Exercise Breakdown: Scap Pull-Up

• The Scap Pull-Up is one of my favorite "feeler" moves that help individuals groove the initial movement pattern of a chin/pull up.

Most of us sit in an anteriorly tilted position (seated desk hunchback position) which is a result of tight internal rotators and weak external rotators. This move helps to facilitate pulling through posteriorly tilting the scapula via serrates anterior, traps, rhomboids and most importantly using their lats.

Tip:

• I coach my clients to think about pulling through their lats by imagining strings attached to their elbows pulling them down to their sides and not only using their arms. 
• Aim to squeeze the lats and pull the shoulder blades together.
• Squeeze for 2-3 second count, and relax but careful to not aggressively shrug, "keep your neck visible". 

Don't You Have Any Other Interests?

I recall a conversation with a fellow trainer in our facility who said something along the lines of 

"All you talk about is training and food, don't you have any other interests?"

Of course I do.

I love sports, cats, and I'm even growing an interest in the geopolitical landscape. My biggest "outside" interest which I suppose ties into fitness and food is a burning desire to improve society on a much larger scale.

But all those things take a back seat to what I'm currently focus on. 

I live, breathe and sleep exercise, nutrition, cooking and all that my business entails. 

Here's the thing, if you're happy with the current life you have as a trainer, office worker or salesman; then don't change a thing. Keep doing what you're doing and feel free to mock me and my lack of diverse interests. 

But if you want to make big changes. Make big moves. And you're still late, wasting money or unfocused; how on earth are you ever going to get there?! Your actions don't map out your words. You my friend are, pardon my French, full of sh*t.

I can say this because I once was as well. I would talk a big game, say I'm going to make a lot of money and make a difference in this world. And how is that going to happen by waking up at 10am and barely working a few hours. Hell I watched more TV than I worked!

I've cut out Basketball (which pains me), poker, and "hanging out" because I don't have time for these things these days. This is the classic "I don't have time" excuse. Making more time often comes at the expense of the softball team or the bowling team or the book club; something you've decided to occupy your time with. It should never come at the expense of family time. This feels right to me, while it may be "unhealthy" to you. Whatever the case may be: YOU need to DO YOU.

Every moment, every minute of my life is consumed by the burning desire (you might say obsession) to be the best.

Every morning I wake up not content wanting to be the best version of myself, but to be
The Best

Exercise Breakdown: Losing Tension During Deadlifts

If you've ever set up for a deadlift, conventional or sumo, you should feel two things.

1. Tension in the hamstrings
2. Tension in the core and lats

What you get results in added stress to the lower back with a suboptimal set up.

First would be to address the initial hinge. Are you feeling it in hamstrings? If not that's the first place you would want to address. A drill I like for that is the butt tap hinge.

From there you continue down, a great cue from Dead Somerset is to squeeze behind your knee continuing to crank up the tension. All before you even grab the barbell or kettlebell. 

At this point you should be over the barbell, from the side view you should have your armpits directly over the barbell once you drop down to the bar.

The goal is always to create tension in the lats without changing the position of your arms. If you retract the shoulder blades aggressively. You want to "squeeze the orange" under your arm pit. 

From there big breath, brace the core, and continue the maintain the tension in the hamstrings and then pull to lockout.  

Exercise Breakdown: Dumbbell Floor Press

The floor press is a great alternative to the bench press. In particular the dumbbell version where you're allowed more freedom for your shoulders to move about the cabin.

This is used as an accessory movement to improve your bench press and as such should be treated that way. As an added bonus, it helps really develop your triceps without them screaming bloody murder like you might experience when performing isolation work. 

One of the hardest parts of the dumbbell floor press is getting into position. In the video you'll see how I prefer to get set up by kicking up at the same time into position the same way you would on a bench. 

How to:

1. Everything else remains the same about horizontal pressing. After you get into the starting position, pack the shoulders to set the scapula in the proper position. I also like having my feet straight to really eliminate any sort of leg drive.

2. Lower the dumbbells down until your upper arm is on the floor. I like to coach my clients to pause for a second at the floor. This allows you to take a moment to see if you are lined up correctly. 

3. Press back up without letting go of your upper back position and repeat for reps in the 8-12 range.  

Exercise Breakdown: Good Morning

The good morning often is a cause for concern but in reality if you're a healthy lifter with no prior injuries, you should be able to perform them fairly safely. 

One thing thats great about the move is that max torque is applied at the hip at 90 degrees. Which is different than say from a horizontal back extension where torque is applied at 180 degrees at lockout. So varying the angles at which you load the hips is of vital importance to improve both an aesthetic goal and a performance based one.  

It's a giant hip hinge with the barbell on your back!

1. Set the bar on your back like you would on a back squat. 

2. Stand up with the bar and step back. Shoulder blades tight, brace the core, etc.

3. Taking a soft knee bend and bracing your midsection, push your hips back. Drive the hips back to a standing position. Repeat for reps.

Tip: How far down you go will be dictated by how mobile your hamstrings and back allow you to go and how much you can control the movement. Load-wise you want to stay fairly light as it is an accessory movement.