Written by Mike Over
Weight training often gets labeled as something we do with picking up heavy weights, grueling out long sets with lighter weight or shorter sets with heavier weight. The industry seems to piggyback off the fact that nothing happens in the weight room unless one of those two conditions are met. Now, what if I told you that you are missing out on ways to add strength, improve your aching injuries and feel better moving throughout the day by doing this all in one shot?
After spending 14 years in the gym ownership, and now coaching, industry, I’ve come to find the sweet spot to longevity in training is to incorporate a variety of styles, programmed and placed into routines for the right person and the right times.
So I want to share with you a cool topic on a few exercises that can kill “two birds with one stone,” so to speak…and ones that many of us can benefit from. You can sprinkle them into primers (start of your workout), as a secondary exercise to a main lift, or just as a standalone exercise in your plan! Either way, they are stellar and should not be overlooked for the weight I am using.
Pigeon Row
I absolutely love this exercise for its ability to work the hips into a more dynamic stretch that tackles an issue MANY have with low back pain, sciatica, or even hips. The band on the stretch helps you lower with control to give your legs the depth you can handle for the stretch, while the way up enforces a posture changer to do a unilateral row.
This creates much better synergy between the hips/core and you’ll quickly find this to be a staple in your primers for how great you feel after 2 sets of 8-10 slow controlled reps.
Key Points:
- Setup in a seated position with one leg externally rotated while the other internally crossed.
- Use a band (NT Loop works great) and get enough tension to allow the band to slightly “pull” you forward and give you a challenging row on the execution.
- Lean forward, use the opposing arm for balance as you need, but try to progress to going without balance as you get better.
- Add a slight HOLD at the top of the row, making sure you are upright and bracing through the abdominals.
- Repeat 8-10 reps each side.
Pigeon Plate Y Press
Another pigeon variation as this TRULY helps the hips and low back as described above, but also helps strengthen the posterior muscles like the traps, rhomboids and upper neck is the “y” press.
The key points are relatively the same although on your “press” you have to be sure to avoid rounding your back or turning it into a shoulder press. The lean is crucial, and you will walk with much more mobility after 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Birddog Row
This is one of my staples for ensuring posture, control through the hips, and strength all throughout the lumbo pelvic hip complex. The birddog single arm row has a great spin when doing off the bench that helps buckle down multiple things.
Now, this is not a rowing variation for hypertrophy by any means, but using it as a primer for your training can help those with poor standing or seated posture, as well as those who struggle with low back pain and nagging lower body injuries. I love doing this drill with my endurance athletes!
The set up:
- Hand Placement:
- With your non-working arm, grasp the weight on the ground. Your hand should be directly under your shoulder for support.
- Row Movement:
- Pull the weight towards your hip by bending your elbow and driving your upper arm towards your torso.
- Maintain a stable, neutral spine throughout the movement.
- Hips and Core:
- Keep your hips squared and stable; avoid rotating or tilting your pelvis. Your core should remain engaged to help maintain balance.
- Leg Position:
- The extended leg should stay straight and level with your torso. Avoid letting it drop or rise excessively.
- Breathing:
- Exhale as you row the weight up and inhale as you lower it back down.
- Controlled Movement:
- Perform the rowing motion slowly and with control. Avoid using momentum; the movement should be deliberate to maximize muscle engagement.
- Switch Sides:
- After completing the set on one side, carefully switch to the other side and repeat the same steps.
Tip: If you find it challenging to balance, you can perform the exercise with a wider stance or use a wall for support until you build stability.
You want to make sure you create enough bracing to limit the rocking and swaying your body naturally wants to do to the weighted side, but resisting this does help build solid foundational core strength.
Don’t undermine this and I would say just 2 sets of 8-10 reps is plenty. Above I am starting in a pre-isometric hold which can dial in my bracing and rib cage position which will translate to better pelvis control on squats or deadlifts.
Bulgarian Iso Lateral Raise
The Bulgarian is hard for the advanced lifter to do bodyweight, let alone beginners. Which is why I find this combination a very effective one. It doesn’t take much for this guy to work, and honestly the isometric makes it even more challenging for those who try it.
Here, we are adding a lateral raise. I love this because the natural scapular plane will make it easier done while in a Bulgarian isometric hold. Notice how I am having a slightly forward lean and while I see most people do lateral raises straight out to the side, this tends to not be the best position for them to be drawn on the line best suited for growth, reduced injury and effectiveness.
It’s much more difficult to do the exercise wrong in this setup, so I love it for it’s shoulder component while breaking out some mental fortitude with a Bulgarian isometric hold for the time you take to complete the lateral raises.
Setup:
- Find a bench or elevated surface.
- Stand about 2 feet in front of it, with one foot resting on the bench behind you. Your front foot should be firmly planted on the ground.
Positioning:
- Lower your body into a split squat position by bending your front knee and lowering your back knee toward the ground.
- Your front thigh should be parallel to the ground, and your back knee should hover just above the floor.
Alignment:
- Keep your torso upright and engage your core throughout the hold.
- Ensure your front knee stays in line with your toes and does not extend past your toes.
Hold:
- Maintain the lowered position for the designated duration.
- Focus on keeping your muscles engaged, especially the quads, glutes, and hamstrings.
- Perform the lateral raise reps without RISING UP
Breathing:
- Breathe steadily and deeply to maintain oxygen flow to your muscles. Avoid holding your breath.
Repetition:
- After completing the hold, carefully rise back to the starting position.
- Switch legs and repeat the process for the same duration.
Progression:
- As you get stronger, you can increase the hold time or add weight (e.g., holding dumbbells) to increase the challenge.
Bulgarian Isometric Single Arm Press
This is a similar setup and key points as above, however your foot placement and back leg will get a bit more stretch through the quad and hips because you are more upright to allow for the press overhead. I find this guy ultra humbling and a great exercise for endurance athletes and even bikers.
You must learn to brace and isometrically stabilize one side with the working leg while dynamically working the opposing arm in a vertical press overhead. A lot of neuromuscular firing all at once going on, and your natural tendency will be to rise up and use more help from your upper body with momentum.
Resist, brace, stay grounded and work on 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps per arm. Not only will you work the shoulders and legs, but your hips get some solid mobility work in the process!
Hollow Hold Pull Over
The hollow hold is a staple and tremendous exercise for bracing, anterior core strength and it has lots of external factors that can be helpful to create a hip complex that has the fighting bullet proof vest against back pain, hip pain and even neck pain.
Adding this pullover to the exercise really creates more torque away from the midline of the body, making the core have to stabilize much harder, but you also get a great stretch through the lats and can even have a slight strength component but ultimately the limiting factor here is your core which makes the weight for the pull over not as effective for hypertrophy. Either way, you get a nice combination drill that serves multiple purposes.
Setup as you are to do a hollow hold, then simply add a weight with a bar, dumbbell or kettlebell and inhale as you draw the weight back and then exhale as you bring it forward. Keep tension throughout the lift and try not to hyperextend the neck.
A good range for reps would be 8-12 for 2-3 sets.
Skate Squat with Hip Flexion and Rotation
The skater squat is a very humbling exercise to begin with. It points out any weakness you may have in your hips, ankles, knees or even feet! I can’t tell you how many times I have guys who can squat 300 lbs go to try skater squats and they either struggle or fall over.
Why are they effective? They work with unilateral strength and proprioception. They also reinforce and mimic the torso of a trap bar deadlift just on ONE leg, making it a great way to create strength opportunities with less load and risk of injury.
I found this version to be one to bookmark for you to add if you want to work mobility as well.
Progressions can look like:
Level One: Skater Squat
Level Two: Weighted Skater Squat
Level Three: Weighted Skater Squat to Single Leg Balance and Hip Flexion
Level Four: Weighted Skater Squat to Single Leg Balance and Rotation
Master all four and use the last variation to work your hips in the frontal plane. It will bullet proof them for runners, bikers and lifters who struggle with back pain.
Stick to 2-3 sets of 4-6 reps per side.