Lucas Hardie

One of the oldest ways to build strength and flexibility yet most Western athletes haven't even heard of it. No gym. No gear. Just legs shaking like a baby deer. It doesn't just train muscles. It rewires balance, posture, and control from the ground up!

I was first exposed to Westside methods in the early 2000s. One thing that stuck with me over the years, even when I wasn't powerlifting specifically, was their approach to accessory work.

One of the oldest ways to build strength and flexibility yet most Western athletes haven't even heard of it. No gym. No gear. Just legs shaking like a baby deer. It doesn't just train muscles. It rewires balance, posture, and control from the ground up!

What if instead of avoiding it, we searched for ways to develop it? Studying the training methods of throwers taught me that there is a lot we either do not understand or do not even try to understand when it comes to spine development.

The quad father Tom Platz teaching how to do the hack sissy squat the right way 🔥 Repost • IG disciplinaededicacao

Gymnastics specific strength training builds the kind of strength that lasts. Tendon-driven. Range-loaded. Purpose-built. If you're just going through the motions, you're missing the best part. Upper body done right means:

From Sig Klein's "Super Physique" 1943 Special Exercise # 3 Adds a nice rotational element to a single arm pullover action.

Obviously not to the level of Franco Columbu but I've built a solid back into my 40s using the same methods they used back then, like ultra wide grip pullups. Even when the science said it wasn't "optimal," I stuck with it for more than just lat recruitment.

From Muscle Control & Barbell Exercise by Ghosh & Sen Gupta, 1930. This barbell placement allows the load to gently counterbalance the movement, creating a smoother, more integrated feel.

The lower back is often trained like it only needs to move straight, slow, and controlled. That has value. But it is incomplete. Real life and sport involve rotation, asymmetry, speed, and moments where position is challenged and has to be regained.

The cool thing about bodyweight training is all the ways you can progress by slightly adjusting leverages. L-Sit Pulls this phase. 👊🏼

Bench Supported T-Spine -Place the mid back against end of bench. -Lift the hips and reach overhead. -Drop the hips to stretch. -Repeat as needed.

Stretching opens the range. Active movement helps you keep it. When you lift out of a stretch, you're contracting the muscles that help the body relax deeper into that position. That's how your nervous system learns to trust and keep new range.

Banded Back Bend Work. Start slow with static holds and controlled reps, then work on speed and acceleration for a high performing spine.

The real beauty of the Cossack squat comes from the combination of movements, angles, and intensities in which you can train it.

Better Than Bulgarian Split Squats. 😌

The Best Stretch You're Not Doing! Cross Leg Side Stretch 1. Find a post 2. Cross Legs(front leg closest to post) 3. Push Top Arm/Pull Bottom Arm *Stretching leg stays Enjoy the lateral chain gains! 💀

A forgotten and underrated exercise the California Press, developing Tricep strength and size 🔥

Everyone thinks Jefferson curls = spine strength. But flexion alone leaves your spine half strong. Extension is the missing half.

The Great Gama was historically known for performing the “dand” exercise 3000 times a day in the early 1900s…can you believe it?