BULLETPROOF TRAINING
Conor Harris
BS, CSCS, XPS, CES, CPT
DISCLAIMER
This eBook is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as a
means of injury diagnosis or treatment. If you are in pain, go see a
qualified physical therapist.
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the eBook. This is designed exclusively for trainees who
like to lift heavy.
Almost everything most gym go-ers do is bilateral, symmetrical
stance activities. This means the body is doing the same thing on both
sides of the body at the same time.
This is an effective strategy for producing maximum output, but much
of human movement is meant to be alternating, reciprocating
movement.
One side of the body is doing one thing while the opposite side is
doing the inverse. That is what we were created to do (think gait).
But there isn’t anything “bad” about doing lots of heavy bilateral
lifting, so long as you can get out of the positions you are training in.
The problem with most lifters I work with is that they become stuck in
those positions, which makes sense because the body adapts to the
demands placed on it.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE OFTEN MISSING
The goal of being strong is to stay as tight as humanely possible and
create as much tension as you can to lift the most amount of weight.
As I mentioned above, the body adapts to the demands placed on it.
This is why there is the stereotype of gym bros being "tight".
In my experience, most people who train with a lot of heavy weights
present with this type of body:
Head pulled back
Shoulder blades pulled back
Pecs tight and trying to pull shoulders forward
Very tight lats
Stronger back extensors than abs
Can use their six-pack abs but struggle to use their obliques
Bigger & stronger quads relative to hamstrings
Because of all of these factors, we often see a limitation in shoulder,
hip, and ankle mobility. Their trunk also struggles to rotate as their
strategy for creating trunk stiffness in the gym has carried over to the
rest of their movement as well.
They tend to pull in air with their necks and it all goes forward into
their bellies rather than their ribcages (where the lungs actually are).
THE PURPOSE
This program is designed to help keep you healthy and functioning
well. You should leave the gym feeling good, not fearing how much
longer you can hold up before something inevitably happens. If you
can train harder and for longer without getting hurt, you’re giving
yourself a distinct advantage. In fact, it might be the best possible
advantage you can have (other than some juicy genetics).
The goal of this book is to help you avoid common injuries and pitfalls
of training of people who like to lift heavy weights frequently. This
includes immobility and/or injuries and irritation to the following
areas:
Neck
Shoulders
Back
Hips
Knees
The exercises are going to be heavily alternating in nature. Because
you're so used to using both sides of your body at the same time for
the same task, alternating activities are going to allow you to
compress one side while decompressing the other, all while allowing
you to provide a training stimulus. If you don't like single arm or
single leg work, tough it out. As a famous hitman says...
I still want you to train. I still want you to do what you enjoy. The
purpose of this is to keep you healthy and/or help you stay healthier
than you have been in the past.
HOW TO USE THE EBOOK
Follow the eBook exactly as written. If you half-ass it and then come
to me saying it isn’t working, I’m not going to be very receptive. This
program will help you if you follow it diligently. Every single exercise
is chosen for a very specific reason. Each exercise is providing a
specific input into your body that another exercise in the program
may not be. This will be best used during the offseason phase of your
program, and if you're a Powerlifter, immediately following a
competition or more than 8 weeks out from a competition.
As you approach competition (meaning you're within ~8 weeks of
one), it’s important to put all time, resources, and energy into getting
as specific as you can with your lifts. If you are close to a competition,
still use the Daily Drills and Warm-Ups, but replace the accessory
exercises with whatever you need.
There are a few different types of exercises in the book:
Daily Drills: These are to be done every day of your life. They should
be completed for at least 3 sets of 5 full breath cycles (described
later) per day.
Chances are very high you have been training your body like this for a
couple of years or more. It takes consistent input every day into your
body to convince it to accept new positions and hold them over time.
The most optimum way to do these would be a few sets in the
morning and a few sets at night. I tell all of my clients “the ball is in
your court for how quickly you will see results”. If you do less,
you’ll see slower results. If you do more, you’ll probably see faster
results.
Warm-Ups: These drills are to be done before you train. My best
recommendation is to do one set each of the Daily Drills, followed by
two sets of the given amount of reps for each warm-up activity
before you train.
Accessory Exercises: These exercises are designed to be accessory,
or tertiary exercises for the session. Most Powerlifting programs
have a primary and secondary lift/block, and then some isolated
accessory work. Replace your accessory work with these drills,
respective to each day. The amounts of sets you do depends on
what your current volume allows for. Aim for at least 3 of each per
training session. The accessory exercises that use load are meant to
be done at 60-75% 1RM and not to be pushed beyond RPE 9.
ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL
Let’s now get a starting assessment for where you’re at right now. The goal
of these assessments are to provide you an objective process for knowing
you’re getting better. You should be able to test yourself and then re-test in
a week and see objective improvements. If you aren’t, then you’re either not
following it correctly or you need a more individualized approach.
The goal is not to pass all of the tests initially. If you are, I guarantee you’re
trying to force your way through them. We want get a baseline and see
improvements over time. Please do not try to force your way into a “good”
test result at first. Most people will have asymmetrical test results and
that's to be expected. There is an example of the desired range of motion at
the end of each video example of the assessments.
Be sure to film and keep these so you can reference them later to see
progress.
I would also encourage you to take visual posture photos of yourself from
the front, back, and side to see yourself progress with your posture as well.
Shoulder Flexion: This is assessing your shoulder blades’ ability to fully
rotate on your ribcage.
End Goal: 140-160 degrees
Shoulder Internal Rotation: This is assessing how tight your pecs are and
how restricted the front side of your ribcage is.
End Goal: 60-70 degrees
Shoulder External Rotation: This is assessing how tight your muscles
between your shoulder blades are and how restricted the backside of your
ribcage is.
End Goal: 90 degrees
Shoulder Adduction: This is assessing how tight your upper ribcage is (on
both the front and back).
End Goal: 30+ degrees
Active Hip Flexion: This is assessing your ability to go through external
rotation in your hip and leg.
End Goal: 110-120 degrees
Active Straight Leg Raise: This is assessing your ability to internally rotate
your hips and leg.
End Goal: 70-80 degrees
Trunk Rotation: This one is obvious.
End Goal: Shoulder to mid-line of body (90 degrees)
ASYMMETRICAL RESULTS
You will notice that each side of your body will have different percieved
limitations and range of motion.
In the program, there are a couple of exercises that are only done on one
side or with a specific reach on one side.
That is because the human body is naturally asymmetrical, and that is a fact.
I have a full in-depth webinar here on why that is and how I utilize the
principles of Posutral Resotration Institute (PRI) to help guide my training
lens. If you're human, you're asymmetrical. Follow the exercises exactly as
described and you'll see good thigns happen.
To summarize, our right side tends to be biased towards more "weightbearing" and our left side more "propulsion".
That is why you are doing exercises (more in Phase 2) to help you "get in" to
your left side and "push out" of your right.
I have a detailed webinar here if you want more info.
EXPLANATION OF
EXERCISE SELECTION
It's first important to realize that your shoulder blade (scapula) rests on
your back ribcage. It needs to glide smoothly in order for your humerus (arm
bone) to be able to effectively move and rotate.
Ribcage position = Scapular mobility = Shoulder mobility
The point is, it all starts with the ribcage first.
The primary motion that affects the ribcage on a daily basis is the ability to
move it through breathing and respiration. When we inhale, the diaphragm
contracts and helps expand the ribcage in every direction.
This circumfrential expansion is the foundation of shoulder health and has
(in my opinion) been under-appreciated for a long time.
If we do not breathe well, we will push air into the easiest place possible,
since air is a gas that follows the path of least resistance.
A variety of compensations can happen if we do not breathe well, but this is
one of the most common examples:
We have a large cavity in our back ribcage called the Posterior Mediastinum.
This needs to expand when we inhale.
If it does not due to compression of the back ribs, air will go primarily
forward into our belly. When this occurs, it is because the low and/or
upper back muscles are too tight and restricting this expansion.
This is often coupled with Anterior Pelvic Tilt, in which our weight is
more forward on our toes and the back is arched excessively.
If our back is arched too much, then the scapula, which is a natrually
rounded structure, will be compressed against the back ribs and unable
to move. It will be quite difficult to get your arm overhead if your
scapula is pinned against your ribs. I have an example video on this here.
If you want a verbal and visual walkthrough of this concept with a
skeletal model, I have a video here.
That is just one example, yet a common one in baseball athletes.
Hopefully you can see that just because this is an arm-care program, we
have to respect all aspects of the body. Nothing acts in isolation.
HOW TO BREATHE
Daily Drills: Relaxed, full exhales through your mouth. The longer and more
relaxed, the better. Many athletes use their six-pack (rectus) abs more than
their obliques, yet our obliques are what drive proper respiration.
Therefore, I want you to be able to feel your obliques and not your six-pack
when you exhale. Think "jelly-belly" as if your stomach was a jelly-filled
donut. The obliques should come on because you're exhaling, not because
you're bracing. If you don't feel them, you're not exhaling long enough (not to
be interpreted as hard enough). Period. A general guideline is 5 second
exhales and 5 second inhales. Here is a video with a walkthrough.
Accessory Exercises: Unless otherwise noted in the videos, inhale through
the nose throughout the eccentric (loading) part of the movement and
exhale through your mouth throughout the concentric (exploding) part of
the movement.
THE PROGRAM
Now, let's move on to the program. This eBook is broken up into two main
phases, each lasting four weeks.
The idea is that the second phase will build upon the first as you gain access
to new range of motion. I have strategically selected exercises in the first
phase I've found to work best in athletes who are new to these types of
exercises.
Once you gain competency after the first four weeks, the second phase will
help you not only maintain the movement capabilities you've gained, but
help build upon them so that you can further improve.
I will first describe the Daily Drills and Warm-Ups in detail. You should be
able to execute them and see some degree of improvement in the given
range of motion immediately after. It should also "feel" easier. Don't expect
miracles, but do expect improvement.
You are always more than welcome to send me a video of you executing the
exercises. I am fully aware some of these are not as easy as they look and I'm
more than happy to help you.
PHASE 1: WEEKS 1-4
ACCESSORY EXERCISES TO BE DONE AT 60-75% 1RM
DAILY DRILLS
REPS
90/90 Side Plank
5 breaths/side
Doorframe Lat Stretch
5 breaths/side
Supine Cross-Connects
5 breaths/side
WARM-UPS
REPS
Screwdriver Arm Bar with Right
5 breaths with
Arm Reach
right leg & arm
extended only
Split Stance Respiration Chops
SQUAT ACCESSORIES
Front Heel Elevated Split Squat
5 breaths/side
REPS
10-15/side
& Contralateral Load
Single Arm & Leg Zercher
Squat w/ Trunk Rotation
10-15/side
PHASE 1: WEEKS 1-4
ACCESSORY EXERCISES TO BE DONE AT 60-75% 1RM
DEADLIFT ACCESSORIES
Rear Heel Elevated Single Leg
REPS
10-15/side
Deadlift
Lateral Hinge with Heel
10-15/side
Elevation
BENCH ACCESSORIES
REPS
Short-Seated Landmine Press
10-12/side
Split Stance Alternating Cable
10-15/side
High-to-Low Press
ROW ACCESSORIES
REPS
Short-Seated Alternating Row
10-15/side
Chest Supported Alternating
10-15/side
Row
PHASE 1: WEEKS 1-4
ACCESSORY EXERCISES TO BE DONE AT 60-75% 1RM
BICEPS
Single Arm Respiratory
REPS
10-12/side
Preacher Curl
TRICEPS
Supine Inverted Alternating
REPS
10-12/side
Triceps Extension
CORE
REPS
Cable Lateral Hinge Chops
10-12/side
90/90 Copenhagen Plank
8-10
breaths/side
KB Front Rack Single Arm Carry
30 second/side
PHASE 2: WEEKS 5-8
ACCESSORY EXERCISES TO BE DONE AT 60-75% 1RM
DAILY DRILLS
REPS
Rolling Arm Bar in Hip Extension
5 breaths/side
Crab Position Breathing
5 breaths
Prone Right Hip Propulsion
5 breaths (right
leg back only)
WARM-UPS
REPS
Jefferson Split Squats
15/side
Lateral Hinge Respiration
6 breaths/side
Chops
SQUAT ACCESSORIES
Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
REPS
10-15
with Hip Shift
(Left foot forward only)
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
with Ipsilateral Load
(Right foot forward only)
10-15
PHASE 2: WEEKS 5-8
ACCESSORY EXERCISES TO BE DONE AT 60-75% 1RM
DEADLIFT ACCESSORIES
Staggered-Stance Deadlift
REPS
10-15/side
with Rear Toe Elevation
Lateral Hinge with Heel
10-15/side
Elevation
BENCH ACCESSORIES
REPS
Split Stance Landmine Press
10-12/side
Offset Push-Up
10-15/side
ROW ACCESSORIES
Split-Stance Alternating Cable
REPS
10-15/side
Row
DB 1-Arm Row - Humeral
8-10/side
Extension Foused
BICEPS
Step-Out Supination Curl
REPS
10-15/side
PHASE 2: WEEKS 5-8
ACCESSORY EXERCISES TO BE DONE AT 60-75% 1RM
TRICEPS
Pronation Triceps Pushdown
CORE
REPS
10-15/side
REPS
Side Plank Cross-Connects
10-20/side
Sidelying Adductor Hip Lift
10-12/side
Suitcase Carry
30 seconds per
side
THE PHASES
This program is broken up into two phases.
Phase 1 is designed to reduce tone globally in your body. As a Powerlifter
you have taught your lats, quads, hip flexors, low back extensors, etc, to all
provide you stability and become chronically shortened.
In order to get the smaller muscles to work underneath the surface (like the
rotator cuff), we need to inhibit and reduce chronic tone in the bigger
muscles closer to the surface like the lats:
We accomplish this by facilitating the recuruitment of obliques, hamstrings,
and promoting expansion of your ribcage which will help bring your pelvis
and ribcage back to a more "neutral state".
In Phase 2, we will work on restoring your natural underlying asymmetries
that tend to get excessively asymmetrical when there is a lot of bilateral
lifting volume in a program.
We will also continue to promote alternating, unilateral movement to
ensure you're leaving the gym feeling mobile. We also will progress some
variations of the exercises so they are more specific to heavy lifting and
what you would expect to do in accessory movements.
EXAMPLE TRAINING DAY:
LOWER PUSH/UPPER PULL
(PHASE 1)
WARM-UP
SETS X REPS
1.) 90/90 Side Plank
1x5 ea
2.) Doorframe Lat Stretch
1x5 ea
3.) Supine Cross-Connects
1x5 ea
4.) Supine Arm Bar with Right Arm
2x5
Reach
5.) Split Stance Banded Respiration
2x10 ea
Chops
PRIMARY BLOCK
SETS X REPS
Back Squat
Specific to you
SECONDARY BLOCK
SETS X REPS
Hack Squat
Specific to you
Barbell Row
ACCESSORY BLOCK
SETS X REPS
Front Heel Elevated Split Squat
3x12 each
Split Stance Alternating Single Arm
3x12 each
Row
EXAMPLE TRAINING DAY:
HYPERTROPHY CHEST
(PHASE 1)
WARM-UP
SETS X REPS
1.) 90/90 Side Plank
1x5 ea
2.) Hooklying Bridge
1x5
3.) Supine Cross-Connects
1x5 ea
4.) Supine Arm Bar with Right Arm
2x5
Reach
5.) Split Stance Banded Respiration
2x10 ea
Chops
PRIMARY BLOCK
SETS X REPS
Bench Press
Specific to you
SECONDARY BLOCK
SETS X REPS
Incline Bench
Specific to you
High to Low Cable Press
3x12 each
ACCESSORY BLOCK
SETS X REPS
Supine-Inverted Triceps Extension
3x12 each
Cable Lateral Hinge Chops
3x12 each
EXAMPLE TRAINING DAY:
DEADLIFT/PULL (PHASE 2)
WARM-UP
SETS X REPS
1.) Rolling Arm Bar
1x10 ea
2.) Crab Position Breathing
1x5
3.) Prone Right Propulsion
1x5
4.) Jefferson Split Squats
2x12
5.) Inchworm Crawls
2x8 ea
PRIMARY BLOCK
SETS X REPS
Barbell Deadlift
Specific to you
SECONDARY BLOCK
SETS X REPS
RDL
Specific to you
Chest-Supported Row
Specific to you
ACCESSORY BLOCK
SETS X REPS
Lateral Hinge with Heel Elevation
3x12 each
Landmine Bent-Over Row
3x12 each
Ending Notes
I hope you've enjoyed the book and I am excited to see you progress!
Be sure to measure your progress objectively and consistently.
I recommend you do a full assessment each week on the same day, without
having done a Daily Drill within 4+ hours. That will tell you how much your
body is adapting and maintaining your new range of motion.
Remember, if you want feedback on exercise form, I am here for you. If you
took the time and resources to buy this eBook, I am invested in your success.
What I am not here for is to diagnose injuries or help you with specific
injuries. If you are in pain, see a qualified physical therapist.
I am more than happy to help with anything related to the execution of this
eBook, but not beyond the scope of it.
You can reach me at:
@conor_harris_ on Instagram or Twitter
conor@thepinnacleperformance.com