Exercises & Exercise Selection

1. Neural movements have less connective tissue components to them.

2. They feel more "crampy" and increase innervation of the muscle.

3. These movements are CONCENTRIC dominant.

4. These movements are key to rehabilitation in the early phases.

5. These movements are suited to higher repetitions.

6. These movements generally require much less warm-up.

7. These are generally inner range movements or the inner range is the hardest part of the movement.

8. Use these movements first in a session.

9. These movements are well suited to isometrics for pre-activation and early rehabilitation.

Eg. Spider curls, kneeling hamstring curls, squatting calf raises, Patrick step-ups, L-sits, back extensions

1. Structural are movements that have a high eccentric component or connective tissue contribution.

2. These movements are highly inflammatory and can easily cause tendon injury with too much load too soon.

3. These movements will create more structural damage and cause more connective tissues to be laid down together with muscle.

4. These movements feel STRETCHY

5. Generally these movements involve a full stretch across 2 or more joints to maximize the range of motion.

6. Examples here are Romanian Deadlifts, Donkey Calf Raises, Sissy Squats, GHD Sit-ups, Smith Curls, French Presses, etc.

7. These movements are key to rehabilitation in the later phases.

8. These movements are suited for lower reps.

9. These are the kind of movements most people will want to warm up well for.

10. The outer range is often the heaviest part of these movements.

11. These movements are best used later in a session when the tissues are warm and pliable.

1. Mixed movements often have the sticking point in the middle.

2. They have some tension on the connective tissue but don't feel like something is going to pop.

3. They also do have that "about to pop" feeling of connective tissue dominant movements.

eg. Squats, standing curls, skull crushers, etc.

Keeping control of the weight on the way down ensures you are strengthening the full range of motion and putting pressure on the connective tissue in all positions.

Going fast on the way up increases power and athleticism.

Strength is GENERAL - bigger, stronger muscles and connective tissues and bigger more capable nervous systems produce more force for any task.

Strength is SPECIFIC - if you haven’t trained a position you will have to learn it. Those with general strength will learn it much faster. eg. someone with a world class front squat and press can become an international level weightlifter 3-6 months.

Strengthen the ends and the middle.

Link them together.

Men must be able to rep out clean chin-ups.

There is no alternative.

There is no substitute.

We can ADD but we CANNOT have less.

Men with strong chin-ups have abs.

Men with strong chin-ups have high relative strength… this means that CHIN STRENGTH will relate to ACCELERATION… maybe this also has to do with the lats connecting through the fascia directly with the glutes.

Lats are big muscles that generate physical presence.

It’s possible to have a BIG BENCH but terrible chin-ups and be un-athletic and physically unimpressive.

This doesn’t happen with chin-ups. When you’re repping with 50% of bodyweight you are a beast. You will look, feel and perform the part.

Practice with palms forwards (pull-ups) and palms backwards (chin-ups).

Do 50% of your work in the range that is weakest. 25% in the other 2.

1a. BOTTOM - Can you hold yourself at the bottom of the chin-up for 10-30 seconds?

Pulse between full hang and 1/4 of a repetition. You can also train this part of the movement with a lat-pulldown either one arm or two.

1b. MIDDLE - Dominate the middle 1/3 of the movement. Progress from feet on the ground to tippy toes, to one toe helping to feet off the floor. Control the movement for 10-30 seconds.

1c. TOP - Hold the chin over the bar. You can progress with feet assistance initially if needed. You can lean the chin on the bar initially. Don’t strain the neck.

Use lat pulls on a machine or with a band for high repetitions to replicate the feeling of chin-ups before and after your position practice.

Put these 3 positions together with full bodyweight.

Hold the top position for 5-10 seconds ideally making small pulses.

Descend slowly to the middle and stop for 5-10 seconds ideally making pulses.

Descend slowly to the bottom position and make small pulses for 5-10 seconds.

Progress to 2 reps on the first minute then 1 repetition for rest.

2-1-1-2-1-1-2-1-1-2

2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1

2-2-1-2-2-1-2-2-1-2

The different wrist position, grip strength, pulling from the centre of the body… they all make a significant difference. Rope climbing isn’t equal to chin-ups but if you’re great at chin-ups you’ll have no problem with basic legs free rope climbs.

Follow the same progressions as with 2 arms.

High repetition banded pulls and cable pulls are a good supplement to keep the tissues healthy.

Be patient.

Stick to 10-15 second holds more than maximal 1-5 second efforts which are high risk low reward.

Pistols are different to chin-ups.

There is more risk of damaging the internal structures of the knee so we need a bigger base and more patience.

JOINT DOMINANCE - For longevity the joint feedback always take priority over the muscle. If the joint doesn’t feel great you’re not ready for the movement. Regress and come back when you’re stronger & warmer. It can take many months for joint remodelling.

We have the rest of your life to build these movements.

Be patient.

You might be able to get a pistol before you can do this but it’s better to have a foundation.

10D10 Slant Board Squats with hands behind the back.

10D1 Bodyweight pause back squat with 5 second pause in the bottom.

10D3 50% of bodyweight - ATG Split Squats alternating each minute between legs. Pause in the bottom and focus on range.

10D10 Step-ups 50% of bodyweight - Patrick, Peterson, Poliquin. Take your time with loading. Listen to the joint more than the muscle. If the joint doesn’t feel good go lighter and LOWER. Over 1-2 years we want to get to 6 inches. Faster isn’t better on Poliquin and Peterson step-ups since we’re mostly interested in the INTERNAL joint changes and tendon changes. The muscle adaptations from these aren’t as important initially.

Do 50% of your work in the range that is weakest.

25% in the other 2.

1a. BOTTOM Hip & Knee - Can you hold yourself at the bottom of the pistol for 10 seconds? Use the assistance of a squat rack or a bar in the rack over head to pulse the bottom 1/4 of the movement. Make it very easy at first using the arms. Only progress if the joints feel good.

Ankle - Roll onto the ball of the foot while keeping the toes as close to the shin as possible. Together with KOT Calf raises this is one of the best ways to get the ankle mobility for pistols.

1b. MIDDLE

Dominate the middle 1/3 of the movement. Use a bar overhead in the squat rack or the arms of a squat rack to hold the middle of the pistol. Control the movement for 10-30 seconds. Pulsing using only the amount of help needed is better than pausing.

1c. TOP

Heavy step-ups

Progress 10D10 Step-ups - Patrick, Peterson, Poliquin.

Put these 3 positions together with full bodyweight.

Hold the top position for 5-10 seconds ideally making small pulses.

Descend slowly to the middle and stop for 5-10 seconds ideally making pulses.

Descend slowly to the bottom position and make small pulses for 5-10 seconds.

Progress to 2 reps on the first minute then 1 repetition for rest.

2-1-1-2-1-1-2-1-1-2

2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1

2-2-1-2-2-1-2-2-1-2