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Here’s a unique single leg box jump demonstrated by one of my awesome NCAA higher jumpers, Bailey Weiland (@bcweiland). This exercise addresses lower body power, hip drive, unilateral explosiveness, rotational power, stabilization, and motor control. Essentially you’re performing a deconstructed single leg RDL box jump while simultaneously focusing on contralateral knee drive. This drill has significant transfer to a variety of sports and athletic endeavors as it targets multiple biomotor capabilities in one complete dynamic movement. Before you attempt these you’ll need to master your single leg hip hinge first. Check out the following article for more details on perfecting the single leg RDL and unilateral hip hinge (Read HERE.).

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When it comes to proper deadlift mechanics one of the most important factors is something I refer to as the "set and re-set” technique. Here’s one of my clients demonstrating proper mechanics on the squat-stance deadlift with that set and re-set technique. Notice how she treats each rep as it’s own individual set (multiple sets of 1) rather than approaching the set as a specific number of reps that run together. In addition she methodically sets her spine and deliberately pulls slack out of the bar each and every rep.

Besides maximizing strength, functional hypertrophy, and deadlift performance, this also happens to ensure optimal safety of the deadlift as it optimizes structural integrity of the spine and places all of the tension on the targeted musculature. The band resistance helps emphasize acceleration through the top of the lift while simultaneously deloading the bottom (the most difficult position) and overloading the top position (typically the strongest position).

Band resisted deadlifts are excellent for reinforcing proper deadlift mechanics while also working on speed and power output. To learn more about how I coach the deadlift check out the following article: https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/the-best-way-to-deadlift-squat-stance-deadlift

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If you’re looking for a unique and effective way to improve your overhead pressing mechanics that's also low back friendly try performing planking ab rollout shoulder presses. Here I’m performing 7 unique variations along with my awesome figure athlete Leslie Petch and and NFL athlete Vantrel McMillan. Simply anchor bands to the bar and your feet then press and rollout. In reality the movement pattern is almost identical to an overhead military press only you’re holding a plank position throughout.

As a result this does wonders not only for crushing your entire upper body and legs but it also teaches the lifter how to engage their core during vertical pressing exercises which most individuals struggle with. In fact it’s quite difficult to collapse into excessive lumbar extension due to the unique nature of the movement. As shown in the video there are a number of variations from single band to double band as well as push press variations which engages the whole body, single leg versions, trap bar presses, bear crawl overhead presses, and single arm push presses. It's also an effective way to incorporate accommodating resistance on overhead presses.

The tension and difficulty is easily adaptable to a number of fitness levels simply by changing the band tension or using a double band vs. single band setup. Although these look like a core dominant exercise the upper body particularly the deltoids, lats, triceps, upper pectorals, are really what get hammered although the core does get worked quite extensively.

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The bent over rotational kettlebell row is one of my go-to horizontal pulling exercises. Not only does it crush the entire upper back and lats but it also ingrains and teaches proper shoulder mechanics. Here’s of my awesome bodybuilding athletes Ben Lai demonstrating it while also emphasizing a strong isometric contraction in the fully contracted position. Although a similar setup can be employed using a dumbbell, the kettlebell allows the full rotation to occur. This rotational component allows a more supinated grip position in the contracted position which maximizes tension and shoulder centration, while the pronated grip in the bottom position allows maximal eccentric elongation and stretching of the lats. Not only does this provide a very strong hypertrophy stimulus for the entire upper back and lats but this helps optimizes scapulohumeral rhythm and glenohumeral joint mechanics. In other words it reinforces proper shoulder function and positioning.

Although the movement can be performed using both the isolateral version (a kettlebell in each hand), the unilateral version allows the athlete to focus all of their neural drive to one side of their body which further enhances muscle activation and technique. The single arm version is also more low-back friendly since there’s less total load on the spine compared to isolateral or bilateral bent over rows. Lastly the offset loading creates a strong stimulus to the core as the lifter must resist rotational forces and lateral flexion throughout. As an added bonus the glutes and hamstrings also get a nice run for their money.

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Here are two of my NFL athletes Prince Iworah and Blake Sims performing a single leg explosive pushup with a pause. When it comes to athletic performance improving power output is critical. However, learning to control and harness your power is just as critical. That’s because uncontrolled power can result in inefficient mechanics, wasted effort, energy leaks, imprecise movement, and potential injuries. With that said I like to frequently incorporate movements that address motor control, stabilization, balance, and spinal alignment while simultaneously working on power output and force production. By pausing before each rep as shown in the video this allows the lifter the chance to fully decelerate the catch with precise mechanics and eliminate sloppy movement.

It also minimizes the use of the elastic components of your muscle fibers thereby requiring greater motor unit recruitment and neural drive. Yes you may not be able to display or demonstrate as much power as if you were relying on the stretch reflex or elasticity of your muscles. However by pausing in this fashion you’re actually building and improving power to a greater degree while teaching your body how to call upon high threshold motor units more efficiently.

The single leg element also requires the lifter to resist rotational forces turning this into a solid core exercise. In addition, because of the more volatile and unstable single leg base the lifter will need to control their power output by synchronizing both sides of the body to move in unison. If one arm pushes more than the other body will tend to rotate or twist. Try performing several sets of 3 repetitions on each leg during your next upper body workout. You may also want to superset these with heavier chest presses as the potentiation from the press will help produce higher power output on the explosive pushups.

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Want to crush your glutes and hips unilaterally with a safe and effective hip hinge that also has phenomenal transfer to athletic performance? Try this single leg goblet good morning.

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Performing explosive lunge jumps with contralateral arm drive reinforces proper sprinting and stride mechanics as the arms, legs, and core must work in unison as a means of propelling the body upward and maintaining stability and balance.

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The kneeling lat pulldown is one of the best pulldown exercises for improving vertical pulling mechanics and cleaning up lat pulldown and pullup form as the kneeling variation forces the lifter to use very strict mechanics. Focus on tucking your elbows and creating good extension throughout the t-spine (chest out and head tall). The kneeling variation requires greater core activation ultimately producing enhanced spinal rigidity. As a result the shoulders and scapula are more locked in in comparison to other variations. In fact it's very difficult to over-pull in the bottom position (a common mistake by many lifters) as it feels very unnatural during the kneeling variation as it begins to pull your t-spine and core out of alignment.

Lastly, over-stretching in the top position by allowing the scapula and shoulders to over-elevate (another common problem) is nearly impossible with substantial loads as this will pull your entire body out of position. In essence anything but proper form is immediately punished with this pulldown variation making it highly conducive for improving vertical pulling mechanics for beginners and advanced lifters alike.

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Perhaps the most difficult quadruped is a variation made famous by the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) Assessment. Developed by Gray Cook and Lee Burton this quadruped drill was designed to represent the most challenging variation of rotary stability and spinal stabilization as a means of exposing any and all forms of imbalances and activation deficits. If you’ve ever witnessed or experienced an FMS assessment you’ll immediately understand how difficult this one can be as less than 10% of high level athletes can actually pass the test.

With that said, if you’re a glutton for punishment and looking for a core exercise that many consider impossible, look no further than the reverse ipsilateral quadruped. To add to the insanity, try performing these on a bench in a similar approach as the previous quadruped variations. The difference is that you’ll be lifting the same arm and leg (ipsilateral, i.e. right arm and right leg), rather than the opposite arm and leg (contralateral, i.e. right arm and left leg). This makes the movement feel insanely difficult to balance and control. If you’re a masochist like I am you can also try these eyes closed with a narrow base, positioning yourself widthwise on the bench. Just don’t blame me if you crash and burn.