Seven Movement Patterns to Create a Stronger You

Biomechanics are an important part of athletic training, giving insight into how an athlete trains, avoids and recovers from injury, and maximizes performance to accomplish new goals. Regardless of their age or athletic skill level, humans basically move in six movement patterns (with an unofficial seventh in sprinting/running: an important skill that should be part of every weekly training regime). When fortified through strength training, these patterns can ensure an athlete’s body can perform at its full potential.

Throughout his illustrious career as a strength coach, athletic trainer, and powerlifter, Rich Sadiv has developed the ideal ways in which athletes should approach and improve these crucial seven movement patterns. Here, Sadiv provides a brief description of each movement, including exercises and suggestions for how to improve and strengthen these patterns. Through this approach, athletes can work multiple movement patterns during the same session.

Each movement section also features two challenges: one testing an athlete’s strength, and another testing their muscular endurance. These challenges can be scaled to match an athlete’s age and ability. (Standards included for each challenge section are as follows: m = male w = female and hs= high school.)

1. Push (Horizontal/Vertical)

The Push pattern involves the chest, shoulders, and triceps by moving resistance away from the body. These exercises are a great way to develop muscle and strength in the upper body, and athletes usually do them in a lying, standing, or seated position. Sadiv notes, “I traditionally work the movements twice a week, and, at times, I’ll super set high-intensity, low-volume sprinting with them. The days of the week vary but I look to get 72 hours in between push workouts.”

Sample Workout

• Bench Press: 5 sets of 5 reps (2-minute rest between sets)
• Incline DB Press: 4 sets of 12 (1-minute rest between sets)
• Push-Ups: as many as possible in 4 minutes (keep track of this number)

• DB Overhead Press: 5 sets of 10 reps
• Front Raise: 3 sets of 15 reps
• Side Raise: 3 sets of 15
• Body weight Dips: 3 sets to failure (tricep push-downs can be substituted)

Challenge

• Strength: bench press - 1.25 x bodyweight x max reps
• Endurance: 2 minutes of hand-released push-ups

2. Pull (Horizontal/Vertical)

Like the push movement, the pulling movement can be done in two variations. This movement has resistance coming toward the body as opposed to away. The major muscles that are targeted are the upper/mid back muscles and biceps. “I’ll hit my upper back at least twice a week,” Sadiv says. “If I add a third day, it would traditional be ERG Rowing with variations of pull-ups and carries. I usually do pull with my hinge pattern.”

Sample Workout (Pull Plus Carry)

• Barbell Bent-Over Rows: 4 sets of 8 reps
• Single Arm Kettlebell Row: 10 reps on each arm for 3 sets
• Lat Pull-Down: 4 sets of 12 reps
• Pull-ups (use assistance if needed): 5 sets of 10

If someone can’t do pull-ups on their own, they should work up to it. In this situation, they might consider using supplementary exercise bands or implementing flex arm hanging. Regardless, pull-ups should be a fitness priority. Those who are good at pull-ups should vary the grip from facing (chin-up) to neutral (hands face each other) to away (pull-up).

• Biceps Curl: 4 x 15 superset with 200-meter carry using kettlebells
• ERG Row: 100 -200-300-400-500 (meters) - repeat in reverse, 1 minute between each.

Challenge

• Strength: weighted pull-up:
  • (m) 40-pound DB for 2 minutes
  • (w) 20-pound DB for 2 minutes
  • (hs) 15-pound DB for 2 minutes

• Endurance: 1,000 meters ERG Row

3. Hinge

The hinge pattern affects so many facets of life. Practicing and perfecting the movement can help prevent lower back issues in the future. Unfortunately, too many people crane to lift things from the ground; instead, they should take a “hips back” approach when lifting and lowering to the floor.

As Bill Parisi says, “crack the walnut” when approaching proper hinge technique; that is, imagine a walnut in its shell between your hip crease – then imagine trying to crack that walnut with the movement.

The hinge movement will work the lower back and hamstrings. The best hinge exercise is the deadlift and its many variations, including RDL , straight-leg, trap bar, and single-leg. According to Sadiv, “I also incorporate a good morning with the use of a safety squat bar. I deadlift once a week and I’ll incorporate dumbbell rdl’s with a walk the other day.”

Sample Workout (hinge plus pull)

• Barbell Deadlift: 4 sets of 6

• Safety Squat Good Morning: 3 sets of 10

• KB RDL: 5 reps with 10-yard walk x 4

• Single-Arm Row: 3 sets of 10

• Lat Pull-Down: 3 sets of 12

• Pull-up Variation: 5 sets

Challenge

• Strength: barbell deadlift: 2 1/2 times your body weight for max reps

- (hs) done with a trap bar

• Endurance: 1,000 M Ski ERG

4. Squat

Squatting is a common daily movement, but are people doing it correctly? In other words, is attention given to shin angle, knee and feet alignment, and hip and torso positioning?

Such changes takes practice and continual reinforcement. Sadiv says of his experience, “I will do a squat movement twice a week. A single-leg variation and a back squat at minimum. Some other squat exercises are goblet squat, split squat, bodyweight squats, and front squats. The squat pattern will work the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.”

Sample workout

• Squat Pattern: depending on level of fitness, choose one
• Back Squat: 5 sets of 8
• Goblet Squat: 4 sets of 10
• Bodyweight Squats: 3 sets of 20
• Split Squat: 10 with each leg x 3
• Sled Push: 15 yards x 6

Challenge

• Strength: 16” box squat x 3 (adjust height of box to ensure a depth of 90 degrees)

• Endurance: ball over shoulder x 20:
  • (m) 60 pounds
  • (w) 40 pounds
  • (hs) 30 pounds

5. Lunge

The lunge movement is a great way to uncover asymmetrical weakness; it is also effective in developing unilateral movement, an often overlooked part of weekly training. “I especially enjoy the walking variety of lunge focusing on back knee touching the ground and maintaining balance,” Sadiv notes. “Also, it’s a way to reinforce the gait pattern. I’ll usually do walking lunges once a week and reverse lunges the same. The lunge will prominently work the quads, hamstrings, and glutes.”

Sample Workout

*This should be done after the squat pattern (see above)

• In-Place Reverse Lunge: 10 with each leg x 3 sets
• Walking Lunge: 50 yards x 2
• Step Up to Box: 3 sets of 10 on each leg

Challenge

• Strength: 40-meter walking lunge:
  • (m) 65
  • (w) 45
  • (hs) 30

• Endurance: Reverse Lunge 10/8/6/5 for time:
  • (m) 55 pounds
  • (w) 33 pounds
  • (hs) 22 pounds

6. Carry

“This is my favorite movement pattern to work,” Sadiv says. “I incorporate different variations: kettlebell walks, single-arm, double-arm, rack position to name a few. I also add in specialty equipment such as farmer's carry handles and the Escape Wheelbarrow. My goal isn’t speed of movement but maintaining perfect posture as I walk down the track. I like challenging my grip on the heavier carries so my forearms and upper back will be challenged, but the core stabilizers are always being worked when the carry is done with precision. I’ll carry once a week and added in heavy holds when I deadlift.”

Challenge

Strength: 100-meter wheelbarrow:

• (m) 230 pounds
• (w) 150 pounds
• (hs) 100 pounds

Endurance: 200-meter carry:

• (m) 70 pounds
• (w) 50 pounds
• (hs) 40 pounds

7. Sprinting / Running

“This is another one of my favorite movements to train,” Sadiv says. “[Sprinting/running] is very overlooked in training. The overall health benefits are tremendous, from cardiovascular health to strength. I like doing 2 to 3 sessions per week – one sprinting – with durations of less than 30 seconds, and one workout that is more tempo-based: 4 minutes at a prescribed miles per hour (MPH). A third session might include both workout types. I very rarely just do this on its own; I will also incorporate both a pulling or pushing segment.”

Sample Workout (Sprinting with Push)

• Treadmill: 30-degree incline for 30 seconds x 2
• Bench Press: 2 sets of 15
• Treadmill: 20-degree incline for 20 seconds x 4
• Bench Press: 2 sets of 10
• 15-Degree incline: 15 seconds x 5
• Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 15
• 10-Degree Incline: 10 seconds x 6
• Push-ups: sets of 20 / 18 / 16 / 14 w/30 seconds of rest