Build Real Strength: Lifts & Form Coaching

A heavy deadlift session in progress. Form is critical here. I focus on keeping my back straight and driving through the legs to lift the weight, engaging the entire posterior chain.

Deadlifts are a business. It's a fundamental movement for building raw, full-body strength. Here I am working on my lift, focusing on a clean pull from the floor.

This was Day 1 of my comeback after being on bed rest for 1.5 months with jaundice and typhoid. I started with heavy squats, bag work, and core exercises. The stamina was low, but getting back under the bar was the first step.

100 squats to build foundational leg strength, followed by sit-ups to finish the session. Some days are about putting in the reps and pushing through the burn. As I say, the harder you work, the better you'll feel.

A clean in progress. This Olympic lift is one of the best for developing full-body explosive power, coordinating the legs, back, and shoulders to move the weight from the floor to the rack position.

A seated dumbbell shoulder press session. This exercise is great for building upper body pressing strength and developing the deltoids, which is crucial for punching power and endurance.

The push press, also known as the Boxer's Jack. This is a fantastic full-body movement that uses leg drive to press the weight overhead, building explosive shoulder strength.

The thruster is a killer compound exercise, combining a front squat with an overhead press. It works your entire body, improves cardiovascular fitness, and builds muscular endurance, making it perfect for fighters.

A complex of dumbbell bent-over rows into a push press. This combination targets the back and shoulders, building both pulling and pushing strength in a single, fluid sequence.