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Home > The FITSPRO Podcast > 099 | 5 Most Underestimated Movements for Strength Training
Podcast: The FITSPRO Podcast
Episode:

099 | 5 Most Underestimated Movements for Strength Training
Category: Health
Duration: 00:22:07
Publish Date: 2020-12-15 05:00:00
Description: Today I plan to share with you 5 underestimated movements, and why I think they are effective AF when used properly. In 2020, the basics have never been so important when it comes to movement patterns. You know I am the queen of basics, and have literally always preached that the basics work. They always have, and likely always will. Let's dive in. 5 Underestimated Movements: CarriesPull up variationsStep upsDeadbug variations - particularly with the upper body demanding tension of some kindCyclist squats There are many, many more, but these 5, in my experience working with clients and professionals alike, are underestimated. Let’s dive into each one and how you can use them in your training or with your clients even if you’re at home, or without a gym. 1.) Carries: Oh my goodness if you are not picking things up, and walking or marching in place with them, DO IT. Carries have the potential to do many things for you. Especially because we can load them in various positions [single arm, overhead, back rack, front rack, hugging a med ball, with a barbell, with dumbbells]. Truly almost anything goes here. By and large, carries strengthen your pillar. They demand that you resist abdominal lateral flexion or rotation. If you’re holding by your side like a traditional farmer carry, then they can be used for grip strength, as well as pillar strength. It’s highly likely that you’ll also find that carries get your heart rate up. Especially if they are axial loaded. Meaning the spine is loaded. Throw some kettle bells in a front rack position and walk 100 meters. Tell me you’re not winded afterwards. The constant demand to brace your core, breath, and not drop the weights can be a real challenge. One that is often underused, and underestimated. The other piece of carries which is underestimated is their massive carryover into your other lifts. Think about movement from a center-out fashion. As in your everything originating from your core. Either the core is stabilizing so that your joints and limbs can effectively move around the core. OR the core is the link, allowing upper and lower to generate power as one unit. Carries, by nature, have huge potential to help you gain strength, and stability in your other movement patterns. There are many ways to use carries in your programming or client’s’ programming. I would definitely suggest carrying once per week. If this is for a specific weakness in your training, then progress it like you would any other lift, either by increasing load or distance carried - being volume. Or, if you’re just adding in carries for general core work, then have fun and try out different variations per training phase. Dealing with weakness in overhead mobility? Then single arm overhead carries might be your ticket. Completely up to you. But no matter what, if able, give carries a go. Add them in as part of your movement prep, after your lift as core work, or on an active recovery day. 2.) Pull up variations: I always laugh when women want toned upper bodies and then I tell them to do pull ups, push ups, and overhead press variations. These big compound movements are truly where you get the most bang for your buck, and a well rounded upper body musculature. Even if you can’t DO a pull up unassisted, you should be doing some sort of vertical pulling. That’s why I said “variations” - because you can do assisted, chin ups, eccentric work, three position pull ups, wide pull ups, neutral grip pull ups. And all work your upper body slightly differently. If you’re not currently doing some kind of pull up in your programming, (and it’s not because you don’t have access to a pull up bar), I would ask why. It’s also worth pointing that Pull ups might be one of the most incorrectly performed exercises I personally see in the gym andVertical pulling can have big time positive effects on your PRESSING.
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