Whether it’s right or wrong, when most people think about “chest muscle” or “upper body training”, they think about the bench press. And when they’re ready for some variety, forget about dumbbell benching. They’ll often stick with a big barbell lift and hit up its companion — the incline bench press.

Despite the fact that these lifts may be at risk of being overhyped or oversaturated, they’re still both great and highly effective training options when it comes to adding strength and muscle to your upper body. Depending on your goals and your starting point, they’re actually worth a place in the right program.

Both exercises make it easy to gauge progress and see consistent results. But if you really want to get the most from them, you need a thorough understanding of what makes these two basic chest-builders different, what unique benefits they each offer, and you’ve got to know how to perform them effectively.

Incline Bench Press and Flat Bench Press

• Exercise Differences
• Exercise Similarities
• How to Do the Incline Bench Press
• How to Do the Flat Bench Press
• How to Program the Right Bench Press for Your Goal

Differences Between the Incline Bench Press and Flat Bench Press

To be thorough, it’s important to understand that the differences go beyond just using a slight angle. Each exercise is its own muscle-building monster and requires an understanding of what it can, or cannot, offer.

Muscle Recruitment 

The flat bench press and incline bench press are both upper body presses that bear load for the shoulder joint and attached muscles. Being on an incline and pressing relatively closer to an overhead position will recruit a bit more of the clavicular pectoralis muscles (“upper chest”). (1) In comparison, the flat bench press will involve a bit more of the sternal pectoralis (mid or “lower” chest).

Incline pressing will recruit more of the deltoids (shoulders) — especially the front deltoids — compared to a flat bench press. Again, this is due to the arm angle relative to the body. This shoulder recruitment can be greater or lesser depending on the angle of the incline. A higher incline bench press will be more deltoid-dominant compared to a lower incline bench press. (2)

Joint Stress 

Both of these lifts are bench press variations, and both will generally involve much of the same efforts. However, the incline bench press will be a bit more biased toward the shoulder joint and more contingent upon overall shoulder health. 

Not only does the incline bench press bring your shoulder into a greater degree of extension at the bottom of each rep, but it also finishes each rep in more of an overhead position. For many lifters, this will be more taxing on the rotator cuff and shoulder joint, which is already a relatively limited in its stability compared to other joints. 

Bench Angle and Arm Position 

The flat bench press — the more popular and glamorized of the two lifts — is performed while lying horizontally on a flat bench. A lifter will likely have the capability to move a bit more weight due to the body’s orientation relative to the barbell and its path.

The incline bench press is performed on a bench that’s typically inclined to 45-degrees. This angle is fixed for incline bench stations, however it can be higher or lower if you’re using an adjustable bench placed in a squat cage, a Smith machine, or another customizable setup.

Since your torso is, as expected, more inclined during the incline bench press, your arm and shoulder position will be more flexed (closer to an overhead position) during the movement. In comparison, the flat bench press will ask more of a healthy shoulder capsule to lift the weight through a full range of motion.

Hand Position and Grip Width

Many find that using a slightly narrower grip on the flat bench press compared to the incline bench press is not only more comfortable, but also friendlier to their shoulder joints. The closer your upper arms remain to your torso, the easier it is to protect the relatively delicate shoulder joint while moving deep into extension through bottom-end ranges.

Because these bottom-end ranges are more exaggerated on the incline, as your elbows can move far below your body, using a slightly wider grip with the incline press can help prevent the elbow from traveling too far below the body’s line. That can sometimes mean stopping a couple of inches shy of an “ideal” bar-to-chest range of motion.

Seat Position and Footing

The incline bench press will have a much deeper seated position. This will be significant and noticeable, especially for taller lifters or those with relatively longer legs.

This can affect things like foot placement relative to your body and floor drive. It may not be quite as easy to achieve a “tucked” position when incline bench pressing. Because leg drive is reduced, the incline bench press is slightly more dependent on the force produced from the upper body alone. In contrast, the flat bench press can benefit from increased total-body tension created by a strong leg drive.

Point of Contact on the Body

Due to the differences in torso angle, even though the vertical line of the bar remains consistent, the point of contact on your body will indeed be different. In both lifts, the goal should be to maintain a vertical forearm so your elbow always remains under the bar at the bottom of the rep and your straight arm is under the bar at the top.

Doing this while changing the torso angle from one lift to another means the bar will most likely make contact somewhere around the mid-chest line during the flat bench press (depending on your arm length) and somewhere around your collarbones with the incline bench press. The incline pressing position may also result in slightly more outwardly flared elbows due to the higher point of contact.

Similarities Between the Incline Bench Press and Flat Bench Press

As founding members of the barbell bench press family, both the incline and flat bench press share several major similarities.

Horizontal Push Pattern

By classification, both the flat and incline bench press belong to the same movement pattern known as “horizontal pushing.” Both exercises focus on your upper body and both use your shoulder capsule as the primary load-bearing joint.

To some degree, your chest, shoulders, and triceps will be key players from a muscular perspective, even though the bench angle will determine the degree to which each muscle is recruited — as explained earlier.

Total Body Involvement 

From a technique standpoint, the incline bench press and flat bench press both require focus to keep the bar path relatively vertical and perpendicular to the floor.

That involves setting a “target” in the same place on the ceiling for every repetition. It also involves placing tension throughout your entire body, including your upper back, glutes, and quads. One cue that proves invaluable for both lifts is “Aiming to “driving your feet into the floor,” especially as weight becomes heavier.

Available Variations

In both the incline bench press and the flat bench press, the opportunity exists to use kinds of barbells, like a neutral-grip football bar or cambered bar. Both movements can also be performed with different apparatus such as dumbbells or kettlebells to suit a lifter’s preferences or needs.

Furthermore, even if using a traditional barbell, there are options to add bands or chains to the bar. This will change the resistance profile to favor certain portions of the lift without altering basic setup or technique. 

How to Incline Bench Press

The majority of cues for each type of bench press are virtually transferable. The most significant difference with the incline bench press is a change in the point of contact between the bar and your body.

Otherwise, you’ll find a similar checklist between the two movements. Regardless, be sure to treat the incline bench press as its own exercise and don’t try to simply copy “flat bench press technique using an incline bench.” Perform an incline bench press properly and deliberately.

• Set up the bench pad and rack so your eyes start under the bar.
• Assume four points of contact — feet on the floor, glutes on the bench, upper back on the bench, and head on the bench.
• Create a “tucked” position — pulling your feet toward your glutes and planting your toes into the ground.
• Grab the bar at a comfortable width that keeps your forearm vertical during the movement.
• Drag the bar out, rather than “lifting” it, into a starting position over your eyes. Remember, it’s an incline so the bar should start and finish over your eyes rather than over your shoulders.
• Lower to a full range of motion, toward your collarbones, without bouncing in the bottom position.
• Remain tight and drive your feet into the ground as you exhale and press the weight up.

How to Flat Bench Press 

Some lifters take the bench press for granted, assuming that “they know how it’s done” or that it can’t be too complicated because everyone does it. Unfortunately, that approach often leads to bad shoulders, poor strength gains, and limited muscle growth.

Exactly because it’s popular, and because it has so many potential physical benefits, is why the flat bench press should be performed properly.

• Lie on the bench so your eyes start under the bar. If possible, adjust the bar hooks to start roughly six inches below full lockout to allow a good unrack.
• Assume four points of contact — feet on the floor, glutes on the bench, upper back on the bench, and head on the bench.
• Pull your shoulder blades together to get tight in the upper back and allow your lower back to create a natural arch.
• Create a “tucked” position — pulling your feet toward your glutes and planting your toes into the ground.
• Grab the bar at a comfortable width that keeps your forearm vertical during the movement.
• Drag the bar out, rather than “lifting” it, into a starting position over your shoulders.
• Lower to a full range of motion, ideally reaching your mid-chest, without bouncing in the bottom position.
• Remain tight and drive your feet into the ground as you exhale and press the weight up.

When to Do the the Incline Bench Press vs. Flat Bench Press

Though these lifts are potentially bordering on overuse in the classic gym community, they still have utility in a training program for both general lifters and athletes. Training the horizontal pushing pattern with either the incline bench press or flat bench press can be highly effective, especially if you employ loading variety like dumbbells, neutral-grip barbells, chains, or bands.

When pressing strength and muscular development is the goal, and a novice or intermediate lifter has no major history of shoulder trauma, the bench press and incline bench press can be placed into the routine.

Since training this pattern (particularly for strength) is a higher-output, CNS-based movement, program them earlier in a workout session rather than later, so they can be trained before fatigue sets in. Alternatively, if the lifts are being performed for relatively higher rep ranges (10 to 12 reps or more), either movement can efficiently be programmed later in any given workout.

However, because the incline bench press is inherently more strenuous on the shoulder joint, it’s a poor choice for very heavy, low-rep programming. If your ultimate goal is upper body pressing strength, the flat bench press is be the preferred choice.

While both movements can be ideal for beginners and intermediate lifters, neither might actually be the best choice for very experienced lifters. The further along a lifting journey a you get, the more you might realize the incline bench press and flat bench press, performed with a typical barbell, aren’t exceptional for building muscle beyond a certain point.

Other exercises may create relatively less stress on the shoulder joint, while doing a more efficient job of isolating the chest, based on the actual biomechanical function of the shoulder and muscle action of the pectoralis. Dips are a top contender in that regard.

If awesome chest development is the name of the game, some variety outside these two bench press variations will eventually become necessary, and that’s important to know. Employing that kind of variety will also likely have your shoulders thanking you over time.

Pick Your Press

Whether you’re looking to boost your pressing power or build a serious set of pecs, either bench press variation can play a role in your training plan. Don’t rely solely on engrained habits or some long-running “tradition” of emphasizing the flat barbell bench press if it isn’t the most effective tool for your personal goals in the gym. Take an objective look at which barbell chest exercise really suits your needs, and then start discovering better results.

References

1. Rodríguez-Ridao, D., Antequera-Vique, J. A., Martín-Fuentes, I., & Muyor, J. M. (2020). Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(19), 7339. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197339
2. Campos, Y. A. C., Vianna, J. M., Guimarães, M. P., Oliveira, J. L. D., Hernández-Mosqueira, C., da Silva, S. F., & Marchetti, P. H. (2020). Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained Individuals. Journal of human kinetics, 75, 5–14. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2020-0033

Featured Image: Hryshchyshen Serhii / Shutterstock

The post Incline Bench Press vs. Flat Bench Press: Rethink Your Go-To Chest Press appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

If you’re in either of these categories, you’re in luck. Sometimes it helps to consider similar alternatives to the basic squat, so you can get all the benefits of the exercise using a variation that better suits your individual needs.

Plus, it can break up the monotony of a potentially stale workout program if you’ve hit a plateau. Changing things up to find what works for you is half the battle for long-term results and one or more of these may be the game changer you need.

Best Squat Variations

• Front Squat
• Zercher Squat
• Overhead Squat
• Kang Squat
• Heels-Elevated Dumbbell Squat
• Goblet Squat
• Box Squat
• Hatfield Squat
• Skater Squat

Front Squat

The front squat is a classic alternative to the more common and ubiquitous back squat. As a whole, the front squat can allow similar loading, as long as your mobility is on point. It can also promote a longer range of motion with less potential for lumbar spine injury.

Because the front squat is a more “athletic” variation compared to many other squats, it relies on coordinating strength from both your upper and lower body. In certain fitness worlds, like Olympic lifting or CrossFit, it’s considered the go-to squat variation. 

When to Do it 

If you’re looking to hit the quads a bit harder or achieve a deeper squat with a long range of motion (either by choice or due to immobility in your back squat), the front squat is for you.  Many lifters’ anthropometry and leverages don’t suit the back squat, but are better suited to the front squat due to its counterbalancing attributes. If you’ve got very long femurs or long legs overall, you owe it to your lower body development to give these a shot.  

How to Do it

There are two classic grips to hold the barbell on the front of the body while squatting. The relatively easier way is to use a cross-armed grip, also known also as the “California” style. Set a barbell in a squat rack and step up with your throat close to the bar. Cross your arms over one another — place the fingers of each hand on top of the bar near the opposite shoulder.

Keep your elbows high and hold the bar place with the thumb and first finger of each hand. This will also help to block the bar from rolling forward down the shoulders. Step out of the rack with your upper body in a strong position, set a comfortable-width stance, and proceed to squat. 

The second option is using a clean-grip rack position — holding the barbell across the fronts of your shoulders with a fully closed grip. This is a more stable and relatively safer variation but requires a lot more mobility and flexibility, especially in your thoracic region (upper back), wrists, and shoulders.

To determine if you can comfortably use the clean-grip, try to touch each shoulder with the same-side hand while standing. If you can, you likely have the mobility to do these, maybe with some practice mixed in. When using a clean-grip, aim to keep your elbows high at all times, especially during the lowering phase.

Zercher Squat

The Zercher squat moves the barbell from being supported via an axial load (on your spine) and places the onus on your arms instead. That means huge accountability for your core —  both from the front (your abs) and the back (particularly your lower back) — to brace and stabilize your spine as the movement progresses.

The Zercher squat isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a challenging squat movement that can even be simply uncomfortable to perform. It’s best done early in the workout when you’re fresh, compared to later on when your shoulders, arms, and core are fatigued.

When to Do it 

Because the Zercher squat uses an appendicular load (supporting the weight with your arms), the movement is a great way to begin a core-focused workout. Moreover, lifters who have issues getting their arms and shoulders into position for standard barbell squats  — think about how some shoulder injuries can prevent holding the bar during a back squat — the Zercher squat can be a suitable alternative. Aside from these stipulations, these can be added to any training session as a worthy challenge for any lifter up for the task. 

How to Do it 

Performing Zercher squats requires placing the barbell in the crook of your arms, so it’s being carried and supported by your elbows. Set up a barbell at waist-level. When placing your elbows under the bar to unrack it, avoid an arm width that’s too narrow. That will lead to limited stability, likely causing the bar to tip one way or the other. Aim to keep your knuckles facing the ceiling at all times. This way, the bar will be positioned squarely between your upper and lower arm, rather than falling toward your forearms. 

Holding your hands together while performing the movement may be helpful to fulfill the above cues. As you squat, keep the weight relatively close to your body. In the bottom position, let your elbows rest between your thighs and maintain as vertical a torso as possible. Drive up to the top, and repeat.

For added comfort, try using “fat grips” or thick padding on the bar where your forearms will go. The added surface area will disperse some of the loading, which should take some pressure off your elbow joint. 

Overhead Squat

Of all the squat variations of this list, the overhead squat requires the most prerequisite mobility and stability. The movement simply cannot be done without proper joint integrity at your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. You also need good extension through your thoracic and lumbar spine.

Doing this exercise forces a lifter to be highly accountable to factors like tempo and technique, while respecting physics, the weight lifted, and the multitude of muscles involved. There’s no arguing with the laws of the universe. Anything out of sorts will cause the barbell to come down. With all of this said, this movement should be reserved for those who have uninhibited ranges of motion in their load bearing joints.

When to Do it

Especially if you’re an Olympic weightlifter performing the snatch or the clean & jerk, the overhead squat can improve strength in the catch or push jerk phases of those lifts. The overhead squat should be done without the presence of any muscular fatigue, so programming it first in the daily order of exercises is a wise choice. 

How to Do it

An overhead squat requires a snatch-grip to secure the bar. To find your snatch grip, stand tall while holding the barbell with a palms-down grip. Gradually adjust your grip wider and wider until the bar naturally sits in your hip fold. Next, raise the bar overhead to full extension, maintaining that hand width.

Get into your ideal squat stance and squeeze “outward” on the bar with both hands to create tension through your entire back. As you descend into a squat, aim to never let the bar fall outside of your footprint — either forward or backward. The bar should descend and ascend in a generally straight line. Move slowly and keep reps on the lower end.

Kang Squat 

The Kang squat can be used as its own exercise or as a premier mobilization drill, warm-up, and pattern developer. Its biggest benefit is that it uniquely segments the squat into a more posterior chain-biased movement pattern. This emphasizes a good range of motion and bottom-end stability.

Another great thing about the Kang squat is the fact that it places the hamstrings in a loaded stretch, which can allow them to release tension in the pelvis due to eccentric lengthening. That can mean a deeper and more comfortable squat that also helps cranky knees, due to improved activation of the hamstrings.

When to Do it

Use the Kang squat in the first half of a squat-focused workout. This approach will torch your posterior chain (hamstrings and glutes) and make those muscles more available for activation during squats later in the session. Starting your leg workout with Kang squats can also act as a good CNS primer for any larger compound (multi-joint) movement.

How to Do it

The Kang squat begins similar to a good morning — performing a deep hip hinge with slightly bent legs, holding the bar on your upper traps. It’s essential to place tension across the bar by “pulling it apart” to keep the barbell in place.

After your hinge reaches its limit, it’s time for the knees to enter the picture by allowing a full knee bend, enabling your glutes to descend into a deep squat. Next, come out of the hole by raising your hips back into the good morning position. Your glutes and lower back extend your body back to its upright starting point. Try to pause in each phase to make the movement concise and segmented. Focus on sets of four to six reps.  

Heels-Elevated Dumbbell Squat 

Whenever mobility is lacking, or if your goal is to really hammer your quads, it may not be in the cards to simply rely on dorsiflexion (ankle mobility) or a front-positioned load to get the job done.

If you’re a lifter with stiff ankles, or if you have great mobility but want to really make your knees and quads bionically super-strong, elevating your heels and holding dumbbells at your sides is the squat variation for you.

When to Do it

This movement is less of a “big lift” compared to other large movements like barbell-loaded exercises, leg presses, or deadlifts, so it can actually happen second or later in your workout. Doing so will also make your quadriceps more targeted, especially if other leg muscles are fatigued. Using dumbbells rather than a barbell also keeps the movement more focused on your lower body with relatively less involvement from your upper body. 

How to Do it

If possible, use a dedicated slant board rather than simply elevating your heels on the edges of weight plates. Having your entire foot on a slope makes a major difference due to the angle of your metatarsals, which affect your arches and weight distribution.

This movement will definitely promote a rock-bottom range of motion, which means maximal knee flexion for a massive hit to your quads. The quads generally respond well to high reps, so that should be the aim for this movement. Pump out sets of 10-15 reps and try to enjoy the burn. Make sure not to rush the tempo — more time under tension can mean more muscle growth. (1)

Goblet Squat 

Goblet squats are a go-to movement for anyone, especially beginners, looking to improve their squatting technique. Not only is the exercise accessible for every lifter, but it’s front loaded, making counterbalancing and stability easier. Since your elbows are positioned downward and the weight’s position near your torso is slightly adjustable, it usually promotes a great depth with minimal modifications necessary.

In general, lifters should aim to become competent enough to perform relatively heavy goblet squats to start out and build a foundation, and then transition to a barbell back squat.

When to Do it

Novice lifters can use this as their bread and butter squat to really nail down the patterning and get a great lower body hit. Using this exercise on its own, or as part of a superset with another leg exercise, is effective.

It’s unlikely you’ll be able to use maximum weights, as most gyms don’t have extremely heavy dumbbells (and your strength will eventually exceed the limit). For that reason, using the goblet squat as a muscle-building tool for moderate to higher repetitions is the right call.

How to Do it

Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in front of you at shoulder-height using both hands. Keep the weight in this position, set your feet for your ideal squat stance, and sit down.

To get deep and feel comfortable, you may feel better pushing the weight a couple of inches away from your torso as you descend. This is especially useful if you’re lacking mobility at the ankle or hip joints. Focus on using a slower speed on the way down and a stronger, powerful speed coming up. Focus on sets of eight to 10 reps.

Box Squat 

Squatting to a box does a few unique things. First, it keeps you accountable to a consistent target so there’s no margin for error or questionable depth. Secondly, it encourages a dead stop for no transfer of energy or use of the stretch reflex to “sling” your way out of the bottom position using momentum or elastic forces rather than muscular control.

Lastly, the box squat can hit your posterior chain a bit harder and salvage your knees from unwanted joint pain. Using the box helps to eliminate forward migration of the shin and prevents you from reaching too deep a position which could require more knee extension.

When to Do it 

The box squat is typically treated as strength-focused movement. Perform them heavy, with standard principles of progressive overload applying — adding repetitions or increasing the weight each workout. Box squats can also occupy a high-volume role in your workout, using relatively low rep ranges, plenty of sets, and focusing on hip drive and overall technique. In either case, perform the box squat as the first movement of the workout.

How to Do it

When box squatting, it’s typical to use a sturdy box that puts your upper thigh parallel to the ground, not lower, when you’re in the bottom of the squat. This becomes even more important since your body’s geometry needs to slightly change from that of a typical back squat.

Use a low-bar squat position, to accommodate for keeping your shins much more vertical, which will force your torso to lean forward more than usual. Your foot width will be a bit wider — at least one extra step to the side — to allow for the low-bar position and to suit the box width.

Focus on remaining tight while gently, but fully, sitting down on the box. After sitting down, drive hard with your hips — upward and then forward— to create the posterior chain tension necessary to get out of the hole. Sets of three to five reps is ideal for this exercise. 

Hatfield Squat 

The Hatfield squat makes use of a safety bar and the squat cage in a unique way.  The squat is actually performed “hands free” while using the rack itself as a guide to encourage more repetitions with heavier weights.

The support of the rack will also take some of the focus away from your upper body to shift attention to your lower body. The results is better technique, a stronger pump, and deep range of motion. Note: You cannot perform this exercise with a standard barbell.

When to Do it 

This is more of a hypertrophy training tool and they can be added to a lower body workout geared toward building muscle. This movement is most conducive to higher reps, while giving your muscles a chance to push themselves a bit further than normal with heavier weight. 

How to Do it 

The one non-negotiable piece of equipment needed for a Hatfield squat is a safety bar. Place the loaded bar on the rack, get into the pads, and carefully step out from the rack. Place both hands on either support beam around waist height. The safety bar will be balancing on your upper back, but it should be secure due to its handles and offset center of gravity.

Squat down using the support beams for assistance. Keep your torso upright, but really use your hands to guide your way up and down. It’s okay if you don’t come to an absolute full extension — the name of the game is getting a few more reps in. You can use a slightly faster pace as long as you remain in control of the weight. Focus on sets of 10-15 reps, and don’t shy away from heavier than normal weight for said rep range. You should be able to do it with the hand-supported assistance. 

Skater Squat 

A list of squat variations wouldn’t be complete without highlighting a unilateral exercise, and one of the most important ones that doesn’t lend itself to cheating is the skater squat. This enforces stability through your hip and knee joint and makes your glutes, quads, and ankles work overtime to stabilize the leg, making this exercise possible.

Especially if you’re suffering from bilateral imbalances or joint issues in your hips, knees, or ankles, this variation belongs in your program. It likely won’t take much more than bodyweight to get a major training effect from them, so they can be performed nearly anywhere or anytime.

When to Do it 

Positioning this exercise as an accessory movement in a squat workout, as a primer and warm-up before a lower body workout, or as its own prioritized exercise on a “weak link” training day is all fair game. What matters the most is that it gets done. A good skater squat is an indicator of lower body health and strength. 

How to Do it 

Stand with on one foot planted on the ground and the opposite leg bent roughly 90-degrees with the foot in the air. Lean forward slightly and extend your arms in front of you as a natural counterbalance. Making fists can also help with stability. Descend slowly, aiming to gently touch the back knee to the ground. On contact, drive with your front leg — don’t push off with the knee, shin, or foot of the back leg — and return to a standing position.

You can adjust the depth of movement by placing a short platform or stacked mats where your back knee contacts the ground. This will create a shorter range of motion so you can build strength and stability. Focus on sets of anywhere from six to 12 reps per leg, depending on your lower body health, strength, and conditioning.

Back Squat Form Tips 

Of course, it’s worthwhile to go over the old classic. As far as squats go, the barbell back squat is the most ubiquitous “squat” you’ll ever see, but it’s also the most butchered. Let’s go over the checklist for an exercise that’s effective at training your quads, glutes, core, and total body mobility.

Let’s break things down step by step. 

• Set the loaded bar in the rack at shoulder level and step underneath it. Position your hands just outside shoulder-width.
• Pull your shoulder blades back and bring your elbows slightly behind your body to create a perfect “shelf” to rest the bar on. Stand up under the bar so it’s comfortably positioned on that muscular shelf.
• Unrack the bark, take two steps backward, and even out your stance. You should be far enough away from the rack supports that you don’t crash into them on your descent or ascent. 
• Try to pull the barbell apart. This will help you brace your entire upper body. Maintain this tension for the duration of your set. Get your feet ready in a comfortable, stable width and turn feet slightly out. 
• Take a big breath in and brace your core — if your six-pack looks selfie-ready when you’re squatting, you’re doing it wrong. Get a big belly full of air and hold it for most of the repetition. Try to only let the breath out near the top of each rep.
• Descend slowly and under control. This will allow you to focus on tension, bracing, and alignment. Your knees should not cave inward. Instead, ensure they track in the same direction as your toes (slightly outward).
• Once you’ve descended with your thighs just below parallel, drive up strongly by squeezing your glutes. Aim for your shoulders to lead the way up, not your hips. The bar should travel in a straight line up and down, and your heels should remain planted.

Plenty of Squats, Plenty of Gains

Some lifters think a leg workout is incomplete without squats. That may or may not be true, but the bottomline is that some type of squat — whether it’s the classic back squat or any of the unique variations listed above — can be just the answer when you’re looking for a stronger lower body, more muscular legs, or improved mobility. Time to get some wheels.

References

1. Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200

Featured Image: Photology1971 / Shutterstock

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It might be the most frequently asked question among hardcore “gym bros” and experienced gym veterans looking to establish a pecking order, as well as curious beginners looking to strike up a conversation. It’s also one of the most popular (if misguided) ways to inquire about someone’s strength, fitness, and general capability in the gym.

Some might consider the notion of bench press-specific status ridiculous, but you can’t erase the reality of the situation. Also, some people just want to have a big bench press for themselves. You may as well position yourself to move some impressive numbers, and move the weight safely.

Here’s how to fine-tune your bench press, optimize your technique, and set up a plan to start pushing bigger weights.

• Bench Press Technique Review
• Bench Press Mistakes to Avoid
• Three Tips for a Stronger Bench Press
• How to Program the Bench Press for Gains

Bench Press Technique Review

A strong bench press is built around one thing: Stability. Here’s a step-by-step approach to creating a good environment for a big lift. It all begins with a good starting position before you even unrack the weight.

Step 1 — Find Your Contact Points

Once you’re positioned on the flat bench, the bench press requires four points of contact. Your two feet placed firmly on the floor counts as one point. Your butt and upper back are two more points, as they’re pressed hard against the bench and remain in place throughout the lift.

Lastly, your head must also be firmly against the bench and stay put during each repetition. When you set up, get your eyes directly under the bar before taking the weight out of the rack. This four-point setup is the foundation for a good quality set. 

You may have noticed that your lower back is not in contact with the bench, and that’s actually an important distinction. Some lifters believe that having an arch in the lumbar region (lower back) when bench pressing is dangerous for your spine, when truthfully, the arch must be there.

The bench press is considered a horizontal pushing exercise (due to the position of the load relative to your body), which means the force angle doesn’t line up to create spinal loading the way a standing overhead press, squat, or deadlift would affect your lower back. The joint that bears the most load during a bench press is your shoulder joint, not your spine, so arching your lower back doesn’t expose it to any significant strain.

Once you’re in place, it’s time to get your hands on the bar. 

Step 2 — Get a Grip

Most barbells you’ll find at a typical gym will have knurling on either side for grip, but also some shiny “rings” on even points on each side. In competitive powerlifting, those rings represent grip-width boundaries a lifter isn’t allowed to exceed.

If you’re not a competitive powerlifter, you can use the rings as reference points as to where your hands belong. Depending on what’s comfortable for your arm length, align the same finger on each hand with the ring on either side. Many lifters will opt for either their middle or ring fingers, but everyone’s preferred grip will be slightly different.

Just be aware of setting your hands too close together with your pinkies far inside of the rings. This morphs the exercise from a standard flat barbell bench press to a close-grip bench press which emphasizes your triceps. (1)

Once your hands are in place, close a strong fist around the bar and you’re ready to lift. 

Step 3 — We Have Lift Off

The way you take the bar out of the rack is more important — and more technical — than meets the eye. Safe and efficient technique requires your shoulder blades to remain retracted (pulled together) on the bench. This helps to arch your lower back while elevating your chest and ribcage.

The small “press” that might happen as a lifter takes the bar out of the rack can pull your shoulders out of position (with protraction, the opposite of retraction). Protracted shoulders will make your chest sink down and place more stress on the shoulder joints as a result. This is difficult to correct by the time the weight is in your hands, making it tough to re-adjust.

Making the effort to raise your hips during lift off can help with this, placing them back down as soon as the bar’s unracked and in position over your chest. Lifters without a spotter can use this method to begin the movement in a strong position without sacrificing form.

Step 4 — Lower and Press

The bar should descend under control to make contact on your chest. Aim for touching the bar to your mid- or lower chest, and make that point of contact consistent from rep to rep. The finished, locked out position should be a bit more in line with your upper chest or shoulder-level, meaning the bar will travel on a slightly slanted path.

Always remember that a true testament of strength in a big lift like this doesn’t come from how quickly you can perform the reps, it comes from how slowly and well-controlled you can perform them. Especially on the eccentric (lowering) phase, take the speed down a couple of notches. You can even add a pause with the bar on the chest to exert even more control over the weight — just be sure to stay tight and not relax under the weight.

Make each individual rep count and you’ll slap on strength and size. 

Bench Press Mistakes to Avoid

Nobody wants to become the next “YouTube fail” video, usually featuring people butchering the bench press movement or, worse, getting into life-threatening situations due to a disregard for safety. Make sure you’ve got your bases covered by stopping these issues before they start. 

Lifting Your Hips

Aside from giving yourself a lift off (if needed), your glutes should never leave the bench during the exercise. Lifting your hips won’t make you any stronger on the lift. It’s simply a cheat tactic and an indicator that the weight is too heavy to lift properly. This is the bench press equivalent of doing standing biceps curls and leaning your upper body back to get the weight up.

Keep the movement honest to your ability. You’ll build strength over time when you apply good form.

Half-Repping

Stopping shy of full range of motion — from full lockout to the bar touching your chest — does nothing to properly service your chest muscles (the prime movers of the bench press) or access the strength the body can put into the weight. (2)

If you feel like you can only perform half reps, chances are the weight is too heavy, your shoulders are too unstable, or both. Instead, reduce the load and practice staying tight through full range of motion.

If that still hurts your shoulders, it could be due to weakness in the movement itself or it could stem from a lack of upper back strength to stabilize and protect the shoulder. Make sure your training plan includes plenty of upper-back pulling exercises like face pulls or reverse flyes.

Using Collars on the Bar 

This isn’t necessarily a point about increasing your bench press, but it’s an important issue any time you’re benching heavy. It might sound counterintuitive or controversial but, if you’re lifting alone, securing the weight plates with collars is a potentially high-risk maneuver.

Common sense would say you usually “should” secure the weights to prevent them from moving around. The truth is that, if you do fail a rep and manage to get pinned to the bench, it could spell danger if you’re not strong enough to press the bar off your chest all the way back up to the rack. You can’t always rely on rolling it down over your hips and waist (which can be extremely painful and uncomfortable on its own).

If you’re a person who lifts unsupervised at home, it’s best to leave the weights unclipped so that, in the event of failure, you can tip the weights off one end of the bar and free you from being stapled. It’s better to crack a couple of tiles on the workout room floor than to crack a couple of ribs or your larynx.

Three Tips for More Gains

Getting the basics down is a good first step, but taking things to the next level involves a little deeper thinking, where this exercise is concerned. 

Leg Drive 

Tuck your feet closer to your butt to create a knee angle inside 90-degrees. This is essential to taking advantage of a very important and overlooked principle — the bench press is more than just an “upper body” exercise.

In truth, your legs have a serious role to play in promoting overall bracing and tightness. As you press, think about driving your feet into the ground hard. The bar isn’t just moving away from your chest, it’s moving away from the floor, so this cue will come in handy to add more strength to your lift by increasing overall muscle recruitment. (3)

Tuck Your Elbows 

If you want to protect your shoulder joints, focus on improving bench performance while using a slightly narrower grip (as opposed to a relatively wide grip) and tucking your elbows during the movement.

The closer your upper arm is to your torso, the less vulnerable position your shoulder joints will be put into. Your shoulders will instantly feel happier, more stable, and more powerful by aiming your elbows more forward than sideways. 

Use a Thicker Bar or Thick Grip Attachments

Using a larger diameter bar with more surface area spread across the palms of your hands usually feels more comfortable once you get used to the unique grip. It also can reduce joint stress in the elbows and shoulders by increasing forearm recruitment and muscle tension for added stability. (4)

The greater diameter disperses the load and reduces the pressure transferred to your joints. If you don’t have access to thick barbells, you can use thick grip attachments like “Fat Gripz.” This simple pair of removable handles can be one of the most useful tools to have in your gym bag, since it can be used with any exercise that requires grabbing a barbell, dumbbell, or handle.

Build a Better Bench: Methods That Work 

If you’ve been training in the gym for a while, the classic 3 x 10 or 4 x 6 might not really be doing the job to get you past your strength or size plateau. If your lifting numbers aren’t budging, it’s worth thinking a bit further outside the box to find ways to stimulate your chest. 

One-and-a-Half Rep Bench Press

Especially if a lifter has longer arms, it can be a hassle adding muscle to the chest for a better aesthetic. The relatively long range of motion and massive amount of lockout space a lifter will have to move through can make the triceps and shoulders take over a typical chest pressing pattern. This leaves the chest less fatigued over the course of a set.

Performing a “one and a half rep” bench press involves unracking the barbell and lowering it all the way to chest level. Remain tight and press the weight from chest level to halfway up, and pause. Your upper arms should be at roughly 90-degrees. Lower the weight once more to chest level, and then press all the way up to the top — that entire series counts as one single repetition.

This high-tension technique will make your chest work more than your triceps and shoulders because the latter two muscle groups aren’t significantly involved in the bottom-half of the movement.

Your chest is in the strongest biomechanical position, and is the most involved, through this section of the exercise, and the one-and-a-half rep technique takes advantage of that. Three to four sets of four to six reps would be ideal here, remembering that each “one and a half” equals one rep. 

Cluster Sets

Cluster sets deserve more mention than they often get when it comes to increasing your strength and size. Understanding how the body works from a physiological level can help create more appreciation for cluster training and its import.

When it comes to short bouts of explosive power like a 100-meter dash, a first down in football, or a heavy, low-rep set of weight training, the body relies on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as its primary source of energy to make muscles work hard.

The ATP stores leave the body after 10 to 15 seconds and the primary muscles in use begin to shut down and create lactic acid as a byproduct. It usually takes one to two minutes to sufficiently replenish these stores of ATP in the affected muscles.

Knowing that, you can take advantage of this replenishment phase while still lifting heavy weights. A set of three reps can be extended to four or even five total reps if short breaks are taken between each individual repetition.

This mini-rest will partially replenish the stores of ATP available in the body. This can improve your strength over time and also expose you to a higher cumulative volume of heavy reps, which can lead to more muscle growth.  Here are some of the most effective ways to use clusters. 

Single-Rep Clusters

Put 90-95% of your one-repetition max on the bar. This weight is typically a two-rep max, but you’re about to do four reps with it. Perform one repetition, and rack the weight for 10 to 15 seconds. Then take the weight off the rack and perform another before re-racking it. Repeat until you’ve performed four reps. Rest at least two minutes and perform a total of two to three full sets.

Resetting between single reps also allows you to ensure correct technique on each separate effort. 

Multi-Rep Clusters

Put your five-repetition max on the bar. Perform four reps before racking the weight and resting for 10 seconds. Take the bar off the rack and perform two more reps. You’ve just performed six reps with your five-rep max. Complete three to five full sets.

This is a good way to increase time spent under tension (TUT), which benefits muscle growth, while working with slightly lighter-than-max loads, which won’t impact recovery as much as very heavy lifting. (5) 

High-Rep Clusters, aka Ladders, for Size

Plenty of heavy lifting can do a number on the nervous system, especially if heavy lifts are employed on the regular. A good change of pace (that doubles as a great way to break a size plateau) is to use high-rep methods with the same approach.

Ladder sets are just the ticket. Use your 10 to 12-rep max weight. Perform a mini-set of two reps, then three reps, then five reps, and finally 10 reps with 10-second breaks between each mini-set.

This creates 20 reps of muscle-building stimulus with a weight that “should have” only allowed 10 to 12 reps. One or two sets can be plenty. It’s a psychological killer as much as it is a muscular killer, all while keeping the nervous system in check due to the higher rep range and relatively lighter weight.  

Go Build a Bigger Bench

The bench press is arguably the most popular lift in the gym. With that prestige, it should be the most properly executed, but that’s not always the case. With this information now in hand, you’ll be set apart in the gym and will have found a way to train smart while also training hard. Soon your performance will be turning heads and you’ll have a reliably impressive answer next time you’re asked “how much do you bench?”

References

1. Saeterbakken, A. H., Stien, N., Pedersen, H., Solstad, T. E. J., Cumming, K. T., & Andersen, V. (2021). The Effect of Grip Width on Muscle Strength and Electromyographic Activity in Bench Press among Novice- and Resistance-Trained Men. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(12), 6444. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126444
2. Pinto, R. S., Gomes, N., Radaelli, R., Botton, C. E., Brown, L. E., & Bottaro, M. (2012). Effect of range of motion on muscle strength and thickness. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 26(8), 2140–2145. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31823a3b15
3. Gontijo, L. B., Pereira, P. D., Neves, C. D., Santos, A. P., Machado, D.deC., & Bastos, V. H. (2012). Evaluation of strength and irradiated movement pattern resulting from trunk motions of the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. Rehabilitation research and practice, 2012, 281937. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/281937
4. Krings, B. M., Shepherd, B. D., Swain, J. C., Turner, A. J., Chander, H., Waldman, H. S., McAllister, M. J., Knight, A. C., & Smith, J. W. (2021). Impact of Fat Grip Attachments on Muscular Strength and Neuromuscular Activation During Resistance Exercise. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 35(Suppl 1), S152–S157. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002954
5. Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200

Featured Image: Dean Drobot / Shutterstock

The post How to Increase Your Bench Press appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The pulldown can be taken to another level, however, once you recognize that the exercise doesn’t need to be performed with both hands fixed to one straight bar. This familiar setup can make for a smooth and stable pull, but it also disguises just how much work one side of your body is doing compared to the other side.

For this reason, opting for a unilateral (single-sided) movement can provide unique benefits and increased back focus. When the name of the game is muscular development and pulling strength, these details are huge. Here’s how to get your back on track with the single-arm lat pulldown.

Single-Arm Lat Pulldown

• How to Do the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
• Single-Arm Lat Pulldown Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Progress the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
• Benefits of the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
• Muscles Worked by the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
• How to Program the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
• Single-Arm Lat Pulldown Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions

Ideal Single-Arm Lat Pulldown Technique Demo

Coach Lee Boyce provides a clear demonstration of the single-arm lat pulldown in action. See the movement performed with each arm and then read on to learn the details.

How to Do the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown

The single-arm lat pulldown may feel slightly awkward at first, especially if you’re not used to performing back exercises with one arm at a time. But any time spent learning the movement will pay off with new size and strength. 

Step 1 — Know Your Equipment

You may be stuck with whatever equipment your gym offers, but some pulldown setups are more user-friendly than others. The gold standard is a dual pulley system. This makes it easy to attach individual handles to each pulley, which will be more naturally aligned with each of your shoulders.

The second best option would be a singular pulley attachment that operates on a pivot. That way, even though the pulley is positioned in the center above your head, it still turns in the direction of your working arm during the movement.

Least optimal would be a single pulley attachment that is completely fixed to the machine with no room to turn or pivot. Many older pieces of equipment are constructed this way, but if it’s the only “pulldown” station available, consider setting up either on the floor at a manually adjustable cable setup (like one for triceps pressdowns) or on the ground beside the seat at the pulldown station.

Form Tip: The key point is to position the pulley as close in-line with your working-side shoulder as possible. This will allow the most comfortable, most efficient line of pull during the exercise.  

Step 2 — Sit Tight, Grab Hold, and Stretch

Secure your thighs under the pad and reach up to get a hold of the handle. Because you’re only reaching one arm, it should be easier to stretch higher while reaching above your head.

Your body will naturally reach higher with one arm compared to raising both arms overhead. If you have doubts, you can quickly test it yourself — Stand facing a wall and raise both hands above your head to touch the highest point you can reach. Then drop one hand and repeat. You’ll undoubtedly get higher with the single arm by comparison.

In the overhead stretched position, your palm should face toward the machine.

Form Tip: This deep stretch will allow you to contract and stretch through a longer range of motion, which will enhance the training effect on the target muscles. (1)

Step 3 — Set Your Shoulder and Pull

Rest your non-working hand comfortably on the leg pad or on your torso. “Reverse” the stretched position by actively setting your working shoulder — lower it by pulling your shoulder blade down and “in” to your mid-back. Push your chest up high and make your neck “long.”

Pull through your elbow, don’t think about curling with your arm. Squeeze your upper back and lats tight. Think about tucking your elbow into your back pocket. Don’t let your upper body crunch sideways as you pull down.

Form Tip: Take advantage of the single handle, which allows you to play with your hand and wrist position. You can supinate (turn your palm to face you) as you lift the weight or or can rotate to a thumbs-up position. Find a wrist angle that works efficiently, comfortably, and powerfully for you.

Step 4 — Return to the Overhead Stretch

When your hand reaches shoulder-level, feel a strong contraction through your side. Return to the starting position by reversing the motion. Lower the weight slowly and control the movement as you reach overhead to full extension.

Don’t overstretch by leaning toward the non-working side. Keep your torso stable and vertical throughout the exercise. When your arm is straight, shrug your shoulder blade up for maximum activation.

Form Tip: Let your overall mobility and flexibility guide your movements. Ideally, aim to bring your hand down near shoulder-level. Don’t force any excessive range of motion and don’t turn it into an ab exercise by crunching to the side — that won’t help to recruit your back. 

Single-Arm Lat Pulldown Mistakes to Avoid

The single-arm lat pulldown can invite some simple technique or programming errors that will reduce the muscle and strength gains. Here are the biggest points to watch out for.

Going Too Heavy 

The most common mistake should almost go without saying, though it doesn’t only apply to the single-arm lat pulldown — check your ego at the door. This is a much more precise, unilateral version of the pulldown, which itself is notorious for overly heavy loading that requires more body swing than lat activation.

There’s no place for that with the single-arm lat pulldown, nor is there any real use for it. You’ll be subject to excessive swinging or twisting to get the weight down, and you’ll ultimately be using everything except your lats to get the job done.

Avoid it: Keep loading relatively lighter to reduce the temptation to swing the weight. Focus on using perfect form throughout each section of the movement and try to feel your back muscles contracting and stretching.

Slouching in the Finished Position

Like any back exercise, the goal should always be to maintain a “proud chest,” especially through the contracted phase of the lift, to ensure good posture and proper muscle activation.

It’s easy to “close yourself up” as you complete the pull, by adding something of an abdominal crunch to the pattern. This is not ideal because it reduces stress on the target muscle and puts you in an inefficient position.

Avoid it: Focus on starting tall and finishing just as tall, or even taller. This posture cue will make you aware of your overall body position.

How to Progress the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown

As a relatively straightforward, cable-based exercise, you can approach this exercise with confidence no matter your experience level.

Adjust Load

Like many movements, you can adapt the challenge by simply changing the loading. Most cable stacks go as light as 10 to 20 pounds. Even while keeping your target rep range the same, you can accommodate nearly any strength level by reducing the weight to perform repetitions with crisp technique.

Similarly, you can go as heavy as possible while maintaining form. As previously discussed, swapping form for more weight is anything but productive. Fortunately, when using good technique and a moderate rep range, even the most experienced lifters will find the full weight stack to be more than enough.

Benefits of the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown 

This unilateral movement offers the benefits of single-side training combined with the benefits of a cable pulley.

Scapular Mobility

Scapular mobility is the overlooked key to every successful back exercise, including the single-arm lat pulldown. Lifters sometimes mistakenly think that stability is the only function of the scapulae (shoulder blades). As such, they believe the scapulae shouldn’t be allowed to move during exercise.

This may be true in movements like the barbell bench press, but it’s not something that actually promotes shoulder joint health. For every joint in your body, there’s actually a certain degree of stability and mobility needed to maintain proper joint function. Depending on the joint in question, there will be a greater need for one over the other.

For example, hinge joints like the knees and elbows require more stability than mobility due to the limited nature of their responsibilities and available joint angles. There is still a degree of mobility they need to create proper range of motion, and to allow for a little bit of “give” laterally and medially.

In the case of the scapulae, stability is paramount, but it’s essential that they possess the capacity to move around the ribcage in elevation/depression (up and down), and in protraction/retraction (forward and back together).

This brings us to where most lifters drop the ball when performing pulling movements. Simply put, the shoulder blades must direct the action of any pull pattern – chin-ups, rows, and yes, pulldowns too. Initiating the movement by simply pulling with your hands won’t do much to engage the upper back muscles and lats.

To practice the proper mechanics, it’s useful to break the movement down into pieces, learning how to engage your lower traps, rhomboids, and lats. You can do this by keeping your elbow straight while pulling through only the first portion of the lift.

Applying this concept to the single-arm lat pulldown will support your quest for muscle, keep the focus in the right places, and keep your scapulae strong and healthy.

Muscle Size

The single-arm lat pulldown is a prime choice for hypertrophy due to its greater isolation on each individual side of the muscle — making each side of your back perform work on its own. The added stretch and long range of motion for each rep also supports muscle growth and strength.

Reduced Joint Strain

Using a single handle allows you to customize your hand and wrist’s start and finish position. This ability to rotate can be useful for lifters who struggle with a history of shoulder, elbow, or wrist issues. These seemingly small changes accumulate into a movement that takes on an entirely new identity as a hidden weapon for back day. 

Muscles Trained by the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown

All pulldowns are considered “back exercises,” but the single-arm lat pulldown provides a unique spin on the generally familiar exercise. This results in a new approach to muscle reccruitment.

Lats

When done correctly, the single-arm lat pulldown primarily focuses on the lats. One key function of the latissimus (lats) is bringing your arm from an overhead position toward the body’s centerline.

Because a lat muscle rests on each side of your back, the single-arm lat pulldown allows you to focus on one specific muscle during each set, which can address any developmental imbalances that may be present.

Upper Back

Your upper back, as a whole, contributes to the single-arm lat pulldown. Collectively, your lower trapezius and rhomboids work as direct synergists to support the prime mover (lats) during the exercise. Your upper back provides stability and support, while also controlling your scapulae during the overhead stretch and peak contraction.

Biceps

Your biceps are recruited in many back exercises as your arm extends and contracts. Particularly, your biceps are more significantly recruited as you rotate your hand into a supinated (palm facing you) position. (2)

Obliques

Because the single-arm lat pulldown is a unilateral exercise, there is an added contribution from your obliques on the sides of your abdominals. These muscles resist excessive lateral flexion (sideways bending) of the spine when performing the lift through a full range of motion. As you focus on keeping a stable torso during the exercise, your obliques are activated to maintain your posture.

How to Program the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown

Because the single-arm lat pulldown is a relatively focused exercise, being performed with one arm at a time, it’s not well-suited to very heavy loading. However, because of the multi-joint nature and high degree of muscular involvement, extremely high repetition training may fatigue support muscles before the primary target muscles.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetition

Approach the single-arm lat pulldown with a classic set and rep scheme for reliable size and strength gains. Three to four sets of 10 to 12 reps will let you target your back with an ideal amount of time under tension without needing to load super-heavy, and potentially form-destroying, weights.

Single-Arm Lat Pulldown Variations

This exercise is already, technically, an alternative to a traditional, straight bar lat pulldown, so the list of modifications for more effectiveness or user-friendliness is relatively short. Of note, one exercise stands out as a great alternative. For it, all you need is an adjustable bench and cable pulley.

Cobra Pulldown 

Set an adjustable bench to a roughly 45-degree incline and place is alongside a high cable pulley. Grab a single handle attachment and lay your side on the bench. This unique setup puts you in position to pull diagonally, and allows you to hit the lats directly with super-strict form.

The position essentially immobilizes your upper body and removes the involvement of any cheating muscles like the lower back or abs. The goal is to avoid lifting heavy and focus on muscle recruitment.

Half-Kneeling Single-Arm Lat Pulldown

This is a common and effective pulldown variation that allows you to position your body more directly in-line with the cable pulley. An added benefit of the half-kneeling position is a passive stretch of the hip flexor on your kneeling side and increased glute activation to stabilize your hips and pelvis during the exercise.

However, the half-kneeling single-arm lat pulldown can also change the pulling angle by adding a diagonal, slightly more horizontal, line of pull rather than an overhead (vertical) pulldown motion. This can increase recruitment of your upper back muscles and may reduce the work done by your lats.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bigger Lats, One Side at a Time

The single-arm lat pulldown is the intermediate back-training movement you didn’t know you needed. Make sure you have the classic pulldown movement down pat, along with a good handle on basic mechanics of your shoulders and shoulder blades. Then it’s off to the races as you use the exercise for higher volume and great isolation. Time to get some single-sided gains while building a powerful and more muscular back.

References

1. Pallarés, JG, Hernández-Belmonte, A, Martínez-Cava, A, Vetrovsky, T, Steffl, M, Courel-Ibáñez, J. Effects of range of motion on resistance training adaptations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2021; 31: 1866– 1881. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14006
2. Youdas, J. W., Amundson, C. L., Cicero, K. S., Hahn, J. J., Harezlak, D. T., & Hollman, J. H. (2010). Surface electromyographic activation patterns and elbow joint motion during a pull-up, chin-up, or perfect-pullup rotational exercise. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(12), 3404–3414. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181f1598c

Featured Image: @coachleeboyce / Instagram

The post How to Do the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown for Back and Biceps Gains appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Arm training doesn’t need to be overly complicated, however, it’s important to understand the anatomy of the working muscles in order to properly focus on complete development.

When it comes to arm size, the biceps and triceps will be the two key players, but using the standard curl for biceps development is only half the answer, since curls are typically performed with a supinated (palm-up) grip which emphasizes most, but not all, of the biceps muscles.

For total arm development, it’s important to involve the forearms, which is why the reverse biceps curl should be part of your arm-training arsenal. Here’s a breakdown of this seemingly simple, but incredibly useful, curl variation. 

Reverse Biceps Curl

• How to Do the Reverse Biceps Curl
• Reverse Biceps Curl Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Progress the Reverse Biceps Curl
• Benefits of the Reverse Biceps Curl
• Muscles Worked by the Reverse Biceps Curl
• How to Program the Reverse Biceps Curl
• Reverse Biceps Curl Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Reverse Biceps Curl

The most common types of biceps curls involve a supinated, aka underhand or palm-up, hand position. In the standard curl, your palms will be facing away from your body at the bottom of the curl and facing toward your body in the top position.

To do reverse curls, however, you “reverse” your grip and take a pronated, aka overhand or palm-down, hand position. Your palms will face toward your body at the bottom of the rep and away from your body at the top. Take a second to simply make fists and discretely perform both curling movements without holding any weights. You may notice a difference in how your arms feel, and maybe even how they look when they’re fully flexed at the top. 

Step 1 — Choose Your Implement Wisely 

Like most curl exercises, you have the option to use a variety of bars or dumbbells when performing reverse biceps curls. Using dumbbells will require a bit more stability at your shoulder joint so your arms can stay in the right proximity to one another while curling. Poor wrist mobility can also turn the reverse biceps curl into a hammer curl, which change the exercise and muscle recruitment.

Holding on to a traditional barbell asks the most of a lifter’s wrist mobility because of the straight angle. Some lifters, especially if they have a bigger frame, may not possess the joint range of motion needed to fully pronate their hands onto a barbell. Over time, forcing yourself into the position can lead to chronic wrist pain and detract from the benefits of the reverse curl movement.

Using an EZ-curl bar (which is a bar specifically designed with ergonomic curves) can help a lifter find the comfortable degree of pronation without placing your hands completely “flat” the way a standard barbell will ask. This is typically the most popular and most effective option.

Form Tip: Assess for yourself by trying barbell reverse curls with a light weight. If your gym has a rack of short, fixed-weight barbells, you may be able to go as light as 10 or 20 pounds. If the movement still isn’t comfortable, stick with the EZ-curl bar.

Step 2 — Establish Your Stance

Hold the bar slightly closer than shoulder-width, using the required overhand grip. Your hands should be resting on the front of your thighs. Stand with your chest “proud” and up, your shoulders pulled back, and your neck long and tall.

Look straight ahead — Performing the exercise from a slouched position with forward head posture doesn’t help anything. Engage your glutes and abs by flexing both muscles while standing.

Form Tip: Don’t just think about keeping your arms straight in the bottom position. Think about contracting your triceps to fully straighten your arms and activate more muscles.

Step 3 — Curl

Grip the weight tightly and bring your hands up toward shoulder-level. Don’t let your elbows flare out to the sides or drift significantly forward. Your elbows shouldn’t need to move more than a couple of inches to accommodate different body types and arm lengths.

As you approach the top position, you’ll notice your arms reach a natural point where they can’t flex any more. That’s a natural and effective place to stop the lift, rather than trying to force your hands as high as possible. Return the weight to the straight-arm starting position under control.

Form Tip: Be aware of what your elbows and shoulders are doing during the movement. If your shoulders shrug up or your elbows come too far forward during the lift, it’s a clue that the weight is too heavy and you’re recruiting too many extra muscles to move the load. Keep the movement strict to keep tension exclusively on the target muscles.

Reverse Biceps Curl Mistakes to Avoid

Curls often get disrespected and performed casually, with a lack of focus, which can lead to technical errors. These mistakes can lead to poor muscle activation and potential injury. Take the exercise seriously and approach it with a good mindset to get better overall results.

Swinging Your Hips

Using “body English” to start the movement means your hips, core, and lower back are driving the weight upward instead of your biceps. That’s not the best approach when your goal is to actually train your biceps.

Swinging and heaving the weights up without muscular tension also puts your lower back at risk by forcing it to move the weight in an unstable and awkward position.

Avoid it: Before lifting the weight, tighten your core and flex your legs to ensure a stable base. Consciously focus on curling the weight by bending your arms to get the weight moving. If your hips are bouncing into the bar, you’re off to a bad start.

Missing Full Extension

Failing to fully straighten your arm into the stretched position could be a technique to maintain muscular tension and trigger more growth. (1) However, more often than not, lifters skip the lower portion of the repetition out of bad habit rather than deliberate action.

By not using a full range of motion, you shortchange potential improvements in flexibility and mobility in your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. (2) This means, if you’re having trouble achieving a fully pronated grip, you’re not making any strides toward fixing the problem if you perform half-reps.

Avoid it: Begin and end each repetition with your arms straight and your hands touching, or nearly touching, the front of your thighs. Contracting your triceps can also be a cue to check for a good straight-arm position.

How to Progress the Reverse Biceps Curl

Some lifters might consider the reverse biceps curl to be a simple exercise, but it’s actually an intermediate variation of an otherwise simple exercise — the classic biceps curl. For this reason, it’s effective to use the reverse biceps curl after developing a foundation with traditional movements. The reverse biceps curl isn’t a movement to neglect, but it needs to be tackled at the right time in your overall program for maximum benefit.

Biceps Curl

Before going in “reverse,” make sure you can handle the standard movement. Like the reverse biceps curl, the supinated curl can be performed with dumbbells, a barbell, or, if your wrist mobility restricts a comfortable supinated hand position, an EZ-curl bar.

The overall body position and technique should nearly mimic the reverse biceps curl, with the sole exception being the hand and grip placement. The range of motion and other performance factors will also be identical with either movement.

Thick Bar Reverse Curl

You can increase the grip-building benefits by making the bar more difficult to hold. While this may sound counterintuitive — “make the exercise harder, not easier” — a larger diameter handle will increase the demands on your gripping and forearm muscles. (3) While it may, in the short-term, lead to performing fewer repetitions or using slightly lighter weights, you’ll benefit in the long-term with improved results, a stronger grip, and more overall strength.

These benefits are especially noticeable when you revert back to using standard-sized handles which will feel significantly smaller (and relatively easier) in comparison. This movement can be performed on a specially designed thick bar manufactured with a larger overall diameter or you can attach individual, removable handles to any bar.

Benefits of the Reverse Biceps Curl

Curl variations often get lumped into the “for looks only” category, but that’s a relatively short-sighted outlook that misses the bigger benefits of training your arms directly with the reverse biceps curl.

Grip and Arm Strength

The pronated grip emphasizes the gripping muscles of your forearm because you need to apply a constant “crushing” grip to prevent the bar from falling out of your hands. This makes the reverse biceps curl an efficient way to increase strength in your grip, forearms, and upper arms.

This improved strength can carry over to many compound (multi-joint) exercises like farmer’s carries, chin-ups, rows, and deadlifts.

Arm Size

If bigger arms are on your wish list, the reverse biceps curl can be a major player in adding size to your upper and lower arms. The unique hand supinate hand position emphasizes the brachioradialis muscle, which isn’t often targeted with other curl variations.

While your primary biceps muscles are also highly active during the reverse biceps curl, the brachioradialis takes up a relatively large amount of space on your arm, and increasing its size with the reverse biceps curl will pay dividends for your total arm size.

Healthier Wrists and Elbows

If you’re a lifter who suffers with recurring pain around your wrists or elbow joints, tries to work around weak wrists, or has general grip-strength issues, it’s worth incorporating the reverse biceps curl into your training plan.

The increased activation of the forearm muscles can help to improve wrist and elbow health by developing the muscles around both joints, leading to improved joint stability and strength.

Muscle Worked in the Reverse Biceps Curl

The reverse biceps curl doesn’t “only” train your biceps. The pronated hand position creates unique muscle recruitment that activates muscles not typically trained during many other curl variations.

Brachioradialis

What makes the pronated (reverse) curl so different from a supinated (classic) curl is the fact that now a huge player in arm strength and size gets to enter the picture: The brachioradialis muscle. (4) This relatively large muscle runs from your wrist, along the thumb-side of your forearm, crosses over the elbow joint, and attaches near the bottom portion of your biceps.

It plays a role in turning your wrist (pronating and supinating), while also flexing your arm at the elbow joint. Using a pronated hand position is the only way to specifically emphasize the brachioradialis.

Biceps Brachii

The biceps brachii are “the biceps” that get all the attention, front and center on your upper arms. The biceps are still the prime movers for this exercise since elbow flexion, the biceps’ primary function, is still the fundamental movement.

How to Program the Reverse Biceps Curl

Whether you’re replacing supinated biceps curls with reverse biceps curls or using them as additional biceps training in your program, there are a few programming concepts and effective approaches that will let you get the most benefit from the movement.

Curl After Bigger Lifts

It’s important to remember the exercise’s role — it’s an accessory movement and, under most circumstances, it should be performed toward the end of your workout.

If you train with a dedicated arm day, some leeway can be given as to when the exercise is performed in the session. However, if you’re like many people, you probably like to crush a bit of arm training at the end of a workout that has already targeted a larger body part, like your back or chest.

The last thing you’d want is to fatigue your arms early in a session, which would inhibit the strength and performance of bigger movements like rows, pulls, or presses. Be wise and realize that the muscles targeted by the reverse biceps curl act as synergists to other big movers, aiding in those larger movements, and they should be trained with proper awareness and relative priority.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetition

When it is time to start curling, stick with the tried and true approach for building size and strength — three to four sets of eight to 15 reps. This will let you hit the reverse curls with enough load and volume to trigger muscle growth and strength gains.

Using extremely heavy weight for low reps, on any kind of curl, is just asking for your lower back to help out. Going super-light for very high repetitions will unduly fatigue your smaller hand and grip muscles without sufficiently targeting your biceps or brachioradialis.

Reverse Biceps Curl Variations

Once you’ve gotten the hang of the simple reverse biceps curl, you can add some variety to the movement for continued progress. Changing the training implement — switching from an EZ-curl bar to dumbbells to a straight bar — is one option. Specific exercise variations can also be useful

Reverse Cable Curl

By attaching an EZ-curl bar or straight bar to a low cable pulley, you can increase the time under tension which can lead to a greater muscle-building stimulus. The cable provides constant tension, which means you can pause at points during the repetition to further boost the tension.

For a more advanced and more focused movement, you can attach a single handle to the low pulley and perform the exercise with one arm at a time, similar to using a single dumbbell. This could let you really zone-in and focus on each individual arm.

Zottman Curl

This old school bodybuilding exercise combines a standard dumbbell curl on the concentric (lifting phase) and turns into a reverse dumbbell curl on the eccentric (lowering phase), creating a “best of both worlds”-type of movement.

The Zottman curl is typically performed in an alternating fashion, raising one dumbbell while simultaneously lowering the opposite hand. If that coordination is too much to handle, you can perform the movement with both hands at the same time — curl with both hands palm-up, lower with both hands palm-down.

FAQs

Reverse for Forward Progress

Biceps curls, in general, don’t get enough love and attention in most people’s programs. It’s almost as if “arm training” has fallen out of fashion in the gym, but if you want to build bigger arms, it’s time to embrace your goal and go full-tilt toward it with a complete plan. That will probably mean programming an arm day in your training week. The reverse biceps curl can go a long way to boosting your grip strength, improving your wrists and elbows, and, of course, splitting your sleeves. 

References

1. Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
2. Afonso, J., Ramirez-Campillo, R., Moscão, J., Rocha, T., Zacca, R., Martins, A., Milheiro, A. A., Ferreira, J., Sarmento, H., & Clemente, F. M. (2021). Strength Training versus Stretching for Improving Range of Motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 9(4), 427. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9040427
3. Krings, B. M., Shepherd, B. D., Swain, J. C., Turner, A. J., Chander, H., Waldman, H. S., McAllister, M. J., Knight, A. C., & Smith, J. W. (2021). Impact of Fat Grip Attachments on Muscular Strength and Neuromuscular Activation During Resistance Exercise. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 35(Suppl 1), S152–S157. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002954
4. Kleiber, T., Kunz, L., & Disselhorst-Klug, C. (2015). Muscular coordination of biceps brachii and brachioradialis in elbow flexion with respect to hand position. Frontiers in physiology, 6, 215. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2015.00215

Featured Image: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

The post How to Do the Reverse Biceps Curl for Complete Arm Development appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

It’s a movement that can truly separate the beginners from intermediate and advanced lifters based upon competency. But even for experienced lifters, pull-ups can be challenging. And they can be tough to learn, also. 

Aside from basic muscular weakness, there may be a laundry list of reasons why you can’t do bodyweight pull-ups. The smallest old injury, mobility restriction, or joint issue could frustrate your ability to take advantage of this lift. And that’s when it’s handy to have equally effective options to this classic exercise.

Best Pull-Up Alternatives

• Flexed Arm Hang
• Eccentric Pull-Up
• Lat Pulldown
• Rack Pull-Up

Flexed Arm Hang 

This isometric exercise is a prime alternative to pull-ups for a couple of reasons. First, the amount of time spent under tension in a full lat contraction is unmatched when compared to traditionally performed reps. Normal pull-ups only see this peak contraction for an instant. This variation also reduces the possibility of the biceps entering the picture, making it a more efficient back exercise.

It also allows a lifter to address a common sticking point. Many lifters are weaker in the top position than in other portions of the lift. Many lifters can get halfway up, but start to fade as their chin approaches the bar. Spending a period of time set in that position can remedy the problem, train the upper back muscles, and translate to better pull-up performance.

When to Do It

The flexed arm hang can improve muscular endurance and “closing” strength in the peak contraction of classic pull-ups. In addition to training all the target muscles of the pull-up — the lats, upper back, and biceps — your core works hard to maintain a steady lower body. Since the movement is isometric in nature, there is relatively less potential for injury or risk, since the skeleton is hardly changing position while under tension and your joints can remain stable. It’s a fantastic option for building pull-up strength.

How to Do It

To perform a flexed arm hang, position yourself under a bar, with your in closer-than-normal proximity to the bar itself. This is typically accomplished by standing on a step or box, or jumping into position and locking your body into position. Hold the fully contracted state for the desired amount of time. 15 to 30-second holds is a good place to start.

In this position, it’s easy to allow the shoulders to creep out of position (elevated and with protracted scapulae), so the emphasis must be on maintaining a “proud chest” and a “long neck”.

Once fatigue sets in, it’s common for a lifter to simply let go and forfeit all tension. Instead, allow your body to slowly lower toward a full hang. This will reap the benefits of a heavy eccentric (lowering) rep, which is a great technique for strength gains in and of itself. 

Eccentric Pull-Up 

Adding time to an eccentric (lowering or stretching) portion of any exercise can strengthen a lifter’s ability on both halves of a lift — the concentric (lifting), as well as the eccentric. (1) Exhausting muscle fibers in the concentric portion of an exercise still leaves a large amount of a lifter’s capacity untapped.

Everyone possesses more eccentric strength (strength on the lowering phase of a movement) than they do concentric strength. Because of this strength bias, working hard to exhaust and “train” that portion of a given lift can improve a lifter’s total strength in that movement while also exposing the lifter to plenty of muscle-building time under tension. (2)

To illustrate: If a lifter’s one-rep max effort bench press was 315 pounds, you would naturally conclude that loading 320 or 325 pounds on the bar would leave them unable to press the weight from their chest. However, if that same lifter was asked to only lower a 325-pound barbell to their chest without pressing it up afterward, their possibility of success would be very high.

When to Do It

Focusing on the lowering phase of the exercise places much more emphasis on time under tension, which is ideal for strengthening muscles and stimulating growth. The eccentric pull-up, in particular, is also great for building grip strength. When a lifter has a bigger frame, their issue might not be a technical element of the lift, it could be the frustration of their overall size making it difficult to possess the strength to complete reps.

For big, heavy lifters, their relative strength will be exploited with this exercise. Even if they perform well in movements like the squat and deadlift, their chin-up or pull-up performance often suffers. There’s no other major explanation to be made, other than the sad truth that those are sometimes the breaks when you carry a whole lot of mass. 

As a back-dominant exercise, the basic pull-up should generally be a movement that a lifter can perform for reps to tap into the muscular endurance of his postural muscles. It’s up to the lifter to choose the right exercise choices to make that possible, and the eccentric pull-up can be a key player in getting there.

How to Do It 

Set up a box or step under the pull-up bar, slightly behind, to the side of, or in front of your body. Stand on top of the box with your head fairly close to the bar. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, outside of shoulder-width and “jump” yourself into the top position of a pull-up — with your elbows near your ribs and your chest close to the bar. Set your shoulders down and back.

Lower yourself slowly with control, while attempting to “brake” your free descent, until the arms are fully extended and you’re in a true dead hang. When you’ve reached the bottom position, step back onto the box and repeat from the top. Focus on sets of three to six reps, with each rep taking five to 10 second for a full descent. Never sacrifice full range of motion, and be sure to do zero work on the concentric phase of the movement — only jump into the top position, don’t try to pull yourself up.

To make this more challenging, add “eccentric isometrics” by pausing for three to five seconds at various segments throughout the descent — at the one-quarter point, the halfway point, and the three-quarters point.

Lat Pulldown

The lat pulldown might be considered more of an “assistance” exercise than a true “alternative,” but it can be highly effective when pull-ups aren’t an option. The movement is somewhat more isolated in nature, as its seated starting position eliminates many core muscles normally involved in a pull-up.

Moreover, the weight being lifted can be adjusted from as low as the weight stack offers (typically 10 or 20 pounds) to the full stack itself, potentially more than the lifter can manage with good form. The makes the muscular demands on the body potentially too low or excessive. But when used properly, with appropriate loading and programming, the lat pulldown can help to target the back, shoulders, and arms in a vertical pulling movement comparable to a full pull-up.

When to Do It

One mistake many people believe about “back exercises” is that that any movement is a good one when it comes to muscular development, shoulder health, and postural correction. With good intentions, some people double-up on their pulling movements, which can include pull-ups, thinking that they are premier strengthening exercises that deliver a positive impact on posture and shoulder health.

However, kyphosis is a significant condition affecting the thoracic spine (upper and middle back) which causes a rounded, “humpback” posture. Most people think that it only affects the spine, but this change in spinal shape has an impact on the rest of the back and ribcage, also. Kyphosis also affects the shoulder blades, pushing them higher and outward into a dysfunctional “winged” position.

This can contribute to shoulder pain, and more importantly, it can mean pull-ups cause your joints more harm than good. Many lifters don’t have great shoulder mobility, and this can be very valuable information to learn before doing pull-ups. It’s a key reason why pulldowns may prove to be a safer, more effective alternative for those with shoulder or upper back issues.

The lat pulldown can allow your torso to lean at a more comfortable angle for the overhead pull, with less shoulder flexion than hanging your full body weight from a pull-up bar, can be a saving grace to shoulder health for those to whom these contraindications apply. 

How to Do It

It’s essential that you take the time to position yourself on the seat at the appropriate height. Most lat pulldown setups allow you to adjust to the height of the seat, so you should be sitting far enough that you can just barely reach the bar.

Set your hands in an overhand pull-up grip (around shoulder-width apart should be fine for most lifters), secure your legs under the leg pads, and lean your torso back very slightly.

The starting position should be one where the weight is lifted off the plate-loaded stack when the bar is in your hands and your arms are stretched overhead. In other words, at the top of each rep, the plates shouldn’t crash on top of one another, which would indicate insufficient range of motion.

Set your shoulders by lowering them toward the ground and make your neck long. Focus on driving your elbows down to move the bar toward the torso. Pull with your elbows as far as you can, to feel a deep contraction in your upper and mid-back. Done properly, the bar should stop on or near your upper chest or collarbone area. Pause very briefly before returning to the stretched position.

Rack Pull-Ups 

When someone isn’t too great at pull-ups, they can end up doing “whatever it takes” to get up to the bar. As a result, some unwanted and potentially dangerous swinging of their entire body can become an issue.

For that reason, gently resting your feet on an object like a box or bench can be a game-changer to establish muscular control without overwhelming the lift with “too much” assistance.

The idea with the rack pull-up, sometimes called a rack chin, is that your legs to take some of the loading off the body, which can result in a stricter pull-up with more focus on your upper and mid-back. This can be a great option for any lifter concerned with adding size whether or not they’re not great at standard bodyweight pull-ups.

When to Do It

Rack pull-ups create a modification from the full pull-up since some of your body weight is removed from the picture. However, the exercise also allows you to focus more on muscular contraction than core stability through each rep. Add that to the probable reality of being able to crank out more reps per set due to the improved leverage and decreased loading, and you have a wicked tool for hypertrophy.

How to Do It

Set up a flat bench or step near a Smith machine or power rack, with the bar set high enough to allow your body to create a 90-degree angle when your arms are fully extended and your feet are on top of the bench. Grab the bar with an overhand grip beyond shoulder-width. Keep your upper body mostly vertical and your lower body mostly horizontal or angled throughout each repetition. Don’t allow yourself to lean back excessively, turning the exercise into a horizontal row.

You can press gently into the bench with your legs as you pull toward the top position. This adjusts the amount of assistance and control necessary to complete the lift with maximum focus.

Benefits of Pull-Up Alternatives

Choosing an exercise comparable to pull-ups may be necessary for a number of reasons, and each alternative can provide a variety of benefits that can either work around resstrictions or help work toward a full pull-up.

Decreased Strength Requirement

Performing a bodyweight pull-up can be an incredible challenge for many lifters, whether it’s due to a significant body weight, a lack of upper body strength, or a combination of the two. The most effective pull-up alternatives can provide a significant training stimulus regardless of the lifter’s current strength level or overall conditioning.

Adjustable Range of Motion

If shoulder or upper back mobility restrictions prevent full overhead extension, you won’t be able to safely or efficiently display enough force through a full range of motion to benefit from pull-ups. By accommodating an adjusted range of motion, some exercise variations allow you to build strength and muscle size without putting your back and shoulders into a compromised position.

No Pull-Ups, No Problem

Pull-ups are an amazingly useful and productive exercise, but they’re not for everyone. If you can’t yet manage a pull-up, or if you have mobility issues that prevent you from working through a pain-free range of motion, you’re now loaded with plenty of equally effective choices to build your back, shoulders, and arms while addressing the full pull-up in your own time.

References

1. Walker, S., Blazevich, A. J., Haff, G. G., Tufano, J. J., Newton, R. U., & Häkkinen, K. (2016). Greater Strength Gains after Training with Accentuated Eccentric than Traditional Isoinertial Loads in Already Strength-Trained Men. Frontiers in physiology, 7, 149. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2016.00149
2. Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200

Featured Image: Onward Milwaukee / YouTube

The post The 4 Best Pull-Up Alternatives for Back Strength and Muscle appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

People often neglect core training because it can be grueling, boring, or just plain difficult. But it doesn’t have to be any of that. Simple and effective core training starts with the basics. When it comes to simple core training, it’s hard to beat what’s arguably the most ubiquitous of all core exercises in the gym, the classic plank. But when it comes to being both simple and effective, take the plank to the next level.

Enter, the bear plank. This upgraded plank position is both easier to learn than the classic and it hits your core harder. Here’s how to get a win-win for your core workout.

Bear Plank

• How to Do the Bear Plank 
• Bear Plank Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Progress the Bear Plank
• Benefits of the Bear Plank
• Muscles Worked by the Bear Plank
• How to Program the Bear Plank
• Bear Plank Variations 
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Bear Plank

The bear plank, or bear-stance plank, refers to holding a ground-based position using straight arms and bent legs, rather than straight arms and straight legs (like a standard plank position). Your weight is supported on your hands and toes, with no other bases of support, but your legs are bent and your knees are very slightly above ground-level. 

Step 1 — Hands, Knees, and Toes

Get on the ground and support your body with your hands, knees, and feet. Set your hands directly under your shoulders, not in front or behind them. Place your feet hip-width apart.

Get an approximate 90-degree joint angle at your knees. If your legs are too bent, the movement won’t be challenging enough and you’ll risk resting your knees on the ground. If your legs are too straight with your knees behind your hips, you’ll end up looking like a poorly performed standard plank, which defeats the purpose of the exercise.

Form Tip: Your overall position should be comfortable, square, and balanced. Take the time to check the position of your hands, shoulders, knees, hips, and feet. Look directed down to the ground or slightly in front of your hands. Cranking your head to look forward will only stress your neck.

Step 2 — Lift Your Knees and Brace

Bring your knees just a few inches off the ground and keep them in line with your feet. Don’t let your shins or knees wobble in or out of alignment. Flex every muscle from your toes to your wrists. Although this is a core-focused exercise, the more muscles surrounding the core you can also contract to promote stability, the better. (1)

Squeeze your quads, glutes, and hips. Think about driving your hands and feet into the floor as hard as possible without actually raising your body. Keep your knees off the ground and maintain complete tension for the duration of each set.

Form Tip: Don’t only focus on flexing your abs. Achieving full-body tension will contribute to a better quality bear stance which will make the movement harder and require more effort, which can yield better results.

Bear Plank Mistakes to Avoid

Even though the bear plank is a static exercise with no “moving parts,” there are still some common technique errors that will prevent maximum tension or limit progress.

Poor Knee Position

When your knees are touching the ground, your body has very little need to stabilize, so you’re not actually performing the exercise. Keeping your knees elevated also helps to maintain a strong hip position and prevent back rounding. This can also help maintain tension through your hamstrings, glutes, core, and trunk.

Avoid it: Set your knees directly under your hips or tailbone, not far back in a nearly straight position. When you begin the exercise, imagine having a tray of wet paint appear under your knees. Stay tight, stay focused, and keep your legs clean. If your knees dip down into the “paint,” end the set, rest briefly, and try again.

Bending Your Arms

The fully supported bear plank position uses your fully straightened arms to support your upper body while your lower body is supported by bent legs. Bending your upper arms changes the overall angle of your torso and alters your center of gravity.

This makes the exercise less effective overall and emphasizes the relatively smaller muscles of your arms and shoulders to support the majority of your body’s weight, compared to dispersing the tension throughout your entire body.

Avoid it: Keep your arms locked straight during the exercise. If your shoulders or triceps fatigue excessively, end the set. Over time, your muscles will adapt by building strength and endurance to support the position.

How to Progress the Bear Plank

The bear plank is a relatively a simple movement, so the natural inclination of a lifter would be to seek ways to make it more difficult once they’ve “graduated” from the basic execution. 

Add a Weight Vest 

Adding a weight vest creates a heavier load to bear when in position, requiring even more from the trunk for stability and positioning. However, the typical weight distribution of a standard weight vest (with the weighted inserts often placed around the midsection) creates even greater temptation for the spine to slip into an arched or extended position. That means more reliance on your abs to negate this repositioning and keep your spine flat. 

Keep in mind that using a weight vest usually goes hand-in-hand with reducing the amount of time spent in the plank position. Focus on high-quality performance rather than just achieving long durations. 

Shoulder Taps

In the typical bear-stance plank, there are four points of contact with the floor — two hands and two feet. That means forces are distributed evenly among all those points. As soon as one of those points of contact leaves the floor, there are added demands on the body to resist changing position to compensate for reduced stability. In the bear plank, these are rotational forces and resisting them would be termed “anti-rotation.” 

Since a massive function of your core is to brace and work against unwanted outside forces, the simple shoulder tap is a great way to train anti-rotation from a bear stance. Work hard to stay square and keep your back and trunk parallel to the floor without twisting or shifting. Try sets of 12-20 shoulder taps, alternating hands as you go along. Remember to move slowly with control. 

Bear Dogs 

Assuming a bear-stance starting position allows you to maintain a much more neutral spine when in starting position, as previously discussed. The basic bird dog exercise is a core stability movement that many lifters can master, but taking things to the next level involves some strategy. Bear dogs are a smart modification that provide all of the benefits in blasting contralateral stability (coordinating left and right limb movements).

Keep sets very low-rep, such as three or four reps per side. Instead of progressing with higher reps, opt for more total sets. This ensures you can focus on high-quality repetitions while avoiding too much fatigue which would prevent good performance.

Benefits of the Bear Plank

The bear plank, like all types of plank exercises, can be a top-level core strengthening drill. The total-body tension and abdominal activation can carry over to provide stability in other strength-focused exercises.

Better Ab Recruitment

The bear plank works well as a modification or alternative to basic planks, while being much more effective in targeting the abs due to simple changes in positioning. The abs are much more difficult to fully engage in a classic plank due to the long-legged position. Everyone naturally has a slight arch (lordotic curve) in their lower backs, and it’s especially present when standing up straight. The same issue applies when we get into a typical plank position.

However, when sitting down, it’s a lot harder to maintain the same degree of back arch. When you’re bending your knees to sit down, your pelvis tends to rotate “under” your body into more of a posterior tilt, making the spine exit extension and edge toward neutral or even a flexed position — that’s part of what makes you “slouch” when you sit.

Using that to our advantage can go a long way in its efficacy for core training. While it can be tough to keep a flat spine using a classic plank, opting for the bear plank almost ends up mimicking a seated position while kneeling. This change in knee angle also affects your pelvic position and brings your lumbar spine into a much more neutral state, which is great news for targeting and activating your abdominals. (2)

Simplified Technique

The bear plank is both a more challenging plank modification because it hits the abs harder than most other plank variations will. Fortunately, it’s also a less challenging modification because it’s relatively easier to perform for most lifters.

A lifter looking to take their core training game to the next level of quality and effectiveness can’t go wrong with the bear plank. Doubling down on the exercise by applying the advanced methods listed later in this article will be gold for keeping your training interesting while providing a continued challenge to trunk strength and stability. 

Muscles Worked by the Bear Plank

Any exercise in the plank family will first and foremost target your core muscles. The bear plank, specifically, recruits these crucial stabilizing muscles better than many other exercises due to your overall body position.

Rectus Abdominis

When all four limbs are on the ground, the bear plank primarily focuses on the rectus abdominis muscles — the body part that most people reference when they say “six-pack”. The goal of the exercise is to keep the strength of the muscular contraction consistent and high-intensity.

Transverse Abdominis

The transverse abdominis is the “inner layer” of the abdominal wall. During the bear plank, or any high-effort core bracing, your transverse abs will be firing at maximum capacity to provide stability to your entire trunk, like beams of a house giving stability to the outer framework.

Obliques

Your obliques, on the sides of your abdominals, are responsible for rotating your trunk and thoracic spine, as well as resisting rotation. During the bear plank, your obliques are activated to help prevent tipping over sideways.

Anytime you lift a hand or foot during any anti-rotational bear plank variations, your obliques take on significantly more work. They will be asked to isometrically contract to keep the core from twisting out of position.

How to Program the Bear Plank

The bear plank can be plugged into any number of workout programs, either as a warm-up and activation drill, a focused core training exercise, or as part of a conditioning workout.

High Intensity for Time

The bear plank, and all plank variations, are somewhat unique to other exercises you can perform because they’re typically not done for multiple repetitions. Instead, focus on achieving maximum tension from head-to-toe and holding that tension for a specific time — using your phone’s timer feature comes in real handy for this. Aim for anywhere from five to 30 seconds of fully flexed tension for two to five sets.

Just like you “shouldn’t” use poor form to squeeze out a few extra reps of squats, you shouldn’t allow yourself to gradually apply less and less tension as a set goes on just to hit a pre-set time limit. When you feel the focused tension falling less than 100%, stop the set, rest, and do another.

Variations of the Bear Plank

Once you’ve mastered applying full-body tension with the bear plank, you can adapt that skill and conditioning to other exercises for a variety of results.

Classic Plank

As popular and common as the plank exercise is, the interesting truth is the fact that many people perform it poorly. Positioning the body on your elbows and toes has proven to be a slightly more demanding task than meets the eye, especially with form cues to ensure your abs are working their hardest. For starters, it’s important to remember that the abdominals posteriorly tilt the pelvis.

That means keeping your back flat with your butt squeezed and “tucked in” is far superior to keeping your back slightly (or generously) arched. Doing the latter will negate the purpose of the exercise.

Actively “pull inward” with your elbows in an attempt to move your ribcage down toward the hips. This keeps your core braced while contracting as hard as it can. This is an important cue, as it’s really easy to “hang out and chill” when performing a plank, enabling someone to stay in position for minutes on end. It’s much more effective to hold an intense contraction for 30 seconds or less, than to hold a poor quality position for three, five, or 45 minutes. 

Bear-Stance Renegade Row

Doing renegade rows from a bear-stance position isn’t only harder and more intense for the abs, it’s also an easier way for you to assume the right lumbar (lower back) posture. Your pelvis enters anterior (forward) tilt and your body has to find a way to keep your glutes and lower abs engaged enough to overcome this. This isn’t easy in the presence of fatigue.

Making the switch to bent knees with tilt your pelvis posteriorly (backward) just enough to enforce a neutral spine, potentiating more lower ab involvement while leaving the glutes less involved. If the goal is core training, this is an ideal “gym hack.” The inclusion of the row pattern (which shouldn’t use a very weight) will also train your upper back to address posture, strength, and development.

FAQs

Get Down, Knees Up

There are hundreds of abdominal and oblique-focused exercises that might help a lifter get stronger and more conditioned, but it doesn’t have to get too fancy. Taking a basic plank and turning it into a bear-stance can be all that’s needed to step your training up a notch or two. Exercise doesn’t need to be complicated for good things to happen — quality is king. The bear plank is a great example of emphasize simple and effective training being the path to better results.

References

1. Gontijo, L. B., Pereira, P. D., Neves, C. D., Santos, A. P., Machado, D.deC., & Bastos, V. H. (2012). Evaluation of strength and irradiated movement pattern resulting from trunk motions of the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. Rehabilitation research and practice, 2012, 281937. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/281937
2. Workman, Chad & Docherty, David & Parfrey, Kevin & Behm, David. (2008). Influence of Pelvis Position on the Activation of Abdominal and Hip Flexor Muscles. Journal of strength and conditioning research / National Strength & Conditioning Association. 22. 1563-9. 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181739981.

Featured Image: Susan Niebergall Fitness / Youtube

The post How to Do the Bear Plank for Stronger Abs and Total-Body Stability appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The Turkish get-up, or TGU, can be an effective tool for a variety of goals. This total-body exercise requires, and builds, a serious measure of athleticism. It requires very little loading or setup — if you have a single weight and floor space, you’re ready to rock. While the movement does require some degree of athletic capability, the risk:reward ratio is very favorable since the weight being lifted is light. 

However, the Turkish get-up can take some time to learn. It’s not as simple as some other exercises, like curling a dumbbell or lifting a barbell off the ground. It’s time to learn all the steps of the Turkish get-up so you can take advantage of all the benefits it has to offer, from head to toe.

Turkish Get-Up

• How to Do the Turkish Get-Up
• Turkish Get-Up Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Progress the Turkish Get-Up
• Benefits of the Turkish Get-Up
• Muscles Worked by the Turkish Get-Up
• How to Program the Turkish Get-Up
• Turkish Get-Up Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions

Step-by-Step Turkish Get-Up Demonstration

Take a look at Coach Traver Boehm performing this comprehensive exercise in action, see all of the details involved, and then finish learning the guidelines and tips.

The Turkish get-up truly is a total-body exercise. It requires coordination and concentration to safely deliver results.

How To Do the Turkish Get-Up

Because the Turkish get-up uses so many muscle groups in a variety of movement patterns, the best way to approach the exercise is to compartmentalize each phase of this big lift for eventual mastery.

The exercise is most commonly performed with a kettlebell, but a dumbbell can be used instead. The kettlebell will slightly increase shoulder recruitment due to its offset center of gravity, compared to a more well-balanced dumbbell.

Step 1 — Start on the Ground

Lie on the floor with the weight placed near one shoulder. Roll your body toward the weight and grab the handle with the same-side hand. Support the weight with your opposite hand as you roll your back flat on the ground, using your body to help leverage the weight up to an extended-arm lockout position. Your arm, with the weight, should be aimed straight at the ceiling. 

Bend your leg on the same side as your working arm. Keep your other leg straight, aimed slightly at an angle.

Form Tip: Making yourself “take up more space” in the beginning of the movement will come in handy in later phases of the lift. Your non-working arm and leg should be angled out to create a wide and stable base for the rest of the movement.

Step 2 — Roll to Your Elbow

As you lie there with the loaded arm pointed up, keep your eyes on the weight. Stare at the weight in your hand throughout the exercise. Keep your working arm ramrod straight and vertical. Drive into the floor with your planted foot (on the bent leg) to create tension while using the hand, forearm, and elbow of your opposite arm to lift your torso off the ground. Use the floor to your advantage as a leverage point. Continue letting the raised arm “lead the way” to help you upward. Don’t look away from the weight overhead.

Form Tip: It’s crucial that the knuckles of your working arm face the ceiling at all times. That means keeping your arm pointed straight upward, perpendicular to the floor. Nothing can compromise this position, no matter how your body moves underneath it.  That also means it’s imperative your elbow doesn’t bend. It may ask a lot of your shoulder mobility, but it will also deliver strength and stability.

Step 3 — Drive Up to Your Hand

At this stage, your torso should be off the ground, supported on your forearm, and your butt should still be planted. Get “tall” by pressing your forearm hard into the ground and raise onto just your hand, instead of that entire forearm. Both arms should be straight — one supporting the weight overhead and the other placed palm-down on the floor. If the hand on the floor feels unstable or too far from your body, adjust and bring it in a bit closer to your hips to help your stability. 

Form Tip: Because the Turkish get-up involves multiple steps, it can help to briefly pause after each separate phase to assess your body position. Gradually, as you get more experienced, the individual segments can flow together more smoothly. For example, some lifters are more comfortable “combining” the roll to their elbow (step two) with the hand-supported position (step three), which brings them from lying flat on the floor right up to a straight-arm support, before continuing the movement.

Step 4 — Hips Up, Leg Through

Press your hand and the foot of your bent leg into the floor hard enough to lift your hips off the ground. This must be done carefully and precisely — remember, you still have to control a weight over your head in a locked out position.

Raise your hips as high as your flexibility and strength will allow. The higher you can get them, the easier the next step will be. It helps to squeeze the glute of your bent leg to help with full hip extension. Allow your body to slightly turn toward the hand on the ground, away from the weighted hand.

Briefly pause before carefully bringing your straight leg back through the space you’ve just created by bridging your hips up. Gently pick up your straight leg, tuck your knee, and think about bringing your knee “behind” your body, not just under it. Plant that knee firmly on the ground. You should now have one hand, one knee, and one foot on the ground. And you should still be looking at the weight. 

Form Tip: It’s okay if your knees point in different directions. It’ll actually make for more stability if you plant your second knee at an angle rather than straight on.

Step 5 — Kneel Tall, Then Stand

Use core strength to straighten your torso as you take the planted hand off the ground and settle in a half-kneeling position. Keep your eyes on the prize while you think of your obliques firing hard to bring your body vertically under the weight. Remember, the weight shouldn’t really move much — rather, your body should move to be positioned under the weight.

From the half-kneeling position, perform a basic lunge to stand up — drive through your front foot and bring your feet together in a standing position. You should finish this phase of the exercise fully upright with the weight still locked out overhead.

Form Tip: Some lifters add an additional step after the half-kneeling position, bringing their leg up into the bottom of a squat (instead of a lunge), before standing up. That is a relatively advanced option which requires more hip and shoulder mobility. Stick with the standard lunge position, which has the added benefit of increased core recruitment due to the single-leg movement.

Step 6 — Get Back Down

Standing up is only half the battle. One full repetition requires lying back down, too. The ground won’t go anywhere, so keep your eyes on the weight and learn to reverse your actions by feel, and not by looking down. If you break your focus, the weight will fall.  You’ve done everything necessary to get to the top, so shift it in reverse to get to the bottom.

Step back with the same knee that just came forward (opposite your working arm) and lunge backwards to lower your shin and knee to the ground under control. Plant your non-working hand on the ground in line with your hips, at the side of your body and not behind it. This hand position is important for preventing you from sitting down on your back heel. It will also give your body enough space to create a bridge and pick up your planted knee, so your leg can travel through to its original straight-leg position. Slowly bring your leg forward. Plant your glutes on the ground under control.

Finally, keep your palm down as you slide your arm away from your body until your elbow contacts the ground. Slowly roll your upper body down until your shoulders and back are on the ground. You should be lying down again by this point, with the weight aimed at the ceiling, which means it’s time to put the weight down beside you. Lower the weight until your elbow gently touches the ground. Use your free hand to lower the weight completely to the floor.

Form Tip: Because the exercise can seem complicated and involved, some lifters may be more comfortable initially performing it either with no weight in their hand or while holding an empty cup in the palm of their hand. The lack of resistance can make it more difficult to feel your arm remaining vertical, but it will allow you to focus on the step-by-step instructions.

Turkish Get-Up Mistakes to Avoid 

The step-by-step instruction should cover many troubleshooting issues, but there are some specific technique errors worth highlighting or reinforcing.

Looking Away from the Weight

“Where your eyes go, your body follows.” This saying applies to athletics, dance, and even weight training. Shifting your visual focus can influence your body’s posture and movement. (1)(2) This is why, with the Turkish get-up, it’s crucial to fix your eyes on the weight overhead instead of looking at the ground as you move your hands and feet.

If your eyes drift down to the floor, your arm holding the weight overhead is much more likely to drift off a vertical plane, which increases strain on your shoulder joint and puts your arm in a potentially dangerous angle.

Avoid it: This may sound overly simple, but remember to keep looking at the weight overhead. The basic cue of looking at the weight in your hand can be worth its weight in gold when it comes to keeping a stable and balanced overhead position. Using a mirror doesn’t count because you’re eyes are looking forward (at the mirror), not overhead.

Letting Your Elbow Bend

Unlocking your straight arm on the working side is an instant way to leak strength and have an unsuccessful repetition. Keeping your arm locked out overhead engages your triceps, shoulders, and upper back, which gives you more control over the weight.

Bending your elbow also puts the weight in an inefficient position overhead, so you’re forced to realign your arm and torso to keep the load over your center of gravity. These adjustments trickle downhill and require changing your technique in each step of the exercise to stay in a powerful and stable position.

Avoid it: Keep your elbow locked out by thinking you’re also doing a shoulder press. It should feel like you’re constantly fighting to complete a press through each phase of the get-up. Doing so can be the difference between a successful rep or an unsuccessful rep that comes crashing down – possibly taking your rotator cuff along for the ride.

Keeping Your Feet Too Close Together

Using a bunched-up stance with your feet awkwardly close can prevent a proper base of stability. In addition, after bridging your hips up, there won’t be enough space for your free leg to travel through without catching your other (planted) foot along the way. Essentially, you end up tripping over your own two feet.

Avoid it: Make a conscious effort to spread your feet apart both when you’re lying down and as you begin to stand. It’ll set the tone for the rest of the lift. Keep your feet no closer than shoulder-width to allow a smooth flow to the standing position.

How to Progress the Turkish Get-Up

Technically, the Turkish get-up itself is an advanced progression because it’s the culmination of so many different steps. Breaking the movement down and drilling individual phases of the exercise is one smart way to work toward a full get-up.

Turkish Sit-Up

Practicing the first “half” of the Turkish get-up, rising from flat on your back up to your elbow or hand, is an effective way to practice the initial position while strengthening your core, shoulders, and back.

To do these, it’s simply a matter of performing the initial technique cues, based on what’s comfortable for you to achieve, position-wise. As you grow more accustomed to the movement, reaching an elbow-supported position, a hand-supported position, or a low bridge position can make the full Turkish get-up feel as smooth as butter. 

Benefits of the Turkish Get-Up

The Turkish get-up is one of the most “full-body exercises” of all the full-body exercises. There’s not a muscle from head to toe that isn’t involved in moving or supporting the weight through the full range of motion. As such, it offers some unique benefits compared to many other movements.

Mobility

First and foremost, the TGU is a mobility mammoth. The get-up focuses on mobility of your hips, knees, ankles, thoracic spine, and shoulders, on both the working (weight-supporting) side and the planted side nearest the ground. (3)

If you’re immobile in any of these areas, your body will let you know your weak points in a real hurry. Fortunately, working on appropriate progressions with appropriately light loading is a very effective way to address and improve those weak points.

Conditioning

Simply getting up and down from the floor can sometimes be enough to get someone’s heart rate up and keep it elevated. Adding a load and a ton of mental focus to the mix can make this even more muscularly demanding, in addition to the cardio demands already imposed. If you’re looking for better lungs and a bit of fat loss, you’ve stopped on the right movement.

Muscles Worked by the Turkish Get-Up

Simply put, the Turkish get-up works everything. It’s as “compound” a movement as you can get because it involves nearly every joint in your body, from ankles to elbows and everything in between.

While the emphasis may be on the shoulder complex, nearly every major muscle group including the abs, back, quads, glutes, and hamstrings plays a role in performing a successful rep.

Shoulders

All three heads of your shoulders (the front, rear, and side) are worked during the Turkish get-up. The shoulders of the weight-supporting arm are worked to stabilize the weight overhead as you move throughout space. Because the weight is constantly shifting, your shoulder is actively firing and micro-adjusting throughout the exercise. At the same time, the shoulder of your support arm is worked during the lower portion of the exercise to support your body as you rise off the floor.

Back

While most back exercises involve pulling or rowing motions, your entire back is worked during the TGU. Your lower back, as part of your overall core, works to maintain a safe and stable spine as you rotate, bend, and pivot from a lying to standing position. Your upper back assists shoulder stability and shoulder blade control to keep your arm secured overhead.

Abdominals

Your abs are worked in multiple directions, controlling your upper body position. They’re also worked statically to support many transition phases between steps, as well as dynamically as you bend sideways to maintain a vertical arm position. It’s not uncommon to feel soreness in your obliques (on the sides of your abs) due to the significant range of motion and time under tension.

Legs

While many see the Turkish get-up as an “upper body” exercise, your entire lower body also receives a significant stimulus. Your quads, glutes, and hamstrings are strengthened, particularly during the lunge phase to stand up, while your hips and hamstrings are put through a major mobility session as they go through kneeling and standing positions.

How to Program the Turkish Get-Up

While the Turkish get-up may seem like an advanced movement for athletic lifters, it can also work as a great drill in spatial awareness and neuromuscular coordination for beginning lifters. (4) Moreover, whether your goal is conditioning, strength, or hypertrophy, the TGU can find a place in a program either as a main part of the workout or as a post-workout finisher to get the last juice out of muscles that have been worked hard. 

Light to Moderate Weight, Very Low Repetition

One reliable method to incorporate the Turkish get-up is to do sets of three to six sets of one to two reps per arm, alternating arms between each repetition. This is a great way to throw them into a workout, either on their own or as part of a superset, because the low reps allow you to further emphasize picture-perfect technique.

Reps For Total Time

Using the TGU as a “finisher” can be highly effective when performed for a fixed amount of time rather than aiming for a couple of individual repetitions. Making this change will take the emphasis off of the weight being lifted and shift focus more toward the cardio benefits.

One effective method here is to choose a comfortable weight based around your abilities (err on the side of going “too light”), and set a timer for anywhere between three and six minutes, and perform continuous reps (alternating arms). Try not to stop moving until the time has elapsed. It’s crucial that you don’t rush through the movements just to rack up more reps within the time limit — maintain your technique at all times.

After the very first minute, you’ll notice your entire body working hard, with your shoulders burning and your heart rate going through the roof.  

Turkish Get-Up Variations

When and if you’ve mastered the Turkish get-up, you can actually move on to some simple, effective variations for an even greater challenge.

Barbell Get-Up

Performing a Turkish get-up with a barbell instead of a dumbbell or kettlebell is, arguably, one of the most eye-catching and attention-grabbing exercises you can see done in a gym. It also happens to be a highly challenging way to test your total-body strength and shoulder stability.

The length of the barbell means drastically increased instability. The bar will attempt to tip forward and backward, as well as rotate, as you move through the exercise. Exerting 100% control over the barbell and keeping it level requires high-level muscular control and coordination.

Turkish Get-Down

The Turkish get-down, sometimes called a reverse Turkish get-up, appears to be a simple reversal of the basic TGU. Instead of beginning in a lying position and working to stand up, you begin standing with the weight locked overhead, move to a lying position, and stand up again.

This is sometimes seen as a “regression” or easier variation of the basic TGU because many people are simply more comfortable in a standing start position. It can also be more accommodating for lifters who lack the necessary core strength to initially perform the sit-up portion of the basic TGU.

FAQs

The Get-Up Wrap-Up

The dynamic quality of this unique exercise can be the exact game changer that a lifter of any skill level needs take their gains to the next level. The problem with most gym training that it encourages some lifters to only focus on the specific task at hand – namely, performing a good-looking rep of whatever movement is being trained. The real challenge is finding movements that translate to real-life or athletics, like the TGU. Especially when it means you can nab some extra hip and shoulder mobility while building serious core strength. These types of movements are win-win.

References

1. Imai, T., Moore, S. T., Raphan, T., & Cohen, B. (2001). Interaction of the body, head, and eyes during walking and turning. Experimental brain research, 136(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002210000533
2. Richard P. Di Fabio, Saurav Paul, Alongkot Emasithi, John F. Greany, Evaluating Eye–Body Coordination During Unrestrained Functional Activity in Older Persons, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 56, Issue 9, 1 September 2001, Pages M571–M574, https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/56.9.M571
3. St-Onge, E., Robb, A., Beach, T. A. C., & Howarth, S. J. (2019). A descriptive analysis of shoulder muscle activities during individual stages of the Turkish Get-Up exercise. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 23(1), 23–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2018.01.013
4. Ayash, Adam & Jones, Margaret. (2012). Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up: Training Tool for Injury Prevention and Performance Enhancement. International Journal of Athletic Therapy & Training. 17. 8. 10.1123/ijatt.17.4.8.

Featured Image: Paul Aiken / Shutterstock

The post How to Do the Turkish Get-Up for Total-Body Strength and Conditioning appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

With all of the unique benefits a trap bar can provide for almost every serious lifter, there’s a good case to make for it to become the number one tool for lower body training. Sorry, barbell, you had a good run.

Though the trap bar can be used for a handful of different exercises, its most commonly put to use for the highly effective trap bar deadlift. Here’s how to get started.

• How to Do the Trap Bar Deadlift
• Trap Bar Deadlift Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Progress the Trap Bar Deadlift
• Benefits of the Trap Bar Deadlift
• Muscles Worked by Trap Bar Deadlift
• How to Program the Trap Bar Deadlift
• Trap Bar Deadlift Variations 
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Trap Bar Deadlift

The trap bar is typically a hexagonal shape with two long necks on either end for plate loading and a set of handles at the sides. There are often two types of handles on each end, one elevated higher than the other depending on the bar’s orientation.

The trap bar can work well with either the higher handles facing upward or the higher handles facing the floor. In gym-speak, this is referred to as pulling “high handle” or “low handle” and each has its merits. Here’s more about the movement.

Step 1 — Get Set to Pull

Flip the trap bar with the high handles up, which provides a shorter range of motion as you get the hang of the exercise. Step inside the trap bar with a stance that fits your comfort. Something around hip-width is most common for lifters using a barbell, but when you’re lifting a trap bar, a slightly wider stance — between hip-width and shoulder-width — is a more ideal position. With your feet lined up with one another, reach down and grab the handles.

Be sure to hold the bar in the center of the handles for a balanced grip. Since it’s a large cradle, going off center by even a half an inch can cause the trap bar to tip forward or back, which can wreak havoc on your strength and stability.

Form tip: If your gym has them, load the bar with bumper plates if you’re not yet able to lift 45-pound plates on either side. Lighter bumper plates are still the same size as 45-pound iron plates; they provide the proper elevation off the ground to make for the ideal lifting point. Smaller plates will extend the lift’s range of motion, making it a harder and more limiting exercise.

Step 2 — Get Tight

Set your back position and “wedge” yourself into position. To do this, drop your hips down while keeping your heels on the floor. Think about making your spine “long” by sticking your butt out and simultaneously pushing your chest up tall. Think about squeezing your armpits tight to engage your upper back musculature at the same time.

You should feel tension building in your upper back, arms, glutes, and legs. Take a big breath in and hold it before beginning the lifting phase.

Form tip: Keep your knees in line with your toes. It’s okay if your knees end up a bit in front of them, but they must point in the same direction as your toes to reduce strain on your knee and hip joints.

Step 3 — Pull Up

Dig your feet into the floor, squeeze your glutes and quads, and stand tall with the weight. Your glutes will tell you when you’ve reached full extension. There’s no need to lean backward or overarch your lumbar spine. Once you’re near the top, exhale as you approach lockout.

Your shoulders, hips, and legs should end up nearly in alignment in the top position. Pause briefly to ensure a strong, stable posture and to minimize any swaying of the weights.

Form tip: Keep your arms straight throughout the entire repetition. Pulling a deadlift with bent arms not only reduces your power output, but dangerously increases stress on the relatively smaller biceps muscle and elbow joint.

Step 4 — Lower the Weight

Reverse the motion to lower the weight under control. It’s important to remain tight and braced the entire way back down. Think about “sticking your butt out” to ensure your back stays flat and doesn’t round as you descend.

Form tip: As you approach the ground, you have the option to either let the weight briefly glance off the ground (sometimes referred to as “touch and go”) or to freeze and let the weight settle on the floor between reps. Each is valid and perfectly acceptable. What’s not acceptable is lowering quickly and actively bouncing off the floor to use the rebound as momentum, making the next repetition easier.

Trap Bar Deadlift Mistakes to Avoid

Simply following the instructions on proper execution will leave you ahead of the game when it comes to avoiding mistakes, but there are still a few things to consider.

Losing Control of Your Knees

The safe and efficient execution of the trap bar deadlift requires your knees and toes to be aligned. It’s unfortunately very common for knees to cave inward during deadlift. This isn’t ideal as it will place stress on the wrong places (like the medial sides of your knee joint).

Part of the issue may be in the footwear being used. Too much cushioning, as well as too little support, can highlight the instability of a lifter’s feet and arches. Your knee will almost always follow the arch of your foot. In the event of arch collapse, your knees will be guaranteed to move in toward each other, especially if serious amounts of weight are being lifted.

Avoid it: Be sure to choose good quality, flat footwear that still offers enough support. Furthermore, help yourself by creating a “tripod” with your feet — raise your arches, spread the toes, and dig in to the ground during your initial setup.

Forgetting Your Head Position

You might get so transfixed on your lumbar and thoracic spine(lower and upper back, respectively) that your forget your head is directly connected to another crucial part of the spine — the cervical region. Respecting proper spinal alignment, from top to bottom, is integral to a safe lift.

Many lifters will use the sky or ceiling as their “target,” thinking that looking at the place they want to finish will help them through the lift. Though this might help as a visual cue, it isn’t a wise course of action to lift something heavy from the floor while your neck is in full extension (looking upward). Doing so can strain the smaller support muscles of your neck and excessively stress the cervical spine.

Avoid it: Pick a spot two meters (roughly six or seven feet) in front of you on the ground and focus on that spot. It may even help to place an object like your water bottle or cell phone there. Since your head will instinctively follow your eyes, this will keep your neck in the right position.

How to Progress the Trap Bar Deadlift

The trap bar deadlift is adaptable to lifters of many experience levels and abilities. To more finely tune your practice and master the exercise, there are a few specific progressions to consider.

Elevated Trap Bar Deadlift

Adjusting the bar height can be a critical step to customizing your range of motion. If you’re well above-average height, even the high handles might be too low to properly get into a safe and strong pulling position. Placing steps or platforms under each side of the weight plates can put the bar into better alignment.

Of course, it’s essential that you raise both sides to the same height. Double-check your bar before beginning a set to make sure it’s level. An imbalanced bar will put you in an asymmetrical pulling position which would make proper technique nearly impossible.

Deficit Trap Bar Deadlift

Once you’ve mastered the trap bar deadlift (and truly mastered it, not simply gotten tired of learning proper form), you can eventually tackle one of the most challenging progressions, provided you’ve built significant mobility and muscle control.

By standing on a plate or small platform, you increase the range of motion. This is a drastic challenge to total-body mobility, stability, and strength. This can also be used to “bridge the gap” between the high handles and low handles, allowing a more incremental change in the range of motion.

Benefits of the Trap Bar Deadlift

Any type of deadlift is, rightfully, known as an undeniable total-body strength-builder. Because of the postural differences and varied muscle recruitment between a trap bar deadlift and a barbell deadlift, these benefits can be amplified.(2)

Building Better Posture

The trap bar deadlift can be a great way to improve your posture while building strength. Particularly, maintaining a stronger spine is crucial for lifters as they age.(3) For most lifters, the trap bar will be a more accessible version of pulling from the floor and it can allow a lifter to continue training heavy without excessive lower back strain.

Better for Mobility Issues

If you’re a lifter who struggles to achieve the mobility or flexibility for a conventional barbell deadlift, the high handles of the trap bar coupled with its neutral grip will allow you to much more easily attain the correct starting position. This lets you get into a powerful and efficient pulling position with less joint strain.

Ideal Position for Tall Lifters

The trap bar deadlift is a staple movement among professional sports athletes, who often carry larger levers and taller frames. Think of the typical NBA or NFL player — big overall frames often with long limbs.

If you’re a taller or long-legged lifter, you’ll probably be counting your blessings by incorporating the trap bar deadlift instead of force-feeding your oversized body a barbell deadlift. The mobility demands and overall body position, once again, become the movement’s biggest saving grace.

Versatile Strength-Builder

Plainly put, this lift is great for everyone in the gym. Whether it’s a lifter who can’t quite get the flexibility or mobility for a barbell deadlift, a taller lifter with unfavorable leverages for the deadlift pattern, or a strength- or size-focused trainee who’s looking to get more out of a deadlift as far as quadriceps strength and development go.

The trap bar deadlift, with all things equal, is one of the few “do no wrong” exercises that can be invaluable to pretty much anyone’s program.

Muscles Worked in the Trap Bar Deadlift

The deadlift is a movement that spares very few muscles , from gripping the bar with your hands, to stabilizing your core and upper back, to driving wth your legs. However, it is predominantly a lower body movement.

Quadriceps

When performing a trap bar deadlift, there’s one major change to the muscles involved compared to the more familiar barbell deadlift. Since your body can sit a bit taller because your knees and shins can travel forward (due to no bar blocking them), it creates a deeper knee flexion and includes much more quadriceps involvement.(4)

This makes the trap bar deadlift a more complete leg exercise that, unlike the barbell deadlift, isn’t as biased toward the glutes and hamstrings. This is also important information to consider if you struggle with squatting in general, or if you’re dealing with an upper body injury that prevents barbell squatting from being on the menu.

Posterior Chain

Any deadlift movement will heavily recruit the muscles of the posterior chain — especially the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. However, the overall body position during a trap bar deadlift actually reduces lower back recruitment compared to the barbell movement.

The neutral-grip of the trap bar disperses weight more evenly across your body, decreasing the lower back strain, while your glutes and hamstrings are significantly recruited during hip extension to lift the weight and achieve a locked out position.

How to Program the Trap Bar Deadlift

There’s a little bit less wiggle room here compared to other movements in the gym. The trap bar deadlift usually serves as a substitution to the more common deadlift and is best programmed similarly.

Heavy Weight, Lower Volume

The trap bar deadlift is a huge movement that typically enables a lifter to move the greatest amount of weight possible as far as plate-loaded free weight exercises go. It’s best positioned at or near the very beginning of your workout. That’s when your central nervous system will be the sharpest, enabling the greatest outputs of power and strength.

It’s also when your body as a whole will be the freshest compared to later in the workout. It invites a bit more risk to train a deadlift while fatigued near the end of a workout.

Apply a fair amount of intensity and volume to the trap bar deadlift as the “leading” movement in your lower body workout. Let the remaining lifts of the day serve as “assistance exercises” that take on relatively less volume with lower intensity. A heavy strength workout with the trap bar would be five sets of five, six sets of four, or even eight sets of three, using weight between 85 and 90% of your one-repetition max.

Trap Bar Deadlift Variations

Technically, the trap bar deadlift could be considered a “variation” of the barbell deadlift. However, there are other exercises the compare to the trap bar deadlift for variety and a range of separate benefits.

Low Handle Trap Bar Deadlift

Going “low handle” with the trap bar deadlift is in order once you’ve mastered the standard version of the movement. This will be the first variation most lifters progress to. Keep aware that low handles properly will mean having the requisite mobility to maintain a flat spine.

If you can’t do it, don’t sweat it. Continue going with the high handle and working on your mobility and flexibility until you can safely achieve a deep position with a flat back.

Heels-Elevated Dumbbell Squat

It can be beneficial to lower body health, strength, and size to let your knees go into deep flexion using the right movements. Many gyms have specific a slant board which puts your feet into a forward slope, creating more room for your knee to travel forward while your torso stays upright.

This is huge knee-strengthener and a major quad-developer, but the position takes some getting used to because many lifters have engrained “knees behind toes” for much of their lifting career. Practicing this exercise with light weights is a great way to prepare for the transition from straight bar deadlifts to a trap bar, especially if you’ve done a lot of barbell deadlifting in your days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Step into the Trap Bar

The trap bar deadlift is a go-to movement for lower body strength and muscle development. As long as you have the key points down pat, this is a game changer for making the deadlift accessible to lifters who otherwise may be frustrated with the movement. If your gym has this wonderful piece of equipment, put it to good use rather than let it collect dust in the rack. This is the one move in the gym that deserves much more popularity and much less disrespect.

References

1. Valleser, Christian Wisdom & Santos, Garizaldy. (2017). EFFECT OF DEADLIFT TRAINING ON CORE STRENGTH IN PREVIOUSLY-UNTRAINED MALES. Journal of Physical Education Research. 4. 10-18.
2. Lake, J., Duncan, F., Jackson, M., & Naworynsky, D. (2017). Effect of a Hexagonal Barbell on the Mechanical Demand of Deadlift Performance. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 5(4), 82. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports5040082
3. Carpenter, D. M., & Nelson, B. W. (1999). Low back strengthening for the prevention and treatment of low back pain. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 31(1), 18–24. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-199901000-00005
4. Camara, K. D., Coburn, J. W., Dunnick, D. D., Brown, L. E., Galpin, A. J., & Costa, P. B. (2016). An Examination of Muscle Activation and Power Characteristics While Performing the Deadlift Exercise With Straight and Hexagonal Barbells. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 30(5), 1183–1188. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001352

Featured Image: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

The post How to Do the Trap Bar Deadlift — Variations, Benefits, and Common Mistakes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Many gyms even have specialized hip thrust machines, which offer a fixed path of movement and an easier setup than combining a flat bench, barbell, and an assortment of pads or steps. At its core, the hip thrust is a movement with many technical details worth considering. If you want the best results, read on for a full-scale breakdown of this powerful and popular lift.

• How to Do the Hip Thrust
• Hip Thrust Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Progress the Hip Thrust
• Benefits of the Hip Thrust
• Muscles Worked by the Hip Thrust
• How to Program the Hip Thrust
• Hip Thrust Variations 
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Hip Thrust

Presuming you don’t have access to a hip thrust machine, you’ll need to first gather a barbell (a five-footer will be easier to balance than a standard seven-foot bar), a sturdy flat bench, a bar pad to spare your hip bones once the weights get heavy, and plenty of plates to load.

Step 1 — Set Up the Starting Position

Sit on the ground perpendicular to the bench with the center of your shoulder blades resting on the corner of the bench pad. Set your feet a comfortable width apart — that’s probably going to lie somewhere between hip-width and shoulder-width. The loaded barbell should be on the ground with the bar above your knees.

Form tip: Sitting too close to the bench will throw off the trajectory of the bar. Sitting too far away won’t give you any leverage (and will probably make you slide off). Line up the bench with the middle of your shoulder blades as you lean against it in the starting position.

Step 2 — Prepare to Thrust

This exercise is a real dance with the physics of movement. Roll the bar over your hips and position the bar pad across your hip bones or lower abs. Place your hands on either side of the barbell, well beyond shoulder-width, with your palms down. Your hands are there to support and stabilize the bar, not to lift the weight.

Walk your feet several small steps toward your glutes and bend your knees. The bar should be cradled in your lap. Your thighs and torso should form a V-shape. Now you’re in position to thrust.

Form tip: To do a successful hip thrust, your upper back must function as the axis of rotation as you transfer power from your feet through your hips and into your upper body. Take time to fine-tune your foot width and stance to determine the most powerful and most effective starting position for your individual body.

Step 3 — Press and Squeeze

Grip the bar tight and brace your abs. Squeeze your glutes and drive your feet through the ground. Lift your hips to shoulder-height. Aim to create a “tabletop” position from your shoulders straight to your knees.

In the top position, your glutes, hamstrings, core, and upper back should be firing on all cylinders to control and stabilize the weight.

Form tip: Make sure your feet are far enough away from your body to promote 90-degree angles at your knee joints in the top position. If your feet can’t stay flat on the ground, or if you can’t reach a near-horizontal body at the top, your stance needs to be adjusted.

Step 4 — Lower with Control

Pause for one second at the top and slowly lower your hips until the plates are hovering just above the ground.

Your glutes may or may not touch the ground in the bottom position depending on your leg length. Control the descent and don’t allow your body to bounce off the ground.

Form tip: Lower the weight slowly and be aware of where the ground is. Avoid bouncing the plates and rebounding into the next rep. Feel muscular tension and be in control of the movement at all times.

Hip Thrust Mistakes to Avoid

The hip thrust is prey to common errors that can lead to an inefficient, ineffective lift. Similar to deadlifts, leg presses, and squats, the hip thrust allows you to go relatively heavy, so it’s important to iron out the technical kinks before loading up. To do so, avoid these pitfalls.

Back Hyperextension

It’s extremely common to see this movement performed with most of the work being done by the lower back rather than the glutes and hamstrings. This happens when your glutes aren’t strong enough to posteriorly tilt the pelvis — tucking your hip bones “down and back” and your tailbone “up and forward.” If your pelvis can’t tilt properly, your glutes can’t be fully recruited (1).

This may not be an issue when the muscles are under extremely light loads, but things get real once there’s a significant challenge placed upon them. Always be patient with the load to ensure proper technique is maintained.

Once your pelvis can’t achieve a posterior tilt, your gluteal muscles become less and less involved in the lift, leaving the lumbar spine (lower back) in extension. This inefficient position stresses lower back muscles even more and is an unfavorable load-bearing position for the spine.

Avoid it: When you’re doing the hip thrust, think about driving the bar backward over your head, rather than up toward the roof. This will cue your pelvis into the right pelvic tilt motion. It will also encourage your glutes to be activated through the concentric (lifting) portion of each rep.

Feet Too Close or Too Far

People falter when they start the movement with their feet too close to their glutes because it makes the movement rely just as much on knee extension as it does on hip extension. Doing so may “feel” comfortable initially, but a couple of things actually go wrong here.

It’s much easier for your heels to come off the ground when your feet are too close. This can add pressure to the knee joint capsule and isn’t a friendly position for lifters who have a history of knee injuries. More knee extension also means more quadriceps involvement and less work for the glutes and hamstrings.

Pressing with your feet too far forward will limit your leverage, which reduces the amount of weight you can move. It also makes it more difficult to remain flat-footed in the bottom position, which means you either neglect the lower portion of the range of motion (which reduces muscle recruitment) or you lift your toes (which decreases overall stability).

Avoid it: The 90-degree angle rule should be respected when performing hip thrusts. Namely, at full extension (in the top position), your knees should create a 90-degree joint angle to balance efficient power output, muscle recruitment, and joint health. Before beginning your set, take the time to step your feet the ideal distance away from the bench, and from your glutes in the bottom position, to create a solid framework to reach the right joint angles.

Insufficient Range of Motion

As a whole, using a short range of motion can be a problem many lifters struggle with. This may be due to taking too many liberties with loading or it could simply be chalked up to poor exercise technique. In either case, an incomplete range of motion is responsible for decreased muscle-building and less strength gains. (2)

Understand the anatomy and biomechanics of the body. In the hip thrust, your hips can and should go into deep flexion (bending at the hips). Hip extension (opening your joint and straightening your legs) comes from properly using your glutes and hamstrings — the deeper in flexion they begin, the more they’re recruited and the more work they can do.

Hanging out in the mid-range of each rep and avoiding a full descent and full lockout may create some constant tension on the muscles, but it doesn’t do anything for building healthy muscles and joints. The hip extensors will be most involved at the top of this lift because that’s where mechanical tension is highest. For that reason, actually reaching a full lockout at the top is ideal.

Avoid it: Aim to lower your hips almost to the floor on each rep and bring them to a “tabletop” lockout position with your thighs running parallel to the ground. This will be the longest and most effective range of motion for the exercise.

How to Progress the Hip Thrust

While the standard hip thrust can accommodate all strength levels, some inexperienced lifters may need to build up to handling external load. On the other end of the spectrum, more experienced may eventually need an increased challenge beyond another weight plate. Here are the best options.

Bodyweight Hip Thrust

Certain exercises can be performed with identical technique regardless of external load while other movements use a weight as an integral part of their performance. For example, a pull-up is performed the same with or without added resistance, but performing a kettlebell swing without holding a kettlebell won’t allow the lifter to learn proper technique and doesn’t recruit the same musculature.

The hip thrust falls into the first category because the fundamental movement and muscle recruitment will be the same with or without a loaded barbell. For lifters unable to manipulate a standard barbell, or those still developing muscular coordination and building a mind-muscle connection, performing unweighted (bodyweight-only) hip thrusts can be an effective way to build very basic levels of strength while learning form which will directly carry over to the barbell movement.

Single-Leg Hip Thrust

Training with unilateral (single-leg) lower body movements can contribute to greater strength, power, and muscular development than focusing solely on bilateral (double-leg) training. (3) The single-leg hip thrust can be used with bodyweight-only or with added load, as a means of increasing the stability challenge and getting a greater overall training effect from relatively less weight.

For lifters who can’t tolerate excessively heavy loading, the single-leg hip thrust challenges the glutes, hamstrings, and core while putting the involved joints under lower stress than the bilateral movement.

Benefits of the Hip Thrust

Strength

The hip thrust, being a barbell movement which targets the powerful glutes and hamstrings, allows lifters to train with heavy weights. The involved muscles, along with the beneficial leverage of the movement, allow the hip thrust to potentially be one of the heaviest lifts in your exercise arsenal. This makes it an ideal alternative to the deadlift for building strength in the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, and lower back).

The hip thrust can support and build lower body strength which carries over to strength movements like the squat and deadlift, as well as creating a more stable base for overhead pressing movements.

Hypertrophy

Lifting relatively heavy weights for higher total volume with higher reps can be great for increasing the size of the target muscles. (4) Especially if deadlifts or squats aren’t agreeing with your individual leverages when it comes to making muscles grow, hip thrusts can be a worthwhile choice. One key reason the hip thrust circled back into the recent limelight was exactly because it was re-discovered to be a highly effective glute-builder. (5)

Targeting the quadriceps on the front of the thigh is often the goal for a muscular lower body, but the glutes and hamstrings contribute to a more aesthetic and well-rounded set of legs. Few physique-conscious lifters would say no to having a better looking set of glutes, and the hip thrust is a fast-track.

Joint-Friendly Training

The hip thrust enables a lifter to move relatively heavy loads with minimal compression on the spine. This is because the force angle is horizontal in nature, compared to squats and deadlifts which apply vertical forces to the spinal column.

This makes the hip thrust a viable option for anyone with a history of back or shoulder issues which would otherwise prevent them from holding a barbell on their back or support a front-loaded, lower back-stressing deadlift.

Muscles Worked by the Hip Thrust

The hip thrust is predominantly a glute exercise. If building a great looking and powerful backside is on your list of goals, the hip thrust should find a spot in your weekly routine. Beyond the glutes, the hip thrust trains much of the lower posterior chain. This includes the lower back and hamstrings. The calves are even worked statically, to a small degree, to support your body.

Glutes

Strong, developed glutes are a powerhouse for athletic ability, healthy hip function, and a balanced physique. Hip extension — bringing your legs backward in line with your upper body — is a fundamental movement controlled by the glutes, and the hip thrust trains this pattern directly.

Hamstrings

When the exercise is performed properly, your glutes should be the prime movers and first muscle to fatigue. However, your hamstrings are closely involved as secondary movers. Your hamstrings are highly active in the transition from the bottom portion of the repetition into the press toward lockout.

Core

Your abs and lower back play a small but significant role for general stability throughout each repetition. With your shoulder blades pinned to the bench, it’s essential that your core is stiff, strong, and constantly engaged to transfer power from your feet to your trunk. Without an active core, you’ll be unable to achieve lockout and your target muscles will be undertrained.

How to Program the Hip Thrust

Programming the hip thrust can accommodate a variety of training goals and workout plans. Here are some of the most effective ways to incorporate this adaptable exercise.

Heavy Weight, Moderate Volume

The hip thrust can be performed as the first movement in your workout. Given its capacity to be loaded fairly heavily, it can be used as a primary movement for any lower body workout. Four to six sets of four to six repetitions with a very challenging weight is a good place to start.

However, remember that it’s not wise to go hard and heavy with multiple “primary” lifts in a strength- or size-focused workout because your energy, focus, and form won’t last. Choose a main lift you’d like to focus on, and treat the remaining movements as “accessories” to that lift.

Moderate Weight, Higher Repetition

When using the hip thrust as a secondary or accessory movement, be sure to contrast the heavy lifting you did in the first exercise (likely a squat or deadlift) with relatively higher rep work with lower weight in the hip thrusts. Not only will this ensure your spine’s safety and the use of good technique while fatigued, but it will also spare your central nervous system of too much output over the course of your workout.

Performing the hip thrust after squats or deadlifts is fair game because it won’t be doubling down on spinal compression to compete with the first lift you chose. Try three to four sets of 10 to 15 reps squeezing a strong peak contraction on every repetition.

Hip Thrust Variations

You may not have a barbell, bench, bar pad, and plates to properly load and safely perform standard hip thrusts. If that’s the case, the question then becomes, “What will best simulate the same training effect as the loaded hip thrust?” Here are the answers.

Deficit Single-Leg Hip Thrust

In the absence of weights, bodyweight training can be used with a deficit and paired with unilateral movement. This can come in handy for creating a surprisingly challenging level of effort for any lifter.

 

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The use of an elevated platform combined with a single-leg hip thrust allows for a greater range of motion and increased muscle recruitment. Though no external weight is being used, the deficit and increased time under tension requires a much greater effort than a standard bodyweight hip thrust.

Glute Bridge

Another effective alternative to the hip thrust would be doing a glute bridge. This serves a role for anyone without a bench, but also for anyone who may not yet have the technique to use the relatively long range of motion that a classic hip thrust requires. A glute bridge essentially cuts the movement in half by starting in a supine position on the floor rather than supported on a bench.

The general performance is virtually the same as a hip thrust, but your hips begin in a less flexed position, meaning fewer opportunities for other muscle groups to contribute to the concentric (lifting) movement. A lifter will “bridge up” on their shoulders, while keeping the bar across their hips as their glutes press away.

Kettlebell Swing

One more hip thrust alternative works the same movement pattern using a much lower load, but requires much more concentric velocity. It’s the popular kettlebell swing. The swing is performed standing vertically, but the weight travels between your legs in a horizontal path. This keeps your glutes and hamstrings as the true drivers of the weight and delivers the same benefits as the hip thrust.

The swing also involves a more rapid rate of contraction, meaning there’s less time to perform each rep. Your technique must be on-point in order to reap the benefits of this movement, since there’s much less of an available window to get tight, brace, and feel each rep.

Step-Up

A surprisingly effective hip thrust alternative doesn’t actually look like a hip thrust at all. The step-up is another way to do a loaded version of a hip extension pattern, while paying special attention to your knee position and involvement by keeping a vertical shin position.

Loading a step-up with dumbbells in your hands or with a bar on your back is equally acceptable. Angling your torso slightly forward on each repetition allows your glutes to work even harder by extending the hip from a position of deeper flexion.

FAQs

Can I use a dumbbell for hip thrusts?

In general, a barbell will be easier to balance and stabilize than a dumbbell. Because the diameter of the dumbbell is much larger than a barbell, it will sit differently in your hip crease and will likely interrupt your range of motion in the bottom position. Barbells will also allow you to go much heavier than any dumbbell you’ll find lying around the gym.

Ideally, use a straight barbell, either the standard seven-foot bar or shorter five-foot bar. You might also find an EZ-curl bar to sit more comfortably on your hips due to the angled handles, especially if you don’t have a bar pad. You can also consider using the Smith machine if you set up the bench properly and find an effective foot position. However, if you must use a dumbbell, be sure to use a complete range of motion, reaching your hips toward the ground and achieving a full contraction at the top.

Can I do the hip thrust and deadlift in the same workout?

If your goal is building major size and strength in your glutes and hamstrings, a one-two punch of deadlifts and hip thrusts can be a great approach if it’s programmed properly. Choose one of the movements as the main lift and hit it with heavy weight and low reps, and follow it up using the second exercise with a relatively higher rep range and moderately heavy weights.

In Thrust We Trust

The hip thrust definitely has some constraints, such as the learning curve of technique and potential hip discomfort from the weight itself, but this efficient movement also allows for good versatility in your program. It belongs in any routine designed to improve the strength and size of your posterior chain, while also carrying over to other lifts. The hip thrust is one of those few “can’t go wrong” movements that can satisfy a massive crowd of lifters. You’ll be glad you added it to the mix. Your spine will thank you, too.

References

1. Queiroz, B. C., Cagliari, M. F., Amorim, C. F., & Sacco, I. C. (2010). Muscle activation during four Pilates core stability exercises in quadruped position. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 91(1), 86–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2009.09.016
2. Pallarés, JG, Hernández-Belmonte, A, Martínez-Cava, A, Vetrovsky, T, Steffl, M, Courel-Ibáñez, J. Effects of range of motion on resistance training adaptations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2021; 31: 1866– 1881. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14006
3. Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo & Burgos, Carlos & Henríquez-Olguín, Carlos & Andrade, David & Martínez, Cristian & Álvarez, Cristian & Castro-Sepulveda, Mauricio & Marques, Mário & Izquierdo, Mikel. (2015). Effect of Unilateral, Bilateral, and Combined Plyometric Training on Explosive and Endurance Performance of Young Soccer Players. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 29. 1317–1328. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000762.
4. Schoenfeld, B. J., Contreras, B., Krieger, J., Grgic, J., Delcastillo, K., Belliard, R., & Alto, A. (2019). Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(1), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764
5. Neto, W. K., Vieira, T. L., & Gama, E. F. (2019). Barbell Hip Thrust, Muscular Activation and Performance: A Systematic Review. Journal of sports science & medicine, 18(2), 198–206.

Featured Image: gpointstudio/ Shutterstock

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If lifters do incorporate machine-based movements, it’s often basic leg extensions or leg curls and maybe a gratuitous set of calf raises. But one specific machine — a squat variation, in fact — can be the key to unlocking new muscle growth, increased strength, and improved joint health.

The hack squat is very effective for building the legs and strengthening the knees and hips. It can be a staple in many routines, particularly for those looking to add muscle to their frame. It’s time to learn the ins and outs of this misunderstood machine.

• How to Do the Hack Squat
• Hack Squat Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of the Hack Squat
• Muscles Worked by the Hack Squat
• Who Should Do the Hack Squat
• How to Program the Hack Squat
• Hack Squat Variations
• Hack Squat Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Hack Squat

The majority of commercial gyms have at least one hack squat machine, but different equipment manufacturers have slightly different designs. Some are almost completely horizontal, with the lifter lying flat on their back and moving along fixed tracks. Some machines are designed with a full support and shoulder pads on an angled track and foot platform.

Most commonly, however, a seated pad is set up on a 45-degree slant, sometimes called a “linear” or “hip sled” hack squat. An angled foot platform allows your entire lower body to run parallel to the weighted sled, with a seat designed to keep your upper body vertical. There is often a pad supporting the lower to mid-back, no upper back support, and a pair of handles on either side of the seat to hold onto.

Step 1 — Get Your Stance Right

Take a seat and place your feet on the platform. Your lower body flexibility and mobility will influence exactly where you set your feet. The key is to be able to keep your heels flat on the platform as your knees bend fully throughout the entire range of motion.

It’s about finding the sweet spot, which is often around hip-width toward the middle of the platform. Don’t place your feet too high on the platform, too low, too narrow, or too wide — find your Goldilocks stance. What matters most is allowing your knee and ankle joints to achieve a long, pain-free range of motion.

Keep your legs slightly bent without disengaging the safety pins. Sit with your back supported on the pad. Keep your posture upright with your shoulders pulled back.

Form Tip: Try wearing a pair of shoes that add to your lower body support. Sometimes minimalist shoes can create an inadequate base and exacerbate foot issues people have with arch collapse. If it takes switching out of your bare feet or Chuck Taylors and wearing a sturdy pair of lifting shoes while performing a few sets, take the extra step to get the most out of the lift.

Step 2 — Lower Yourself into a Deep Squat

Press through your entire foot and straighten your legs while releasing the safety. Grip the side handles tightly. Maintain good posture and don’t compromise a “proud” chest position.

Slowly lower your body by bending your knees until your upper thigh is roughly 90-degrees to your hip joint — as long as your knees can handle it without pain. Keep your feet flat on the platform and maintain contact between your hips and the pad. Pause briefly in the bottom position.

Form Tip: No matter the specific model of hack squat machine, squeeze the handles tightly throughout the exercise. Keeping a tight grip can improve upper body stability and reinforce a strong posture. (1)

Step 3 — Lift Strong to Lockout

Without bouncing out of the bottom position, straighten your legs by applying strong and steady pressure through both feet. Don’t let your knees cave inward or bow outward.

Press hard into the platform, transferring a powerful leg drive through your hips and into the seat, as you straighten your legs and “stand” back into the top position.

Form Tip: The hack squat is ideal for accumulating mechanical tension, which is very effective for hypertrophy (muscle growth). (2) To keep the working muscles under tension, stop just shy of fully extending or straightening your legs, and keep your knee and hip joints slightly flexed (before lockout).

Hack Squat Mistakes to Avoid

Like most multi-joint movements, not paying attention to details can invite the use of sloppy form and dangerous technique. Troubleshooting this by pinpointing specific mistakes can help you stay ahead of the curve. Here’s how to prevent these follies from taking hold.

Insufficient Range of Motion

Partially bending your knees and performing shallow reps is often due to excessively heavy weight that cannot be lifted through a full range of motion. This reduces muscle activity and short-changes your results. (3)

A joint should be trained through its entire available active range of motion. It should also be made strong through that range. (4) There’s no reason why this shouldn’t be the case for basically every load-bearing joint in the body — that’s how you build general physical preparedness and drastically reduce injury risk.

Free weight movements like lunges or front squats involve plenty of total-body stabilizing and muscular coordination, but the hack squat machine lets you pursue a healthy, deep range of motion while loading all involved muscles and distributing stress evenly across joints.

The machine’s support pads drastically reduce the stabilizing and coordination elements, so you can and should focus solely on working through a complete range of motion.

Avoid it: Keep the weight on the lighter side to ensure a full range of motion. Aim to get your upper thigh at a 90-degree angle to your hips on every repetition. When you can do the desired set of reps with that range of motion, it’s time to progress to a heavier load.

Lifting Your Heels

Whether this comes from poor ankle mobility, general negligence, or an attempt to “target the quads” more than simple flat-footed squatting, it’s best to avoid rising onto your toes, especially when you’re learning the hack squat.

Lifting your heels off of the platform places all of the weight and stress onto the balls of your feet, and will result in plenty of stress also being placed on your knee joints. While some lifters’ knees may be able to handle this extreme stress, it’s still not winning the risk:reward ratio.

Avoid it: Think about elevating the toes slightly off the platform during your descent. This will emphasize your heels staying down. Think about pressing “away” with your feet like you’re about to jump backward, rather than pressing “straight down”, as if you’re about to jump up. This will help keep your full foot involved, and encourage your heels to stay planted.

Slouching with a Weak Core

It may seem like a relatively insignificant detail since the hack squat is a lower body exercise, but your upper body posture plays a role in performance. It’s just like any exercise — the more muscles the entire body can involve in bracing and tightness, the better quality the lift will be as a whole.

With the hack squat, slouching forward and not keeping an engaged core can result in you “leaking strength” for the lift, which reduces your ability to apply maximum force.

Avoid it: Begin upper body bracing with your grip strength. Hold on to those handles tightly to and tense your upper back by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Maintain that tension throughout the whole set.

Benefits of the Hack Squat

The hack squat can be a key player in your leg workout whether you’re after muscular size or raw strength and power. Just because it’s a machine doesn’t make it less effective than a barbell.

Leg Size

The hack squat removes the need for total-body stabilizing and spatial awareness, and creates a fixed path movement. This allows greater “isolation” to the lower body. While it’s still a multi-joint exercise involving the hips, knees, and ankles, the muscles above the waist are not directly targeted like they would be during back squats, for example.

This makes it easier to tap into the muscles of the lower body and stimulate them for hypertrophy (muscle growth). The unique angle of the machine also allows the muscles to be put under constant tension, which further stimulates growth.

Lower Body Strength

Because the hack squat involves the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, it has the potential to be loaded with relatively heavy weights. Your legs can be targeted with decreased strain on the lower back, making the hack squat an effective way to build lower body strength without the lower back wear and tear from barbell squats or deadlifts.

Knee Strengthening

It’s no secret that the knee joint is put under a fair amount of pressure when performing the hack squat, and that’s actually the reason why many lifters avoid the movement altogether. However, for healthy individuals without pre-existing knee issues, this can create beneficial stress on the connective tissues of the knee, and joint health can potentially improve in the long-term.

To make any joint stronger, just like making any muscle stronger, a lifter will have to get comfortable with a bit of discomfort. Improving joint strength requires adding (reasonable) stress to that joint, and using sound technique, appropriate loading, and progressive volume is the most effective path.

Muscles Worked by the Hack Squat

As a squat variation, the hack squat certainly targets your legs. The machine’s path and angle of resistance offer a unique training variety and stimulate the muscles slightly differently than other variations, making it a highly effective movement.

Quadriceps

The quads are the main muscle group hit by the hack squat. This is a group of four muscles on the front of the thigh that attach through one common tendon at the top of the knee. Since they have one common point of attachment, it’s difficult to isolate the quad muscles individually, but the hack squat trains them very effectively as a group.

The quadriceps’ main role is to extend the knee joint (straighten the leg), so achieving a deep knee bend is important to work the muscles through a full range of motion.

Glutes and Hamstrings

The hamstrings and glutes, the entire back half of your upper legs, are relatively less involved during the hack squat. Both muscle groups play a role in hip extension (pulling your lower body backward in line with your torso), which isn’t a significant movement pattern during the hack squat.

The glutes and hamstrings both play a small role in controlling your descent and transitioning out of the bottom position.

Hip Flexors

Your hip flexor muscles, found above your quadriceps on either side of your pelvis, are also involved in the hack squat. They work to bring your thighs closer to your torso, so they are highly activated in the lower part of the range of motion.

Because your legs are set at a fixed angle relative to your torso, your hips flexors are under constant tension because the hack squat keeps your hip joint from fully extending (stretching) throughout the movement.

Who Should Do the Hack Squat

This exercise spans a broader audience than may meet the eye. While it is a relatively specialized machine, it can be used very effectively by lifters with a variety of training goals.

Muscle-Focused Lifters

The hack squat is an effective movement for any lifter who wants to make their legs grow. It’s a staple in many bodybuilders’ quad-focused workouts because it allows the quadriceps to take the majority of training stimulus with minimal strain on the lower back or other supporting muscles.

Lifters who have a hard time isolating their quads with other movements like barbell squats, due to having longer legs, poor leverages, or mobility restrictions, may particularly benefit from the hack squat. There’s no escape from plenty of quad activation with this movement.

Lifters with Back Injuries

The hack squat can be useful for lifters with prior back injuries who want to continue hard leg training. If your spine can no longer handle squatting with a barbell on your back, the hack squat can allow you to keep loading relatively heavy weights with a big compound (multi-joint) squat variation.

Beginners

Beginners can often benefit from the added stability and predictability of the hack squat machine. The movement pattern is pre-determined, so lifters are able to use proper technique more easily. Using the hack squat in conjunction with more challenging movements (like squats and lunges) can be a great way to find results faster and build crucial training confidence.

How to Program the Hack Squat

The hack squat is most often used as a secondary exercise, performed after another compound lift like squats, deadlifts, or even split squats. This allows the hack squat to more thoroughly work the target muscles without affecting the stability requirements of free weight exercises.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetition

For optimal muscle-building, the best course of action is to chase reps into the double-digits. Three to five sets of 10 or more reps. Aim to accumulate relatively high training volume on this exercise — plenty of sets and reps — to maximize the hypertrophy signal.(5)

Moderate to Heavy Weight, Lower Repetition

If you decide to make the hack squat your primary movement of the workout, you can increase the weight used and lower the reps, since your central nervous system will have a little bit more in the tank when you’re completely fresh. Four to five sets of five to eight reps will let you move heavier weights while still maintaining perfect form.

Hack Squat Variations

The hack squat machine is one specific exercise, but the hack squat movement is, itself, a more general squat variation. There are several options to get the strength-building and joint health benefits if you don’t have access to a genuine hack squat machine.

Landmine Hack Squat

The landmine hack gives your ankles a more open angle to move through because your feet are flat on the ground rather than angled. That means happier knees and even more range of motion. Having the weight set in a landmine unit also allows you to make minor lateral adjustments to find the perfect groove.

Turning around and having your back against the weight plates allows you to find the perfect degree of “body lean” and the right foot position, similar to squatting with a Smith machine, without the confines of a completely fixed path. This combines to deliver a great pump, since you’re constantly using your quads to push back against the weight and maintain your body’s angle.

Barbell Hack Squat

Technically speaking, this is the original hack squat. Named after George Hackenschmidt, a European strongman from the very early 20th century, this movement is done by placing a barbell just behind your heels, squatting down, grabbing the bar, and lifting it up.

Elevating your heels with a block or weight plate changes the angle of your ankles, similar to wearing weightlifting shoes, and encourages a deep squat position. The barbell also acts as a counterbalance and allows an upright torso, which reduces lower back strain.

Reverse Hack Squat

This is a simple variation of the hack squat done on machines with full back supports and shoulder pads. By facing into the machine, you can allow your hips to move backwards, similar to a barbell back squat, which can increase hamstring and glute activity.

However, you must maintain a neutral spine. Hinging excessively at the hips and creating a more horizontal torso angle can drastically increase stress on your lower back. Some lifters may also find that their knees move forward and hit the machine’s rails, forcing them to keep their knees and lower legs at an awkward or inefficient angle.

Hack Squat Alternatives

Without a hack squat machine or effective variations, there are several effective machine-based movement to build lower body size and strength with reduced joint strain.

Leg Press

This may be the most common hack squat alternative since the two movements share many similarities. Both exercises keep your feet on a platform, which places your knees as the prime moving joint rather than your hips, and affects muscle recruitment. Both movements also require your hips to remain flexed due to your lower body’s position relative to your upper body.

The leg press may be a suitable option for people who experience too much knee stress from hack squats, since the foot platform is now moving toward your body as opposed to your body moving toward the foot platform. This subtle change can make a big difference for managing knee stress. (6)

Smith Machine Squat

The Smith machine squat is another popular and effective alternative to the hack squat (and a relatively popular alternative to barbell squatting, too).

One key benefit to the Smith machine is the ability to set your feet well in front of the bar, ensuring a vertical shin angle. Because this position does not allow your knees to move forward, there’s extremely little stress on your knee joints (which also means little joint-strengthening benefit). However, the muscular stress on the quadriceps is significantly increased.

FAQs

Should I always squat deep?

Generally, you’ll stimulate better overall results — more muscle growth, more strength, and more mobility — by working in the maximum range of motion you can achieve in the working joints. If you’re physically unable to squat extremely deep, squat to your current best depth.

With consistency and effort, your range of motion will improve right along with your muscle gains and your weights. The only time to avoid squatting deep is when you make a conscious decision to adjust the range of motion to apply a specific training method.

For example, some lifters might deliberately perform short range of motion squats to use heavier weights as a short-term overload phase, before returning to full range of motion training. That’s a far cry from accidentally loading too much weight on the bar and shaving reps high to massage your ego.

Time to Hack It

The hack squat is a movement that is for everyone and not for everyone at the same time. Rather than vilifying certain exercises based on what the pro-barbell “gym bros” say or what the functional-based “research” may purport with insufficient context, it’s better to remember that everyone isn’t built the same. Your individual mileage may vary with any exercise, and it’s up to you to apply the power of trial and error.

Hack squats can provide significant benefits when it comes to quad strengthening and muscle-building. The movement caters to both the beginning lifter looking to find his groove and the advanced lifter who’s putting the finishing touches on their lower body physique. Give the lift a fair try and discover how it works for you.

References

1. Gontijo, L. B., Pereira, P. D., Neves, C. D., Santos, A. P., Machado, D., & Bastos, V. H. (2012). Evaluation of strength and irradiated movement pattern resulting from trunk motions of the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. Rehabilitation research and practice, 2012, 281937. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/281937
2. Schoenfeld B. J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(10), 2857–2872. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3
3. Kubo, K., Ikebukuro, T., & Yata, H. (2019). Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European journal of applied physiology, 119(9), 1933–1942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04181-y
4. Pallarés, JG, Hernández-Belmonte, A, Martínez-Cava, A, Vetrovsky, T, Steffl, M, Courel-Ibáñez, J. Effects of range of motion on resistance training adaptations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2021; 31: 1866– 1881. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14006
5. Mangine, G. T., Hoffman, J. R., Gonzalez, A. M., Townsend, J. R., Wells, A. J., Jajtner, A. R., Beyer, K. S., Boone, C. H., Miramonti, A. A., Wang, R., LaMonica, M. B., Fukuda, D. H., Ratamess, N. A., & Stout, J. R. (2015). The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscular strength and size in resistance-trained men. Physiological reports, 3(8), e12472. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.12472
6. Escamilla, R. F., Fleisig, G. S., Zheng, N., Lander, J. E., Barrentine, S. W., Andrews, J. R., Bergemann, B. W., & Moorman, C. T., 3rd (2001). Effects of technique variations on knee biomechanics during the squat and leg press. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 33(9), 1552–1566. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200109000-00020

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The post How to Do the Hack Squat — Benefits, Variations, and More appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Your arms and legs travel through a longer range of motion in most movements compared to people with shorter limbs. This added distance creates more work performed per rep compared to the same weight being moved by shorter lifters.

When it comes to multi-joint (compound) exercises like the squat, deadlift, and row, a longer range of motion can also mean extra loading on vital joints like the knees, hips, or vertebrae (particularly of the low back).

It’s vital to choose movements that will play to your anatomical strengths in the weight room, rather than invite excessive risk. Below are five of the smartest strength- and muscle-building exercises for tall bodies with long limbs.

Best Exercises for Tall People

• Front Squat
• Trap Bar Deadlift
• Pin Press
• Neutral-Grip Pull-Up
• French Press

Front Squat

For most lifters with longer legs, the front squat will reign superior over back squats and other barbell squat variations. Having the bar on the front of the body affects the center of mass.

If the barbell was to leave a trail, the bar should remain within a lifter’s footprint through all phases of the squat, traveling in a mostly straight line from top to bottom. When a lifter lacks mobility, their body mechanics and technique compensate to keep the bar along this general path, even if it means getting into inefficient positions.

The front squat allows your spine to stay much more upright compared to back squats, which can force a long-legged lifter into a forward-leaning position to keep the weight over the mid-foot. Not only is that position uncomfortable, it can be dangerous.

Front squats require you to stay upright and sit back “against” the load, rather than being pushed forward “with” the load in a back squat. This difference allows a tall lifter to finally access a full range of motion without breaking their back to do it. 

How to Do the Front Squat

• Set a barbell in the rack just below shoulder-height. Step under the bar and place it near your collarbones with your hands outside each shoulder.
• Use a clean-grip or rack position to keep your elbows up and create a proper “shelf” for the bar to sit on. If it’s uncomfortable on your joints, chances are you’ve got mobility restrictions at the wrist, shoulder, or thoracic spine that need addressing.

• Find a squat stance that allows you to achieve your deepest, pain-free squat. This will require testing several foot placements and performing (unweighted) squats to find your individual best stance, based on your hip anatomy.
• Stand up and take a small step backward to unrack the bar. Squat down, beginning with a slight emphasis on knee-bending rather than “sitting back.” This will promote a vertical torso.
• Your knees should track in the same direction as your toes, angled slightly outward. They shouldn’t cave in or bow out excessively.
• Aim to achieve thighs-below-parallel depth before standing upright.

Trap Bar Deadlift

Long arms can be helpful for deadlifting since they minimize the total distance the bar has to travel, but this “benefit” is negated when coupled with an above-average leg length or total height.

A standard deadlift begins with the barbell over the shoelaces and requires moving the weight in a straight vertical path. However, for the tall crowd, the bar’s starting position blocks your lengthy shins from traveling forward and you’re forced to hike your hips higher, which puts your torso nearly parallel to the ground — a high-risk pulling position.

Simply put, physics (the tall lifter’s frenemy) has determined that a tall lifter will have to “bend over” more than a short lifter to maintain a direct pulling path. This deeper hinge position (horizontal torso) means your lower back is enduring more work on every rep of every set, which could spell danger over time.

That’s why the trap bar is a gold-standard choice for taller lifters looking to spare their spine while lifting heavy for strength or size — all the same benefits with less risk. The stress is less focused on your core and lower back and more evenly dispersed across your total body.

The trap bar also provides a neutral-grip (palms facing your body) with high or low handle options to individualize the range of motion, compared to an internally rotated (palms down) grip in front of the body at one fixed height.

The “openness” of the trap bar also gives you the ability to individualize your shin, hip, and torso angles more effectively than a barbell. Your knees can travel forward and you can sit lower while keeping your chest higher.

How to Do the Trap Bar Deadlift

• Step into the trap bar and set your feet a comfortable distance apart. Something closer to your basic squat stance will likely be ideal.
• Squeeze your chest up high and stick your butt toward the wall behind you. This will lengthen your spine and promote good starting posture.
• Pinch your shoulder blades together and squeeze your armpits down to engage your upper back.
• Use your whole head, not just your eyes, to look at a spot on the floor about two meters (six feet) in front of your toes.
• Drive your feet into the floor, squeeze your glutes and quads, and stand fully upright.
• Lower the weight to the floor with control. Don’t let the weight free fall to the ground. You should end in basically the same starting position.

Benefits of the Trap Bar Deadlift

• The muscles of the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and even upper back) do the majority of the work.
• Because the trap bar allows for a deeper seated position and taller torso, your spine is spared from excessive loading.
• Your quadriceps contribute more to the trap bar deadlift than a barbell deadlift.
• Most people can move heavier loads, more safely, with a trap bar than a barbell.

Pin Press

The shoulder joint is arguably the most delicate joint in the entire body, and tall lifters with long arms put this crucial joint through a very long range of motion during upper body pressing exercises.

That’s why classic bench press variations using a full range of motion can work against a lifter’s shoulder joints, despite providing muscular benefits for the chest and triceps.

The pin press is a specific bench press variation, so the general horizontal pressing movement is the same. The slightly shortened range of motion avoids putting your shoulder joint into an extreme stretch, which is the most precarious position for this important joint. (1) If you have access to a Swiss bar (sometimes known as a football bar), the neutral-grip will further reduce joint stress.

The pin press is great for keeping your shoulders much healthier. This specific movement is also a fantastic choice for building brute strength using pure muscle contraction with zero momentum. (2)(3)

The pin press is an efficient tool for tall lifters who want to bench with a ton of volume and plenty of weight with far less risk.

How to Do the Pin Press

• Position a flat bench in a power rack and set the safety pins three to six inches above your chest-level when lying down. Load the bar while it’s on the safety pins, not in the usual J-hooks.
• Slide along the bench and set up with the bar roughly over your mid-chest. Grab the bar with a palms-down grip generally outside of shoulder-width. Adjust, if needed, to feel comfortable.
• Keep your feet flat and positioned under your knees to create a tucked, arched position.
• Pull your shoulders back to raise your rib cage and engage your upper back muscles for stability.
• Breathe in, stay tight from your shoulders to your grip to your feet, and press the weight to full-arm extension. Pause for a one-second count at lockout.
• Lower the weight back down to the pins under control. Take a second to re-set yourself, get properly positioned, and repeat for the next rep.

Benefits of the Pin Press

• The pin press allows you to access strength in the chest, shoulders, and triceps with a slightly limited range of motion, which protects the shoulder joint in its most vulnerable position.(4)
• Resetting from a dead-stop between individual repetitions kills any use of momentum and allows your form to remain squeaky clean. This makes it a true power and strength developer.

Neutral-Grip Pull-Up

Making the switch to a neutral-grip for pull-ups is a simple change that has a big impact on your shoulder joint.

Classic pull-ups place your shoulder and upper arm in internal rotation. That position can get a bit finicky and potentially hazardous at end ranges (in the bottom, stretched position of a pull-up, for example).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The goal should be to target your upper back and lats without getting into impingement problems — pinching or irritating the tendons of the shoulder joint . Rolling the head of the humerus (upper arm) into a more ideal position by using a neutral, palms-facing grip can make all the difference for pull-up comfort, strength, and longevity. 

How to Do the Neutral-Grip Pull-Up

• Hold the neutral handles at a pull-up station and carefully lower yourself into a full hanging position with your elbows fully extended and your body straight underneath the bar.
• Set your shoulders back together and down away from your ears. As you begin to pull, think about making your neck long and raising your rib cage — this will increase stress on your upper back and lat muscles, and decrease joint stress.
• Exhale and keep your chest high as you get to the top. Think about tucking your elbows into your pockets.
• Don’t worry about making your neck pass above bar-level. Don’t reach your neck forward to meet the bar and avoid “over-pulling” and losing your set shoulder position.
• Avoid letting your body weight “jerk” your shoulders when you reach the bottom position. Achieve full elbow extension and perform the next repetition immediately without pausing.

Benefits of the Neutral-Grip Pull-Up

• Neutral-grip pull-ups recruit more biceps than standard (pronated or palms-down) pull-ups.(5)
• The adjusted position avoids “shoulder glide” which can plague long-armed lifters who goes through too great a range of motion.(6) Shoulder glide occurs when your shoulder joint travels forward in its socket rather than remaining properly centrated.

French Press

Your triceps muscle is made up of three heads — the lateral, medial, and long. Most triceps exercises heavily recruit the lateral head (the “horseshoe” most people can visually locate when someone flexes) while the remaining heads are under-emphasized.

Common movements like dips, pushdowns, and the close-grip bench press are three quick examples of the lateral head being put to the most work. The French press brings the weight overhead, which allows the neglected long head to get worked much more.

This a great way to beef up your triceps, especially for long-armed “hardgainers” with relatively long muscle bellies. The exercise also serves as a shoulder stabilizer because the long head attaches on the scapula (shoulder blade) and the muscle plays a role in overhead shoulder movement.

How to Do the French Press

• Sit in an upright or high-angled bench, holding a bar across your lap with a fairly close, palms-down grip. Brace your core and bring the weight to a full lockout supported above your head.
• Bend your elbows while angling them slightly outward, instead of forcing them to aim straight ahead. The weight should lower to just behind the base of your skull.
• When you’ve reached deep elbow flexion, exhale as you reverse direction and bring the weight back to the overhead position.
• Put your mind in your muscles during this bodybuilding-style isolation exercise and visualize your triceps getting a wild pump throughout the entire movement.
• Higher reps (10 to 15 per set) are more effective for this movement, to maximize muscle recruitment without excessively heavy weights.

Benefits of the French Press

• Tall lifters who struggle to add size to their upper arms will get plenty of new growth stimulus from changing the emphasis of which triceps head they’re hammering.(7)
• The French press significantly activates the long head of the triceps, which is not often well-recruited with other triceps exercises.(8)

Success Leaves Clues

Many people wouldn’t think that training in the gym is too similar to competing in sport. But if you take a second to think about it, you’ll see that many general restrictions and crucial influences are found in both.

At the beginner or intermediate level of nearly any sport, it’s easy to hold your own as long as you possess a good base of natural athleticism. In the gym, this is seen when everyone benefits from short-term “newbie gains.”

However, once you move up to more advanced levels, you start to notice some repeating trends. Just being “athletic” doesn’t cut it past a certain point, and other influential factors become difficult to overlook, in sports and in the gym.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Most distinctly, the general body types that naturally contribute to success become more and more important. The rough silhouette of the top-level competitors in each sport all start to look similar. Take a closer look at the body proportions of elite swimmers, gymnasts, or 400-meter sprinters, for example.

You’ll notice many anatomical similarities among the top of each sport. Swimmers typically showcase longer torsos, larger hands and feet, and wide shoulders. Gymnasts are often defined by a stockier frame with short extremities and full muscle bellies. 400-meter sprinters are sure to sport long, lithe frames, with powerful musculature.

When it comes to lifting weights, your body type will impact performance just the same — especially when your goal is to be in a category far above average.

In general, lifting weights to build muscle and get very strong is much more a shorter person’s game than it is for taller folks. With the exception of competitive strongmen and strongwomen, most successful strength athletes and physique competitors benefit from not being overly tall, leaving the long folks hanging out to dry.

Tall lifters have a few distinct struggles when getting stronger and more muscular is the goal, and a number of highly regarded exercises need to be looked at through this new lens when you’re a lifter whose longer levers are moving through longer ranges of motion.

Apply this new approach to your program and you’ll get on track for more efficient training, more effective workouts, reduced risk of injury, and quicker results.

References

1. Haupt H. A. (2001). Upper extremity injuries associated with strength training. Clinics in sports medicine, 20(3), 481–490. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0278-5919(05)70264-7
2. Seiberl, W., Hahn, D., Power, G. A., Fletcher, J. R., & Siebert, T. (2021). Editorial: The Stretch-Shortening Cycle of Active Muscle and Muscle-Tendon Complex: What, Why and How It Increases Muscle Performance?. Frontiers in physiology, 12, 693141. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.693141
3. Aagaard, P., Simonsen, E. B., Andersen, J. L., Magnusson, P., & Dyhre-Poulsen, P. (2002). Increased rate of force development and neural drive of human skeletal muscle following resistance training. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 93(4), 1318–1326. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00283.2002
4. Saeterbakken, A. H., Mo, D. A., Scott, S., & Andersen, V. (2017). The Effects of Bench Press Variations in Competitive Athletes on Muscle Activity and Performance. Journal of human kinetics, 57, 61–71. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0047
5. Plantz MA, Bordoni B. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Brachialis Muscle. [Updated 2022 Feb 22]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551630/
6. Johnson, A. J., Godges, J. J., Zimmerman, G. J., & Ounanian, L. L. (2007). The effect of anterior versus posterior glide joint mobilization on external rotation range of motion in patients with shoulder adhesive capsulitis. The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy, 37(3), 88–99. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2007.2307
7. Baz-Valle, E., Schoenfeld, B. J., Torres-Unda, J., Santos-Concejero, J., & Balsalobre-Fernández, C. (2019). The effects of exercise variation in muscle thickness, maximal strength and motivation in resistance trained men. PloS one, 14(12), e0226989. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226989
8. Maeo, Sumiaki & Wu, Yuhang & Huang, Meng & Sakurai, Hikaru & Kusagawa, Yuki & Sugiyama, Takashi & Kanehisa, Hiroaki & Isaka, Tadao. (2022). Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. European Journal of Sport Science. 1-26. 10.1080/17461391.2022.2100279.

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