mobility

The Best Squats for Big Bodies The bigger you get, the harder it is to squat with good form. Here's how to squat when you have big hips, big shoulders, or poor mobility. The squat is difficult when you’re a big boy. Sure, it’s not uncommon to see lifters of all body types force-feed the...

I didn’t realize how much mobility training mattered until it was too late. I was standing over a heavily loaded barbell, ready to tackle a Sumo deadlift, thinking I had all my bases covered. But as I bent down, my lower back rounded because my hips lacked the mobility to hinge properly, and as...

Crush Any Workout The best warm-up will get you physically ready to crush your workout. Get that feeling in under 10 minutes with this pre-workout strategy. A warm-up is a transition stage from normal activity to athletic activity. The purpose? To optimize performance. Good warm-ups do more than...

If you're only going to do one mobility drill to improve your squat, this should be it. The Ass Was Far Away From the Grass As someone who struggled with attaining squat depth, I've spent years researching different methods, theories, and reasons why my ass just wouldn't hit the grass. It's not...

The overhead squat is one of the most challenging exercises for the entire shoulder complex. Unfortunately, many people are unable to perform it correctly due to the high mobility demands. Here's one exercise to fix this. THE BAND-ASSISTED PRONE PVC LIFTOFF One of the main limitations to...

You see it at every gym: quarter-squat lifting with heavy weight, or ass-to-grass movements but with a rounded back that looks like the Gateway Arch. Those who don't care to squat like a pro make excuses, "I have bad knees," "I'm not a powerlifter, and "I look better than you." Those who do care...

When most people first pick up a dumbbell, they often gravitate toward losing fat, building muscle, and looking buff—what we might call ‘vanity goals.” And rightfully so, these goals can also contribute to improved health. But, for a moment, let’s set these goals aside and delve into the...

Mobility training is the utilization and the ability to actively move a joint (where two bones meet) before being restricted by surrounding tissues (ligaments, tendons, muscles). Examples of mobile joints include ankles, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders. Performance refers to how effectively...

Too many articles zero in on the how-to when it comes to stretching, so this one will be a little different. What’s equally, if not more important than how to perform a stretch, is knowing the types of stretches to use, and when. This should help. 5 Types of Stretches When most people think...

Walk into any gym, and you’ll undoubtedly see two types of training being performed isotonic exercises and isometric exercises. Isotonic training include classic lifts that are more commonly performed, with a concentric or “lifting” phase, and an eccentric or “lowering” phase to every rep. For...

The pushup is a strength training staple renowned for its simplicity and effectiveness. But what if you could simultaneously elevate the traditional pushup to target more muscle while improving your strength and mobility? Enter the yoga pushup, an exercise that combines the conventional pushup...

Injuries are the worst thing one would have to deal with in the gym, and working around any number of tweaks and tears can be nerve wracking. Notably, the lower back is one of the regions of the body that’s most prone to injury due to lifting, making it one of the most common areas to sideline a...

Q: How important is stretching to a weightlifter? A: To some extent it depends on the individual, a statement that applies to any fitness pursuit. Basically, the training protocol you implement needs be something that will accomplish your goals. Even so, most lifters don’t have crystalline...

Some people are born with flexibility while others have to work for it. And no matter what category you fall under, gaining a greater range of motion, both in muscles and joints, takes persistence and time. Stretching plays an important role in keeping the body flexible and has even been known...

Today we’re going to continue our series on low back pain during the squat by applying a novel concept to help us understand WHY back pain occurs. Physical Therapist Gray Cook (author of the book Movement and creator of the FMS screen) along with strength coach Mike Boyle coined the...

How to Fix Lower Back Pain First and foremost, your lower back pain could be caused by any number of issues including – but not limited to – the issues you mentioned. If I had to guess, though, I’d assume your back pain stems from a combination of: Insufficient hip mobility Weak posterior...

SQUATS AND SHOULDER PAIN The squat is a staple. It's foundational to many other lifts. If you've experienced any increased shoulder pain from doing it, you're already be aware that squatting and shoulder health are related in some way. How exactly are they connected? And how can we fix what's...

When the shoulder starts to hurt, one of the most common culprits is a stiff and excessively rounded thoracic (upper-mid) spine position. The thoracic spine also commonly lacks rotational capabilities in people with shoulder pain. When the thoracic spine fails to extend and rotate properly, the...

The key with the assisted Cossack squat is to spend as much time as possible being active in the position to make it more familiar to your body, then ditch the weight and try to recreate it under your own core strength. Depending on the severity of your mobility restrictions you may need to...

When it comes to barbell back squats, have you ever wondered if you have the shoulder mobility to squat properly? Sometimes your shoulder mobility is what is throwing off your squat form. Keep reading to learn how to determine if your shoulders are too tight and how to fix them so you can squat...