My Theory on The 2 Best Exercises
ATG Basic #1 is Sled and ATG Basic #2 is the ATG Split Squat. Here’s my theory behind why they’re the two best exercises for most people:
Backward sled provides a means of safely loading your knees (and feet) at full effort. The ATG Split Squat provides a means of safely loading your mobility at full effort.
It’s the ATG Split Squat that was the primary transformer of my knees and athleticism from my 20s to my 30s, and how my mom is sprinting pain-free at age 67. It has delivered results for youthfulness beyond anything I thought possible from exercise.
Let’s think about kids: They’re bonking themselves against outside forces often, but they’re much less likely than adults to have non-contact injuries, meaning injuries from our own bodies’ motions. You don’t see many 6-year-olds throwing out their backs from doing random tasks, pulling their hamstrings when sprinting, or having knee pain just from bending their knees, but as adults these things become common.
As adults we’re less mobile but we are stronger and that’s key, too!
But then as we get even older we lose BOTH!
With the ATG Split Squat, we improve both — in harmony with each other.
And that’s what I believe creates the most protected body.
When both are low we’re in trouble. But even when one or the other is low, to that degree we’re less protected against the outside world and ourselves.
The picture below shows the goal end position of the ATG Split Squat:
-ball of foot on floor
-front hamstring completely covers calf
-back knee doesn’t touch floor
-torso upright
But I had to start this with my front foot elevated a foot high and with assistance! Growing up, I had the worst knees of anyone I knew. This exercise slowly changed me to the point where people now marvel at my knee strength and mobility, even though I was once nicknamed “old man.” I don’t take supplements and I don’t do anything for recovery. I’m just focused on what can happen when we put in the work on exercise applied to healing and protection.
In the picture above, I’m using over 50% of my bodyweight in additional load (25% per hand), which for 5 perfect reps is the basic target I coach athletes to. But you can click here to see just how much this exercise scales, and why older people are winning with it.
It’s the sled that makes the ATG Split Squat results so much easier!
This is because the sled allows you to safely load a knees over toes position and then pump strength and circulation. It gets your feet, ankles, knees, and even hips more likely to win when you then mobilize them.
Sled for circulation.
ATG Split Squat for mobility.
Both for strength.
For exact sled execution tips, my Kneeducation series of 30-second videos goes over all sorts of application details. For example, the last 4 offer solutions if you don’t have a sled!
Recap:
What these two methods have in common is allowing you to WORK HARD in REVERSE of aging — which is increasingly harder to do safely as we get older.
So that’s my theory on why these two unusual exercise solutions are actually the two best exercises for most people.
Yours in Solutions,
Ben
The ATG Program
