FAVORITE Barbell Variations for the BIG 4 STRENGTH Movements! 

Squat: 1. Front squat or zercher squat 2. Pin squat (at height you struggle) 3. Pause squat (weak point, typically out of hole), or box squat (typically with accommodating resistance) Bench: 1. Closer grip bench 2. Pin press 3. Floor press Deads: 1. Pause deads 2. Elevated deads (rack pull or on blocks) 3. Deficit deads/snatch deads (but typically not as useful as previous two) Press: 1. Push press 2. Z press 3. Pin press

Me: Im on a powerlifting program and playing around weightlifting a bit. *sees a Brian Alsruhe vid* Me: I wanna do strongman.

Ive got a lot of respect for you because you’ve said in the past the programs you sell are where you make most of your money yet you still put out free variations and on top of that release these videos for people looking to learn more about programming. You seem like a great guy good luck in any comps you have coming up.

I do the same thing you do with those ropes but I use the pen and chain at the bank🤠

Been avoiding your videos for the last 6 weeks since I've been staying out of the gym due to a back issue. Started mass builder yesterday and now im binging the videos I've missed. Feels like a hole in my heart has been filled again. Thanks for all your work man. Keep kickin some wormy ass

Brian is the real deal. If you ever want to get stronger, push harder, set higher PRs and make your life positive and productive, buy one of his programs and stick to it. Its well worth the momey and he will help you with whatever you need, he always gets back to you quickly and with positive words.

Those transitions to the grey kill me every time. "hug the Bench" * starts to overthink hug "hugs the wrong word" lmao

Such a helpful post, especially if you use conjugate. Thanks Brian.

Brian. You are so good at covering all the bases. You basically address all complaints before whiney commenters can get to them. Literally someone would have to be just yearning to complain to find something in this video. I love that about your commentary. Straight forward & stating why something could be beneficial, not beneficial, or harmful for any certain individual. Please keep it up. You are one of my favorite strength training channels on RU-vid. I mean really! You explain everything to your knowledge perfectly & disclaim any possible complaint! I love it.

Just finished my garage gym and started the Mass Program today. The intervals and cardio almost killed me but it was awesome! I really loved it!

Gotta have the notifications on for some of the best content on RU-vid, keep it up Brian, your videos help me out learning more and more about strongman as well as informative about all sorts of things when it comes to training.

This is an awesome video, thanks!

Those battle ropes are not sped up. That still floors me. Such an informative video too!

The Z press really is humbling but it has helped me put weight on my OHP. Great variation for sure...all of these are.

My Z press was ONLY 275... Poor Brian you're just 3 time stronger than average gym bro.

Awesome as always! You and A. Thrall are the best coaches on RU-vid 👍

Your voice seems to sound better. I hope that means less daily puking! Be strong and courageous.

I like Bulgarian skwit skwats 🤣. 👍😀💪

I needed this video! Thanks Brian!

love the energy. Big ups!

Bang on what I needed! Thanks as always Brian!! :)

Love your videos Brian, hope you are feeling better and getting healthier. Got to see one of your gym members this past weekend, John, at the Land Rover Kentucky 3 Day event. He was repping Neversate every day.

Great video Brian as always!

"Aaaaand prepare to be humbled"

Brian, this was a good one, thank you.

Perfect timing for the program I just received from you! 😉

"If you're new to this lifting thing, within 5 years". I'm glad to hear that. I started about 5 years ago and until now, I was convinced that if I weren't really good by now, I just suck. Although I could progress much faster with some actual coaching.

Thanks for the video Brian! Good stuff!

I love that Mass Builder program! I've been using all of these in my routines.

Thank you Brian

You're such an inspiration to me

Really great advice...thank you!

This is actually very informative thanks!

Another quality upload

Great vid as usual!

Awesome lift variations bro. Thanks

I love the zercher squat better than any other variation. It forces me to have a more natural squatting pattern.

YOU... ARE... SCHOOL!! You are THE professor

For the overhead strength, the best thing I’ve done is the bottoms-up kettlebell press. Whatever I coukd do on that I could do double with a DB, and about 4x with the barbell. So I didn’t need to train heavy as often when doing that.

You are still alive! Thought you gave up on videos haha. Thanks!

GREAT content as always sir. Could you make a video on what you think of weighted calisthenics for athletes and in your opinion the best approach to go about using them in a program? Thank you so much for all the help and hope you give all of us.

Would love to see a version of this video for people that DO go to a gym that has all the specialty bars and equipment!

I love the deficit pause deadlift

Love and miss your vids brian! Wife and i are praying for you and your recovery. Keep grinding brother!

I'd love to see more variations of main movers with specific functions, especially like the pause squat idea by getting rid of that rebound effect due to elastic engergy

Great vid

This video was awesome Brian 😆😆😆 we love you strong bro keep up the good. How are you doing btw ? Stay strong, Gary.

What are your thoughts on a JM press vs close grip? I find it to hit my triceps harder and with more focus than a close grip. However, that is more of an assistance exercise than a variation so I think my question has been answered. Have a good day

Your voice is improving 🙂

great video sir ✔️

Brian, as always awesome content! Thank you for all the free programmes - I am on 2nd run of the 4 horsemen currently and still finding prs. One day, when funds allow I am 100% getting a personalised programme from you. Can only imagine how much I’ll get out of that. In terms of lower body assistance work what are your thoughts on machine based exercise? Leg press etc. I appreciate your gym doesn’t have them, but would you consider them useful additions to training? I train in commercial gym so have access but to date have avoided them during the assistance portion of the session.

@Brian Alsruhe Have you ever tried doing a cycle where the big four are all deadstop variations? If so did you get more explosive and powerful?

Pin squat/deadstop squat is usually called the Anderson squat, since it was named after Paul Anderson the American weightlifter/powerlifter/strongman competitor. Great video Brian!

I love you man. Nice video. Brian, you take note of every 1RM of your exercises? Like floor press or z press. What confuses me at put % in that variations is that. What % to use? Thanks for doing that brilliant work up here man.

Quality video

I set pins just bellow my chin(if i go down 1 more pin its to low) for OHP. I can lift pretty much same weight. Do you thin that is because of shorter range of motion. Great video as always

Informative.

Brian's physique is a life goal 😂

Sine waves! Cool!

Wrist issues disallow me to front squat. To work around this I wrap lifting straps around the bar and then grip the straps. Axle figure 8 straps work great for this. This also works great for good mornings and back squats. It acts like a diy/ poor boys ssb. It’s humbling too, the loss of stability requires more stabilizer control.

How's the parasite medication runnin?

Great vid as always man. Not necessarily to do with pin pressing but I tend to stop my shoulder press at my chin, below that- I lose tightness in my lats despite being able to feel/chin-up weight, It also feels like I'm messing with my rotator cuff - bar path close enough that I need to move my face. so I justify this by thinking it's natural to use my legs to shoulder press so why work so far below below what would feel natural, am i thinking about this wrong? Thanks

I like Zercher squats with sandbag (but I also like barbell hack squats so I might be odd).

Floor pressing is actual hard as hell imo, I know you say you can overload the lockout but imo its incredibly taxing because you have to maintain perfect control of the eccentric so your elbows dont bang against the floor, so your triceps get fried in very little time

How would one include Olympic Weightlifting movements. I currently just do CJ and Snatches on OFF days or after and keep the assistance a bit lower on those days. Any recs?

What a coincidence, I just got my PR on the Ballvarian Squid Squap just yesterday.

The best variation is to rotate ALL VARIATIONS! Just got a idea. Squat thrusters WITH BANDS!!! Could be the strongman equivalent to burpees. You may be using your shoulders less going up on the push press, but most of the benefits in lifting come from the negative/ eccentric phase. This is why many lifters swear by negatives and are argued to be the best way to break plateaus by dropping weight and doing negatives up to your breakthrough. The muscle can produce the most force during the eccentric phase, followed by isometric, and finally concentric. Therefore, to neglect the eccentric phase of lifting makes as much sense as living off fast food if you want to get ripped.

Front squat the go

Thanks brian(the farmers walk man)

You can also make a copy of a spreadsheet for the program. Make sure to adjust to YOUR needs. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1m5cp-DfPzFcPSfB4dOwk_J2OKTxRcuEpYgV7XQzd8_Q/copy

So I am new to lifting.... i believe i have been doing it for 2 months now. I have decided to dedicate my time to squat, deadlift, bench (no particular order). I am slowly trying to work accessory work into my routine but i continue to have issues figuring out weight for accessory work. Should i just be guessing and seeing how it feels. I log every work out, every rep and weight so if i can figure it out i will at least have a base line to remember and a base line to progress from. Thanks for any help!

Thoughts on the Suitcase deadlift with a farmers handle? Also from a deficit?

Hey! A little bit about my medical history, I’ve had two kidney transplants. I’ve been lifting seriously for only the past two years. I’m 19 at a body weight of 155, my squat is 365, my deadlift is 335, and my overhead press is 185. In relation to your recent video about assistances lifts, whenever I do front squats, I get a sharp piercing pain where my surgical incision was for one of my kidney transplants. I was wondering if it could possibly be do to a weak core or something else. I know you’re not a medical professional, but I really look up to you and was wondering if you have any input on my situation. Thank you for putting out great videos! And I hope your own health is getting a lot better!

Hey Brian, when I do the floor press my elbows touch the floor at different times. Do experienced this?

Deficit bands assisted deadlift might give you maximal load for the entire strength curve if the bands are chosen correctly and set up correctly.

What weight should I start with starting to incorporate farmers carries with the farmers carry handled axles?

Slap some bands on the front squat and talk about a fun time too 🤙

Tbh lunge and split squat variations feel suprisingly well even with 1 rep max...much better than squat 1 rep maxes :D

Do you have a video version of this for your actual gym. For those of us who have access to a more fully equipped and versatile gym setting?

What do you think a first good all around barbell would be?

I like zercher squats because they look cool

Imma bouta be next biggest strongman / calisthenics maniac

I recently set up my own home gym and I'm kinda worried about playing around with push presses because I'm not very good at pressing overhead and I only have a half rack and cast iron plates. So if I mess up the catch and lose balance I get thrown back and it's kinda bad news for the plates, the floor and more importantly my skeletal integrity. Am I just chickening out or is it a legitimate concern?

Might be a dumb question but do axle deadlifts carry over very well ?

My big 4 would have barbell row. Since it's NOT going to replace the King deadlift or the squat, it will have to replace bench press or standing press. It will replace bench press if you are more into functional training, strongman or weightlifting. If you are more into powerlifting, it will replace standing press. Bench press has limited use in real life, so I'ma replace that if I only do 4. But, I will do at least 5.

Let's just say I cant front squat, ever, for arguments sake. Are ssb squats a good substitute? should I break my collar bone so it'll be in the correct place so I can front squat?

"I don't even know what I just said" I'm dead lol

Love it. God bless!

Can these exercises be considered as assistance exercises (like a bent over row) or should these still be incorporated in your training schedule?

Hey Brian, I squat in flats, do you think front squats are still a safe option if I'm not training in oly shoes? thanks for all of the great content.

@Brian Alsruhe I'm struggling with grip on the deadlift. I feel the pull off the floor is good and my legs are there but mid pull I feel my grip giving out. Any recommendations? I've added axel pulls and don't want to rely on straps. Thank you

No deficit deadlift?

Awesome, especially as I'm starting Darkhorse next week!

Brian I've had some experience in the past with calesthenics now I've started lifting it took me 3 months to reach a 135 pound over head press. How much time will it take to reach 225 pounds. Thanks awesome video!

i like glute bridge floor press, puts you in decline lets you move a lot of weight overloads triceps

How are you feeling/ your health? What's the update?

Great video as always. Keep the content coming, brother. Didn't know you were sponsored by Rise. There clothing line runs really small on me.

When I first started lifting I did more rackpulls than deadlifts and I fucked my lower back, it’s still irritating during my squat and deadlift day. I always tried to keep my back flat but I didn’t think about activating my glutes could this be why my back got fucked

Deficit deadlifts really helped me. My issue used to be that if I was trying 5 pounds over my max, the bar simply wouldn’t leave the ground. Deficits fixed this. I’m still slow off the ground, but my sticking point is now just below my knees. Now I primarily do pause deads as my primary variation and throw in defecits at the end, but with much lower weight focusing on speed to hopefully get a bit faster off the ground and blast through the sticking point. Hopefully it works!

I legit had a dream about you last night. You picked me up in your truck and we went to the gym and trained together. Awesome day and very interesting considering we've never met