Issue 044

December 2008

By Matt Palfrey. In gyms across the land, traditional exercises are slowly being pushed out by static weight-machines. In this article Matthew Palfrey fights the tide and talks us through three old-fashioned functional strength exercises that will make you stronger than ever.

In the world of strength and conditioning, new is not always better. What we increasingly see, especially in a lot of the larger gym chains, is widespread dumbing-down of classic exercises. Free weights have been replaced with machines that are “like free weights, but safer” (in the words of many personal trainers), and we have consequently seen a large decline in athletic ability and strength gains.  

Exercises have become simplified to the point that most of your ‘big-box’ gym machines only work the athlete in one plane of motion. Movement planes are generally recognised as forwards / backwards (sagittal), sideways (frontal), and rotating (transverse) motions. By examining most combat sports we can see that they often contain movement, and certainly require strength, in all three planes. Try fighting without the ability to move sideways or the ability to rotate – you’ll begin to appreciate the necessity of training in multiple movement planes.  

This article will introduce you to three exercises that have probably never been done in your local gym. They are lifts that require immense amounts of strength, but also balance, flexibility and ‘core’ stability. It’s recommend that you only do them when you have built a strong strength base through a steady progression of squats, deadlifts, snatches and presses.

The lifts are tough. Don’t be surprised if you can’t do them. Like learning any new skill get the basic movement patterns without weight before you begin. Once you feel able, start to load up the exercise with some light weights. Regular practice of these exercises will send your strength, power and functional movement through the roof. We recommend starting with dumb-bells and kettlebells, but try to progress onto unevenly weighted objects once you have developed some proficiency in the lifts. Sandbags are great if you want to add some functional instability into your training.

The plough

The first of our exercises is called the plough. This lift is generally believed to have developed as an old test for farm workers. Anyone who was able to lift the plough above their head possessed great strength. Take an Olympic bar (the seven-foot bar is best) and add some weight to one end. Start off with a very conservative weight (around 2-3 kilos is enough for most people), grip the bar at the unloaded end and, using the integration of your core and legs, drive the bars upwards until it is vertical. This is usually best achieved in a lunge position with both knees bent. When the bar is upright drop it to the ground and repeat, making sure to perform on each side of the body.  

Regular practice of the plough will develop great strength in the entire body. Functionally, this movement also develops the ability to generate power upwards from the floor (think of a single leg takedown in wrestling). Try to perform the movement powerfully and drive the bar up as quickly as you are able. Remember, if you train slow, you’ll be slow.

The get-up

Our second exercise is the get-up (sometimes referred to as the Turkish get-up). The get-up is another tremendous full-body strengthening exercise that produces great results for any grapplers and MMA practitioners. It is typically done with the kettlebell but can be done with a dumb-bell or a more cumbersome object like the Olympic bar, for added challenge.  

The exercise is very simple: take the weight in one hand and lie flat on your back with your arm pressed out above your chest. Then, without bending the working arm, stand up by any means necessary. This is normally best achieved by driving the loaded arm upwards as you roll onto the opposite elbow (imagine being in the guard and popping out to the side to escape). Sounds easy? Do it 20 times in a row and you’ll start to realise why the get-up can be such a demanding exercise. 

The windmill

Our final exercise is the windmill. It’s an exercise designed to improve core strength and is also great for developing shoulder stability. The benefit of improving core strength in the standing position is that it has a specific impact on techniques during standing grappling.  

Start with a weight in one hand held overhead. Before you start this exercise, turn your feet out at 45 degrees and slightly bend your knees. Using a smooth movement through the waist allow your body to bend down and reach towards the ground. This movement should come from the core and hips without using the knees. Once you have touched the floor – or your body is parallel to the floor – return to the starting position with an upright torso.  

Try integrating these movements into your regular strength and conditioning programme and you’ll soon start to see improvements. They place a large demand on your body so generally they are better performed towards the start of your sessions and after a short warm-up.  

Matt Palfrey is a strength and conditioning coach and the co-founder of Crossfit Bath (www.crossfitbath.com). Crossfit is the popular conditioning system that has been utilised by BJ Penn, Chuck Liddell, and many other MMA fighters