[quote]1Geech wrote:
Soldog, I have my middle fingers on rings that are 33.5 inches apart (measured them today). This is not wide for many people, but it is for me, as I was bench pressing until now with hands well (several finger widths) completely inside the rings. I should review my arm and elbow position, too. Not feeling that I am getting the right combination of chest, shoulder and arm contribution to the lift. Want to hear how it works out for you.[/quote]
I’ve been doing my benching with the middle finger on the rings and my elbows down. I try to use chest, shoulders triceps and lats with a strong arch. Getting the lats involved is key because that engages the long head of the triceps which is where most of your power comes from. The chest is what gets you out of the hole, the long and lateral heads of the tris move the weight up after about 4 inches above the chest. The shoulders, lats and mid-back act as stabilizers. If you get a good arch, the tris can end up doing all the work and the chest becomes a stabilizer.
Benching close grip is hard with a shoulder injury because the stresses on the anterior shoulder are greater. Going wider can be harder if the shoulder blades can’t be seated properly (also a problem I’ve had) and the shoulder will travel forward in the socket.
Lower weight at higher reps in proper form (staying tight) can fix all these problems however. You can go heavier if you use a shortened range of motion in your training (boards/floor presses/parallel dips). In these cases hand spacing is a matter of preference.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
Soldog, I have my middle fingers on rings that are 33.5 inches apart (measured them today). This is not wide for many people, but it is for me, as I was bench pressing until now with hands well (several finger widths) completely inside the rings. I should review my arm and elbow position, too. Not feeling that I am getting the right combination of chest, shoulder and arm contribution to the lift. Want to hear how it works out for you.
I’ve been doing my benching with the middle finger on the rings and my elbows down. I try to use chest, shoulders triceps and lats with a strong arch. Getting the lats involved is key because that engages the long head of the triceps which is where most of your power comes from. The chest is what gets you out of the hole, the long and lateral heads of the tris move the weight up after about 4 inches above the chest. The shoulders, lats and mid-back act as stabilizers. If you get a good arch, the tris can end up doing all the work and the chest becomes a stabilizer.
Benching close grip is hard with a shoulder injury because the stresses on the anterior shoulder are greater. Going wider can be harder if the shoulder blades can’t be seated properly (also a problem I’ve had) and the shoulder will travel forward in the socket.
Lower weight at higher reps in proper form (staying tight) can fix all these problems however. You can go heavier if you use a shortened range of motion in your training (boards/floor presses/parallel dips). In these cases hand spacing is a matter of preference.[/quote]
I might need to widen my grip a bit. I always lined my pinkies up in the ring.
Is 81cm (31.?? in) still the max spacing in competition? On most of the bars I use that equates to my middle finger on the rings. Some rings vary though. If you’re going for BB though it really doesn’t matter. Wide to me has been when I feel almost all pecs, very little delts.
[quote]soldog wrote:
I’ll post a video next time I bench. Try to do the same and we’ll both get some good feedback.[/quote]
A real good suggestion but could be difficult to implement at the gym branch where I am benching now for reasons of space, crowding and general management foolishness. Will see what I can do.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
I’ve been doing my benching with the middle finger on the rings and my elbows down. I try to use chest, shoulders triceps and lats with a strong arch. Getting the lats involved is key because that engages the long head of the triceps which is where most of your power comes from. The chest is what gets you out of the hole, the long and lateral heads of the tris move the weight up after about 4 inches above the chest. The shoulders, lats and mid-back act as stabilizers. If you get a good arch, the tris can end up doing all the work and the chest becomes a stabilizer.
…[/quote]
Sound advice, Skid, as usual (to think you do this for free). I have been forgetting about trying to get the lats in play while worrying about the unaccustomed narrow bench.
Its not a power lift but if you want to ‘feel’ your pecs superset db flys with bench. Do the flys first. Hurts like a bitch and you won’t be able to bench much but you can really feel just the pecs.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
Think that title is already taken here, Eco, but thanks. I would settle for abs of iron.
Abs of chert.
Abs of lithium.
Abs of broccoli?
Abs of neutronium![/quote]
OK, neutronium is pretty neat, although chert would be cool in its own way, too. But still not so desirable until the lifting equipment gets made out of the same material: e.g., pumping neutronium etc. Noticed jealously you did not offer to give up your own title.
[quote]ecogenx wrote:
Its not a power lift but if you want to ‘feel’ your pecs superset db flys with bench. Do the flys first. Hurts like a bitch and you won’t be able to bench much but you can really feel just the pecs.[/quote]
Thanks for the tip, Eco, kind of goes with what Hel is talking about.
Stair jump
3 steps x 18 (+ various 1 and 2 steps), 2 x 4 steps x 10 reps (+ various 1, 2 and 3 steps)
Cable seated row
4 x various x 6-20 reps
Shrug
3 x 100 x 8,9,7 reps (first rep from floor)
Face-pull
3 sets x various x 15-20 reps
Felt spry today on the stair jumps, did 'em with a bit more gumption and giddy-up-- which did bump the heart rate up. Shrugs by contrast were not happening, my grip was off for some reason. Good that I could finish strong with the face-pulls.
Brought the last in, actually due for Friday, because I will miss the session at mid-day that day and won’t have a chance over the weekend due to tending to professional and personal guests at work and at home. So tomorrow’s session will be a bit irregular, too.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
Think that title is already taken here, Eco, but thanks. I would settle for abs of iron.
Abs of chert.
Abs of lithium.
Abs of broccoli?
Abs of neutronium!
OK, neutronium is pretty neat, although chert would be cool in its own way, too. But still not so desirable until the lifting equipment gets made out of the same material: e.g., pumping neutronium etc. Noticed jealously you did not offer to give up your own title.[/quote]
[quote]skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
Think that title is already taken here, Eco, but thanks. I would settle for abs of iron.
Abs of chert.
Abs of lithium.
Abs of broccoli?
Abs of neutronium!
OK, neutronium is pretty neat, although chert would be cool in its own way, too. But still not so desirable until the lifting equipment gets made out of the same material: e.g., pumping neutronium etc. Noticed jealously you did not offer to give up your own title.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
Think that title is already taken here, Eco, but thanks. I would settle for abs of iron.
Abs of chert.
Abs of lithium.
Abs of broccoli?
Abs of neutronium!
OK, neutronium is pretty neat, although chert would be cool in its own way, too. But still not so desirable until the lifting equipment gets made out of the same material: e.g., pumping neutronium etc. Noticed jealously you did not offer to give up your own title.
I have a title?
Such modesty![/quote]
Hardly - more like Alzheimer’s. People who don’t like me have a name for me, I’m sure, but I don’t know of any others names/titles…
[quote]mday wrote:
Geech, are you doing the stair jumps for the ‘energy’ training that it provides or more for the explosive aspect of the exercise?
DeFranco uses various jumping exercises in his WS4SB program to act as the dynamic part of his routines. It seems to really work for guys new to PL.
[/quote]
Don’t know about the energy thing. What’s that? My aim was exploding.
I wanted to ask you anyway: How should I go about getting that fifth stair (without knocking my teeth out)? Using dumbbells, ankle weights, different routine …? I need to take a look at that program. Any other suggestions or links appreciated. I’m new to jumpin’.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
mday wrote:
Geech, are you doing the stair jumps for the ‘energy’ training that it provides or more for the explosive aspect of the exercise?
DeFranco uses various jumping exercises in his WS4SB program to act as the dynamic part of his routines. It seems to really work for guys new to PL.
Don’t know about the energy thing. What’s that? My aim was exploding.
I wanted to ask you anyway: How should I go about getting that fifth stair (without knocking my teeth out)? Using dumbbells, ankle weights, different routine …? I need to take a look at that program. Any other suggestions or links appreciated. I’m new to jumpin’.[/quote]
By energy, I mean are you doing the exercise simply for the ‘cardio’ benefit or are you doing it to improve on your other lifts.
With jumping it really comes down to practice and trial and error. There is going to come a point when you miss a step or the platform. When this happens, you hope you don’t scrape your shins too much and you hope no one was watching. DeFranco has more information on his website, especially in the Q&A section.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
Think that title is already taken here, Eco, but thanks. I would settle for abs of iron.
Abs of chert.
Abs of lithium.
Abs of broccoli?
Abs of neutronium!
OK, neutronium is pretty neat, although chert would be cool in its own way, too. But still not so desirable until the lifting equipment gets made out of the same material: e.g., pumping neutronium etc. Noticed jealously you did not offer to give up your own title.
[quote]ecogenx wrote:
skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
Think that title is already taken here, Eco, but thanks. I would settle for abs of iron.
Abs of chert.
Abs of lithium.
Abs of broccoli?
Abs of neutronium!
OK, neutronium is pretty neat, although chert would be cool in its own way, too. But still not so desirable until the lifting equipment gets made out of the same material: e.g., pumping neutronium etc. Noticed jealously you did not offer to give up your own title.
I have a title?
Sir Makesupnamesalot[/quote]
I’d call you names, but you’d accuse me of making them up.