Shouldering the Load, Part 2 Print E-mail



In the bottom position of the bench press, the depth of your elbows in relation to your torso has a lot to do with where the majority of the stress is being applied. When you have a large rib cage that sits up high off the bench and short forearms, at the bottom of the range, your elbows will be either even with, or only slightly past the level of the bench. In this position, you're effectively reducing the amount of stretch being placed on the shoulder-joint capsule and in turn keeping most of the stress on your pecs. Conversely, having a shallower rib cage and long forearms will require you to lower the bar much farther to reach the same point, thus causing the elbows to dip down well beneath your torso. This is simply not a good idea for most people because once the shoulder-joint capsule has been stretched, it loses its ability to stabilize the shoulder under a load, setting you up for a whole slew of injuries.

Therefore, if increasing the workload on the pecs (and maintaining a healthy shoulder joint) is the goal, it makes sense to shorten the range of motion. But don't go hacking off your lower forearm just yet. Rather, you can achieve this same goal by placing a couple of small boards or a rolled-up bath towel across your chest. You then simply use this as a reference point for how far to lower the bar. Another effective strategy and one that is favored by power-lifters is to pinch your shoulder blades together tightly, and bring the bar slightly below the nipple line (to the xyphoid process) at the base of the sternum. Retracting your shoulder blades in this manner, kind of like you'd do when performing a seated row, requires you to actively contract the muscles of the upper back, thus adding support and stability to the posterior aspect (rear) of the shoulder girdle.

This not only gives you a stronger platform to drive the weight from, but when combined with driving your feet into the floor and slightly arching your back, it allows you to effectively shorten the range that the weight must travel through. Decreasing the space between your shoulder blades and your hips raises your torso slightly, thus not requiring you to lower the bar as far. Plus, it allows you to keep most of the onus on the pecs, front deltoids, and triceps where it belongs.

Now, before you get on us about excessively arching the back, keep in mind that if the hips always remain in contact with the bench, this prevents excessive arching. The pelvic thrust is not part of the bench press, and if you save your thrusting for non-gym-related activities, your back should be fine. We should, however, mention that those of you with a history of lower back problems should probably take a pass on this latter technique, and stick with placing something on your chest (such as the rolled-up towel discussed earlier) to shorten the range of motion.

Although limiting your range of motion and keeping your elbows in closer to your body will result in heavier loads and decreased shoulder strain, it's not as if the barbell bench press is all you need to build up your chest. Things such as dips, dumbbell presses (because they allow you to alter the range of motion), and even flys all have their place. Remember, it's not that ectomorphs can't or shouldn't do isolation exercises. Rather, the ectomorph should not make these types of exercise the focal point of their program. Performed with the proper modifications, the barbell bench press is an extremely effective lift. Just be aware that despite its lofty status in the exercise hierarchy, it's not the only game in town when it comes to building up your chest.


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