Videos

If you are having issues with hamstring tightness, I would strongly recommend you try this out. It literally is “The Best Hamstring Stretch Ever”.

The deficit deadlift is probably my favorite exercise. First, because its a deadlift variation (I love pulling deadlifts) and I can feel these through my entire posterior chain, even better than pulling off the floor. Working off a 1 inch deficit helps us to improve speed off the floor in the deadlift. The faster we can get the weight off the floor, the better chance we have at finishing the lift. So these can be very beneficial when trying to increase your strength and speed off the floor as it provides you with a greater ROM (Range of Motion). I usually work these in after my heavy squat work. So this lift looked like:

Squat:
275 x 5
315 x 5
360 x 5
Deficit Deadlift:
270 x 10
325 x 10
350 x 10
350 x 10
350 x 10
Accessory Work

When working this exercise you want to make sure you are using the same set-up and form as you would from the floor. These aren’t supposed to be stiff-legged or Romanian deadlifts. Also, try working these dead-stop, pausing at the bottom of each rep for a second before you begin pulling the next rep. We are trying to build strength and speed off the floor, not bounce the weight off the floor just to grind out a few more reps (known as touch-and-go). You’ll find you are much weaker dead-stop than touch-and-go. But, once again we are using these to improve our deadlift from the floor, so using touch-and-go will take away the purpose of the lift. Pulling heavier and faster is the name of the game and the deficit deadlift is one exercise that can help you get there.

Want a bigger bench? Or, some strong and built shoulders? How about huge traps? If you answered yes to any of these, get yourself in the gym and start overhead pressing. Even though the bench is seen as the true test of upper body strength in the training world. I think the overhead press is the movement that should wear the crown. I mean what’s more badass than lifting your bodyweight or more (as Dan Green does in this video) directly over your head? Talk about completely dominating the weight. The carry over on this exercise alone should be enough to add into your program. So, to answer the question from the first line yes, it can build tremendous strength in your shoulders, upper chest, traps, and triceps. Which guess what? Can carry over into that 405 bench, that shoulder and upper chest development that you’ve always wanted. I’ll even say that it is superior to movements such as the seated military press and dumbbell shoulder pressing. Simply because of the range of motion on most seated presses. You just won’t get the complete development you are looking for with these movements. Especially in the upper chest and lateral head of the deltoids. Coupling the overhead press with accessory lifts like face pulls and lateral raises should give the complete shoulder development that you’re looking for. Also once you become more advanced, the push press (overhead press with leg drive) can even overload the triceps and shoulders to a greater degree. So get that bigger bench, stronger shoulders, and that complete development with the true king of the upper body, the overhead press.