Ranking Every Exercise From WORST To BEST! - Ft. Jeff Nippard

Summary

In this video, fitness expert Jeff Nippard critiques and ranks popular exercises, demonstrating how to optimize each for maximum effectiveness. Starting with deadlifts and moving through various exercises like pull-downs, rows, and bench presses, Jeff provides detailed tips and corrections to elevate form and efficiency. He emphasizes the importance of eccentric control, partial reps, and proper muscle engagement. The video concludes with a free, science-based workout program designed by Jeff, covering a comprehensive three-day split of pull, leg, and push exercises to achieve optimal muscle growth and strength.

Takeaways

• 💪 Jeff Nippard ranks popular exercises from worst to best and offers expert tips.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Deadlifts are highlighted for their effectiveness in training multiple lower body muscles.
• 📉 Eccentric control is crucial for maximizing the benefits of exercises like the lat pulldown.
• ⚡ Partial reps can be effective if controlled properly, extending the set for better muscle engagement.
• 🔝 With proper form and tweaks, exercises like the lat pulldown can be elevated from B tier to S tier.
• 🔧 Adjusting the grip and using straps can improve exercise performance and mind-muscle connection.
• 🏆 Progressive overload and proper form can help achieve S tier status for exercises.
• 🧠 Understanding muscle mechanics, like the role of the mid and lower traps, can enhance exercise effectiveness.
• 🏃‍♂️ The stretch and range of motion are key factors in determining the effectiveness of exercises.
• 📊 Science-based modifications, such as adjusting the bench angle, can significantly increase muscle activation and growth.

Q & A

Who is Jeff Nippard?

Jeff Nippard is YouTube's most popular science-based lifter.

What is the purpose of the video?

The purpose of the video is to rank the most popular exercises from worst to best and to provide insights on how to improve workout techniques.

What are the main muscles targeted by the deadlift?

The deadlift primarily targets the hamstrings, glutes, and quads.

What is the key to improving the lat pull down exercise according to Jeff?

The key to improving the lat pull down is controlling the eccentric (negative) phase and extending the set with partial reps after failing to bring the bar to the chest.

Why does Jeff recommend using straps for lat pull downs?

Jeff recommends using straps because they can help prevent grip fatigue and improve the mind-muscle connection with the lats.

What exercise does Jeff suggest after lat pull downs for midback focus?

Jeff suggests doing a chest-supported row with an extended set using horizontal shrugs for midback focus.

What is Jeff's recommendation for a comprehensive pull day workout?

Jeff's comprehensive pull day workout includes the lat pull down, chest-supported row, crossbody lat pull around, and deficit Pendlay row.

Why does Jeff recommend a reverse cable fly for rear delts?

Jeff recommends a reverse cable fly because it effectively targets the rear delts when done with proper range of motion and control.

What is Jeff's critique of the alternating dumbbell curl for biceps?

Jeff critiques the alternating dumbbell curl for not providing enough tension on the biceps during the most important position and suggests doing it on a preacher curl or using a cable for better results.

How does Jeff suggest modifying leg press to avoid redundant volume?

Jeff suggests focusing on exercises that hit muscles from different angles rather than repeating similar movements like the leg press immediately after squats.

What are the benefits of leaning back more during leg extensions?

Leaning back more during leg extensions increases the stretch on the rectus femoris, leading to better muscle growth.

How does Jeff propose setting up for optimal hamstring curls?

Jeff proposes setting the seat far forward and leaning slightly forward to maximize the stretch on the hamstrings during hamstring curls.

What is Jeff's view on the importance of contraction versus stretch in muscle growth?

Jeff believes that while contraction is important, the stretch phase is more crucial for muscle growth based on recent research.

How does Jeff recommend setting up for a cable fly?

Jeff recommends doing the cable fly seated, with the cables positioned to allow a significant stretch at the beginning of the movement.

Why does Jeff not prioritize the overhead press in a shoulder workout?

Jeff does not prioritize the overhead press because the front delts are already heavily worked during chest exercises. He prefers focusing on lateral raises for shoulder development.

What is Jeff's preferred triceps exercise setup?

Jeff prefers setting up the triceps pushdown by staggering the stance and ensuring a full stretch before the contraction for optimal effectiveness.

Outlines

00:00

🏋️‍♂️ Evaluating Workout Techniques with Jeff Nippard

In this paragraph, the host engages with Jeff Nippard, a popular science-based fitness influencer, to critique and rank popular exercises. They start with deadlifts but switch to pull-downs, discussing the importance of eccentric control and partial reps to maximize muscle engagement. Jeff provides form tips for better lat activation and suggests using straps or a false grip for enhanced performance. The host is playful, questioning Jeff's coaching and form ranking, ending with a tease for a free program from Jeff.

05:01

💪 Advanced Back Exercise Techniques and Tier Ranking

The paragraph delves into advanced back exercises, starting with a critique of the pull-down form and moving on to exercises like chest-supported rows and extended sets with kelo shrugs. Jeff emphasizes the importance of mid-trap engagement and introduces a unique 'crossbody lat pull around' for lat stretching. The host and Jeff discuss the effectiveness of various exercises, ranking them from B to S-tier, with the goal of refining movements for maximum muscle activation.

10:02

🏋️‍♂️ Leg Day: Optimizing Exercise Selection and Form

This segment focuses on leg exercises, starting with a discussion about common leg day routines and their sufficiency. Jeff argues against exercises with limited range of motion and loading capacity. They critique the barbell back squat form, emphasizing the importance of setup, grip width, and depth. Jeff advocates for the use of belts to increase intra-abdominal pressure and improve lift quality. The paragraph highlights the technical aspects of squatting and the importance of proper form for muscle growth.

15:03

🧘‍♂️ Hamstring and Glute Focus with Smith Machine Good Mornings

The host learns to perform Smith machine good mornings from Jeff, focusing on hamstring and glute activation. Jeff explains the importance of the stretch in the hamstrings and maintaining a neutral lower back. The exercise is discussed in terms of its simplicity and effectiveness, with tips to maximize the stretch and engagement of the targeted muscles. The paragraph ends with a discussion on the importance of muscle tension over the type of equipment used.

20:04

🤸‍♂️ Advanced Leg Exercises and Their Impact on Muscle Growth

This paragraph explores advanced leg exercises, including the reverse Nordic curl and lying leg curl, emphasizing the benefits of longer muscle lengths and proper stretching. Jeff explains how to perform these exercises effectively, focusing on form and the importance of control throughout the range of motion. The discussion includes the role of muscle tension in muscle growth and the benefits of certain machines like the prime curl.

25:05

💪 Chest and Triceps Training: Focusing on Technique and Tension

The final paragraph of the script discusses chest and triceps exercises. Jeff critiques the barbell bench press form, emphasizing the importance of leg drive and energy transfer for maximum strength. They then move on to cable flies and triceps exercises, focusing on stretch, tension, and the importance of controlling the weight throughout the movement. Jeff provides tips to improve form and increase muscle engagement, aiming for an S-tier exercise performance.

30:06

📝 Wrapping Up with a Free Customized Workout Program

In the concluding segment, Jeff unknowingly writes a free workout program for the audience while correcting and improving the host's form on various exercises. The paragraph highlights the importance of proper exercise selection and execution for optimal muscle growth and strength gains. The host thanks Jeff for his contribution and encourages the audience to implement the provided exercises and download the macro factor app for a personalized coaching experience.

Keywords

💡Deadlift

A compound exercise that primarily targets the lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and quads. In the video, it is mentioned as a foundational exercise for leg and back training. The discussion centers around its importance for building lower body strength and its effectiveness compared to other exercises.

💡Eccentric Control

Refers to controlling the movement when a muscle lengthens under tension. The video emphasizes the importance of maintaining control during the negative phase of exercises like the lat pulldown to maximize muscle engagement and growth. Jeff critiques the lack of eccentric control in Jesse's form and provides tips for improvement.

💡Partial Reps

A technique involving performing reps through a limited range of motion, typically used after reaching failure in full range reps. In the context of the video, Jeff suggests using partial reps on exercises like lat pulldowns to continue stimulating the muscle after full reps become too challenging.

💡Midback Focused Exercise

Exercises that primarily target the middle portion of the back, such as rows. The video discusses different exercises that can emphasize midback engagement, like the chest-supported row, and their ranking based on effectiveness and muscle activation.

💡Stretch

Refers to the elongation of a muscle during exercise. The video highlights the importance of achieving a deep stretch, especially in exercises like the crossbody lat pull-around, to maximize muscle activation and growth. Jeff explains how a greater stretch can enhance the effectiveness of an exercise.

💡Mind-Muscle Connection

The focus and awareness of the muscle being worked during an exercise. The video suggests that using techniques like a false grip can help improve the mind-muscle connection, particularly for targeting the lats during pull exercises. This concept is emphasized throughout the video to enhance exercise performance.

💡S Tier

A ranking used in the video to classify exercises as superior or highly effective. The 'S tier' signifies exercises that are optimal for muscle growth and strength. Jeff uses this tier to evaluate and suggest improvements for various exercises, aiming to elevate their status to the highest level of effectiveness.

💡Range of Motion

The distance a muscle or joint moves during an exercise. The video frequently discusses the importance of maximizing the range of motion, such as going deeper in a row or a stretch, to enhance muscle engagement and growth. Proper range of motion is crucial for achieving optimal exercise benefits.

💡Intensity Technique

Methods used to increase the difficulty and effectiveness of an exercise set, often after reaching initial fatigue. The video introduces techniques like adding partial reps or extending the set to push beyond normal limits, ensuring continued muscle stimulation and growth despite fatigue.

💡Progressive Overload

A training principle that involves gradually increasing the weight or difficulty of an exercise to continuously challenge the muscles. Jeff emphasizes this principle when discussing how to move exercises up to the 'S tier,' ensuring that muscles are consistently being pushed to adapt and grow.

Highlights

Jeff Nippard critiques common exercises and provides science-based advice for improvement.

Deadlifts are effective for lower body musculature but may not be the best starting point for everyone.

Pull downs are recommended for midback and lat exercises, with a focus on controlled eccentric movement.

The importance of completing full ranges of motion, including partial reps, is emphasized for muscle activation.

Sam Solit's approach to extending sets with partial reps is highlighted as effective.

Proper form and technique are crucial, even when lifting heavy weights.

The use of straps and false grip in pull-downs can enhance mind-muscle connection.

Chest-supported rows with an extended set and Kelo shrug are suggested for midback focus.

The value of engaging mid traps during exercises is discussed, with tips for proper technique.

Crossbody lat pull-around is introduced as a unique exercise for lat stretch and engagement.

Deficit pen lay row is recommended for increased lat stretch and better control.

Reverse cable fly is praised for its effectiveness in targeting rear delts.

Barbell back squats are confirmed as an S-tier exercise for building muscle, with tips for execution.

The role of tension and range of motion in exercise effectiveness is explained.

Smith machine good mornings are suggested for targeting hamstrings and glutes with proper form.

The importance of not skipping calf exercises and making them unskippable is discussed.

Barbell bench press is confirmed as an S-tier exercise, with advice on form and execution.

Cable fly is recommended for chest isolation, with a focus on stretch and tension.

Lateral raises are chosen over overhead press for shoulder exercises in a bodybuilding program.

Triceps exercises are analyzed, with an emphasis on stretch and control for effectiveness.

The video concludes with a promise of a free program based on the discussed exercises and principles.

Transcripts

this exercise is a complete waste of

time what sorry that's Jeff nippard

YouTube's most popular science-based

lifter and I asked him to tell me

everything I do wrong in my workout so

today I'll be ranking the most popular

exercises from worst to best starting

with P day let's go so we're obviously

going to start off with deadlifts today

should be nice and easy a leg exercise a

back exercise the deadlift is going to

train hamstrings glutes quite a bit of

quads but think about how much

musculature of the lower body you're

Coleman says deadlift for that's true

okay deadlift it is no just kidding

let's start with pull down pull down

that's a better exercise for the midback

and La it's better in the sense that

it's not going to also really tax your

lower body all right jack okay you want

me just to do it yeah don't try to make

it look pretty for me well first I got

to you know eego lift it

naturally lift how you normally would I

think this is how I Norm don't try to be

bad on purpose like you obvious wait

okay so there's a couple things the most

obvious thing is Ecentric control so

what you want to do is think about your

lats pulling apart on the negative it

doesn't have to be slow but it does have

to be controlled the negative is more

important than the positive so why are

you putting in less effort on the

negative that's a great question okay

the next thing it's a very common thing

where people actually stop the set too

early because of the strength curve of

the lats you could probably bang out

another at least five or six partial

reps after you can't get the bar down to

your chest the point of partial rep is

not to just throw the weight around and

do this okay so whatever control you had

on your normal reps you want to maintain

that on the partial reps you're just not

going quite as far down one of the

things that I think Sam Sul got really

right is on the pull Downs after he

can't get the bar to his chest he'll

continue to extend the set with long

length partial rep so Sam solic is

basically a science based lifter now

he's the best so first let me just ask

you this before I hit the set yeah what

would you on a tier list where would you

put lap hold Downs with my current Form

B oh it's B yeah it's not terrible

you're still going to activate your lats

you're still going to grow your lats but

you're not going to get the most out of

this exercise that you can with those

two tweaks that I mentioned you can

bring it to ask here talk me through it

okay so you do want to be vertical at

the top because you'll get a nice big

stretch on your lat and then as you lean

back it's actually okay to sway a little

bit but I'd say no more than like 15 to

20° but yes so again control in your so

the weight is too heavy Jesse is it

really because you're already not

getting it down to your chest right so

like out the gate you're kind of already

failing a little got to lift dude let's

just go back a little bit when you lift

are you thinking about every one of

these cues or is it natural to you it's

natural to me but at first you have to

think about it okay yeah that's perfect

Jesse good one more all the way good now

control and now you're going to do the

partials all right good and control on

theal good you got more control on the

partial and control more let's go Jesse

keep it

tight one more

partial and control control control good

job oh my God that took all of my energy

s tier s tier we made it so just the

little cues they really add up though I

mean I'm sure you feel your lats

engaging so much better you have to yeah

cuz they are we engaging better you want

to touch it I do that's some Natty lats

right there do you believe I'm Natty I I

do I believe you you're an idiot no I'm

just kidding I'm kidding I'm kidding I

am natural guys is there any other way

to improve the lap pull down at all or

like for what we did and what my goals

are with this is that like that's the

top tier I'll get there are two two

slightly more advanced we could bring

you to stier plus one would be to use

straps I notice on your partials you

were starting to lose your g a little

bit the other thing you can do is

actually take a false grip so a suicide

grip when you take a full grip your

forearms can't help but Flex a lot and

that's not a big deal but it can take

away some of the Mind muscle connection

going to your lap Jeff is writing me a

program that I'm going to give to you

guys at the end of this video he

actually has no idea because I told him

to coach me today but I'm really just

building you guys a free program so

subscribe and wait till the end of the

video what's next let me know what your

thoughts are on this but the I think we

should do a close grip so this is where

context comes into play if you're doing

it as a lat focused row I think you can

make it s tier with a few modifications

to your point since we already really

hit the laps really hard on the pull

down I think we just want to do a

midback focused exercise next and so in

the context of a midback focused

exercise it might be something like B

tier I would probably do something like

a chest supported row that goes into an

extended set with a Kelo shrug have you

ever done that before whatever that was

let's do it okay let's do that you know

what Jesse yeah this is not bad not bad

it's pretty good it's not bad I'm going

to give you a b again though so here's

how we're going to take it to S I want

you to feel your traps your mid traps so

when people hear traps they think here

but I'm sure as you know the traps run

all the way down here the mid traps are

responsible for squeezing the upper

traps are responsible for shrugging and

then the lower traps are responsible for

this this kind of stuff what we want to

do is really focus on squeezing your mid

traps together so you were doing that

well what you didn't do quite as well is

pull them apart on the negative oh so

allow yourself to really round over the

pth feel that stretch in your mid trap

and then get that full squeeze up at the

top that's going to get you to a tier if

you want to get to S tier after you

can't get it all the way up you can

actually still do a lot more work with

your back if you weren't to do a full

row so all you're going to do is kind of

a horizontal shrug so you're going to

shrug like this have you ever seen that

before I I don't think I've ever seen

that exercise in my life okay so I want

you to try so the first thing is a

deeper stretch and now once you get to

the point where you can't get that full

squeeze you're going to lock your elbows

okay and you're going to shrug back good

what the heck and now you can probably

get another six or seven reps here

that's six or seven reps of mid- trap

stimulus that you just wouldn't have

gotten pause and up good okay now you're

done and you didn't control the last one

so you got

A+ no but that's okay I'm trying to get

the S tier now I would only do that on

your last set cuz if you were to do that

from set one like you just wouldn't get

nearly as many reps but if you do it on

your last set that's an intensity Tech

Techni to get the most out of the sets

that you do when in doubt micro pump it

out there you go that's what it was up

next we have Jeff's pick that's whatever

you think is s plus plus I can give you

a s+ that's more strength and

compounding or more hypertrophy and

special like me my mom said that this is

called a crossbody lat pull around it'll

look gimmicky and it is a little bit but

it works science based it's indirectly

based on science in the sense that it

will maximize the stretch on your lats

if you were going to stretch your lats

you wouldn't just like lift your arm

here which is where you get on a pull

down okay you think about the lat fibers

they wrap around your back like this so

you would do exactly like you're doing

now you would stretch across your body

if I pull from here I'm getting so much

more of a lat stretch than I am just

right here but when you do a pull down

your arms never get to this point

because they'd have to cross over it

feel really awkward I feel like I would

do this when I when I would stretch out

exactly so that's what you're doing

except under low so you're going to

kneel down you're going to get this big

stretch here you be a to see and then

you're just going to drive your elbow

down now a lot of people do these facing

front on which is also which is also

fine once you turn this way all of a

sudden you're going to feel a big

stretch coming into your legp good

that's really good Jesse all right

you're on S tier you did there we go

good job it's important for like total

development to not just do the fancy

stuff like sometimes you just do need to

do the basics so I do want to show you a

way that I modify a more basic exercise

so this is a deficit pen lay row so what

you're going to do is maintain a really

flat back angle stand on a bumper plate

and run control a little better good why

are you standing on a bumper plate I

feel like I could have told you to do

anything cuz I'm under

5'11 that's good but no why else uh

increase the stretch on my lats yes good

there you go that's already s tier plus

you're nailing these what would we swap

for this the pull down the chest

supported row or the uh cross body laat

pull

around what does it res supported row

yeah exactly okay make that school right

now yeah good job bro let's go we've got

four back exercises for our poll day

that we can use in our special free

program that Jeff is building for us see

for once for once you can get to S tier

without my help I really want you to try

on this one okay so we're going to do I

got this a reverse cable fly for the

rear delts Go reverse is my favorite

position oh wait so I have to set it up

too right you have to do everything oh

I'm getting quizzed right now the

pressure is on 60 seconds starting now

[Music]

s tier Jessie nothing

less okay ready

[Music]

yes B what the hell I'm going to give

you a tier on that bro you didn't quite

get as far back as you could though like

you stopped around here whereas you'll

get a stronger rear delt contraction if

you go to here see how how hard they are

that's gnarly it's very hard I would

just like to see a little bit more range

of

motion good man your back looks great

man thank you so so this was the other

thing you shouldn't be thinking about

pulling yep you're thinking about

sweeping okay the way Dr Mike explained

this to me is you imagine that there's a

pile of money on the floor and whatever

you can reach with your hands is how

much money you get to keep okay so you

want to reach out rather than exactly so

you do this instead of this that's me at

the

clubs now we go so put it to

work good Jesse that's so much better

man great rep I've ever felt on yeah

that's so much

better good

and put it back control good job s TI my

man you were naturally really good at

these though that's me at the

clubs now we go this is your best one

yet but you still weren't at stier were

you no hopefully you can get there I'm

going to bring Dr Mike and he's going to

see if you're stier or not fair enough

why does he get to decide he's the only

one that could fair enough fair enough

you can't decide for yourself that's

true that's true finally time for biceps

the most popular exercise of all biceps

alternating dumbbell curl so Jeff you

got to let me know how am I looking well

you're looking s tier but your exercise

selection is C or B tier really yeah

let's find something better what's wrong

with this well a couple things where's

your bicep stretched right here yeah

boom right there and when they're

holding the dumbbells there how much

tension is on your biceps like none I

guess literally none because you're yeah

gravity is just pointing straight down

and the dumbbell is exactly in line with

your elbow joint there's no tension on

the bicep in the most important position

now will dumbbell curls grow your biceps

well clearly I mean you know they will

work but I think there might be a better

option that could get you up to s here

if you like the dumbbells here's how you

can make it more effective do it on a

pre-ra curl and the more horizontal the

pre-ra curl angle the better actually

but this is the best way to do it with a

dumbbell in my opinion do you want to

see the best way to do it period please

okay let's go to the cabl we're going to

step forward until we get that deep

stretch in the bicep and then we're

going to curl forward from there simple

this is a really nice variation if you

can do it okay if I can do it what do

you think I am let's see it oh he might

be there the one thing he gets to s TI

gate it is tier now this is great Jesse

when it comes to training your biceps

how many exercises should you do the

biceps are like I mean small relative to

say the quad the glutes the hamstring

the hamstrings unless they're a really

big weak point and you're just trying to

blast them with volume which is fine I

think for the you know the average

intermediate level lifter two exercises

for biceps is plent bro I mean the

what's your leg day going to be like my

leg day yeah I'm excited to see that

you'll find out tomorrow

so to recap we came here so Jeff can

show us how to train with science what

he doesn't know is that he is making us

the best science-based program that

you're going to get for free we're doing

a 3-day split that consists of pull day

legs and push day one day is written

only two more days to go ladies and

gentlemen welcome to leg day now my leg

day I already know it's s TI cuz cuz

look at these quads that is that is fair

oh okay when it comes to legs I feel

like we all can agree that we're going

to squat we're going to leg press we're

going to leg extension if you're feeling

frisky maybe you'll do hand iies but

like I feel like that's the the main

thing that everyone will do do you think

that that is sufficient no there wasn't

enough hamstrings and I think it was

redundant on quads what makes an

exercise automatically F tier if an

exercise you can't take it through a big

range of motion if it doesn't have a big

stretch if you can't load it with

resistance to apply high tension to the

muscle and if it's not really stable so

bosu ball squats I knew

automatic and then exercises that you

can't load well so like a lot of these

like you know oh banded uh

and this sort of thing like they can

have their place but like you have to do

so many reps to get close to failure

that I'm just going to put it in after

okay okay that makes sense all right

let's hit these squats and hopefully

they're not effed TI I was just going to

say like I'm really impressed that

you're going to a barbell back squat

that's what we do yeah come on a lot of

people shy away from the hard stuff I I

like the I like a free weight back squat

ah yeah you need a little weight yeah

maybe stop at 315 yeah yeah are belts

approved belts actually don't reduce

core activation and increase on the

quads so there's really no reason not to

use do you think people are just as

strong without a belt is it Placebo no

it's definitely not Placebo it increases

intraabdominal pressure which will

prevent tension from leaking out in all

sorts of places we don't need no leakage

no good job yeah you're now you're not

at a working weight yet anyone can make

a warm-up set look good that's true now

I want you to focus that's something I

noticed that you weren't really doing

well with your warm-up set you're kind

of just going in and it's like muscle

memory for you I want you to actually

Focus take your time make sure that the

bar is lined up make sure you got the

plates on you even make sure your grip

width is even take a few breaths get in

the zone and execute the

lift there you

go set it

up nice efficient unrack two or three

steps back get the feet even big breath

hit depth and up good job let's do five

reps two let's go Jesse three good

control four and one more Jesse

you got

it beautiful technique and WRA good job

wow woo where do you think you are I

feel like that was an a I think you're

an S no way would you say that squat

bench and deadlift are s tier for

building muscle no I think the squat is

I think the deadlift isn't because you

don't get a really big range of motion

the bench press well we'll get to that

on push day we'll see if you can get S

tier on that one I hope typically next

in a workout for legs most people are

going to do leg press are we doing like

press no if I was to do like press next

where would it be tiered I think that

you start to risk running into junk

volume territory and so I would have to

put it in in this context maybe C tier

it's still good but it's like you're

loading up all these plates on the leg

press to do basically the same thing you

just did like why not why not tax it in

a different way hit it from a different

angle yeah pretty much yeah what are we

doing Jeff so we just hammered the quads

and glutes with this next we're going to

do hamstrings and glutes and so I've got

two options for you one is more boring

and basic one is more sexy and

interesting you know which one one I

really want but I know which one I

should pick well not necessarily so the

more boring and basic one is just a

barbell Romanian dead so show me how you

do that so you generally only need to go

to about mid Shin level here really yeah

that should be a good stretch on your

hamstrings if you're maintaining a

neutral lower back and you're not

bending your knees which you're not okay

so that's good put it back in okay

that's what she said so that's called a

hip hinge type movement but it's going

to fatigue your grip a little bit and

people find it to be a bit much

especially like beginners if they did a

barbell back squat so let's go look at a

Smith machine good morning have you done

these before Jesse I have I've toyed

with them a little you to with them so

today you're going to learn how to do

them so it may feel like a really short

range of motion and it kind of is but as

long as you're getting a good stretch in

your hamstrings which for me is about

here that's it that's it and actually as

I do more warmup sets I'll get a little

deeper right okay

good probably like right there yeah

that's great yeah you get really deep

man that's great I mean the the the

deeper you can get the better I'm biting

my tongue Jeff biting my tongue you want

to feel your hamstrings short shortening

and lengthening so they're lengthening

on the stretch they're shortening on the

contraction and you should be thinking

about using them to move the weight not

your lower back so what are the cues to

make this an stier exercise you want to

think about pushing your butt back with

relatively straight knees until you feel

about a 7 out of 10 stretch so a 10 out

of 10 stretch starts to feel really

painful you want about a 7 out of 10

stretch and then you think about

squeezing your hamstrings to lift

yourself back up and that's it it's a

simple exercise it's kind of hard to

mess up especially on the Smith machine

but it's very effective what's also hard

to mess up and is really effective is

using an app like macro Factor

has been verified so you can trust it

completely it smart coaching feature

will give you science-based

recommendations to make sure that you

hit your goal we'll also give you weekly

updates to your Macros just like a

nutrition coach would I think the best

thing about macro factor is that it is a

coach for a tiny fraction of the cost of

an actual online post all you have to do

is track your food the app will take

care of the rest you'll reach your goal

As Long as You Follow the plan the app

uses your weight and nutrition data to

offer a personalized energy expenditure

estimate Mac profactor offers a truly

premium experience you do have to pay

for it but we'll never serve you ads

sell your data or violate your privacy

Jeff actually helped develop the science

behind this app and as he is a smart guy

I trust him and the app so I encourage

you to go download it and try it out for

yourself you can download it on the app

store Google Play or

2 3 4 5 6 now based on what I've taught

you so far which one is the best option

I have some guesses that one looks

pretty good that one looks decent this

looks too new I don't know I feel like

new new equipment is like little too

good okay let's put some money on this

bro how confident are you all right 50

bucks I want to say this one but I you

owe me 50 bucks bro come

on is it this one this I freaking knew

it and it's this one because if you look

at the angle of this pad especially if

we adjust the setting here you see how

deep you can get I know it's kind of

tricky cuz it it wasn't on the right

setting but you should have seen this

knob right here you should have known I

think it is the best because it actually

goes under the seat the pad does and

that'll allow you to get a way bigger

stretch on the quads if I was going to

pick a second one this is a Hammer

Strength leg extension this would be my

second pick and this one more people

will have access to cuz the prime is

kind of rare but it is an incredible

piece would you say certain machines are

just better for building muscle then no

the muscle knows tension okay that's it

it doesn't know if you're using a freee

or you're using a machine if you can

elicit high tension in the muscle it's

going to grow I want you to show me how

you would do this yes again now you're

getting smarter throughout the course of

this video so you might be like picking

up on things but I want you to do it how

you would normally god dude okay so it's

going to check the box range of motion

check tension check deep stretch check

capacity for Progressive overload

absolutely check yeah so it's a great

exercise right oh my God this is really

like so right now the way you're doing

this I'm going to put you an a tier do

you want to get to S tier of course I

want to get to S tier why do you think

I'm here you think I'm here for the sole

purpose of making you write me a program

for free no what so now you're an S tier

and it's because you lean back more do

you know why so I'm thinking I'm on S

tier right now because the hips are like

are lengthened more thus making more

stretch on the quad exactly so the quads

have four heads all four heads cross the

knee joint which means they do knee

extension which is this yes one head

called the rectus Fus it also crosses

the hip joint and so it flexes the hips

kind of like you would in a a hanging

leg ra but if it's flexed here that

means it's not stretched there so if you

set the seat back you're going to get a

bigger stretch on the rectus Fus and

this year in fact there was a study that

compared the upright seat position where

you were originally to a laid back seat

position and in that rectus fous head

saw

170% more growth with the subject seated

back in case you guys do not have this

machine at your gym it's a good thing we

have Jeff's pick what do we got this is

a reverse Nordic okay so with a Nordic

you're pinning your ankles down yep and

you're coming forward it's a hamstring

exercise right okay a reverse Nordic is

the reverse of that you go backwards you

go backwards now look at the stretch on

my and then you pull yourself up and you

use the band for a little bit of

assistance my gosh are your knees okay

100% man now obviously if you feel pain

then then don't do it and only go as far

as you're comfortable so I want you to I

want God now that's even a better

stretch than the prime curl but I want

you to widen your heels just a little

bit here so you can get all the way back

feel a

deep and pull yourself up good job

dude oh my God that might be one of the

hardest uh Aqua exercises you've done

hey that was

crazy good control oh my knee cracked

hold up that's okay cracking is is fine

I watched you do it I was like that's

easy it's so diff

dude write it into the program Jeff what

program the like just like if you were

to oh in my next program in your next

program yeah yeah yeah yeah definitely

not like a program I'm just going to

give to people you say something no

you're good you can put the band back

guys we're like 66% through this program

I Promise You by the end of the video

you're going to have the best program in

the

world best program in the

world so next I would typically myself

and along with a lot of people a popular

exercise to do would be a lying leg curl

so we're going to hop on this machine

and we're going to do you're going to

not a tier okay s tier we have around 10

studies showing longer muscle lengths is

better than shorter muscle lengths and

we have around five studies showing that

longer muscle lengths beats full range

of motion about 80% of the time so on

this one you want to do the opposite

right I mean you want to be as far

forward as you can yes because then

you're going to get more stretch in your

hamstring so you want the seat to be as

far forward as it can comfortably go

this is like everything I don't do oh

and then try lean forward that will

stretch the hamstrings a little bit more

as long as you're maintaining that

neutral lower back if you're just

rounding your lower back it's not doing

anything if you kind of tuck your pelvis

like if if you kind of think about like

twerking your your butt out oh yeah

handing tight and now pull yourself

slightly forward now you've got maximum

[Music]

stretch

good let's push these Jesse control on

the last few are the Reps toward the

beginning of the set or the end of a set

more anabolic the end exactly so why

would you rush the ones at the end I

don't know cuz it's painful exactly you

shouldn't do that good job holy crap

that made the largest difference s tier

plus confirm yes so you want to skip

calves I'd love to SK that's putting you

in automatic F tier I want to make the

calf work as easy as possible as

unskippable as possible and so for that

I find a lot of people just like to sit

down so sit down in a leg press and do

tow presses the most common mistake that

most people make here is going all the

way up onto their toes it's actually not

needed you'll actually see less growth

that way than if you just kind of rock

on the balls of your feet and stop here

is it true that calves are all genetic

tell me the truth they're they're

heavily genetic and they are heavily

genetic because of the insertion point

so if you have higher inserting calves

it's going to be harder to get them to

develop but you can offset that by

wearing high socks and doing

these I'm doing these so that's good but

I got low

socks day two is finished only one more

day to go all right day three we're

doing chest shoulders and triceps today

what do you think is my best muscle

um I know I'm clothed right now I think

I'd say chest and quads big push guy the

mirror muscles my man so we're going to

start off with the most common exercise

something that destroys every Monday

barbell bench

press yes oh I was like bro you're have

to tell me we set this up for no reason

the bench press is a s tier strength and

hypertrophy movement got it I happen to

think that strength also matters for

hypertrophy so I think you can make the

bench press an S tier exercise some

people might argue that the dumbells are

a better flat press option because you

can get a deeper stretch I would say

that might be true if it were the only

exercise you were going to do but we're

going to do another exercise for the PC

that will get it stretched so for this

one we're going to focus on overload

we're going to do a lower rep range

something around four to eight reps go

nice and heavy and focus on pressing the

weight and with that said we're going to

focus on external cues so we're going to

focus on your elbow position we're going

to focus on your setup on the bench and

things like that as opposed to I'm going

to feel my chest working this way or

that way this a heavy compound exercise

you want to execute it in a 3D context

you're thinking about how your body is

moving in space so let's do that let's

do this let me just say I can bench 405

really

no time to up the dose what' I tell you

oh yeah not on camera not on camera

let's go to two plates and then I'm

going to get I'm going to be as strict

as I humanly possibly can as if you're a

world class bench pressor and I'm trying

to find tune all right as if I am I

think it's really valuable for people to

understand like the perfect form because

I know that with bench press correct me

if I'm wrong form can add a lot of

weight to the bar it's incredibly

technical small form changes could be

the difference in a 225 bench and a 315

bench wow it's kind of like the Sumo

deadlift in that way yeah but this

counts

R you're impressed I'm going to give you

s tier bro I let go I just have to

there's a couple things I can do to get

you to S tier plus if you want to listen

I'm all ears man it seems to be that

you're driving through your heels you

actually want to drive through your toes

on the bench and you want to think about

pushing your back down and

back really nice I saw that motion in

your feet you're really driving properly

now what the biggest thing that I felt

was the travel of energy from tow to bar

that's it that's what you want the bench

press can be thought of as a total body

movement because your legs should be

involved if you're going for maximum

strength

nice wow that was easy s tier plus good

leg Drive perfect J nail my man I think

you could bench 405 really I mean with

the right training and so on oh my gosh

I think you've got it in you that's our

next video road to 405 all right what's

next if I personally was working out

right now I'd go hit an incline dumbbell

incline dumbbell what bench press so I

think that's a little bit redundant

actually I think next what we want to do

is isolate the pack so I'm assuming a

fly exactly cable fly I like a cable fly

let's okay let's do it let's go so how

would you do a cable

fly do it knowing what I know now it's

day three I have to stretch it and I

want the tension on the stretch man

you're good you've been listening oh

yeah I'm going to take these off so we

can play with the balls you can never

forget the

balls all right this is my final

submission I feel like now what you're

trying to do is you're trying to over

scientifi it a little bit and it's like

it just doesn't look natural to me

you're trying too hard now okay does

this feel good to you does it feel fine

it feels fine it feels good okay in that

in that case I think it's fine I'm still

going to put you in a tier cuz there's a

couple things I would do differently for

one you didn't quite get far enough in

front of the cable to get a really nice

stretch you were kind of just like a

normal stretch here and then you were

really focusing on the contraction which

is the less anabolic part of the range

of motion the other thing I would do to

get you up to S here is I would actually

do these seated you're going to walk out

around and now look at the stretch like

look at how much of a stretch I have

compared to what you had in that first

attempt so now from here I'm going to

bring the cables forward you also did

this thing where you pointed your thumbs

forward you will get a bit more

shortening of the PEC that way you will

get a bit of a stronger contraction

you're right but I'm not so big on the

contraction these days because we've got

so much research now showing that the

stretch is more important if the

contraction doesn't matter as much can

we just not do it that's actually a

really good question you're at The

Cutting Edge now so some scientists

would actually say no to that question I

wouldn't because I don't think we have

enough studies on enough muscles but

there's enough for me to confidently say

that the stretch is more important on

average for most exercises but I still

don't want to completely throw out the

contraction it feels absolutely amazing

100% the biggest thing I'm noticing is

how much tension there is right here

right there that's the key that's the

key yeah amazing yeah you did it you did

it you're in s tier let's move

on for a very optimal and science-based

and like proper chest day would you be

finished with two of these exercises yes

really you start to see the effects of

volume taper off at around 8 to 10 sets

per week as you go beyond that it's

basically junk volume like you can do it

but you'll be much better off

fine-tuning your Technique controlling

the negative more and pushing the sets

harder in like 99% of cases now that's

assuming you're doing two push days a

week that would give you 12 sets as an

intermediate to advanced level lifter

that's exactly where you want to be

shoulders what are you picking for

shoulders I want to do side raises and

an overhead press I really like the side

raises I'm not convinced you need an

overhead press and the reason for that

is the front delts just got smoked on

the bench press and they also got some

work on that fly I think it's a good

idea to include it from a general

strength standpoint a shoulder Health

standpoint and all that kind of stuff

but if we're building a bodybuilding

program I like the lateral raise Choice

better so why don't we go do that and

then what I would recommend for you is

on your other push day do either High

incline press so you get some double

over or you could throw in like a

shoulder press on that day all right

Jeff judge my form mhm

I'm going to put you D tier bro let's

first get you up to a tier with a simple

fix control the weight better stop it's

you got your quads hit yesterday so you

got a nice upright posture tall chest

Weep the dumbbells out perfect and

control now we're talking I might have

to go lighter good job so now you're up

to like b or a tier Now give me this

dumbbell and uh we're going to do like a

partner trust challenge you're going to

lean into me now if you hold the

dumbbell up just a little bit you've got

all and now do a fly well you kind of

you might have to go a little lighter

but do you see how much more tension you

got in that stretch position yeah so if

you want to be even more locked in you

could do these uh like on an incline

bench but like this or like this

whatever helps you feel braced I do this

oh should I come here you get more

stretch that way good job good thinking

see you're ahead of me now yeah that's

actually I think good for shoulders

honestly I would do I would do like four

sets there if you can execute those sets

hard

with a good resistance profile you only

need three or four set that is crazy if

you're using sloppy form you're not

controlling the negative you have to

compensate some way so you can

compensate with doing more sets your

workouts will take two or 3 hours

instead of 1 hour wow next up triceps

tell me how to do it Jeff well I want to

see you do it a damn it I thought I was

going to get you there I really

did all right fair enough where am I

at look at you controlling the negative

I know I've learned so much is that deep

Jeff it is you feel it I like it yeah me

too okay okay good job oh damn it I was

so close so the way I actually like to

set up these so I even go a little

higher still this is just like pointless

wasted energy and it's like your

obliques have to work to get the weight

up and it's like you just can't go heavy

enough whereas if you if you duck under

here and then just stand up it's it's

like a eighth of a squat right and now

you're in position I like to take a

staggered stance you'll be really stable

that way not out here so you're not like

really flared yeah and if you're really

tucked it might torque your wrists a

little bit so something around like

maybe 30 to 40° is good if I get this

the program is written what

program guys after this exercise the

program will be written I'll give with

you for free don't you worry all right

Jesse so you don't need to get on your

knees I'm used to that my bad okay so

we're here stand up there you go stagger

yeah yeah yeah Big Stretch good

now we're

talking a got you I'm going slow good

job I almost got you there bro man now

you have an S tier exercise for every

body part that's good dude all these

exercises I'm going to be implementing

and giving them a shot you guys can

Implement them as well with your brand

new free program thank you Jeff for

writing this program he had no idea but

you just wrote everybody a free program

in return you guys can go download macro

factor or subscribe to us we're both we

like both but do not forget stay

Relentless peace