What are Rise's "Big Rock Movements" and why do they matter?

At Rise we have a few exercises that we call our "Big Rocks". These are the exercises you will see across all of our programs, no matter the client. These ten exercises form the framework and foundation by which we build the rest of our workouts.

The term “Big Rocks” originates from an illustration used to show the importance of prioritizing exercises that give us the most bang for our buck. In the illustration, a jar is filled with rocks, pebbles, and sand. When the sand or pebbles (which represent accessory movements) are put in the jar first, then not all of the big rocks (or primary movements) can fit. But when the rocks are placed in the jar first, the pebbles and sand are able to fill in the space between the rocks. The lesson from this analogy is simple: Prioritize the primary movements first and allow the accessory movements to fill in the extra room in a program.

We define “Big Rock” exercises as movements that support longevity and health while using large muscle groups that we rely on in everyday life. All of these movements use multiple joints and engage large amounts of muscle. They also require a range of skills like balance, coordination, strength, stability, and mobility. In other words, these exercises closely relate to movements we do every day in life outside of the gym. 

If you are proficient in these exercises, we believe you will be prepared for any physical day-to-day task that life throws at you. 

Below is a brief explanation for each of our ten Big Rock Exercises:

1. Trap Bar Deadlift

The deadlift is a foundational exercise to any program and should be prioritized for numerous reasons. The first is how closely it mimics certain activities we do in everyday life. If you are able to deadlift over a hundred pounds, which is a very realistic goal for most people regardless of gender, then the chances of tweaking your back while picking up the groceries drops dramatically. 

We also prioritize the deadlift because of our ability to add weight when we train the movement. This places a high mechanical load on the skeletal system, which has been shown to increase bone mineral density, which correlates with bone strength and longevity. 

Additionally we choose to use a trap bar variation because it requires the least coordination and allows for an emphasis on loading. 

2. Overhead Shoulder Press

This exercise offers numerous benefits, including increased upper body strength and power, improved shoulder stability and posture, and enhanced core strength and balance. 

This movement was a simple choice because it is so applicable to everyday life. Ex: Lifting a suitcase into the overhead bin on a plane, lifting grandkids overhead, grabbing a heavy pot from a high cupboard, etc. 

3. Push-Up

We included push-ups as a Big Rock because we believe everyone should be able to move their body weight around. Being able to move your own body weight is empowering and incredibly important for day to day activities, as well as safety and emergency situations. If you slip and fall, you need the movement pattern trained with push-ups to get yourself up and off the ground.

The push-up is a movement that everyone can begin working on right away with regressions (for example: on your knees). It is an overall beneficial pushing movement that aids in upper body strength and core stability.

4. Inverted Row

Similar to the push-up, we chose the inverted row because we believe you should be able to move your body weight around. This is a pulling movement that we want all members to be able to accomplish. It uses muscles in our back instead of those in our chest.

5. Single-Leg Squat

Single-leg training is a critical tool for developing balanced strength.

Coach Mike Boyle writes, “You do almost everything in sports in a split stance, or by pushing off one leg from a parallel stance, so it just makes sense to train your body that way.” We would add that this applies to everyday activities in life as well.

The unstable nature of single-leg training also develops stabilizers and small muscle groups which you can’t hit with standard exercises, but are critical for injury prevention.

Many of these points are tied to athlete performance training, but we believe that we are all athletes to some degree and that 1-leg strength is crucial for balance, injury prevention, and overall strength development. 

6. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

The single-leg deadlift not only develops hip strength and power, but it also allows the muscles of the hips and legs to act as stabilizers. This is our most important hinge movement we train. If you can do Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts proficiently, you are going to develop balance and strength simultaneously.

7. Lateral Lunge

Lateral lunges offer numerous benefits, including strengthening the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and inner thigh muscles, improving balance and stability, and enhancing flexibility and hip mobility.

8. Get-up

The get-up is a fantastic core exercise, a great shoulder exercise, and it trains body control and proprioception. But even more importantly, it trains you to safely get off the ground as you age, which is a fundamental movement pattern. The get-up isn’t designed for one single goal, but it trains many muscles and important movement patterns.

9. 1-Leg Toe Touch Balances

A single leg toe touch challenges the balance, flexibility, and coordination of an individual. By training this movement consistently, our members see improvement in their overall balance during day-to-day activities. 

10. Farmers Carry

Farmers Carries were an easy choice for us. It's a simple concept - pick up heavy weights and move them - with a direct real-life applicability. They improve grip strength, enhance core stability, and increase overall strength. Farmers Carries engage almost every muscle, help with posture, get the heart rate going, and are easy to teach. 

If you're thinking, “This sounds great but there's no way I could ever do all of these”, then we invite you to visit our website and read the testimonials of members who at one point thought the same thing. But now because of their consistency, they are able to conquer these movements and much more. To meet with one of our coaches and learn more about how Rise can help you reach your health and fitness goals, schedule a Free Fitness Consultation here.