Bryan Meyer is a leading expert in athletic performance coaching and the founder of B Meyer Training in Orlando. His client list includes Olympic medalist and goes beyond just NBA all-stars. Meyer and his training methods have been featured in ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Men’s Health. Meyer was an instrumental in getting Dwight Howard back from a potential ending injury and this exercise was used in his rehab and strength program. His brand has spread to China and he has plans to continue to help educate Chinese athletes and coaches on better training.  His passion lies in education and not only helping build better athletes, but better people.

When it comes to choosing an exercise, multiple factors come into play. From progressions to individual characteristics, I consider range of motion, injuries, joint mechanics, and more. The goal is to ensure joint health and build strength in various ranges. Keep this general rule in mind: be strong when it's long, in the middle, and when it's short.
 
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What do you take into account when choosing an exercise?

Choosing the Right Exercise: Key Factors to Consider

So the question is what do you take into account when choosing an exercise? So lots and lots of variables. In a class setting and whatnot you try to stick to obviously progressions. In a individual client or athlete there's different data that's collected, range of motion, active, passive, past injuries, current injuries, joint mechanics, any tissue damage, again that goes along with injury, how much time you have with them, their current goals. So there's so much that goes into it. If I just had to be super super general when choosing an exercise I want to make sure that the joint is healthy enough to do the range of motion actively on their own before I add any sort of resistance. And then I want to get them strong in the various ranges that that joint allows. So let's just keep it super simple. Let's just say like a bicep curl, so elbow flexion. You can do your standard curls but depending on you know supination pronation of your wrist, where you place the elbow, let's just say we're doing dumbbell curls, all that stuff has to come into play, your body position. So I want to choose exercises that challenge the muscle in different ranges so it can be strong not necessarily just in that short or optimal range in that 90 degree range but all throughout the range. That's a very very general rule but hopefully that helps and makes you think a little bit when you're choosing an exercise. You want to be strong when it's long in the middle and when it's short.

When choosing an exercise, make sure the joint is healthy enough to do the range of motion actively before adding resistance. Choose exercises that challenge the muscle in different ranges so it can be strong in all areas of the range.

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When choosing an exercise, there are numerous variables to consider. In a class setting, progressions play a role. For individual clients or athletes, data such as range of motion, past and current injuries, joint mechanics, tissue damage, time availability, and current goals are taken into account. Speaking generally, when selecting exercises, it's important to ensure that the joint is capable of performing the range of motion without resistance before adding any weight. Building strength in various ranges of motion that the joint allows is crucial. Let's take a bicep curl as an example. Factors like wrist supination/pronation, elbow positioning (in the case of dumbbell curls), and body position all come into play. It's essential to choose exercises that challenge the muscle in different ranges so that it becomes strong throughout those ranges rather than just focusing on the optimal 90-degree range. This is a basic principle to consider when selecting exercises: aim for strength in both lengthened and shortened positions.

Curious about choosing the right exercise? Here's a snippet of my approach.
 
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Choosing the Right Exercise: Key Tips for Optimal Results

So this one overlaps the other question a little bit, but how do you choose an exercise? So, excuse me, there's all different data that's collected, but another just really snippet or little tip that you can take is where you want to put the most tension. So, let's just use like a deadlift as an example. You know, there's pros and cons to using a barbell, a dumbbell, a rubber band. Can the person stand up? Do they have good mechanics in their knee and their ankle? So there's things that the smarter you get, and I'm still learning and always growing, that, for example, my 100-year-old grandma, she still needs to work her hips, but she can't stand up and get down really well. So, an example, I can have her sit up really, really tall, and I can have her nurse or one of her helpers basically just push in on her knees, and she has to push out. And then I can have her focus on seeing if she can just squeeze her butt and maybe push herself up with her upper body. So we're just trying to get her stronger in different ranges. The other thing is I can put her on a higher seat and have her do the same thing, so then her hip position, her glutes and her hamstrings are at a different length and position. So there's lots of things you can do, and all those things are going through my mind when I'm dealing with an athlete, when I'm dealing with a client, is I'm choosing something that's optimal for them. And it's never perfect, but that's what we try to shoot for. So I know that was a lot, but hopefully you picked up a couple things from that.

Choosing an exercise requires taking into consideration the individual's needs, ability level and range of motion. You should look for an exercise that is optimal for the person depending on their goals and capabilities.

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When choosing an exercise, one important factor to consider is where you want to put the most tension. For example, if we take a deadlift as an example, there are different options like using a barbell, dumbbell, or rubber band. It's essential to assess the person's ability to stand up and their knee and ankle mechanics. As you become more knowledgeable, you understand how to adapt exercises for different needs. For instance, if someone cannot stand up easily but still needs to work their hips, modifications can be made. In the case of my 100-year-old grandma, I would have her sit up tall and push in on her knees while she pushes out. She can focus on squeezing her butt and using her upper body to push herself up. We aim to make individuals stronger in various ranges of motion. Another option is placing her on a higher seat to change the position of her hips, glutes, and hamstrings. These are just a few examples, and I consider all these factors when choosing exercises for athletes or clients. It's not about finding the perfect exercise but rather selecting something that is optimal for each individual's needs.

Curious about machines vs. free weights for clients? Let's weigh the pros and cons! 💪
 
 Check out my answer to understand how machines offer stability and convenience, but also have limitations. It's all about finding the right balance!
 
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The Pros and Cons of Machines for Clients

Here's a great one. Are machines better for clients? So there's always going to be that debate for machines are better. No, they're not functional. Free weights are better because they allow you freedom of joints a little bit and they allow you to be a little bit more friendlier. They're both great. I like machines if I'm saying the pros of the machines. It puts you in a fixed position. You don't have to worry about being stable. The range of motion is already pretty much set for you, which can be good or bad. We're going to say it's good for right now. And that stability component and other things that come into play, balance, worrying about your surroundings and whatnot, you don't have to worry about. So from that standpoint, machines are awesome. Bad thing about machines, you're in a fixed position. One size does not fit all. The strength profile can be good at one point, drop off at another. So again, no exercise is perfect, but a con would be that sometimes the cams and the strength profile are terrible. Let's use the hammer press. So the hammer bench press, we've seen it where you actually add plates to it. When you press up, it's really hard at the bottom where you're the weakest. When you're the strongest on the top, that's where it drops off and that exercise becomes the easiest. So a simple example would be if you were to place rubber bands around something to increase the resistance as you get stronger, that would be a better one exercise that you could modify to make better for you. But so machines are great and machines suck at the same time. So it just depends how you use them.

Machines can be great for providing stability and range of motion, but can be limited in their strength profile. A better choice may be free weights, which provide more freedom of movement and can be modified to fit the individual.

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The debate on whether machines are better for clients is ongoing. Free weights offer more joint freedom and flexibility, making them favorable for some. However, machines have their advantages too. They provide a fixed position and eliminate the need to worry about stability and range of motion. This can be beneficial for certain individuals. Machines also remove concerns about balance and surroundings. On the downside, machines have limitations. One size does not fit all, and the strength profile may not align with individual needs throughout the entire range of motion. For example, the hammer bench press may be challenging at the bottom where one is weakest and easier at the top where strength peaks. Modifying exercises with resistance bands can be a better way to customize resistance based on individual strength levels. So, machines have both positive and negative aspects depending on how they are utilized.


Want to maximize your results with dumbbells or free weights? Let's dive in! 
 
 Discover the power of different positions and body placements to target specific muscles effectively. It's all about finding your sweet spot!
 
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How can you use DBs or free weights more effectively ?

How to optimize your use of dumbbells and free weights

How can you use dumbbells or free weights more effectively? I would say change the position of where you place the weight and your body. Let's just use dumbbell bench press flat on the ground. I got the dumbbells. Depending on where, and you're just doing that bench press type motion laying on your back, your feet are underneath you as if you were kind of in a sit-up position, and you got the dumbbells and you're doing a press like as if you were on the bench, but you're laying on the ground. Hopefully I explained that. Depending on where you put your elbow in space, that can affect different things. Your elbows are tucked in. It's going to put more torque to your elbow, which could be good, could be bad. You can bring your elbow up a little bit more to increase the moment arm to your chest a little bit more. You could bring the dumbbell out more as a fly, which is going to stress different muscles, different joints. So play around with those and get the muscle magazine thought process out where you're just looking at the movement. It all just depends on where you're putting that dumbbell in space, where you're putting your body, and play around with it and you're going to feel different things. You can do that overhead, I don't know what they call it, like the skull crusher type thing, and play around with that and combine those different movements and you're going to feel a lot. Oh, that was more of a tricep thing. That was more of a chest thing. And play around with the different positions. Set the timer for one minute and do five in this position, five in this position, five overhead, and you'll start feeling things in different ways that you were like, I didn't get that at first, but you'll get it. Very simple, but obviously make sure that your joints are okay to do that before you start throwing some heavy weights around. All right, be careful, but it's pretty cool.

To use free weights or dumbbells more effectively, experiment with changing the position of the weight and your body. Try doing five reps in different positions for one minute to feel the muscles working in different ways. Be mindful of your joints and make sure to be careful when using heavier weights.

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To use dumbbells or free weights more effectively, try changing the position of where you place the weight and your body. For example, when doing a dumbbell bench press flat on the ground, experiment with different elbow positions. Tucking your elbows in can provide more torque to your elbows, while bringing them up slightly can increase the moment arm to your chest. You can also bring the dumbbells out more as a fly motion to target different muscles and joints. It's important to move away from the mindset of just focusing on the movement and instead explore different positions for the weight and your body. Try different variations, such as overhead movements or skull crushers, and combine them to feel how they engage various muscles. Setting a timer for one minute and doing five repetitions in different positions can help you discover new sensations and areas of focus. However, always ensure that your joints are in good condition before using heavy weights. Take care and enjoy exploring these techniques for more effective use of dumbbells or free weights.

Want to take your free weights workout to the next level? It's all about tempo! Discover the power of controlled movements and challenge yourself in new ways.
 
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What is one thing people can do to make free weights better ?

Unlock the Secret to Maximizing Free Weight Workouts

Alright, this one keeps super simple. What is one thing people can do to make free weights better? Think about the tempo. Instead of just worrying about pushing that weight up and down, challenge yourself. I'm gonna do five reps but each one is gonna be for five seconds, or I'm gonna do a five second hold in this range. I'm gonna do a five second negative. I'm gonna do five seconds up. I'm gonna do halfway down kind of quick, hold for five seconds, go all the way down, and then come up nice and slow. So you can use that same weight, that same movement, and make it extremely, extremely hard, difficult, easy, depending on that tempo. And I think that's something that's lost in a lot of training, is we just like, oh I got to make it harder. I'm gonna put on five pounds. I'm gonna put on ten pounds. That's the last thing you should do, and you'll be much better off. And that intensity that you're bringing goes, you know, through the roof when you change and add and play around with the tempo. That's just a real simple one, but try that. So like I said, suggestion would be three seconds down, up for three seconds, three seconds down, up for three seconds. And then your creativity and how you want to progress different ranges is endless. If you need more suggestions, hit me up on that because there's different protocols that I have for that. But in the end, just control every movement and try adding different tempo to it, and you're definitely going to get a lot stronger in all those ranges that you're challenging yourself. So enjoy that one. That one's a great one.

To make free weights better, challenge yourself by changing the tempo of your reps. For example, do five reps with a five second hold in each range and five seconds for the negative. This adds intensity and will help you get stronger.

Maximize your free weight workouts with this simple trick: tempo control. 🏋️‍♂️ Unlock the full potential of each rep by adding strategic timing. Watch now on AnyQuestion! #fitness #workout

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One thing people can do to enhance their experience with free weights is to focus on the tempo. Instead of simply lifting the weight up and down, challenge yourself by varying the speed of your repetitions. You can try different tempos like a five-second hold, a five-second negative (lowering the weight), or a slow and controlled movement throughout the exercise. By adjusting the tempo, you can make the same weight and movement significantly more challenging or easier depending on your goals. Many training programs overlook the importance of tempo, often resorting to adding more weight as the primary means of increasing difficulty. However, prioritizing tempo can bring intensity to your workouts and help you see better results. One simple suggestion is to perform three seconds down, three seconds up for each repetition. Feel free to experiment with different tempos for various ranges of motion and if you need further suggestions or guidance, don't hesitate to reach out. The key is to maintain control throughout each movement and explore different tempos to strengthen yourself in various ranges. Enjoy this technique as it can be highly effective in improving your strength.

Maximize your workout with machines and free weights! Here's a simple approach: super set exercises. 
 
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Advice on how to use machine and free weights together ?

Maximize Your Workout: Combining Machines and Free Weights

Advice on how to use machines and free weights together. So we'll keep this one super simple too. So most of the time a machine is gonna be in a fixed position. Let's just use the Cybex machine and you're doing a bench press. The strength profile and the cam on those I believe is pretty awesome. Cybex are pretty good with that stuff. I haven't been on that one in a long, long time so I'm not super familiar with the strength profile but let's say the machine is pretty hard at that bottom range and it is still pretty hard as you come up but it might drop off a little bit but it's not an extreme drop off where you're all the way out and it's really easy. Let's just say for sake of example that's how it is. Then what you could do is you do that exact exercise on the machine, as soon as you're done with that go to the bench press, go to the floor press, go to any dumbbell press and you're kind of super setting those two exercises. And depending on how they line up in a more nerdy way they can really compliment each other. So go from a machine to a free weight dumbbell. Machine, free weight dumbbell and you can do that for every exercise and overall you'll have some great super sets, a lat pull down to pull ups and then play around with those. And then my other one that I answered was tempo. So now do that same thing with those two exercises but add tempo and now you've just gotten an awesome little super set and progressions to use for weeks and weeks and weeks. So enjoy that one guys, I'd love to hear your input on it and we'll keep giving you some more great stuff.

To use machines and free weights together, do an exercise on the machine then go to a free weight dumbbell exercise. You can also add tempo to these exercises for further progression.

Maximize your workout by combining machines and free weights! 🏋️‍♀️ Learn how to create effective supersets and tempo variations. Watch now on AnyQuestion. #fitness #workout

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When it comes to using machines and free weights together, here's a simple approach. Machines are typically fixed in position, so let's take the example of a Cybex machine for bench press. The strength profile and cam of the machine can be quite effective. After completing your sets on the machine, you can immediately switch to a bench press or floor press using free weights, like dumbbells. This allows you to super set the exercises and take advantage of their complementary effects. You can apply this technique to other exercises as well, such as lat pull downs followed by pull ups. Experiment with different combinations and find what works best for you. Another tip is to incorporate tempo into these super sets. By adding tempo variations to both machine and free weight exercises, you can create effective super sets that offer progressions for weeks to come. Give it a try and feel free to share your feedback. We'll continue providing more valuable insights for you.

Barbell squats vs. DB squats: What's the difference? Let's dive in! While both have their benefits, I prefer dumbbell squats for their versatility and lower risk of injury. 
 
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What is difference between barbell squats and DB squats?

Barbell Squats vs. DB Squats: Discover the Key Differences

What is the difference between barbell squats and dumbbell squats? Tons. Overall, I like dumbbell squats because it allows a little bit more freedom of load placement, foot placement, and you can tweak things a little bit easier, especially on the fly. Barbell squats, it obviously goes on your back. There's quite a bit of compression that goes through your spine. The probability of error or injury or whatnot is a little bit higher with dumbbells. You can quickly drop them if you're doing a goblet squat and you hold it here. For a lot of my taller athletes and majority of my athletes, I love getting under the bar, but I think dumbbells and adding resistance that way along with some other toys is much more effective, a little bit safer for the spine, and just overall mechanics. So that's just my thought process on it. I do love squats. I do love barbell squats, but I just think for overall health and whatnot, there's just so much more that you can accomplish and get done, and the pros outweigh the cons when you're using dumbbells, if I'm just comparing barbells to dumbbells. So I can dive into more with that, but give it a try. And people think that you can't load. I think you can, and that single leg stuff is super, super important in taxing. And I think dumbbells just give you a little bit more creativity and freedom for everybody's individual makeup.

The main difference between barbell squats and dumbbell squats is the ability to customize the exercise to suit individual needs. With dumbbells, you can adjust foot placement and load placement more easily, with less risk of injury than barbell squats. They also allow for more creativity and freedom of movement.

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The difference between barbell squats and dumbbell squats is significant. Dumbbell squats offer more freedom in load and foot placement, allowing for easier adjustments during the exercise. With barbell squats, the bar rests on your back, resulting in compression on the spine and a higher chance of error or injury. On the other hand, dumbbells can be quickly dropped if needed, such as in goblet squats where you hold the dumbbell in front of you. While I still appreciate barbell squats, I find that incorporating dumbbells and other resistance tools is more effective, safer for the spine, and promotes better overall mechanics. In terms of health benefits, using dumbbells allows for more versatility and outweighs any drawbacks compared to barbells. Single-leg exercises are also crucial, and dumbbells provide more creativity and freedom to tailor workouts to individual needs. Give it a try and see for yourself—the loading potential is often underestimated when using dumbbells.

So much more goes into exercise selection.  Find out some great tips to help you gain strength and remain healthy.     