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Band squats offer greater resistance at the top of the movement through accommodating resistance forcing the lifter to explode through the movement enhancing compensatory acceleration.

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This movement helps with low back pain, reduces excessive lumbar extension, and fires your core in a neutral spine. There are 5 key things.

1. Keep the legs bent at 90 degrees as this helps engage the core musculature while minimize lumbar extension and low back tension - a common issue on pullovers).

2. Rather than rushing through the reps use a slow and controlled eccentric isometric protocol so you can feel the optimal natural stopping point and fine tune your body mechanics.

3. Don’t use an excessive ROM on the eccentric stretched position. Many folks tend to over-stretch at this point which can be problematic for the shoulders and low back.

4. Focus on using the lats to pull during the concentric rather than the arms as this helps further engage the core and centrate the shoulders.

5. This exercise is great for a variety of uses including A) immediate reduction in low back tension during any workout, B) before or during workouts that involve heavy axial loaded movements such as squats and deadlifts, C) a its own standalone core and lat exercise, D) as a pre-exhaustion or pre-activation of the lats before pullups and lat pulldowns (i.e. creates strong muscle mind connection with the lats).

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Slingshot rows using a therapy band or Mark Bell slingshot around the arms is a great way to provide direct constant tension to the upper back. Here’s one of my awesome bodybuilders Ben Lai demonstrating a unique version with the bent over rotational rope row while also implementing a biomechanical drop set during the last half of the set. The bent over rotational rope row is very conducive for combining with the slingshot row method for two reasons.

First, although the bent over cable row effectively targets the lats and upper back, many lifters will find that they’re limited in how much weight they can handle as too much loading will simply pull them forward and cause them to lose balance. In other words their bodyweight and leverage become more of a limiting factor than their upper back strength.

Secondly even if leverage is not an issue, many stronger individuals will typically find they can handle significantly heavier loads than what a standard cable system can provide. For instance during this variation Ben has the cable stack set at the heaviest setting of 200 pounds. However he can easily blast out well over 20 reps on this movement as the cable simply does not provide enough tension to match his strength. In other words he’ll have a difficult time overloading the upper back which is unfortunate as this particular bent over rotational cable row can really tax the lats provided adequate tension is available. However, this issue is quickly resolved as the slingshot provides more than enough added tension to scorch the upper back and lats without having to use heavier loading.

On a side note the rotational component of this row is also excellent for producing optimal scapulohumeral rhythm of the shoulder as the pronated grip in the stretched position provides a greater stretch and elongation of the lats, while the semi-supinated grip in the concentric position provides a greater contraction and squeeze throughout the entire upper back and lats. This also does wonders for helping to pack and centrate the shoulder joint into its most biomechanically sound position. For athletes looking for a simple but effective exercise to crush their entire upper back and posterior chain or anyone looking for a rowing exercise that helps stabilize the shoulder joint while also improving mobility, this one’s tough to beat.

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The T-bench chest press is incredibly effective for improving bench press mechanics as it requires strong levels of hip drive & t-spine extension (elements critical for a proper bench press). The single leg hip thrust with contralateral knee drive takes it several notches further as the level of hip & glute activation is through the roof. Essentially the more you drive the elevated leg into 90 degree hip flexion, the more the glute of the planted leg fires ultimately giving the lifter a firmer base & greater pressing power. Besides improving bench press mechanics it also transfers to sprinting technique/activation patterns as this contralateral hip extension & hip flexion position is fundamental to stride mechanics during running. Additionally the single leg position requires intense levels of core & abs to help stabilize the lumbopelvic hip complex & resist rotational forces.

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The single leg RDL and power shrug is a very effective yet advanced drill for addressing unilateral hip extension, speed, & power while also addressing hip mobility, stability, foot & ankle mechanics, motor control, balance, & body alignment. Most athletes will notice they have one side that’s substantially stronger & more stable making it even more critical to target single leg drills such as these although you’ll want to build a foundation with more simple moves first. Also make sure you’ve mastered traditional bilateral power shrugs first as these are very advanced.

On that note, I’m often asked if I use Olympic lifts. The answer is yes and no. I rarely use cleans & snatches from the floor with my athletes however we will do a variety of hang variations, power shrugs, jump shrugs, eyes closed hang variations, single leg Olympic lifts, dumbbell variations, kettlebell variations, & landmine variations. Remember we’re not trying to turn our athletes into Olympic weightlifters we’re simply trying to use elements from Olympic weightlifting to enhance performance when appropriate & applicable.

Read more about single leg Olympic lifting variations in full article at https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/single-leg-olympic-lifts-for-athletic-performance

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The single leg glute bridge on the foam roller crushes the posterior chain particularly the hamstrings as the lifter is resisting extension forces that want to straighten the leg & roll the foam roller forward. To keep the foot from rolling requires high levels of hamstring & glute activation as you move through the bridge.

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This next exercise is a low bar variation of the Bulgarian squat. This variation places even greater strain on the glutes and posterior chain due to bar placement that tilts the body over slightly more.

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Although there is nothing inherently wrong with a bent leg position during pull-ups it often contributes to lethargic muscle activation particularly if the lifter does not keep the lower body tight and rigid. This often manifests itself in a sloppy half-bent, crossed-leg position where the lower body is practically dormant and void of any significant muscle recruitment. This disconnect of the lower body promotes energy leaks and lethargic activation patterns up the kinetic chain, ultimately compromising force production and torque in the upper extremities. The knee flexion loaded pullup resolves this issue as it involves a 90 degree bent-leg position while aggressively activating the posterior chain to keep the weight from falling off the legs. Here are 3 simply variations for performing them.

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The traditional push press is one of the best full body strength and power exercises. However, adding a controlled negative on the eccentric phase of the movement further increases its effectiveness as a functional strength and hypertrophy movement particularly when using dumbbells.

Performing the eccentric accentuated push press also exploits all three key mechanisms of hypertrophy including muscle damage, mechanical tension, and metabolic stress. As a result it’s one of the most effective functional mass builders for the entire shoulder region including the deltoids, traps, and upper back, as well the arms and core.

Simply perform a standard push press by using both your lower body and upper body simultaneously to drive the weight overhead. Pause in the top position for several seconds (this is critical), then perform a controlled and accentuated negative by slowly lowering the barbell for a 3-5 second eccentric tempo. Pause momentarily in the bottom position before repeating this protocol for 2-5 repetitions.

Because the load should be approximately 20% greater than what you would normally handle under strict press conditions, performing these with a controlled negative will further enhance the growth-inducing benefits of this exercise. Think of these as heavy negatives for the shoulders but instead of having a spotter help you lift the weight on the concentric phase, your legs will be assisting you instead.

In addition, the total load should represent a supramaximal weight relative to what you would typically handle on a strict overhead press. Besides the direct hypertrophy stimulus these create, teaching your body to handle inordinately heavy loads with strict motor control and rigid body mechanics does wonders for enhancing strength and neuromuscular efficiency. As a result your numbers on just about every upper body exercise including bench press, pullups, rows, dips, and even deadlifts, should improve dramatically.

It should also be noted that this negative accentuated push press is one of the few exercises that builds functional mass and strength while simultaneously improving explosive power throughout the entire kinetic chain. That’s because the concentric phase of the movement addresses speed and power output by focusing on driving the weight overhead as powerfully as possible while the eccentric phase emphasizes hypertrophy and strength through accentuated eccentric work. Few if any exercises have such well-rounded benefits when it comes to strength, performance, hypertrophy, and fitness.

Incorporating dumbbells instead of a barbell makes these exponentially more challenging as the lifter will be unable to rely on creating lateral tension on the bar (i.e. pulling the bar apart) especially at the top slot position. Instead the lifter will be forced to rely on pure strength, motor control, and shoulder stability. As a result the lockout position of the dumbbell push press is one of the most physically demanding and challenging maneuvers even for advanced lifters and can take months to perfect. However, if you can learn to control the dumbbell variation you’ll be rewarded with increased shoulders stability, mobility, core strength, and upper body mass. In fact, I would go as far as saying this specific eccentric accentuated push press is one of the single most potent mass builders not only for the shoulders but for the entire upper body.

On a side note I highly recommend using a neutral grip for these (you can pronate at the top), as it places the shoulders into the most biomechanically sound and safest position. Using a pronated grip throughout particularly during the eccentric phase, makes it difficult to keep the elbows tucked and centrate the glenohumeral joint.