Spice up your training for under $25 and under $50

Most people train – week in and week out – with the same exercises over and over.  Little variation with exercises will eventually stall progress and create boredom.  Many small changes to an exercise can help overcome sticking points and strengthen any weak points.

Sometimes it’s hard to change things up when you’re training in a commercial gym with no access to small accessories. Instead of complaining about the lack of equipment, take matters into your own hands. With minimal investment, you can rejuvenate your training and hit some new PR’s.

Under $25

Boards for board pressing- You can make these for just a few bucks and make them any height needed.
If your carpentry skills are lacking, you can buy them for under $25 – 1 Board, 2 Board, 3 Board and more.

3″ Cable Grenade Balls- Personally, I love these. Use them for cable pushdowns, face pulls, side raises, curls, and rows. My favorite is attaching them to chains for tricep extensions, curls and side raises. Grip training at it’s finest! Even buying just one will allow you to do single arm exercises.

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Bands- These have been around for years, but I still don’t think that many people take the leap to purchase them. I could do an entire post on the different bands (regular and short and all their uses), but they are great for reverse band bench, deadlifting against, assisted chin-ups and extra workouts at home.

Under $50

Double 3″ Grenade Balls- Might as well get a pair. Easy to toss in your gym bag and take anywhere!

Fat Gripz- Many people underestimate what Fat Gripz can do besides the obvious – making  the bar thicker. When you add Fat Gripz to the bench press bar, you’re actually making the bar path slightly longer as the bar has to come down a little further to touch the chest. It’s not much, but it can make a difference. It can help relieve some elbow pain as well. Not only does it work well for barbell lifts, but also on dumbbells and cable attachments (for pushdowns, face pull, etc).

Bodyweight Training DVD- Training and lifting doesn’t always have to be with weights. Get some new variations with bodyweight exercises.

Manta Ray- No, the manta ray is not a “pad” to keep the bar from digging into your neck when you squat. Quite the opposite, actually. Most commercial gyms don’t have a safety squat bar on hand and while the manta ray is not the same, it does offer some of the same principles. The manta ray sits the bar up higher on your shoulders, lengthening the distance between the bar and your center of gravity. This makes the torso work a little harder. The manta ray can also offer some relief in the elbows and shoulders for those with poor shoulder mobility when squatting.

 

My list was going to end there when I realized that there are quite a few really determined and motivated folks out there that might want a little more.

Under $100 

Exercise Index Bench Press DVD- This DVD contains max effort movements, accessory movements, supplemental and an in-depth break down of technique. Remember, most people don’t realize how in-depth the bench technique really is. And at only $55, your best might thank you.

Shoulder Saver Pad- This portable accessory can change your bench training dramatically. Without the bulk of the boards or gym managers harassing about bringing boards in, this pad might be your answer. The shoulder saver pad works wonders as a 2 board. Now you can do a 2 board without needing a partner to hold the boards! If you turn it flat side down, it’s the width of a 1 board!

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Sandbag- Load it and do work! Fireman’s carries, squat and press, shoulder carries and zercher lunges are just a few exercises that can be made a little harder by using a sand bag.

Pair of chains- These chains are 5/8″ can really build your bench, squat and deadlift tremendously. You can use them on dynamic days for speed work, or you can use them on max effort days for additional poundage that gets heavier as you lift the weight: lockout strength at the top of all three lifts!

Blast Straps- Easy, portable addition for tons of bodyweight variations like rows, lunges, facepulls, pushups and more.

And did you know?????  The FREE exercise index at Elitefts has a TON of exercise ideas that you can search for by muscle groups.

Grab some of these inexpensive items to help transform your training sessions. If you find something you  love, let me know!

Walking Back the Squat

The squat could be argued as one of the more technical lifts there is. Sure, the bench and the deadlift require a great deal of technique to be uber strong at, but it’s pretty easy to muscle up a deadlift, right?

The majority of people I work with (or videos I critique, or meets I watch) could ALL benefit from a few technical pointers that would instantly put 20 pounds on their squat. Instead of listing them all here, I want to start from the beginning: unracking and walking the weight out.

Setting up under the bar

When setting up, start with the feet slightly narrower than width you plan to squat with. This will give you a solid base without having to take big steps sideways when walking back. As you watch my video, you can see how I set the bar into my shoulders. I find that sweet spot on my back where the bar sits nice and everything feels solid. Shoulder blades are retracted, upper back and is tight and lower back is arched. Take a big breath before standing up with the weight. Again, notice that I stand up strong with the weight and my position remains the same.

Walking Back

Once the bar is set, you should take 2+ steps back. The first step  should be back and slightly out. The second step will also be back and slightly out, but your goal is to get as close to your final setup with those two steps.  The + is not for more steps, but rather for any tiny adjustments that you might need to make. You should be able to wiggle your feet for any small adjustments.

Final Setup

Once you have walked the weight back, go through your check list again. This check list will be very similar to your set up in the rack.  Shoulder blades retracted, upper back tight, elbows cranked under (lats tight), and big breath.

 

Watch the video to see how the setup is the SAME every. single. time. Do not get in the habit of messing around with your warm-up weights with crappy form. Get in the habit of doing it right every time. It doesn’t matter whether you are a raw lifter, geared, or even if you don’t compete. The setup will be critical to each rep of your squat.

And remember: Treat your heavy weights light and your light weights heavy.