Paleo Magazine – August-September 2019

134 August/September 2019

ROTATIONAL DEADLIFT

Along the lines of the bent press,

the rotational deadlift is an upper

trunk rotation with a hip hinging

movement. It may seem similar to

the bent press, but it is much less

complex and loaded differently.

While this difference makes it easier

to complete, you can also add a bit

more to the load to increase intensity.

movement continued

[ 1 ] To start, use a barbell (ideally)—or dumbbells, kettlebells, a sandbag, or

a small child. If using a barbell, load a comfortable amount of weight and

start standing perpendicular to (side towards) the bar. A common error,

this step is important for set-up.

[ 2 ] When you go to grab the bar, rotate your upper trunk as much as possible.

Make sure not to let the knees follow. Your lower half is still perpendicular and

your shoulders are now parallel to the bar while you are hinged at the hips.

[ 3 ;HRLUV[PJLVM`V\YWVZ[\YLK\YPUN[OLSPM[VɈ(Z`V\W\SSPM[OL^LPNO[

is too heavy, your knees may want to cave and get out of that position.

Lower the load if you can’t maintain.

[ 4 ] As you lift, let the bar come to center (at the chest) naturally and use

the momentum to continue to the other side, hinging forward as it does.

When the bar is now perpendicular to your stance on the other side, let it

touch down on the ground.

[ 5 ] -\SS`\USVHKHUKYLWLH[;OPZL_LYJPZLPZU»[HZWLLKTV]LTLU[·JVU[YVSP[

GRIP TRAINING

Grip strength is a significant indicator of
health and longevity. In the days of old-time
strongmen, you could catch them bending
horseshoes or nails and tearing apart sheets,
packs of cards, tennis balls, or whatever else
they could get their big paws on.
When training grip, you want to create
balance. You want to vary the type of grip

and also take time for adequate rest. Lastly,
make sure to work hand and finger mobility
by extending and stretching the fingers and
wrist or by using hand expanders.
A few great movements for grip that
can benefit everybody and should be
implemented regularly are:

/HUNPUNMYVTHIHY

:PUNSLHYTOHUNPUNVYZ^PUNPUNMYVT

a bar (brachiation)

Pull-ups and pull-up holds

-HYTLYJHYYPLZ

Lifting heavy things with varied grip

thicknesses

Pinch grip

ODD OBJECT LIFTS

This activity is another favorite of mine: lifting weirdly shaped,

heavy things. A ton of focus and thought is involved in trying to get

that heavy oblong object with no real place to grip it off the ground.

By the time you succeed, it’s been a good 5 minutes of constant work,

and you’re gassed and didn’t even realize it was happening. You can do

this anywhere. It’s pretty simple: find any object and try lifting it. It can

be a pot with a plant in it, a slippery rock in the river, a table, or even a

living object like a friend or an English Mastiff (just make sure they don’t

bite or punch you.)

Try the lift with a hinge, a squat, or even a kyphotic (rounded) posture—

or try all three. Sometimes a rounded thoracic is necessary—you should

be strong in that position anyway. Check out the Atlas Stone Lift by the

World’s Strongest MenTM and see what their backs look like. Play with the

movement, be safe, don’t go in too cold, and know your limits.

While the old-time strongmen may not have gotten it all right, they got

a lot right when it came to smart strength training. We have lost some of

their insights, in an age where fear of movement is more common than not,

and we need to reclaim our strength. Try any or all of these movements,

start slow, and enjoy the intricacies of each movement. Once you master it,

load it up as heavy as you can!

RYAN CARROLL IS A HOLISTIC LIFEST YLE COACH, OLYMPIC

WEIGHTLIFTING COACH, NUTR ITION COACH, AND

PERSONAL TR AINER. HE’S ALSO THE LEAD GUIDE/TR AINER

FOR PALEO MAGAZINE RETREATS.