To make life easier, I’ve put together more »]]> As I stated in my A-List Upper body PULLING exercises post, with the endless variety of exercises personal trainers and fitness enthusiast have from which to choose, it can be confusing to decide which exercises to use as the foundational (cornerstone) lifts for their strength training programs.

To make life easier, I’ve put together this A-list exercise series in order to narrow the field and provided you with the technique and application of the strength training exercises placed at the top of the priority list in the Performance U training approach, regardless of the training goal, because we feel they offer the most bang for our strength training buck.

Note: Although the exercises applications below are generally prescribed, we’ll manipulate the acute variable (sets, reps, rest, etc.) of these exercises to create the specific adaption we’re looking to create based on each individual’s goal (i.e. higher reps w/ lower loads for hypertrophy, lower reps w/ higher loads for strength, etc.).

Here are our “go-to” strength training exercises for otherwise healthy clients (i.e. with no major medical limitations), which we’ll apply for all personal training and conditioning purposes from fat loss to sports performance to physique development.

A-List Vertical Pushing Exercises

 Shoulder to Shoulder Press

We like the shoulder-to-shoulder press because its a great way to add variety to a the limited list of overhead pressing variations; the offset load requires the torso muscles to work hard in order to maintain a stabile torso position, and it feels very comfortable and natural for many clients and athletes.

Here’s a video of a few Shoulder-to-Shoulder-Press variations:

Dumbbell Uppercuts

Rotation is pillar of human movement. And, when we’re looking to improve one’s ability to generate and transfer force across their body, and improve their ability to rotate from their hips- Dumbbell Upper-cuts are one of our favorite applications.

Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Press

We like the single arm over head press because it gives us a tremendous core training stimulus – to control the offset load – while also strengthening the shoulder musculature.

Additionally, as you can see by the picture above, we keep the shoulder in a neutral position at the top of the press in an effort to minimize potential impingement stress.

A-List Hybrid Pushing Exercises

Our Hybrid Pushing exercises are essentially diagonal pushing actions.

Angle Barbell Presses (aka. Landmine Presses

In sports you’re not always pushing straight ahead but slightly upward, such as when trying to control an opponent’s shoulders in MMA or getting underneath a players shoulder pads in football. Based on the SAID Principle, we feel this is a great exercise to help you perform those actions.

Angled Barbell Press and Catch

This is essentially a more explosive (dymnamic effort) version of the Angled Barbel Press.

Incline Dumbbell Press

Our A-List Horizontal Pushing Exercises

One Arm Push Up

As I said in my Truth About the Bench Press article, “The one-arm push-up is our single favorite whole-body pushing exercise. In fact, it’s what’s dethroned the bench press as our king of upper-body pushing exercises for field, court and combat athletes.”

 One Arm Cable Press

If you can’t do one-arm push-ups, or you’re currently working up to doing them, the standing one-arm cable press is a great training option.

Most of the time we see folks using this exercise the weight is too light to create an effective strength challenge. That’s a mistake.

Check out the video below because there’s several key strategies we’ve developed to help our athletes perform this exercise safely and effectively using a challenging load!

 Flat Dumbbell Press

We’re certainly not opposed to using a straight bar to perform the Bench Press on Incline Barbell press. However, just as how our A-list upper body pulling options involve using free floating handles, our preference for pushing applications is dumbbells because they allow the freedom to adjust to the way your arms feel most comfortable.

Push Ups and Push Up Variations

You know we love us some Push ups…

 …and push up variations. I put together this post covering our Top 20 Push Up Variations.

Register here for Nick’s Core Training & Program Design Workshop in NYC. June 15-16, 2013.

Registration ends on June 5th. Only 25 spots available.

Core training is one of the hottest subjects in the fitness field. Yet, with hundreds of different exercises from which to choose, along with more »]]> ONLY 25 Spots Available for Nick Tumminello’s Live Training Workshops in New York City

Workshop Descriptions:

Core Training: Facts, Fallacies & Top Techniques - Saturday, June 15th, 2013. 9am-4pm

Core training is one of the hottest subjects in the fitness field. Yet, with hundreds of different exercises from which to choose, along with a variety of conflicting information it remains one of the most misunderstood areas of training, with fitness professionals making far too many mistakes based on confusion, myths and misconceptions.

Join Nick Tumminello as he clarifies the confusion by giving you the scientific facts behind many popular core training myths that you probably believe. Nick will also show how to use his Full Spectrum Core Training method along with the technique and application of his top exercises for improving core strength and functional performance.

From this workshop, you’ll discover:

-       A practical, scientifically founded and fully comprehensive core training strategy.

-       Nick’s top core exercise applications that can be integrated into any individual or group workout.

-       Why the Psoas and TVA are the two most misunderstood muscles in the body.

-       The Inconvenient Truth about Core Strength, Posture and Lower back pain.

-       Why the BEST core exercise aren’t “core” exercises!

-       How improving your core’s X-factor can improve performance regardless of the sport.

-       The difference between Core Stability vs. Core Strength, and why the approach to improving one of these qualities is based on popular misconception.

        -    Nick’s Core Training Don’ts.

      -    Many New Exercises and Advanced Core Training Techniques.

 Put simply, you don’t know about core training unless you’ve been to this workshop!

Whether you’re a seasoned trainer who’s read all of the books and are still confused with all of the conflicting information, or you’re a new trainer who has an arsenal of exercises you’re not sure how to best use – Nick Tumminello will provide you with the Clear, Simple and Practical approach to exercise programing you’ve been looking for!

No theory & complex physiology stuff:  just the “meat & potatoes” of practical programming strategies Nick uses to design fully comprehensive workouts that have helped 100′s of clients and athletes (of all levels) get into great shape, achieve the results they’re after, and have fun doing it!

In this workshop, Nick will show you:

-       His refreshingly easy assessment approach to finding a safe training direction (without getting caught up trying to play to ‘corrective therapy’ game).

-       His top warm-up protocols

-       His plug-and-play formula for designing workouts that seamlessly integrate the best-of-the-best techniques from multiple fitness modalities.

-      How he structures and designs workouts, from the order of exercises to choosing sets and reps.

-      Sample workout programs Nick has used with personal training and small-group clients.

 You’ll walk away from this workshop with the training principles and practical strategies to provide world-class workouts for anyone, anywhere, anytime!

Book Your Spot (Below) before the June 5th Cutoff.

CEC Info:

Each workshop provides CECs for ACE and NASM.

Location:

Nick’s workshops will be held at the New York Sports Club (NYSC) on 49^th & Broadway, 1601 Broadway, 15^th floor inside Crowne Plaza Hotel (50 Street on the 1 train/50 Street on the C/E).

Reserve Your Spot Now:

Register to attend Nick’s Core Training: Facts, Fallacies & Top Techniques Workshop -       9am-4pm on Saturday, June 15th, 2013

$189

Register to attend Nick’s Practical Program Design for Personal Trainers Workshop -         9am-4pm on Sunday, June 16th, 2013

$189

COMBO DEAL – ATTEND BOTH WORKSHOPS and SAVE!

Register to attend Nick’s Practical Program Design for Personal Trainers Workshop AND his Core Training: Facts, Fallacies & Top Techniques Workshop - 9am-4pm, Saturday & Sunday, June 15-16th, 2013.

Only $350

Registration Ends on June 5th or when the 

25 Spots sell out!

Serious physique athletes know to use the right tool for the job of muscle growth. If you have to cheat just to get to the low end of 8-10 reps, stop and read this!

Read the full article on Bodybuilding.com

If you really want to see long-term results from your training you have to do more than just train hard – you have to train smart!

Read the full article at MuscleMag.com

If you’re anything like me, you’re always interested in finding new and improved ways of training. In this article I’m going to show you how to apply the Performance U FSB system to your triceps training so as to ensure constant muscle growth.

Read the full article at MuscleMag.com

Some personal trainers say that more »]]> Before I head out to Seattle, WA this weekend to teach at the IDEA Personal Trainer Institute West Conference followed by a one day seminar at Vigor Ground Fitness, I wanted to address some concepts and controversies about designing workouts for women vs. workouts for men.

Some personal trainers say that women should train like men while many other fitness books, programs and magazines are dedicated to a specific sex.

My goal with this post is to help you see through the confusion created by media claims and conflicting information by sharing with you with practical training strategies utilized in the Performance U approach for designing workouts for men and workouts for women; what we have each sex do differently in the gym and what they do the same in an effort to make workouts (for both Men and Women) more enjoyable and more effective!

Exercises for Men vs. Exercises for Women?

There are NO exercises for men or exercises for women, there are just exercises. We’re of a different sexes, but our bones, connective tissues, nerves, muscles fibers, etc., are all made up of the same raw material and function in the exact same way, regardless of your sex.

In other words, shoulder exercises, leg exercises, back exercises, etc., are the same for both Men and Women.

Workouts for Men vs. Workouts for Women: It’s Mostly How You Package It

I’ve written several workout programs that were featured Men’s Magazines and Men’s Workout books only to have those EXACT SAME workout programs also featured in a Women’s magazine or workout book produced by the same publisher. The ONLY thing that was changed from Men’s version to Women’s version were the terminologies used to explain the workout (i.e. the way the workout was packaged).

In the men’s version it said something like “use this workout program to build a stronger and more ripped body of an MMA fighter.”

In the women’s version it said something like, “use this workout program to shape a tight and toned body of a goddess.”  

Now, this common practice (by major workout magazines and book publishers) of using different (sex-specific) packaging for the same workout programs is in NO WAY dishonest or misleading. It’s done with the specific reader in mind; to speak to each sex in a way that they can relate to and can get excited about so they actually USE the workouts provided, as the training information these publishers (and article contributors like myself) work so hard to provide won’t do anyone any good if it’s not actually put into practice.

As you know, “Exercise is medicine,” BUT we are all much more likely to TAKE our medicine (i.e. use a particular workout program) when the medicine tastes good to us. Well, that’s exactly what these major fitness media publications are doing, they’re using strategic terminologies — Men= “Hard & Ripped”, Women= “Lean & Toned” — to make the medicine taste good to each sex.

This is a valuable lesson we’ve learned from the major fitness magazines and book publishers. In that, as fitness professionals, we meet clients where they are and give them the respect they deserve by tailoring the way we package information (i.e. speaking to them) in ways that they can related to, get excited about and buy into.

For example:  Let’s say we’re using a Leg Complex like this one:

- If we’re working with a serious athlete who’s looking to improve their performance, we might tell them we’re using the (above) leg complex to improve their “Power Endurance” so they can have “legs that won’t quit.”

- If we’re working with a female exercise enthusiast who’s looking to improve her physical appearance,  we might label this same (above) leg complex as a “Lower-body Sizzler” and tell her we’re using to “accelerate her metabolism” and “help improve the ‘shape’ of her legs.”

- If we’re working with a male client who’s looking to gain some size, we might call the (above) leg complex “Repetitive effort” training or label it as a “Leg Burn Out” and tell him we’re doing it create an insane muscle “pump.”

 All of those benefits (of doing that leg complex) stated above are true. We simply emphasize the particular benefit of a given exercise application that will resinate most with each individual. That’s what we call “strategic (personalized) motivation.”

Again, it’s simply making an effort not to just force the same medicine down everyone’s throat, but to make the medicine taste good to each individual so they can get excited about their training programs. And, if they’re excited about what they’re doing in training because they like why  they’re doing it (i.e. the packaging), they’re much more incline to stick with it. Not to mention more likely to put more (work) effort into the sessions.

A Focus on Developing the Sexy Muscles for Each Sex!

Although it’s important for all of us (men & women) to exercise ALL of our muscles, there are certainly specific body-parts that men like to focus on developing to look more manly, like: chest, arms & shoulders.

And, there are body parts that women often like to emphasize in their training to look sexier, like: Glutes, Legs & Shoulders.

Note: Of courses everyone wants abs, but great looking abs are mainly built in the kitchen with with what you do and don’t put into your mouth. I’ve I said in this post, “You can’t spot reduce, but you sure as heck can spot enhance.”

When we talk about focusing on “developing” certain areas of the body that each sex may want to enhance the “shape” of, we’re really talking about adding muscle hypertrophy. Men are usually comfortable with training to gain muscle, but many women (unfortunately) think they’ll get bulky, which is just plain silly since women have roughly 100 times less testosterone then men do.  Plus, many men have trouble putting on muscle.

Put simply, more hypertrophy and muscle tone (i.e. shape) are the same thing! So, whatever term makes you or your clients more comfortable, the outcome is the same: You can’t build a perkier and rounder butt without building up (i.e. Hypertrophying) your glute muscles, nor can you build sexier shoulders and arms without building up (i.e. creating increased Hypertrophy  in) those muscles.

Additionally, muscle creates the shape of your body. So, if you don’t build muscle, you won’t enhance the shape of your body. You might drop bodyweight, but without building some muscle tone, that sexy, athletic-looking shape women want won’t be there to reveal once the body fat comes off. Not to mention, muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning it’s the physical place (in your body) where fat is burned.

With that said, although “gaining muscles” and adding “muscle tone” are the SAME thing, to make the medicine taste good, instead of forcing this reality down the throat female exercise enthusiasts throats and potentially them uncomfortable – especially when the first start the training process – we simply tell them we’re lifting weights to help them “improve the shape of their body.” And, we tell the guys we’re lifting weights to “add mass.”

In other words, same training, but personalized (sex-specific) packaging!

Manipulating Packaging and Manipulating the Truth Aren’t the Same!

Adding muscle “shape” and adding muscle “hypertrophy” are just two different terms to describe the same thing. And, neither term creates a false belief about exercise, so we’re cool with client’s using whichever term makes them more comfortable.

Now, if a female hits us with, “I want to train in a way that makes my muscles leaner and longer.” We will absolutely inform them that this is based on misinformation because muscles are attached to your bones, so you can’t make your muscles longer unless you make your bones longer.

We’ll also inform her that 1) your muscles will either shrink, grow or stay the same, and 2) unless you have long arms and legs, it’s physically impossible to have “long” looking muscles. All we can do in training is work to increase muscle (i.e. improve shape and decrease body fat (to show off that shape).

How we Spot Enhance the Body-parts Each Sex Like to Develop

As I stated in this post, when we want to ensure maximal muscle development (Hypertrophy/ Shape) we’ll use 12-20 sets per muscle group (of approx. 8-15 reps) per week.

In other words, if you want to build up your shoulders, we’ll have you perform at least 12 total sets of shoulder oriented  exercises (compound and isolation with free weights and machines) per week, mostly using a weight load that you can do for at least 8 reps, and no more than 15.

This means that if your goal is to build up your shoulders, we’d have you perform  at least 4 different shoulders exercises for at least 3 sets each (mostly in the rep/weight range provide above).

If someone’s training plan calls for total-body workouts instead of body-part splits, we’d prescribe at least 3 sets of shoulder oriented training in every workout, and to train 4x per week  in order to get their minimum of 12 total sets.

Note: Keep in mind that in general we’ll apply these general sets/rep/weight per week recommendations to all of the body parts a client is looking to focus on developing.

On the other hand, for the body parts some one may NOT be looking to develop anymore, we may only hit those areas with  5-8 total sets per week per muscle group. This is done to still train the entire body and also to maintain the muscle they currently have in those areas (i.e. to prevent muscle loss).

Exercises for Women: Our Do’s and Don’ts

Women are naturally very quadriceps muscle dominant (1), which isn’t a bad thing it’s just a part of their design. So unless a female is training for a physique show or recommended by a physical therapist for post-rehabilition purposes, we’ll won’t have female fitness enthusiasts perform quadriceps focused exercises like leg extensions on a regular basis. And, compound quad strengthening exercises like traditional style squats and lunges are kept to a minimum while we focus on developing their glutes and hamstrings (to balance out the strength or their quads) with exercises like: RDLs, Good Mornings, 45 Degree Back Extensions, Hamstring curls (ball or machine), anterior leaning lunges, etc.

Additionally, according to our great friend Cassandra Forsythe PhD, co-author of The New Rules of Lifting for Women, “It is well known that most women carry much less lean mass in their upper bodies compared to men, so exercises such as pushups and pull-ups are a common weakness. Thus, it could be said that women should spend more time on these exercises than men, so that they can increase their strength in their upper bodies, which in turn does lead to improved self esteem and a sexy upper body (what girl doesn’t feel amazing after doing full pushups or pull-ups on her own?)”

Types of Weight Training Workouts for Men vs. Women

Women tend to enjoy, and are better physiologically built for faster paced, circuit type workouts, whereas men are better built for and tend to better enjoy slower paced workouts.

According to Dr. Forsythe in this article, “Women do tend to be less powerful than men due to several factors such as lower muscle mass, lower lung capacity and smaller hearts, leading to lower stroke volumes. However, their ability to recover after high intensity exercise is often greater than men’s. This means, that women will often need less rest time after an exercise bout or set, and can get back under the bar, or back in the circuit sooner. So, exercise programs that prescribe significant rest periods may make a women feel bored.”

Dr. Forsythe also adds, “Many women would benefit from doing some lifting using lower reps and more weight to hit muscle fibers that are only stimulated with those types of lifts (hence, this is where women SHOULD train like men).“

In other words, women recover faster than men (2, 3, 4), which is why women tend prefer faster paced workouts with less rest time between exercises. And, although ladies prefer higher reps (10-15+), doing some heavier lifts for less reps (4-8) can also be beneficial.

Men, on the other hand, since they naturally have more strength & muscle than women, are able to put more power wattage into each set, which often requires them to need more time to recover (rest) between exercises. So it’s not that women should do more reps than men, it’s that they can often tolerate a greater training density within a given workout because they’re unable to give as much energy into each rep as men due to the strength differences.

In general, guys can do very well with longer workouts where they do a single set or superset pairs of two strength exercises and then rest, while women may be just as productive doing sets of min-circuits of 3-5 strength exercises.

In other words, it’s important to understand that although men and women can do the same exercises, it how they’re applied (i.e. put together) in a workout program that can determine it’s effectiveness along with how much a man or women may enjoy (and tolerate) their workouts.

Summary and Additional Take Home Points

What men and women can do the same in their workout routines: We all can dedicate more time (more sets) to developing the muscles we desire to improve the shape (tone) of.

What women can do differently than men in their weight training programs: Women don’t need as much development in their upper-trapezius and quadriceps muscles. And, they are (physiologically) better suited to use use faster paced workouts with more exercises and less rest.

What men can do differently than women in their weight training programs: Men can keep their rest intervals (between strength exercise sets or conditioning rounds) a bit longer.

What women may want to do less of: Yoga and Long cardio sessions. Women are naturally more flexible and have better endurance than males. So, it’s a good idea to emphasize the fitness qualities – like strength & muscle development –  that you aren’t naturally inclined to, while you do just enough of the stuff you are naturally good at.

What men can do less of: Ignoring the body parts they can’t see in the mirror. It’s great to build up your chest and biceps. But, strengthening those mid-back muscles will give you better muscles balance and a stronger physical appearance. And, don’t forget about those glutes, which not only attract the ladies, but are also the mark of a powerful athlete. Check out my Add Mass to Your Ass article on MuscleMag.

Additionally, guys can use some good lower-body strength work, as guys are naturally stronger in their upper-body. Plus, you don’t want to be that dude on the beach wearing jeans because he’s got chicken legs.

Nick Tumminello’s Upcoming Speaking Schedule:

In SEATLE, WA on May 2-5 2013 teaching at IDEA Personal Trainer Institute West.

In TORONTO, CAN on June 1-2 2013 teaching at The Ultimate Fat Loss Seminar.

In IRMO, SC on June 22 2013 teaching at Sorinex Summer Strong.

In DALLAS, TX on June 28-29 2013 teaching at the TPEA National Summer Strength, Nutrition & Tactical Training Conference.

Deadlifts are one of those “no cheating” exercises. The steps are simple:

And that’s it.

For most of us, that’s about as far as it goes. Unfortunately, most of us are kinda stupid.  Deadlifting more »]]> This is a guest post by Lee Boyce.

Deadlifts are one of those “no cheating” exercises. The steps are simple:

1. Pick up bar all the way off the ground.

And that’s it.

For most of us, that’s about as far as it goes. Unfortunately, most of us are kinda stupid.  Deadlifting is one of those moves that looks so easy but has more particulars than meets the eye.  Less the cape and tights, I’ve come to save the day with the most comprehensive guide to deadlifting so you’ll be pulling strong, and pain free into oblivion.  Let’s get to it, step by step.

Grab a Hold

The grip for a deadlift can either be straight (palms over) or mixed. The mixed grip (one hand over, one hand under) is great for heavier loads, but I recommend not getting used to the same mix each time. It can begin to develop imbalances if you deadlift with it frequently. When performing a conventional deadlift, use a grip that’s just outside your hip width. Too wide and you’ll have issues keeping a strong grip on the bar. Too narrow and the bar will begin to lose its balance.  Remember to wrap the thumbs around firmly also.

Position Your Body

There are many schools of thought as to the technique used for a deadlift to be performed correctly.  My research and opinion leads me to use what you’re about to read as my choice way to keep a client safe, while pulling the most weight possible if need be.

The first step is to line the bar up with your shoelaces. The bar should be positioned over your foot to divide it into a front half and a back half. You should be able to see your toes come out in front of the bar, as it will be very close to your shins. Without changing anything, reach down to the bar and place your hands in your desired position – just outside hip width. At this point your back will be rounded and your butt will be way up in the air.  The next step is to lower your hips and raise your shoulders. Doing this simultaneously should encourage the low back to arch, and the chest to raise. Your shins should be right against the bar now, with the feet flat on the ground. Keep your head down.

Next, make sure your chest is what’s directly above the bar. If your chest is what’s over the bar, that means your shoulder blades are too. It’s a lot easier to transfer your forces into a heavy bar when you have your entire back helping you out. If you follow the physics by keeping your scapulae over the bar when you set up, you can’t lose.

Getting Tight

You may have thought that was what the last step was for, but you still have some tightness you need to achieve.  Grabbing a firm hold of the bar, with your shoulders where they should belong, actively try to squeeze the chest out. This will get the lats tight, low back tight, and arch your thoracic region so you’re ready to pull. At the same time, ensure your arms are fully straightened. Make an effort to “bend” the bar, or to “pull the flex out of it” without moving it off the floor.  Now you’re ready to pull.

So Pull!

Make sure the heels are dug right into the ground and stay tight. Drag the bar up your shins.  Now all the stuff we worked on in the setup section just became important. If the scapulae aren’t located over the bar, or the bar was located too far away from the shins, the hips would shoot upwards and the bar would move in against the shins, as soon as it was one inch off the ground. This goes to show that the physics are most closely followed through the setup above. Take a look at this bad deadlift and you’ll see what I mean.

In the video above, the girl does about everything you could do wrong in a deadlift wrong.  She doesn’t take her time in her set-up, and her feet aren’t in tight enough to the bar. As a result, the bar stays under her shoulders/armpit region and she has no stability in her pull. Her lats aren’t tight, her back isn’t arched and her scaps aren’t over the bar. So as you can see, the bar escapes her and the bar path is irregular on its way up.  Of course, this causes her hips to shoot up first and her back to round. But look what happens to the bar – it goes right where it belongs, under the scapulae, where the most support will be available.

Hip Drive

As the lift nears completion, what happens with your hips becomes important too. Remember that the deadlift dominantly works the big three muscle groups of the posterior chain – the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.  It’s easy to let the glutes slacken up and not fully contribute to the lift, and it all depends on how we finish.

I hear a lot of different cues to explain “hip drive”. Many of them involve a subtle forward thrust of the hips to encourage the glutes to activate, especially nearing the end of the lift at the lockout. I like to think of a pulley system, something like how elevators work. To me, it’s the simplest way to visualize the muscles.

In the picture, the weight (m) represents the barbell. The rope (on the side the hand is pulling on) represents your hamstrings, and the fulcrum (the block) would be your pelvis. Drive your heels straight into the floor and feel your hamstrings and glutes contract downwards. Keep the tension on them as the bar travels up your shins and thighs to correspond.  Your entire back will be working whether you try or not, so just make an effort to keep it just as tight as it was when you first started your pull.

I don’t focus on “creating” a hip drive, because the angle will close on its own, especially if these cues are followed properly. Often people create false drives at the top of the lift that usually just throws the low back into hyperextension, with the glutes just coming along for a free ride.  Having said this, the pelvis needs to be “unlocked” at the top of the lift so that the glutes can assist in completing the lockout. Check out the RKC plank by my man Bret Contreras:

This is essentially the hip position that would be ideal at the end of the deadlift.  We can achieve them through practicing these positions through supplementary exercises like this one, and also exercises like glute bridges, shown by Nick:

The Final Product

In a T-NATION article I wrote a couple of years ago, I included a video that demonstrates properly executed deadlifts. You’ll note the bar travelling in a straight line off the ground, and my hip position being dictated by my glutes at the end of the lift.

In a deadlift, the lowering phase shouldn’t be a slow one. Let the bar drag back down the thighs with the chest staying out. As soon as the bar passes the knee level, let it drop to the floor much faster by dropping your shoulders. Get your scapulae right back over the bar as fast as you can. Using this approach in the negative half of the lift will make it feel not so negative at all. You’ll avoid injury by not spending too much time lowering a heavy bar.

That’s All, Folks!

Clear as day – a deadlift is a simple battle with physics to make heavy bars move off the ground. Applying these words of advice can take you through strength plateau, and through a development plateau too. It may be a matter of a few subtle tweaks to your form and technique.  Keep in mind this was a guide to the conventional deadlift, not sumo, defecit, snatch grip, single leg, Romanian, or Give-a-Dog-a-Bone deadlifts. We’ll save those for next time.

Nick Tumminello’s Upcoming Speaking Schedule:

In SEATLE, WA on May 2-5 2013 teaching at IDEA Personal Trainer Institute West.

In TORONTO, CAN on June 1-2 2013 teaching at The Ultimate Fat Loss Seminar.

In IRMO, SC on June 22 2013 teaching at Sorinex Summer Strong.

In DALLAS, TX on June 28-29 2013 teaching at the TPEA National Summer Strength, Nutrition & Tactical Training Conference.

About Lee Boyce

Lee Boyce is a sought after trainer and fitness writer based in Toronto, ON.  He works with clients and athletes for strength, size, conditioning and sport performance. His work has been featured in the most popular magazines in the world including Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, TNATION, Stack, and Musclemag.  Lee is the owner of  and is also regularly featured on TV media as a fitness expert.  Contact him on his website, and follow him on twitter @coachleeboyce and facebook.

- Many Personal Trainers define “functional training” as exercises using three-dimensional movements or standing on unstable more »]]> Just about every personal trainer, strength coach and physical therapist uses the terms “”Functional Exercise,” ”Functional Movement” or ”Functional Training.” And, it’s no secret that different people choose to define the word “functional” in different ways, depending on their chosen training approach.

- Many Personal Trainers define “functional training” as exercises using three-dimensional movements or standing on unstable surfaces.

- Many Strength Coaches feel that “functional training” has to do with just getting stronger in the basic lifts.

- Many Physical Therapists and Corrective Exercise oriented Trainers think that “functional training” is about regaining your muscle balance and fundamental movement ability before you begin doing either 3D exercises or the basic lifts.

The realities described above gives us the State of the Fitness and Rehabilitation Industry, which is…

The 3D oriented personal trainers tend to think traditional weight-lifting is “non-functional” and only good for those interested in bodybuilding or being weight-room studs. While the strength coaches tend make fun of the 3D trainers for doing circus acts and not lifting intense enough. And, the physical therapists and corrective trainers tend to think the 3D trainers and strength coaches are both off base.

All this endless debate, animosity and down-right insanity over differing definitions of what functional training is can be solved very easily by understanding and embracing the REAL definition of the word “functional,” which is exactly what I provide you in this video.

General and Specific Exercises

In the video I mentioned that in the Performance U training system, we classify exercises as either Specific or General. Here’s the break-down on each type of exercise:

SPECIFIC Exercises

These exercises have a direct and obvious (functional) transfer because they’re based on the principle of Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands (SAID). The SAID principle is also known as the “principle of specificity.”

According to Dr. Everett Harman in the reference book for the NSCA, “Essentials of Strength & Conditioning”: ”The concept of specificity, widely recognized in the field of resistance training, holds that training is most effective when resistance exercises are similar to the sport activity in which improvement is sought (the target activity).

“The simplest and most straightforward way to implement the principle of specificity is to select exercise similar to the target activity with regard to the joints about which movement occur and the direction of the movements. In addition, joints ranges of motion in the training should be at least as great as those in the target activity.”

Essentially, the adaptations to training will be specific to the demands the training puts on the body. Now, don’t get it twisted as this does NOT mean we work on skills with our specific (functional) exercise applications. What it means is that we work on improving specific force generation patterns, which transfer into target movements!

I first wrote about the Kettlebell Clinch Pull-Up in 2009 as an example of a “Specific” exercise application for improving Muay Thai Clinch strength. The force production patterns and joint angles in this exercise more closely match those of the clinch (aka. The Plum Position) than does the general Pull Up or Chin-Up.

Other examples of what we would call a specific exercise would be performing squat variations to improve vertical (squat) jump height. Or, performing standing cable presses or angled barbell presses to improve standing pushing strength. Even biceps curls can be a specific exercise to help a running back keep a tight grip on the ball.

“Specific” exercise could also be labeled as “functional” exercises if you like that word better.

GENERAL Exercises

Our general exercises are basic weight-training exercises – compound and isolation movements using free weights, cables and machines – used to help increasing muscle mass, motor unit recruitment, bone density, connective tissue health, etc.

Although these applications may not necessarily reflect any specific force generation or movement patterns, their ability to positively transfer into improved performance potential is less obvious and often ignored or misunderstood, which is why many fitness professionals and therapists often mistakenly label them as “non-functional” as if these exercise application won’t help, and may actually hinder one’s health and performance.

In other words, just because an given exercise application may not directly reflect a specific force production pattern or movement pattern doesn’t means it can’t help someone. Lets face it, increasing bone density and connective tissue strength along with adding muscle mass is rarely ever “non-functional.”

Additionally, in my Functional Bodybuilding article I covered three ways that bodybuilding (i.e. Hypertrophy training) methods can be highly “functional” for athletes by helping them improve specific physical aspects of their performance.

Non-Functional Exercises

If we don’t feel a particular exercise or methodology offers a specific or general transfer into the client’s training goal, we’ll consider it “non-functional” for that individual. This is not to say it’s a “bad” exercise, but rather to say (we don’t feel) the exercise or methodology is the best use of the client’s time and training efforts over other applications that likely yield higher positive transfer in the training goal.

This is often the case with Unstable Surface Training (UST). In that, unless the we’re directed to use UST for post-rehabilitation purposes by a Physical Therapist, or the client’s goal involves improving their ability to perform on unstable bases – like a Circus performer for instance – we don’t consider UST “functional” for most training scenarios. This is because 1) it doesn’t offer a specific transfer since the force productions patterns are different than when standing on stable surfaces like the ground – where most sports are played and ADLs occur.  And, 2) we can’t say it offers a “general” transfer because you’re unable to create enough tissue overload to elicit tissue adaptions.

Here’s a great video from my good friend JC Santana for more on UST.

Conclusion

What we consider as “Specific” (i.e. functional) exercises and what we consider as “General” exercises is determined by the individual’s training goal. For example:

- If the individual’s goal is to gain muscle size (i.e. increase Hypertrophy), we’ll label exercises like Bent Over Rows and Deadlifts as “Specific,” and we’ll label exercises like Medicine Ball Rotary Throws as “General.”

If we’re working with a rotary athlete looking to increase their rotary power, we’ll label exercises like Medicine Ball Rotary Throws and Deadlifts as “Specific” because the legs and hips, along with the torso muscles are involved in rotary force production. And, we’ll label exercises like Bent Over Rows  as “General.”

In either training scenario, the Performance U approach integrates BOTH ”specific” and “general” exercise applications because both offer unique benefits the other misses. We’ve found this approach not only helps training become more well-round and effective, it also helps to make serious workouts more interesting and enjoyable. That’s the beauty of the Performance U Hybrid training methodology, baby!