Supine Band Straight Arm Lat Pullover

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The supine band straight-arm lat pullover is one of the most underrated minimal-equipment exercises for building your lats through a full range of motion while improving overhead shoulder mobility and core control. In this complete guide, THIRST Gym owner Brandon Smitley breaks down the setup, biomechanics, common mistakes, and programming so you can train your lats effectively with nothing but a resistance band. A must-read for powerlifters, combat sports athletes, swimmers, and anyone training in a home or garage gym.

Off-Set KB Drop And Catch Lateral Lunge

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Learn the offset kettlebell drop and catch lateral lunge, a powerful deceleration and change-of-direction exercise that teaches athletes how to plant, brake, and stop efficiently. Brandon Smitley of THIRST Gym in Terre Haute, Indiana breaks down the biomechanics, coaching cues, common mistakes, and programming for wrestlers, combat athletes, and anyone looking to move more athletically. A must-know drill for building resilient, injury-resistant change of direction.

6 Exercises That Build Championship Wrestling Strength

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The best exercises for wrestling and combat sports athletes go far beyond the bench press and squat — they target the specific strength qualities that actually win matches. In this guide, THIRST Gym performance coach Brandon Smitley breaks down the six exercises he relies on most after a decade of training wrestlers and grappling-based athletes, covering everything from lateral power development and single leg strength to grip training and end-of-match conditioning. Whether you are a high school wrestler working toward college competition or a grappler looking to take your mat performance to the next level, these exercises will help you build the impulse, absolute strength, and power endurance your sport demands.

Alternating KB Swing

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The alternating kettlebell swing is a powerful variation of the traditional kettlebell swing that builds explosive hip extension, posterior chain strength, and conditioning using just a single kettlebell. Learn proper technique, hand-switch mechanics, and how to program this exercise for conditioning, power development, or glute and hamstring hypertrophy. Add this versatile movement to your training and take your kettlebell workouts to the next level.

Band Assisted Split Squat Jumps

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The band assisted split squat jump is a highly effective unilateral plyometric exercise for developing single-leg power, rate of force development, and reactive strength in athletes. Using a resistance band and pull-up bar, athletes can train two distinct power qualities — reactive bounding or dead stop explosiveness — with just three to five reps per side. Learn proper setup, execution, and programming recommendations for this tool from THIRST Gym’s exercise index.

Off-Set KB Lateral Lunge With Slider

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The offset kettlebell lateral lunge with slider is a powerful adductor strengthening exercise that trains the groin through a long range of motion while also developing glute and hamstring strength in the planted leg. Using an offset kettlebell load combined with a furniture slider, this frontal plane movement builds the lateral hip strength and groin resilience essential for athletes and general fitness clients alike. Learn proper setup, technique, and programming recommendations for this effective lower body exercise from Brandon Smitley at THIRST Gym.

Sandbag Ground To Shoulder

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The sandbag ground to shoulder is a full-body strength and conditioning exercise that builds hip extension power, grip strength, and core stability using nothing more than a sandbag. Learn proper technique for both the direct ground-to-shoulder variation and the lapping technique for heavier loads, plus programming recommendations for athletes and combat sports competitors. This exercise is a staple in the THIRST Gym training arsenal for wrestlers, fighters, and anyone looking to build practical, real-world strength.

Single Arm DB Push Jerk

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The single arm dumbbell push jerk is a full-body power exercise that uses an explosive lower body drive to launch a dumbbell into a locked-out overhead catch position — developing both power production and absorption in a single movement. Learn proper front rack setup, dip-and-drive mechanics, and how to land and absorb the load safely overhead. Program it for three to five sets of three to five reps per arm to build athletic upper body power without a barbell or platform.

Half Kneeling KB Overhead Press

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The half kneeling kettlebell overhead press combines shoulder strength development with core stability and hip mobility training in one comprehensive exercise. This unilateral pressing variation challenges your shoulders, triceps, and deltoids while simultaneously engaging your abdominals, obliques, and hip flexors through an asymmetric half kneeling position. Perfect for strength athletes, functional fitness enthusiasts, and anyone seeking to build stable overhead pressing power that translates to real-world performance and athletic movements.

X Cable Face Pull

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The X-cable face pull is an advanced face pull variation that allows for superior scapular protraction and retraction compared to traditional rope face pulls, making it an exceptional exercise for shoulder health, posterior deltoid development, and posture correction. By crossing the cables in an X pattern using dual D-handles, this shoulder-friendly movement creates a fuller range of motion that better targets the upper back, scapular stabilizers, and rear delts while reducing shoulder discomfort. Learn proper setup, execution technique, and programming strategies for this highly effective upper back exercise that benefits everyone from powerlifters to desk workers struggling with forward shoulder posture.