A collection of 42 posts
The key distinction of the dumbbell press is that it allows the shoulder to express rotation in the context of a compound exercise, which has big upside potential for hypertrophy and shoulder function. The downside is that it demands precise execution to make it work.
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Greater range of motion in a given exercise is not automatically “better.” It's a good general heuristic that generally leads to better outcomes across the board; but just like any other heuristic, it has more than its fair share of exceptions. The pec fly is one such case.
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Joint restrictions put a cap just how closely we can reach true physiological failure. The shoulder, which relies on the complex integration of many parts to move, is particularly susceptible. Enter the Cable Y-Raise: an exercise that specifically challenges the shoulder’s integrated nature.
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Science-based critique is generally well-meaning in intent, but often suffers from an environmental disconnect in practice. With supersets and dropsets, the argument is that they offer no greater benefit over regular straight sets, but this stance ignores a crucial real-world constraint: time.
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A properly-loaded set of Bulgarian Split Squats performed near failure is a quasi-religious experience. That’s because it’s a massively effective powerhouse of an exercise that rewards send-it-and-don’t-look-back levels of effort.
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Shoulder impingement is one of the most pervasive boogeymen in training. Everyone has been warned about it at some point... and with good reason. The collateral damage is one of the greatest tragedies in upper body training: the upright row.
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The KB windmill is a unicorn in that plainly exposes the capacity to command thoracic rotation, shoulder external/internal rotation, scapular upward/downward rotation, and ribcage function.
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Spinal stability, ribcage function, and scapular mechanics are crucial for long-term progression.
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In the clinical realm, there’s a common perspective that, for the sake of safety, we should only train within the active range of any given joint. The reality, however, is not even remotely so black-and-white.
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The physiology behind self-myofascial release is popularly bastardized and widely misunderstood. While “breaking up scar tissue” seems like a reasonable explanation, it’s actually impossible with foam rollers, lacrosse balls, and the like. The actual mechanism at work here is sensory input.
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