Dumbbell Stair Climbs

This one is simple.

Grab some dumbbells and carry them up and down the stairs. To get heavy enough to really tax yourself, you may need to use lifting straps or the grip will fail long before your legs or cardiovascular system. I like this because of the sequential effort. With stepping or box jumping there is always a point where you can rest. Stair climbing adds a new dimension to leg training - especially if you live on the 3rd floor, as I do!

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Deadlift

No matter how much I get into bodyweight exercises, I cannot let go of deadlifts. They are just such a great all-body exercise. The videos show the different ways they can be done. It's one of the few exercises where I still use lifting straps on occasion.

Standard Deadlift

Stiff/Straight-Legged Deadlift

With this version, you keep the legs more or less entirely straight and make more use of the lower back. People often stand on a platform to get a greater stretch on the hamstrings.

I like that this guy does a standard deadlift for the first rep. This is a good approach, since it can be disproportionately hard to do that first rep with this variation - making it hard to have good form on the first rep if you are using a heavy weight. Another approach, if you have the necessary equipment, is to take the weight off a rack at waist height to start.

Romanian Deadlift

Some people seem to think the Romanian deadlift is basically the same as the stiff-legged. But there are some differences and this article explains them well. Essentially, you do not go as far down with the bar (i.e. do not stand on a platform) and therefore there is no rounding of the back at the bottom. You also bend the legs a little more.



23.09.10: I recently videoed myself doing RDLs, and found my form was not good. After dropping the weight, and trying again the week after, things are looking better:

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