Home Blog Quick and Easy Ways to Feel and Move Better: Installment 51 (Set-Up Edition)

Quick and Easy Ways to Feel and Move Better: Installment 51 (Set-Up Edition)

Written on September 9, 2013 at 10:49 am, by Eric Cressey

Today's guest post comes from CP Coach, Greg Robins.

Since this website first launched, Eric has gone to great lengths to focus on coaching cues you can use to fine-tune your technique on a number of strength exercises.  If you check out his YouTube page, you’ll be greeted with hundreds of videos, many with thorough instructions on now only the “how,” but also the why.

With that said, when I’m working with lifters in person, I always find myself stressing the “little” things to them. In reality, these “little” tips are a really BIG deal. They’re not something taught in the typical exercise science curriculum, nor are they something that crosses the mind of someone who hasn’t taught hundreds of people how to do an exercise. In fact, even people who have spent decades in the gym tend to pass over these sorts of things because they have just become second nature to them.

Taking the time to teach someone these things will set them up for continued success, as well as keep them from having to learn many small lessons the “hard way.”

The number one thing I stress to lifters is to not overlook the set-up. It’s imperative that lifters know how to get in place for an exercise before actually demonstrating the movement. I will usually reference the following phrase:

“Hard start, easy finish”

I’m not sure where I heard this phrase originally, but it has stuck with me for many years. It is obviously applicable to more than lifting weights, and a solid reminder that the harder we work at the start, the smoother the sailing thereafter.

In terms of exercise technique, the more stock you put into your set-up, the better your form and performance will be thereafter.

If you are a coach, MAKE IT A POINT to teach people where to set the pins on the squat rack, how to position the body, their feet, the bar, the weights, etc.  These small tips will make an enormous difference in shortening the learning curve and making exercises more effective as well as safer.

Below, I’ll discuss and demonstrate five set-up points for different lifts. These tips should help out with your own efforts in the gym, as well as with those you may be instructing.

1. Watch your foot position on Bulgarian split squats.

2. Make sure the pins are set correctly to allow you to “get tight” on back squats.

3. Teach the hip thrust from the finish position.

4. Don’t butcher the feet-elevated inverted row set-up.

5. Avoid these common rotary stability set-up mistakes.

Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter and receive a four-part video series on how to deadlift!

Name
Email

9 Responses to “Quick and Easy Ways to Feel and Move Better: Installment 51 (Set-Up Edition)”

  1. Scott Steltz Says:

    Great tips today. short and to the point. keep up the great work

  2. Shane"Aussie" McLean Says:

    Great stuff Greg. Really like the chalk trick.

  3. Chris A Says:

    Greg,
    You are a gentleman and a scholar, thank you for your info!

  4. Brian Sabo Says:

    Greg,
    Great tips! Simple but highly effective, especially for my high schoolers. Keep them coming! Thanks

  5. Emily Says:

    Short, sweet, and clear. Good tips.

  6. Eric Cressey Says:

    Thanks, everyone!

  7. santiago Says:

    what is the model for your cable colum?

    looks amazing

  8. Eric Cressey Says:

    Santiago,

    Paramount.

  9. Dag-Are Halland Says:

    This sorts of tips is great information. I bet your could make a product of it’s own with just couching cues on exercises! I know I would buy it.
    1. Make a database of exercises with couching cues.
    2. Add on couching cues and exercises once in a while (once a month perhaps).
    3. Success!


LEARN HOW TO DEADLIFT
  • Avoid the most common deadlifting mistakes
  • 9 - minute instructional video
  • 3 part follow up series