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Performing deadlifts and squats using the longitudinal hanging barbell protocol not only hammers the entire musculature of the legs including the quads, glutes and hamstrings but it’s also incredibly low back friendly. In addition, it represents a more symmetrical, safe, and natural variation of the Jefferson deadlift.

I’ve stated numerous times over the last several years that the squat stance deadlift is the most natural and joint-friendly deadlift position. Well it just so happens that this variation forces the lifter to employ those exact mechanics as the lift feels very similar to performing a kettlebell deadlift or kettlebell squat. Because the weight hangs directly under your center of mass rather than in front of it (as would be the case with traditional deadlifts), the tension to the low back and spine is markedly less. In addition, the legs receive more direct stimulation as the movement feels quite similar to something like a belt squat.

Unlike the hanging trap bar variation which requires a bit more of an elaborate setup with boxes, the longitudinal hanging trap bar variation involves an incredibly simple and user-friendly setup. Simply load a bar with as much weight as desired, straddle the bar, place a T-bar v-grip handle in the center of that bar, then grip and rip.

In the video below I’m demonstrating the deadlift /dead stop version while my awesome client Leslie is demonstrating the eccentric isometric squat version. Besides the fact that you don’t need to use a trap bar, the longitudinal hanging barbell method provides a few additional benefits over the trap bar variation.

1. There is a significant instability and volatility component involved as the bar must sit perfectly in the v-grip handle without tilting. Any deviations in form, shifting, excessive momentum, loss of motor control, or postural deviations will cause the bar to tilt out of control. For instance if the lifter allows their shoulders to round over or shifts their weight towards their toes rather than driving through the heels, the bar will tilt forward towards the ground. In contrast, if the lifter hyperextends their spine or uses cervical hyperextension to help lift the weight (i.e. tilts their head up excessively) this will cause the rear portion of the barbell to tilt back and down towards the floor with the front end tilting up towards the ceiling. In other words the lifter is required to find the perfect balance of weight distribution and postural alignment in order to maintain balance of the barbell.

2. This is perhaps the single most effective deadlift variation I’ve ever used for teaching the lifter to use strict and rigid pulling mechanics during the first few inches off the floor. If the lifter tries to muscle or yank the weight off the floor rather than smoothly and patiently driving with their legs and hips, the bar will tilt in an almost uncontrollable fashion. In fact, if you watch the very first rep on my deadlift set, you’ll notice I used a bit too much momentum and wasn’t patient enough with my lower body. As a result of slightly muscling the weight off the floor you could see the barbell begin to tilt. However, this provided immediate feedback which I could use on subsequent reps to clean up my form and hone in on my deadlift mechanics for the remainder of the set. This setup also helps to reinforce the idea of pulling slack out of the barbell as failing to do so will also result in loss of barbell control.

3. The longitudinal hanging barbell squat and deadlift also provides one of the best methods for performing deadlifts with a more low-back friendly range of motion. For instance, performing deadlifts from the floor oftentimes represents an overly-large range of motion for many lifters as the individual has to sit down much lower than they naturally would choose to (oftentimes greater than 90 degree joint angles) to pull a heavy load off the floor. Elevating the load 2-3 inches higher typically places the athlete at just the right height where the range of motion feels more ideal and produces joint angles more closely resembling 90 degree joint angles. While you could simply place the weight onto smaller blocks or weight plates, using the longitudinal hanging barbell method (by hooking a v-grip onto the bar) requires a much less complex setup not to mention one where the athlete doesn’t have to worry about the barbell rolling off the boxes/plates each time they place the weight down.

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This is a great exercise for targeting the glutes and hamstrings in the fully-contracted position. Focus on creating a strong contraction and tension at the top position, hold for several seconds then lower slowly. Once you touch the floor drive back to the top position without resting on the floor. This exercise can be done by driving through the entire foot (flat foot position), or the heel (toes elevated/dorsiflexed position) Most individuals when performing glute bridges and hip thrusters simply go through the motions without feeling the muscles working. Focus on squeezing the glutes and hamstrings throughout without letting the low back become excessively involved.

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The dumbbell squeeze press is an incredibly effective horizontal pressing movement that crushes the chest. Unfortunately the exaggerated close grip position can oftentimes cause shoulder crowding making it difficult to fully retract and medially rotate the scapula. As a result an exercise that was initially intended to be joint friendly can actually place undue strain on the shoulder joint, elbows, and wrists.

A simple remedy for this is to place a foam roller or medicine ball between the dumbbells as I have NFL players and GSP sponsored athletes Tyson Graham and Christian Blake performing here along with the second video where I perform an incline head off variation. The foam roller creates just enough space between the dumbbells to promote more natural scapulohumeral rhythm and glenohumeral joint centration thereby optimizing shoulder health and upper body mechanics. This method also provides 3 additional benefits.

1. The lifter actually has to squeeze the dumbbells together more aggressively than a traditional floor press to keep the foam roller from slipping out. As a result the intense adduction forces and maximal isometric chest fly mechanics combined with the horizontal pressing protocol creates enormous intramuscular tension & metabolic stress on the chest not to mention the triceps & shoulders.

2. The lifter is force to slow the squeeze press down even more so than normal to ensure the foam roller doesn’t slip or slide. This eliminates excessive momentum and requires the lifter to use smooth and controlled pressing mechanics.

3. You’ll likely have to reduce the load by 20% on these. However nearly every athlete I’ve had perform these has commented on how intense they were on the targeted musculature particularly the chest. Simply put, this method allows for lighter than normal loading yet still with brutal stimulation to the chest making these a joint-friendly mass builder.

Read more about this & many other unique squeeze presses in my full length article at https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/the-ultimate-chest-press-for-massive-pectorals-squeeze-press-with-bands

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The Barbell lunge or split squat is a great exercise for combining with band assistance or reverse bands. That's because it allows you to deload the weaker bottom position and overload the stronger top position. Read detailed cues and instructions for performing proper lunges at my full-length article at https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/lunges-and-split-squats-you-are-doing-them-wrong

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OPTION #1

Plyometric pull-ups are a great way to increased upper back strength and size. if you don’t have access to a pullup set-up with different height bars you can simply use the same bar and flip your grip in mid air to produce a similar effect as shown in the video tutorial. Read more about plyometric pull-ups HERE.

OPTION #2

Here's a crazy brutal pullup with the ball band knee raise pullup. Most folks lack proper mediolateral hip and knee alignment when performing knee raise exercises. This helps remedy that.

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OPTION #1

Reeves RDL's are one of the single best exercises for strengthening the entire posterior chain as well as targeting postural muscles of the entire body. Focus on hinging at the hips throughout and keeping a neutral arch throughout. If you’re unfamiliar with the Reeves deadlift it’s an old school exercise developed over six decades ago by one of the most famous bodybuilders of all time, Steve Reeves. Reeves was known for having an incredible v-taper and massive upper back that was so visually stunning he was cast as Hercules in several films. Although he incorporated many solid upper back movements into his routine, a significant fraction of his Herculean physique can be attributed to the Reeves deadlift.

The Reeves deadlift involves an inordinately wide grip that is much wider than a snatch grip. So much so that the lifter is actually gripping the edge or handles of the weight plates on the collars rather than the actual bar itself. Although this deadlift crushes the upper back and lats due to the wide grip placement. If the barbell is too wide simply use an EZ-curl bar.

Read more about Reeves Deadlifts at the following: https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/make-the-reeves-deadlift-better-with-the-trap-bar

OPTION #2

Most folks have poor mediolateral hip, knee, and ankle alignment not only on squats but other standing exercises including bent over rows and RDLs. Here's how to fix it with the ball band method.

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(Note: Choose a light weight that ensures perfect form and RPE of only 3-4). If I could only chose one variation for improving Arnold press technique it would be the use of bottoms-up protocols with plates or kettlebells as shown in the video. Besides being some of the most challenging overhead pressing variations you’ll ever perform, these are guaranteed to lock in both your Arnold press and other overhead pressing movements to another level. In addition, the level intramuscular tension, metabolic stress, muscular pump and overall burn you’ll create with these is through the roof making them highly effective for building functional mass and strength throughout your shoulders and arms. To learn 12 reasons and more why this is so effective for improving the Arnold press see HERE.

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OPTION #1

Here's one of the hardest eccentric overload exercises you can perform as NFL athlete Ameer Abdullah shows the BANA 2:1 Bilateral Assisted Negative Accentuated pullover with hollow body leg raise which crushes the upper back, lats, core, triceps, chest, and more.

OPTION #2

The Hanging Band Technique (HBT) is one of my favorite methods to combine with eccentric isometrics. It relies on oscillating kinetic energy to produce chaotic perturbations & unpredictable oscillations that the lifter must learn to control. This not only improves proprioceptive feedback & kinesthetic awareness but it also forces the lifter slow the repetitions down by eliminating momentum & learn to control the movement.

In fact to maximize control when using the HBT method the lifter will out of necessity gravitate towards 90 deg eccentric isometrics as that’s the most effective method not only for learning how to control the movement but also for gaining functional strength & size not to mention athletic performance & joint health.

Also notice how my client is not over-rowing past 90 deg. Excessive range of motion is one of the most common mistakes not only on rows but most moves including squats, presses, hinges, & more. Eccentric isometrics helps the lifter find the optimal 90 deg position. The split stance RDL & Row provides 10 unique benefits.

1. Eliminates momentum common with bent over rows.

2. Stretches both the hip flexor and extensor.

3. Addresses balance & stability.

4. Addresses symmetry in lower body.

5. Crushes the upper regions of the back and lats.

6. Involves a more low-back friendly row.

7. Targets core more with barbell due to the load being in front of center of mass.

8. Blasts the glutes & hamstrings

9. Works the musculature of the calves

10. Has great transfer to sprinting & athletic performance.

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OPTION #1

The Copenhagen side windmill plank is one of the single most effective and functional drills not only for taxing the core but for targeting the muscles of the inner thighs. These adductors and inner thigh muscles are often neglected by various athletic populations. Essentially what’s happening here is you’re holding a side plank while resisting abduction of the top leg which in turn intensely activates the adductor muscles.

OPTION #2

If you want to improve the quality & efficiency of your rotational movement while simultaneously addressing rotational mobility, power, motor control, & full body stability try using eccentric isometric rotational drills.

Most rotational moves only reinforce pre-existing levels of rotational movement quality and do very little to enhance it. For instance, if there’s a weak link in the kinetic chain or a small compensation pattern anywhere in oblique slings, it’s almost impossible to diagnose or correct during more traditional rotational movements. Its for this reason that many of the rotational movements I implement involve eccentric isometrics. Read more about eccentric isometrics in my best-selling book MOVEMENT REDEFINED.

Like all other eccentric isometrics I’ve highlighted over the years, rotational eccentric isometrics allow the lifter to hone in on their movement, self-assess where various issues may be occurring (via sense of feel), and then fine-tune their body mechanics based on the enhanced sensory feedback produced from the eccentric isometric. In reality it’s fulfilling the same purpose as all other eccentric isometrics I post such as squats, hinge, lunges, press, & pulls, except it’s applied to rotational movements occurring in the transverse plane.

As with any other eccentric isometric, the goal is never maximal or extreme range of motion but instead natural/optimal range of motion which ends up being more compact than typically suggested.

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(Note: Choose any of the illustrated video variations). As a strength coach and trainer, a majority of the foot and ankle issues I witness particularly among higher level athletes falls into the category of flat feet, fallen arches, ankle pronation, valgus ankle collapse, and poor toe gripping mechanics. The “bridge the gap” protocol addresses this head. Read more HERE.