Paloff. JM. Arnold. Zercher. Who created the best lift?

I found myself asking this question and decided to search for a conclusive answer. After some exhaustive research, here’s my scientific and entirely unbiased ranking of the best lifts that are named after people.

The Top

Blackburns

You might be scratching your head on this opener, but Turner Blackburn’s work on shoulder health changed the way we approached the joint.  His sequence of rotator and scapulae exercises (performed prone on a table) are not only the mainstays of physical therapists everywhere, but were the forebears of common complexes such as YTWLs and the general push for “pre-hab” lifts. Just to prove his influence, there’s a lifetime achievement award named after him.

Gironda Curls

Legendary trainer Vince Gironda might’ve put more thought into bodybuilding technique than anyone before or since.  His barbell curl technique involved angling the trunk during the movement so that the biceps were under constant tension.

Gunthor Row

Everyone reading this has probably parked themselves on a GHR, Roman chair, or hyperextension chair and done some hip/back extensions.  You probably even combined these with dumbbells and a rowing motion or an isometric row.  The Gunthor Row takes this concept a step further by placing lifters so high off the floor that they have to reach with fully extended arms to grab the barbell.

Christian Thibaudeau brought this lift back into the spotlight a few years ago.  He named it in honor of Swiss shot putter Werner Gunthor, who ably demonstrated the movement while draped over a five-foot stack of plyo boxes.  Now, if you don’t have a giant pile of boxes and someone to hang onto your legs, you can still get a lot of benefit from doing this off any kind of horizontal platform (I don’t find them as useful off the 45-degree extension chairs.)

Meadows Row

elitefts’ own John Meadows created this humdinger, which has a feel and a stretch not found in other lat movements.  To use John’s own words:  “Stand on the floor next to the business end of the [T] bar, where you'd normally stand if you were adding another plate. Grab the handle with one hand and execute the row with it. Make sure you use straps.”

 

Pallof Press

Boston-based physical therapist John Pallof brought this movement to the Bay State, where a collection of impressed coaches spread the word and made it a staple across the country.  While standing next to a cable stack with a d-handle set at stomach-height, grab the handle with both hands and step away from the stack until the cable is taught or even raises the plates.  Taking an athletic stance, press the handles outward and feel the lengthening lever arm put your abs to a directional challenge.  Make sure you stay tight and all the movement happens with the arms.  Widen your stance and pile on the weight to better help your squats and deads.

Svend Press

Named after former World’s Strongest Man Svend Karlsen, this movement is as simple as pressing two plates between your hands at chest-level, then pressing them out.  What you get is a load of constant tension on the pecs, biceps, and shoulders.  It’s a great alternative to flys.

Tate Press

This might be my personal favorite and probably one I don’t have to explain to most elitefts readers.  Originally called an “elbows-out extension” at Westside, Dave Tate became so associated with the movement that it took on his name.  To quote elitefts’s Exercise Index: “To perform the movement, press the dumbbells to the starting position above your chest. You want to keep the butts of the bells together as you lower them to your chest, keeping the elbows out. Pause on your chest for a second, then press and extend the dumbbells back to the starting position while making sure to keep the butts together.”

Zercher Squats

For an old-time strongman who worked with anvils, barbell leg presses, one-handed cleans, and even beds of nails as much as he did with competitive lifts still used today, Ed Zercher’s squat variation survives.  Performing a Zercher is a simple transition: it’s a squat with the bar cradled in the arms. What it does to the abs and upper back is magnificent, and arm discomfort can be alleviated by bar padding or boards laid across the forearms.

Honorable Mentions

If it’s a favorite of Conan’s, it’s gotta be good, right?  This vertical dumbbell press involves rotating the arms from a supinated position at the start of the press to a pronated pose at the top. It has a reputation as being good for shoulder health, though the rotational aspect can be a no-no if you have problems in that area.

Bradford Press

A mid-range vertical press that involves pushing the bar over the head to about the bottom of the skull and back without resting.  Old-time Olympic lifter Jim Bradford used this movement to help his overhead strength.

Jefferson Lift

Named after strongman Charles G. Jefferson, this movement is simply a deadlift performed while straddling the bar.  Great for a change-up, weird looks in the gym, or if you’re equipment-deprived.

JM Press

Thank the Reverend Dr. J.M. Blakely for bringing this triceps trasher to light.  A staple of Blakely’s routine during his days at Westside Barbell, the JM Press is a modified supine barbell extension. Rather than keeping the upper arms locked in place (as would happen in a skull crusher) the elbows drift out and slightly towards the toes.  Blakely reversed the lift when his forearms met his upper arms, though folks with more human pipes might want to terminate the lift sooner.

Reeves Deadlift

I’m pretty sure the first time I really thought about the concept of strength was watching physique icon Steve Reeves tear trees out of the ground in the campy 50’s flick Hercules. Think of this lift as an advanced snatch-grip deadlift, where the plates themselves are gripped.

Scott Curls

First-ever Mr. Olympia Larry “The Legend” Scott took the preacher curl and made it his own.  Scott’s twist on the movement was to perform them standing and with a lot of body English. Don’t load these too heavy or your elbows will pay for it.

Yates Row

Though he uses conventional grips and set-ups as well, six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates is best-associated with this supinated/high-back angle barbell row.

No Chance

Burpees

I hate these things.  I also can’t believe someone was actually named “Royal Burpee.”

Van Dam Lift

A bit of a stunt from professional wrestler Rob Szatkowski, aka, Rob Van Dam, where he performed a split on two dumbbell benches and then rowed/deadlifted a dumbbell from the floor.

Zottman Curls

A dumbbell curl where the concentric portion is performed supinated and the eccentric pronated. 19th century Philly strongman George Zottman loved this curl, but for most folks it’s a weird lift that doesn’t do much to provide either a complete stimulus or an economical training activity.

Ineligible

Guillotine Press

Named after the instrument, not the man.

Hack Squat

Hackenschmitt said the name came from “hacke” or “heel,” owing to the barbell’s start behind the feet.

Kegals

Important, but not for strength training.  Hat tip to Dr. Kegel, anyway.

Superhero Lifts

Apologies to Superman and Spiderman, but I’m sticking with real people.

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