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OPTION #1

The snatch variation of the jump shrug allow slightly greater motion in the flexed position (bent over position), thereby increasing the amount of power the hips can produce on the jump.

OPTION #2

The Slide-Board Lunge Jump forces the athletes to create perfectly vertical force vectors & produce near perfect alignment to avoid sliding on the board. This is one of the most functional jumps for athletes as it reinforces proper mechanics.

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If you're looking to maximize proprioception and somatosensory feedback as a means for improving body mechanics, movement efficiency, and motor control, eyes closed eccentric isometrics combined with bottoms up movements are about as difficult as it gets. This eccentric isometric variation crushes the shoulders, upper back, triceps, and core.

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Front squats are a great squat variation for targeting the entire lower body. When performed with lighter loads using compensatory acceleration (intention to lift the weight as explosively as possible), they also become a highly effective power movement. Be sure to keep the hips pushed back, chest out, knees out, and feet fairly straight (don't let them flare out excessively).

Creating neutral spinal alignment on the squat can be difficult even for the most advanced lifter. Besides serving as an effective quad builder, the front squat teaches the lifter how to find the ideal balance between spinal extension and anterior core activation. Because of the unique loading parameters, front squats force the lifter to achieve significant thoracic extension while simultaneously engaging the anterior core at a high intensity. In turn this grooves the proper recruitment patterns needed for producing neutral spinal alignment not only for squats but for other movements as well.

If the goal is to maximize strength, hypertrophy, athletic performance, muscle function, proprioception, and overall joint health then approximately parallel is best. However if you’re a competitive Olympic weightlifter then dropping below parallel to catch the load will most likely allow you to achiever higher PR’s. It’s all about goals.

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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.

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Want to crush your abs, shoulders, and upper back at the same time? Try performing barbell ab rollouts using a snatch grip (wide grip) as shown here by my awesome client and national figure competitor Leslie Petch. Just make sure to keep you shoulders packed throughout to avoid faulty postural mechanics. These are also incredibly effective for improving your shoulder stability on the snatch while simultaneously crushing the abs.

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Behind the Neck Push Press from Split Squat Eccentric Isometric Lunge

Here I have my awesome client Ben Lai performing a very effective full body explosive movement as he performs a behind the neck push press from an eccentric isometric split squat lunge position. This has 5 benefits.

1. Producing power and absorbing impact from a split squat, stride, or lunge position has incredible transfer to sports & arguably more so than a bilateral squat position.

2. When performing traditional push press you don’t know if one leg is dominating. These are essentially a form of a unilateral (semi-single leg exercise) which helps to address imbalances & asymmetries. Don’t be surprised if these exposes an imbalance.

3. Performing a push press from the front tends to be a bit awkward particularly in the lunge as it’s tough to hit the bottom 90 deg position without losing control of the barbell. That’s because a proper lunge involves a slight hip hinge & forward lean. When the weight is located to the front you’ll dump the load but when loaded to the back, it resolves this.

4. The push press from behind the neck involves a more linear bar path than the front where the bar path slightly arcs back. For many athletes behind the neck push press can feel more natural.

5. Performing these from an eccentric isometric lunge not only eliminates the stretch reflex thereby forcing the lifter to create power from a deadstop position (i.e. helps improve power and not just demonstrate it) but it also helps to clean up mechanics due to enhanced proprioceptive feedback from EI’s. Read more about eccentric isometrics in my book MOVEMENT REDEFINED.

Lastly many people might be asking about the safety of this movement. Here's the deal. Performing a strict press behind neck is likely not optimal as relying exclusively on the shoulders and upper body to drive a load up from in this semi biomechanically disadvantageous position isn't ideal the joints and connective tissue. However, push press is fine provided you have the mobility to perform traditional barbell back squats as it’s the same position at the beginning of movement then the legs simply launch the bar up and catch in same slot position as traditional push press or overhead press. It’s controlled eccentric and concentric from that position that aren’t optimal which again is why a strict press from behind the back likely isn't ideal. Think of it as a racked position lunge with a launch and catch in the standard overhead press position.

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Snatch grip deadlifts are an excellent strength and mass builder particularly when performed with a controlled eccentric. Just make sure your spine is locked into the proper position throughout.

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The quadruped bench row is my go-to rowing variation for teaching an athlete how to dial in their horizontal pulling technique. The reason for this is that any faulty mechanics, movement dysfunction, or flawed activation patterns result in the lifter immediately losing his or her balance. To successfully complete the movement, the lifter will literally have to make continuous adjustments and technique corrections until every component of body mechanics from head to toe are perfectly honed in.

Anything less will result in loss of body control and inability to perform the movement. Even without external coaching, the quadruped row or bird dog row does wonders for providing lifters with enough sensory feedback and internal cuing to gradually self-correct and auto-regulate their body positioning.

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Shoulder stability and positioning are critical for the 225 bench press test as well as overall upper body performance. I use various bottoms-up pressing variations with many of my collegiate and professional athletes to help improve this.

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When it comes to performing pull-ups a neutral grip placement is tough to beat. Not only is it an incredibly strong position to perform vertical pulling movements from but it's also one of, if not the safest and most of joint friendly grip positions. In fact many people who have shoulder wrist and elbow issues find that the neutral grip produces the least amount of strain on their joints. This is why many individuals prefer rings for pullups. However the fixed bar position typically allows a bit more overload for days that you’re looking to ramp up the weight. Unfortunately most gyms don’t have neutral grip handles and even when they do they usually only provided one or two options at the most in terms of grip widths. By using two barbells I've actually found that you can create your own neutral grip pull-up station and adjust it to optimize your body's natural mechanics, shoulder width, and structure.

This is something that can actually be done on a variety bodyweight exercises. In fact Lee Boyce was one of the first to talk about this several years ago when he applied the same concept to dips. Here's one of my awesome clients Charlene Harrison (@prepbody) showing how it's done with weighted pullups. Besides providing a unique way to adjust and customize your own pull up handles, the double barbell setup also provides a slightly unique stimulus in that the bars will have a tendency to roll and move around unless the lifter performs pull-ups with smooth and strict mechanics. In fact unless you pause at both the top and bottom you'll find your grip and hands will start to move and slide off the bars due to the rolling nature of the barbells. Also because the barbells have a tendency to naturally rotate in the hands this pullup protocol is also one of the best for strengthening the grip, hands, and forearms.