Tips, Tricks, and Ranting, in no particular order...
- When performing any kind of free weight compound pressing movement, keep your elbows directly under the weight. This pretty much applies to any barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell or body weight press. Examples include the bench press, military press, pushup, etc… This will allow the target muscles to do the work, and avoid undue stress on joints and supporting muscles like the rotator cuff, and also allow you to press more weight and get stronger.
- In the name of everything that you hold dear, STOP LIMITING YOURSELF! Negative thoughts, words, and attitudes do not breed success. They do not prove that you are humble or modest, they prove that you no matter if you say you CAN or CAN’T, you are RIGHT. Instead, try empowering yourself. Believe that you CAN do what you set your mind to. Each and every one of us has the internal ability to fight through pain, discomfort, and battles of willpower…IF we want something bad enough. You say you want a better, fitter, healthier body? Reach out and take it. Excuses are a dime a dozen, but legitimate success and the feeling of self worth that come along with it is priceless.
- Motivation. It comes from inside of you. Not from your trainer, not from your friends, not from your family, not from the jackass at tim hortons that called you fat, not from your prom date who dumped you the next week. It comes from YOU. Sure, various external factors can play a role in your day to day level of motivation, but what really matters long term is why YOU want to achieve your goals. What brought you to ChrisFit in the first place? Why did you take the plunge into the unknown and set up a training appointment and a gym membership? I don’t have that answer. You do. Look back to what first made you set foot in the gym, and what has kept you there since. Motivation can change over time (I know mine has changed DRASTICALLY and more than once), but if it’s there and its real, you do not need to ask me why you’re doing this. You harness it and get shit done.
- Random Bench Press tip – LEG DRIVE!! The bench press is NOT a pec isolation movement. When performed properly, the barbell Bench Press should involve just about every muscle in your body in one capacity or another. The upper back and Lats should be pulled as tight as possible into the bench to create a stable surface from which to press – think about it from a physics standpoint – would you rather press a few hundred pounds over your chest lying on a teeter-totter, or from a nice, stable flat object? Yep, your back being tight is THAT important. Equally important is core tension. The spinal erectors, abs, and glutes should all be squeezed tight so as to keep the torso stable and loaded like a spring. And ALL of this resonates from the tension provided by the legs. Having your feet pressed HARD into the floor, creating tension in the quads and hamstrings will drive the back into a solid arch, the shoulders into the bench, and create a closed kinetic chain – in essence making your body a loaded spring from which a loaded barbell should launch off the chest like a rocket!
- Deadlifts, Squats, and most every other lower body movement should emphasize keeping ones center of gravity on the HEELS of the feet. Keeping weight on the heels will improve not only balance, but also draw more power from the hamstrings and glutes, and improve back posture and position, allowing for a safer, more effective movement.
That's all of my randomness for now, but be warned that future rants, tips, and madness could occur at any time!
-Steve Decker
:) this must have been written just for me!
ReplyDelete