Hey check this out.  I was lucky enough to attend the Secrets of Strength Seminar down in NJ a few months ago.  While I was there, I was talking with my boy Joe Defranco and was telling him about a modification for the banded goodmornings his athletes were doing.

I told Joe the goal of banded good mornings was not only to activate the posterior chain (glutes,  hamstrings, erectors (isometrically)) while grooving a neutral position hip flexion/extension movement.  I told Joe if we hope to engage the posterior we need to engage the upper back, including the lats, rhomboids and traps.  Joe is a smart dude and he exactly what I was talking about as soon as I said it.

Band pull aparts are a great way to target this upper back musculature.  So why not combine the two movements.

Here is Joe’s video giving me props and again providing his athlete’s with some innovative training means.

Thanks Joe!

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Here is an old video of us hitting heavy support grip holds for time on the GRex.

Support grip is one component of grip strength. The others are crush, pinch, wrist postures and hand health.

Grip strength is the forgotten element of functional training and is essential since the hands are involved in all athletic and strength training endeavor (including building muscle or losing fat).

In fact the hands are the end point of the kinetic chain, so they must be developed if we hope to transfer the power created and accumulated from our bodies and express it through our hands.

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Here is the video that I promised for this previous post located here:

http://www.dieselcrew.com/tire-flipping-modification/

It is not hard to incorporate strongman training techniques in your athletes programs, but you have to make sure the technique is right.

Otherwise, the benefit will not outweigh the risks.

Key points:

– Do not deadlift the tire
– Keep arms straight
– Hips back
– Drive through the tire
– Do not deadlift the tire

If you are TOO CLOSE TO THE TIRE when flipping (i.e. deadlifting the tire) when you STAND UP you are in a bad spot and have to wrestle with the tire with your biceps. Also, a more athletic position starts with your hips back (in about a 45deg angle) and driving forward.

The video also demonstrates a quick way to modify a tire to make it easier for younger athletes or for tires with bad tread and low profiles.

Smitty