WHY BRACING MATTERS One of the most common areas for improvement in beginner and advanced progressions can be addressed by utilizing proper breathing and bracing techniques or optimizing current habits. Roughly, the average human breathes 23,000 times per day, and the strength athlete even more. During heavy resistance movements, proper bracing achieves an increase of…
Squat
Your competition (or strongest) style squat
Substitutions
Barbell squat variations (low-bar, high-bar, front squat, safety bar squat, etc.)
High-Bar Squat
A squat where the bar is placed higher on your traps compared to a traditional low bar squat, where the bar is placed above your rear-delts
Substitutions
Quad-dominant barbell squat variations (front squat, safety bar squat, etc.)
Front Squat
A squat performed with the bar racked across your shoulders and in front of your body rather than behind your neck.
Substitutions
Quad-dominant barbell squat variations (high-bar squat, safety bar squat, etc.)
Goblet Squat
Holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of your chest, perform squats to depth while keeping an upright torso
Substitutions
Front loaded (DB, KB, barbell) squat; Belt Squats
Belt Squat
Straddle two blocks and hang the weight of a weight-loaded belt between your legs. Perform squats to depth while keeping an upright torso
Substitutions
Front loaded (DB, KB, barbell) squat
Hip Thrusts
Roll the bar so it is over your hips. Support your mid back perpendicular to a bench. Drive through the feet to extend the hips in line with the torso.
Substitutions
Glute bridge variations (banded, single leg, etc.)
Band Abducted Squats
With a band on your legs above your knees, perform squats while maintaining tension in the band
Substitutions
Clamshells + Squat variation performed back-to-back
Pause Squats
Pause at the bottom of the squat, maintaining tension in the legs and lower back and keeping position throughout the pause.
Substitutions
Paused barbell squat variations (low-bar, high-bar, front squat, safety bar squat, etc.)
1.25 Squats
Perform the eccentric portion of the squat, stand up about halfway, return to the bottom, then stand all the way back up
Substitutions
One and a quarter barbell squat variations (low-bar, high-bar, front squat, safety bar squat, etc.)
Bulgarian Split Squat
In a lunge position with back leg supported on a bench and with weight loaded (barbell on back, goblet in front, or one dumbbell in each hand), sink into lunge position on front leg and squeeze quadriceps to stand back up.
Substitutions
Walking lunge, DBbox step-ups
Single-Leg Leg Press
On the leg press machine, load weight appropriately. Place one foot in the center of the sled. Push upward, unlock the safeties, and lower the sled and push back up to perform a repetition
Substitutions
Cossack squat, walking lunges
DB Box Step Ups
With one dumbbell in each hand, step one leg onto a box and use that leg to drive your body to standing on top of the box. Lower down and switch legs.
Substitutions
Bulgarian split squat, walking lunges
Bench
Your competition (or strongest) style bench press
Substitutions
Barbell bench variations (competition-style, close grip, wide grip, incline, decline, etc.)
Close Grip
A moderately (1-4″ per hand) narrower grip than your competition style grip
Substitutions
Swiss/football bar bench, Neutral grip DB press
DB Bench
Flat bench press with dumbbells
Substitutions
Pushup, flye, and cable crossover variations
DB Incline Bench
Bench angled upwards, bench press with dumbbells
Substitutions
Pushup, flye, and cable crossover variations
Board Press
Like a bench press, lower the barbell to the board (held in place by a partner) and press up
Substitutions
Pin press, Spoto press
T-Shirt Press
Lower the bar slowly and touch your shirt as lightly as possible
Substitutions
Spoto press, pin press
Spoto Press
Pause the bar before it makes contact with your chest
Substitutions
Board press, t-shirt press
Bench (3s pause)
Pause for 3 seconds at the bottom of the bench press
Substitutions
Pin press, t-shirt press, DB bench press
Kroc Rows
With one hand and one knee on a flat bench, row a dumbbell in the opposite hand from the bottom of your range of motion to the lower rib cage
Substitutions
DB Row, cable row, chest supported row
Deadlift
Set up with the bar above shoelaces, and pull the bar from the floor to the hips with straight arms and lockout hips at the top
Substitutions
Barbell deadlift variations (conventional, sumo, trap bar)
Good Mornings
With a bar loaded on your back, unlock the knees slightly and hinge forward at the hip (reaching the hips back) until the chest is parallel with the floor
Substitutions
Barbell loaded, banded, back extensions, reverse hyperextensions
Stiff-Leg Deadlifts
With straight legs (but not locked), hinge from the hip and keep legs straight throughout movement. Can be loaded with barbell, DB, KB.
Substitutions
Romanian Deadlifts, good mornings
Sumo
Set up with legs wide, feet pointed out, and shins vertical. Place hands in line with the shoulders on the bar and drive through the feet and posterior chain to lockout the bar
Substitutions
Sumo KB/DB deadlifts, other Barbell deadlift variations (conventional, trap bar)
RDL
Unlock knees to power position, and hinge from the hip maintianing power position legs throughout movement
Substitutions
Trap bar deadlift, sumo KB deadlift
Deficit Pulls
Standing on a slightly elevated plate/board, perform deadlift with additional range of motion
Substitutions
Pause deadlifts, tempo deadlift
Low block pulls
Set up the barbell on low blocks so the bar is below the knees. Deadlift starting from that position
Substitutions
Pause deadlifts, tempo deadlift
Cable Pull-Throughs
Lower cable machine to lowest rung. Standing with your back to the cable, straddle the cable and pull the handles through your legs and lockout the hips
Substitutions
Hip thrusts, glute kickback, back extensions (shoulders rounded)
Deadlift (3s Negative)
Standard deadlift with a tempo descent that takes 3 seconds from the top of the deadlift down to the floor
Substitutions
Tempo deadlifts
Split Stance RDL
With weight standing predominantly on one leg with the back leg supporting like a kickstand, perform RDL by hinging from the hip to weight in front of you
Substitutions
Single leg RDL
DB RDLs
Perform a romanian deadlift using DBs in each hand rather than a barbell. Try to maintain constant tension throughout the set, not resting the DBs until all reps are completed.
Substitutions
Barbell RDLs, split stance RDL
Single-leg DL
Standing on one leg with knee slightly bent, perform a stiff legged deadlift, extending the free leg behind you for balance
Substitutions
Unilateral hip hinge, split stance DL
Lat Pull Downs
On cable pulldown machine, choose a long handle. Keeping chest tall, elbows pointed down, sqeeze the lats/armpits and lower the handle to below your chin
Substitutions
Horizontal row (pullups, inverted row)
Seated DB OHP
In an upright seated position, with one dumbbell in each hand, raise to either side of your head and press above your head until both elbows lock out
Substitutions
Standing OHP, Barbell OHP, single arm DB OHP
Barbell Rows
In a bent position with back parallel to the floor and knees slightly bent, row the bar by pulling it to the lower chest. Control the bar throughout the movement
Substitutions
DB Row, Hammer Strength Row, Inverted row, Landmine T-Bar row
Cable Pullover (straight bar)
Standing facing the cable machine, grab the bar with an overhand position in line with shoulders, pull the bar down sqeezing shoulder blades and keeping the core tight. When the bar reaches your hips, pause and control the movement back to the starting position
Substitutions
Pullover with any cable attachment, DB pullover lying down on bench or on decline
DB Rows
In a bent positon with back parallel to the floor and knees slightly bent, with one dumbbell in each arm, row the dumbbells to the lower chest in a controlled manner
Substitutions
Single arm cable row, single arm lat pull down
Face Pulls
Facing a cable machine, set the pulley to the highest setting and use a rope or split handle attachment. Pull the weight directly towards your face while keeping the upper arms parallel to the floor. Control the cable on the way back to the start position
Substitutions
Band pullaparts, cable high row, ITWY
Cable/Chest-Supported Rows
With a straight back, pinch the shoulder blades together. Chest supported rows are leaning on a bolster and pulling the weight into your body. Cable rows are seated with your legs on a platform in front of you. Pull the weight into the lower chest/sternum
Substitutions
DB row, inverted row, barbell row
Rear-Delt Flyes
With a dumbbell in each hand, bend at the hips so that the chest is parallel to the floor. Squeeze the shoulder blades together and fly the arms away from one another. Control the weight on the way back to the bottom
Substitutions
ITWY, band pull aparts, face pulls
Lat Pull Over
Laying on a flat bench, hold a light barbell overhead in the bench position. Slowly and controlled lower the bar behind the head with the arms over the ears. Keep the torso on the bench and sqeeze to return the bar back to over your chest.
Substitutions
DB Pullover lying down or on decline
Pendlay Rows
In a bent over position with back parallel to the floor, row the bar from the floor into the lower chest and return the bar back to the floor
Substitutions
Barbell row, Kroc rows, chest supported rows, seated cable row
Skullcrushers
Laying on a bench, hold a weight (typically DBs or an EZ bar) above your body directly above your shoulders. Without moving your upper arm, hinge at the elbow and lower the weight in a controlled manner towards your skull, stopping 3-6″ above your face. Then reverse the movement and return the weight to the start position.
Substitutions
Tricep push-downs, OH tricep extension, dips
Hammer Curls
Perform curls using DBs or a neutral grip bar. Keep your palms facing together throughout the entire movement.
Substitutions
Neutral grip curls, chin ups
Alt. DB Curls
Using DBs, perform curls alternating each arm.
Substitutions
EZ bar curls, hammer curls, cable curl
OH Tricep Extension
Holding a weight above your head with your arms extended, lower the weight with control behind your head without moving your upper arms, and then return the weight to an extended overhead position. This variation can be performed with DB, EZ Bar, Cables (rope or V-handle).
Substitutions
Cable push downs, skullcrushers
Barbell Curls
Using a straight barbell, perform curls using an underhand grip.
Substitutions
EZ bar curls, alt. DB curls, hammer curl
Inverted Rows
With a barbell fixed in a low position in a squat rack, hang underneath the bar with your feet on the floor and your hands spaced bench press-width apart. Starting with your arms extended and your body in a straight line (with an engaged core), pull your chest towards the bar maintaining the same straight body positioning and then lower back to an extended start position. To scale this movement, bring your feet closer (easier) or further away/elevated (harder).
Substitutions
DB Row, cable row, chest supported row
Bench Dips
Facing away from a bench, place your palms on a bench behind your body and your feet flat on the floor, bending 90-degrees at the hip and knee. Lower your body until your elbow joint passes 90-degrees, and then press yourself back up to extension using your triceps.
Substitutions
OH tricep extension, tricep push-downs, skullchrushers
Plank
In pushup position with forearms on the ground, maintain neutral spine and squeeze glutes and abdominals. Maintain that position
Substitutions
Side plank, L-sit
Suitcase walk
Hold a weight (kettlebell, dumbbell) on one side of the body and walk. Switch hands with the weight and walk the same distance back.
Substitutions
Heavy carry variation
Ab Rollouts
Supported on knees or in plank position, align shoulders over rollout wheel and roll forward past the head. Maintain position (don’t fall to the ground) and roll the wheel back into under the shoulders.
Substitutions
Barbell rollout, hanging leg raises, L-sit
Band Pullaparts
With your arms out in front of you, holding a band on either end, squeeze the shoulder blades together and separate the band in a fly-motion
Substitutions
Face pulls, cable high row, ITWY
McGill Big 3
A series of 3 core exercises performed in a row: the Curl-Up, Side-Plank, and Bird-Dogs
Substitutions
Any core series (deadbugs, bird-dogs, planks, l-sit, hanging leg raises)
KB Windmills
In a wide stance, press kettlebell overhead in one hand. Keeping the elbow overhead locked out at all times, push the butt in the direction of the locked out kettlebell. Hinge from the hips and slowly touch the floor with your free hand. Keep your eyes on the kettlebell at all times.
Substitutions
DB Windmill, turkish getup, half getup
Bird Dogs
On hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips, extend one arm out in front of you and the opposite leg out behind you while maintaining a neutral spine. Switch opposite arm/opposite leg
Substitutions
Deadbugs, plants
Back Extensions
On a GHD machine or hyperextension machine, lock in the feet with the hip pad under the pelvis/lower trunk. 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.
Substitutions
Good mornings, supermans
Deadbugs
Laying on your back, raise arms directly over shoulders and knees over hips, with shins parallel to the floor. Perform exercise by lowering one arm back behind your head and the opposite leg down towards the floor. Maintain contact with the lower back on the floor and squeeze the abdominals to hold the position. Switch sides and perform same exercise with opposite arm and opposite leg.
Substitutions
V-situps, hollow body holds
