When it comes to pain during squats, most people think knees, hips and lower back. But what if back squats bug your shoulders and elbows? Traditional low-bar back squatting can make these joints pretty cranky over time, especially if you’re not particularly mobile. This week’s Technique Tuesday covers three super simple tips to make squats …
Technique Tuesday: Making Squats More Joint Friendly Read More »
Chin-ups are no doubt an excellent exercise to build upper body strength. A big strong upper back may be THE limiting factor in the squat, bench press, and deadlift, so chin-ups have a place in almost any powerlifting program. The only problem: they can be super uncomfortable for many lifters, especially in their shoulders. That’s …
Technique Tuesday: 3 Ways to Make Chin-Ups More Shoulder Friendly Read More »
The overhead press is a polarizing lift. People seem to either love it or hate. There are a few reasons for that: 1) It’s really hard to do correctly and 2) it’s hard to see the direct carryover to the bench press. I’m here to tell you that a properly-executed overhead press is perfectly safe and …
Technique Tuesday: 3 Common Overhead Press Mistakes Read More »
This week’s Technique Tuesday explains the proper shoulder position during the deadlift. There’s a lot of confusion about what to do with the upper back and shoulders to lift maximum weight, and I’m here today to clear up that confusion. Spoiler alert: the “shoulders down and back” cue isn’t nearly as useful for deadlifting as you …
Technique Tuesday – Shoulder Position During the Deadlift Read More »
I like to keep things simple. Pushups are simple, so I like them. One of the most common exercise questions I hear people ask (right next to “how much ya bench?” and “are squats bad for your knees?” [answers: “Not enough” and “Shut up and go squat”]) is “how can I do more pushups?” There …
We all know the famous quote by bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman: “Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder, but nobody wanna lift this heavy-ass weight.” But something similar could be said about the bench press: “Everybody wanna bench press a house, but nobody wanna take care of their broken-ass shoulders.” Lots of people have really lousy posture …
Squats are hands down my favorite exercise. They bring the full package – they can make you strong, huge AND athletic. They’re the exercise equivalent of the perfect woman – smart, funny AND beautiful. The problem is, squats are rarely beautiful. In fact, if you walk into the average gym, nine of out 10 squats …
