Technique Tweaks

[Shawn Bellon]

Got a tip to help a lift etc? Share it!

[Shawn Bellon]

People can seemingly perform their reps on the leg press or hack squats without much consideration to their foot placement.

1. High placement will bring in the glutes and ham more. A person must be careful while lowering the weight that their body doesn't role up causing potential damage to the lower back. Drive hard with the heals when extending.

2. Low placement can be really productive for the quads. Generally it can be very dangerous because the toes will be moving much further past the knees. Go light with higher reps to avoid any patella damage.

These two placements can create additional exercises for people with limited equipment.

[Shawn Bellon]

If you are getting bored with the standard back squat and want some variety you can change up some things.
Depth
Bar Placement
Stance
Your depth doesn't have to be DEEEEP all the time. For some it just isn't possible. Work always within the ROM that is comfortable for you. But using overloads or partials can really increase you confidence and overall power in time. Doing super deep reps and coming up half way keeps so much tension on the quads you will look like Platz's little brother or sister. Obviously there is ever range in between. Using 3-4 different depths obviously creates 3-4 different squat movements.

Bar placement can be high bar, bar of traps or on the rear delts like a powerlifter. And ever in the front for front squats. These different placement require you to respect them as you get the feel for them. Conventionally a power stance using the low bar placement keeps the bar in the center of gravity with your hips to lift MORE which is ideal for powerlifter. IT can also cause micro damage to your shoulders as well. High bar squats force you to maintain a very upright position which is great for the quads and glutes. This would be more for a bodybuilder or Olympic style lifter. The mid range tends to be more for the norm. It is usually when people use a pad on the bar because placing at the base of the traps can dig into the back.

Foot placement is just how narrow or wide you stand. I don't really think there is a specific benefit with any stance but I do think the variety makes for more complete leg development.

Take these three concepts to make squatting fresh and develop a more well rounded leg training scheme.

[Shawn Bellon]

Back Tips
Many have seen the knowledge of using different angles in training back. There is a rowing type movement, a pulldown type movement and a stretch.
Consistently do your rows and pulldowns with a shoulder width grip.
Try to tuck the elbows in as you pull them behind you and squeeze your shoulder blades.
Use a pullover movement to finish off the back. It is great support for the rotator cuffs. Also it supports that last small motion of the row and pulldown: squeezing the elbows back and the blades together.

[Formula94]

Try going with a wider grip on deads...about 6"-8" outside your legs . I feel more emphasis on the mid and upper back than with just outside the legs width grip.

[Frosty]

For back work including chinups, arching your back through flexing and doing the lift really helps hits the lats more.

[vboissiere]

Try going with a wider grip on deads...about 6"-8" outside your legs . I feel more emphasis on the mid and upper back than with just outside the legs width grip.

Never thought of this. After reading tried it. Awesome movement. Thank you much.:beerbang:

[Northman]

How I learned to retract my shoulders back for benching....as I walk around my house I just plop myself up against a wall in a pushup position, I retract my shoulders and do a pushup against the wall.

Doing this just for a few seconds a few times during the day helped me to get in the habit of tucking my shoulder blades back, I didn't have to think about it, and my shoulders don't over rotate at all, and I'm a tall guy!

[EarlGreyuk]

Lat Pulldowns/Pullups: Put your thumb onto the same side as your fingers to take the pressure off the forearms. It gives the ability to focus more on the back muscles.

NB: The same can be applied for Barbell Rows

[rj45]

People can seemingly perform their reps on the leg press or hack squats without much consideration to their foot placement.

1. High placement will bring in the glutes and ham more. A person must be careful while lowering the weight that their body doesn't role up causing potential damage to the lower back. Drive hard with the heals when extending.

2. Low placement can be really productive for the quads. Generally it can be very dangerous because the toes will be moving much further past the knees. Go light with higher reps to avoid any patella damage.

These two placements can create additional exercises for people with limited equipment.

When I do squats on the smith I like to put my feet forward a bit more. It feels a lot more comfortable and I thought that it was working my quads more but maybe not.. It is contrary to what you just said.

[Jesseleesilva29]

I have been lifting heavy for the last 3 months. 2 sets of 8 for each workout.
I just started ketosis a couple weeks ago and was wondering if its a good idea to start lifting lighter and doing more reps. I just feel like the heavy lifting has got me in a rut.

[indiandairy]

Nice posting!

[thestudent]

Yates spoke about this in his book, how he could make an ineffective or somewhat effective exercise into a magic movement with very small changes. We need more members to get in on this and share.

[tmno]

Ive always been very careful with regards to my lower back when doing squats but I really want to develop my legs more. I'll keep those foot placement tips in mind, thanks

[phrikshin]

Few quick, basic things came to mind. Most people might know this, but I am sure some don't!

-Try standing bicep curls over sitting, you use muscles besides just ur biceps this way as your body needs to work to keep stable.

-If gym equipment permits it, after raising the weight in a deadlift, drop it before lowering it past your knees on the lowering portion. Definitely not ideal for powerlifting or bodybuilding, but if you are strength training for a sport, your #1 goal MUST be to prevent injuries. Lowering of the weight on deadlifts is something that is prone to injury, and this helps prevent that.

-For the bench press, different grip widths help build strength in various portions of the lift. Try lifting with a power grip (whichever grip allows you to lift the most), a wide grip, and a narrow grip to build up your bench press quickly. This is very helpful when trying to put the most amount of weight onto your bench in the shortest time possible. Your body will get used to these lifts though, so make sure to mix up how you train chest, throw some dumbells in there every couple of months or so.

[I Eat Therefore I Am]

When doing hanging weighted dips, to focus on the chest more- what I do is pull my knees up towar my chest (not all the way just in that direction). This changes the center of gravity, causing the torso to lean forward, taking emphasis off the delts and tris and putting it more on the chest.

[trynabebig]

hey guys quick question. When doing shoulder presses how low are you supposed to go? I heard it was 90 degrees and I also hear below 90.

[BeastInTheEast]

When i do 1 Arm Dumbbell rows i try to "pull" my hips to the side i'm rowing the dumbbell, i can feel my lats contract a LOT more clearly and intensely. I'm guessing because it brings the two insertion points closer together? Think of it about a bicep contraction where it's obviously easier to flex when your arm is bent, now straighten your arm and flex your bicep. The contraction probably isn't as strong.

[Shawn Bellon]

Simple tweak is taking in air before you lift off the squat bar. Hold the air until you are in the set up. Catch some breaths. Before each rep take and hold your air.


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