Lift More -- Master the Hip Hinge
The hip hinge is a fundamental component of pulling weight from off the floor. Mastering the powerful muscles of your posterior chain - glutes, hamstrings etc. - around a stable spine is the key to pulling more weight in lifts such as the deadlift (snatch, clean, straight-legged deadlift, good morning, kettlebell swing . . . you get the idea). A solid hip hinge also reduces your risk of back injury in these lifts. Lifting with a flexed (rounded) spine is a recipe for disaster
Locking Out Overhead
Your 3 Step Overhead Fix Many of us have trouble with overhead movements. We press-out movements like the snatch, instead of catching in a locked-out position, and have difficulty maintaining a lockout in movements like the overhead squat. The bad news . . . Frequently we struggle with this because of our forward, rounded shoulder posture. Forward rounded shoulders is part of a larger postural problem, upper crossed postural syndrome, and is incredibly common. Our posture is
Is ankle stiffness killing your squat?
You can tell a lot about a person’s mobility by watching them squat. When I assess a squat, I watch spine position, core stability, hip mobility, and much more. Each factor plays a role in the quality of a squat. However, despite the importance of a solid base of support, ankle mobility is frequently overlooked when people think about their squat. Unfortunately, instead of addressing ankle mobility deficits, we frequently resort to lifting shoes or blocks under the heels as a
Out with the old, in with the New Year - It’s time to put the sit-up behind us
My war against the sit-up is nothing new. Those of you who know me may be well-acquainted with my thoughts on the subject, and may have even been treated to one of my rants about this obsolete exercise; I am quite passionate about this topic. Core stability is an important aspect of every training program. Unfortunately, much of our core programming continues to be influenced by archaic principles, instead of progressing to reflect advances in our understanding of anatomy and
