We help you gain control of your nutrition while our team of certified coaches builds a custom program that fits your needs. While at the peak of your rep (and in the air), clap your hands together, then return them to the position and catch yourself before you descend into your next rep. Can also be performed seated, and/or with specialty bars (eg. While in the bridge, perform reps of banded abduction, pushing the knees out and returning to the start with control. Back Extensions; Glute Ham Raise; Reverse Hyperextensions. Can be performed bodyweight, holding a KB (goblet style), holding DBs in each hand, or loaded with a BB (either on your back or in a front-rack position). Carries are always counted by time, so do not rush. Don’t alternate with Front Squats, form is different and you’ll get confused. If at any point you feel uncomfortable in this process, please contact us at sales@strongstrongfriends.com so we can best support you and ensure your safety and trust are maintained. Set up standing next to a piece of equipment or door jam for support. Hold this position, and rotate left and right for the prescribed repetitions. Can also be performed with a KB or DB (goblet style in front of the chest), two DBs (hands on the shoulders, front rack position), holding a loaded backpack, medball or sandbag in front, or for more advanced variations, with a Barbell or Safety Squat bar. Hold the position for 10 seconds, then relax and switch sides. Since front squats are often more challenging for lifters to master, focus on using lighter weights to establish the form … In a bent over position with back parallel to the floor (or close) and knees slightly bent, row the bar by pulling it to the lower chest. Start in a kneeling position with your feet anchored (under a rack, a heavy piece of furniture, heavy DBs/medicine ball/plates, or having a partner hold them down). Repeat with the alternate leg leading. Press yourself the the end of the range of motion, pause for one second and return to the start position. That’s one of the biggest benefits of following Stronger by the Day over the long term, as every week of training builds on previous weeks. Clamshells + Squat variation performed back-to-back. Standing with your back to the cable, straddle the cable and pull the handles through your legs and lockout the hips, Hip thrusts, glute kickback, back extensions (shoulders rounded), Standard deadlift with a tempo descent that takes 3 seconds from the top of the deadlift down to the floor. Then, turn around so that you face the cable rack and your upper arm is then in front of your torso (position 2), and perform the prescribed rep range. Front squatting is essential to improving weightlifting performance in the clean, can help build strength and mass in the quadriceps, and has application to many sports and life activities. Keeping the arms extended and in front of the body, raise the dumbbells to shoulder height. The range of motion is only a few inches, and our goal is active control through the shoulder blades and engagement of the lats. Make sure you tuck the ribs down and continue pressing the low back into the floor. Repeat for 4-8 repetitions per side. Pistol Squat, Single Leg Press, Split squat variations, Lunge variations, Single Leg Leg Extension, other unilateral lower body work. If you’re not a yogi, don’t worry. Unless noted otherwise (e.g. Complete the rep by pulling the knees in and lifting the torso back to the start position. Ab Walkout Demo Here. Feet Up Bench Press). Set up as you normally would (with feet roughly shoulder width apart). Hit record on the video, and step back roughly 10 feet (ensure that you can see your entire body). Maintain an extended arm position and raise the cable from in front of your hips/thighs to up over your head. Maintain contact with the floor and your lower back, keeping your ribs pulled down and your hips/pelvis tucked under you. Better Thoracic Extension. These can also be performed at home or without access to a DB or KB – load a backpack or suitcase with books, shoes, and other heavy items, and walk for the prescribed time. Perform curls using an attachment and a cable machine. In pushup position with forearms on the ground, maintain neutral spine by tucking the ribs and squeezing the glutes and abdominals. Focus on pulling your elbows back behind your torso and squeezing your shoulder blades together during the contraction, and allowing the cable to return to a deep and reaching start position, protracting your shoulders and stretching your lats. Aim to raise the hips as high as possible with each rep. Keep ribs down and hips tucked, being sure not to get into a hyperextended spine position. And don’t worry — even if your first session feels light, we’ll provide instructions on how and when to increase your Training Max from week-to-week based on your performance. You can do this by keeping your elbows out and away from your sides. For the kneeling variation, start in a half kneeling position. While this varies person-to-person, the most comfortable position in the front squat is typically a more narrow stance. Return to start position by pulling up with the hamstrings. Start in a plank position with sliders, paper plate, or towels on each foot. Laying on your back, raise arms overhead and extend hands and feet at the same time, trying to reach them together. Lift the weight straight up toward the chin, leading with the elbows and keeping the weight close to the body. Laying on the ground on your side, raise your hips off the ground while planting your feet and your forearm. Switch sides and perform same exercise with opposite arm and opposite leg. Don’t worry — even if your first session feels light, we provide instructions on how and when to increase your Training Max from week-to-week based on your performance. Hang from the bar, and pull yourself up by pulling elbows down to the floor. For a Band Abducted Goblet Squat variation, set up with a glute band just above the knees. Perform the prescribed number of reps (or to failure, if prescribed as an AMRAP). Shift the weight onto the forearm and transition to your hand. More than just exercises, this involved balancing fatigue and volume accumulation, developing skill proficiency and ingraining movement patterns, developing a well-rounded and resilient body, and much more. Take small steps laterally on one side and complete all reps. Then switch sides. DB, Cables or EZ Bar OH Extension), then something behind your torso (e.g. Return the the starting position and repeat. strongest self yet. Press back up by pushing your feet into the floor and your shoulders back into the bar. Raise the hips into a bridge. In the alternating version, perform these with your left arm and right leg together, and your right arm and left leg together. If comfortable, a skip can be added in between steps. To reach your start position, complete either a strict chin-up, or jump up to hang with biceps flexed, and chin over the bar. Continue for the prescribed number of repetitions. Slowly lift weights out to the side until your arms are parallel with the floor. Maintain a straight torso and bend your elbows to lower hips and shoulders. Can be performed single arm or simultaneously, if preferred/not specified. For an advanced version, you can perform this with a DB or KB in your hands as a goblet style Spanish Squat. Raise the hips into a bridge, then sweep your extended leg under onto your knee. This means that you will have to use a more horizontal back angle than the one in the picture in your head. For standing DB OHP, set up in a stance shoulder-width apart, clean the DBs up to your shoulders, and press overhead. Think about leading the pull with your elbows, tucking your arms back to your torso throughout the repetition. Complete the hip thrust with both legs, then at the top of the rep, extend one leg. Seated DB OHP; Standing DB OHP; Barbell OHP; Viking or Landmine Press; Machine Shoulder/OHP; Front Plate Raise. Find a stretch of floor that is relatively low friction (something like wood or turf, not rubber or asphalt). To perform this, the lifter descends into a full front squat, stands up a few inches, drops back down, and then fully comes up into the standing position. Keep constant tension here, and try to avoid resting the plate on your thighs at the bottom. Start in a normal pull-up position. These can also be performed with a Glute Emphasis. You should feel a mild stretch in your hamstrings with each kick. Examples linked above (banded, Lying DB weighted, Bridged Towel Hamstring Curls, Nordic Curls); Other hamstring focused exercises (Glute Ham Raise, Romanian or Stiff-Leg Deadlift, etc.). Start with a bit of space to the side of you. – Like we mentioned before, the bar position can be pretty challenging, and that’s often because of poor wrist mobility. Demo Link Repeat for the prescribed repetitions. Push upward, unlock the safeties, and lower the sled working through as full of a range of motion as possible. Descend into a squat, and as you progress through your range of motion, the band will pull your knees forward. Bend elbows to descend the torso, hips and chest to  lower, coming close to touching the ground. Hip Adduction Machine; Copenhagen Plank or Raises; Goblet Squat with Adduction. Can be performed with an EZ Bar or straight bar. Box Step Ups, Lateral Box Step Ups, Split Squat Variations, Lunge Variations; Any other unilateral lower body exercises. Raise your head a few inches off the ground and hover the extended leg at the same time. Level 1 and Level 2: take 50% of your baseline test (negative pull-ups) and complete 4 sets of that time. Can be performed alternating (as demonstrated in the demo above), or all prescribed reps per side in a row. Skullcrushers; OH Tricep Extension; Dips; Any other tricep exercises. After completing these reps, immediately elevate your hands. Perform for the prescribed repetitions, then switch sides and repeat. Using a leg press machine, load weight appropriately (taking warm up jumps to your working weight as needed). Scaled: Start in a push-up position where you can perform at least 5 reps, either standard (flat on the floor) or hands elevated. Focus on pulling your elbows back behind your torso and squeezing your shoulder blades together during the contraction, and allowing the band to return to a deep and reaching start position, protracting your shoulders and stretching your lats. Ok to touch shoes or shin if you cannot reach the floor. Single arm fly and cable crossover variations. Find a smooth, safe surface like carpet or tile to perform the exercise. Maintain an extended arm position and raise the plate from in front of your hips/thighs to up over your head. Sit just past arms length away from the cable machine. Push-Ups, Modified Hand Stand Push Ups, DB Bench Press, DB Chest Flys. On the leg press machine, load weight appropriately (roughly half what you would use for a regular Leg Press, or more conservatively if needed). Front Plate Raise, Cable lateral raise; Overhead Pressing variations; any other shoulder exercises, Position 3 (Alternate): Hands Elevated Push-Up. Hold a weight (kettlebell, dumbbell, etc) with one hand and walk. All AMRAPs are prescribed as a percentage of your Training Max. Your torso should remain in the same position throughout the repetition. Place a glute band just above or just below the knees. Control the cable on the way back to the start position. Push upward on the sled, unlock the safeties, and lower the sled to a comfortable depth. Note, that the below guidelines are simply here to offer coaches and athletes loose recommendations for programming. Start with something in front of your torso (e.g. Setup and execution of this movement will be very similar to the conventional deadlift, but should have a higher hip position, and less knee flexion. After completing these reps, immediately drop to Position 2, lowering your feet to the floor and complete the prescribed reps here (or to failure again, if prescribed as an AMRAP). Jump Squats; Goblet or other Front loaded (DB, KB, barbell) squat; Belt Squats; Leg Press or Hack Squat; Leg Extensions. Fold at the hip so you are perpendicular to the ground (with your head near the floor) and squeeze the erectors/lower back and glutes to pull the torso up above parallel from the floor. Pause at the top of the motion and return to the starting position. This is a great variation to reinforce an active upper body and torso positioning (vertical) for lifters who may lean excessively forward in the front squat and/or rely too much on their arms and wrists to support the load. Starting standing upright with feet together, reach one foot back and perform a lunge. Make the movement easier with a wide grip, or more difficult with a narrow grip. From here, you’ll … Reverse grip shoulder pass through, Around the World, Down Dog Position. If the prescribed time is too short or long for your current strength, consider scaling: Scale easier by performing your plank to your knees and/or raising to your hands (vs. forearms). Raise the shoulders, head, feet by extending the back and squeezing the glutes. Regular DB Curls; DB or Cable/Rope Hammer Curls; Single Arm Cable Curl; Barbell Curls; Concentration Curls; EZ Bar Curls. An example would be seated incline DB curls (position 1, upper arm behind your torso); prone incline DB curls (position 2, upper arm in front of your torso), and standing DB hammer curls (position 3, arms beside your torso). Coach’s Tip: Be sure to sit down rather than pushing the hips back. Lower and repeat for prescribed reps. Can also be performed as a concentration curl: seated with your elbow pressed against your knee/thigh, use your leg as a backboard to prevent your upper arm from moving or swinging the weight with momentum (as demonstrated here). Squeeze and hold at the top, then control back to the bottom and repeat. Descend from the top to the bottom of a push-up position as normal. **Please ensure you are using your Training Max as defined in the FAQ below, as this will best set you up for long-term sustainable progress.**. In the Forward-to-Backward variation, perform one lunge forward, then press back up and step back straight into a reverse lunge — that is one rep. Continue for the prescribed reps. Split squat variations; Lunge variations; Step Ups; Any other unilateral lower body movement (single leg press, single leg glute bridge, etc.). Single arm cable row, single arm lat pull down. Keep the upper arm stationary, and curl the dumbbell forward and up while contracting the biceps. While there are a number of different ways that people define RPE, we will be linking our RPE scale to the concept of Reps-in-Reserve for the purposes of this program. Start in a standing position with your feet roughly hip-width apart in front of a low box. If the prescribed time is too short or long for your current strength, consider scaling: Scale easier by performing your plank to your knees and/or raising to your hands (vs. forearms). Reverse the movement by raising the torso and punching the kettlebell back up to the ceiling. Pick the barb ell up by focusing in the hip hinge, and keeping the back neutral through the entire movement. Required fields are marked *. Drive the knee up high above the hip and bring it down fast, aiming to make contact with the ground using your full foot (not just your heels or toes). Repeat for 3-8 repetitions (each rep is a 5-10 second long hold), then relax and switch sides. If you entered our challenge for prizes, don’t forget to film your retest set! Press the weight up towards the ceiling, being mindful of the cable in front of your face. Band Pullaparts with External Rotation; Prone I-T-W-Y; Blackburns; Face Pulls. Can be performed alternating each arm (as demonstrated above) or simultaneously, if preferred/not specified. Single Arm Face Pull with External Rotation. Bodysaw, Hanging Leg Raises, Bear Crawls, Side plank, L-Sit Hold, V-Ups. The front squat is compared to the back squat, on a trainee to trainee basis, in regards to the relative weights used. We’ll be keeping you all updated as we are able to provide more resources during these challenging and unpredictable times. Hold a heavy weight (backpack full of books, water bottles, cans, etc.) Perform single arm curls using an handle attachment and a cable machine. See demonstrations above. If you are able to improve your score relative to your baseline test, then we are definitely moving in the right direction, and we are proud of you. Front squat, Goblet squat, Belt Squat, Narrow-Stance Leg Press. Once you’ve completed all 3 positions for the prescribed repetitions, you’ve completed 1 set. Press yourself the the end of the range of motion, pause for one second and return to the start position. The goal is to get the abs firing correctly, get the upper back tight, and start practicing the movement properly and under decent load. Can also be performed holding a single kettlebell with one hand, or one kettlebell in each hand. Return to the starting position and repeat the process for the prescribed number of reps. Switch legs, and repeat to complete your set. Lie on floor with feet flat on the ground. 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