Split Squat Technique
Today I want to cover proper and improper exercise technique for the split squat. I’ll go ahead and note up front that everything I’m going to discuss would apply to the myriad lunging variations as well. The only difference is the added component of movement (forwards, backwards, alternating or whatever).
Back Extension Technique
I consider the back extension to be a basic ‘core’ exercise. While low back certainly gets hit during big movements like squats and especially deadlifts (and RDL’s and good mornings), the spinal erectors tend to get hit primary isometrically (meaning that they contract without movement).
Lat Pulldown Technique
In a previous exercise technique article, I examined the Cable Row and today I want to examine the ‘other’ major back movement: the lat pulldown. In this article, I’m going to cover a narrow undergrip, medium overgrip (both in front of and behind the neck) and parallel grip handle.
Romanian Deadlift vs. Stiff Legged Deadlift
Having previously examined proper technique for the Clean Style Deadlift, I want to look at two related (and often confused) movement that are somewhat related to the deadlift.Those two movements are the Romanian Deadlift (RDL) and the Stiff-legged deadlift (SLDL). Many in the field tend to use these two terms interchangeably but they actually describe two very different exercises.
Cable Row Technique
The midback (and lats) make up a considerable amount of muscle mass in the body and training those muscles groups effectively should be a key part of any good training program. In terms of maintaining good shoulder health and posture, along with developing musculature that contributes significantly to overall mass; training the back properly is key. Unfortunately, many trainees either pay little attention to the back or train it so ineffectively as to make that training, well…ineffective.
Clean Style Deadlift Technique
Having examined Bench Press Technique fairly recently, I wanted to cover another important (and usually improperly done) exercise and that is the clean style deadlift. And while deadlifts are certainly less likely to be seen at the average commercial gym, when they are seen it’s usually a biomechanical horror that makes your back hurt to watch.
Bench Press Technique
Now, let me say right up front that I am going to be detailing a very specific variation on bench pressing, which is the raw generic power bench press. Lemme explain those terms. Raw means no gear as in no bench press shirts. Yeah, a lot of guys belt but, unless you’re using the belt to hold down your bench shirt, it’s pretty pointless. And I guess you could consider wrist wraps gear, I can’t say I’ve seen many non-powerlifters use them. But raw in this context means no bench shirt.
Woodchop and Reverse Woodchop
The woodchop and reverse woodchop actually exist in two very distinct forms; perhaps more interestingly they do basically opposite things. This is probably some of the source of the confusion. That’s in addition to the fact that most people seem compelled on this exercise to use wayyyyy too much weight which makes their form awful.
Leg Curl with Hip Extension
A commonly made argument is that there are no isolation or machine hamstring exercises that also work the glutes/posterior chain. This is usually claimed in articles that describe the Glute-Ham Raise exercise (GHR) which is a semi-isolation movement that does both).
It’s also incorrect.
Shirted Benching – A Guest Article by Dan Montague
In Bench Pressing Variations, I talked about the three different ‘types’ of bench pressing and tried to talk about geared/shirted bench pressing. And while I had the basic concept right, I presented geared benching a bit wrong. The grip was a bit narrow, the tuck a bit much
