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Strength &Conditioning

for Wrestling[HOME WORKOUT Edition]

By Dustin Myers, CSCS

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Strength &Conditioning

for Wrestling

By Dustin Myers, CSCS

© Copyright 2020 by Dustin Myers & Old School Gym LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher,

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Old School Gym11091 National Rd

Pataskala, OH 43062www.oldschoolgym.com

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who is coach myers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

i n t r o d u c t i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

THINGS TO CONSIDER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

WEEK 1: FULL BODY BUILD UP 1.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

WEEK 2: FULL BODY BUILD UP 2.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

WEEK 3: LOWER/PUSH/PULL 1.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

WEEK 4: LOWER/PUSH/PULL 2.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

WEEK 5: FULL BODY BEAT DOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

EXERCISE LIBRARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

6 KILLER VARIATIONS OF COMMON AB EXERCISES. . . . . . . . . . .42

TIME UNDER TENSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

MISDIRECTION METHOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

FOLLOW ME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

MAX EFFORT MUSCLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

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“Training and lifting weights is in my blood. Growing up in

rural eastern Ohio, I watched every day as my Dad came

home from his shift at the local steel mill and headed

out to our detached unheated garage to pump iron and

hit the heavy bag. In the summertime he would teach

football players from the local high school how to lift

weights in our gym. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait until

I was old enough to get started. I remember him showing

me the ropes at age 12 and I was instantly hooked. Today

my gym and training style is patterned after that same

blue collar work ethic that I learned in Dad’s garage.

The real keys to progress are consistency, intensity and

toughness, and my coaching style reflects that. I feel

fortunate to be in a position to help people reach their

goals by bringing out the best in them.”

“It’s been a dream of mine since I first started lifting

weights to be on the cover of a muscle magazine. This

past June (2016) that dream became a reality as I was

featured on the cover of Natural Muscle Magazine. It

was fitting that this was my first cover feature since I

take great pride in being a life long natural (no steroids)

athlete. Besides the obvious health risks I have always

viewed steroids as a shortcut - if you truly love the

grind and hard work then you don’t need them.”

Coach Myers is a 2002 graduate of The Ohio State University. A self described workout addict, he became certified and started training clients part time in 2000 at T3 Personal Training Studio, eventually opening the original Old School Gym with Cory Gregory in 2003. The Old School Gym moved to it’s current location in 2008 and has been featured in Sports Illustrated, Muscular Development Magazine, Bodybuilding.com, and is consistently ranked in the Top 10 most hardcore gyms in the United States.

In addition to successful stints as a competitive power-lifter, bodybuilder and amateur boxer, Dustin wrestled in high school and was always drawn to training athletes in the worlds oldest and toughest sport.

In 2012, Coach Myers accepted the position of Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Ohio Regional Training Center at Ohio State. Through the RTC, Coach Myers helped the Ohio State Wrestling team win its first NCAA Championship in school history.

In addition to the Buckeyes, some of the athletes he has worked with thru the RTC include 2x NCAA Champ Tommy Rowlands, 3x World Team member Reece Humphrey, Olympic Champion Kyle Snyder, and top MMA World Champion Lance Palmer. He has also worked extensively with UFC welterweight contender Matt Brown and former Ohio State football stars Chris “Beanie” Wells, Antonio Pittman, Maurice Clarett, and Dan “Boom” Herron. In addition to The Old School Gym, Coach Myers is also a founding partner of the supplement company Max Effort. He has appeared on the cover of Natural Muscle Magazine (June 2016), is a regular contributor to the Muscle & Strength website and is the resident strength training expert for Flowrestling..

Here’s what others have to say:“I highly recommend Coach Myers’ Strength and Conditioning plan. I have known him since coming to OSU and he has helped me and countless elite athletes reach their goals on the mat through improving their strength and endurance. If you are looking to take your wrestling to the next level this is the book you need.”

- Logan Stieber, 2016 World Champion, 4 x NCAA Champion, 4 x Big10 Champion

“Coach Myers has found a good mix of toughness and science. He has created a great system that allows wrestlers to make functional and sport specific strength gains”

-Tervel Dlagnev, 2 x Olympian, World Bronze Medalist

“Whether I was cutting weight for 61kg or bulking up for 65kg, Coach Myers had my strength at an all time high! I’ve never felt stronger and more conditioned on the mat.”

-Reece Humphrey, 3 x US Open Champion, 3 x USA Wrestling World Team Member

“Coach Myers is one of the hardest working people I know and has helped myself and countless others achieve goals through a solid structure of strength and conditioning. He has a lot of knowledge in many areas and is able to relate to many things an athlete goes thru in life. He gives extraordinary effort and is a very reliable coach.”

-Nathan Tomasello, NCAA Champion, 4 x All American, 4 x Big10 Champion

WHO IS COACH MYERS?

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introDUCTION

Over the past 4 years, my “Strength and Conditioning for Wrestling” e-book series has been utilized by coaches, athletes and parents around the globe. While this ebook series contains the ideal advanced training protocols for wrestlers, I

recognize the need to have programming available for athletes that do not have access to a standard weight room for whatever reason. With that in mind I have created this 5 week program to be used by wrestlers (or any athlete for that matter) at home and with minimal equipment. This is not meant to replace my existing programming, but rather to act as a stop gap during your absence from school, the gym, or team workouts. Due to the time sensitive nature of the recent school and gym closings during the COVID-19 pandemic, this ebook will be relatively straight forward containing the 5 week workout program, technique descriptions, and little else. The most important thing is to continue to train, challenge yourself in new ways, and stay committed to improving your strength

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Equipment?I designed this workout program to be used with a pull up bar and a single pair of dumbbells. If you do not have a pull up bar, find a rafter in your basement or a tree branch outside. If that is not an option, you can still do the majority of the workouts and substitute another exercise for chin ups. If you do not have a pair of dumbbells, you can do everything bodyweight and get creative on the isolation movements. Cans of soup make a good replacement for plates when doing a Superman Press. Gallon jugs of water can be used in place of light dumbbells.

Rep Counts?Where as in my other ebooks, the rep counts listed are very specific parts of the periodization, the rep counts listed in this book are estimates. Whether the reps are appropriate and challenging will depend on if you have dumbbells and whether they are “light” or “heavy”. Adjust the reps accordingly based on your ability. Don’t be afraid to do extra!

How can I make the workouts

harder?For some of you, doing a goblet squat or RDL with a single dumbbell or other household item will be incredibly easy. The best way to make these movements more challenging AND lead to strength/muscle gains is by incorporating Time Under Tension (T.U.T.). T.U.T. is utilized at specific points during the 5 week program, but you can utilize it on any exercise that is too easy rather than simply increasing the rep count. Typically T.U.T. is denoted in a manner of eccentric/isometric/concentric - so an exercise listed as having T.U.T of 5/3/1 would have a 5 second negative, a 3 second pause at the transition point, and a 1 second (normal speed) contraction on the way up (concentric). See the section on Time Under Tension for a full explanation. Concentrate on full range of motion and quality reps, rather than rushing thru your sets. You will be surprised at how tough these workout can become when you make every rep count.

things to consider

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Variety/Substitutions?Rather than jam a thousand different exercise variations into this program, I wanted to keep the programming relatively simple. I have ebooks available on Core Strength and Bodyweight training that have hundreds of variations of exercises from beginner to advanced. But since most of you will be training without the normal oversight and guidance of a coach, I wanted to stick with the basics and fulfill all strength needs without over complicating things. With that being said, feel free to add additional exercises where it makes sense. Want to include some DB shoulder presses with one of the “push” workouts? Go for it. Legs feel like they need some additional work? Throw in some extra DB Lunges after the sets of Split Squats. You can always add additional core exercises, but keep the structure of the workouts intact. The real key here is to execute the workouts with intensity and perfect technique.

Rest times?In general, your rest times will need to be much less than your normal heavy programming. Minimal rest/transition time during supersets, and no more than 1 minute between rounds.

Rest Days/Cardio?Since these workouts are less intensive than a normal training regimen, you may choose not to take the scheduled rest days. On the flip side, since many of the workouts are full body, feel free to take a day of rest in between if you experience considerable soreness. Any day you would like to add some cardio - running or biking, feel free to do that as well. As always, listening to your body is the most important thing!

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Week 1

Week 1 is designed as full body workouts, with 2 days on/1 day off. You may choose to skip the rest

day, or train every-other day if necessary.

Day 1 is primarily pulling movements interspersed with squat exercises. If you do not have a chin up bar you may

substitute another rowing movement such as Double DB Row.

Day 2 is primarily pushing exercises interspersed with posterior chain dominant movements. If you do not have

DBs for the RDLs, you can still perform a controlled hinge while holding a gallon of water at chest height. This

will feel like a cross between an RDL and a Good Morning and will tax the hamstrings and lower back in the same

manner.

Day 3 - either rest, ride the bike, or get outside for a light jog.

Day 4 is a similar set up as day 1 but with a few similar substitutions.

Day 5 is similar to day 2 except for the single leg RDL in place of the traditional version.

Day 6 get outside and go for a jog or bike.

Day 7 starts with 10 minutes of continuous Walking Lunges. Next up, crank out 100 total push ups in as few sets as

possible. After your last set of push ups, test your grip endurance by hanging from a bar as long as possible (2

minutes is a good goal to shoot for). Repeat for max time 3 times with 1 minute rest between each set. End with a

max effort Plank - hold until you begin to lose position with your hips.

full body build up 1.0

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Day 1Superset: 5 sets Goblet Squat - 10 Chin Ups - 10

Superset: 3 sets Split Squat - 10/10 DB Row - 10/10 DB Curl - 10

Core Circuit: 2-3

sets Neck Plank 10-30 seconds Walk Outs from Knees 10 Superman Press - 10

Challenge: Glute Bridge 100 straight

Day 2Superset: 3-4 sets RDL - 10 Push Up - 15-25

Superset: 5 sets Dips - 10-15 Hamstring Bridge - 5/5

Superset: 3 sets BW Skull Crushers - 10 DB Wrist Curls - 10/10

Challenge: Wall Handstand 3 x max time

Day 3 20 minutes cardio

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Day 4Superset: 5 sets DB Squat - 10 Pull Ups - 10

Superset: 5 sets Lunge - 10/10 Double DB Row - 10 DB Hammer Curl - 10

Core Circuit: 3 sets Neck Plank - 20-30sec Plank - 1 minute Snow Angels - 10 Side Plank - 30 sec per side

Challenge: Wall Sit - max time

Day 5Superset: 5 sets Single Leg RDL - 8/8 Push Up - max reps

Superset: 5 sets Dips - 10-15 Hamstring Bridge - 5/5

Superset: 3 sets BW Skull Crushers - 10 DB Wrist Curls - 10/10

Challenge: Wall Handstand 3 x max time

Day 6 20 minutes cardio

Day 7 Walking Lunges 10 minutes Push Ups 100 as fast as possible Bar hang - 3 x max time Plank - max time

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Week 2

Exercise selection is nearly identical to week 1. The big difference? The addition of Time Under

Tension (please read the section on Time Under Tension for a complete explanation).

Please note the following codes:

*** equals a T.U.T. of 5/5/5 - 5 second negative, 5 second pause, 5 seconds on the way up.

** equals a T.U.T. of 5/5/1 - 5 second negative, 5 second pause, 1 second on the way up (normal speed).

* equals a T.U.T. of 1/3/1 (Pause Rep)- 1 second negative, 3 second pause, 1 second up.

full body build up 2.0

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Day 1

***5/5/5 T.U.T.Superset: 5 sets Goblet Squat - 5*** Chin Ups - 3-5***

Superset: 3 sets Split Squat - 5/5*** DB Row - 5/5*** DB Curl - 5***

Core Circuit: 3

rounds Neck Plank - 10-20 seconds Walk Outs from Knees Superman Press

Challenge: Single Leg Glute Bridge 3 x 1 minute per side

Day 2

**5/5/1 T.U.T.Superset: 3 sets RDL - 5-8** Push Up - 10**

Superset: 5 sets Dips - 5-8** Hamstring Bridge - 5/5*

Superset: 5 sets BW Skull Crushers - 5-8** DB Wrist Curls

Challenge: Wall Handstand 20 seconds on/10 off x 8 sets consecutive

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Day 3 20 minutes cardio

Day 4

**5/5/1 T.U.TSuperset: 5 sets DB Squat - 5** Pull Ups - 5**

Superset: 5 sets Step Lunge - 5/5** Double DB Row - 10* DB Curl - 10*

Core Circuit: 3 sets Neck Plank Plank Snow Angels Side Plank

Challenge Wall Sit - max time

Day 5

*3 count pauseSuperset: 5 sets Single Leg RDL - 5/5* Narrow Push Up - 8*

Superset: 3 sets Dips - Max Reps* Extended Hamstring Bridge 30 seconds

Superset: 3 sets BW Skull Crushers 8-10** DB Wrist Curls - 10/10 Reverse Hyper - 10-15

Challenge: Wall Handstand 3 x max time

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Day 6 20 minutes cardio

Day 7 Walking Lunges 10 minutes Push Ups 100 as fast as possible Bar hang - 3 x max time Plank - max time Superman Plank Max time

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Week 3

Week 3’s programming pivots from full body workouts to a 3 day split: Lower Body/Core, Upper

Body Pulling, Upper Body Pushing.

On Day 1, the big change is on Split squats. Rather than holding two dumbbells, hold one DB in a goblet position.

If you only have light DBs (10lbs) or are using gallon jugs as a substitute, try holding the weight straight out at

shoulder height during the Split Squats. The Lateral Lunges (shown in the Exercise Library with no weight) can be

done with two DBs in a front rack position, a single DB in a goblet position, or just bodyweight. On the Stability

Alternates, try breaking them up into sets of 10 or 20 with only brief rests.

On Day 2, you may increase the reps on the Towel Rows if your DB is to light. Another option if you do not have DBs

but do have a training partner is to perform a “Towel Tug of War” - pulling and providing resistance slowly back

and forth for 5 seconds each way. For the daily Challenge, match reps until 100 is reached - meaning, if you do 25

on the right, do 25 on the left and continue switching back and forth until you reach 100 with minimal rest.

Day 3 - if you are unable to do a wall handstand, you can substitute a Superman Plank or Stability Alternates.

Day 4 - on Split Squats you will hold one DB on the same side as your “back leg”. Resist rotation as you lower.

Day 5 - on the DB Curl negatives, count for 6 seconds on the lowering (eccentric) phase of each rep. For the daily

challenge, 1 burpee and 1 pull up (from a dead hang) = 1 rep. Do as many reps as possible in 1 minute.

Day 6 the big change is the addition of some step dips to burn out and also the push up plank to the first superset.

The order of exercises on the second superset changes, with Planche Hold for max time at the beginning.

lower/pull/push 1.0

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Day 1Superset: 5 sets DB Front Squat - 10 Goblet Split Squat - 5/5 RDL - 10

Superset: 3 sets Lateral Lunge - 5/5 S.L. Glute Bridge - 10/10 Plank - 1 minute

Challenge Stability Alternates 100 per side

Day 2Superset: 5 sets Chin Up - max reps Superman Hold max time

Superset: 3 sets Renegade Row - 5/5 Towel Row - 5/5 DB Curls - 10

Challenge DB Row 100 reps per side

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Day 3Superset: 5 sets Dips - max reps Diamond Push Ups max reps

Superset: 3 sets Elevated Push Up max reps Planche Hold 3 x 10 seconds BW Skullcrusher max reps Reverse Hyper - 10-15

Challenge

(2 consecutive rounds) Wall Hand Stand 1 minute Plank - 1 minute Side Plank 30 sec per side

Day 4Superset: 5 sets Goblet Squat - 10 Single DB Split Squat 5/5 Single Leg RDL - 5/5

Superset: 3 sets Front Step Lunge 10/10 Stability Alternates 10/10 Plank - 1 minute

Challenge Glute Bridge 100 reps total

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Day 5Superset: 5 sets Pull Up - max reps Snow Angels - 10-15

Superset: 3 sets Renegade Row - 5/5 Towel Row - 10/10 DB Curl negatives - 5/5

Challenge Burpee Pull Ups - Max Reps in 2 minutes

Day 6Superset: 5 sets Dips - max reps Diamond Push Ups max reps Step Dips - 10-15 Push Up Plank 1 minute

Superset: 3 sets Planche Hold max time Elevated Push Up max reps BW Skullcrusher max reps Reverse Hyper - 10-15

Challenge (2 consecutive rounds)

Wall Hand Stand 1 minute Plank - 1 minute Side Plank 30 sec per side

Day 7REST

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Week 4

Week 4 is similar training split wise to the previous week, but the addition of timed reps will

make the supersets very challenging.

On BW movements such as chin ups or Dips, once you reach failure hold the starting position until the minute ends.

The second phase of workouts this week incorporates pause reps on almost all reps of all sets.

lower/pull/push 2.0

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Day 1Superset: 3 sets DB Front Squat 1minute Goblet Split Squat 30 sec/side Lateral Lunge - 1 minute

Superset: 3 sets RDL - 10 S.L. Glute Bridge 30 seconds per side Plank - 1 minute

Challenge Stability Alternates as many reps as possible in 3 minutes

Day 2Superset: 5 sets Chin Up 1 minute max reps Superman Hold 1 minute

Superset: 3 sets Renegade Row 1 minute Towel Row 30 seconds per side DB Curls - 1minute

Challenge 100 Reverse Hyper

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Day 3Superset: 5 sets Dips 1 minute max reps Push Up Plank 1 minute

Superset: 3 sets Elevated Push Up max reps Planche Hold 10 seconds BW Skullcrusher max reps Reverse Hyper - 10-15

Challenge (2 consecutive rounds)

Wall Hand Stand 1 minute Plank - 1 minute Side Plank 30 sec per side

Day 4

*3 sec pause reps

Superset: 5 sets Goblet Squat - 10* Single DB Split Squat 5/5* Single Leg RDL - 5/5*

Superset: 3 sets Front Step Lunge - 5/5* Stability Alternates 5/5* Plank - 1 minute

Challenge Glute Bridge 100 reps non-stop

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Day 5

*3 sec pause reps

Superset: 5 sets Pull Up max pause reps* Snow Angels - 10-15

Superset: 3 sets Renegade Row - 5/5* Towel Row - 10/10* DB Curl negatives 5/5*

Challenge (2 consecutive rounds)

Wall Hand Stand 1 minute Plank - 1 minute Side Plank 30 sec per side

Day 6

*3 sec pause reps

Superset: 5 sets Dips - max reps* Elevated Push Up max reps* Step Dips - 10-15* Push Up Plank 1 minute

Superset: 3 sets Planche Hold 10 seconds Diamond Push Ups - max reps* BW Skullcrusher max reps* Reverse Hyper - 10-15

Challenge Walking Lunges 10 minutes

Day 7REST

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Week 5

The final week is programmed with super high volume full body supersets.

On Day 3, the first superset starts with 25 reps and decreases by 5 reps until the 4th round

(the last two rounds are both 10 reps).

On Day 5, once you finish your set of Pull Ups, continue to hang on their as long as possible.

On Day 7, you have 3 options. Option 1 is to do sets of one exercise until 100 is reached

before moving on to the next. The second option is to do the entire workout circuit style

and matching reps for a set number of rounds until 100 of each is reached (10 rounds of

10 reps each, for example). The third option would be to utilize several superset of 2 or 3

exercises, completing 100 of each in the first superset before moving on. Whichever option

you choose, you’re gonna be smoked!

Full body beatdown

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Day 1Superset: 5 sets Split Squat - 10/10 Pull Ups - 10 Push Ups - max reps

Superset: 5 sets Goblet Squat - 10 Chin Ups - 10 Dips - 10-20

Plank - 6 minutes

Day 2REST

Day 3Superset: 5 rounds RDL - 25,20,15,10, 10 DB Row - 25/25...10/10 BW Skulls - 25...10

Superset: 5 rounds S.L. Glute Bridge - 10/10 Wall Hand Stand 1 minute

Day 4REST

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Day 5Superset: 5 sets DB Lunge - 10/10 Pull Ups 10 + max Bar Hold Push Ups - max reps Push Up Plank 1 minute

Superset: 5 sets Goblet Squat 10 + 1min wall sit Chin Ups - 10 Dips - 10 Stability Alternates 1 minute

Day 6REST

Day 7 100 Pull Ups 100 Dips 100 Squats 100 Push Ups 100 Superman Press

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Now

what?If you are still unable to

train at a gym, it’s time to run

it back!

Start over with week 1 and up

the intensity from the first

time around.

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strength EXERCISE library

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DB Front Squat

Grab a set of dumbbells in a front rack position. Keep your elbows up as you sit back into a full squat. Athletes with poor shoulder mobility may need to hold a single dumbbell.

Goblet Squat

Grab a single DB or KB and bring it up to your collar bone. Perform a squat, being careful not to pitch forward.

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Split Squat

Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side as you stand facing away from a step. Place one leg behind you with your foot on the step (laces down). Keep your chest up as you perform a single leg squat. Keep your knee behind the front of your foot. For the Goblet version, hold one dumbbell vertically at your collar bone.

RDL

Hold a set of DBs on the front of your thighs. Arch your low back slightly, maintain pelvic tilt and hinge forward. Stop once the DBs are at your knees or when you feel yourself losing position with your hips. Push your hips forward as you return to starting position.

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Single Leg RDL

Hold a KB or DB in one hand and stand with feet shoulder width apart. Keeping your lower back arched, bend forward lowering the dumbbell towards the ground as you raise the same side leg up behind you. Keep your hips and shoulders square, and once you have reached parallel to the floor, return to the starting position.

Lunges

Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides as you step forward into a lunge. Keep your knee behind your toe, and avoid leaning forward. Touch the opposite knee to the ground and then step up and forward. Alternate legs every other rep. Can be done with bodyweight only.

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Lateral Lunge

Step out to the right and shift your body weight over your right leg, squatting to a 90 degree angle at the right knee. Try to sit down with your butt, keeping your back as upright as possible. Push off and bring your right leg back to center to complete one rep. Repeat on the opposite side and alternate sides with every rep. Keep your weight on your heels and make sure your knees don’t go over the plane of your toes.

Front Step Lunge

Stand in a split stance and place your front toe up on the first step. Drop down and lunge forward. Return to starting position primarily by straightening your back leg rather than pushing off your front foot.

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Glute Bridge

Lay on your back or across a couch with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Press thru your heals as you bridge your hips up, squeezing the glutes at the top.

Single Leg Glute Bridge

Same technique as the regular Glute Bridge but with only one leg in contact with the floor and the other leg in the air.

Hamstring Bridge

Lay on your back in front of the couch or a step. Bend one leg at roughly 90 degrees and place the heal on the bench and the other leg straight up in the air. Press thru your heal as you raise your hips, pausing at the top as a straight line forms from your knee thru your hip to your shoulder.

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Superman

Lay face down on the mat with your hands overhead and in front of you. Arch up slightly as you lift your hands off the ground, engaging your gluten, erectors, and upper back. Keep your thighs off the floor slightly and your head in a neutral position as you perform a press, keeping your arms parallel to the floor and squeezing your lats at the “bottom” position. Advanced athletes can hold light plates in their hands. For the “Hold” version simply hold the extended position for the programmed time.

Renegade Row

Start in a push up position. Place both hands in a neutral grip as you grasp a set of DBs. Perform a push up, then once you are at the top, row on eDB up towards your hip (not straight up). Do not twist away from the DB. Perform another push up then repeat the row on the opposite side.

DB Row

Bend over and grab a DB with your other hand on a bench or rack for support. Keep your feet square rather than staggered and your spine straight, and head in a neutral position. Pull the weight up and back towards your hip as you retract the scapula and squeeze the muscles in the middle of your back. Do not twist, try to keep your shoulders level. Lower under control and allow the lat to stretch at the bottom.

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Towel Row

Same technique as the DB Row, but wrap a towel around the handle to challenge your grip strength.

DB Curls

Curl the dumbbells up as you fully supinate your hands. Remain in a palms up position as you slowly lower the weight, twisting back to neutral just before the dumbbells reach your sides.

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Wrist Curls

Sit with one arm on your thigh and hold a dumbbell with your palm facing up. Slowly lower the weight and let it roll down your fingers.

Dips

set up two chairs close together. When doing dips be sure to keep your elbows tight to your side and lean forward slightly. Do not go below parallel and make sure to lock out at the top.

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Step Dips

Sit on the edge of the steps or couch with your arms at your sides and your hands on the bench, fingers facing forward. Walk your feet out a few inches so your butt comes off of the step. Lower your body down until your shoulder starts to stretch but does not roll forward. Do not go below 90 degrees. Press your body back up, locking the triceps at the top.

Diamond Push ups

Form a diamond with your hands either on the ground or on a small medicine ball. Keep your abs tight (do not hinge at the waist) as you perform push ups. Also be conscious of where your elbows are - do not allow them to flare out.

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Elevated Push Up

Place your feet on the couch or on the steps. Keeping your core tight, perform a push up. Be careful to not hinge at the waist.

BW Skullcrusher

Place your hands on a couch or step, with your thumbs rotated up slightly so your elbows point towards the floor as they bend. Touch your forehead to your hands then extend your arms, locking out at the top. Keep your abs engaged and body straight the entire time.

Plank

The most important thing to remember about a plank position is to keep your abs flexed and do not allow your hips to sag. If your abdominals relax and hips lower, you are putting your lower back at risk.

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Wall Hand Stand Holds

Place your hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder width with your fingers facing out. Walk your feet up the wall until you are in a handstand position. Hold for the prescribed time.

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Neck Plank

Start sitting on the couch and walk out until only the back of your head is in contact with the couch. Keep your legs bent at 90 degrees and bridge your hips up until your torso is parallel to the floor. Keep your spine straight, do not bridge up onto the top of your head.

Side Plank

Front Plank is similar to a push up position but you will rest on your forearms rather than your hands. Keep your abs tight and your back straight. A side plank is on one elbow with your feet stacked on top of each other. Keep your spine straight and your top arm extended towards the ceiling.

Walk Outs From Knees

Start in an assisted push up position with your knees on the ground. Keep your core engaged as you walk your hands out and then back up. The goal is to be able to touch your nose to the floor. If you feel your hips sagging or loosing position, do not walk all the way out.

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Planche Hold

Begin in a push up position with fingers pointed outward (thumbs forward) and feet in dorsal flexion (ankles flexed and toes pointed towards shins). Keep your elbows locked out and flex your abs as you push down thru your lats to round out your upper back. Hold this hollow body position as you drift forward as far as possible. Hold until you begin to break position.

Stability Alternates

Begin from your knees, slowly raising one leg and the opposite arm, holding each rep for 2 seconds at the top. Advanced athletes start in a push up position.

Reverse Hyper

Lay across the back of the couch with your hips and legs hanging down towards the ground. Hold on tight but do not pull yourself forward with your arms. Bring your legs up, extending them as you tighten your gluten and spinal erectors. Hold at the top then lower slowly and stretch.

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Push Up Plank

Get into a push up position and flex your abs. Hold the position until you lose pelvic tilt.

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i’m the first to admit that the typical ab routine bores me. Not only do I find high volume crunch variations

to be mundane, most common ab routines do little to build strength and increase muscle mass thru out your core and abdomen. While I have been known to incorporate “extreme” core movements such as Dragon Flags and Barbell Climbs into my weekly routine, not every effective core exercise needs to be at a gymnasts level of difficulty. Here are 5 basic Ab Exercises with a little added twist to ratchet up the intensity and help you truly build a strong and defined core.

1. Band Resistance Ab WheelThe Ab Wheel is one of my favorite core exercises, but if you have been doing them forever like I have, then you know it can get tedious repping out sets of 50 in order to challenge your self. Other than doing them standing - which can put a lot of pressure on the lower lumbar region - how can you make the Ab Wheel more challenging? How about Band resistance? Try attaching a mini band to a low rack and looping it around the handles of the wheel. Start laying down with your arms fully extended and the band tight. Pull up and roll the ab wheel towards you as the band provides resistance. Control your speed and fight the band as you slowly roll back to starting position. Shoot for 3 sets of 5 reps.

2. Partner Static Sit Up Holds I never incorporate basic sit ups as they rely too heavily on the psoas and can put some strain on your lower back. However, holding a sit up at the mid point for time can really give your abs a good burn. Moving thru a range of motion during that static hold really ups the ante. Start in a sit up position and lift your feet up slightly until your upper leg is perpendicular to the ground. Place your finger tips on your forehead and crunch up until your elbows make contact with your thighs. Have a partner grab your ankles and slowly pull you up and back down either for a set number of reps or a period of time. As your partner moves you do not lose contact with your legs or your forehead.

3. Band resistance CrunchesRegular crunches are another exercise I never use because they are merely “exercising” your abs, not building strength, and take 100s of reps to get anything close to a good burn. Add some band resistance to actually get some benefit from them. Kneeling crunches with an overhead band are an excellent option, but the simplest variation is just laying on a bench in a sit up position, and looping a mini band under the bench. Hold the band in each hand as you keep both arms extended then crunch up towards the ceiling. Hold at the top for 2 seconds. Sets of 10-20 reps.

4. Weighted PlanksA basic bodyweight plank is my all time favorite core exercise because it works every muscle in the core and it can be tailored for use by beginners up to advanced athletes. Once you can hold a static front plank for 2 minutes, you are ready to start adding some weight. Start with 1 plate and shoot for a 30 second hold, then work up from there. It’s very important to keep the abdominals flexed and avoid lowering your hips - this could strain your lower back.

5. Hanging 90 degree Knee RaisesPerform a knee raise and pause at the top when your knees touch your elbows.. Lower your legs down to an L-Sit bent leg position (think sitting in a chair) and lock and hold. Continue to perform knee raises, not by hinging at the waist, but by using your lats and “pushing your arms” towards your knees.

5 killer variations of

common ab exercises

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You will notice in this program the use of Negatives and Pause Reps. Most weightlifters are at least vaguely familiar with Negatives and Pause reps but may not understand the benefits or how to properly use them. Here is a quick breakdown of the different types of muscle contractions and how they apply to strength.

There are 3 main types of muscle contraction. The type of contraction that most people think of when it comes to strength is concentric, which is typically the “way up” of the movement when the muscle shortens. An Isometric contraction occurs at a fixed position, and is the transition between the Concentric and Eccentric portion of the movement, and is what you are doing if you incorporate “pause reps” on the bench or squat. The Eccentric Contraction of the muscle is the type of activation that occurs as the muscle lengthens and opposes a greater force. This occurs typically on the lowering portion of the movement. Let’s use two different exercises as examples, the bicep curl to illustrate the types of muscle contraction in a single joint, and a box jump to understand how the different type of contractions apply to a dynamic compound movement. During a barbell curl, the bicep contracts concentrically as you curl the weight up and the bicep shortens or flexes. The isometric contraction occurs at the very top, when the bicep is completely flexed and the angle at your inner elbow is at its smallest. The eccentric contraction of the bicep then occurs as you lower the weight under control back to the starting position. Without the eccentric contraction - or with a weak one - the curl bar would just fall with gravity back down. This is a common mistake I see in the gym, as lifters struggle curling a heavy weight to the top and then just let it fall, negating the benefits of the eccentric contraction. When performing a box jump, the quadriceps lengthen eccentrically as you drop down into a squat to prepare for the jump. An Isometric contraction occurs as your body momentarily stops and switches directions to begin the jump. Think of this portion of the movement as when tension builds in the muscle and the body is “loading up”. Next your quads begin to contract concentrically as you lift off the ground. Now here is the important part concerning eccentrics when considering sports performance - as you land on the box, it is the eccentric contraction of the quads that slows your momentum and stabilizes your body. A weak eccentric contraction is not going to allow you to “stick the landing” and will open you up to knee injuries as you get out of position and try to compensate. An easier way to think of an isometric contraction when it relates to wrestling is to picture the “top” of a dumbbell row. As you row the weight up to your hip, contract the muscles in your back and hold the dumbbell at the top position. The muscles around your scapula should be fully retracted in an isometric contraction - and prepared to contract eccentrically as you lower the weight. A strong isometric “pulling” contraction is important so that once you pull your opponents leg in to you, it should be hard for them to get it back. So now that you understand the different types of muscle contraction, why is emphasizing the eccentric portion with heavy negatives important or useful? Research as shown that more microscopic tears of the muscle occur during this portion of movement. The body then repairs and builds new muscle fibers to support the damaged ones, thus leading to greater gains in strength. From a sports performance standpoint, a strong eccentric contraction is going to allow you to quickly slow your movement and change directions, crucial for any sport that requires running and jumping.

Time under Tension

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The Misdirection Method was first devised by my mentor Dr Eric Serrano as a way to incorporate quarter and half reps into a single repetition to help build isometric strength and stability. A typical misdirection rep scheme will begin by doing the entire eccentric portion of the movement, then several partial reps before completing the full concentric portion.

Using Squats as the example, descend all the way down to parallel and then come up one quarter of the way. At that quarter mark, you’re gonna hold for a three count.After the three count, you descend back to the bottom of the squat. Now come up halfway and hold for a three count and then once again drop down to the bottom of the squat before exploding back up. That entire sequence equals one rep. Unless using it on bodyweight exercises such as pushups or body squats, it is best to utilize this method for 2-3 reps per set.

To recap the Misdirection Tempo: down, up 1/4 of the way and pause for 3

seconds, back down, up 1/2 way and hold for 3 seconds, down, up all of the way.

Misdirection Method Challenge: 5 rounds, no rest

Chin Ups - max misdirection reps

Push Ups - max misdirection reps

Squats - 20 misdirection reps

misdirection method

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Effort. Consistency. Intensity

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