I have been very happy to receive a number of questions on the topic of exercise variation and modifications. Many people are making a simple error, and I am hoping some new videos will smooth that out.
The starting point here is that I believe making modifications to your current selection of movements is one of the top 3 things you can do to make better progress.
The critical point – you will do better to change the exercise to the specifics of YOUR BODY.
Last week I shared some videos of some advanced pinch techniques found in Industrial Strength Grip Vol 2 such as pinch tapping, and using the internally rotated shoulder position. Now in this video I am demonstrating postural changes. Please note the changes you see here are the ones specific to my body.
The staggered stance is something which tests consistently well for me, likely due to its contra specific relationship to my wrestling and shooting stances. Internal rotation of the hip likely connected to almost 7 years of doing swings/snatches with kettlebells (which i do not do now…the externally rotated position, still do snatches) the spine positioning connected to the injury I sustained in 2002.
It may seem complicated, but I have shortened this testing sequence in to a very friendly format in the 2012 Smarter Strength E-Course. How useful is it to experiment with this?
I have feedback from clients who added over 100 lbs to their barbell deadlift in less than 150 days doing this. The list could on and on here. Many of the readers of this page could tell you their personal success story (anyone want to post one?) on the many achievements they have made by turning away from conventional ideas on stance and technique.
Ill post one later tonight.