Read About Exercise

This Pallof press variation is excellent for working rotary stability muscles of the core in an anti-rotation manner. This is a great movement for any sport involving rotation/swinging motions.

Read About Exercise

The squat-stance deadlift is very similar to the technique the great powerlifter Ed Coan used to break numerous deadlifting records.

1. KEY POINT #1: The squat-stance deadlift is the most natural, safe, and effective deadlift technique for a majority of lifters.
2. KEY POINT #2: The squat stance deadlift is very conducive for strength and hypertrophy as it typically allows the lifter to handle the heaviest loads with the safest mechanics.
3. KEY POINT #3: Ed Coan used a very similar technique (semi sumo or modified sumo deadlift) with great success. There’s no reason why you can’t do the same.

SQUAT-STANCE DEADLIFT | 5 KEY EXECUTION POINTS

When it comes to proper execution of the squat-stance deadlift the position and mechanics should feel very simple and natural. If you were going to pick up a heavy kettlebell, stone, or any heavy object off the floor this is the position/technique you would most likely assume. To executive the squat stance deadlift properly you must remember to concentrate on five key areas, specifically (1) foot positioning, (2) stance, (3) hand placement, (4) hip, torso, and knee positioning, and (5) the pull.

EXECUTION POINT #1: FOOT POSITIONING

For the squat-stance deadlift, foot positioning is key. Unlike the sumo deadlift where the feet tend to rotate outwards in excess of 45 degrees, the feet should be kept relatively straight (0-10 degrees of toe flare) for the squat stance deadlift. This is one of the major modifications I suggest that’s different from the semi-sumo deadlift used by Ed Coan as he also had significant toe flare. Although the exaggerated toe flare may initially feel like a quick fix for increasing deadlift strength, the long-term effects on hip function are undesirable to say the least.

In fact many powerlifters who use an excessive toe flare on the squat or sumo deadlift end up destroying their natural lower body mechanics. Because their feet and hips have spent so much time in excessive external rotation this becomes their go-to movement strategy for any lower body movement including walking and overall gait mechanics. In fact when you examine the walking gait of many powerlifters they look like an overstuffed cowboy from the wild west who just got off a marathon horse back ride as their hip mechanics are aberrant to say the least.

Over time this can lead to a variety of lower body impairments and pain-related syndromes including chronic hip inflammation. In reality once the lifter learns how to activate their feet and ankles properly, the relatively straight foot position (0-10 degrees of flare) will actually produce the greatest strength increases. Rather then allowing the feet to passively settle on the floor (a very common by-product of excessive external rotation), keeping the feet relatively straight and pushing the knees out transmits the greatest foot and ankle torque into the floor ultimately maximizing fore production. This is something Kelly Starrett has discussed in regards to squatting, however the same principles apply to other lower body movements including the deadlift.

Furthermore because activation starts with the feet, the greater the innervation signals from the foot and ankle complex up through the kinetic chain, the greater the muscle activation not only in the legs but also throughout the entire body.

Simply put, unless you’re an aspiring ballerina performer, a relatively straight foot position (0-10 degrees toe flare) is something that should be used on nearly all exercises including the squat stance deadlift (as well as other deadlift or squatting variations) regardless of individual differences in anthropometrics. That’s because it helps to promote the most functional, natural, and athletic body mechanics. Additionally, it maximizes foot and ankle activation, which is critical for overall movement mechanics as it increases neural signaling and body alignment throughout the kinetic chain.

In reality once the lifter learns how to activate their feet and ankles properly, the relatively straight foot position (0-10 degrees of flare) will actually produce the greatest strength increases. If it feels unnatural it’s because your feet and ankles are weak and dysfunctional and therefore need to be trained with appropriate neuromuscular re-education techniques. This is a topic that should not be overlooked (which it commonly is) as I’ve seen this make or break functional movement patterns in my own athletes and clients.

EXECUTION POINT #2: STANCE

Use a position that falls anywhere between a normal squat stance (approximately shoulder width), to roughly 20% wider than shoulder width. In general the feet will range from 2 -3 feet apart (when measuring from the outside of the feet). This position will provide the greatest pressing strength from the legs while eliminating hip irritation produced from using an excessively wide stance.

EXECUTION POINT #3: HAND PLACEMENT

Similar to a sumo deadlift the arms and grip should be placed in between the legs to create a feeling of straddling the barbell. It should feel as though bar is positioned between the feet and legs rather than in front of them. With this in mind the grip will be anywhere from roughly 1-2 feet apart. The key is making sure the arms can fit between the legs without running into the knees. For those who choose to take a slightly narrower stance, a portion of the hands may actually be inside the knurling on the smooth portion of the bar. As long as grip strength is sufficient this shouldn’t be an issue.

On a side note don’t be surprised if visually it appears as though your elbows have a slight bend in them when performing this variation. This is more of an illusion as the closer grip can give the appearance that the lifter is pulling with the arms. They key is to focus on keeping the arms as straight as possible without letting the biceps get involved. Think of your arms as hooks while letting the hips and legs do all the work.

EXECUTION POINT #4: HIP, TORSO, AND KNEE POSITIONING

The lower body mechanics will be nearly identical to a low-bar squat. Focus on pushing the knees out and keeping the hips pushed back as far as possible while still keeping the chest out. Focus on keeping a natural but not excessive arch throughout the spine while keeping the head in a neutral position.

The torso will be bent over to approximately 45 degrees which maximizes the ability to cock the hips back fully at the bottom (hip flexion) while minimizing sheer stress on the spine. This ideal position seen in the squat-stance deadlift is something that cannot be duplicated with either the sumo or conventional pull. The reason for this is based on simple biomechanical analyses of hip function.

The farther back the hips set at the beginning of the pull the more the lifter can rely on powerful hip extension mechanics to perform the lift which is generally a positive factor. However, this typically requires a more bent over torso position as witnessed with the conventional deadlift which unfortunately places greater shear stress on the spine.

The sumo deadlift while easier on the spine minimizes the “cocked back” hip hinge position as the ultra wide stance and extreme external rotation of the feet essentially pushes the hips forward at the bottom of the pull. This curtails the lifter’s ability able to coil the hips back to their most flexed position inevitably minimizing the sling shot effect of the hips on the concentric phase. In contrast, the squat-stance deadlift allows the lifter to pick and choose the best mechanics of the sumo and conventional pulls while disregarding the negative features previously mentioned. The 45-degree bent-over torso position does just that.

EXECUTION POINT #5: THE PULL

After pre-loading the musculature by pulling slack out of the bar, focus on locking the spine tightly into position by squeezing the daylights out of your lats. Unfortunately, most individuals have difficulty wrapping their head around the idea of flexing their lats on deadlifts as pulling their shoulder blades down and back throughout the movement can feel awkward to near impossible at times.

However, this is often a result of the deadlift mechanics not feeling natural or conducive to their body. The squat stance deadlift on the other hand feels extremely natural allowing the lifter to set their hips, spine, and lats very tightly from the beginning to the end of the movement. Besides significantly reducing the risk for injury, this also maximizes the total load the lifter can handle. In fact every athlete I’ve shown this deadlift variation to inevitably expresses how natural, strong, and simple the mechanics feel.

Read About Exercise

Before performing this variation it's imperative that the lifter has mastered basic pullover technique with standard pullover variations. Once you've mastered those, adding in the rapid eccentric isometric variation of the pullover is one of the best exercises you can do to activate the fast twitch survival fibers of the core, lats, and shoulder stabilizers. If you can learn to properly do these your level of core and shoulder stability will be phenomenal.

Rapid Eccentric Isometrics are an advanced proprietary training technique developed by Dr. Joel Seedman used to increase proprioceptive feedback from muscle spindles with the goal of improving performance and muscle function. Rapid Eccentric Isometrics (REI’s) also improve rate of force development (RFD), Rate of Stabilization Development (RSD), Rate of Force Absorption (RFA), and Reactive Stabilization as the muscles are forced to turn on rapidly to absorb high impact forces. Rapid Eccentric Isometrics should only be used once proper form has been established with standard eccentric isometrics (EI’s).

Read About Exercise

OPTION #1

Once you've mastered the normal goblet squat the single arm variation performed with a kettlebell really helps to engage the core even further while reinforcing proper hip positioning. The key is to avoid collapsing by keeping the hips pushed back throughout rather than letting them shoot forward.

OPTION #2

Here's a cool landmine squat you've probably never tried that my awesome Ben Lai come up with as he shows it with proper 90 degree eccentric isometrics. These feel very natural and really dial in your form.

Read About Exercise

This next exercise employs force vectors that target both shoulder flexion and shoulder adduction. This is accomplished by using bands or cables to produce abduction forces against the arms while simultaneously performing standard chest presses. The lifter is essentially resisting forces attempting to abduct the shoulders ultimately requiring the lifter to isometrically contract the pectorals by intentionally and continuously emphasizing adduction of the shoulders to offset this unique form of lateral tension.

In other words the movement feels like a combination chest press and isometric chest fly. As an added bonus, the degree of anti-rotation, rotary stability, & core strength needed to lock this in is unreal.

Read About Exercise

Here's one of my athletes and competitive powerlifter/bodybuilder performing heavy weighted ring pull-ups. Ring pull-ups are great closed chain movement for working the entire upper back, biceps, and shoulder stabilizers. Keep the chest tall throughout and squeeze the lats to fully engage the back.

Read About Exercise

The front curled squat protocol is one of my favorite ways to clean up lower body mechanics. It can also be applied to lunges and split squats as well as good mornings as shown here by NFL athlete Taylor Heinicke. With that said the front curled squat and variations thereof provide 7 unique benefits over other squat variations particularly when combined with the eccentric isometric protocol. Learn more about eccentric isometrics here.

1. As previously alluded to the front curled squat is probably the single most simple and user friendly squat I’ve ever used so much so that just about every athlete and client I work with will have these incorporated into their routine in some form or another.

2. Although the effects are similar to a goblet squat, the front curled squat tends to be more conducive for maintaining optimal t-spine, shoulder, and neck mechanics. That’s because the arms can spread apart naturally (emphasizing external rotation of the shoulders) rather than feeling overly crowded (oftentimes contributing to internal rotation) as they would be if you were holding a single dumbbell with a close grip. Additionally as the load gets heavier with goblet squats, the bulky nature of the dumbbell tends to feel quite awkward. This is a non-issue with the front curled squat due to the more natural position of the dumbbells.

3. The front curled squat is also incredibly similar to a front rack kettlebell squat. While the front rack kettlebell squat is one of my personal favorite squatting variations, some individuals tend to find them very awkward as they do involve a moderate learning curve. The front curled squat on the other hand doesn’t have these issues as they’re very conducive for every level of athlete with little or no learning curve involved.

4. One of the most common statements every athlete will make after first performing the front curled squat is how intense they were not only on the legs but also the core and upper body as the shoulders, biceps, upper back, abs, and entire lower body get crushed.

5. Few gyms have dumbbells that exceed 100 lbs. As a result stronger athletes tend to struggle overloading the goblet squat. The front curled squat on the other hand has no such loading limitation unless of course you can easily hold two 100 pound dumbbells in each hand and squat with perfect mechanics.

6. Similar to the goblet squat or front rack squat the front curled squat reinforces a more upright torso position and punishes the lifter if they excessively bend over at the waist. However, the front curled squat requires even more precise form as it’s incredibly unforgiving and will punish even the slightest bit of excessive forward tilt. Essentially this will cause the dumbbells to get yanked down and out of position. That’s because an excessive forward tilt with the front curled squat places extreme tension on the relatively small biceps muscles causing them to give out if there’s too much tension. The goblet squat or front rack squat on the other hand aren’t quite as unforgiving thereby allowing the lifter to get away with subtle form aberrations.

7. The front curled squat is perhaps the single most versatile squat variation as the various modifications make it suitable for loading in a single arm or single leg fashion as well as lunges and Bulgarian squats, not to mention the use of barbells or dumbbells. The use of barbells also makes the implementation of accommodating resistance quite simple and effective while also allowing for near limitless loading capabilities.

Read About Exercise

This next exercise is an incline dumbbell row with a bent leg position. The bent leg position insures the lumbar spine and low back don't excessively arch thereby forcing the lifter to rely solely on their upper back and lats.

Read About Exercise

Here’s an overhead pressing variation that involves 2 of my favorite methods namely the bottoms up kettlebell protocol with the half kneeling position. The combination does wonders not only for improving shoulder function and overhead mechanics but also for working the stabilizers of the core, hips, upper back and triceps. Essentially the lifter is forced to use controlled technique and smooth mechanics to maintain balance and control during the lift as there is significant instability from head to toe.

There are several components I would like to point out in this video. First, notice how ben is keeping an approximately 90 degree angle in the front knee without allowing significant anterior knee drift. This is accomplished by keeping the hips set back throughout and keeping the core tight which leads to my next point.

You’ll notice how Ben achieves ample t-spine extension particularly in the bottom or eccentric portion of the press which is critical for proper overhead pressing mechanics. You’ll also notice how the extension occurs from the upper back and t-spine rather than the low back and lumbar spine. This is accomplished by bracing the abs and keeping the core tight while also not allowing the hips to drift forward.

Lastly you’ll notice that Ben doesn’t collapse in the bottom of the press but instead pauses the eccentric isometric at 90 degrees. This represents the optimal range of motion not only for this movement for a majority of compound exercises. Unfortunately most lifters allow their arms to collapse when performing kettlebells which defeats the purpose of maintaining optimal shoulder stability, joint integrity, and proper upper body mechanics.