Dean Somerset, Author at T NATION

The 5 Best Exercises in History

Dean Somerset — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000

The Best Exercises: Historical Standards An exercise had to fit two criteria to make this list: It had to be an exercise conceivably done thousands of years ago in one form or another. It had to be an exercise done by multiple cultures around the world, independent of each other and throughout generations. Here are

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Tip: 4 Strongman-Style Exercises You Need

Dean Somerset — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 16:00:00 +0000

Loaded carries are the missing element in many training programs. Add one of the variations below to your weekly plan and watch your overall strength and conditioning skyrocket. But first, a few rules on form: Spinal position should never deviate from neutral. If you can't maintain a stable spine without uncontrolled flexion and extension, decrease

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Tip: Hip Mobility Montage

Dean Somerset — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 18:15:00 +0000

The role of active mobility is to train the body to use the range of motion in the most effective way possible so that the likelihood of maintaining this new range is higher than simply rolling in to the gym at peak hour, squatting heavy, high fiving everyone in the gym and then going home.

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Tip: Improve Your Squat Mobility

Dean Somerset — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 17:15:00 +0000

Let's say your upper back is like a rusty hinge and can't get into position to hold the bar properly. This can lead to some neck, shoulder, and upper back pain when trying to squat. The best corrective strategy is to fix the squat itself to improve the mobility and strength being affected. Focus on

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Tip: Control Your Squat

Dean Somerset — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 20:15:00 +0000

High squat mobility, poor control. This is more common in females, but also in males who've played sports that demand extra mobility as a kid, or who have a lot of congenital joint laxity. For these people, they need to focus on trying to control the movement more, which means slowing down and thinking about

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Tip: The 2-Barbell Farmer's Walk

Dean Somerset — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 17:15:00 +0000

A recent surge in popularity has brought different strongman training methods into mainstream facilities. While this is largely a good thing, it also requires an understanding of what the heck these exercises actually do. McGill (2009) showed that the lats are very important for a lot of the carrying events such as the farmers walk

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Tip: One-Arm Cable Row

Dean Somerset — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 17:15:00 +0000

Based on work by Fenwick, et al (2009) out of Dr. Stuart McGill's lab, two of the best variations for developing the lats are the inverted row and the one-arm cable row (shown here), and not the bentover row. This may be because the bentover position requires more bracing for the lumbar spine, or the

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Tip: You're Doing Lateral Raises Wrong

Dean Somerset — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 11:00:00 +0000

Full vs. Effective Range of Motion When it comes to training shoulders, it's important to understand that full range of motion and effective range of motion aren't the same. Take the lateral dumbbell raise. Full range of motion would involve bringing the weights all the way up so that the back of your hands almost

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Tip: Warm Up Your Joints. Here's How.

Dean Somerset — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 15:00:00 +0000

As part of your warm-up, create some active range of motion. Using an active versus passive stretch before a workout allows you to gradually increase the working temperature of the muscles and joints, and works on mechanically pumping fluid through your muscles, joints, cardiovascular system, and the often-forgotten lymphatic system. A joint-specific active warm-up targets

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Tip: Deadlift Daily to Get Stronger

Dean Somerset — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 12:00:00 +0000

A deadlift isn't merely an expression of absolute strength, but a skill-based movement that takes considerable practice to hone and refine. As such, it's a movement that can be performed daily in order to keep that pattern sharp. It can be in a max or near-max modality, a lower intensity version done for a much

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