If you cannot perform 10 full-range squats, perform this instead:

1. Half-kneeling C&L 2. Full-kneeling C&L (this is a symmetrical addition, both knees down, that will help you develop proper squatting form) 3. TGU.

4. 1SDL.

SETS AND REPS: For all exercises for weeks 26, use a 2:5 ratio of sets for strong:weak sides and a repet.i.tion range of 35. This means that you perform a total of seven sets, two for the stronger side and five for the weaker side, as follows: Strong side 35 reps (I aim for 5 on all)Weak side 35 repsStrong side 35 repsWeak side 35 repsWeak side 35 repsWeak side 35 repsWeak side 35 reps Take one minute between sets. If you can't complete five repet.i.tions in the later sets, decrease the repet.i.tions rather than decreasing the weight. Record everything.

I suggest a one-second or two-second concentric (lifting) speed and a four-second eccentric (lowering) speed. No matter what speed you use, make it consistent.

OPTIONAL WEEKS 7+: MONDAY AND FRIDAY, 3045 MINUTES PER SESSION-SUSTAINED PRE-HAB AND STRENGTHENING For weeks 7 and beyond, you can incorporate the full- kneeling C&L and 2SDL for symmetrical corrections and pure strength. Perform this sequence twice a week if you'd like to further reduce injury risk. I simply retest every 46 weeks and fix accordingly.

But to continue with the program, once 10% or greater strength differences are corrected, use two sets of 35 reps (I prefer 5) per side for each exercise.

TGU.

Full-kneeling C&L 2SDL.

Half-kneeling C&L 1SDL.

The 2SDL is performed exactly like the 1SDL but instead of lifting with one arm, you either hold a barbell with both hands, or, my preference, hold a dumbbell/kettlebell in each hand.

Taking 3045 minutes twice per week to do these exercises takes less time, and sacrifices less progress, than 624 months of recovery after a major injury.

Four exercises can keep you stable and strong. Too busy? Do whatever you can, as every bit helps.

Focus on pre-hab so you never have to do rehab.

Exercise Details EXERCISE #1-CHOP AND LIFT (C&L) Chopping is a downward diagonal movement across the body from a high position to a low position, and lifting is the upward diagonal movement from a low position to a high position. They are essentially mirror images of one another.

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The start and finish positions of the chop.

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The start and finish positions of the lift. The block under the knee, which I did not use, is optional and used here to achieve a more acute upward angle.

There are two stances commonly used when performing the C&L, seen above.

We will focus on the "half- kneeling" C&L for two reasons.

First, it is important to address asymmetrical (left-right) problems before any issues present on both sides, and the half-kneeling position addresses both upper and lower asymmetries. Second, of the six people I tested with a single-leg flexibility a.s.sessment (see sidebar), all had major left- right differences.

Half-Kneeling Description One knee is down and one knee is up, with thighs and calves at 90-degree right angles to each other.

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The full and half-kneeling leg positions.

You will always chop to the down knee and lift toward the upward knee. Each move is a pull- to- a- push movement, and keep the hands close to the chest on the transition. In the chop, for example, you pull the bar to your sternum and press it to the floor. The cable should travel in a straight line.

Both the front foot and down knee should ideally be placed in a straight line, and tape on the ground (or any line) can be used to ensure this is the case.

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Ideal placement on one line.

If this narrow stance proves too difficult, use a wider base. Put your front foot four inches off the knee line and bring it in closer over several workouts. Just ensure that the width is the same for the left and right sides in each individual workout, which is critical for keeping your comparisons accurate.

The 80/20 Chopping and Lifting Program

Guidelines 1. Stick with a "bar" for the first month or two. Both the half-kneeling chop and the half-kneeling lift will be performed on cables using either an attachable bar or, as in our photographs, the more common "tricep extension" attachment with the rope fully slid to one side to imitate a bar. This is what I used. Both the half-kneeling chop and the half-kneeling lift will be performed on cables using either an attachable bar or, as in our photographs, the more common "tricep extension" attachment with the rope fully slid to one side to imitate a bar. This is what I used.

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On the left: Tricep rope attachment (normal). On the right: Rope attachment converted into a "bar."

This bar or fake-bar approach forces you to use your core to counteract the mechanical disadvantage, rather than cheat through the movement with arm strength.

If you want to perform the C&L at home or while traveling, you can use resistance bands.2 If using bands, the movement becomes more of a press to the front of the body as opposed to across the body. If using bands, the movement becomes more of a press to the front of the body as opposed to across the body.

2. Unload between repet.i.tions if possible (rest the weight stack). This is something I missed in my first several workouts, as I was overseas and incommunicado. I still doubled my strength and corrected my imbalance within four workouts without unloading, but I made faster progress later with it. If you find it overwhelming to coordinate, you can start without it. This is something I missed in my first several workouts, as I was overseas and incommunicado. I still doubled my strength and corrected my imbalance within four workouts without unloading, but I made faster progress later with it. If you find it overwhelming to coordinate, you can start without it.

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Try it yourself: 1. Keeping your feet together and knees locked, attempt to touch your toes with both feet on the ground. If that's too easy, attempt to touch the heel of your palms to your toes.

2. Now test the same stretch again on each side independently. Place one foot on a step or block, and remember to keep your knees fully locked to prevent cheating. Perform on both sides.

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On the left: Step 1. One the right: Step 2.

How did you fare? My reach was a full three inches shorter on my right side.

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Gray explains the concept: "Imbalance is not just a strength problem. It is a motor control problem. Going from unloaded to loaded and vice versa is the whole point. Reengaging is where the money is, and where you stimulate more neurons."

But how do you get in the proper position, which requires having the rope in hand at a distance from the machine, without automatically lifting the weight stack? In other words, how do you rest the weight without falling over? You need to extend the cable. The best option involves carabiners, the metal clips used in rock climbing.

First option: use a link of chain from a hardware store and two carabiners to extend the cable. One end of the chain will connect to the cable, and the other end will connect to the tricep attachment. This works. use a link of chain from a hardware store and two carabiners to extend the cable. One end of the chain will connect to the cable, and the other end will connect to the tricep attachment. This works. The second option, The second option, and the one I prefer, is to use a nylon sling (or "pocket daisy chain") designed for rock climbing in place of the chain. The nylon sling is a flat strip of material with loops on it. This webbing is light enough to fold up and put in your pocket, but it's plenty strong enough to hold the weights in the chop-and-lift movements. I travel with this. and the one I prefer, is to use a nylon sling (or "pocket daisy chain") designed for rock climbing in place of the chain. The nylon sling is a flat strip of material with loops on it. This webbing is light enough to fold up and put in your pocket, but it's plenty strong enough to hold the weights in the chop-and-lift movements. I travel with this.

If you don't want to bother with extending the length of the cable, you can train with a partner who takes the weight from you for a second after each repet.i.tion, or simply train without unloading, as I did for four workouts, which was enough to correct my largest imbalance.

3. Don't hold your breath. Once I progressed to heavier weights, I ended up holding my breath on the lifting portion and then exhaling slowly on the lowering. This is referred to as the Valsalva Technique, and though it can be valuable for maximal lifts, it is cheating in the C&L. Do your best to breathe as follows and keep your face relaxed: Once I progressed to heavier weights, I ended up holding my breath on the lifting portion and then exhaling slowly on the lowering. This is referred to as the Valsalva Technique, and though it can be valuable for maximal lifts, it is cheating in the C&L. Do your best to breathe as follows and keep your face relaxed:

a. Inhale a large amount of air at the start of the movement and pressurize your abdomen by tightening all the muscles in your hips and torso. Stiffen and brace your body but stay as tall as possible.

b. Begin the pulling portion of either movement and force air out between your clenched teeth to produce a hissing sound. Continue this slow continuous hiss as you transition into the pushing and reach full extension. Upon full extension, you should still have more than 50% of the air in your lungs. Continue the hiss on the return, using the remaining air, until the weight stack comes to rest.

c. Take two normal breaths, the weight stack resting, and start the next repet.i.tion.

4. Make your positioning 100% consistent workout to workout.

Foot placement: To standardize position from one workout to the next, Gray suggests using a stretching or yoga mat, narrow end against the machine, and then setting your down knee approximately one-third of the way from the far end of the mat. To standardize position from one workout to the next, Gray suggests using a stretching or yoga mat, narrow end against the machine, and then setting your down knee approximately one-third of the way from the far end of the mat.

If you own the mat (yoga mats can be rolled up and are a smart investment), use something like a Sharpie to mark knee placement for both movements. If you don't own the mat, use tape.

Here's a diagram showing Gray's ideal placement and what I ended up doing: [image]

I started using a standard stretching mat to prevent mat burn on my knees, not for placement. Then I realized, no big surprise, that using a mat made replicating the exact positions much easier. I placed my down knee at the midpoint halfway from the weight stack, as I didn't have tape and halfway was easier to visually determine. I then ensured that my hips were approximately in front of the center of the weight stack. While not precisely what Gray recommended, it made the positioning for both sides and movements easy to remember.

For foot and down knee alignment, as seen in the diagram, I put my knee down on one side of the imaginary half-way line, and my foot on the other.

The hips don't need to face exactly at a 90-degree angle from the weight stack, but I found this easiest to remember and replicate.

Hand positioning: For hand positioning in both the chop and the lift, I placed the hand farthest from the machine exactly three hand-widths up from the dangling end of the rope "bar." My hand nearest the machine grabbed the rope as close as possible to the cable. For hand positioning in both the chop and the lift, I placed the hand farthest from the machine exactly three hand-widths up from the dangling end of the rope "bar." My hand nearest the machine grabbed the rope as close as possible to the cable.

Head and shoulder rotation: The head should not rotate independently of the shoulders. If we imagine the hips and shoulders square with each other in the starting position, you shouldn't rotate the shoulders more than 1520 degrees off the hips. More rotation will not get more activation out of the abs, and it could force you to lose the proper lower back and "tall spine" position. The head should not rotate independently of the shoulders. If we imagine the hips and shoulders square with each other in the starting position, you shouldn't rotate the shoulders more than 1520 degrees off the hips. More rotation will not get more activation out of the abs, and it could force you to lose the proper lower back and "tall spine" position.

Let the Testing Begin Finding imbalances in the C&L is done by testing the four quadrants: lower left, lower right, then upper left, upper right. The goal is to identify your single weakest quadrant. The chop is always done before the lift, as you will use heavier weights for the former.

TESTING.

Chop down to left knee 612 repsChop down to right knee 612 repsLift up to left knee 612 reps (be sure to move slowly for the lowering portion of the lift, or the weight will pull you over)Lift up to right knee 612 reps The test is best done at the beginning of a workout. For the lift portions, subtract half or even two-thirds of the weight used for the chop. Choose a weight for both movements that you believe you can perform for no more than 612 repet.i.tions, and then look for discrepancies in quality and your ability to hit maximum repet.i.tions on either side.

It should be a mild struggle. You want to do a complete "rep-out" within 612 repet.i.tions, so that you test to the point of loss of appropriate posture and/or smooth movement, or to the point where a struggle is demonstrated that compromises technique. you test to the point of loss of appropriate posture and/or smooth movement, or to the point where a struggle is demonstrated that compromises technique.

Thus, you're lifting to "failure" of posture or technique, not muscular failure.

Keep the back straight, the hips neutral, and your head as tall as possible. "Loss of posture" occurs when you cannot maintain this tall position and your head drops or moves to the side. Stop your repet.i.tion count when you can no longer correct this. Though not required, it is helpful to have someone watch you or record the test on video.3 For both sides, count the maximum number of repet.i.tions until the movement is no longer smooth and fluid. For both sides, count the maximum number of repet.i.tions until the movement is no longer smooth and fluid.

If you happen to miscalculate the weight and exceed 12 repet.i.tions, keep going and record the repet.i.tion when posture fails. Just use the same weight on both sides.

Once the test is complete, you should have an a.s.sessment of four quadrants-the right and left chop and the right and left lift. Imbalances are defined as a greater than 10% difference in weight (if the same number of reps) or number of repet.i.tions (if the same weight) between left and right sides.

Find the weakest quadrant and work there until symmetry is restored.

Here are the results from my first day of testing:

Chop down to left knee: 20 lbs 7.5 reps

Chop down to right knee: 20 lbs 15 reps(!), and I could have done 34 more

Lift up to left knee: 10 lbs 13 reps

Lift up to right knee: 10 lbs 14 reps