elitefts™ Sunday Edition

This might be the shortest article I’ve written thus far. But one of which I cannot stress the importance enough.

If you follow my training log, you’ll know of my most recent injury, or as I call it: "Ding to my starboard side.” For those who don’t know, I injured my quadratus lumborum. It’s a deep and ridiculously hard muscle to actually injure, unless you don’t heed the tell-tale warnings, like me.

I was deadlifting one Sunday morning, and I was working up to a three-rep max. At this point, I wasn’t even out of what I call my “warm up” weight.  It was only 365 pounds, and I was on the second rep of my five-rep warm up.  At 405 pounds, which is the next increment in my gym, I usually reduce the reps to three. Anyway, on that particular rep, I snapped my hips under myself and immediately felt like someone shot me in my back—directly above my right hip and pretty close to the spine. At first, I thought it was a cramp. However, I soon realized that by continuing my course, I would put myself in a very compromising position. It actually wasn’t until I sneezed that it even occurred to me that I might have hurt myself.

I began immediate repair training. I wanted to make my “weakness” a new STRENGTH.

I started with reps and no weight on all of my lower body exercises. I did the entire back as if I were John Meadows and Shelby Starnes combined, with a sprinkling of Matt Kroc for added and more robust flavor. I foamed rolled, got deep tissue massage, and even had acupuncture done for the very first time. (Thanks Ben,  it worked... but it’s still weird, at least for me).

What I’ve discovered is what I offer to you, now. So that you will never have to go through this. In turn, this will not only increase your squat, but it will also power your deadlift, too. And it will do it rather quickly.

I was sitting in my gym one day, looking around and taking stock of my surroundings... I have one of the best gyms, ever. I have the correct elitefts™ equipment for the goals of my programs. I have plenty of “sexy” bars and enough weight to satisfy even Marshall Johnson... And then it hit me in the face like one of our World Champion MMA fighters. I don’t have ONE Glute-Hamstring raise, I don’t have ONE Reverse Hyper, I don’t have ONE lateral trunk flexion piece—I have THREE of each!

So that I don’t waste anyone’s time, you really NEED to do this:

  • Incorporate GHRs into your program daily! Leg training days—do MORE.
  • Reverse Hypers: Complete three to six sets.  (Done for hypertrophy and statically, as well as dynamically for the stretch!)
  • ABS, ABS, ABS, and none of those bullcrap sit-ups. I want to see some Lateral Flexion (aka side bends) on a 45-degree back extension OR standing. They also need to be done with some rotation. Landmines and wood chops by the billions.

Commit to a 90-day regimen of these exercises and see for yourself. You will be stronger and have much more back health than ever before—and this is true for ANY level of lifter.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment with my Reverse Hyper...