely to the sides.

Lastly, I've occasionally run into the issue where some individuals feel a bit apprehensive about swinging a heavy object in between their legs, particularly when one of the common coaching cues is "smack your butt with the kettlebell" at the turnaround position. Although this is a fear that should be quickly put to rest with proper coaching and improved kinesthesia, some people inevitably feel more comfortable with the load at their sides rather than in between their legs, if you catch my drift.

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While visually they look almost identical to traditional ring pushups, the inside out variation involves one significant modification namely the straps will be inside/under and behind the arms as opposed to traditional ring pushups where the straps go over/outside and around the arms. Although it may appear to be a very small modification, this slight adjustment completely changes the dynamics of the pushup making it exponentially more challenging. In addition it holds 7 unique distinguishing qualities over traditional ring pushups.

1. Unlike traditional ring pushups where the straps are anchored to the outsides of the arms and shoulders, which provides significant support and stability, the inside out protocol provides no such assistance. Essentially the rings end up being free hanging without any bolstering from the straps being anchored against the arms. As a result the level of instability is exponentially more challenging during inside out ring pushups compared to the traditional variation. Besides enhancing joint stability, motor control, and proprioception, this also places enormous tension on the targeted musculature including the chest, triceps, and shoulders.

2. Inside-out ring pushups are perhaps the single most effective pushup I’ve ever used for teaching athletes proper elbow and shoulder positioning. That’s because it’s impossible to over flare the elbows thereby reinforcing proper elbow tuck, lat activation, shoulder depression, and scapular retraction. On the opposite side of the spectrum, for individuals who over-tuck and crowd the shoulders by keeping the elbows too close to the body, this variation also provides an immediate remedy. Simply put, the inside out ring pushup helps the lifter find the perfect shoulder and elbow position that’s not too flared and not overly tucked either.

3. One of the most common complaints about ring pushups is how the straps rub and abrade the arms throughout the set oftentimes leaving rug burn and or skin irritation. Because the straps aren’t anchored against the arms, inside out ring pushups provide an immediate remedy for this quandary.

4. Besides using the straps to provide support fro the upper body, traditional ring pushups also allow the lifter to use the straps for core support as the lifter can essentially lean into the rings thereby eliminating core tension. While this may seem like a favorable scenario for beginner and intermediate lifters, advanced lifters need to learn how to brace the daylights out of their core and abs without any assistance from an external support. The inside-out ring pushups provide this advanced activation pattern as the lifter has nothing to lean or rest against thereby forcing them to use their core, abdominals, and spinal stabilizers to the maximum in order to lock their body into position. This also helps eliminate the common sagging hips and excessive lumbar extension many individuals experience when performing pushups, including during ring variations.

5. Inside out ring pushups literally force the lifter to use very slow and controlled mechanics throughout as any degree of excessive momentum particularly during the eccentric phase of the exercise will literally cause the lifter to crash and burn. To lock the movement in the lifter will essentially be forced to use an eccentric isometric by going slow on the eccentric and pausing in the bottom position before powerfully yet smoothly driving back to the top position.

6. Although ring pushups are notorious for being significantly harder than traditional pushup variations, once you become accustomed to them, the difficulty level tends to drop substantially. Additionally many lifters become efficient at cheating their way through the movement by learning how to rely on the support of the straps against their arms. Inside out ring pushups on the other hand never become easy as they’re literally impossible to cheat no matter how efficient you become at them.

7. Because inside-out ring pushups are exponentially more challenging than traditional ring pushups, most lifters will find that they don’t need additional loading to maximize the effectiveness of the movement. In fact most lifters regardless of how strong they are won’t need more than one plate on their back and for many folks bodyweight will be plenty. If you’re sick of having to load numerous plates and chains on your back to create ample stimulation to the targeted musculature, inside out ring pushups will be a welcome addition to your training routine.

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NOTE: Shift over 6-12 inches each side.

Cable exercise such as lat pulldowns, rows, and straight arm pulldowns are also quite conducive for performing offset training. Simply place one hand closer to the center of the bar and the other hand closer to the outside of the bar then switching midway through the set. The goal is to not let the bar tilt or twist. The inside arm (the one closest to the center) will be the dominant arm in this method. Similar to the above pullups, lock the core and keep proper postural alignment as my awesome client Leslie shows here. As an added bonus, try throwing in the squatting lat pulldown method as she shows here as it provides a massive degree of core activation and full body motor control.

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This is a great overhead press variation for stability, technique, and core activation. Ensure a full lockout at the top of the movement.

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The lunge or split squat is one of the most important movement patterns there is. It's for this reason I spend so much time discussing it in my book, Movement Redefined. In fact, you could make a strong argument that the lunge even more pivotal for optimizing muscle function, posture, mobility, hip function, stability, symmetry, & lumbopelvic hip control than any other movement pattern including the squat. Unfortunately most individuals have trouble locking in their lunge & split squat mechanics.

With that said the single most effective training strategy I’ve found for mastering the lunge as well as any other movement pattern is using an eccentric isometric protocol. To further enhance the movement mastery effect of the lunge I frequently incorporate the anti-sliding method as I have collegiate defensive back & Samford University football player Jonathan Moore doing here while also holding 2 kettlebells using the pinch grip method for additional concurrent activation potentiation (i.e. full body tension).

The use of the slide-board by incorporating the anti-sliding effect requires the lifter’s form to be spot on in order to resist the sliding effect. Any aberrations or dysfunction will immediately be exposed primarily because faulty mechanics produce wasted force vectors with varying amounts of force being transmitted horizontally, laterally, and diagonally instead of perfectly vertically into the floor. Until the lifter can produce perfectly vertical force vectors with no wasted force and energy leaks, he or she will continue to struggle to maintain a firm base without sliding and slipping. In essence the slide board amplifies any technique flaws and neuromuscular aberrations. When combined with the eccentric isometric protocol the lifter can then fine-tune & modify their mechanics using the enhanced proprioceptive feedback produced from the eccentric isometrics.

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Here's one of the best core, hip, and full body stabilization movements you can do. The ability to transmit force and coordinate neuromuscular recruitment between the hips, core, and upper torso is vital for athletic performance as well as heavy strength training. The side windmill plank is one of the few exercises that requires the upper torso, core, and hip muscles to work together synergistically in one controlled high-tension isometric. Start with both feet stacked. Once you nail the form with this basic position, try incorporating hip abduction by lifting the top leg while keeping both feet perfectly parallel to each other. Although it doesn't tax the larger glute muscles extensively, it quickly exposes and addresses energy leaks that may exist between various segments of the body, like the hips and core.

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MAIN OPTION

If you want to take the intensity and difficulty of the Copenhagen plank up several notches, try performing them with your top foot on a TRX or suspension system strap.

Similar to the Copenhagen Plank 2.0 this also allows the top half of the foot or forefoot to slightly adduct and internally rotate since it’s not compressed against a bench. Additionally, the level of instability is significantly greater making these a highly advanced hip adduction and core combination exercise. These are also exponentially more challenging than they look and require mastering the more basic versions before attempting.

EASIER OPTION

The Copenhagen side windmill plank is one of the single most effective and functional drills not only for taxing the core but for targeting the muscles of the inner thighs. These adductors and inner thigh muscles are often neglected by various athletic populations. Essentially what’s happening here is you’re holding a side plank while resisting abduction of the top leg which in turn intensely activates the adductor muscles.

While performing proper squats, lunges, and lateral lunges are effective for working these adductors, for athletes including many lifters who suffer from groin strains or pulls, the Copenhagen windmill plank is a phenomenal drill to include. In addition, for figure athletes and bodybuilders the inner thighs periodically need to be worked to maintain optimal proportionality and physique dimensions of the lower leg.

On a side, note for individuals who have a tendency to over-externally rotate or over-spread their knees and hips (particularly) at the bottom of the squat as well as individuals who are somewhat bow-legged and supinate their ankles, this can be a valuable exercise to help eliminate these imbalances. While this isn’t a drill that needs to be included on an overly-frequent basis for most lifters, periodically incorporating it into your routine can help ensure optimal hip function and muscular development in the lower body.