We’ve been incredibly busy these past few weeks with the release of TACFIT Commando 2.0. I’m sure you’ve been following the online buzz, and you’ve already heard all about it. For those who don’t know, we co-authored the program with Scott Sonnon, founder of the Circular Strength Training system.
One of the things people like most about Commando is how portable it is. Our approach to bodyweight exercise has always been to design workouts you can do “anytime, anywhere” — portable fitness for busy people who still want to maintain a great physique no matter where they are.
With tools like that, there’s nothing holding you back from looking great, feeling great, and performing great.
I’d like to share one of my favourite exercises for doing exactly that.
The Rock-Up Deck Squat is sort of an all-in-one cardio workout. It’s a great exercise for working your legs and core, and if you do it for high enough reps or for time, you can use it to get in a complete exercise session when you’re traveling, or during holiday seasons when you just don’t have a lot of time to work out.
The other great thing about the Rock-Up Deck Squat is that you can do it in about the same amount of space you need to lie down in. It’s perfect for the living room, the office, and especially for hotel rooms. This is one of my favourites when I’m on the road doing assignments for travel magazines.
There’s a lot going on in this exercise, so we’re going to break it down into components. I want you to start by mastering the Knee Drop Spinal Rock. Practice it until you have the form down, and then build up to about 5 to 8 sets of 10 reps. Once you’ve got it down smooth and you can go for while, you’ll be ready to put it all together.
Here’s your Knee Drop Spinal Rock tutorial:
We’ll integrate it together into a larger movement pattern for the full Rock-Up Deck Squat in Part Two of this article.
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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
This group of exercises (spinal rock series) has done more to tighten up my core, in fact, to give my core integration ‘intelligence’ or ‘awareness’ than any of the Six-Pack promising crunches and sit-ups in the general phys ed protocols. It also warms up the body for other movements and exercises. Thank you for posting Ryan.
Nice! I’ve performed this exercise within the Tacfit routine and it is good!
can’t wait to see part II
Keep it up!
Vicente
Looks really interesting. I teach Pilates and an exercise in the matwork series called the boomerang is so similar. Joseph Pilates rocks!! A genius ahead of his time x
I’m currently doing my first round of Tacfit Commando, and the recruit level version of this exercise is part of the program. This is the hardest of the exercises for me – not because of flexibility or difficulty, but because for some reason it’s quite painful. I don’t know if I’m abnormal, but the point at where my spine connects to the hip girdle (or to be crude, right above my butt crack) protrudes quite a bit, meaning that when I do these rolling motions that area ends up grinding into the ground. Is there something I can do to help avoid this? I’ve tried slowing it down and controlling it as much as possible, but even then I can’t avoid a fair amount of discomfort. And advice would be appreciated!
Hi Nathan,
I just bought Tacfit Commando and plan to start in another week. Are you following the 4×7 and only doing the Tacfit workouts, or are you adding supplemental workouts? I’m currently doing Gauntlet by Turbulence Training 3 days a week as well as 20 minutes of intervals 3 times a week. I’m concerned that dropping my level of activity will produce bad results. Do you have any opinion on whether Commando is enough on it’s own, or should more be added? Keep in mind that I’m sitting at a desk 5 days a week so my workouts are my main physical activity. Thanks!
Hi Nathan,
It’d really help to see a video of you going through the movement, preferably with tight fitting clothing (it’s not that we want to see you in skimpy clothing – baggy shirts will hide your spinal articulation
Are you able to roll down from the sitting position smooth and slow, under control, articulating one vertebra at a time? This will be very important when you put it together into the full deck squat movement – you’ll have to tuck your tailbone underneath when rolling from the squat.
Very good exercise but I find that I have difficulty getting my toes or knees to the floor.
Sonny,
It isn’t necessary to get your toes on the ground at first. You’ll recover the range of motion over time, especially if you work with holds of the plow pose.
For the knee drop, the main thing is to ensure that you’re exhaling fully on compression (otherwise you won’t get your toes down), and that you’re relaxing into the drop – tensing or trying to kick your feet back will only strain your lower back. The range of motion will come with time.
I recognize this exercise from “Be Breathed” and “Intu-Flow”, but I appreciate the opportunity to review it with another instructor – and it’s very nice to have a context for it (as a base for full Deck Squats). Now I know “why” to practice it, which was always the hard part for me.
Many thanks for posting this, and for not neglecting those of us who are still working on BER and your earlier programs.
.-= James Boelter´s last blog -> AllRecipes 5 Star Favorites- Swiss and Mushroom Chicken =-.
James,
Yep, this one’s a staple CST exercise, and one of our favourites
>Many thanks for posting this, and for not neglecting those of us who are still working on BER and your earlier programs.
We’ve got much more coming up. We’ve also been releasing a monthly stream of 28-day bodyweight programs through our Inside Access site. And we’re working on a very very cool new BodyweightCoach program for release later this year. We’re really excited about that one. Stay tuned
Hi guys:
this morning I was doing the Mission 1 Recruit workout of Tac Fit Commando and when I did the spinal rock I got an enormous headache. I must be doing something wrong because I don’t get headaches. I have done Pilates before and so I have no problem doing this exercise except for the headache thing. Help Please….
Hi Chrystal,
Please get this checked with your doctor or health care provider. Medical advice is beyond the scope of our abilities as fitness professionals. We’ll be glad to have a look at your exercise technique, etc once you’ve ruled out any pre-existing medical problems. But please do rule out medical stuff first.
Hi, I just started my first Tacfit recruit and did my first moderate program today. I really enjoyed it and can see this being hugely beneficial. I’m pretty new to bodyweight stuff but had done a couple of weeks of your very kind free bodyweight workout. I have to say though that i’ve had the same issue as Nathan. The final vertebrae at the top of my arse (as we say in Scotland!
) has taken a battering and feels pretty raw now. I’ll try and do a video but i’d assumed it was just because i’m relatively skinny and it’s sticking out a bit but perhaps I do need to look at technique more also.
>I’ll try and do a video but i’d assumed it was just because i’m relatively skinny and it’s sticking out a bit
It’s the same for me if the surface is hard. I’ve got a boney arse and that area always gets a bit banged up if doing this stuff on wood or concrete, or taking throws on hard surfaces. But we can have a look at your technique to rule out any form issues if you like. Happy to help
Thanks Ryan, much appreciated. I’ve been using a yoga mat over wooden floorboards, it may just be that I need a thicker mat or I need to toughen up, brings a whole new meaning to being a hard arse………..
@Chrystal:
As mentioned, check with your doctor.
But, this could also be from over-extending your neck a bit when you did the knee drop. Your neck muscles/nerves stretch all the way to your forhead and neck tension can be felt in the front of your head as well in the form of a head ache. It happened to me once during “boot strappers” (standing bent over supporting on your arms and then flexing/extending your legs) I thought I had busted an artery in my head cause the pain came so suddenly and then again arose whenever my pulse went up on the way home from training (I was biking). But, it turned out that it was a neck issue that the chiro worked out fairly fast.
I love the spinal rock! I use it in the morning to help warm up my spine before my kettlebell sport training.
I look forward to the deck squat tutorial because I have been usingthe spinal rock to deck squat to burpee for helping build my cardio capacity. The problem is that I have to be missing some minor point of technique as I occasionally get a twinge of pain in my right knee.
Thanks for all the great programs you guys are putting out. I have been digging the first TacFit release as it blends well with Coach Steer’s Clubbell Blackbook and my GS training!
.-= Richard´s last blog -> 6-Degree CST Pull-up Program =-.
>The problem is that I have to be missing some minor point of technique as I occasionally get a twinge of pain in my right knee.
Check your squat form first.
I see that happen a lot when people rush the squat in movements like this (and especially in FlowFit). They kinda get ahead of themselves in a rush to get their speed up, and as a result they don’t sit back into a proper flat foot squat before standing. Their weight is forward rather than driving from mid foot. Over the course of a bunch of reps that can make the knees flare up a bit.
That’s the first place I would look.
I have a herniated disc, can I try this exercise?
If you’ve got a serious pre-condition like this, please get the exercise cleared by your health care professional before attempting. He or she will have the best knowledge of your specific condition and will be able to advise.
I wasn’t able to download this video. I keep getting the runaround. I enter my name and email address and it tells me I am blocked
Hi Dawn,
There’s no need to enter your name or email address. The video plays right here in your screen
Hi, love the video and will be practicing this as well as practicing a similar version from Tacfit Commando. I actually have two questions. I am doing Turbulence Training and then I usually run /bike. Wondering if I could do TT and then do this type of exercise or Tacfit instead of my usual cardio…insteaad of dropping TT altogether. I’ve just gotten such great results with TT I don’t want to let it go but even doing intervals while running or biking is boring the crap outta me which I usually follow with after my TT strength training. And I love bodyweight exercises as cardio…just getting tired of the same bw exercises. So thinking I could do the Tacfit as my Cardio . I know it’s probably best to do it as a standalone.
Another question…I bought tacfit…should I also buy bodyweight exercise revolution?
Totally off topic – but really enjoyed meeting you at the CST training in Moorpark. I value your coaching and am inspired by your life/work.
Feel spent, but inspired for the next level. My best to you in all of you adventures and hope to cross paths again soon. And after a second viewing just now – going to work on the knee drop-spinal rock…just not tonight.
Thanks Jolie – was great to meet you too
Hi Guys, Is it possible to download this video?
Thanks
John
hi, is part 2 done yet? is i build killer abs with plank push?
Hi Carl,
Yes, you can find part 2 here http://www.bodyweightcoach.com/08/bodyweight-cardio/
Yes, the plank push will target your abs.