Today I’ve got a new twist on an old cornerstone exercise: the lunge. Lunges are among those basic movements that have a place in almost any program. There are a ton of variations on the humble lunge that you can try and you can regress and progress the basic lunge pattern to suit pretty much anyone.

One of my favorite modifications to the lunge is the reverse lunge. It’s a great progression to the traditional lunge and it will light up your posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings).

Now take the reverse lunge and introduce a clean grip bar placement (think front squat grip with a barbell) and you’re placing a greater demand on the rest of the posterior chain from the spinal erectors (low back) all the way up. This combination makes the clean grip reverse lunge an excellent way to strengthen everything on the back of your body.

Another excellent way to make this movement more difficult (if it wasn’t hard enough already) is to elevate your front foot while performing it. This increases the range of motion and will place an even greater emphasis on the hamstrings and glutes. Give it a shot.

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I genuinely believe that the hamstrings are the single most neglected muscle group for most people. The legs in general don’t get a lot of attention but even when they do the exercises tend to focus a little more on quad-dominant movements. The hamstrings, however, are tremendously powerful muscles and are crucial for athletic performance – whether it’s squatting massive weights or sprinting. Strong hamstrings have even been correlated to reduction of low back pain and risk of knee injuries.

In recent years the glute ham developer has become a mainstay in the training programs of most serious lifters and athletes. It’s an excellent movement for developing the hamstrings and glutes (hence its name) since it trains the hamstrings through both of their primary functions: knee flexion and hip extension. Unfortunately, you need a special glute ham bench to do this exercise and most facilities don’t have one.

Not to worry though. You can easily perform movements similar to the glute ham raise with little or no special equipment and still reap the benefit of stronger hamstrings and glutes.

The first alternative is the bodyweight leg curl, which can be performed using the Lifeline Powerwheel or the TRX Suspension trainer. This movement can also be performed using a stability ball (not shown in the video below).

Another excellent alternative, and a personal favorite of mine, is the natural glute ham raise. This exercise can be performed basically anywhere where you can have you feet supported from behind the ankles. You can even do it right on the floor with a partner holding your feet down. Below I demonstrate two of my favorite variations by using a decline bench press to support my feet. The first is an assisted movement using resistance bands stretched across the bar hooks and the second is an eccentric-accentuated movement. On the eccentric, you will perform a slow negative and then use your hands to provide just enough assistance to get back up (like a pushup).

Give these movements a try in your training and you’ll be seeing much a much stronger posterior chain in no time.

It’s well documented that I prefer simple, efficient and effective exercises. I’m not a big fan of overly complicated programming or flashy movements done just for the sake of entertainment or doing something different. If you did a program of nothing but deadlifts, squats, presses and pull-ups (and I have) you would still be doing better than 90% of the people who enter the weight room. Still, there is room for some different exercises – as long as they are done for a reason and are still effective.

One area that seems to be neglected, or given half-hearted attention, by most people is the back. It’s been said that if you can’t see it, most people aren’t likely to train it. Interestingly, I’ve dedicated a good amount of my attention lately on sharing information to help people solve this problem. A few weeks ago I covered what I believe to be a phenomenal builder of strength and muscle in the back muscles, the bent over row, and I recently had an article published on EliteFTS.com about some of the best back exercises you probably don’t have in your training.

So in keeping with that theme, here is another excellent exercise you should try: the standing one arm cable row.

This is an effective movement that anybody can perform as long as they have access to a pulley. There are loads of benefits to this exercise as well. The most obvious is that, as a rowing movement, you are training the musculature of the upper and mid-back. The great thing about this movement though is that since it’s unilateral you’ll find that you can actually get more range of motion in the scapula, thus training the muscles that work around it that much more effectively. Think about driving the shoulder blade back and down for maximum effect.

Other than that this movement is actually both an anti-flexion and anti-rotation exercise as well. You have to fight to keep your torso upright and no be pulled forward by the weight (anti-flexion) and you have to stabilize yourself so you don’t use rotational momentum to get the movement done correctly (anti-rotation). If you add on a thick grip, which I usually do, you are taxing the muscles in your forearm and hands as well. In the video above I’m using a pair of Grip4orce grips.

Do this movement on its own or try pairing it with an antagonistic exercise like the bench press. You’ll be glad you tried it.

Choose wisely.

I realize that getting into the gym can be a daunting task for some. Not everyone is a strength coach or has the time (or interest) to learn all of the ins and outs of strength training. With that in mind, I often see people who head into the weight room with no direction or concept of what to do. We all start out somewhere, and I was that guy once. I would either just do random exercises or machines or (maybe worse) I would try out some workout I picked up from one of the bodybuilding magazines around the gym.

I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve seen people start their workouts with things like hammer curls, lateral raises or cable crossovers. I’m here to tell you that if that sounds like something you’ve been doing you’re compromising your results and shortchanging yourself.

Quite simply, when you enter the weight room the first movements you should choose are multi-joint, compound exercises that train a bunch of muscles at the same time. The best examples of these are squats, deadlifts, presses, rows and pullups. Why, you ask? For starters, this is the most efficient way to train. Your targeting a multitude of muscles at the same time. Also, since your training them together to lift the weight you are teaching your body to function as a complete, strong unit. For those of you who have fat loss as a goal these movements also burn the greatest amount of calories.

These types of movements also allow you to move the most weight and thus let you impose the greatest demand on your muscles. Think of it this way: what’s going to build your triceps better, a kickback with 10lbs or an overhead press with 100 lbs?

This isn’t to say that isolation exercises shouldn’t be in your training at all. They have their place, especially if you’re looking to bring up a weakness or lagging body part. But the focus of your training and the bulk of your time should be on the movements that will give you the most bang for your buck.

The other great thing about training around these movements is that if you’re short on time you can build a workout using only a handful of movements! Here’s an example of a full-body training session that is simple and hits every part of your body.

Squat – 6 sets of 4-5

Barbell Push Press – 6 sets of 4-5

Weighted Pullups – 6 sets of 4-5

That’s it. Yes, it’s just that simple. Three exercises that target the entire body and do so better than a workout with four different kinds of curls and leg extensions.

If you’re someone who wants to see real progress in your training and build a stronger, healthier body, choose your exercises wisely. If you’re still unsure, it may be worth investing in a well designed training program such as the ones I offer through my distance coaching program. (Yup, I’m not too good for shameless plugs!)

Ah, yes it’s that time of year that many seem to have a love/hate relationship with. As a trainer I spent a lot of time in the gym and around this time of year I always seem to hear people saying things that sound a bit like this:

“I want/need to lose weight, but I’m waiting until after the holidays to start eating better and working out.”

Unfortunately, this is faulty logic at its best. Why are you waiting? Just because there are a handful of days around this time of year that almost force us to overeat doesn’t mean you can’t get started getting in shape right now. Now I could just tell you to hold back at Thanksgiving dinner with your family and only eat vegetables and salad but then what would be the fun in that? I say, enjoy the holidays and yes, eat that slice of pumpkin pie.

I’m sure some of you are tempted to close out the window right now based on that last statement alone, but stick with me here. What I’m saying is that a few days shouldn’t sabotage your health and fitness for the rest of the season. Don’t worry, I’m here to help with a few things you can do to fight the fat this year.

1. Don’t be afraid to enjoy the holiday!

I’ve been hearing a lot lately about counting calories at Thanksgiving dinner and the horrors that this math can equate to. Well I have a really simple solution to that: don’t count the calories. For many people, these holidays may be the only time of year you sit down with some of your relatives and catch up. They also may be the only time of year you even get to eat certain things. I only get to enjoy a certain sweet potato recipe at this time of year – and God help you if you try to get in the way of that.

2. Don’t let one day of overeating ruin you!

This is really a matter of willpower. Don’t use Thanksgiving or Christmas as an excuse to overeat or eat junk for the next three months. Everyone is allowed to indulge once in a while, and there is even some evidence that periodic overeating (or cheat days) can actually help you lose weight. But that’s for another article. Just know that one day of indulging in turkey and pumpkin pie sabotage your waistline for the entire season.

3. Don’t put off working out (or joining the gym) until January!

Oh, man. Every January my gym is inundated with the New Year’s Resolution Crowd and by mid-March they are all gone. In the past few weeks I have had tons of people tell me they were waiting to start getting their nutrition together or putting off starting a training program until after the holidays. This is a big mistake and one of the reasons people gain weight around this time of year. The overindulgence combined with inactivity is a recipe for disaster. Start training now so you don’t have worry about it later.

4. Drink plenty of water!

For those who are really concerned about not overeating on the holidays here is a very simple tip: drink lots of water. This does two things to help. First, it fills you up more so you don’t eat as much food. Second, drinking water will usually mean you’re eliminating some form of calorie containing beverage (like soda) from your diet. Both of these can be helpful when looking to lose fat.

5. Do something physical every day!

This tip is an easy way to burn calories without even trying. Doing something physical may mean you go to the gym to workout, but even on your off days you should be trying to do something active. One of the simplest things you can do, even on the holidays, is just go for a walk. This will burn calories, loosen you up after all that sitting at the dinner table and can help you recover from the workouts that you aren’t going to put off until January, right?

Just remember that there is no reason not to enjoy this time of year. Keep hold of your willpower, don’t put off hitting the gym until New Year’s and you’ll be one step closer to keeping those holiday pounds off.

There are a handful of exercises that should be in every trainee’s routine. The obvious choices are always out there: squats and deadlifts, usually the bench and/or overhead press and pullups. Interestingly, there are a lot of people out there who will omit rowing movements from the list.

And that’s too bad. If you want to develop strength and the body that comes along with it, rowing movements should be of high importance to you and your program. I’ve heard it said that the back is to lifters what biceps are to bodybuilders and I couldn’t agree more. If you see a guy with a huge back, that’s a pretty good indicator that he can also put up some big numbers on his lifts.

Enter the barbell row. This is an old school classic that trains pretty much every muscle in the back. But you have to do it right. Perform this movement with sloppy technique and you’re opening yourself up to injury. And since injuries are the #1 thing we want to avoid, it stands to reason that you should learn to do it correctly.

At first glance the movement seems simple. Grasp the barbell with an over or underhand grip and pull. The overhand grip will place less emphasis on the biceps but will stress the upper back more. The underhand grip will do the opposite. Both have their merits and should be cycled accordingly.

Now here’s where you should pay attention. Keep your torso as close to parallel with the floor as you can and resist the urge to extend the hips to help get the weight moving. Keep an arched back with a neutral spine position (you should be able to draw a line from you head down your neck through your back to your hips). Pull the bar to your lower chest, right where your sternum ends. That’s one rep.

Now the way I prefer to do this movement is sometimes called the pendlay row, but I really just think of it as a barbell row. The significance here is that you’re going to return the bar to the floor (or pins based on how you’re built) between reps. Why? Because this relieves the stress on your lower back, decreasing the chance of injury and lessens the likelihood that you’ll start to cheat reps but extending your hips.

Once you can’t touch the bar to your chest (or get pretty close) or you find that you’re cheating on your reps cut your set. Remember it’s quality over quantity here.

Check out the video below for more tips and an example of the movement.

There you have it. Try this movement out but make sure you do it right.

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An often neglected area of the body when it comes to strength training is what has become known in recent years as the posterior chain. It’s a shame that more people don’t concentrate their training on these muscles, since they are some of the strongest in the body and weakness there can lead to a host of structural issues, injuries and pain.

Don’t worry though, as there are a whole host of movements that effectively train this area. Today we’re going to cover one of those: the kettlebell swing*.

*Don’t worry if you don’t have access to kettlebells, this movement is performed just as easily with dumbbells.

The swing looks simple at first, and it’s probably not as difficult as some people would have you believe. However, there are a number of technical aspects to this exercise that deserve your attention. Performing it incorrectly can do you more harm than good if you’re not careful. It’s best to start out with a relatively light weight so you can master the technique but make sure you don’t start too light. Since this is an explosive movement using a weight that’s too light won’t provide enough resistance.

Check out the video for coaching cues and a demonstration of the technique.

Remember to practice the movement first and get it right. Here is a checklist of things to be aware of:

• Keep your back flat throughout the movement
• Keep your eyes forward
• Hinge at the hips
• Forcefully drive the hips forward
• Contract the glutes and midesection at the top of the movement

Adding the kettlebell swing to your training program can help you develop a stronger, more explosive posterior chain as well as excellent conditioning. And since it is a hip extension movement it can help counter the long hours of sitting that most people tend to have during the day. Add the kettlebell swing into your program as a posterior chain movement on your lower body days or as a conditioning drill.

I am a huge bookworm. I’m always reading at least one book, often multiple at the same time, and as a strength coach a large majority of the books I read are health and fitness related. I’ve read probably hundreds of training related books over the years from a variety of topics and levels. Recently I got the chance to read Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore.

Let me start by saying that I wish I had read this book 10 years ago. Almost everything you might want to know about getting started with barbell training is in there. I’ve written many times about the benefits of simple barbell exercises and that’s what this book is all about. The book covers the big movements that are essential for building muscle and getting strong: the squat, bench press, deadlift, press and power clean. In addition to those exercises a few really excellent assistance movements are covered as well. All of the exercises mentioned in the book are covered in full detail including the setup and execution as well as common problems with their performance.

If you’re new strength training this book is a golden reference to get started. Had I read this when I was 13 or 14 just getting started in the gym I would be a whole lot stronger today. Even if you’re not new to training this book provides an excellent reference for learning proper technique and execution of the important lifts.

And for the strength coaches out there who may have years of experience I will say this: read it anyway. And if you read it a long time ago, read it again. I just read this book for the first time and I feel that I have an excellent foundation in barbell and strength training. However, reading Starting Strength gave me some new insight into coaching cues that I hadn’t thought of and refreshed old coaching cues that have gotten rusty.

Pick this book up. It’s a great read.

If you don't know who this is, you're probably not that strong.

Big traps are one of the signs of a serious lifter and also one of those muscles that just make somebody look jacked. That’s probably the reason that one of the most common exercises I see in the gym is the shrug.

It’s common to see guys in the gym performing shrugs a number of different ways. Often I’ll see dumbbell shrugs (performed with woefully inadequate weight) or barbell shrugs on any given day. Barbell shrugs are pretty popular since they allow you to load plate after plate onto the bar and lift. Who doesn’t want to be the guy who has 5 or 6 plates on each end of the bar?

While shrugs are still one of the best trap developers around there are a few issues that limit their effectiveness. The number one problem I see with shrugs is that they seem to only be done for high reps (sets of 15-20 usually). This kind of rep scheme fails to take advantage of the fact that the traps are incredibly strong muscles and doesn’t thoroughly recruit the high threshold muscle fibers.

The second issue with shrugs is that whenever you try to go heavy enough to solve problem #1 the form becomes terrible and the range of motion basically disappears. Both of these problems can easily be addressed by modifying the basic shrug. More on that later. First here are some other excellent trap builders.

Deadlifts

The deadlift is really one of the best movements you can possibly include in your program. It trains pretty much everything from your calves to your hamstrings to your spinal erectors to your grip and more. And as you can probably assume from its inclusion here: your traps. The thing to remember here is that the deadlift trains your traps through a static contraction. No need to actively shrug the weight at the top of the movement. Just pull heavy and often.

Cleans

Ah, the clean. If you want to see some impressive trapezius muscles take a look at some Olympic weightlifters. Although cleans don’t allow you to lift as much weight as the deadlift, they have a distinct advantage here: concentric contraction. While the deadlift trains the traps with an isometric, the clean trains the traps with a strong, explosive contraction. If you perform the clean properly there should be a forceful contraction of the traps at the top of the movement (during the second pull). Since this movement uses a significant weight and an explosive movement it will recruit the more powerful muscle fibers in the traps.

Farmer’s Walks

The Farmer’s Walk is a staple strongman exercise that, like the deadlift and clean, trains the entire body. Some of the benefits of heavy farmer’s carries are a stronger grip, stronger legs and a stronger upper back (including the traps). Like the deadlift, the farmer’s walk trains the traps in a mostly static way but do to the motion involved the traps will be required to do some extra work in stabilizing the weight.

Power Shrugs

I said I would address the above issues with conventional shrugs and the power shrug variation does just that. This simple modification allows you to use heavier weight than a conventional shrug with a better range of motion. If you’re unfamiliar with the power shrug it’s very easy to do. Set up like you would for a regular shrug but instead of doing a strict motion use a small amount of leg drive to power the weight up and hit a maximal contraction of the traps at the top of the movement. I generally recommend doing this movement for a lower rep range due to the explosive nature and the massive weights you can move.

Start rotating this movements into your training program and be prepared to buy new shirts.

Problems with hip mobility are rampant today. Too many people sitting for too many hours leads to a lot of tight hips which can wreak havoc on your back and make deadlifting a problem. So here is an introduction to an excellent exercise to assist your deadlift and improve overall strength.

Snatch Grip Deadlifts

The snatch grip deadlift is a fairly simple deadlift variation which offers a number of benefits. In addition to strengthening the muscles of the legs and lower back, this simple grip modification places extra emphasis on the upper back and increases the range of motion of the movement. This may help those who have a problem getting down to the bar during a conventional deadlift while maintaining a strong proper back position. Check out the video below for an example and some other tips.

One of the things I mention in the video is how wide to set your grip on the snatch grip deadlift. For most people a good width is the distance from elbow to elbow with your arms straight out to your sides (you can see me demonstrate that in the video). You may need to modify this width based on your own needs but it is a good starting point.

Remember when attempting the snatch grip deadlift that you’ll need to use significantly less weight. Also you may want to chalk your hands as it gets difficult to hang onto the bar after a few reps with significant weight. Using straps is another option. Start slow and try this out to help strengthen your entire posterior chain from upper back to hamstrings.