Dean Somerset is a personal trainer and certified exercise physiologist who specializes in postrehabilitation fitness. He has worked with clients recovering from joint replacements, sports injuries, spinal cord injuries, cancer, and cardiac surgery. He also trains healthy individuals—in person and virtually—to help them reach their strength, flexibility, and fitness goals. Somerset has developed and taught courses and seminars all around the world on the topics of postrehabilitation fitness, mobility, hip and shoulder health, client assessment, and core training. He has also written for and been featured in Muscle & Fitness, Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, [...], and T Nation. Somerset has presented on numerous occasions for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and canfitpro and is a contributor to Developing the Core, Second Edition, and NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, Third Edition.

Dan Pope, DPT, is a physical therapist and strength coach with over 20 years of experience in getting strength and fitness athletes out of pain and returning them to a high level of performance. He is also the owner of Fitness Pain Free, a continuing education company that has helped thousands of other coaches and clinicians learn how to do the same. He has also been blessed to be able to travel around the world, speaking on the topics of injury prevention and rehabilitation.

Pope is a big believer in practicing what he preaches; he has been a CrossFit regional qualifier, a strongman national champion, and a collegiate pole vaulter.

Part I. Prehab and Prevention

Chapter 1. Preventing Injuries: What We Know
Current research into injury risk and prevention provides some interesting details. Knowing the risks and mechanisms of injury provides the opportunity to be proactive in preventing injury.

Chapter 2. Athlete Assessment: Identifying Limitations in Mobility and Gross Patterns
Proper mobility in the gym is a key factor in performance and longevity. Assessments identify strengths and weaknesses in mobility and core tension to guide lifters to safer, smoother movement.

Part II. Exercise Techniques and Execution

Chapter 3. Squat and Hinge Movements
We all know how to squat, don’t we? But how do you squat safety and effectively for your unique body structure?

Chapter 4. Pressing and Pulling Movements
All lifters have had to answer the question “How much can you bench?” Bench press, and its myriad variations, is ubiquitous in lifting. Learn to do it properly, and you can amaze when people ask the question.

Chapter 5. Core Movements
More than just crunches, core movements involve carries, braces, and rotational movements. A strong core is the best foundation for any lifter.

Part III. Programming Considerations

Chapter 6. Volume and Load
What is your goal? More muscle mass? Better strength? Learn to manipulate volume and load to reach your goals while mitigating injury risk.

Chapter 7. Level Up and Side Quest Accessory Approaches
Prevent training boredom and plateaus by customizing your program.

Chapter 8. Training With Common Injuries
All lifters need to understand pain and learn to navigate it. When should you push through? When should you modify? When should you seek help?

Chapter 9. Autoregulation
Autoregulation is a key process in which the health of the body is sustained as you progress through your program. Track the right information to make informed choices about when to modify your program, diet, sleep patterns, or other habits.

Chapter 10. Sample Programs
Want a program you can use right away? Want some inspiration to help you design or modify your own program? Pick from three sample programs—low everything, medium everything, or unrestricted—based on your results from the assessments in chapter 2.