A collection of 18 posts
Sensation does not equal stimulation. Exercises are frequently selected because of how target musculature “feels” during execution. Exercises commonly exhibit a huge gap between perceived activation and actual stimulation, and the sumo deadlift is one such exercise.
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The low bar back squat is a mainstay in the strength training and powerlifting worlds. The goal is to create the greatest possible force output. The concept is sound, but it’s missing a crucial factor: the size and shape of the person actually holding the bar.
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Setting up feet, hips, shoulder blades, head, and grip: nailing these five key setup points gives you the strongest and most stable base from which to press from.
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In most programs, warm-ups, core training, and joint function drills are either the most time-consuming, or the most neglected. What if we could collapse these aspects into deliberately programmed exercises?
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A good workout boils down to a finely-tuned collection of interdependent factors ranging across program structure, variable prescription, execution mechanics, and technical cues.
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Restricted shoulder rotation range is a frustratingly common cause of both plateaus and injuries. Shoulder warm-ups are helpful, but they only work temporarily. For lasting mobility changes, the shoulder needs graded exposure to the compromised ranges under meaningful load.
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But in practice, technical failure often gets in the way, forcing degraded execution and failure before the muscle reaches true exhaustion. Mechanical drop sets are an excellent tool to get around this problem.
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Mechanical tension is the primary driver of muscle stimulus. Practically speaking, this means lengthening and contracting the muscle under load. In order to do this, we need to keep one side of the joint in a (relatively) fixed position.
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When working in the neutral scapular plane, arm (and shoulder) musculature gain a natural mechanical advantage that allows them to do more work. All you need to do is to put your humerus in the right place.
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Thoracic rotation is driven by distinct muscular action at the top and bottom of the ribcage: the obliques act on the lower ribs, while the serratus anterior and rhomboids act on the upper ribs.
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