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If you really want to get the most bang for your buck from Copenhagen planks try performing them with half your foot or forefoot off the bench as I have MLB pro baseball player Austin meadows doing here. I call this the Copenhagen plank 2.0. With that said here’s why the Copenhagen plank 2.0 is superior to the traditional Copenhagen plank and why I’ve actually used it to replace a majority of the Copenhagen planks my clients and athletes perform.

The primary goal when using the Copenhagen plank is to target the adductors. However to fully engage the adductors and inner thighs requires 2 primary functions to be completed, one obviously being the execution of an adduction force (squeezing the legs together), the other less commonly known being internal rotation of the hip accompanied by foot adduction. In fact, to fully engage the adductors requires the hip and foot to be slightly internally rotated or pointed inward (i.e. pigeon toed) as this allows a slight but natural degree of internal tibial torsion that’s necessary for fully activating the inner thigh musculature. In fact when performing adduction motions particularly when the foot and ankle complex move near the midline of the body, prohibiting the hip and foot from slightly internally rotating represents a dysfunctional position as inward rotation of the hip and foot should almost always accompany complete hip adduction.

When the entire medial portion of the foot is anchored into the bench this prohibits the athlete from completing the last several inches of internal rotation of the hip and adduction of their foot. As a result they’re unable to fulfill the various functional tasks associated with the musculature of the hip adductors. Once the forefoot or top half of the foot is free to adduct and rotate inwardly several inches, this not only maximally engages the hip adductors but it also feels exceptionally more natural and comfortable as the hip is no longer being torqued or pulled on but instead can settle into its most biomechanically natural position.

In fact, one of the most common complaints about Copenhagen planks is how they hurt the knees especially the inner region. The Copenhagen plank 2.0 addresses this and fully remedies it.

As an added bonus, the level of instability is exponentially more challenging during the Copenhagen plank 2.0 since the lifter inevitably has less surface area on the bench therefore less total support. Simply put, the level of motor control, balance, and stability needed to lock these in is exceptionally high making them a truly effective and functional core stabilization exercise.

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To perform the windmill side plank assume a side plank position on the hand instead of the forearm. This increases the instability and difficulty of the movement and makes it more challenging. Stack both feet on top of each other while maintaining a dorsiflexed ankle position in both feet. Keep the opposite arm pointed straight up throughout. Focus on opening the chest and rotating the elevated arm up and back while maintaining a straight line throughout your entire torso.

While upper body instability and poor shoulder alignment are oftentimes common issues many athletes experience during windmill planks, lack of lower body stability and lumbopelvic hip control is even more prevalent. While a number of cues including those described in the following sections are critical for addressing this, there are several specific advanced progressions of the windmill plank that will both expose and address these issues.

This includes placing the support leg on an unstable surface such as a foam roller, resistance band (chaos band method), TRX, or BOSU ball as my client Leslie Petch and I demonstrate in this video. These require near precision levels of body control, core activation, postural mechanics, hip alignment, foot positioning, and lumbopelvic hip control. Just be prepared to focus your mind and body like a master Jedi as the level of concentration and near-perfect body mechanics required is incredibly high.

KEY BENEFITS OF THE WINDMILL PLANK

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 hips (especially the smaller glute muscles), upper torso, core, and feet to work together synergistically in one controlled high-tension isometric.

Essentially what you’re doing during the windmill plank is you’re resisting lateral flexion of the spine and lateral hip collapse as gravity is attempting to drive your hips towards the floor. To fight these forces you’ll be required to fire the glute medius (outer hips), internal obliques, external obliques, and quadratus lumborum muscles of your core. If that still doesn’t make any sense, just think of this as the ultimate exercise for crushing the sides of your hips and stomach/love handles.

In fact the windmill plank targets the same muscle groups you’ll commonly see individuals in the gym attempting to stimulate with side bends and core rotational exercises only this time the exercise actually works. In addition to improving functional movement patterns, posture, and spinal positioning, you’ll be strengthening numerous stabilizers from head to toe rather than just isolating one small muscle group.

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OPTION #1

Here's a single leg swap variation using the hanging band technique. Single leg swaps are incredible exercise for improving foot and ankle stability and reinforcing proper alignment throughout the lower leg complex. Add in the added oscillations of the hanging band technique and the level of instability force the individual to aggressively activate their feet, ankles, and core as well as maintain proper spinal alignment. Anything but intense full body innervation will result in failed attempts and the inability to maintain balance. For more on the single leg swap check out my article at: https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/singlelegkbswap

OPTION #2

Learning to decelerate as well as absorb force and impact is critical for athletic performance. Here's a great variation of the ricochet projectile goblet lunge I recently came up with that involves insane levels of force absorption and impact that has great transfer to athletics and sports performance . Although the version using arm drive is a bit more specific to running, holding a moderate load to the front as I show here exponentially increases forces the lifter must absorb and decelerate before re-accelerating into the bands.

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OPTION #1

I spend quite a few months out of the year working with high level athletes. Unfortunately oftentimes they only have several weeks to work with me while in between teams or in the middle of seasonal transitions. While enhancing speed, power, explosiveness, and muscle mass are an important part of the training process, improving muscle function, body mechanics, and overall quality of movement, as well as injury prevention are even more vital for the athletes career.

Unfortunately time constraints and scheduling can make this process quite challenging. Besides implementing appropriate cues, instructional tips, and proper coaching techniques to help lock in their movement mechanics, I frequently like to employ exercises that literally force the lifter to perform the movement correctly. While I’ve highlighted many squatting variations over the past several years that I utilize to create this technique-optimization effect, one that I’ve recently been using with great success is something I refer to as the longitudinal goblet squat.

Simply hold the dumbbell by the end of the weight and try to keep it as parallel to the floor as possible while performing squats. Here I’m performing the bilateral eccentric isometric version while my awesome client Leslie Petch is demonstrating the more advanced single leg variation.

Besides being deceptively difficult, this is without a doubt one of the most effective squat variations I’ve ever used to help clean up squat form and improve lower body mechanics. With that said here are 10 reasons why the longitudinal goblet squat is so effective.

1. Many athletes place too much load onto the front of their feet (towards their toes) 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 when performing goblet squats. Any level of excessive forward torso lean or exaggerated hip flexion will result in the athletes dumping the weight as they’ll be unable to keep the dumbbell parallel to the floor.

3. Learning to brace the core and tense the abs can do more for squat mechanics and technique 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. Just be prepared to feel as though you’re about to get punched in the stomach when performing these as the amount of core bracing is through the roof.

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.

The longitudinal goblet squat method is also incredibly conducive for employing with Eccentric Isometric squat jumps as shown by two of my NFL athletes Prince Iworah and CJ Okpalobi. The increased full body tension helps the lifter dial in both their jumping and landing mechanics as it enhances spinal rigidity and full body tension. As a result it helps maximize force production and force absorption.

OPTION #2

The single leg deconstructed box jump to depth drop jump and sprint is an excellent speed and power exercise for athletes.

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This exercise employes a unique double offset protocol I periodically employ. Besides blasting the core it has 3 benefits:

1. It allows the lifter to train both their grip and prime movers at the same time without sacrificing overload to the primary muscles. For instance Austin is using a 80 lb dumbbell and 30 lb Kettlebell for the press.

2. One of the drawbacks many lifters complain about in regards to both bottoms up presses and pinch grip exercises (i.e. hex pinch dumbbell rows) is that they tend to be too light to produce an adequate strength & hypertrophy stimulus in the primary movers. Even if you are fairly efficient at bottoms up movements or pinch grip exercises you’ll most likely only be taking advantage of only 2 mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy namely mechanical tension and metabolic stress. Simply put you’ll be missing out on the third and arguable one of the most important mechanisms namely muscle damage and micro-trauma as the loads are typically too light to trigger this. However this dilemma is quickly resolved with the double offset method as the lifter can reap the benefits associated with bottoms up and pinch grip movements while simultaneously triggering a significant hypertrophy stimulus with traditional heavy dumbbell loading.

3. Helps with motor control and neuromuscular efficiency. While one arm is essentially performing a relatively standard overload movement, the other arm is performing a lighter technique drill. The goal is to transfer the same crisp and proper mechanics produced from the bottoms-up or pinch grip technique to the arm that’s simultaneously moving the heavier dumbbell on the opposite side. Once mastered, the movement should appear seamless & synchronized as if you were using the same tools and loads on each side with no visible differences in body position and mechanics. This requires incredible neuromuscular coordination, body awareness, proprioception, sensory integrated movement, and mental engagement.

Read more about offset training at the following link: https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/offset-dumbbell-training-for-strength-size-and-function

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Here’s one of my bodybuilders Ben Lai performing a double offset chest press using a 35 lb kettlebell and a 85 lb dumbbell. Although this looks a bit odd it actually provides several unique features that make it incredibly effective for building functional strength and size as well as improving motor control, body mechanics, and shoulder stability.

First, one of the drawbacks many lifters complain about in regards to bottoms up presses is that they tend to be too light to produce an adequate strength and hypertrophy stimulus. Even if you are fairly efficient at bottoms up movements you’ll most likely only be taking advantage of only 2 mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy namely mechanical tension and metabolic stress. Simply put you’ll be missing out on the third and arguable one of the most important mechanisms namely muscle damage and micro-trauma as the loads are typically too light to trigger this. However this dilemma is quickly resolved with the double offset method as the lifter can reap the benefits associated with bottoms up movements while simultaneously triggering a significant hypertrophy stimulus with traditional heavy dumbbell loading.

The other key benefit of this method lies in enhanced motor control and neuromuscular efficiency. While one arm is essentially performing a relatively standard overload movement in the form of a heavy dumbbell press, the other arm is performing a lighter yet highly unstable bottoms-up press. The goal is to transfer the same crisp and proper mechanics produced from the bottoms-up kettlebell technique to the arm that’s simultaneously pressing the heavier dumbbell on the opposite side. Once mastered, the movement should appear seamless and synchronized as if you were using the same tools and loads on each side with no visible differences in body position and mechanics. This requires an incredibly high degree of neuromuscular coordination, body awareness, proprioception, sensory integrated movement, and mental engagement.

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The L sit lat pulldown is a great way to ensure the spine particularly the lumbar spine stays in neutral as it's nearly impossible to over arch and over extend the low back. When performed in a single arm fashion this increases core activation further as you're resisting rotation and lateral flexion. Eduardo is slightly over pulling here so focus on pulling just to roughly 90 degrees rather than below. This is typically around mid face height.

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This next exercise is an overhead pizza plate z press with an eccentric isometric protocol. Most lifters lack the ability to properly centrate and pack their glenohumeral joint during high force activities. This deficiency is even more pronounced during overhead movements. The pizza plate press will give you immediate feedback as to whether or not your shoulder mechanics and overhead pressing technique are dialed in. This is even further magnified when using the Z press protocol due to the more biomechanically challenging position that requires greater levels of motor control, stability, mobility, and technique.

If you fail to properly depress and retract your shoulders particularly during the eccentric phase of the exercise you’ll likely dump the weight plate. Simply, hold an old-school iron weight plate flat in your hand and perform a press while slightly tucking your elbow to the front of your body. Even if you’re able to avoid dumping the load, record yourself and observe the weight plate. If the plate stays completely parallel to the floor while keeping your elbows semi-tucked then you know that your shoulder function and overhead pressing mechanics are most likely spot on. If the plate fails to stay parallel to the floor then you’ll want to address your specific areas of weakness and dysfunction.

Although the effects are similar to a bottoms up kettlebell press, the pronated grip used here has even better transfer to barbell exercises as well as sports that involve pushing maneuvers (i.e. football lineman). Finally, if you don't have a partner you'll want to perform these in a single arm fashion which places greater strain on the core and spinal stabilizers due to the unilateral offset load.

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OPTION #1

Want to unlock the full potential of your lower body when it comes to size, strength, performance, and function? Start implementing eccentric isometric lunges & split squats. Yes, the squat is the king when it comes to building muscle mass and strength in the legs. However the lunge is in many ways just as effective and also in many ways more important for including in your training as it provides several unique attributes that squat cannot provide. This includes the ability to target each leg individually, not to mention the significant balance, stabilization, and motor control need in the lumbopelvic hip complex as well as the feet and ankles.

As invaluable as the squat and hinge for lower body development, they both involve repeated hip flexion with very little stretching of the hip flexors. Lunge patterns represent the best method for eccentrically targeting the hip flexors of the back leg (something squats and hinges don’t provide) while simultaneously stretching the glutes of the front leg. Consistently performing such a movement is critical for lower body function especially with the majority of society sitting in chairs throughout the day with shortened hip flexors.

Additionally, lunges/split squats are nothing more than an isolated variation of the human gait as it directly mimics the cross-crawl method of movement. No other tool works better for correcting gait (walking and running) and lower body movement mechanics than lunges.

Unfortunately most individuals including bodybuilders, athletes, powerlifters and coaches, perform them improperly thereby negating these aforementioned benefits. To truly master your lunge mechanics you’ll want to use the eccentric isometric protocol I lay out in my book Movement Redefined as it provides the greatest strength and hypertrophy stimulus while also maximizing joint health and body mechanics. Read more about proper lunge form at the following link: https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/lunges-and-split-squats-you-are-doing-them-wrong

OPTION #2

split stance Bulgarian Bent Over RDL's iwth 90 degree eccentric isometrics on the Sanddune (Use code drjoel for 10% discount). The Sanddune is one of my favorite tools as it provides just enough instability to wake up stabilizers around the feet, ankles, hips, & core without being so unstable that it detracts from the movement or minimizes overload. These absolutely torch the glutes & hamstrings while also working postural muscles of the upper back.

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Zercher good mornings/RDL's are an effective hip hinge exercise for taxing the posterior chain. Unfortunately heavy loads can feel quite uncomfortable on the low back and arms. Performing them in a single leg fashion as demonstrated by my awesome client Leslie Petch absolutely blasts the glutes and hamstring while also sparing the spine and arms.

These also tend to be quite brutal on the core and abdominals not to mention the stabilizers of the feet and ankles. I recommend performing these in an eccentric isometric fashion not only to maximize tension to the posterior chain but also to enhance proprioception and sensory feedback.

If your glutes still aren’t feeling decimated by the time you’re done with your set, try performing a biomechanical drop. Simply go immediately into traditional bilateral (double leg) Zercher good mornings once you finish the single leg reps for each leg. Super setting these with you favorite glute bridge and hip thruster can also add additional overload and tension to the glutes and hamstrings.