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Entering the 2022 Mr. Olympia, bodybuilder Hunter Labrada understandably set high expectations for himself. After he notched a fourth-place finish at the 2021 edition of the contest, Labrada aimed for the main throne in Las Vegas, NV, hoping to topple the mountain of a man in former two-time defending champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. Instead, Labrada not only failed to beat Elssbiay (that successful task ultimately came to eventual first-time champion Hadi Choopan), he fell off to seventh place in a disappointing finish.
On Jan. 9, 2023, Labrada appeared in a video on Iron World’s YouTube channel to personally recap his 2022 Olympia journey. Amidst a performance he clearly wasn’t happy with, Labrada discussed the emotions behind it and alluded to what’s next as he looks to rebound in 2023.
Labrada’s seventh-place result at the 2022 Olympia bothered him so much that he maintained he was staying away from social media platforms to avoid getting caught up in any discussion about the contest. In addition, the athlete usually makes a point to regularly share some sort of training or nutritional video on his YouTube channel. At the time of this writing, he has not posted anything there since Dec. 23, 2022.
“I have been off social media,” Labrada said. “I haven’t been shooting YouTube videos. I have been seeing my family and friends and keeping to myself because it shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of y’all by now, but I did not do what I was planning on doing at the Olympia this year. This is going to be the first time I kind of unpack that.”
Because he placed in seventh, and with the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness’s (IFBB) recent changes to its qualification system, Labrada no longer has an automatic berth in the 2023 Olympia. As a result, he shared that he expects to compete in at least two sanctioned IFBB Pro League contests before the next Olympia to try and earn his keep. He did not share which competitions he will aim to participate in before the 2023 Olympia occurs sometime in Nov. 2023 in Orlando, FL.
Perhaps more importantly, Labrada disclosed he’d use the new competitive opportunities to try and figure out where he stands physically after apparently messing something up in his final Olympia prep.
” … Regardless, if I win the first one [contests), which I am going to do,” Labrada said. “The fact of the matter is I need to figure my peak out. We have a very good idea of where we went wrong in those final five days.”
Despite his most recent shortcoming, Labrada seemed optimistic about the future. As much as his 2022 Olympia performance bothered him, he has his eye on the prize in 2023.
“I’m really confident heading into this year,” Labrada said. I”n addition to that confidence heading into this year, I’m [expletive] pissed off, man. I put this timer up in my gym and worked every day for 342 days from last year’s Olympia [2021] to this Olympia. I came up short. Plain and simple. I came up short of what I wanted to do. At the end of the day, this is something I’ve always really preached throughout my preps, is to keep your peace of mind.”
Regardless of what happens next for Labrada, his positive mindset will likely serve him well. He might even channel his apparent shame over what happened at the 2022 Olympia into focused, quality energy as motivation.
“How you respond to adversity is what really makes you,” Labrada said. “I will never forget that [expletive] feeling of that first callout being called and me not being in it. It was in front of God knows how many people.” ” … I’m going to show you a much different Hunter at the two Pro shows I do and at the Olympia because I am going to qualify this year.”
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Brian Shaw’s legacy is unquestionably secure in the pantheon of strongman greats. The 40-year-old living legend has been professionally carrying yokes and placing Atlas stones onto podiums for the better part of roughly 15 years. As he looks ahead to the next phase of his life that doesn’t involve lifting extremely large objects a few select times in the calendar, Shaw is ready to close an important chapter.
On Jan. 9, 2023, Shaw announced that the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) would be his last appearance in the famed international contest. When the latest edition rolls on Apr. 18-23, 2023, in Myrtle Beach, SC, Shaw will make “one more big push” for a historic fifth career WSM title.
When Shaw finally gets set to compete in the 2023 WSM, it will mark his 16th appearance in the illustrious contest. He has appeared in the WSM Finals, which comes after the heat stage cutoff, in 14 of his previous contests, only falling short of advancing in his WSM debut in 2008. To date, Shaw has never finished lower than sixth place (2019) in the WSM and can boast 10 podium results.
More impressively, when taking a historical context of wins, Shaw’s four WSM championships tie him for the second-most all-time with Žydrūnas Savickas, Magnús Ver Magnússon, and Jón Páll Sigmarsson. With five WSM titles, only Poland’s Mariusz Pudzianowski has more victories as he stands alone at the top of the sport. Shaw’s last WSM title happened in 2016 when he happened to overcome eventual 2017 WSM champion Eddie Hall (third place) and future 2018 WSM champion Hafthor Björnsson (second place).
When discussing what his last appearance will mean to him, Shaw was frank and seemingly optimistic about his prospects at the 2023 iteration of the competition.
“After taking some time to think about it, I want to give World’s Strongest Man one more big push.” Shaw said. “I feel like I’ve got it in me. My body feels great, and mentally, I think this year I can be in a much better spot. […] Now, there’s a lot of work to be done. I’m not going to skate around that fact. I don’t think this is going to be easy in any way, shape, or form. But the work can be put in and this can be awesome.”
One thing’s for sure: If Shaw can overcome this final gauntlet of talented peers, his status as a living strongman legend may only grow in scope in a WSM swan song.
I’m lucky to live in warm climates with year-round access to fresh produce, but not everyone can pop over to their local farmer’s market or co-op whenever they want and grab the ingredients for a big-ass salad. Farm-to-table cuisine is great, the Primal ideal even, but the reality is that cooking with fresh, local ingredients requires access and time to shop and prepare food that not everyone enjoys, not always. Many people rely on preserved food for much or all of the year to meet their meat and produce needs, “preserved” meaning frozen, canned, dried, or fermented.
Whenever the topic of canned food comes up, I inevitably get questions about whether canned vegetables are nutritious, safe, or even Primal. (And I inevitably get comments about how we don’t need vegetables at all, which I discuss in my Definitive Guide to the carnivore diet.) Sure, Grok wouldn’t have eaten canned vegetables. But modern humans spend almost every minute of every day engaging with technology our ancestors couldn’t have imagined, from highly engineered mattresses topped with cooling pads to regulate our sleep temperature to air fryers to whatever device you’re reading this post on right now.
So I’m not too concerned about drawing some Primal line in the sand at food canning. The other questions are important, though. How does canned food stack up to fresh or frozen?
Are Canned Vegetables as Nutritious As Fresh or Frozen?
It depends on which vegetable and which nutrient you look at, but in general, canning tends to reduce nutrient content compared to fresh or frozen vegetables. But that’s not true across the board. Sometimes, specific nutrients are actually higher in canned offerings.12
Furthermore—and this is a crucial point—nutrient losses due to canning often even out by the time the food makes it to your plate. Canning exposes food to high heat, so much of that nutrient loss is essentially due to the “cooking” that canned food undergoes. Most frozen vegetables only withstand a quick blanching before being flash frozen. Thus, if you compare fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables immediately after harvesting and processing, canned generally looks the worst, nutrient-wise. However, research shows that canned vegetables maintain their nutrient levels as they sit on the shelves, whereas the nutrients in frozen and fresh vegetables tend to degrade, bringing them more on par with canned. Once you factor in storing and then cooking fresh and frozen vegetables, you find that the initial disparities are much less pronounced as you’re forking it into your mouth.3
Clearly, the best choice is fresh vegetables consumed as close to harvesting as possible. The reality, though, is the produce at your supermarket may be many weeks out from when it was picked, making it less “fresh” than you might imagine. There’s also the whole issue of seasonal and regional availability to consider.
Overall, in terms of building a nutrient-dense diet, in most circumstances, canned vegetables are going to be just as good or nearly as good as grocery store or frozen vegetables.
BPA Concerns in Canned Foods
Nutrient content isn’t the only consideration when weighing canned versus fresh or frozen vegetables. There’s also the can itself. I have historically avoided canned vegetables in the store due to concerns over BPA in the can linings. (Home-canning in jars is different, of course. I’m all for home canning.) BPA is a known endocrine disruptor linked to immune system dysfunction, cancer, reproductive issues, and more. Since scientists and health watchdog groups have sounded the alarm about BPA in the past decade, industry reports suggest that almost all American manufacturers have moved away from BPA-lined cans.4
While that seems like a positive step, the BPA lining was there for a reason: to prevent corrosion and help preserve the food inside. Manufacturers replaced it, by necessity, with other types of materials that are supposed to be safer—“supposed to” being the operative words here. However, at this point, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what materials are being used by which manufacturers and, more importantly, how they are being tested for safety. Thus, I can’t say with any certainty that these new linings are better.
How Long Do Canned Foods Last?
Food waste is a massive global problem that is both economically and environmentally costly. One way we can reduce food waste is by learning what the expiration dates on our pantry items really mean. According to the USDA, “best by” dates aren’t about food safety but food quality.5 After those dates, the flavor and texture may start to take a hit, but canned foods are still perfectly edible.
There’s certainly no reason to throw canned food away simply because it is a week, a month, or even longer past its best by date. Canned foods stay good for up to five years in your cupboard, though you’ll want to use more acidic items like canned tomatoes within a year or so. Home-canned foods should be used within a year, ideally.
Just use common sense (and your nose). If a can looks damaged—rusted, bulging, or badly dented—it’s not worth taking a chance. Likewise if the food inside has a strange odor. Texture changes, slight discoloration, and crystallization are not signs that the food is spoiled.
Bottom Line
For the most part, I continue to opt for fresh, frozen, or shelved food in glass packaging when available. The notable exception is canned fish. The convenience of a canned sardine or anchovy, and the benefits of the omega-3s they deliver, means they still have a standing place in my cupboard.
Some items are hard to find outside a can, though. Cooked beans don’t come frozen (another argument for skipping legumes?), and while they’re easy and affordable to prepare from dried, that requires preplanning. If beans are a staple in your home, consider preparing big batches and freezing them in individual portions. Tetra Paks are becoming more common for things like stewed tomatoes and soups, but there are questions about their sustainability. They are technically recyclable, but many recycling facilities don’t have the proper machinery, so they end up in a landfill. And glass can be more expensive, which matters especially when the cost of groceries is on the rise.
If you’re going to choose canned foods for reasons of convenience or availability, still look for “BPA-free” on the label. Don’t leave canned tomatoes sitting on the shelf for months at a time. It gives the acidity more time to erode the lining. Buy them close to when you are ready to use them. Same goes for canned fruit. If you are laying up food for emergency preparedness, look at dehydrating as an option.
Be honest…you have picked your nose and eaten a booger, right? I mean, even if you did it once, it counts. Some people are habitual pickers, some are pickers and eaters, and some are just pickers and flingers. But is eating boogers a good thing or a bad thing? Let’s dig to find out. Do […]
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Nick Walker entered the 2022 Mr. Olympia with legitimate aspirations of capturing bodybuilding’s most illustrious title. A top-five finisher in his debut in 2021, many presumed Walker would improve upon that result and push former two-time reigning champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay for the crown. As it turns out, Elssbiay would fall short of defending his title, but to Hadi Choopan instead. Walker would technically build upon his debut Olympia by finishing in third, but it still wasn’t exactly what he wanted.
On Jan. 1, 2023, Walker appeared in a YouTube podcast episode of The Mutant & The Mouth. The discussion saw him reflect on his 2022 Olympia performance and look ahead to potentially completing his ascent to the top of bodybuilding’s highest peak in 2023. (Note: There is NSFW language in the video.)
Walker doesn’t mince his words about his performance. In a frank assessment, the athlete admits he was pleased with his third-place result but thinks he probably should’ve and could’ve finished even higher in an ideal set-up. At the same time, he acknowledged that he, Derek Lunsford (second place), and Choopan might be duking it out at the top of the current Olympia pantheon for a little while. That is unless rising stars like Samson Dauda (sixth place) and Andrew Jacked (eighth place) break up the party.
“I’m very happy I took third [place],” Walker explained. “But I think, as an overall package, I think I could have been second. Derek [Lunsford], Hadi [Choopan], and I will probably be battling this out for years unless Samson [Dauda] comes out of the woodwork or if Andrew [Jacked] nails it one time. I do believe us three will be there for quite some time.”
It’s the latter two competitors in Dauda and Jacked that Walker seemed surprised by. The pair made enough of an impression on Walker for him to believe they could make some real noise with the proper refinements over the next approximate year.
“I arguably could have probably had Samson [Dauda] beating Ramy [Elssbiay] to be honest,” Walker said. “Samson’s a freak. I’m definitely excited to see what he can do at the Arnold [the Arnold Classic in March 2023], and what he can do at next year’s Olympia [in November 2023]. My personal opinion of Samson is I think he should sit out the Arnold and focus on making more improvements for the Olympia. He could cause a lot of havoc. His only downfall was he wasn’t conditioned enough. … Andrew [Jacked] made us look like amateurs. When this man was just chilling in his little Speedo, just relaxing, you’re just like, ‘What the [expletive] is that?’ He is one of the nicest guys.”
Walker himself will not be participating in the 2023 Arnold Classic. Much like the year 2022, he will center his efforts on training for the Olympia to optimize his best hopeful possible results.
Like many of his peers, the year 2023 will be pivotal for Walker. Already a household name in the bodybuilding sphere, all that’s left for him to accomplish is capturing his first career Olympia title. The next edition of the contest will take place sometime in November 2023 in Orlando, FL. Given some of the names he was impressed by, that task likely won’t come easily. As Walker assuredly understands, winning the sport’s most prestigious prize rarely comes without a few challenges.
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Larry “Wheels” Williams has been very forthcoming about his decision to stop using steroids and transition to Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). The powerlifter/strongman/influencer has officially been training with TRT for almost half a year now. In the process, he’s documented several steps of this strength journey —perhaps most notably sharing a massive squat from November 2022 and his recent heaviest-ever deadlift while on the treatment to start 2023.
Wheels’ latest update from his foray into TRT and new strength life featured the athlete running through a full mock powerlifting meet. The idea was to test where his current one-rep maxes stand on the powerlifting staples of the squat, deadlift, and bench press. On Jan. 7, 2022, the athlete shared a video on his YouTube channel detailing said performance and his overall thought process.
Wheels performed his bench press and deadlift completely raw, save for a lifting belt, and used knee wraps for his squat. Here’s an overview of Wheels’ mock powerlifting performance:
Larry Wheels | Jan. 2023 Mock Powerlifting Meet Results
Squat (W/Wraps) — 330 kilograms (727.5 pounds)
Bench Press (Raw) — 230 kilograms (507.1 pounds)
Deadlift (Raw) — 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds)
Total (Raw W/Wraps) — 910 kilograms (2,006.2 pounds)
One of the other main reasons Wheels decided to conduct this meet was to compare his top TRT lifts with when he was on steroids and at a similar body weight. The athlete does possess higher personal records (PRs) for each of these lifts, but those were at a heavier body weight.
When it comes to Wheels’ TRT squat while using knee wraps, he actually lifted 1.1 kilograms (2.5 pounds) more than his previous squat with wraps PR from January 2014, per Open Powerlifting. According to Wheels in the video, in regard to his bench press, his lift of 230 kilograms (507.1 pounds) was 30 kilograms (66.1 pounds) less than his top bench press at a similar body weight while on steroids. Finally, Wheels didn’t hide his displeasure with his deadlift of 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds), but comparatively, it held up well to his previous steroid-assisted PR of 374.7 kilograms (826 pounds) (again at relatively the same body weight).
To close the meet (and the video), Wheels reflected on how far he’s come with TRT, this meet, and after stopping his extended steroid use. It seems as if one of the biggest names in strength sports is enjoying how his new personal endeavor is unfolding.
“This prep has been very enlightening, seeing what I’m capable of on TRT … I’m enjoying the process. I feel great. I think I look better than ever. Skin, sleep, mood, everything is stable.”
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The front squat is a staple movement for Olympic weightlifters, CrossFit athletes, and countless other strength-focused lifters. However, some find the unique bar position to be a limiting factor because it requires ample shoulder and wrist mobility.
Credit: Ground Picture / Shutterstock
Other lifters shy away from the front squat because they can move relatively more weight with other squat variations. Regardless of the reason, while the front squat has plenty of benefits to offer, there are some equally effective alternatives to consider which let you work around any restrictions and find comparable results.
Bruce Lee once talked about “the art of fighting without fighting,” so consider these exercises “how to front squat without front squatting.”
One of the biggest limiting factors for many lifters, when it comes to performing the front squat, is holding the bar in the “rack position” — held across the fronts of your shoulders with your arms flexed and your fingertips under the bar.
This position requires flexibility and mobility throughout your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. While those attributes can be improved over time with dedicated work, you can reduce the mobility requirements without compromising results by attaching a pair of lifting straps to the bar. These serve as makeshift handles to offer a slightly adjusted hand and arm position.
When to Use It
The front squat with straps can be used identically to the classic front squat, or any time you need to support the bar in the rack position (across the front of your shoulders). The strapped movement can be programmed with the same sets and reps, and often with the same weights. This exercise is particularly useful for any lifters with pre-existing upper-body joint issues which may restrict their mobility.
How to Do It
Set a barbell in a rack at roughly upper chest-level. Secure a pair of lifting straps to the bar just outside shoulder-width. Grab one strap in each hand with your palms facing each other.
Step to the bar, bending your arms as you unrack the weight with your thumbs near the front of your shoulders. Keep tension on the straps without lifting the bar off your shoulders. Take a small step back and squat, keeping your elbows aimed forward and your torso upright.
Front Squat to Box
While the front squat with straps addresses upper body mobility restrictions, the front squat to box can be used to address lower body mobility restrictions. By using a box to limit your range of motion, you change the muscle recruitment and alter the stress on muscles and joints. (1)
When to Use It
Program the front squat to box if you have hip or ankle mobility issues which prevent you from achieving a deep front squat position. A box can also be used by beginners as a target to ingrain consistent squat depths and technique.
How to Do It
Set up a stable box or series of aerobic steps at a comfortable height, generally above knee-level, a few feet behind a barbell set in a rack. Setup for a standard front squat and carefully step back to position yourself above the box.
Descend under control, lowering your glutes to the box. Don’t rest your full weight on the box — pretend it’s a deck of cards that you don’t want to knock down. Pause very briefly without losing tension. Explode upwards to a powerful lockout.
Safety Bar Squat
If your gym has a safety bar, easily spotted with its thick pads and jutting handles, it can be a key player in building your lower body without straining your joints. (2) The safety bar squat allows a more upright torso and increased upper back engagement, which can reduce lower back stress. The forward-facing handles allow a more natural arm position which reduces stress on your shoulder and elbow joints.
When to Use It
The safety bar squat is an ideal alternative if you cannot maintain the elevated arm position required for front squats. This exercise is also an efficient way to increase upper back training because the thick pads offset the center of gravity and increase trapezius and upper back activation.
How to Do It
Set a safety bar in a rack at roughly shoulder-height. Duck under the bar and position the padded cradle around your trapezius, upper back, and shoulders. Grab the handles and pull your elbows toward your ribs.
Brace your core and pinch your shoulder blades together before unracking the weight. Step back and squat down. Don’t allow the weight to tip your upper body forward. Squeeze the handles and keep you elbows near your ribs as you drive upward to lockout.
Zercher Squat
The unconventional bar position of the Zercher squat, named after American weightlifter Ed Zercher, almost looks like a very poorly attempted front squat. By cradling the barbell in the crook of your arms, you can hold it very close to your body, which improves your leverage and power output. While the Zercher squat requires little-to-no shoulder or elbow mobility, the strain of the bar on your forearms and elbows can be uncomfortable for some lifters.
When to Use It
Perform the Zercher squat in place of the front squat if you have significant upper body mobility restrictions. The Zercher squat can also be used toward the end of a workout, after first fatiguing your legs with other movements. This will let you get an efficient training stimulus with relatively lighter (and likely more comfortable) weights.
How to Do It
Set the bar in a rack near your belly button or lower chest-level. Step up to the bar and place your elbows on it, curling your arms around the barbell, with your palms up. Brace your core and stand up before taking a step back.
Squat down until either the bar or your elbows gently touch your thighs. Pause briefly before standing upright. Keep your elbows tight to your body and don’t allow the weight to pull you forward.
High-Bar Back Squat
Strangely, sometimes the best front squat alternative is a back squat variation. The high-bar back squat is a useful choice for competitive powerlifters, who must perform the back squat at meets. This exercise allows increased quadriceps recruitment and relatively less lower back strain while maintaining a sport-specific movement.(3)
When to Use It
The high-bar back squat can be used at any point in a training program to emphasize the quadriceps muscles, which can benefit leg size as well as carry over to improved squat and deadlift strength.
How to Do It
Place a bar at upper chest-level in a rack. Position the bar across your trapezius and upper back. Unrack the back and take a roughly shoulder-width stance. Brace your core, pull your shoulder blades together, and squat as low as possible.
Keep your upper body mostly vertical as you descend. Aim to reach a depth with your hips nearly in line with your knees (thighs roughly parallel to the ground) before returning upright.
Trap Bar Squat
A trap bar can be a versatile piece of equipment, but is commonly used to perform the trap bar deadlift. The neutral hand position (palms facing your body) keeps the weight in line with your body’s center, which helps to reduce joint strain in your back and shoulders. Shifting your body position to keep a more upright torso when performing a trap bar squat will further emphasize the front of your thighs (quadriceps).
When to Use It
Use the trap bar for any type of squat or deadlift variation to decrease joint strain without reducing muscular stress. The trap bar squat can be particularly beneficial for sneaking extra upper body recruitment into your leg training, because your grip, arms, shoulders, and back help support the load during the exercise.
How to Do It
If your trap bar has two sets of handles, one “high” and one “low,” begin using the high handles and save the low handles for a more challenging progression. Stand in the center of the bar with your feet roughly shoulder-width. Squat down to grab the handles.
Be sure to bend at your knees and dip your hips down, to put your legs in an optimal pulling position. Puff your chest up and pull your shoulders back. Think about keeping your head over your tailbone as you drive upward to lockout.
Front Rack Lunge
To reap the core stability and upper back strengthening benefits of a front squat, with increased focus on each individual leg, performing a front rack lunge can be an extremely useful movement. You can build upper and lower body strength with less total load, because the movement is primarily performed unilaterally (with one leg at a time).
When to Use It
Unilateral movements like the lunge help to address strength and developmental discrepancies that can occur from exclusively bilateral (two-leg) exercises. Lunges can also build more complete athleticism and power than over-focusing on two-legged squat movements.(4)
How to Do It
Set up a barbell in a rack at shoulder-height. Grab the bar in the rack position and take a two or three steps backward. Stabilize the weight and brace your core.
Take one longer than normal step forward and plant your foot flat. Squat down until your rear knee lightly touches the floor. Keep your shoulders back and your upper body close to vertical. Drive up through your front foot with maximum force and return both feet together in a standing position. Perform all reps with one foot before switching legs. Re-rack the bar after performing the exercise with each leg.
Goblet Squat
While the front squat supports the bar across your shoulders, the goblet squat is as close as you can get to an identical movement using a single dumbbell. By supporting the weight in front of your chest, you train the same type of front-loaded squat movement which builds core strength and overall mobility.
However, the goblet squat doesn’t require a large degree of shoulder mobility because your upper arms remain pointed mostly downward instead of forward.
When to Use It
The goblet squat is a much more convenient and practical exercise for many lifters, requiring only a single dumbbell instead of a barbell and power rack. It can be performed as part of a general warm-up prior to heavy front squats or it can be trained heavily on its own to deliver a shoulder-sparing squat workout.
How to Do It
Place a dumbbell vertically on its end atop a flat bench. Squat down and place your palms on the bottom side of the top weight plate, getting your chest as close to the dumbbell as possible. Brace your core and pull your shoulder blades back.
Stand upright, supporting the weight with bent arms. The dumbbell should be near your collarbones or neck. Squat as deep as possible while keeping your torso vertical. Don’t allow the weight to pull your arms down or forward during the movement.
Dumbbell Front Squat
The dumbbell front squat could be seen as the next-step progression from the goblet squat. Instead of holding a single dumbbell as your chest, you’re supporting a weight in each hand. This more closely mimics a barbell from squat.
In fact, it puts you in nearly an identical hand and arm position as the front squat with straps, because your hands are in a neutral position (palms facing each other). This reduces the mobility requirements needed to perform the exercise,
When to Use It
Choose the dumbbell front squat if you’re training with limited equipment (such in a hotel gym or limited home gym) because you don’t need a barbell and rack. The dumbbell front squat is also an effective choice for lifters training around wrist or shoulder issues, since the joints are less stressed during the movement.
How to Do It
Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, resting at your sides. Bring the dumbbells up to the front of each shoulder in a hammer curl-type motion. Using some body English to control the swing of the weights is acceptable as long as it’s done with leg drive (as a quick jump), not bending at the waist or heaving with your lower back.
Hold the weights in the shoulder-supported position throughout the exercise. In a wider than shoulder-width stance, squat as deeply as possible. Aim your elbows forward and lean back to keep your upper body vertical. Don’t allow the weights to fall forward or sideways off your shoulders.
Single-Arm Kettlebell Front Squat
A classic kettlebell exercise, the single-arm kettlebell front squat emphasizes core strength just as much as (possibly more than) leg strength. The “imbalanced,” single-sided load forces your abs and lower back to fire constantly to resist the sideways pull. This builds serious core stability which can play a key role in reducing the risk of lower back injuries. (5)
When to Use It
Because your core strength will likely be the limiting factor for most lifters, it may be more beneficial to treat the single-arm kettlebell front squat primarily as a core-building exercise that delivers leg size and strength as an added benefit, rather than primarily as “a leg exercise.” Improved core strength and stability can carry over to stronger lifts.
How to Do It
Bring a kettlebell to shoulder-height, either by performing a kettlebell clean or using your free hand to get the weight into position. Your thumb should be nearly resting on the front of your shoulder with the ball of the kettlebell resting on your forearm.
Stand upright, without leaning sideways into the weight or excessively counterbalancing to the opposite side. Take a relatively wide stance, beyond shoulder-width, and descend into a deep squat. Hold the kettlebell close to your body and don’t allow it to shift your torso. Perform all reps on one side before switching hands.
Front Squat Hold
This front squat alternative doesn’t actually involve any squatting at all. By reinforcing the locked out position, you create significant tension in your core stabilizers, as well as actively stretching the muscles directly involved in holding the rack position. This cumulative effect can lead to a stronger and more stable front squat.
Because static holds put you in the strongest mechanical position, you can also “overload” your system with heavier than normal weights, which can stimulate strength gains.
When to Use It
The front squat hold should be the first exercise performed on a lifting day, after a general warm-up. Not only will it help to recruit more muscle units in the training to follow, but performing the hold with any muscle fatigue can drastically increase the risk and decrease the benefits.
How to Do It
Set up for a standard front squat, with the bar in a rack near shoulder-level. Unrack the bar and take one or two small steps back. Instead of commencing a squat, hold the top position with maximum focus.
Concentrate on fully engaging your core and upper back. Flex your glutes and legs to further reinforce the lockout position. This exercise is typically performed “for time” (often three to five seconds, up to 10 seconds) rather than for multiple repetitions.
Benefits of Front Squat Alternatives
While the front squat is an essential movement for certain strength athletes like Olympic weightlifters and CrossFit athletes, front squat alternatives can be used by many lifters to deliver key benefits when the primary movement is no longer an option.
Reduced Mobility Requirements
Some lifters have crossed the front squat off their list of potential exercises because they cannot get their arms into the rack position needed to support the weight or because their hips or knees don’t allow the type of deep front squat commonly associated with the exercise.
Credit: xamyak / Shutterstock
Several front squat alternatives allow lifters of any mobility level to benefit from the squat squat movement by reducing the mobility and flexibility requirements. These alternatives can also address and improve restrictions over time, which can progress to a full front squat.
Decreased Lower Back Strain
One key benefit of the front squat is its reduced lower back strain compared to the back squat. Each front squat alternative preserves that back-sparing advantage, making each movement a potential exercise choice for lifters prone to lower back issues.
Quadriceps Size and Strength
Front squat alternatives continue to emphasize the quadriceps, on the front of the thighs, relatively more than the glutes or hamstrings. (6) This is a key reason why many physique-focused lifters prioritize the front squat over the back squat. These alternatives are equally effective in emphasizing the quads, while back squats and deadlift variations are more commonly used to focus on the hamstrings and glutes.
Get Back to Front Squatting
The front squat can be beneficial for strength athletes, physique-conscious lifters, and any gym-goer looking to build lower body strength and muscle, a stable core, and a stronger lower back. If you’re not yet ready to tackle the Olympic-level movement, choose the variation that best suits your individual needs and start racking up the results.
References
Kubo, K., Ikebukuro, T., & Yata, H. (2019). Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European journal of applied physiology, 119(9), 1933–1942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04181-y
Hecker, Kara & Carlson, Lara & Lawrence, Michael. (2018). Effects of the Safety Squat Bar on Trunk and Lower-Body Mechanics During a Back Squat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 33 Suppl 1. 1. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002912.
Glassbrook, D. J., Brown, S. R., Helms, E. R., Duncan, S., & Storey, A. G. (2019). The High-Bar and Low-Bar Back-Squats: A Biomechanical Analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 33 Suppl 1, S1–S18. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001836
Speirs, Derrick E.1,2; Bennett, Mark A.3; Finn, Charlotte V.4; Turner, Anthony P.2. Unilateral vs. Bilateral Squat Training for Strength, Sprints, and Agility in Academy Rugby Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 30(2):p 386-392, February 2016. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001096
Huxel Bliven, K. C., & Anderson, B. E. (2013). Core stability training for injury prevention. Sports health, 5(6), 514–522. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738113481200
Coratella, G., Tornatore, G., Caccavale, F., Longo, S., Esposito, F., & Cè, E. (2021). The Activation of Gluteal, Thigh, and Lower Back Muscles in Different Squat Variations Performed by Competitive Bodybuilders: Implications for Resistance Training. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(2), 772. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020772
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
To be blunt, deadlifting is awesome. Once you get hooked, you are hooked for life. It is arguably the best test of full-body strength, and the deadlift will never lie to you. You can either grip it and rip it from the floor… or not.
Getting better and stronger at the deadlift is a lifelong pursuit for many lifters who dive down the rabbit hole trying to lift more weight.
Credit: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A / Shutterstock
However, mistakes can happen when you push the boundaries to improve your deadlifting strength, which is perfectly okay. The trick here is to recognize these mistakes and fix them ASAP, so you can improve safely and, hopefully, not end up on the physical therapist’s table.
Here are 12 of the most common deadlifting mistakes to watch out for, so you can continue being strong and safe.
Your feet act as your support base, and ensuring correct foot placement goes a long way in shoring up your pull.
Too Much Heel Emphasis
The heart of the deadlift is the hip hinge movement, but some lifters overemphasize rocking back on the heels to attempt a better hinge. You should feel your heel solidly, but feeling your whole foot on the ground is more efficient. Driving too much through your heels may result in a loss of balance during the pull.
Credit: PeopleImages.com – SOK Studio / Shutterstock
The Fix: Feel your whole foot on the floor before you begin lifting the weight. When hinging down, first make sure you feel your weight shifting back onto your heels. Next, feel your big toe by pressing it into the floor. Doing so ensures you will use your whole foot when you pull.
Too Much Toe Emphasis
Similar to putting too much emphasis on your heels, sometimes you may feel like you are being pulled onto your toes when deadlifting. This goes hand in hand with excessive knee flexion (squatting too much) in your setup. This mistake may stop you in your tracks and prevent you from lifting any serious weight off the ground.
The Fix: Similar to the solution for the heel issue, you need to feel your heel and your big toe before you pull, and you need to ensure you feel them throughout the entire set. Start with the barbell over the middle of your feet during your initial setup, which will put your body in a better overall position.
Your Feet Rotating While Pulling
When and if your feet turn outward during your pull, you can often correct this error during your setup. This rotating can happen when your body tries to “find space” while putting force into the ground. It can increase strain on your ankle and knee joints while decreasing power output.
The Fix: Spend time finding the best stance for you whether that’s conventional (feet roughly shoulder-width), sumo (feet well-beyond shoulder-width), or somewhere in between. Setting your feet slightly outward, instead of having them pointed straight ahead, can give your knees somewhere to go during your pull and works well for most lifters.
Common Hip Mistakes
The hip position is critical for a safer pull. If your hips are not correctly placed, say hello to eventual lower back issues. The deadlift is a hip hinge, after all. Getting your hips in the right position is crucial.
Your Hips Are Set Up Too Low
When trying to get into a good hinge position, you may find yourself setting your hips too low at the start of the deadlift. It may help you brace, but sitting down too much doesn’t allow you to “wedge” yourself into position or pull the slack out of the bar — two important technique tips for a more efficient deadlift.
When your hip hinge is compromised from low hips, your shoulders end up behind the barbell which is a weak position to pull from.
The Fix: Start with a soft bend in your knees before hinging down to grip the barbell. Pay attention to feeling your hip position. Ensure that your shoulders are slightly higher than your hips when setting up. If you’re not feeling your hamstrings engage, something is probably off and you should restart your positioning.
Your Hips Are Set Up Too High
Almost the opposite of the previous mistake, but equally as disruptive, a high hip position turns the deadlift into a pure hinge — like a stiff-legged deadlift. Although the deadlift is a hinge movement, the bend in your knees brings your quadriceps into the equation, which helps the initial pull off the floor.
The Fix: Make sure your shoulders are only slightly higher than your hips, not significantly higher. Use some knee bend to get into the starting position. Before lifting the weight, run a quick spot-check in the mirror or ask your lifting buddy to tell you what’s what.
Common Grip Mistake
If you cannot grip it, you cannot rip it. Grip strength is a common weak point and it pays to strengthen your grip by any means possible. Your grip is mostly a personal preference, but it’s best to have a shoulder-width grip for most deadlift variations. Whether you go with overhand, mixed (one overhand and one underhand), or hook grip (grabbing your thumb alongside the bar) is ultimately up to you.
Helicopter Deadlift
If you do use a mixed grip but your hands are set in a poor position, the barbell may twist and rotate while reaching lockout. This could be potentially torque your spine and end your deadlift quickly. It’s vital to have your hands and shoulders in the correct position before pulling, especially when using a mixed or “over/under” grip.
The Fix: Ensure your shoulder mobility allows you to perform a mixed grip properly. Your “underhand” arm will need to maintain external shoulder rotation — the palm-up position — throughout the entire set. For safety and top performance, go through a few shoulder mobility drills before deadlifting with a mixed grip.
Common Performance Mistakes
Here are a few of the most common actual technique and performance mistakes that can be holding you back and putting you at risk of injury.
Hips Coming Up Too Early
This is sometimes referred to as the “stripper deadlift” and is usually a result of weaker quads or a lack of upper back engagement. If your hips come up before the bar moves, what began as a standard deadlift immediately turns into an awkward and overloaded stiff-leg deadlift. It is only a matter of time before your lower back will tell you that enough is enough.
The Fix: If your quad strength is an issue, focus on maintaining your setup position and gradually strengthen your quads with split squat variations to improve leg drive. Pulling the slack out of the bar while keeping your chest up and shoulders down will also create the tension necessary to fix this problem.
Rounding of Your Lower and Upper Back
There is a small number of elite competitive deadlifters who are the exception to the rule here, but you are probably not one of them. Rounding your upper or lower back increases the distance you have to pull the barbell to lockout, which makes the exercise harder than it needs to be. It also puts you at greater risk of injury by exposing your spine to more direct stress. It’s more efficient, more safe, and more stable to keep a neutral spine.
The Fix: Strong lats and a strong upper back are the keys here. When those muscles are adequately engaged — by squeezing your armpits together and putting your shoulder blades in your back pocket — it decreases the distance you have to pull the bar and keeps your spine neutral, which protects you from shearing and compressive forces.
Too Slow Off The Floor
Being slow off the floor and allowing your hips to rise too fast is a deadlift catch-22. You don’t want to come up too quickly, but you also don’t what to come up to slowly. When you’re slow off the floor, you spend too much energy during your initial pull, which saps your overall strength and makes a successful lockout less likely. Plus, it puts your lower back at greater risk of injury because that’s one of the more vulnerable positions of the lift.
The Fix: Build strength and power from the bottom position to blast past this sticking point. One way to do this is to program a period focused on deficit deadlifts (standing on an elevated platform) to improve your speed in the bottom position. Another surprisingly obvious issue could be that the weight is too heavy, so you may simply need to take some weight off the bar and build overall strength.
Overarching Your Lower Back at Lockout
Locking out your deadlift when you are fatigued is difficult, and some lifters finish the movement by using their lower back, not their glutes. Some lifters may care how they end their lift as long as they reach lockout, but their lower back certainly does. Over time, crushing your lower spine will catch up with any lifter.
The Fix: This is summed up in three words: Squeeze your glutes. When locking out, bring your hips forward, engage your glutes, and resist any temptation to lean your shoulder far back behind your hips. Your lower back will thank you.
Common Programming Mistakes
Programming is subjective because goals differ from person to person. The deadlift is a full-body lift that requires all of your energy and attention, and avoiding these common programming mistakes will keep you safe and strong.
It’s Not an Accessory Lift
Standing over a barbell and pulling it from the floor is a full-body experience. The barbell deadlift requires a ton of energy from your nervous system, as well as your muscles, and it’s always best trained early in your workout. If you squat and deadlift on the same day, perform the deadlift first.
The Fix: It is a fairly easy one. Without question, perform the deadlift after your warm-up, core work, or lightweight power training. Don’t approach the deadlift after you’ve fatigued your body with significant weight training for any other body parts.
Higher Rep Sets
Pulling from the floor is excellent for building strength and resilience, but it’s not the best deadlift variation for building muscle because it doesn’t focus tension on any one emphasized muscle — that belongs to the Romanian deadlift because you’re building eccentric and concentric strength.
Performing higher rep sets, 10 or more reps per set, with the barbell deadlift for building muscle or strength is not the best idea because once your muscles get tired, your chance for injury jumps higher.
The Fix: If you want to build strength and perform with a heavier weight for “higher reps,” achieve that training volume using every minute on the minute sets. With 85 to 90% of your one-rep max, perform one or two reps, rest the remainder of the minute, and do it again at the start of the next minute. Start with 10 minutes total and build up to 20 minutes. You’ll never look at “high-rep” deadlifts the same way again.
How to Deadlift
Time for a quick refresher on how to achieve a powerful and crisp conventional deadlift.
Step 1 — Lock In Your Stance
Approach the barbell with a hip-to-shoulder-width stance, with the barbell above your midfoot. Angle your feet out slightly.
Step 2 — Set Your Grip
With a soft bend in your knees, hinge down at your hips to grip the bar with your grip of choice (overhand, over/under, or hook grip). Keep your hands close to your body without getting in the way of your knees.
Step 3 — Think About Your Hips
Pull your chest up. Squeeze your armpits together and drive your shoulder blades down to get a neutral spine. This allows your hips to be slightly below your shoulders, where they should be for a safe and efficient pulling position.
Step 4 — Breathe and Brace
Engage your abs, upper back, and lats. Squeeze the bar and feel tension throughout your whole body while feeling a slight stretch in your hamstrings. Take a deep breath in and get ready to rip.
Step 5 — Pull
Imagine performing a leg press, driving the barbell away from the floor while extending your hips and knees, and raising your upper body. Think about standing tall and finishing with your glutes at lockout.
Grip it and Rip It
Mistakes are bound to happen when you push your deadlift boundaries. There is no such thing as a “perfect form,” but there is such thing as safe, efficient, and effective form. It pays to dot your I’s and cross your T’s whenever you’re standing over the bar ready to pull. Now that you know some common errors, you know what to watch for while getting stronger more safely. Time to grip it and rip it, baby.
Featured Image: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A / Shutterstock
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
To close the 2022 calendar year, the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) revealed the standards for the 2023 Olympia qualification process. The contest’s next iteration will occur sometime in November 2023 in Orlando, FL. Before that competitive moment arrives, a former Mr. Olympia (1983) champion, Samir Bannout, recently discussed what he feels are issues concerning bodybuilding’s main event.
During a Jan. 3, 2023, episode of The Muscle Maturity Podcast, Bannout broke down his current thoughts on bodybuilding as a sport and where he feels the flagship Mr. Olympia must evolve. Among the more notable bullet points was the former fitness titan stressing that the qualification process for the contest should be more rigid.
Perhaps the most significant change to the IFBB’s Olympia qualification system in 2023 was that there would no longer be a points system. Only the top-five finishers in the 2022 Mr. Olympia, the top three athletes in every other 2022 Olympia division, and the respective contest winners of every IFBB Pro League competition in 2023 will qualify for November’s festivities in Florida.
In a spanning discussion, this is a change that Bannout welcomed and said doesn’t go far enough. The 2022 Mr. Olympia stage held a field of 30 competitors vying for the title, which was too vast a field in Bannout’s experienced opinion.
“The Olympia should never be more than 20 contestants. Never. That should be the limit. The cream of the crop should get on that stage,” Bannout said. “If you don’t make the top ten, it’s over. I think the top five should qualify again.”
“A guy like Chris Bumstead, honestly, he was the most conditioned and the most professional at the Olympia weekend, and his check was $50,000.” Bannout started. “And the third-place winner (in the Men’s Open) took home $100,000. How [expletive] do you explain that?”
As for improving the Olympia’s general presentation, Bannout noted he thinks the contest’s organizers should be making more of an earnest effort to highlight past victors. To this former Olympia champion, his suggested plan is to continue building the sport’s mystique while catering to loyal spectators by honoring Olympia winners from previous years.
“It [would be] really cool every decade, at least or every 5-6 years, bring all the Mr. Olympias on stage for just two minutes,” Bannout proposed. “And that’s gonna bring a more happy atmosphere and celebration. Like Arnold does [at the Arnold Classic contest], he brings all the former Arnold Classic champions.”
Whether the IFBB and the Olympia’s organizers will take Bannout’s suggestions and apply them in the future remains to be seen. For now, he’s just the latest legend of the sport who seems to want better for those athletes that have come after him.
Featured image: @officialsamirbannout on Instagram
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As is often the case, there are sure to be ascending powerlifting stars and previous unknowns who will rise to prominence in 2023. Though, one name that will likely soldier on as a mainstay is the prolific Heather Connor. As the strength dynamo looks ahead to another ideally productive year, she capped 2022 in a manner all too fitting of her unique talents.
On Dec. 31, 2022, Connor posted a video to her Instagram where the athlete successfully deadlifts 177.5 kilograms (391.3 pounds) raw for six reps. According to a black bar caption in Connor’s clip, it’s a six-rep personal record (PR).
A staggering PR deadlift is nothing new for Connor. It actually follows her increasingly growing precedence as one of the powerlifting world’s premier active deadlifters.
Connor is the current International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) 47-kilogram raw deadlift World Record holder, with a massive pull of 185 kilograms (407.8 pounds) from the 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships. After a three-year absence from the tentpole international powerlifting contest, that World Record deadlift helped Connor secure a second-place finish to French phenom Tiffany Chapon.
According to Open Powerlifting, Connor also possesses the all-time raw deadlift World Record deadlift in the 47-kilogram weight class. The athlete set that benchmark when she pulled 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds) at the 2021 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals in a fourth-place performance.
Some of Connor’s recent non-competition deadlifts before she went all out on New Year’s Eve 2022 are also eye-opening. They might even tease inevitable continued greatness for a powerlifter that pushes the boundary with a loaded barbell in her hands.
After showing out at the 2022 IPF Worlds, Connor completed a deadlift double of 190 kilograms (418.9 pounds) in a mid-September 2022 training session — roughly 11 pounds more than her current IPF World Record. Then, not to be outdone (by herself), in mid-November 2022, Connor deadlifted 202.5 kilograms (446 pounds). That pull was more than 20 pounds over her record mark. Perhaps most notably, it was her heaviest-ever pull — either in a sanctioned competition or in general training.
A former two-time IPF World Champion (2017, 2019), it seems as if Connor is gearing up for another powerful run in 2023. For one of the world’s true powerlifting fixtures, it will very likely feature an assortment of earth-shattering deadlifts in the coming weeks and months.
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