General Training Demos
D-Ball Bear Hug Squat
Squatting while maintaining a bear hug creates a unique demand on the body. The arms work to keep the ball in position. The core and hips work to stay upright. This is a demanding and potent exercise for developing useable strength for the real world. Cues: Secure the...
Thruster
The thruster is a strength and a conditioning exercise. At heavier loads it teaches the athlete to drive aggressively out of the bottom and to the top of the squat. It also teaches from transfer from the lower to upper body. At lower weights it is a brutal...
Banded Deficit Deadlift
Pulling from a deficit increases the demand on the quadriceps to break the bar from the floor, while adding a band to the deadlift creates accommodating resistance. This set up encourages a tighter start position as well as brings in the benefits of a strong and...
Banded Deadlift
Adding a band to the deadlift creates accommodating resistance. By gaining more resistance as you move into a stronger position you can handle a heavier load than otherwise possible at the top of your deadlift. Primarily, this teaches the athlete to pull aggressively...
False Grip Ring Pull-up
The false pull-up on rings has all the benefits of a traditional pull-up, but builds towards the muscle up because of the unique grip. The additional strength and mobility developed in the forearms by using this grip will translate to other more advanced skills as...
Pistol Squat – Heels Elevated
Elevating the heel on the pistol squat places a greater demand on the quadriceps and the VMO. The reduced requirement of ankle mobility can make this exercise more accessible to stronger, but less mobile athletes. Cues: Squat as straight down as possible allowing the...
Straight Leg Dumbbell Deadlift with Toes Up
Elevating the toes and keeping the knees straight make this version of the deadlift an effective active mobility drill for the posterior chain. A relatively light weight should be used and the movement should focus on developing and building strength in a slowly...
Poliquin Step Up
The Poliquin step up is a VMO-centric exercise. It is a scaled down version of the Peterson step up which has the athlete balancing on the ball of the foot. Using a slant board is preferable, but placing the heel on a weight to create a similar angle is an effective...
Ring Pull-up Single Ring
Pulling in supination on a single ring makes it easy to isolate pulling mechanics and prevents a clear definition of a pull-up with the contact at the top of each rep.Cues: Start with a supinated grip and a full passive hang Initiate the pull by pulling the depressing...
Ring Pull-up – Side Emphasis
Pulling to one side on a ring pull-up emphasizes unilateral strength. A quality negative further builds upon this capacity as well as develops high quality scap control and resiliency. Cues: Start in a full hang Initiate the pull by pulling the depressing and...
Goblet Heels Elevated Squat
The goblet heels elevated squat is a quadriceps and knee strengthening exercise. By elevating the heels the forward load is increased without necessitating abnormal ankle flexibility. Adding weight requires and builds more strength in the associated muscles and...
Heels Elevated Squat
The heels elevated squat is a quadriceps and knee strengthening exercise. By elevating the heels the forward load is increased without necessitating abnormal ankle flexibility. Cues: Keep the torso vertical and squat straight down Allow the knees to go forward...
Archer Pull-up – Rings
The archer pull-up on rings is a unilateral pulling exercise and is a progression towards the one arm chin-up. It takes a lot of strength, but is more accessible than many more advanced exercises. Cues: Start in a full hang Initiate the pull by pulling the depressing...
Front Foot Elevated Split Squat – Dumbbell
The front foot elevated split squat is a combination of strength and mobility. By lunging deep you will build ankle mobility and knee strength as well as lengthen the hip flexors of the trailing leg. The addition of dumbbells adds weight to pull you into a deeper and...
Single Leg Balance – Knee Extension
Straightening the knee is as difficult as you make it. This should be thought of as an active mobility drill to build balance and stability, but mainly to develop hip flexor strength and hamstring mobility on the straightening leg. Cues: Shift your weight to one side...
Single Leg Balance – Straight Leg Raise
Raising a straight leg builds tremendous hip flexor strength and lengthens the hamstring actively. This is an actively mobility drill and will only be as hard as you make it. In other words, you get out of it what you put into it. Cues: Shift your weight to one side...
Single Leg Balance – Knee Up
Raising the knee is as difficult as you make it. There is a slight increase in difficulty with the knee up, but there should be tremendous effort to pull the knee as high as possible during the hold. Cues: Shift your weight to one side and raise your knee as high as...
Single Leg Balance
Standing on one leg is simple way to assess and develop balance. This is a great drill for anyone coming back from injury, or who needs to develop stability in their lower half for any reason. Cues: Shift your weight to one side and slowly raise your other leg a few...
Muscle Snatch
The muscle snatch develops timing of the hips into the arms as well as encourages a vertical bar path after the hips and an active and aggressive turnover and lockout. Cues: Everything is like a snatch from the set up through the second pull Keep the legs locked after...
Pullover
The pull over develops anterior chain strength by having the athlete raise their legs and pull themselves over the bar. It is the easiest way to get on top of a pull-up bar. Cues: Start in a full hang Perform a pull-up Raise the legs in front and lean back as they...
Strict Pull-up – Band Assisted
Using a band to perform pull-ups with precision is a great way to clean up technique and build towards bodyweight pull-ups. Cues: Use a band that allows you to pull your chest all the way to the pull-up bar Place your foot in the band then settle into a passive hang...