by Brandon Rynka
How to Get Fit, Strong, and Resilient
Get strong and bulletproof your body against injuries with these five neglected exercises. Check 'em out and add a few to your training plan.
Most people want to look great, function at a high level, and avoid injuries. Not too much to ask, yet many lifters avoid exercises that help them with these goals.
Why are these exercises neglected? Well, some are just plain difficult or unfamiliar. Other times, the ol’ ego just gets in the way. But getting strong and resilient requires engaging in movements you might suck at. That’s where the greatest growth occurs.
Don’t be intimidated. These moves should be staples. Here’s the breakdown for each one:
1. Trap Bar Deadlift
I program this lift for most clients in some form or fashion. Compared to the conventional deadlift, the risk vs. reward ratio is reduced, yet we still get the loading capacity and results we’d achieve from lifting conventional off the ground. That includes a strong, stable trunk, a highly developed posterior chain, and a great deal of intermuscular and neuromuscular coordination.
Due to our increasingly sedentary lifestyle, people are developing chronic low back pain, hip tightness, and whole-body weakness. Most people have weak backs and under-activated glutes and hamstrings, leading to this hip-shortening epidemic.
Even if they train, many lifters neglect training the backs of their bodies. They think loading the back will make things worse. But bodies with weak, underdeveloped posterior chains are highly susceptible to pain and injury.
The trap bar deadlift strengthens basically every muscle in your body, from your feet to your traps. Not only is it a foundational hip hinge movement, but it teaches you how to connect your entire body harmoniously, unlike any other exercise. (The barbell squat is a close second.) This particular deadlift variation places less direct stress on the lower back, giving you the best of both worlds – results and a low likelihood of muscle strains.
For strength, program trap bar deadlifts for low-to-moderate reps:
- 4 sets of 6 reps
- 3 sets of 8 reps
- 5 sets of 5 reps
- 5 sets of 3 reps
Play with tempo using these rep ranges to keep the intensity under control. For example, use a 5-second eccentric/negative with a dead stop at the bottom for 6-8 reps.
2. Barbell Hip Thrust
The hip thrust has become a staple exercise for serious female lifters thanks to Bret Contreras. Regrettably, this can’t be said for most men. Although high-level coaches use this movement, it’s still rare to see the average “gym bro” add these into his routine. This needs to change.
Male lifters are primarily concerned with getting yoked and looking good with their shirts off. To do this, they need to challenge the body with some decent intensity while prioritizing the big lifts like heavy presses, squats, rows, and deadlifts. Although staples, these lifts are demanding on the CNS and joints. They can lead to nagging pains and fatigue, especially in the low back and knees.
Training the glutes directly with a heavy exercise like the hip thrust is a great way to add some hip extension with much less demand on the entire CNS. And, of course, the hip thrust will build a strong pair of glutes, which is essential to prevent knee and back injuries. And let’s not forget, looking symmetrical also requires having a pair of strong glutes that can hold your jeans up.
The rules: Chin tucked, head forward, feet 12 inches in front of knees, drive hips into extension, tuck the pelvis, maximal squeeze at the top, lower with control.
Try 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps with a 221 tempo, 90 seconds rest between sets.
3. Chin-Up
The chin-up is a fantastic muscle and strength developer, but most people don’t possess the strength to do a lot of them. The chin-up is the purest form of relative upper-body back strength, yet how often do you see them executed with perfect form for reps? If you want to be strong and resilient, it’s time to change that. The chin-up not only lends itself to bigger arms, delts, and back, but it also improves grip strength, trunk integrity, and posture when executed properly.
A solid cue for well-positioned chin-ups is to drive your chest to the bar rather than just reaching your chin to the bar, which often rolls the body forward.
Start by using resistance bands for assistance or playing around with negatives if chin-ups are difficult for you. If you can only do a few bodyweight chin-ups, do more low-rep, high-set training like 5 x 2 or 6 x 3. For intermediate or advanced lifters, simply add weight. Training for heavy fives, triples, or doubles is a fast way to get Viking strong and reduce injury potential.
Regardless of where you’re at right now, getting strong with chin-ups is a smart way to spend your gym time.
4. Heavy Bear Hug Walk
Loaded carries are game-changing. Having a genuinely strong back and trunk is crucial for pain-free performance. One of my go-to carry variations for body resiliency is the bear hug walk. You’ll need some pretty heavy weight to give yourself the effect you’re after, like a sandbag, Atlas stone, or medicine ball.
- Keep the weight high up on your chest. Hug it tight!
- Keep your core braced and trunk stable.
- Keep your mid to upper back slightly locked forward.
- Keep your head neutral.
Prevent unwanted rotation or movement deviation that places you outside of tight, stable, and connected.
Do 30-yard walks for 4-6 sets on conditioning days or as a unique full-body finisher after a strength workout. Depending on what session they fall on, adjust rest periods:
Conditioning Session: 45 to 60-seconds rest (moderately heavy load)
Strength Session: 90-seconds rest (as heavy as you can lift for 30 yards)
5. Face Pull
The face pull is a simple way to add some upper to mid-back volume (often neglected) and pull the scapula back with less-demanding shoulder volume.
It’s great for shoulder health because it allows you to work through rotation, retraction, and depression of the shoulder blades. This is important: the shoulder is a fairly smart joint that demands more diverse attention, much like the hip.
There are several ways to add these in:
- As part of your warm-up for pressing exercises: 2 sets x 15 reps
- As a high-volume isolation finisher: 2-3 sets x 20-30 reps
- As a strength exercise, use loads that only allow you to get 6-10 challenging reps.
Mix it up for a strong back and healthier shoulders.
