Heavy Speed & Power Workout
- Full Body Emphasis -
WORKOUT SUMMARY (+ CLICK TO ENLARGE)
SEE BELOW FOR YOUR DETAILED WORKOUT WALKTHROUGH
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Jump Squats (Eyes Closed) | #1 & #2 | 4 | 5,4,3,2 | 60-90" | 6,7,8,9 | 2-4" |
Option #1
Option #2
Read About Exercise
OPTION #1
The barbell jump squat is a great explosive lower body exercise to enhance power output and activation of fast twitch muscle fibers. Here's Leslie one of my national level figure competitors showing proper form.
OPTION #2
Want to fix your squat form and eliminate mediolateral abberations particuarlly in the feet, ankles, knees, and hips? Try doing squats on the slide board as I have pro baseball player Parker Meadows doing here.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kneeling Single Leg Clean | #1 & #2 | 3 | 3 per side | 2 minutes | 8-9 | 1-2" |
Read About Exercise
Although a majority of Olympic lifts & power variations I use with my athletes emphasize explosive power output, I periodically employ variations that emphasize motor control, balance, & stability while also exhibiting various elements of power & speed. That’s because power & speed without control are useless.
In this particular drill I’m demonstrating a clean variation that combines 3 of my favorite olympic lifting modifications namely kneeling Olympic lifts, dumbbell Olympic lifts, & single leg Olympic lifts. You’ll notice I have my support leg elevated on a small box in order to give my elevated leg room to swing through on both the eccentric & concentric phases.
Essentially we’re isolating unilateral hip extension, elements of hip mobility, core stabilization, unilateral hip speed, knee drive, lumbopelvic hip control, & shoulder stability, as well as deceleration & force absorption in an asymmetrical offset half kneeling position. Yes, that’s quite few biomotor qualities being addressed however this also does wonders for teaching athletes to eliminate extraneous motion & energy leaks during other high force activities including traditional Olympic lifts, plyometrics, & explosive drills. In fact, if there’s any misalignment, postural deviation, or form aberration in your Olympic lifts you’ll lose balance almost immediately as these truly expose & target a number of neuromuscular & biomechanical issues throughout the kinetic chain.
You’ll also be forced to keep your core fully engaged in order to maintain a high degree of spinal rigidity – a critical component for maximizing motor control as well as force production & force absorption. With that said if you want more info about these features here are 3 articles on each specific Olympic lifting variation.
Performing Olympic lifts from a kneeling position provide 8 unique benefits.
During Olympic lifts many individuals lack proper hip drive, oftentimes shortchanging the final phase of hip extension. Performing Olympic lifts from a kneeling position isolates the hips as it literally forces the individual to complete the hip extension phase in order to drive the weight up.
When it comes to Olympic lifts the name of the game is quick and violent power, emphasizing explosive movement. Unfortunately, many lifters rely so much on smooth mechanics and dropping under the bar that they forget to be as explosive and as violent as possible on the pulling phase. Because the lifter won’t be able to drop under the weight (more than several inches) this forces the lifter to launch the load up with extreme aggression as anything less will result in the weight stalling out before the lift is completed.
The kneeling variations also rely slightly more on brute force and sheer aggression rather than perfectly timed sequencing of events. If you’re an Olympic lifter nailing every component of the sequence is critical. However, most athletes aren’t interested in becoming professional Olympic lifters, therefore relying a bit more on sheer power rather than precise execution of each and every individual sequence is something to consider when programming Olympic lifts for athletes.
The kneeling variations of the clean and snatch are some of the most effective Olympic lifting variations I’ve ever used for teaching proper catching positions and explosive finishes. That’s because the individual can’t simply rely on gravity to complete the finish but must, in fact, aggressively snap the weight into position immediately after the hips have launched the bar up. This is a very important yet oftentimes underrated aspect of Olympic lifts particularly when training athletes.
Proper bar path and balance are two other critical factors when it comes to Olympic lifts. Many lifters often allow the bar to get too far in front of them rather than keeping it as close to their body as possible. When you’re performing Olympic lifts on your feet you can make up for lack of proper bar path by chasing after the bar when you catch it. However, performing cleans and snatches from the kneeling position requires perfect bar path and balance as it’s impossible to chase the bar or make up for faulty positioning. You either catch it perfectly as a result of proper mechanics and proper bar path or you miss the lift. There’s no in between.
Core activation is a critical yet often neglected and overlooked component of Olympic lifts. In fact catching the barbell, whether in a clean or snatch position, requires the lifter to brace their abs and stabilize their spine by firing all the muscles in their core. The kneeling variation is very conducive for teaching this as it promotes increased core activation and spinal stabilization.
Kneeling Olympic lifts tend to be easier on the low back than standard variations predominantly because the lifter can use much lighter loads to produce a strong training stimulus. In essence the lifter will use roughly half of the weight they typically use on standing variations yet the stimulus to the hips in terms of teaching high power output is still exceptionally high. If you’re looking for max effort variations of Olympic lifts that are low-back and generally speaking very joint friendly, the kneeling variations of cleans and snatches are tough to beat.
Many lifter focus too much on trying to jump when performing Olympic lifts rather than emphasizing hip extension. In fact, trying to implement an exaggerated jump and stomp, as is commonly employed by many coaches, is one of the worst cues you can implement when performing Olympic lifts, as it minimizes force output and hip extension. The kneeling variations help to eliminate this as the only way the barbell will drive into the catch position is by using the hips, not by jumping.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lying Pallof Press | #3 & #4 | 3 | 3 per side | 60" | 7-8 | N/A |
Read About Exercise
This Pallof press variation is a great drill for addressing anti-rotation and rotary stability as the load really wants to rotate your body and shift it out of alignment.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDL and Hang Clean | #3 & #4 | 4 | 3,2,2,1 | 2 minutes | 8-9 | 3" |
Option #1
Option #2
Read About Exercise
OPTION #1
Performing hang cleans from an eccentric isometric RDL position is a great movement for improving technique, mobility, hip mechanics, hip extension, power output, sensory feedback, and muscle function for all athletes and lifters. The same principle can be applied to snatches as well.
OPTION #2
Keeping a neutral grip is much more shoulder friendly than overhand grip on upright rows although it's still a move I only rarely use. I’ve found this landmine version to be one of the most natural feeling upright rows that’s much more shoulder friendly than barbell upright rows.
It can also be performed with dumbbells or trap bar as well. However the double landmine feels surprisingly good likely due to the slight arching bar path of the landmine as well as the ability to keep the handles very close to the body since they aren’t bulky like dumbbells or wide like a trap bar. Because the traps will be pre-exhausted from the shrugs and rack pulls, they should fail/fatigue before the deltoids do.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leg Raise Chest Press Variation | #5,#6,#7 | 3 | 5 | 60-90" | 8-10 | 2" |
Read About Exercise
The leg raise chest press protocol is one of my favorite pressing techniques to improve bench press and horizontal pressing mechanics. Here are several of my clients and NFL athletes demonstrating some of my favorite variations. There are 7 reasons why this is so effective.
Learning to drive with the hips and legs during chest presses is an essential component for maximizing force production and pressing mechanics. However, many lifters lack the ability to fully engage their upper body musculature and rely excessively on their legs to help press the weight up. As a result the stimulus to their chest, shoulders, and triceps, is minimal. Implementing the leg raise protocol during chest presses is a very effective method for resolving this as it helps to isolate the upper body by eliminating the assistance of the legs. This is also the grand equalizer of all bench press protocols as it’s truly an indication of upper body strength.
By using this method to periodically isolate the upper body pressing muscles this helps create a stronger muscle mind connection with the targeted musculature. Once these enhanced neural connections are grooved into your CNS, transferring these improved activation patterns back to standard chest pressing variations will inevitably result in increased pressing power.
With consistent use of the leg raise chest press protocol you’ll notice increased hypertrophy to the chest, shoulders, and triceps, as the amount of intramuscular tension and metabolic stress will be significantly greater than you would typically find with standard chest presses. In fact the degree of metabolic stress and mechanical tension to the local musculature will be greater than just about any chest pressing variation you’ve ever attempted.
With the leg raise chest protocol you’ll experience increased activation of the core and surrounding stabilizers. The increased recruitment of these areas will greatly improve your motor control, balance, and stability. Once you return to standard chest pressing variations you’ll feel unusually locked in with your mechanics as you’re CNS will be more dialed in than ever.
Learning to fire the core and avoid excessive lumbar arch during chest presses is something many lifters struggle with. In fact over-arching the lumbar spine during the bench press is a sure-fire way to both injure your low back and eliminate the growth-inducing stimulus of the chest press itself. Using the leg raise position eliminates this as the core must work over-time to stabilize the spine and pelvis by keeping it neutral.
Enhanced core stability and spinal rigidity aren’t the only stabilization components addressed during the leg-raise chest press position. Because the lifter has no firm foundation with his or her legs, their bodies are in a fairly vulnerable and unstable position while lying on the bench. Excessive momentum, shifting, asymmetrical pressing, or cheating can easily result in loss of balance. As a result the lifter is forced to eliminate compensation patterns and rely on crisp yet smooth motions to complete the exercise. This means more tension to the targeted musculature and less tension on the joints.
The leg raise chest press technique indirectly improves the lifter’s ability to activate the upper back and lats as well as tuck the elbows. The reasoning is a bit complex but see if you can follow.
When the legs and hips are driving into the floor (during standard chest presses) this allows the lifter to set a base with their feet and another base with their upper torso. By pushing from these two points this creates an almost-coiled like, spring-loaded position making it easier to tuck the elbows, fire the lats and upper back, and depress the shoulders. This represents optimal pressing mechanics for any traditional chest press particularly when attempting to maximize strength development. Unfortunately many lifters lack the ability to recruit their upper back unless they can create tension with their legs. But even then, their upper back activation is sub par at best.
By eliminating the legs from this equation, it becomes exponentially more difficult to fire the lats and depress the scapula as you’ll no longer have a solid lower body foundation to press into. However, over time, the lifter will be forced to adapt to this by mastering the ability to fire the upper back and tuck the elbows as a means of ensuring control of the load and their body.
Once the lifter can harness their ability to activate the lats and create proper shoulder centration while keeping their legs elevated, the muscle-mind connection this produces in the lats, upper back, and shoulder retractors is incredibly high. After mastering this, returning to standard chest press with the legs firmly planted will feel more powerful than ever as your ability to lock the scapula in and engage your upper back will be exponentially improved.
2 LEG RAISE METHODS
There are two methods you can use during the leg raise chest press, both of which involve a straight-leg position.
Method 1. Use a slight leg raise position with the legs elevated 4-8 inches above the height of the torso. This involves more tension on the core musculature however for lifters who suffer from low back issues this can cause stress to the lumbar spine as there can be excessive arching of the low back.
Method 2. Use a hollowed body leg raise hold. This is essentially the same leg raise only higher as the lifter will be elevating the legs 12-18 inches above the height of the torso.
While the overall tension to the core is reduced due to better leverage, elevating the legs slightly higher allows the lifter to hollow their core and midsection. In other words they’ll be pulling the low back into the pad or floor and keeping their lumber spine in a more neutral position without exaggerated arch. Think about having more of a braced core with the abs and low back pulled-in tightly throughout the set. For lifters who struggle with excessive low back arch this can do wonders for eliminating this common yet problematic issue.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Underhand T-Bar Row and RDL Combo | #4,#5,#6 | 3 | 6 (2+2+2) | 60" | 5-6 | 2-3" |
Read About Exercise
Here is an underhand grip T-bar rows with an RDL reset protocol every 2 reps rather than just going straight through the set without resetting. This is something I use on a majority of bent over rows & T-bar rows with my athletes. Here’s why.
On bent over rows and T-bar rows it’s quite for the low back & spinal stabilizers to greatly fatigue, causing these areas to fail before the upper back. As a result you’ll often see form & posture gradually deteriorate throughout the set. Rather than holding a bent over position & completing all repetitions of the rowing movement, a better solution is to reset after several reps by performing an additional RDL & repeating this several times per set.
Each time you stand up and perform an RDL you’re able to re-set the spine and allow the low back musculature to have momentary rest before repeating the sequence several times for the set. Not only will your form be significantly more dialed in but your low back will be less likely to fatigue and give out before your upper back & lats. This allows for greater strength and hypertrophy stimulus to the upper back and lats.
It also acts as a great 2 in 1 exercises as you’re now performing your rowing movement as well as hip hinge exercise. As an added bonus the modified rest pause or cluster set protocol allows the lifter to handle heavier loads ultimately leading to greater strength & mass gains.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front Squats with Bands | #5,#6,#6 | 3 | 3 | 2-3 minutes | 8 | 2" |
Option #1
Option #2
Read About Exercise
OPTION #1
Front squats are an incredible exercise for taxing the legs particularly the upper thighs and quads. However, because of the unique loading method that involves placing the bar on the anterior portion of the body instead of the upper back (i.e. back squat), they also provide a strong stimulus to the core and upper back. Employing accommodating resistance in the form of bands on chains on front squats may help maximize the various benefits to an even greater extent while helping to eliminate a some common problems. Here's 5 reasons why.
#1. OPTIMIZES THE STRENGTH CURVE
Like many compound movements including upper body presses, squats, and deadlifts, the bottom positioning of the front squat is typically the weakest and the top is typically the strongest. Using accommodating resistance allows us to overload the top/strongest position and deload the bottom/weakest position by matching the strength curve of the exercise to that of the specific movement pattern. For many lifters this variance between the top and bottom of the front squat is even more extreme than most lifts due to the semi-awkward nature of the anterior loading. In essence you can make the argument that the front squat is the ideal exercise for applying accommodating resistance.
#2. MAKES THE FRONT SQUAT EVEN MORE QUAD DOMINANT
The top half of any squat tends to place more emphasis on the quads and less on the posterior chain. In addition, when it comes to emphasizing the quads during a squat pattern, front squats are at the top of the list. Because accommodating resistance places more tension on the top half of the squat, combining this with the front squat loading protocol represents the ultimate combination for crushing the quads as the top half of the movement is maximally overloaded.
#3. PROVIDES A GREATER STIMULUS TO THE CORE AND UPPER BACK
As previously mentioned, front squats are also an incredible stimulus for targeting the core and upper back. However, most of the stimulus is at the bottom half of the movement as the top half does not provide as much tension to the core and upper back. By overloading the entire movement through accommodating resistance (rather than just the bottom half), the core and upper back receive intense stimulation. In fact the total tension at the top of the front squat should be significantly greater than the lifter's typical 1RM. Simply put if a lifter typically handles 200 pounds on their front squat, when using accommodating resistance the bottom may still be equivalent to 200 however the top may be in excess of 275 lbs. Forcing the body to handle these supramaximal loads in the stronger phases of the lift turns the movement into a true full body exercise.
#4. MAXIMIZES ACCELERATION FOR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
More and more coaches and athletes are taking advantage of front squats by incorporating them into routines aimed at improving athletic performance and power output. Unfortunately, many lifters unintentionally decelerate the movement once they’ve moved past the sticking point. Employing accommodating resistance ingrains the idea of accelerating and exploding through the entire lift as a means of blasting through the added tension at the top. If the lifter doesn’t use compensatory acceleration (the intention to lift with maximal speed and velocity) the lifter will feel like he or she runs into a brick wall midway through the movement.
#5. MAKES THE BOTTOM LESS AWKWARD
Most lifters consider the bottom portion of the front squat the most awkward as the bar has greater tendency to want to roll off the shoulders the lower you go. As a result it becomes increasingly more difficult to keep the elbows up the deeper you descend particularly if you keep the hips set back as you should on any squat including a front squat. Deloading the bottom portion of the lift and overloading the stronger top position helps eliminate this problem while still providing a heavy training stimulus. In addition the nervous system will be hyper-activated at the top of the movement due to the heightened tension thereby making the bottom feel much lighter and more manageable. Simply put, once the lifter reaches the bottom, keeping the elbows up and chest out will feel significantly less challenging as the nervous system will have been calibrated to handle a heavier load.
OPTION #2
Zercher Makeshift Jammer Squats The makeshift jammer setup is not only great for performing a variety of functional upper body pressing exercises with but it’s also incredibly versatile and conducive for sport specific forward leaning squats. Simply anchor the bar into your arms like a standard Zercher squat, walk forward a few feet, move to the balls of your feet, lean into the bar with your body angled 20-30 degrees forward, then perform 90 degree eccentric isometric squats.
On a side note I recommend setting these and all of the makeshift jammer squats so that the rings or suspension system is slightly lower than it would be for the presses. For instance on the presses I recommend having the rings set up so that the bar is roughly 2-3 feet above floor height. For the squats I recommend setting the bar and rings 12-18 inches above floor height as this provides the perfect combination of horizontal and vertical force vectors to crush your legs while providing the most natural motion.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band Resisted Overhead Barbell Press | #8,#9,#10 | 3 | 4 | 90" | 8-9 | 2" |
Read About Exercise
Great variation of the overhead press with accommodating resistance. Make sure you get get thoracic spine extension at the bottom by flexing your lats and upper back and sticking your chest out while keeping your core tight. At the top drive the weight up and back and get the head through.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neutral Grip Pullups (Fat Grip Optional) | #8,#9,#10 | 3 | 4 | 60-90" | 8 | 2" |
Read About Exercise
When it comes to building functional size and strength, it’s tough to beat weighted variations of pullups, dips, inverted rows, and pushups. In fact you could make a strong argument that implementing these movements on a consistent basis will provide most of the upper body strength and size gains you’ll ever need although you would miss out on some additional benefits of other movements. Although there are a number of variations such as rings, and suspension systems that can be applied to pullups, dips, inverted rows and pushups, one that I’ve recently been experimenting with is the double barbell fat grip protocol.
The set up is quite simple. Place two barbells on a rack at the appropriate height, offset one side of the bars with at least a plate or two to counteract any tipping effect and perform your favorite body weight exercises. Besides providing a unique stimulus, the double barbell fat grip protocol provides several unique benefits that are difficult to replicate with any other method. Lets break these benefits down movement by movement starting with pullups.
Applying the double barbell fat grip protocol to pullups makes the movement quite challenging yet very effective. Also big shoutout to Nick Nilsson for the inspiration for this exercise. I highly recommend following Nick as he’s one of the most innovative guys in the fitness industry. The double barbell fat grip protocol provides 6 unique benefits for pullups:
The grip gets absolutely pulverized from these not only because of the circumference of the barbell collars you’ll be hanging from but also because of the rolling and spinning nature of the collars. As a result this is one of the most effective forearm and grip exercises you’ll ever perform.
Intense grip activation not only improves forearm, hand and grip strength but it also leads to improved centration and packing of the glenohumeral joint. In fact, there is research demonstrating a direct relationship between grip strength and shoulder stability.
Fierce grip activation on movements such as pullups also produces irradiation and concurrent activation potentiation. This elicits more full body tension, spinal rigidity, shoulder stability, core tightness, and motor control as a result of squeezing the daylights our of your grip. This also produces greater neural drive, motor unit recruitment and overall activation to the working extremities such as the upper back, lats, and biceps making the movement even more effective for building functional strength and hypertrophy. I’ve also found that intense grip activation helps minimize the common error of over-pulling at the top and collapsing at the bottom of pullups. Most individuals try to pull excessively high in the contracted position of pullups (leading to poor lat recruitment and shoulder instability) while also collapsing and going excessively deep at the bottom (i.e. excessive shoulder elevation and protraction). Performing pullups on rotating fat grip barbell collars forces the lifter to use appropriate range of motion as faulty mechanics will actually cause the grip to move into a structurally weak position increasing the chance of grip slippage
The lifter will also be required to use smooth and controlled mechanics as any shifting, excessive momentum, jerking or kipping will cause the grip to slip. This further increases the tension to the working musculature while also minimizing stress to the joints and connective tissue
The grip width can be modified to be as close or as wide as the lifter desires. This makes it very conducive for adjusting to any size lifter (wide or narrow shoulders) as well as incorporating a variety of grip widths for emphasizing different portions of the upper back and lats. The wider grip typically involves more upper lats and closer grip typically involves a bit more lower lats although with proper form the difference is smaller than is commonly thought.
The neutral grip pullup is one of the most natural and comfortable grip positions that also tends to be easier on the shoulder joint and well as the bicep tendon. Unfortunately many gyms don’t have access to neutral grip pullup stations. However, this setup alleviates this issue as the lifter can create their own makeshift neutral grip pullup station with two barbells.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Curled Front Lunge | #8,#9,#10 | 2 | 4 per side | 2-3 minutes | 7-8 | 2" |
Read About Exercise
The front curled lunge position is similar to the goblet position. Here are 10 cues I recommend on lunges & split squats all of which the eccentric isometric protocol help optimize.
Aim for 90 deg joint angles at the hips & knees rather than allowing your body to collapse with excessive range of motion.
Maintain a slight forward lean rather than an overly upright torso.
Keep the hips set back rather than allowing them to sag forward.
Keep the front knee from traveling past the toes. Regardless of what the fitness industry has recently been preaching, knees past toes on squats & lunges is not ideal.
Hollow the core & brace your abs to help keep the hips & knees back.
Keep the heel of the back foot tall rather than allowing it to sag.
Go barefoot or use minimalist shoes as this optimizes neural drive up the kinetic chain.
Maintain a semi-in-line position for the front and back leg with little lateral gap between the legs.
Stop doing walking lunges. Instead use split stance squats (in place) as these are more conducive for dialing in your form.
Use eccentric isometrics to help find the above cues as your body will naturally gravitate to them when you rely on proprioceptive feedback since they represent optimal biomechanics
| EXERCISE | DURATION | # OF INTERVALS | REST BETWEEN DRILLS | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Intensity Interval Cardio | 30 minutes | 5-10 | 30-60 seconds | 4-7 |
Low INTENSITY INTERVAL CARDIO
+ CLICK TO ENLARGE
