Read About Exercise

MAIN OPTION

This first exercise is a fun & effective challenge that just so happens to both expose & address a variety of imbalances from head to toe. It’s one thing to perform a single arm javelin press & learn to control it. Throw in a second barbell & controlling 2 unstable loads overhead becomes exponentially more challenging. Add in the single leg sprinter hold with 90 deg knee drive & you’ve upped the stakes several fold.

To successfully complete this (2 eccentric isometrics reps per leg) you’ll need to dial in every component of your movement, alignment, symmetry, balance, stability, motor control, foot & ankle activation, and mobility from head to toe. If there’s any movement aberration or form of dysfunction you’ll likely find it very difficult to complete.

Additionally, to successfully complete this you’ll your best shot will be using eccentric isometrics. In fact, it’s the frequent & repeated use of 90 degree eccentric isometrics on basic foundational movements that makes tough challenges I periodically post such as this feasible. That’s because long term use of eccentric isometrics maximizes proprioceptive feedback & kinesthetic awareness thus enabling the lifter to master their form & body mechanics. It’s also the most effective training strategy I know of for improving strength, hypertrophy, athletic performance, & joint health. However, there’s also an immediate short term effect on difficult movements. To successfully control the movement you’ll be forced to use eccentric isometrics right then & there as anything less will make it nearly impossible.

Lastly, make sure you go barefoot or use minimalist shoes as I do here to optimize foot ankle activation (the most underrated component of fitness). I’m wearing shoes from VivoBarefoot which are the best barefoot shoes in the industry. Use code AHP to get 10% off any Vivobarefoot shoe. Finally, barefoot shoes that look cool!

EASIER OPTION

There was recently a discussion in the membership forum on my website regarding what an eccentric isometric push press looks like so here it is. Essentially the concentric phase is pretty standard using maximal power output by exploding with both the legs & upper body to drive the weight up. After you pause in the overhead slot position this is where things get a unique. Simply perform a slow & controlled eccentric phase but pause in the 90-deg position before allowing the weight to collapse and settle back to the rack/semi-rack position (something he could improve).

This move is something I highlight extensively in my book Movement Redefined as provides 4 benefits. 1) full body speed & power output 2) eccentric overload for functional strength & hypertrophy as well as connective tissue strength, 3) joint friendly push press, 4) improved body mechanics, proprioception, sensory feedback, & overall technique due to the eccentric isometric protocol.

I’m not a huge fan of trying to eccentrically control the load in a slow fashion after you move significantly past 90-deg as this can place undue strain on the joints & connective tissue not to mention negatively alter the natural length tension relationship of the muscle fibers - a topic I discuss in depth in my book MOVEMENT REDEFINED.

Read About Exercise

When employing the longitudinal trap bar method, you can also use bodyweight variations. In terms of variations of bodyweight drills the options are endless. However a few of my favorites when employing the longitudinal trap bar protocol include pushups, inverted rows, dips, pullups, hanging leg raises, single leg pushups, single leg inverted rows, and more. Besides being much more unstable it forces the lifter to push and pull with perfectly symmetrical force as anything less will cause the bar to move out of control. Read more about the longitudinal trap bar method HERE.

Read About Exercise

Not only does the renegade shoulder raise blast the rear deltoids and upper back but it absolutely torches the core. Here are 6 varations each from different clients and athletes including NFL athle Julian Williams, Ben Lai, Leslie Petch, Michael Horner, Bonnie Shea, and Todd Weiland. As you raise the dumbbell farther away from your center of mass the weight pulls more and more on your core creating strong rotational forces and extension forces on the spine that the lifter must resist. Read more HERE.

Read About Exercise

This a brutally intense 2 in 1 ULC (upper lower combo) full body squat exercise (article link in bio) as he performs hammer grip front curled squats with the trap bar with 95 lbs. Think of this as a goblet squat but with the added benefit of blasting the biceps & forearms. Also check out my other physique athlete Ben Lai’s page & give him a follow as he’s showing another similar variation.

Besides absolutely torching the biceps, forearms, upper back, shoulders, & core these also reinforce very strict 90 degree squat mechanics (optimal squat ROM). That’s because it’s almost impossible to collapse & go past 90 deg as the trap bar bar will end up hitting your legs. Your biceps also get crushed as you’ll be flexing the daylights out of them to keep the trap bar from collapsing to your thighs, forcing you to maintain maximal bicep activation in the contracted position (a strong hypertrophy stimulus).

Because of the biomechanically disadvantageous leverage involved with holding the trap bar in front of you, too much momentum on the eccentric makes it feel like you’ll lose control of the bar & be unable to keep your arms flexed. This literally forces the athlete to use an eccentric isometric protocol (when using heavy weight) in order to avoid having the momentum pulling your arms down.

Lastly, as previously mentioned the effects are quite similar to a goblet squat although the core gets taxed to a greater extent on these since the load is further in front of the center of mass. However, another benefit these have over goblet squats is the wider neutral grip which not only blasts the upper back but also reinforces sound posture. Oftentimes the close grip position of the goblet squat can lead to excessive shoulder rounding. This variation helps remedy that.

Read About Exercise

(Note: Perform single bar if you don't have access to double landmines). Although it seems like a simple exercise the lateral raise is one of the most butchered isolation movements you'll see. Rather than lifting the weights straight out to the sides, the lifter should focus on using an angular movement roughly 20-30 degrees out to the sides of the torso (almost at a sight diagonal angle). In other words a proper lateral raise involves moving the arms to the sides and slightly to the front of the body. This helps to maximize recruitment of the lateral deltoids and while taking stress off the joints and connective tissue. In addition, most lifters lead with their thumbs up when performing lateral raises which is another common mistake as the thumbs should be pointed slightly down like pouring a glass of water especially at the top of the movement.

Performing landmine lateral raises as demonstrated by several of my athletes literally guides the lifter into the perfect path for performing lateral raises due to the rotational nature of the landmine device. Simply put if you start wit h the tips of the landmine at the side of your hips at the bottom of the movement, you’ll inevitably raise the arms up slightly to the front of the torso in the top position thereby appropriating the natural angular range of motion for lateral raises. In addition the rotational nature of the device angles the thumbs and palms down as you raise to the top of the movement further ingraining proper lateral raise mechanics.

Lastly, most lifters use excessive momentum, cheating, swinging, and shifting when performing lateral raises. To glean the benefits of this or any other movement particularly isolation exercises, the key is smooth and controlled motions. By incorporating the single leg stand into the movement this requires the lifter to employ smooth, strict, and controlled mechanics as anything less will result in loss of balance. Finally, if you don’t have access to a double landmine station, this movement can be just as easily be performing in a single arm fashion. Try performing several sets of 12-15 reps (or 6-8 on each leg) at the end of your next shoulder day. Just be prepared for an incredible burn followed soon after by a shapely pair of cannonball deltoids.

Read About Exercise

OPTION #1

NOTE: The 2+2+2 rep protocol indicates the lifter should perform 2 rows per every RDL. For example, one will perform 2 rows followed by 1 RDL, followed by 2 rows and 1 RDL, etc. for a total of 6 rows and 3 total RDLs per set.

Here's an awesome row and RDL combination. This movement absolutely crushes the entire posterior chain from head to toe. This combination of wide stance which places more stress on the glute and hamstring tie-in combined with the intermittent RDL's is a great way tax the backside of the lower body and upper back and lats simultaneously. I've also found the close underhand grip to be very conducive for targeting the lats and promoting optimal shoulder mechanics. It reinforces the idea of keeping the elbows tucked throughout while increased the range of motion of the actual row (without the elbows or triceps moving past the torso) and not sacrificing optimal mechanics.

OPTION #2

Besides blasting just about every muscle in the posterior chain including the glutes, hamstrings, lats, upper back, spinal erectors & more, these GHR rows are also an incredibly postural correction & body alignment drill. In fact GHR rows are some of my favorite in general because they’re impossible to cheat & they reinforce perfect rowing mechanics.

In addition it’s nearly impossible to use excessive range of motion or over-row. Like most movements, 90 deg joint angles is optimal including on squats, hinges, lunges, pushes, & pulls. In fact it’s for this reason my clients such as Leslie can crush insanely advanced movements like these while staying completely injury free. It’s because they train with 90 deg eccentric isometrics which bulletproof the body while building maximal functional strength & hypertrophy.

Eccentric isometrics with 90 deg joint angles also prepare the body to be able to handle any & all stimuli thrown at it including the occasional scenario of extreme or excessive ROM that should be saved for those extreme circumstances rather than consistently practiced as that would simply degrade the body & make it more prone to injury.

Read About Exercise

Elevating the legs during any type of chest press is an excellent way to place greater stress on the chest shoulders and triceps as it isolates the upper body by eliminating assistance from the hips and legs. It also does wonders for cleaning up your form and technique. Here's one of my NFL Combine athletes performing a unique close grip bench press variation.

Read About Exercise

PART 1

This next exercise is an eccentric overload cheat curl. When it comes to producing functional mass & strength, it’s difficult to beat eccentric overload. That’ s because it takes advantage of all 3 key known mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy including mechanical tension, muscle damage, & metabolic stress.

Here Marcelis is using a cheat curl by incorporating his hips & legs into the concentric phase allowing him to handle supramaximal loading (greater than his 1RM) for the eccentric phase. In other words the heaviest he might use for curls would be 65 lb dumbbells however this method allowed him to handle 75’s for the eccentric phase of the reps thereby maximizing the overload effect & ultimately inducing the greatest levels of functional strength & hypertrophy.

If I had to give one critique I would recommend using more hip drive on the concentric to avoid the use of so much lumbar & low back extension to drive the weight up. This improved throughout the set as he began to rely more on his hips & less on his back.

Due to intensity of eccentric overload, I recommend incorporating several sets of 3-5 reps once ever 7-15 days as anymore can produce excessive muscle damage & neural fatigue making it difficult to recover from training. In fact, eccentric overload has actually been shown to produce muscle atrophy when used excessively simply because the tissues can become over-damaged and over-stressed.

PART 2

If you’re looking for a unique yet brutal way to spice up your core and arm training try this renegade concentration biceps curl. Besides placing incredible tension on the entire musculature of the core and lumbopelvic hip complex, the renegade plank position is actually quite conducive for performing concentration curls as the top position provides maximal tension in the fully contracted position of a bicep curl.

As an added bonus it’s nearly impossible to cheat with these as you’ll be forced to maintain neutral spinal alignment as a means of holding an offset single arm renegade plank. Try performing several sets of 6-10 reps toward the end of your warm workout while making sure you hold the peak contracted position 2 seconds before controlling the eccentric phase.

Also notice how Mazi adjusted his hip position after the first few reps to insure his hips weren’t too low (a common problem on planks and anti-extension movements). When it doubt it’s always better to have the hips a bit taller.

The renegade position (commonly used for renegade rows can also be combined with a multitude of other movements including shoulder raises, long lever rows, tricep kickbacks, cable rows, cable presses, and more. If you’re looking to further challenge your core try performing them eyes closed or with your feet elevated on a bench as this increases the extension forces on the spine.

Read About Exercise

PART 1

Part 1 of this superset is using the BANA 2:1 Bilateral Assisted Negative Accentuated Training Protocol (down with 2 up with 1) on tricep pressdowns with is incredibly effective for functional hypertrophy. I’ve also posted at least a dozen BANA variations over the last year. In fact, Friday I posted a landmine row using a similar method, however I received various questions about the reasons for this protocol therefore I wanted to use this more simple variation to illustrate the BANA method more clearly.

Research has proven time and again that eccentric overload is one of the most potent forms of training not only for building incredible levels of functional strength & hypertrophy but also for injury prevention. It’s for this reason I’ve posted numerous articles & methods over the years that highlight unique but effective protocols to take advantage of eccentric overload including the Power Rack Eccentric Potentiation Method, Compound Isolation Movements, Biomechanical Drop Rep, Eccentric Accentuated Push Press, Landmine Negative Training, Table Top Squeeze Press, and more. See 100+ variations on website.

With the BANA method, you’re performing the concentric phase of the lift with 2 limbs & the eccentric phase with 1 limb thereby providing greater eccentric overload during that eccentric or negative movement. For instance in this video Eric using 130 lbs which is approximately 40 more pounds than he could use if he were performing strict single arm tricep cable pressdowns without the assistance of the other arm. Simply, this allows him to overload the daylights out of his triceps with high levels of eccentric tension. Once again, the research is quite clear this is very very effective for functional strength & hypertrophy. Besides blasting the triceps, these also tax the core & abs due to the offset loading that wants to rotate & tilt your body.

PART 2

The traditional skull crusher plank is a great tricep and core combination movement. Unfortunately because you're resting on the floor at the bottom, it involves little to no tension in the 90 degree stretched position which is really the sweet spot for maximal muscle activation and hypertrophy. Elevating yourself just slightly allows you to take advantage of the 90 degree eccentric isometric functional strength and hypertrophy stimulus. Just be warned these are much more challenging than they look.

Read About Exercise

Looking for a brutal full body & arm exercise? Try this eccentric isometric Bulgarian squat & bicep curl combo as shown by my awesome client Eric McIntyre. 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.