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Intense Workout

- Chest & Back Emphasis -

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Overcoming Isometrics & Eccentric Isometrics Squat Stance Deadlifts	#1 & #2	4	4 (3-5" Isometric Hold for Each Rep)	90-120"	8-9	2-3"

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OPTION #1

NOTE: If you don't have access to a trap bar this exercise can be easily performed with barbell as illustrated in the second video. If you don't have access to a squat rack with safety pins simply perform traditional trap bar or barbell deadlifts.

Want to take your deadlifts and squats to the next level? Try these overcoming eccentric isometrics trap bar deadlifts. Use a squat stance deadlift which crushes the entire lower body as well as the upper back and lats.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Bear Crawl Hand Clap Pushups (Hand Clap Optional)	#1 & #2	3	5-10	60-90"	9-10	1"

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OPTION #1

The bear crawl handclap pushup is one of my favorite upper body power exercises. Yes, traditional handclap pushups are great however, many athletes struggle to avoid having their hips collapse at the bottom and staying tight on the catch. The bear crawl position helps remedy this as the 90 deg hip flexion position makes it almost impossible to collapse & lose core tightness. On a side note, you can alter your position slightly if you choose to emphasize more upper chest & shoulders by elevating the hips slightly higher & dropping the shoulders lower as Eli shows here although I generally recommend a more neutral position.

OPTION #2

Here's proper or optimal bench press form with NFL athlete Chris Carson as he uses 90 degree eccentric isometrics with 275 lbs. This technique will not only save your joints but will also maximize strength & size in your upper body.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Post Activation Potentiation with Overcoming Isometrics Bent Over Barbell Row	#3 & #4	3	3-5 (3-5" hold for each)	75-90"	8-10	2-3"

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OPTION #1

If you're looking for an exercise to create post activation potentiation (increased neural drive, neuromuscular efficiency, and power output), try using this overcoming isometric barbell row. With this specific combination you're actually using a relatively moderate weight rather than a lighter load or empty bar. This helps to ensure there is some eccentric overload, pre stretch, and muscle spindle activation that normally wouldn't occur if you simply used a light load. The goal is to pull against the immovable pins (set at lower to mid thigh height) with maximal effort. As you pull you should feel the muscles around the entire upper back activate to a greater and greater extent each passing second until it finally peaks at 3-5 seconds. At that point perform the eccentric portion of the row to activate muscles spindles and pre-stretch the working muscles which has been shown to decrease the onset of fatigue and improve body awareness. As a result the lifter is able to maintain higher quality of movement and higher power output on subsequent reps without form breaking down or excessive fatigue being the limiting factor. As an added bonus, these also target the glutes, hamstrings, low back, grip, rear delts, and biceps quite intensely.

OPTION #2

Want to maximize your upper back growth? Then take advantage of eccentric overload. Eccentric overload has consistently been shown to be one of the most effective training protocols for improving functional strength, hypertrophy, and injury prevention. The Bilateral Assisted Negative Accentuated (BANA) method, also known as the 2:1 Eccentric Accentuated Method, is an incredibly effective yet simple way to implement eccentric overload with a variety of exercises. Here’s one of my awesome clients Matt Jordan showing how it’s done on seated cable rows. Notice how he controls the negative even when he releases his arm. There are several benefits to this bilateral assisted negative accentuated technique.

It provides a unique contrast for stimulating strength and hypertrophy. Essentially the concentric phase is relatively light allowing the lifter to focus on smooth mechanics and text book form with a strong contraction and muscle mind connection in the upper back and lats. However, the unilateral eccentric phase improves maximal strength and recruitment of the highest threshold fast twitch fibers ultimately inducing significant muscle damage and mechanical tension.
The BANA technique also promotes symmetry throughout the upper torso as both sides are forced to perform unilateral work throughout the set.
The degree of core activation is unusually high for a horizontal pulling movement as each time you release one arm there will be significant anti-rotation and rotary stability elements attempting to pull your body out of alignment.
The bilateral assisted negative accentuated protocol is quite versatile and can be applied to a variety of movements. This includes lat pulldowns, leg extensions, leg curls, bicep curl machines, chest press machines, and any bilateral variable resistance machine. Eric Bach has also written quite a few extensive articles about this technique so definitely check out his page and give him a follow as he provides consistently great content.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Eccentric Accentuated 2:1 BANA Method Dumbbell Chest Press	#3 & #4	3	3-4 (per side)	90"	8-10	2-3"

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This is an advanced single leg drill that should only be performed once the athlete has developed appropriate levels of stability and strength in the ankles, feet, and toes. This is another great exercise for working rate of stabilization development (RSD).

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Pull Through Modification	#5 & #6	2	5	30-45"	4-5	2-3"

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OPTION #1

Here's the best method of performing the cable pull-through as the load vectors match with how the hips hinge and function optimally for maximal muscle activation and ideal movement mechanics. for working rate of stabilization development (RSD).

OPTION #2

Eccentric Isometric RDL & High Pull: I use power shrugs, clean pulls, high pulls, Dumbbell Olympic lifts & single leg lifts for a majority of our Oly lift variations. That’s because they tend to be more joint & user friendly not to mention better functional strength & mass builders especially when combined with eccentric isometrics.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Anti-Sliding Goblet Lunge and Split Squat (Slide-Board Optional)	#5 & #6	2	2-3 (each leg)	45-60"	4-5	4-5"

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NOTE: If you don't have access to a slideboard you can perform the same movement in socks on a slick floor. Alternatively, simply perform a standard goblet lunge.

This is a quick and incredibly effective method for cleaning up your lunge and split squat mechanics literally within seconds. There are 5 reasons why this anti-sliding lunge is so effective.

It forces the lifter to maintain a forward torso lean rather than an upright position (a very common lunge mistake). Anything less during this specific variation and your back foot will start to slide backward and out of control on the slide board. This forces the lifter to lean onto the front hip and lean over slightly which is ideal as the force vector produced from your back leg is perfectly vertical into the ground (rather than horizontal which causes it to slide). Most people think a lunge or split squat is an upright movement with the torso perpendicular (or close to perpendicular) to the ground throughout. However this represents flawed mechanics. Maintaining a forward torso lean onto the heel of the front leg is essential for proper lunge technique. In fact if I had to recommend just one cue for the lunge this may be the most critical as it ensures the hips are pushed back posteriorly and actively engaged throughout the movement. Simply put, a proper lunge involves solid hip hinge mechanics. An overly upright torso position places greater stress on the knees and low back while minimizing stress to the glutes and upper thighs. Achieving a hip hinge position necessitates a slight forward lean in the torso similar to the beginning phase of a Romanian deadlift or proper squat. Start the lunge with a solid torso lean and keep that same position throughout. If you have trouble feeling your glutes on lunges or tend to experience knee pain while performing them, you’ll want to emphasize this cue. The beauty of using the slide board is that it begins to immediately correct this.
The anti-sliding lunge also helps optimize weight distribution between the front and back leg. Although it will vary slightly from individual to individual as well as from variation to variation, a significant portion of the weight during a lunge will be placed on the front leg. After doing some basic pilot investigation on a force platform I found that the common weight distribution was approximately a “70-75/25-30” split with 70-75% of the weight on the front/plant leg and 25-30% on the rear/support leg. Faulty lunge and hip mechanics will alter these numbers significantly often times placing too little or too much stress on one extremity. However the most common error is placing too much weight on the back leg as a result of staying overly upright. Using the slide-board while trying to resist the sliding effect forces the lifter to use optimal weight distribution with a majority of the weight on the front leg. Simply put, too much weight on the back leg will cause the back foot to slide backward.
Performing anti-sliding lunges on a slideboard teaches the lifter to avoid the all-too-common mistake of trying to squeeze the glutes. If you want to work the glutes during the lunge the single worst thing you can do when lunging is to squeeze the glutes. Yes that sounds completely contradictory but it isn’t. Here’s why. As previously mentioned a proper lunge requires strong hip hinge mechanics particularly during the eccentric phase of the movement. In order to tax the glute muscles they must be eccentrically elongated during the negative phase of the movement. That means the hips have to sit back posteriorly rather than allowing them to drift forward. Squeezing the glutes during a lunge facilitates an overly-upright body position that eliminates the all important hip hinge. In addition it minimizes the degree of eccentric elongation of the glute muscles. As a result squeezing the glutes during a lunge not only degrades optimal body mechanics and destroys the knees but eliminates the ability to fully tax the posterior chain. You’ll also find yourself sliding backward on the slide board due to faulty force vectors created by dysfunctional positions. A proper lunges is one of the single most effective exercises you can do to tax the glutes but it requires the technique adjustments presented in this article. In essence, when performing a lunge, think about sticking your butt out (without letting the chest drop). Just be prepared for extreme muscle soreness in your glutes. On a side note many lifters believe that it’s necessary to squeeze the glutes as they drive up away from the floor on the concentric phase of the lunge. This is unnecessary and oftentimes counterproductive as proper eccentric positioning will result in optimal muscle recruitment on the subsequent concentric phase of the lift. Squeezing the glutes on any portion of the lunge including the concentric phase will pull the body out of it’s ideal alignment.
The anti-sliding lunge on the slide board forces the lifter to move in a perfectly vertical motion. When performing a stationary lunge or split squat, the torso should move straight up and down while maintaining a continuous forward lean. Any horizontal displacement of the torso indicates faulty hip mechanics and lack of spinal rigidity. In other words if you were to take a snap shot of the top of a lunge and the bottom, the torso should remain at the same angle (constant forward lean) with the only difference being the movement in the lower extremities. Another way to think of this is once you set your starting position, the hips should move straight up and down not forward or back. This also helps to reinforce optimal balance and stability as your center of mass is positioned ideally relative to the rest of your body. For athletes this can have tremendous transfer to quality of movement on the playing field particularly when it comes acceleration, deceleration, and agility.
This variation teaches the lifter to maintain constant tension on the legs by avoiding an overly upright finishing position at the top of the movement. In essence if you become overly upright, the back leg will slide out. One of the most effective cues I use with my athletes on lunges is telling them to only come up ¾’s of the way and pause at the top before the front leg fully straightens. Besides placing constant tension on the quads, glutes, and hamstrings which produces incredible functional strength and hypertrophy, this also reinforces proper forward lean and hip hinge mechanics. That’s because the lifter can simply maintain the same amount of lean without ever having to re-set throughout the entire set. Moving to an overly upright position at the top of the lunge forces the lifter to have to reset their hips each rep not to mention it can place undue stress on the low back due to excessive lumbar extension. Simply put, come up to the highest point on a lunge (during the concentric phase) until it feels like your forward torso lean begins to diminish.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Overcoming Isometrics Pullups & Knee Flexion Eccentric Isometrics	#7 & #8	3	4-6 (3-5" Hold per Rep)	75-90"	7-9	3"

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OPTION #1

Want to blast your entire posterior chain including your lats, upper back, glutes and hamstring with a crazy intense stimulus? Try these mass building overcoming eccentric isometrics with Knee Flexion Pullups.

OPTION #2

Here is proper range of motion for pullups as shown here with Chris Carson NFL running back as he uses optimal 90 deg eccentric isometrics.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Overhead Z Press with Pizza Plate Press Protocol (Plate or Dumbbell)	#7 & #8	2	4	60"	5-6	2-3"

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OPTION #1

Here I have NFL and GSP sponsored athletes Marcellis Branch and Brandyn Bartlett performing 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. Here's why this variation resolves that. Read more at https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/z-press-overhead-press

OPTION #2

The Z press is a unique but incredibly effective overhead pressing variation as it holds a number of benefits for improving strength, stability, mobility, postural alignment, and overhead mechanics. Many lifters have tendency to over-arch their lumbar spine when performing overhead presses simply because they lack the ability to extend their t-spine and engage their core. With the Z press it literally forces the lifter to do both of these (t-spine extension and anterior core activation) as anything less will result in repeated failed attempts.

In addition, it’s one of the best variations for teaching proper lockout mechanics and overhead slot position. Many lifters finish the lockout position with the weight too far in front of their torso. At the finishing position of the overhead press also known as the slot position in Olympic weightlifting, the arms need to be locked out slightly behind the lifter approximately in-line with the ears. The Z-press quickly corrects this as anything but a proper lockout position will also result in loss of balance and motor control.

The dumbbell variation magnifies each of these components making it an even more challenging option. That’s because the lifter can’t pull laterally on the bar to lock them into position and instead must rely more on full body stability and motor control. If you have low back tightness or faulty mechanics on the overhead press give this variation a try as it’s sure to help greatly.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Single Leg Sprinter Pullover	#9 & #10	2	3 per leg	30-60"	7	1-2"

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This next exercise is a longitudinal hip thrust single leg pullover with knee drive & controlled eccentric isometrics. Besides blasting the glutes, hip flexors, & hamstrings, these also torch the abs & core as you’ll be working overtime not only to keep perfect body alignment but to maintain balance and control. Any mediolateral deviations with your feet, hips, or core will result in loss of balance & stability. The harder you drive your hip and knee into the 90 degree position the more dialed in this feels and the more stable the lift becomes.

You’ll find there’s a bit of a chain reaction here as well illustrating how so many muscles of the body are linked. For instance, the harder the elevated knee drives into hip flexion, the harder the glute of the support leg fires and drives into extension. This extension creates greater t-spine extension up into the torso which ends up not only stretching the core and abdominals to a greater extent but also stretches the lats. As a result you’ll feel just about every muscle from head to toe fire provided hip activation & knee drive are maximal. As a result this is a great full body stability, mobility, strength, hypertrophy, & posture exercise.

I also recommend starting off with the t-bench setup that I’ve written about over the past years (laying on the bench width wise like a hip thruster) as it’s easier to maintain balance and control in comparison to the longitudinal position where the sides of the bench can’t help anchor you. Once you’ve mastered these try using band tension on the hips to increase the difficulty. And yes, I’ve been harping on foot and ankle activation a lot. Same rule applies here. Make sure the feet and hips are perfectly straight.

Finally, I recommend performing these as eccentric isometrics to help dial in body mechanics & technique due to enhanced proprioceptive feedback associated with emphasizing the eccentric.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Oblique Sling Snatches with Ipsilateral and Contralateral Variations (Optional)	#9 & #10	2	3-5 (per side)	30-45"	7-8	2-3"

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OPTION #1

The ipsilateral and contralateral oblique sling snatches as shown here by several of my NFL and collegiate athletes is a great full body power and stabilization movement while also working overhead mobility.

OPTION #2

Eccentric Isometrics RDL's & Power Shrugs (clean pulls) with NFL athlete Chris Carson is a great power exercise that also builds mass & strength through posterior chain.