Saturday, Feb. 27/10

This is not a picture of a contestant for the world's most robust moustache, no it is Dr. Stuart McGill, THE BACK GUY!! This guy has done everything and anything from working with elite athletes to working with pig spines. Every now and then I will give you some tips from the world of Dr. McGill on how to imporve the health of your spine which will utlimately help your general health.

Dr. McGill suggests that anyone who is involved with any type of conditioning program not only to maintain proper postural alignment during all of your exercises(day-to-day life too) but to ensure proper posture during the rest and recovery between your sets. Through his experiences, Dr. McGill concludes that people who engage in lumbar flexion (flattening of the lower back) for a duration of time loose spine stability that will lead to decreases in strength.

You want to optimize your strength, don't you?

Warm-up



15 reps Bulgarian Split Squat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZlodHgCipk Keep lats, abs, obliques, glutes active throughout the lift. Maintain an upright torso position with shoulders back.

15 Leg Swings - Front to back swings, side to side

10 Wall Squats
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9s9uOe_9NU

15 Cuban Presses

15 Side Lying External Rotation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X4QVn8pSE8



Strength / Hypertrophy


A. Back Squat / Shoulder Press behind the neck / Rack Thruster - 1 rep / 1 rep / 1 rep x 10 sets

Choose a weight (load) that is around 70% of your 1RM in the Shoulder Press (ex. if you can press 185 for a 1RM in the shoulder press, use 135 for this barbell complex)
Work on Speed in each movement
Take 30 secs of rest between sets
Rack Thruster is first a back squat with a press from behind your neck immediately once you complete your back squat.

Break 2 minutes


B1. Barbell Bulgarain Split Squat - 8 reps x 4 sets
Keep the shoulder blades back/down, torso upright, activate lats, abs, obliques, glutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6188EwmluI

B2. One Arm Shoulder Press (strict) - 8 reps x 4 sets

Make sure your palms are facing one another for your GRIP
Take 60 secs between each set (split squats / 60 secs / shoulder press
Progressively increase the load

C. Stability ball plank with elbow circles - 50 circles counter clockwise and 50 counter-clockwise

Perform a plan on a stability ball with your forearms intact with the ball. With your back inline with your leg, perform circles with the stability ball while always keeping in contact with the ball. Feel the exercise within the anterior/posterior core