Activation Exercise

What would be a good activation exercise for BB bent over rows? I was thinking one arm band rows or speed one arm DB rows (with 50% of 1rm). What do you guys think?

I like twitch rep barbell rows or cleans from blocks or hang.

[quote]pbnj wrote:
What would be a good activation exercise for BB bent over rows? I was thinking one arm band rows or speed one arm DB rows (with 50% of 1rm). What do you guys think?[/quote]

Prone medicine ball throw over toes

Thanks for the replies. I like the hang clean idea, I’ll give that a go and see how it works out.

[quote]Mutsanah wrote:

[quote]pbnj wrote:
What would be a good activation exercise for BB bent over rows? I was thinking one arm band rows or speed one arm DB rows (with 50% of 1rm). What do you guys think?[/quote]

Prone medicine ball throw over toes[/quote]

trying to picture this… did you mean supine?

[quote]coolusername wrote:

[quote]Mutsanah wrote:

[quote]pbnj wrote:
What would be a good activation exercise for BB bent over rows? I was thinking one arm band rows or speed one arm DB rows (with 50% of 1rm). What do you guys think?[/quote]

Prone medicine ball throw over toes[/quote]

trying to picture this… did you mean supine?[/quote]

Lying on your back, arms straight, throw ball forcefully over toes, fetch and repeat 5x for 2 to 3 sets, resting 2 mins. between

i prefer power rows (with leg and hip drive), transfers perfectly for instance if doing X x 3reps, and after that doing 5 reps with rather strict rows without the legs/hips invovled

How about inverted rows where you “catch” yourself on the way down, just like an equivalent to plyo push-ups?

[quote]Loh-fyve wrote:
How about inverted rows where you “catch” yourself on the way down, just like an equivalent to plyo push-ups?[/quote]

Yes except make sure you actually catch yourself-lol. I like using one arm movements as activation exercises as well. For back the dumbbell power snatch, one arm cable row (use “twitch” reps or smooth, controlled pauses), inverted body rows (pronated and supinated grip), and push ups with dumbbells (alternate dumbbell pulling on each side) work well.

-Eric

Do you have to do these activation exercises before every set? Or just for the first one?
And how does it work when you do antagonist supersets?

[quote]luvQvist wrote:
Do you have to do these activation exercises before every set? Or just for the first one?
And how does it work when you do antagonist supersets?[/quote]

The goal of an activation exercise is simply to put you “in the zone”. So it’s utilization will vary depending on how fast you enter in the zone.

Some way to use this method are:

  1. As a contrast… alternate one set of activation with one strength movement, resting 1-2 minutes between both.

  2. As a preparatory period at the beginning of the workout… performing 3-5 sets of the activation exercise prior to doing your strength work

  3. As a way to bring you back into the zone if you go flat… you can do 1-3 sets of activation anywhere in your workout if you feel that you have gotten out of focus

  4. As a potentiation/recharge day … perform one whole workout made up of only activation exercises, this helps restore nervous energy and will help you finish the week strong.

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]luvQvist wrote:
Do you have to do these activation exercises before every set? Or just for the first one?
And how does it work when you do antagonist supersets?[/quote]

The goal of an activation exercise is simply to put you “in the zone”. So it’s utilization will vary depending on how fast you enter in the zone.

Some way to use this method are:

  1. As a contrast… alternate one set of activation with one strength movement, resting 1-2 minutes between both.

  2. As a preparatory period at the beginning of the workout… performing 3-5 sets of the activation exercise prior to doing your strength work

  3. As a way to bring you back into the zone if you go flat… you can do 1-3 sets of activation anywhere in your workout if you feel that you have gotten out of focus

  4. As a potentiation/recharge day … perform one whole workout made up of only activation exercises, this helps restore nervous energy and will help you finish the week strong.[/quote]

Very interesting, thanks.
Is there some article that is about these kind of exercises?

For the moment I do 3 days on, 1 day off (repeat cycle); so would it still be a good idea to do these exercises on my off day to help recovering (the CNS) like you wrote in the 4th type?

…SPEAKING OF ACTIVATION…

Last sunday I started (again) doing some olympic lifting so I did 8 sets of light power snatches, 3-5 reps. At monday I had my ‘deadlift + leg press day’ and for deadlift I put 20lbs more to the bar and got 1 rep more than last week (and would have got more but I don’t want to go above 6 reps on DL). For leg press I also put extra 20lbs and got 4 reps more than last week.

Today I ran into an article where Thib had been interviewed…

[quote]CT: Neural charge workouts are sessions that prime (activate) the nervous system but do not cause much, if any fatigue (physical or neural). These workouts actually improve performance for up to 2 days afterwards so I like to use one such workout mid-week to improve performance in the later portion of the training week.

I will normally recommend 4 exercises that activate the nervous system, explosive lifts, jumps or throws and performing sets of 3 (lifts) or 5 (jumps) reps with a load that can be lifted roughly 6-7 reps (lifts) or with only bodyweight (jumps). These exercises are performed as a circuit with 15-45 seconds of rest between sets and you do as many circuits as you can in 20-30 minutes. However you CANNOT do a non-explosive rep. If a lift shows even a slight decrease in speed, drop it from the rotation.[/quote]

Well, it works. I’m going to try the same thing the day before my next squat workout.