Start at the Bottom
By Haydn Ellis, founder of Brutal Training

Since filming the ‘100 Push Ups’ movie and listening to all the flack we got from it I spent some time considering how to ensure exercises are done with a full range of motion. As much as I have been guilty of this also, I regularly see arm flapping instead of push-ups and bum thrusts instead of squats. The solution to maximum gains in the fastest time, rather than trying to force yourself to go ‘deep’ with an exercise, was to start instead at the bottom of the motion.

Push Ups

When building up your capacity to do push-ups you can simply lie down on the ground face down. Then, push-up as high as your arm length will let you and then lie back down again. I have had a lot of success with people new to training using this method. As you get stronger assume a position 1 inch above the ground without any of your body touching the ground except hands and feet. A rep comprises moving up and then down again to this start position.

This has helped improve my strength during a full range of motion with push-ups. I am now able to perform 45 reps on the front two knuckles of each hand, touching my chest on the ground with each rep. I have long arms so it’s quite a feat.

Deep Squats

The start position here is in a full deep squat position. For those of you that can’t maintain your balance due to lack of flexibility, allow your heels to come off the ground. You may also want to hold onto something to maintain balance until you develop the flexibility to perform deep squats. The start position is when your calves are touching your hamstrings and your and your back is straight.

From there, stand up and return quickly to the bottom again for a rep to be finished. Once you have the strength to perform 30 reps try squat jumping for 10 reps. This time you jump from the start position and land back at the start position. It is important you don’t land on straight legs and then squat back down again although your legs will be screaming for the relief that comes with straightening them. Rest ‘at the bottom’ between reps with legs bent.

Burpees

The starting position here is the same as for the push-up. Hold yourself just off the ground. Then push-up, legs in and squat jump as high as you can, finishing the rep at the bottom of the push-up motion.

Sit Ups

Just to clarify, a full sit up comprises the following. Legs bent to 90 degrees. Hands on head and hands ‘stay on your head’ throughout the motion. Bum ‘stays on the ground’ during a rep. Feet ‘stay on the ground’ during a rep. The way we do it when starting at the bottom is to lean back until your back is about 1 inch from the ground. A rep constitutes going up and then returning to this spot.

The principle of ‘starting at the bottom’ is very useful in developing the strength to perform a full range of motion with your exercises. When you return to orthodox reps you will be able to ‘go deeper’ and perform more reps. You can apply this principle to a vast array of exercises. Use your imagination. These are just some of the basics with body weight exercise examples. Of course weighted exercises are no different. You can start at the bottom of a bench press or leg press. Imagine even starting at the top (head above the bar) when performing weighted chins. The possibilities are endless.

Get out there, get creative and spread the insanity,

H