TheNeuroStrengthCoach

Start by sitting on the floor with your legs out in front of you with a pair of dumbbells or Parallettes behind your hips. Either hold onto the handles in a neutral fashion or use the edge of the hex dumbbell to hold your hips off the ground with your heels still on the ground. Using your entire body especially the core and your legs, lift your heels off the ground for a second or two squeezing your abs before lowering your heels back to the ground. These may be difficult if you cannot perform a full L-Sit yet. You can modify these by keeping a slight bend in the knees until you develop the strength to do them with locked legs.

Using a glute ham developer (or preacher curl pad), position your body behind the pad holding the barbell close to your shoulder with arms bent until you are in proper position. Your torso and triceps should be resting on the pad in front of you. Slowly lower the weight under control until your elbows are extended. Squeeze your biceps to curl the weight towards your face bringing the pinky’s towards the shoulders to maximize bicep usage. Lower the weights under control until lockout and repeat for the desired reps and sets. Trainer Tips: Use a submaximal load when performing preacher curls. It is possible to tear biceps at the lockout position if the weight is too heavy. This is an isolation exercise and should be done with intent and focus.

Keeping the back straight and feet shoulder-width apart, select a lighter dumbbell and position it near your thigh with the arm at its longest position with the palm facing you. Using the shoulder muscles, lift the dumbbell in front of the body in a controlled manner until the weight is slightly above the shoulder. Pause, then slowly lower back to the starting position. Repeat for repetitions.

Start by setting the power rack to a height that is comfortable for you to lift the barbell from. This will typically be just above your knee level. Load the desired weight onto the barbell and place it on the supports of the power rack. Stand facing the power rack and grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands placed just outside of shoulder width. Your palms should be facing away from your body. Take a deep breath and lift the barbell off of the supports of the power rack by extending your hips and knees. Keep your back straight and avoid rounding your shoulders. Once the barbell is at shoulder level, exhale and shrug your shoulders upward towards your ears. Hold the contraction at the top for a moment before lowering the barbell back to the starting position. Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.

The Barbell JM Press is an exercise that targets the medial head of the triceps and strengthens the elbow to increase the bench press and other pressing variations or pushups. It is a variation of the close-grip bench press and named after powerlifter and strength coach JM Blakely. Start by selecting an EZ Curl barbell with the desired weight and setting it up on a flat bench. Position yourself on the bench with your feet flat on the floor and your back pressed firmly against the bench. Grasp the barbell with a close grip with your palms facing away from your body. This will be a narrow grip. Carefully lift the barbell off the rack and hold it above your chest with straight arms. Lower the barbell a few inches before bending the elbows to bring the bar to your chin or neck area with the elbows high. Next you will finish the rep by doing a hybrid of a tricep extension and a bench press keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body and not flared out. Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions. Trainer Tip: This should be done with a weight that will cause elbow pressure but not pain to progressively overload the tissues to get stronger over time. Do not try to max out with these on day 1!

Stand upright, holding handles in front of the body with arms straight. Pull the handles back, bending at the elbows and then externally rotate the shoulders to form a “W” shape. Slowly internally rotate your shoulders to return the arms back to starting position. Repeat for repetitions. If these are too difficult you will want to reduce the angle of lean and stand more vertical as opposed to horizontal.

Start by standing in a wider than shoulder width stance to make sure you have room for both kettlebells in between your feet. Bend over at the hips and bend your knees to grab the kettlebells.. Trying to keep the spine as straight as possible (slight rounding is okay!), pull the kettlebells towards your lower chest by squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling your elbows towards the ceiling. Lower the weight under control until the kettlebells are resting back on the ground in the starting position. The term Pendlay means we are killing the momentum at the bottom in order to reset for each rep. Trainer Tips: Use your back muscles to do the rowing as opposed to mostly arms. You can rotate the kettlebells slightly to your preference and based on your mobility.

Start by standing in a wider than shoulder width stance to make sure you have room for both kettlebells in between your feet. Hinge forward at the hips to get into a sumo hip hinge position with the knees bent and the back straight. With the kettlebells at a comfortable angle, row one kettlebell as high as you can while simultaneously turning the head to help with spinal rotation. Once that kettlebell is at maximum height, begin to lower that kettlebell under control while you simultaneously row the other other kettlebell to its maximum height. You will be doing a sawing type motion to rotate the spine while you row. Repeat for repetitions.

Start by selecting two kettlebells that are appropriate for your current fitness level. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the kettlebells in the front racked position, with the kettlebells resting on the front of your shoulders/forearms depending on the size and weight of the kettlebells. Take a large step backwards with your right foot into a reverse lunge position until the knee touches the ground. Push through your front heel to return to the starting position. Alternate legs by stepping back with your left foot and repeating the movement. Repeat for the desired number of reps. Trainer Tips: If you are experiencing front knee pain when performing these, make sure to not let the knee go past the toes with the front leg by taking a longer step backwards. This is not wrong, but is a modification for knee pain or to use more glutes than quads.

Start by adjusting the Smith Machine to the appropriate height for your height. Stand facing the Smith Machine, with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on your upper traps (trapezius muscles) Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart or wider depending on your shoulder mobility. Stand with your feet about a foot-length back farther than if you were doing a squat. Unhook the bar, keep your back straight, and your core engaged. Begin the exercise by hinging forward at the hips, sitting your butt back, and keeping your back straight lowering your torso towards the ground as far as you can with a slight bend in the knees. Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement before returning to the starting position by raising your torso back to the upright position. Repeat for the desired number of reps. Trainer Tips: Normally we don’t want a hyperextended neck, but by keeping the eyes forward and chin up, we can create a pocket for the bar so it doesn’t rest on your cervical vertebrae. You can also use a thin pad to help protect your neck bones or perform these from a more low bar position where the bar is across the back of the shoulders and not the neck.

Perform these with a smith machine preferably, or with a barbell on J-hooks in a power rack. The smith machine is more stable and will avoid rolling of the bar. Position yourself in an incline pushup position with your forehead and hands in line with the bar about shoulder width apart. Lower yourself by bending your elbows, keeping your core tight, until the triceps are stretched out maximally with the head usually below the bar. Maintain tension, keep your elbows in, and straighten your arms by flexing your triceps to return back to the starting position. If this is too difficult for you adjust the difficulty by bringing the bar higher to make it easier or by lowering the bar to increase the difficulty.

This exercise will utilize an isometric glute bridge hold on a bench in order to create a declined angle instead of using a decline bench. You can do these on the floor as well, but you will not get the full range of motion on the chest press and will instead be doing a floor press. Sit at the edge of your bench with your dumbbells resting on your thighs. Use a knee pop to bring the dumbbells to your chest as you lower your back into position until you are laying on the bench. Press the dumbbells towards the ceiling until the arms are locked out before lifting your legs off the floor and onto the bench. Push through your heels to get into a glute bridge position with your heels directly under your knees and your shoulders, hips, and knees in a straight line. Maintain this position while you chest press the dumbbells for the desired reps. When finished, put your feet back on the ground and use that momentum to sit up and take your rest.

This is a dumbbell chest press done with a neutral grip and with an exaggerated range of motion to work on shoulder, chest, and back mobility. Sit on a bench with your dumbbells resting on your thighs. Kick up with 1 leg at a time to get the dumbbells loaded near your chest with your palms facing each other, before lowering yourself under control and planting the feet on the ground. Perform chest presses by extending the elbows and bringing the dumbbells towards the ceiling. Unlike a traditional chest press, when you descend the weights try to bring drive your elbows down towards the floor and get a maximal stretch on the chest by squeezing your back. This will bring the dumbbells lower than your torso. Spend a second or two at the bottom before extending the elbows to press the dumbbells back to lockout. When you are done, bring the weights together, Lift your legs into the air and whip them down as you do a sit-up in order to sit upright with the weights on the hips before lowering them to the ground. This is an option if you don’t want to drop the weights to the left and right of you potentially hurting your shoulders or damaging the equipment or possibly injuring the people next to you.

Start by selecting a pair of dumbbells that are appropriate for your current fitness level. Stand with your feet hip-width apart with one foot slightly behind the other, like a split stance. Hold the dumbbells at your sides, with your palms facing your body or at a slight angle. Begin the exercise by keeping your back straight, and your core engaged, bend at the hips and lower your torso towards the ground as far as you can while maintaining a flat back. As you bend at the hips, allow your back leg to bend at the knee, keeping your front leg straight. Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement before returning to the starting position by raising your torso back to the upright position. Repeat for the desired number of reps on one leg before switching legs and repeating the movement on the other leg. Keep your head and neck in a neutral position throughout the exercise. This exercise targets your hamstrings, glutes and lower back muscles, it's important to keep proper form and to use a weight that you can handle to avoid injury.

Start by selecting a barbell and weight plates that are appropriate for your current fitness level. Position that barbell at a height so that you can remove it with the bar in the elbows. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointing slightly outward. Place the barbell in the crook of your elbows, resting it against your chest and abs. This position is called the Zercher position. Keep your back straight, and your core engaged. Begin the exercise by squatting down, keeping your back straight and your core engaged, lower your body as far as you can while maintaining a flat back. Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement before returning to the starting position by straightening your legs and raising your torso. Repeat for the desired number of reps. Keep your head and neck in a neutral position throughout the exercise. Avoid rounding your lower back or using momentum to lift the weight. Trainer Tip: When the weights are real heavy you can interlock the fingers to lift heavier weight. This exercise will hurt the first couple of times you do it until you get used to it. This is a great lift for functional strength and for combat sports as well.

Attach a single handle to the lat pulldown machine and set the thigh pad to keep you secured in the seat. With one arm, grab the attachment with your palms facing away from you. Initiating the movement by pulling your shoulder blade down, begin to pull the cable down by pulling with your lats and driving elbow towards the hip. Rotate the handle as you do this until your palm is facing you. Squeeze your lats and your obliques at the bottom to get the most range of motion possible and the biggest lat squeeze. Slowly reverse this motion under control until your arm is locked out and you shoulder blade is elevated and relaxed. Repeat for repetitions before switching sides.

Lay on the ground inside of a power rack or below the spotter arms of a squat rack. Set your pins at a height based on your hip mobility (roughly 90° bend in the knees). Load the barbell onto the pins with the desired weight and position yourself so that at the flexed hip position, the bar is in the arch of your feet. Hold onto either the ground or the power rack and leg press the weight until lockout by flexing your quads. Lower under control until the weight is resting on the rack. This is a safer version of doing this outside the rack as it can’t fall on you, but expect the bar to shift and get out of position if you bounce it on the pins. Due to the nature of this exercise you CAN lockout your knees without injury unlike the normal leg press machine where people often load it with way too much weight for the knee stabilizers. This can also be done on a smith machine but it is not as fun!

Start by standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointing slightly outwards. Hold two dumbbell in each hand at arm's length with a neutral grip with, with your palms facing inwards. Lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees preferably until the weights hit the ground. Keep your back straight and your chest up. Push through your heels to return to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions. Trainer Tips: Keep your knees in line with your toes – this might require you to actively push your knees out during the squat. Make sure to keep your core engaged and your back straight.

Use bumper plates, plyo boxes, or plastic steps to create a few inch deficit. Start by standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointing slightly outwards. Hold two dumbbell in each hand at arm's length with a neutral grip with, with your palms facing inwards. Lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees. Keep your back straight and your chest up. Push through your heels to return to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions. Trainer Tips: Keep your knees in line with your toes – this might require you to actively push your knees out during the squat. Make sure to keep your core engaged and your back straight.

Begin by adjusting an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with your back against the backrest. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forward, and let your arms hang down by your sides. Keep your elbows close to your body and curl one dumbbell towards your shoulder by flexing your bicep. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position. Repeat the movement with the other arm. Continue to alternate between both arms, completing the desired number of repetitions. Trainer Tips: Keep your shoulders back and down throughout the exercise. Try not to use your shoulders or swing the weights, keep the movement isolated to your biceps.

Start by standing in a wider than shoulder width stance to make sure you have room for both dumbbells in between your feet. Bend over at the hips and bend your knees to grab the dumbbells places almost in line with each other in between your toes. Trying to keep the spine as straight as possible (slight rounding is okay!), pull the dumbbells towards your upper chest by squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling your elbows towards the ceiling. Lower the weight under control until the dumbbells are resting back on the ground in the starting position. The term Pendlay means we are killing the momentum at the bottom in order to reset for each rep. Trainer Tips: Use your back muscles to do the rowing as opposed to mostly arms. You can rotate the dumbbells slightly to your preference and based on your mobility.

This is a weighted pullup alternative if you don’t have a dip belt to hang weights from your hips! Stand under a pull-up bar and grasp it with an overhand grip (unless using different handles), hands about shoulder-width apart. Place the dumbbell between your feet, holding it securely with both feet. Begin the exercise by pulling your body up towards the bar, using your back and arm muscles. Keep your body straight and avoid swinging or using momentum to lift yourself. Once your chin is above the bar, hold the position for a moment before lowering yourself back down in a controlled manner. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Take two dumbbells that are towards the lighter side to avoid hurting the elbows. Lay on a bench and position the dumbbells in a neutral manner with the arms outstretched, dumbbells over the chest/shoulders. Begin by bending your elbows until the heads of the dumbbell reach your shoulder. Once they reach your shoulder bring the elbows backwards stretching the lats and triceps. Squeeze your lats to return the elbows back to the previous position and then extend your elbows to straighten out your arms. Trainer Tips: Keep your elbows close to your body the entire time and try not to flare them out to get a better training stimulus. Light weight is ideal for these for higher reps until you develop the mobility and strength to perform these safely at heavier weights. Lay back farther than normal so you avoid hitting the bench with the dumbbells. The head should be half on the bench and half off.

Start seated with the legs wide on a bench. Hold onto a thin resistance band with a pistol grip on each hand and palms facing away from you. Lower your torso until it is between your legs. Push one arm into the inside of your leg while twisting the torso to reach the other arm back towards the ceiling, Spend a few seconds actively reaching back trying to lengthen the obliques and improve your mobility each rep. Perform the designated reps and then switch sides. Trainer Tips: If you need more tension, use a thicker band, or choke up on the band starting with a more narrow grip. The more mobility you have the lower you can bring your support arm. The second demonstration in the video shows the exercise being done with the hand on the ground instead of elbow inside the thigh.