Move of the Week - Dumbbell Pendulum Hop & Row - 6/27

We are going to have a lot of fun with this movement! The Dumbbell Pendulum Hop & Row is a deceivingly cardiovascular movement. It will get your heart pumping AND give you an incredible sense of accomplishment once you get the timing.

The timing is critical to nailing this movement, as is the case with many of the movements that we've been practicing lately. In this movement when you get the timing right the push and pull of your arms will help you lift your body up onto the box, and hop gently off of the box.

Your arms will work like pendulums, so keeping your arms straight is key to creating the momentum that will help you flow on and off of the box. As soon as you bend your elbows you no longer have a full pendulum. When we get this this technique right it takes all of the work out of the arms, shoulder & neck and puts it into the core.

This is a push / pull movement, and it's through this push and pull that your entire body will move. As you swing your arms up give them time to get to shoulder height and then pull into the row. This pull will simultaneously help you pop up onto the box. Conversely, when you punch your arms out in front of your chest your body will push off of the box. Allow gravity to flow with you, letting the dumbbells pendulum back to your sides, pulling you back into your hinge, and setting you up for the next repetition.

The last piece to be thinking about as you work on perfecting this movement is how far your elbows come back in the row. You don't want to have your elbows coming back behind your shoulder joint. Try to keep your elbows in line with your shoulders or even in front of your shoulders when the row stops. This will prevent you from over rowing and losing that connection with your lats.

Be patient with yourself at the beginning of the week & you will nail the timing of this movement. Once you've nailed the timing, you will actually feel your body "floating" up and down off the step. The pendulum will help you achieve this!
ENJOY!

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​Here's your checklist:
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1. Strong standing posture prior to moving
2. Your very best hinge (deadlift)
3. Keep those arms straight until you are ready to row
4. Punch the dumbbells out until your arms are straight after you row
5. Soften those landings!!
6. Have fun!