Yesterday’s “server glitch” turned out to be a more permanent problem than I first thought. During scheduled repairs, they somehow reverted all sites on the server back 2 weeks, deleting all data entered/stored during that time. THANKS server people!

So if you’re wondering where the last 2 weeks of blogs disappeared to…so I am! Let’s call it the Bermuda Triangle: Internet Version.

I hate that we lost 2 weeks of solid information, so I’ll do my best to fill it back in if I can…

Now back to those 4 Instant Fixes!

  • Get Your Air! Many lifters fail to realize the importance of intra-abdominal pressure. This is the technique of taking a deep breath into the belly (not the chest) and locking the core tight. Once the core is engaged in this manner, the rest of the body is primed to engage other muscles properly and exert maximum force. To learn how to belly breathe, lie down on your back. Take a deep and try to make your belly rise, not your chest. Once you perfect this technique, take this to the weight room and make sure to get your air before EVERY set.
  • Squeeze Your Glutes. Whether you’re bench pressing, overhead pressing, push ups, pull ups, or just doing curls for the girls, FLEX YOUR GLUTES! Building off of the first tip, total body tightness is crucial for developing and expressing maximum force. Unflexed glutes are like a wet noodle in your chain of power transfer. Pull your shoulder blades down and back like you’re stuffing them in your back pockets. Flex your glutes and hold that air you took in step 1. Now you’re ready to be strong, powerful, and explosive.
  • Learn to Hip Hinge. If you’re an athlete or just a washed-up meathead who enjoys lifting, this is a must-know move. Squats, deads, O-lifts, jumps, Kettlebell work, and just about every lower body move you can think of involves a hip hinge. The hip hinge is breaking at the hips and pushing the butt back. To practice, stand 2-3 feet away from a wall. Start with a soft bend in your knees and don’t let them bend anymore than that. Now, break at the hips, keep your back flat and try to take your butt back to the wall. You should feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings when you do this properly. Check out the photos below to make sure you’re doing it right. Below the pics, you’ll find a video of my favorite way to FORCE athletes to use explosive hip extension.
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_Ka4yaq9sU&feature=plcp&context=C4bbb2efVDvjVQa1PpcFN0j7lmlzjogLtYCd7z-SV9ytkl3Qt4eco%3D[/tube]
  • Grip It & Rip It! If you can’t hold it, how can you lift it, carry it or protect it? Lifters looking to gain size or strength can benefit from a stronger grip as it translates to more poundage held, hoisted and hauled. Athletes protecting the ball from their opponents will have stronger, more reliable hands and fewer turnovers when they can squeeze the ball like a grapefruit! Check out this video for some of my favorite grip strengthening techniques that you can build right into your daily sessions.
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np8L53OQJZQ&feature=g-u-u&context=G2c142b6FUAAAAAAAFAA[/tube]

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