The reverse crunch is a fantastic anterior core exercise that we use frequently with our athletes at Cressey Sports Performance. While things like planks and rollouts teach you to resist extension, the reverse crunch uses the abs and oblique to create flexion from a neutral position, which is a necessary motion that many athletes lose from …
This week’s Technique Tuesday covers overhead carries, which we use all the time with our baseball players at Cressey Sports Performance. Turns out they’re not just for overhead athletes and actually fit perfectly in a general fitness routine or a powerlifting-focused program. I’ll cover three types of overhead carries that we frequently use and how they’ll …
Technique Tuesday: Overhead Carries – Not Just for Baseball Players Read More »
As we continue to hammer advanced core strength exercises, this week’s Techinque Tuesday is all about the body saw and its variations. The body saw challenges the anterior core much like the ab wheel rollout, but adds in an upper body component that is great for anyone looking to improve shoulder function. Slideboard body saws are the …
Technique Tuesday: Body Saw Variations for Advanced Core Strength Read More »
Core strength is more than just a fitness industry catch phrase. It’s essential if you want to be the best athlete you can be. The ab wheel rollout trains the core to do exactly what most athletes need it to do: resist hyperextension of the lumbar spine (in plain English, that’s overarching the lower back). However, …
Technique Tuesday: Ab Wheel Rollout Progressions Read More »
This week’s Technique Tuesday pulls another question we got from our Facebook live Q&A: how can you improve your deadlift lockout? In my experience, there are two reliable ways to build a stronger deadlift lockout: Get in a better position off the floor. Increase your bar speed. Between these two things, you should crush your …
Technique Tuesday: 2 Ways to Improve Your Deadlift Lockout Read More »
I won’t lie, front squats are brutal. But they’re even MORE brutal if you can’t get into a good setup position. We had a great question during our Facebook Live event (click here to re-watch it) about how to fix the front rack position to make front squats less grueling. If you have a hard time …
Technique Tuesday: 3 Ways to Fix Your Front Squat Setup Read More »
Last week, I talked about two trap bar exercises to build upper back strength. I also mentioned how I didn’t like the trap bar for building the conventional or sumo deadlift, and received several questions as to why. You asked and I answered in this week’s Technique Tuesday. Don’t get me wrong, trap bar deadlifts …
Technique Tuesday: 3 Reasons Trap Bar Deadlifts Don’t Carry Over to the Straight Bar Read More »
The trap bar is a fantastic tool to build strength for almost anyone. Team sport athletes and general fitness enthusiasts especially can use it as their go-to strength builder. Unfortunately, the trap bar has limited carryover to powerlifting. It’s too far removed from a conventional or sumo deadlift to have a big impact, so I don’t recommend it …
Technique Tuesday: 2 Unconventional Uses for the Trap Bar Read More »
I’ve been slacking the past week as I prepare for my wedding this weekend. Since I didn’t share my Technique Tuesday last week, you’ll get a double-dose this week. 2 Bench Press Habits You Need to Break Far too often I see lifters do two highly-detrimental things on the bench press: lift their head off …
This week’s Technique Tuesday covers the seated sumo deadlift, which is a drill I use with lifters to fix a common problem: an inability to push with the legs during the sumo deadlift. Lots of lifters get out of position while deadlifting and feel like they’re only using their back. The seated sumo deadlift forces …
Technique Tuesday: Seated Sumo Deadlift to Help You Feel Your Legs Read More »
