Hands down IMO your most complete and best episode to date. Young lifters should make this video a repeat watch.Tons of practical and very useful knowledge passed on here. On a side note, as a former professional boxer and current pro bodybuilder the jump rope has tremendous carry over.
Heavy deadlifts doubles and singles followed by .75 body weight (if applicable) lat pull downs. I’ve never felt such a strong pump in my back I think this combo should be programmed way more
Winner! Winner! Winner! Please email ann@mindpumpmedia.com with this episode number, a screenshot of your TH-cam username, and we will get you hooked up
Favourite combo for sure is Netflix and Chill, second to it is the Sissy Squat and Nordic Hamstring Curl. Hits my entire leg and requires little to no equipment, can be done at home or on the go. Nothing beats a Supinated Row and Weighted Pull up either, take the weight off and you literally feel like you float over the bar. Amazing episode, great comment section here to with heaps of cool new things to try and add. Much love.
I love a DB squat with an overhead press. Why? - I do strength training in the park with people aged from 20 - 75. This combo knows no boundaries. I can start people with no weight for both and just have people press their arms up overhead and squat with no weight. Perfect for beginners and I can progress them with these easily while correcting their form and working on mobility for their lower body and upper body. Imagine getting a 75 year old and they can now get off the ground without using anything to pull themselves up. All because we started with basics and progressed over time. I love my job!!
To be a bit more creative and not just say a compound lift combo, I'd say hip thrusts since it hits gluts and hamstrings, also I'm the only dude in the whole gym doing them and idk how anyone can skip an excersize that helps with walking (doing these I noticed I walk with a natural stride as opposed to my stiff as a board movement before, family mentioned it and I can feel it) second: in-place lunges with weight because your gunna feel your quads and calves and I personally feel like it's a good end of workout excersize because you need to focus on the movement and by the second set regardless you feel it, I also like it since its an easy to do calisthenic if you can't get weights
My favorite combo is easily the barbell bench press and kettlebell chest fly. Everyone knows the bench, but the chest was always a trouble area for me. I recently purchased the Chest Mod to plug into Anabolic in hopes to finally grow my chest. I didn’t want to add too much volume as I’m recovering from a rough upper respiratory infection, so I just chose to follow my bench with kettlebell flys to add some difficulty, and man, you guys are amazing with the details in your programming. I felt a real pump across my chest, delt to delt for the first time
Incline bench press followed by barbell row. Insane pump, clothes feel nice and snug afterwards. I call it the invisible hug pump - a nice feeling for the singletons out there!
On days when my lower back needs a break from the barbell I love a sled push and kettlebell swing combo. It seems to be one of those combos where you really get to test and experience your athletic and explosive capabilities from the hips down
I’m 52,so I need every advantage I can get.For me,it’s a dumbell squat to a shoulder press.I call it the tin man,gets me loosened up and adds strength.Sprinkle a little mind pump and your good
Well my favorite combo isn’t for a single body part but it’s more of a full body finisher that I use to facilitate hypertrophy across the whole body. The two exercises I combine are heavy trap bar Farmers Carries and light to medium weight sled pushes. This combination really gets me a crazy full body pump at the end of my workouts, and it gets my heart rate up there since I’m not doing a lot of cardio right now. Let me know what you guys think about adding this to the end of MAPS Anabolic sessions. Great episode guys!
I love to start my workouts with a superset of pushups and bent over dumbbell rows. I'm still learning, but I feel like this gets my entire upper body involved.
Big fan of doing a Chest Compound, then a Pull Over, then a Back Compound. Pull Over is a great cross over exercise between the two. Feels like it hits all of the “inbetween” muscles.
Well into my third year of gym. First year I did purely machines 3 times a week as was intimidated to mix with "the big boys" (not long cancer free so was incredibly skinny but with a pot belly). 2nd year, full body 3 times a week mostly with free weights. Third year I moved up to 6 days a week bro split. But only recorded progress for the last 4 months. I am literally here now trying to work out how to combine 2 muscle groups a session, 6 days a week so I hit everything twice. And here's the only thing I actually know that I want: I do not want to do triceps and chest on the same day. EVER! I've tried experimenting and I know for a fact that if I do chest first- my triceps only perform half as well and vice versa. Chest and triceps are important to me for aesthetics. I don't want to sacrifice either.
Legs: *sprints and sled pushes* (very functional; box jumps, hill sprints, and goblet squats would be up there, too) Glutes: *single-leg Romanian deadlifts and hip thrusts* (sprints and squats are contenders, too) Shoulders: this is a toss-up; I'd say *OHP (dumbbell or barbell), push-press, or single DBOHP and either reverse flys or facepulls* Chest: *single-arm cable crossovers and probably incline bench press* (push-ups are a contender, but are a bit too easy) Back: *weighted pull-ups and rows* (though reverse flys for the upper back are another contender for sure) Biceps: *close-grip chin-ups and dumbbell curls* (spider curls, hammer curls, incline curls and BB curls are also high up there) Triceps: *weighted dips on rings and horizontal tricep extensions* (tricep push-ups and bodyweight extensions are also great) Core: *toes-to-bars and hanging around-the-worlds* (I agree with the boys; too hard for most people, but my personal favorites) Calves: *sprints and hops* (jump rope works, but I very rarely do it whereas I do hops fairly often, single-leg, too) Forearms: *farmer's carries and hanging*
Arm bicep combo: close grip chin up, superset with dumbbell curls, activates the muscles after 3 sets and can be followed up by either compounds or isolation moves or as to complete a workout
My favorite combination is hip thrust then squats because I activate my glutes and then feel a real good burn and squeeze when doing squats. I learned this from listening to MindPump!
My favorite is a push-up/inverted row combo. It was the first real strength movement that I learned; I love that it requires only my body (no extra weight) to be challenging- and it can be done almost anywhere! Thanks guys, for the awesome content, as usual!
Hey gentlemen, just wanted to thank you for all the great content you guys provide. I’m 35 years old and I have a very active 2 yr old daughter and my girlfriend is also expecting so I’ve been motivated on getting myself into better shape and just becoming a better person. I’m very excited to try the symmetry program, hopefully I can pick it up soon. God Bless you guys and please continue doing the lords work 🙏🏽
I am a big strongman fan and am currently training for my first competition. My favorite two exercise combo in training that feels really functional for the sport has been farmer’s walk(specifically with a low pick) and a squat. I start with farmers warming up with a lighter weight moving fast for short-medium distance dropping often to both get my heart rate up and get some volume work for my posterior chain with extra picks from that low height. More drops also helps in saving my grip for a heavier working weight. From there I work up to longer distances with a heavier weight. Something that not only tests my grip strength to hold on past short distance, but also a weight that starts to tax my posterior chain. I’m a big fan of farmers walks this way because it taxes nearly the whole body especially being the core, upper back, and grip at heavy weight as well as waking up my CNS. Then following up farmers with a squat, usually a high bar or front squat, pumps the quads and it trains for the most dominant lower body exercise in strongman being the atlas stones. This is combo is especially functional in that atlas stones is almost always the last event in competitions where you will have to perform while taxed from the previous events.
My favourite is barbell squats. In order to do it (and to do it properly) you need to have such a big combination of good mind muscle conection, a strong core and good mobility, and when you start to improve in squats, so many others start to improve aswell - Deadlifts, every leg press and even hiptrusts
My fave combo for a lower body session includes a superset of Hip Thrusts (8-12 reps) followed by DB RDLs (around 15 reps), the pump that I get from this combo is unreeeal 🔥This combo hits the Glutes/hamstrings back to back #gainsguaranteed. Another fave has to be a few reps of heavy KB swings before Deadlifting, this also fires up that posterior chain. Thank you guys for the awesome content🔝 I have learned a lot from this podcast especially now that I am studying to become a PT. You guys are goals 🚀
I'm a little late. Still playing catch up. I'm very simple. I was always told to keep it simple. Even when complex. I didn't read comments or anything so I don't know what others have put down. But hers one of mine I feel is pretty decent. I combine back and shoulders. For obvious reasons. All last sets until failure. Pull-ups/leg lifts warm up. First is a circuit, no rest to in between to start. Hex bar traps-4x15 last set until failure Regular traps-4x15 same Face pulls-4x12 Lat pull-down 4x12 Still leaves 3 sets.! Reverse fly, incline bench-4x15 Bench incline shrugs-4x16 Seated rows-4x12 Pull ups until failure. Second set of first 4, 1:30 resting between each. Second set of Second 4, 1:30 rest in between. Third set, same as first. Last set, same as Second. Only difference, Second and last set. I have 2 sets of overhead presses. 10 reps, hold for 30 seconds, 10 reps, hold for 30 seconds. 2 minutes rest, repeat. I finish with farmers carries as shrugs as well. That depends on how depleted I am on how long that takes. So, I'm roughly in the area of 46 to 50 minutes. And that took time to get down to that time. I don't want to spend years in the gym when I go. So I've been working on the time. I've actually added time to resting. But, I've went up in weight. This is all done with switches too. I'll replace certain things with arm raises, shoulder presses. Even decline push-ups. It would be nice to get some advice on whether or not I'm overdoing it. Other ideas on things to do. Also, this is all without any real lower back exercises as well. Strengthen as a whole right? I got my eating to a bigger degree, on the right path. I also haven't been going this hard for that long. I switched gyms, and I've seen more results in the last two months than ever before. Like I said, it would be nice to get some advice. Preferably an actual conversation. But, I understand you guys are busy. So here goes everything, or nothing. However it works out.
Great content as always 😊👍 My favourite exercise combo for Core is Pallof Press to Bird Dog. I like Pallof Press because it's a functional exercise, which helps me stabilize under a load. This exercise not only helps me perform athletic movements (read: sudden twists & turns, throw & catch a ball, sprint etc) without getting injured, but also teaches me to keep my core tight in loaded movements like the deadlift and back squats. After Pallof Press, I grab a mat and do Bird Dog. Since I do my Core training at the end of my workout, I directly start my static stretching on the mat itself post Bird Dog. I've noticed that doing Bird Dog helps me sit more comfortably on the chair for long hours in office. Also, sometimes I do Bird Dog in my office itself, which promotes better posture on chair. It doesn't hurt either that performing this core exercise requires no equipment & my table hides me from passers-by views too. My only concern is regarding my secretary, who sits diagonally opposite my cabin. She must be wondering why her boss keeps on dropping his pen behind his desk & seems to take an awfully long time to find it 🤔😀
Heavy leg extension paired with a quad focused (standing closer to the rear foot support to decrease knee angle) & lighter Bulgarian!! I love this combo because I get an INSANE quad pump and I have full control of my rear foot position because I'm using the fully adjustable leg Extension pad!! If i want to work on my endurance I sometimes will make the Bulgarian a drop set where I start w/ 2 dumbbells for 6 reps, drop one DB for 6 more then rep it out just body weight for 12 reps!! Good luck walking after that!!!! This combo has so many different possible formats and combinations it never gets old!!
ZERCHER SQUATS might be the most underrated squat variation out there💪 it's like a hybrid of both the deadlifts and the squats, because of the barbell position in where it's positioned in the middle of your body, you get your upper body is holding and pulling the barbell , yet at the same time you're squatting it.
For hamstrings I love Romanian deadlift to Jefferson curls. With the romanian deadlift you increase the max strength for the hamstring, than with the Jefferson curl you both work on mobility, as well as strengthen the hamstring throughout it's entire range of motion. Be carefull with this, dont go to heavy to quickly with the Jefferson curls and make sure you have great hamstring mobility first.
The concept of priming has been hugely impactful on my training. For example you guys had for Chest a press followed by a fly, this is traditional and not wrong. What ive noticed the most benefit from however is doing 1or2 sets of flys before pressing, therefore im going into the compound lift with an established connection to my chest. it allows me to contract properly without using to much front delt. After pressing I would go back to flys to finish off.
A great exercise for tibialis is to hang a bucket off top of foot ( can add some light weight), sit so bucket can hang off foot and perform foot raises. It helps to prevent shin splits by strengthening tibialis.
My favorite combo as of late has been moderately heavy Barbell Squats followed immediately by 2-3 explosive Bulgarian Split Squats (each leg). I get an incredible pump and love blending different forms of intensity
Even though I train calastenics you guys give so much good information what can carry over to my training you have really Brought me a long way and my favorite excercise combo has to be one arm rows into pull ups for sure and for chest I love do straight bar dips into deep press ups on parallel bars best pump the reason why is straightbar dips really hit the chest then the deep press ups on parallel bars challenge all pushing muscles get the best pump
I love your combo suggestions. Great stuff. I have one for the shoulders that you didn’t mention. Okay… first exercise is the overhead press. No argument from me, that’s for sure. However, I like to follow this up in the morning with roll brushing my hair… I’m telling you, roll brushing your own hair is no joke. Sal, I think you married a hair stylist. Just ask her. Roll brushing is one heck of a workout. It activates the lateral and rear delts, the triceps, forearms, even the upper traps. You guys have to try it… oh wait. Sorry. The prerequisite is to have hair. Sorry, guys.
I want to try a program really bad and I love strong man stuff and would love to give it a go! My combo I like is trap bar dead lifts with pause and shrug/ standing row.
I've always enjoyed wide grip pull ups, then going into a supinated barbell row. Sometimes to vary it I would go reverse. If I do the row first then I would do the pull ups with bands to provide some assistance. I've always enjoyed how it makes the back feel afterwards. Love the podcast gents! Keep up the great work.
Leg's finisher: heel elevated goblet squat & swiss ball leg curls. more functional than super setting leg extensions and curls. having the heel elevated helps me get a great pump in quads. swiss ball leg curl works the hams in both knee flexion and holding the hip extension. doing them after the goblets squats makes it quite challenging.
Love the conversation behind each combo....thanks for that! One of my favorite combos is a incline bench press with a cable fly....honestly simple reasoning is I like the upper chest strength/pump I gain with the incline bench press and the nice stretch I get on the fly.
My faves are front/back squats and deadlifts because it gets me the most gains in strength and physique, while the rest can be extra. I have MAPS anabolic currently and am looking forward to progressing with the MAPS program sequence.
My job requires me to bend over a lot, kneel, lift, and carry stuff multiple times a day and I just got MAPS Strong and want to know the best way to incorporate that program without running myself into the ground. I also work out after work and try to listen to my body on the intensity so sometimes I feel like Superman and other times I don’t feel too great while lifting.
Legs press with a weight I can fail in the 5-7 range (5 sets ) then unilateral leg press with a weight where I fail in the 10-12 range ( 5 sets) . I can get a mix training of heavy and lighter weight with this combo !
My Favorite Combo for Legs is Bulgarian Split Squat Good Mornings Weighted Dead Hangs Cause this will help build my Squat and Deadlift.Since I'm maximizing the stimulus and lessening the fatigue I can train much frequently and recover easily,the Bulgarian Split Squat together with Good Mornings will build stability and increase the strength output of my leg unilaterally that wilL carry over to bilateral movement;build the posterior chain.Then I'm adding weighted dead hangs to build my grip,so while I'm building my posterior chain from Good Morning and my Glutes from Bulgarian Split Squat,my grip strength will never be a limiting factor to my deadlift.
My favorite glute combo is a heavy hip thrust and moderate bulgarian split squat. Ill even drop weight on both and superset them after a heavy barbell back squat or deadlift🏋
Best content hands down, I'm learning so much and this is the best motivational/informational channel for strength training. I wish I had this information when I started getting into fitness. Thank you guys
Here's a combo I do, incline bench tricep kickbacks with dumbells and then go to a low bar and do dragon flags with hands behind the head, sometimes with a very light weight, gives a contraction first and then go into an isometric stretch
My favourite combination by far for the chest is the inclined bench press supersetted with cable flyes on the functional trainer. Feels great to get the huge squeeze on the upper chest and triceps, and then immediately be able to stretch those fibres out with flyes. Mixed with a good pre-workout it gives the best gym pumps I ever get, nothing inflates my pecs like that combo!
I’m currently in week 10 of this program, and I really enjoy this style of training. As far as an excellent combination, I’d have to say squats and trying to get off the toilet after a good leg day 🤣🤣
Im new to all this, but the combo I like best if u consider it a combo. Vertical chest press, then kettle bell swing. I get a great pump, and just makes the rest of my workout for that day better. Always chasing the pump, so motivating
I love doing walking lunges followed up by explosive lunge switches for that performance aspect. It focuses on the isometric contractions of your quads and then pushing the muscle's endurance by doing a few intense versions of the lunges. The pump is crazy and I'm literally crying by the time I'm doing the switches
I like combing overhead press and upright row. I'm able to work my shoulders with two different synergists. One being the triceps assisted overhead press and the other a biceps assisted upright row
Favorite leg combo: Alternating Single Leg Explosive Step Ups to Squat/Lunges. I like this because as a martial artist, I constantly put weight on my back foot and as a result have a lot of imbalances. When I perform an explosive exercise for like a set or two, I can feel how off balance I am that day. If my explosive steps ups feel the same, I will start my leg day with squat. If I feel one leg is more dynamic than the other, I stop after one set of explosive steps ups and transition into unilateral work like lunges for that training session. My weaker leg guides how much weight I work with for the training session. Obviously if you are not at place to perform explosive movements, don't try this.
Back - Lat Pullovers with light weight, then go into weighted pullups or any explosive variation of pullups. The lat pullover gets your lats warmed up without tiring your grip in the process. Also the light weight helps you control the stretch on the eccentric, awesome lat pumps
Landline row into a standing hyperextenstion. I grip a single dumbbell with both hands on the dumbbell handle. I row the dumbbell into my upper stomach and lower chest then I hinge at the hips into a standing position. This hits my whole back and feels great.
For biceps I like ez bar curls and high single arm cable curls. I like the combo of doing bi-laterial and unilateral with basically any body part honestly. With the high cable curl also you need your core to stabilize because you have that weight pulling you forward. Plus if you keep it light it's a great pump and you can flex like Sal for the next few hours.
So back in the days before listening to Mind Pump Mondays was Chest & Triceps. Tuesday was Back & Bicep. The reason was because as you work the chest the triceps are being warmed up, & the same for the biceps when doing back. But I could never work the triceps as much because they were burned out. I later did a Chest & Back day & saw I could hit the biceps & Triceps way harder the next day. So I would hammer the days that way. But never getting the results I have gotten from following MAPS Anabolic.
This is tough as I love Poloquin and also Myo . But for present time and addressing a present weakness, it is hip thrusts(bridges) and slant board squats. Keeping my adductors and hip/ core stabilized and engaged has helped me with general squats (Tom Platz vertical only torso).
Weighted or unweighted dips, superset with a chest fly. I got the idea from Franco Columbo and the chest pump it offers is ridiculous. The dip is probably my favorite chest exercise though.
I love heavy deadlift combo’d with light high rep single arm dumbbell rows. I find it helps the mind muscle connection massively on the deadlift having done the rows a few moments before.
my favorite leg combo that i will never get tired of is bulgarian split squats and then single leg or bilateral RDL’s! bulgarians are a killer on the thighs (and glutes if you pre exhaust/activate or have responsive glutes!) and the RDL’s are amazing for the hammies
It took my a while to find my zone in the gym, but, I have found doing barbell squats and kettlebell front squats. I love the pump I feel after my workout.
MAPS Anabolic got me motivated and moving again. So happy I found the Mind Pump team. My favorite two exercise combo is flat or incline bench press set followed by a close grip dumbbell press set. The inner and upper chest pump is legit! 💪🏼
@36:15. Not necessarily regarding the close grip bench press, but I remember as a female shying away a few years ago from benching at all because I didn’t want to go on my chest. When I finally did, I finally got the back of the arm slimming tricep definition I always wanted. I know now that I believe in someone correct me, females use their triceps more on a bench press so it makes sense, but I did not expect that.
IT DEPENDS! What’s the goal of the combo? My favorite combo is great for functional movement, strength and aesthetics. For lower body, I love Bulgarian Split Squats followed by Sumo Deadlifts. In the Splits Squats you start to focus in your hip hinge movement and have your body and brain ready for a sumo deadlift with the same focus. I like starting with the unilateral movement and then moving into the bilateral. I have a left, right leg discrepancy and this helps me more evenly distributed the workload in the deadlift. I have degenerative discs that stem to other issues in my body that I have to manage. This combo not only relieves my back pain, but gives me a great pump in my glutes, quads and hamstrings and I like the way it shapes and grows my legs and butt. You can go heavy or light and modify according to skill and goal. My favorite thing about the combo is the memory it imprints on my body. When I have to bend down, my body remembers the hip hinge movement and end up with less back pain!
Great video! Most of my favourite combos were mentioned, however I would add one for the chest. Incline dumbel press and dips! Incline becouse most of the people have underdeveloped uppechest and dumbels becouse you get great stretch. Dips. One of the best exarcises for the upper body in general. Every time I do it, I feel as if my chest wants to explode, and it also hits lower part of the chest. Combination of these to have led to some great results for me 👌
Man the row pull up combination is really awesome. I actually used to do this. 5 sets one arm at the time RIPPING the dumbell up and I was doing it really high to hit the upper back and I'd do my chin ups at the end of my workout and my back was really well developed. But I also had days where I went out and just did chins and dips.
Loved this episode!!Adam and I were on the same page with every exercise selection. I found that hilarious. Good stuff you all!! Keep the great content coming !! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Another one I like is goblet squats superset with dumbbell single leg deadlift. Edit: a deeeep goblet squat. Also I guess this would be super sets because I wouldn’t do them completely back to back, but I would alternate them. Just with a minute or a bit longer rest in between. Not sure the term for not quite superset, but not quite straight set.
Favorite Leg Combo: Barbell Squat to Romanian Deadlift. Leg Strength for the daily activities, walk, run, bike, hike, pushing heavy carts in the grocery, jumping at the back of your truck, going up and down on the stairs, basically what you do in life using your legs😊
Upright rows and Yates row. The Yates row has been superior to help me build larger back along with upright rows. I formerly did pandley rows but I didn't get quite as much results. The Yates row and the UR row both work the traps, delts and biceps to a large degree. I think they work better together than apart.
The good ole Kegels and Fire Hydrant never fails ;)
Hands down IMO your most complete and best episode to date. Young lifters should make this video a repeat watch.Tons of practical and very useful knowledge passed on here. On a side note, as a former professional boxer and current pro bodybuilder the jump rope has tremendous carry over.
Heavy deadlifts doubles and singles followed by .75 body weight (if applicable) lat pull downs. I’ve never felt such a strong pump in my back I think this combo should be programmed way more
Winner! Winner! Winner! Please email ann@mindpumpmedia.com with this episode number, a screenshot of your TH-cam username, and we will get you hooked up
Favourite combo for sure is Netflix and Chill, second to it is the Sissy Squat and Nordic Hamstring Curl. Hits my entire leg and requires little to no equipment, can be done at home or on the go. Nothing beats a Supinated Row and Weighted Pull up either, take the weight off and you literally feel like you float over the bar. Amazing episode, great comment section here to with heaps of cool new things to try and add. Much love.
I love a DB squat with an overhead press. Why? - I do strength training in the park with people aged from 20 - 75. This combo knows no boundaries. I can start people with no weight for both and just have people press their arms up overhead and squat with no weight. Perfect for beginners and I can progress them with these easily while correcting their form and working on mobility for their lower body and upper body. Imagine getting a 75 year old and they can now get off the ground without using anything to pull themselves up. All because we started with basics and progressed over time. I love my job!!
We’ll said I agree 100%.I think it preps you for other combos.At least it does for me
To be a bit more creative and not just say a compound lift combo, I'd say hip thrusts since it hits gluts and hamstrings, also I'm the only dude in the whole gym doing them and idk how anyone can skip an excersize that helps with walking (doing these I noticed I walk with a natural stride as opposed to my stiff as a board movement before, family mentioned it and I can feel it) second: in-place lunges with weight because your gunna feel your quads and calves and I personally feel like it's a good end of workout excersize because you need to focus on the movement and by the second set regardless you feel it, I also like it since its an easy to do calisthenic if you can't get weights
I know quite a few guys who don't do them because they're afraid of how they'll look to other people while doing it. It's a shame.
Preacher curls followed by concentration curls give an amazing pump
My favorite combo is easily the barbell bench press and kettlebell chest fly. Everyone knows the bench, but the chest was always a trouble area for me. I recently purchased the Chest Mod to plug into Anabolic in hopes to finally grow my chest. I didn’t want to add too much volume as I’m recovering from a rough upper respiratory infection, so I just chose to follow my bench with kettlebell flys to add some difficulty, and man, you guys are amazing with the details in your programming. I felt a real pump across my chest, delt to delt for the first time
Love seeing you all said the same in regards to chest. Looks like I’ll be getting an incline bench soon
Incline bench press followed by barbell row. Insane pump, clothes feel nice and snug afterwards. I call it the invisible hug pump - a nice feeling for the singletons out there!
On days when my lower back needs a break from the barbell I love a sled push and kettlebell swing combo. It seems to be one of those combos where you really get to test and experience your athletic and explosive capabilities from the hips down
I’m 52,so I need every advantage I can get.For me,it’s a dumbell squat to a shoulder press.I call it the tin man,gets me loosened up and adds strength.Sprinkle a little mind pump and your good
Well my favorite combo isn’t for a single body part but it’s more of a full body finisher that I use to facilitate hypertrophy across the whole body. The two exercises I combine are heavy trap bar Farmers Carries and light to medium weight sled pushes. This combination really gets me a crazy full body pump at the end of my workouts, and it gets my heart rate up there since I’m not doing a lot of cardio right now. Let me know what you guys think about adding this to the end of MAPS Anabolic sessions. Great episode guys!
I love to start my workouts with a superset of pushups and bent over dumbbell rows. I'm still learning, but I feel like this gets my entire upper body involved.
Big fan of doing a Chest Compound, then a Pull Over, then a Back Compound.
Pull Over is a great cross over exercise between the two. Feels like it hits all of the “inbetween” muscles.
Fantastic. And validating (already had a few of these set up for myself!)... Great info, and I'm changing up a couple now. Thanks!
Overhead press and the weighted dip. Both carry over really well with the bench press. But they're also incredible in their own regards.
Well into my third year of gym. First year I did purely machines 3 times a week as was intimidated to mix with "the big boys" (not long cancer free so was incredibly skinny but with a pot belly). 2nd year, full body 3 times a week mostly with free weights. Third year I moved up to 6 days a week bro split. But only recorded progress for the last 4 months. I am literally here now trying to work out how to combine 2 muscle groups a session, 6 days a week so I hit everything twice. And here's the only thing I actually know that I want: I do not want to do triceps and chest on the same day. EVER! I've tried experimenting and I know for a fact that if I do chest first- my triceps only perform half as well and vice versa. Chest and triceps are important to me for aesthetics. I don't want to sacrifice either.
Chin ups to hammer curls have been a staple in my bicep journey. Looking forward to trying out a couple you named in this video
Legs: *sprints and sled pushes* (very functional; box jumps, hill sprints, and goblet squats would be up there, too)
Glutes: *single-leg Romanian deadlifts and hip thrusts* (sprints and squats are contenders, too)
Shoulders: this is a toss-up; I'd say *OHP (dumbbell or barbell), push-press, or single DBOHP and either reverse flys or facepulls*
Chest: *single-arm cable crossovers and probably incline bench press* (push-ups are a contender, but are a bit too easy)
Back: *weighted pull-ups and rows* (though reverse flys for the upper back are another contender for sure)
Biceps: *close-grip chin-ups and dumbbell curls* (spider curls, hammer curls, incline curls and BB curls are also high up there)
Triceps: *weighted dips on rings and horizontal tricep extensions* (tricep push-ups and bodyweight extensions are also great)
Core: *toes-to-bars and hanging around-the-worlds* (I agree with the boys; too hard for most people, but my personal favorites)
Calves: *sprints and hops* (jump rope works, but I very rarely do it whereas I do hops fairly often, single-leg, too)
Forearms: *farmer's carries and hanging*
> Conventional deadlifts & deep Bulgarian split squats
> Superset of W Raises into side raises
> Arched back pull ups & Hollow body chin ups
Arm bicep combo: close grip chin up, superset with dumbbell curls, activates the muscles after 3 sets and can be followed up by either compounds or isolation moves or as to complete a workout
My favorite combination is hip thrust then squats because I activate my glutes and then feel a real good burn and squeeze when doing squats. I learned this from listening to MindPump!
My favorite is a push-up/inverted row combo. It was the first real strength movement that I learned; I love that it requires only my body (no extra weight) to be challenging- and it can be done almost anywhere! Thanks guys, for the awesome content, as usual!
Upright row then deadlift this has start to remove my back pain and has resulted in overall strength gains and muscle growth
Hey gentlemen, just wanted to thank you for all the great content you guys provide. I’m 35 years old and I have a very active 2 yr old daughter and my girlfriend is also expecting so I’ve been motivated on getting myself into better shape and just becoming a better person. I’m very excited to try the symmetry program, hopefully I can pick it up soon. God Bless you guys and please continue doing the lords work 🙏🏽
I am a big strongman fan and am currently training for my first competition.
My favorite two exercise combo in training that feels really functional for the sport has been farmer’s walk(specifically with a low pick) and a squat.
I start with farmers warming up with a lighter weight moving fast for short-medium distance dropping often to both get my heart rate up and get some volume work for my posterior chain with extra picks from that low height. More drops also helps in saving my grip for a heavier working weight. From there I work up to longer distances with a heavier weight. Something that not only tests my grip strength to hold on past short distance, but also a weight that starts to tax my posterior chain. I’m a big fan of farmers walks this way because it taxes nearly the whole body especially being the core, upper back, and grip at heavy weight as well as waking up my CNS.
Then following up farmers with a squat, usually a high bar or front squat, pumps the quads and it trains for the most dominant lower body exercise in strongman being the atlas stones. This is combo is especially functional in that atlas stones is almost always the last event in competitions where you will have to perform while taxed from the previous events.
My favourite is barbell squats. In order to do it (and to do it properly) you need to have such a big combination of good mind muscle conection, a strong core and good mobility, and when you start to improve in squats, so many others start to improve aswell - Deadlifts, every leg press and even hiptrusts
My fave combo for a lower body session includes a superset of Hip Thrusts (8-12 reps) followed by DB RDLs (around 15 reps), the pump that I get from this combo is unreeeal 🔥This combo hits the Glutes/hamstrings back to back #gainsguaranteed. Another fave has to be a few reps of heavy KB swings before Deadlifting, this also fires up that posterior chain. Thank you guys for the awesome content🔝 I have learned a lot from this podcast especially now that I am studying to become a PT. You guys are goals 🚀
I'm a little late. Still playing catch up.
I'm very simple. I was always told to keep it simple. Even when complex. I didn't read comments or anything so I don't know what others have put down. But hers one of mine I feel is pretty decent.
I combine back and shoulders. For obvious reasons.
All last sets until failure.
Pull-ups/leg lifts warm up.
First is a circuit, no rest to in between to start.
Hex bar traps-4x15 last set until failure
Regular traps-4x15 same
Face pulls-4x12
Lat pull-down 4x12
Still leaves 3 sets.!
Reverse fly, incline bench-4x15
Bench incline shrugs-4x16
Seated rows-4x12
Pull ups until failure.
Second set of first 4, 1:30 resting between each.
Second set of Second 4, 1:30 rest in between. Third set, same as first.
Last set, same as Second. Only difference, Second and last set.
I have 2 sets of overhead presses.
10 reps, hold for 30 seconds, 10 reps, hold for 30 seconds.
2 minutes rest, repeat.
I finish with farmers carries as shrugs as well. That depends on how depleted I am on how long that takes.
So, I'm roughly in the area of 46 to 50 minutes. And that took time to get down to that time. I don't want to spend years in the gym when I go. So I've been working on the time. I've actually added time to resting. But, I've went up in weight.
This is all done with switches too. I'll replace certain things with arm raises, shoulder presses. Even decline push-ups. It would be nice to get some advice on whether or not I'm overdoing it. Other ideas on things to do. Also, this is all without any real lower back exercises as well. Strengthen as a whole right? I got my eating to a bigger degree, on the right path. I also haven't been going this hard for that long. I switched gyms, and I've seen more results in the last two months than ever before. Like I said, it would be nice to get some advice. Preferably an actual conversation. But, I understand you guys are busy. So here goes everything, or nothing. However it works out.
Great content as always 😊👍
My favourite exercise combo for Core is Pallof Press to Bird Dog.
I like Pallof Press because it's a functional exercise, which helps me stabilize under a load. This exercise not only helps me perform athletic movements (read: sudden twists & turns, throw & catch a ball, sprint etc) without getting injured, but also teaches me to keep my core tight in loaded movements like the deadlift and back squats.
After Pallof Press, I grab a mat and do Bird Dog. Since I do my Core training at the end of my workout, I directly start my static stretching on the mat itself post Bird Dog. I've noticed that doing Bird Dog helps me sit more comfortably on the chair for long hours in office. Also, sometimes I do Bird Dog in my office itself, which promotes better posture on chair. It doesn't hurt either that performing this core exercise requires no equipment & my table hides me from passers-by views too. My only concern is regarding my secretary, who sits diagonally opposite my cabin. She must be wondering why her boss keeps on dropping his pen behind his desk & seems to take an awfully long time to find it 🤔😀
No favorite combo, still learning my body at the gym
Heavy leg extension paired with a quad focused (standing closer to the rear foot support to decrease knee angle) & lighter Bulgarian!! I love this combo because I get an INSANE quad pump and I have full control of my rear foot position because I'm using the fully adjustable leg Extension pad!! If i want to work on my endurance I sometimes will make the Bulgarian a drop set where I start w/ 2 dumbbells for 6 reps, drop one DB for 6 more then rep it out just body weight for 12 reps!! Good luck walking after that!!!! This combo has so many different possible formats and combinations it never gets old!!
ZERCHER SQUATS might be the most underrated squat variation out there💪
it's like a hybrid of both the deadlifts and the squats, because of the barbell position in where it's positioned in the middle of your body, you get your upper body is holding and pulling the barbell , yet at the same time you're squatting it.
For hamstrings I love Romanian deadlift to Jefferson curls. With the romanian deadlift you increase the max strength for the hamstring, than with the Jefferson curl you both work on mobility, as well as strengthen the hamstring throughout it's entire range of motion. Be carefull with this, dont go to heavy to quickly with the Jefferson curls and make sure you have great hamstring mobility first.
The concept of priming has been hugely impactful on my training.
For example you guys had for Chest a press followed by a fly, this is traditional and not wrong. What ive noticed the most benefit from however is doing 1or2 sets of flys before pressing, therefore im going into the compound lift with an established connection to my chest. it allows me to contract properly without using to much front delt. After pressing I would go back to flys to finish off.
A great exercise for tibialis is to hang a bucket off top of foot ( can add some light weight), sit so bucket can hang off foot and perform foot raises. It helps to prevent shin splits by strengthening tibialis.
My favorite combo as of late has been moderately heavy Barbell Squats followed immediately by 2-3 explosive Bulgarian Split Squats (each leg). I get an incredible pump and love blending different forms of intensity
You're a demon😂
Even though I train calastenics you guys give so much good information what can carry over to my training you have really Brought me a long way and my favorite excercise combo has to be one arm rows into pull ups for sure and for chest I love do straight bar dips into deep press ups on parallel bars best pump the reason why is straightbar dips really hit the chest then the deep press ups on parallel bars challenge all pushing muscles get the best pump
Chin up blew up my biceps ...I can agree with Justin on this one 🔥
I love your combo suggestions. Great stuff.
I have one for the shoulders that you didn’t mention. Okay… first exercise is the overhead press. No argument from me, that’s for sure. However, I like to follow this up in the morning with roll brushing my hair… I’m telling you, roll brushing your own hair is no joke. Sal, I think you married a hair stylist. Just ask her. Roll brushing is one heck of a workout. It activates the lateral and rear delts, the triceps, forearms, even the upper traps.
You guys have to try it… oh wait. Sorry. The prerequisite is to have hair. Sorry, guys.
I like deadlifts to pull-ups because I get a crazy back pump and it’s even better when I do pullovers after
I want to try a program really bad and I love strong man stuff and would love to give it a go! My combo I like is trap bar dead lifts with pause and shrug/ standing row.
Probably the best episode, I've seen!!!💪🏾
Barbell squat for weight into trapbar deadlifts for speed. Doesn't tax my back, even after being smashed I leave the gym with so much pep in my step.
I love the popcorn grab to the cheeto single pull.
Rope hammer curls & rope tricep extension. Makes for an amazing arm pump!
I've always enjoyed wide grip pull ups, then going into a supinated barbell row. Sometimes to vary it I would go reverse. If I do the row first then I would do the pull ups with bands to provide some assistance. I've always enjoyed how it makes the back feel afterwards. Love the podcast gents! Keep up the great work.
Leg's finisher:
heel elevated goblet squat & swiss ball leg curls.
more functional than super setting leg extensions and curls. having the heel elevated helps me get a great pump in quads. swiss ball leg curl works the hams in both knee flexion and holding the hip extension. doing them after the goblets squats makes it quite challenging.
Algorithm. Thanks guys
Bench press followed by a seated high row. Opposites but the pump you get in the chest is excelerated with the back squeeze
Glad to see that I have a pretty decent exercise selection.
Love the conversation behind each combo....thanks for that! One of my favorite combos is a incline bench press with a cable fly....honestly simple reasoning is I like the upper chest strength/pump I gain with the incline bench press and the nice stretch I get on the fly.
Bent-over Barbell Rows to Deadlift gives me the best pump.
Favorite combo: Air Wolf & Blue Thunder!😎
My faves are front/back squats and deadlifts because it gets me the most gains in strength and physique, while the rest can be extra. I have MAPS anabolic currently and am looking forward to progressing with the MAPS program sequence.
My job requires me to bend over a lot, kneel, lift, and carry stuff multiple times a day and I just got MAPS Strong and want to know the best way to incorporate that program without running myself into the ground. I also work out after work and try to listen to my body on the intensity so sometimes I feel like Superman and other times I don’t feel too great while lifting.
Deadlift and bent over rows are my favorite combo,why?Because it works my whole body,cheers from your biggest fan from Norway!
Legs press with a weight I can fail in the 5-7 range (5 sets ) then unilateral leg press with a weight where I fail in the 10-12 range ( 5 sets) . I can get a mix training of heavy and lighter weight with this combo !
My Favorite Combo for Legs is
Bulgarian Split Squat
Good Mornings
Weighted Dead Hangs
Cause this will help build my Squat and Deadlift.Since I'm maximizing the stimulus and lessening the fatigue I can train much frequently and recover easily,the Bulgarian Split Squat together with Good Mornings will build stability and increase the strength output of my leg unilaterally that wilL carry over to bilateral movement;build the posterior chain.Then I'm adding weighted dead hangs to build my grip,so while I'm building my posterior chain from Good Morning and my Glutes from Bulgarian Split Squat,my grip strength will never be a limiting factor to my deadlift.
My favorite glute combo is a heavy hip thrust and moderate bulgarian split squat. Ill even drop weight on both and superset them after a heavy barbell back squat or deadlift🏋
I will never be able to unhear Adam say "grav"
Best content hands down, I'm learning so much and this is the best motivational/informational channel for strength training. I wish I had this information when I started getting into fitness. Thank you guys
YOU, 🔥MindPump🔥, are “basically awesome”!!!!
Here's a combo I do, incline bench tricep kickbacks with dumbells and then go to a low bar and do dragon flags with hands behind the head, sometimes with a very light weight, gives a contraction first and then go into an isometric stretch
My favourite combination by far for the chest is the inclined bench press supersetted with cable flyes on the functional trainer. Feels great to get the huge squeeze on the upper chest and triceps, and then immediately be able to stretch those fibres out with flyes. Mixed with a good pre-workout it gives the best gym pumps I ever get, nothing inflates my pecs like that combo!
I’m currently in week 10 of this program, and I really enjoy this style of training. As far as an excellent combination, I’d have to say squats and trying to get off the toilet after a good leg day 🤣🤣
My current compound combo for legs:
Deadlift and barbell split squat. They are leg destroyers
Lateral alternating lunges with a kettlebell then 1 legged kettlebell RDLs and heavy DB flat bench then lightweight DB overhead press are favorites
Im new to all this, but the combo I like best if u consider it a combo. Vertical chest press, then kettle bell swing. I get a great pump, and just makes the rest of my workout for that day better. Always chasing the pump, so motivating
I love doing walking lunges followed up by explosive lunge switches for that performance aspect. It focuses on the isometric contractions of your quads and then pushing the muscle's endurance by doing a few intense versions of the lunges. The pump is crazy and I'm literally crying by the time I'm doing the switches
Dips 4 sets of 10 superset with push ups for as many reps as possible ! Wicked Goku pump 🙏🏾
I like combing overhead press and upright row. I'm able to work my shoulders with two different synergists. One being the triceps assisted overhead press and the other a biceps assisted upright row
Favorite leg combo: Alternating Single Leg Explosive Step Ups to Squat/Lunges.
I like this because as a martial artist, I constantly put weight on my back foot and as a result have a lot of imbalances. When I perform an explosive exercise for like a set or two, I can feel how off balance I am that day. If my explosive steps ups feel the same, I will start my leg day with squat. If I feel one leg is more dynamic than the other, I stop after one set of explosive steps ups and transition into unilateral work like lunges for that training session. My weaker leg guides how much weight I work with for the training session. Obviously if you are not at place to perform explosive movements, don't try this.
Back -
Lat Pullovers with light weight, then go into weighted pullups or any explosive variation of pullups. The lat pullover gets your lats warmed up without tiring your grip in the process. Also the light weight helps you control the stretch on the eccentric, awesome lat pumps
Landline row into a standing hyperextenstion.
I grip a single dumbbell with both hands on the dumbbell handle. I row the dumbbell into my upper stomach and lower chest then I hinge at the hips into a standing position. This hits my whole back and feels great.
For biceps I like ez bar curls and high single arm cable curls. I like the combo of doing bi-laterial and unilateral with basically any body part honestly. With the high cable curl also you need your core to stabilize because you have that weight pulling you forward. Plus if you keep it light it's a great pump and you can flex like Sal for the next few hours.
So back in the days before listening to Mind Pump Mondays was Chest & Triceps. Tuesday was Back & Bicep. The reason was because as you work the chest the triceps are being warmed up, & the same for the biceps when doing back. But I could never work the triceps as much because they were burned out. I later did a Chest & Back day & saw I could hit the biceps & Triceps way harder the next day.
So I would hammer the days that way. But never getting the results I have gotten from following MAPS Anabolic.
This is tough as I love Poloquin and also Myo . But for present time and addressing a present weakness, it is hip thrusts(bridges) and slant board squats. Keeping my adductors and hip/ core stabilized and engaged has helped me with general squats (Tom Platz vertical only torso).
I’m a big fan of bench press to DB Pullovers
Weighted or unweighted dips, superset with a chest fly. I got the idea from Franco Columbo and the chest pump it offers is ridiculous. The dip is probably my favorite chest exercise though.
I love heavy deadlift combo’d with light high rep single arm dumbbell rows. I find it helps the mind muscle connection massively on the deadlift having done the rows a few moments before.
my favorite leg combo that i will never get tired of is bulgarian split squats and then single leg or bilateral RDL’s! bulgarians are a killer on the thighs (and glutes if you pre exhaust/activate or have responsive glutes!) and the RDL’s are amazing for the hammies
It took my a while to find my zone in the gym, but, I have found doing barbell squats and kettlebell front squats. I love the pump I feel after my workout.
Squat/Ro Dead combo one of my favs - great show guys, all effective primal, functional movements 💪🏽
MAPS Anabolic got me motivated and moving again. So happy I found the Mind Pump team. My favorite two exercise combo is flat or incline bench press set followed by a close grip dumbbell press set. The inner and upper chest pump is legit! 💪🏼
Trap bar squat / deadlift
Kettelbell swing to goblet squats
Because they are awesome 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
Bench and dips my favorite i feel it makes u way stronger
@36:15. Not necessarily regarding the close grip bench press, but I remember as a female shying away a few years ago from benching at all because I didn’t want to go on my chest. When I finally did, I finally got the back of the arm slimming tricep definition I always wanted. I know now that I believe in someone correct me, females use their triceps more on a bench press so it makes sense, but I did not expect that.
IT DEPENDS! What’s the goal of the combo? My favorite combo is great for functional movement, strength and aesthetics. For lower body, I love Bulgarian Split Squats followed by Sumo Deadlifts. In the Splits Squats you start to focus in your hip hinge movement and have your body and brain ready for a sumo deadlift with the same focus. I like starting with the unilateral movement and then moving into the bilateral. I have a left, right leg discrepancy and this helps me more evenly distributed the workload in the deadlift. I have degenerative discs that stem to other issues in my body that I have to manage. This combo not only relieves my back pain, but gives me a great pump in my glutes, quads and hamstrings and I like the way it shapes and grows my legs and butt. You can go heavy or light and modify according to skill and goal. My favorite thing about the combo is the memory it imprints on my body. When I have to bend down, my body remembers the hip hinge movement and end up with less back pain!
Omg! Love this! Listened to this episode this morning, then went thru all but legs ( hit them yesterday) great routine ! Thanks guys
Great video!
Most of my favourite combos were mentioned, however I would add one for the chest.
Incline dumbel press and dips!
Incline becouse most of the people have underdeveloped uppechest and dumbels becouse you get great stretch.
Dips. One of the best exarcises for the upper body in general. Every time I do it, I feel as if my chest wants to explode, and it also hits lower part of the chest.
Combination of these to have led to some great results for me 👌
Man the row pull up combination is really awesome. I actually used to do this. 5 sets one arm at the time RIPPING the dumbell up and I was doing it really high to hit the upper back and I'd do my chin ups at the end of my workout and my back was really well developed. But I also had days where I went out and just did chins and dips.
kettlebell pullovers with kettlebell scullcrushers
Thank you yall, all great excercizes, you are all the best!
Loved this episode!!Adam and I were on the same page with every exercise selection. I found that hilarious. Good stuff you all!! Keep the great content coming !! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Squat to lap pull down amazing for back also love squat to pull ups amazing how much stronger you feel on pull ups after squats weird but it is lol
Another one I like is goblet squats superset with dumbbell single leg deadlift.
Edit: a deeeep goblet squat.
Also I guess this would be super sets because I wouldn’t do them completely back to back, but I would alternate them. Just with a minute or a bit longer rest in between. Not sure the term for not quite superset, but not quite straight set.
Favorite Leg Combo:
Barbell Squat to Romanian Deadlift.
Leg Strength for the daily activities, walk, run, bike, hike, pushing heavy carts in the grocery, jumping at the back of your truck, going up and down on the stairs, basically what you do in life using your legs😊
Upright rows and Yates row. The Yates row has been superior to help me build larger back along with upright rows. I formerly did pandley rows but I didn't get quite as much results. The Yates row and the UR row both work the traps, delts and biceps to a large degree. I think they work better together than apart.
This was one of the best!!