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Here's a great barbell curl variation performed by one of my clients and bodybuilders Ben Lai. By using horizontal band resistance and a slightly tilted torso position this allows the lifter incorporate aspects of standard barbell curls for mass building while also producing similar peak contractions to that of a concentration curl. The combination of mechanical tension, occlusion, metabolic stress, and cellular swelling makes this an excellent movement for inducing significant hypertrophy in the biceps.

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This a great ULC (upper-lower combo) by performing skull crushers from a glute bridge or hip thrust position. There's also a significant level of rotary stability and core strength needed to maintain stability on the bench.

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Besides being highly conducive for a variety of deadlifts, the iron grip landmine setup is also very effective when applied to rows and horizontal pulls. We'll be focusing on Variation #1 which is the rear facing version. This variation really crushes the lower lats and reinforces shoulder packing and depression of the scapula since the weight is moving in a slight arch posteriorly as you move into the contracted position. If you have trouble elevating your shoulders during rows, these are the perfect solution.

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The floor press is an incredibly effective movement for crushing the pressing muscles of the body. However the reverse grip variation further taxes the tricep musculature for several reasons.

First, during any floor press, the arms touch the floor several inches before the bar reaches the chest. By eliminating the bottom portion of the movement this reduces shoulder and chest involvement, which places greater stress on the triceps. Second the reverse grip promotes greater elbow tuck and scapular depression which also places greater emphasis on the triceps muscles and reduces the emphasis to the shoulders and outer chest. Third, the reverse grip places more equal tension across all three heads of the triceps (lateral, medial, and long heads) rather than solely targeting the lateral head – a common case with most pressing movements.

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This is a brutal but very effective ULC (upper-lower combo) that torches the legs and arms equally. If you're looking for a great drill to blast your legs and arms on the same exercise these are a must. Just be prepared for a full body burn.

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Looking for a unique but effective way to blast your back, lats, arms, core, grip, and forearms? Try weighted rope pullups. Try performing several sets of 2-4 reps on each side. Additionally, you’ll want to focus on keeping the core braced throughout in order to avoid twisting, shifting, and tilting. More than likely you’ll also notice a slight imbalance as one side will probably be more challenging than the other. With that said I also recommend performing single arm lat pulldowns (seated, kneeling, or half kneeling) periodically to help minimize this asymmetry.

Lastly I typically recommend super-setting pullups and chin-ups and other vertical pulling exercises with overhead pressing variations such as barbell, dumbbell, and bottoms up overhead presses. That’s because performing vertical pulling motions before vertical pushing drills helps groove a proper overhead position while also activating the lats and opening up the t-spine for improved overhead mechanics and vertical pressing power.

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OPTION #1

As many of you know I’m a huge fan of the foam roller but not for the purpose of foam rolling or soft tissue work. In fact I use it exclusively to modify exercises and make them more effective or challenging. If you’re unfamiliar with the chest presses, glute bridges, pullovers, squats, inverted rows, planks, lunges, knuckle pushups, and more I’ve written about, and how to apply the foam roller method to them, check out my website as I have numerous articles on these.

With that said, I’ve recently found that strategically applying the foam roller to overhead pressing variations not only increases the difficulty of the movement but also helps enhance mechanics and clean upper overhead pressing technique.

Here are several advantages of using the foam roller for overhead presses as I demonstrate in the video.

1. The overhead press while seated on a foam roller is actually a more low-back friendly variation of the popular Z-press. While I’m a huge fan of the Z-press, the compact torso angle and extreme hip flexion position can periodically cause low back and hip discomfort in some populations. Sitting on the foam roller helps to resolve this due to the less extreme hip flexion angle. Here's what the traditional Z-press looks like as demonstrated by one of my NFL athletes Bryce Jones.

2. One of the most common problems on overhead presses is learning how to position your center of gravity throughout while also producing optimal t-spine extension. This often creates issues where the individual is either overly upright (not enough t-spine extension) which places excessive tension on the glenohumeral joint and rotator cuff or the individual overly extends at their lumbar spine (leaning back too much) thereby placing undue stress on their low back. Performing overhead presses while seated on the foam roller helps to resolve this issue. Essentially if you’re too upright or are too extended you’ll feel like you’re going to roll off the foam roller and lose control of your body position. Simply put it teaches you to find the perfect balance of torso placement, t-spine extension, and spinal positioning. While sitting on a stability ball can produce a similar effect, the foam roller is even more sensitive to anteroposterior deviations in weight distribution and body shifting which further helps teach proper pressing mechanics. With that said I highly recommend using a spotter when performing these to ensure you don’t slip off the foam roller.

3. Learning to brace your core and recruit your abdominal musculature during overhead presses is critical not only for maximizing motor control and overall load but also for minimizing stress to the low back. The overhead press while seated on a foam roller helps cue the lifter to recruit their abs as a means of stabilizing the load and their body.

4. This is a surprisingly intense overhead press that requires precise levels of motor control and muscle activation from head to toe. As a result the shoulders, upper back, triceps, and core get pummeled. However the lifter will be able to use substantially lighter loads relative to other presses to produce this effect. Simply put this is a very suitable overhead pressing variation for individuals with shoulder injuries due to the intense levels of activation yet reduced loading parameters.

OPTION #2

The split squat lunging barbell wall press is another great functional overhead pressing exercise.

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Looking for a brutal full body & arm exercise? Try this eccentric isometric Bulgarian squat & bicep curl combo. I often use lunge holds and Bulgarian squats to perform bicep curls, shoulder raises, and more as it’s a great way to kill 2 birds with one stone particularly if you’re looking to crush the upper body while also working on hip mechanics and lower body muscle function. There are 4 unique benefits of this.

1. Holding an eccentric isometric split squat position forces the lifter to use smooth and controlled lifting mechanics as excessive momentum, cheating, or swinging, will cause the lifter to loose his or her balance. As a result, even lighter loads will crush the biceps.
2. A properly performed Bulgarian squat or lunge involves a slight hip hinge position with a 20-30 deg torso lean. This creates constant tension in te biceps throughout the motion particularly in the contracted position of the curl thereby eliciting high levels of intramuscular tension & cellular swelling.
3. In addition the torso angle produced from the lunge allows the dumbbells to move through a larger range of motion than a typical bicep curl. Besides activating more motor units this large ROM creates greater mechanical tension and muscle damage which maximize hypertrophy.
4. Besides blasting the legs & upper body, this also acts as a therapeutic mobility exercise for the hips. That’s because the lifter is essentially holding an eccentric isometric Bulgarian squat. Lunges & Bulgarian squats are the only types of movement that simultaneously target eccentric muscle elongation of both the hip flexors & hip extensors. This does wonders for loosing up the hips and creating a proper balance of tension between the anterior & posterior sides of the leg & lumbopelvic hip complex. If you’re looking for a way to finish up an intense workout that pumps loads of blood into the arms yet also leaves your hips & low back feeling loose as a goose, these can’t be beat.

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Increased arm hypertrophy & circumference is sure to be a goal for many fitness buffs for 2019. With that said, performing various arm exercises from a single leg position not only enhances the functional elements by adding a stabilization & balance component but it also insures maximal tension on the arms as the lifter is unable to cheat, shift, wiggle, or use excessive momentum. As a result the levels of mechanical tension and metabolic stress produce a significant functional hypertrophy response the lifter may not get otherwise.

Case in point here’s one of my awesome clients Eric McIntyre performing a tricep pressdown from a single leg position while incorporating the band strap method. The band strap method further adds to the stabilization component & requires even smoother mechanics as the instability can become quite intense if the lifter uses anything but smooth & controlled eccentric isometrics. It also forces the lifter to centrate & pack their shoulder joint – a common but oftentimes overlooked problem during arm training.

On that note if you haven’t check out my article “10 BEST NEW YEARS RESOLUTION Goals For Fitness Fanatics” I highly recommend it as eyes closed training along with eccentric isometrics is something I address. Also big thanks to the PTDC for nominating it as one of the top articles of the week. See article at https://www.advancedhumanperformance....

With that said, foot & ankle training is one of the most neglected components of strength & performance. If the feet & ankles aren’t functioning properly then all components of movement performance, strength, & fitness, are compromised. Simply put if the feet and ankles are out of synch it will be impossible to perform any lower body exercise correctly. You’ll be squatting, hinging, lunging, jumping, running, and even walking with faulty mechanics which can lead to a number of potential injuries throughout the kinetic chain. Make it a goal for the remainder of 2019 to master your foot & ankle mechanics and watch your quality of movement improve immensely.