ISSUE# 16
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE…
“Warm-up: Specific Guidelines”
“Bench Press: Effective Variations”-
“Back Injury Prevention”
1 – WARM-UP: MAKE IT SPECIFIC!
Most
trainers and training organizations recommend a “general”
warm-up (i.e. 5-minutes of light activity such as a stationary
cycle) prior to all forms of exercise, including upper-body
weight training. The cycling warm-up makes excellent sense
for activities that will be stressful to the lower body, however
is this type of warm-up necessary prior to a session of heavy
presses or pulls?
The
purpose of the warm-up is to increase the body temperature
and to increase the blood flow to the muscles. Light cycling
would certainly promote an increase in body temperature BUT/
blood flow only increases within the legs. Thus, the cycling
does not provide a specific warm-up effect for the upper-body
musculature.
A
better and more specific warm-up activity would be several
sets of an extremely light load prior to the performance of
heavier sets of that same exercise. I do not mean just 1 set
of 10 repetitions at 60% of your maximum lift either, BUT/
rather 4 sets of 6 or less reps at a weight of 40-80% of your
regular lifting weight. Light load sets should also be performed
to increase the blood flow to the muscles that will assist
exercise performance.
For
example, prior to a day of heavy bench pressing, perform 2-3
sets of warm-up bench presses, 2 sets of light shoulder lateral
raises, and 2 sets of light external rotations for the rotator
cuff. This warm-up takes very little time and merely replaces
your 5-minute cycling bout.
The
specific warm-up will promote blood flow to the muscles that
will be stressed during exercise, therefore providing a “tissue-precise”
warm-up that will be much more beneficial in injury prevention
and performance enhancement. The warm-up may also increase
the coordination of the nervous system and this should enhance
performance. I also recommend light stretching pre-exercise
to further prepare the tissues for stress.
The
warm-up and stretching will not help diminish the soreness
felt the next day. In fact, a proper warm-up may enhance your
lifting performance and therefore will result in even greater
muscle soreness! Remember though, muscle soreness is not muscle
pain or joint injury, and each should be distinguished from
one another.
I
believe that a warm-up specific to your exercise activity
will be extremely beneficial in performance enhancement and
injury prevention. If you have not already, incorporate a
3-7 minute specific-activity warm-up in your program and you
should feel the benefits in performance.
2 – THE MANY VARIATIONS OF THE BENCH PRESS
Bench
presses are the most common exercise used to develop upper
body “pushing” strength and it recruits the pectoral muscles,
deltoids, and triceps. The amount of specific muscle stress
is altered through changing either the grip or the angle of
the bench. As well, the shoulder joint may be placed under
more or less stress with different bench press variations.
In
performing the bench press, always use a spotter when lifting
heavy and remember to breath out when you push the weight
up. Use a full range of motion only if your flexibility and
muscular strength permit this (a full range of motion is defined
as pain-free and comfortable, and effective at stressing the
pectoral muscles). If you can’t do so, then address your limitations
with specific stretching and strength work.
The
pectoral originates on the sternum and inserts on the upper
arm, therefore its functions are to horizontally adduct the
arm (“tree hugging” or pec-dec motion) AND to extend the shoulder
(swimming’s front crawl motion). By widening your bench press
grip, you will increase the horizontal adduction (“hugging”)
motion within the bench press. This will decrease the amount
of assistance provided by the triceps and will make the exercise
slightly more difficult (you will use less weight in this
press).
The
narrow-grip increases the recruitment of the triceps, however
an extremely narrow-grip (palms less than 6-inches apart)
places unnecessary stress on the wrists and elbows. It is
very important to keep the elbows as close as possible to
the body (rather than allowing them to extend out to the side)
to maximize the “elbow extension” portion of the movement
and therefore maximize triceps recruitment.
Traditional
flat bench press
·
lie on the bench with the feet
flat on the floor and the legs bent at 90 degrees
·
place your head directly under
the racked bar
·
take an overhand grip ~4-6 inches
wider than the shoulders
·
unrack the bar and slowly lower
to mid-chest level keeping the elbows directly out to
sides throughout the movement
·
stop the bar above mid-chest and
push the weight back up
·
(do not “lock-out” the elbows)
·
keep your back kept completely
pressed against bench
Wide-grip
bench
·
increase the width of your grip
by ~2 inches (or up to a point where the press is still
“comfortable” to perform)
·
after adjusting for the grip,
perform a bench press in the traditional style, BUT/ note
this variation also allows the shoulder to be stretched
to a greater degree, so be careful to limit your movement
to a comfortable range of motion to prevent any excessive
stress on the complex shoulder joint
·
the wide-grip places extra stress
on the wrists, so avoid if you have wrist problems
Narrow-grip
bench
·
your hands should grip the bar
so that they are in line with your shoulders
·
unrack the bar as usual and lower
the bar to the lower portion of chest
·
stop the bar ~2-6 inches above
the low-chest and push the weight back up
3 – BACK INJURY PREVENTION
I
really despise dealing with injuries and would much rather
prefer to help you prevent and avoid injury through proper
conditioning and correct movement technique (in & out
of the gym). But because back injuries are so prominent and
can hinder daily function, I have provided the following tips
for helping to avoid back injuries and possible manners in
which to ease pain & improve recovery. Take care.
Basic
care
:
Lose weight.
:
Use good posture and do not sit for extended periods of
time.
Exercise
When rehabilitating an injury, it is always wise to do so under the guidance
of a professional. Exercise is important to strengthen the
muscles, increase your work capacity, and relieve stress (that
may underlie pain and dysfunction). Perform low-impact aerobics
if you are susceptible to injury (i.e. stationary cycling
instead of running). Strengthen the area using low-back exercises
(i.e. low-back extensions). Also perform abdominal exercises
to strengthen the abdomen and help to reduce spinal stress.
When
lifting, maintain a flat back lifting posture to minimize
compressive forces, strain on the ligaments, and to best avoid
injury. Try to maintain close to neutral back position to
avoid excess compression on disk portions. Hold the weight
close to the body to minimize torque (stress) on the spine
and to help increase the mechanical advantage of spinal muscles
(allows greater force production & safety for the low-back
muscles).
Many
trainees perform all exercises with proper technique, BUT/
then put themselves at great injury risk when returning the
weights to the racks OR picking them off the floor. Most importantly,
during all lifting, maintain a flat back and keep the weight
close to the body. If necessary during your sets, rest the
dumbbells on an empty bench between sets, not the floor. NEVER
round your back when picking up OR putting the weights away.
Injury
requires special attention gets paid to the area. See a physician
if the pain lingers excessively, radiates to extremities,
causes spasms, OR feels extreme in general. Other symptoms
can be dealt with using rest and ice, stretching exercises,
and heat therapy. For less severe injuries, stay mobile, increase
flexibility, and perform strengthening exercises such as crunches
and back extensions. Always use proper technique and see the
proper rehabilitation professional for back care.
