I got a tour of the Syracuse University football teams training facility and go to listen and talk with their strength and conditioning coach. It was a great experience. However, there was one thing he said that I can't really make sense of and I'm hoping someone here might be able to clarify. He was talking about the bench press and how some of the guys can bench around 500 lbs. Then he said in order to be able to bench this much the strength can't all come from the pecs, and that the lats are extremely important for benching this kind of weight. Why is this so? Is this due to the increased stability?
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"The reason most people fail instead of succeed is that they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment"- unknown
Strong lats stabilize the back (and assist in stabilizing the scapulae) and transfer force from the lower body to the shoulders/arms. If you can't squeeze your lats during a bench press, then you won't get any leg drive. Big bench presses rely on leg drive, as do big squats and deadlifts.
Experiment on yourself: when I do a couple sets of chinups/pullups before I bench press, I feel tighter/stronger during the pressing... and I never have any shoulder issues. (Careful not to overdo the chinups, though, because worn out lats won't do you much good either!) So take those "activated" lats and slam them together for your bench!
Strong lats stabilize the back (and assist in stabilizing the scapulae) and transfer force from the lower body to the shoulders/arms. If you can't squeeze your lats during a bench press, then you won't get any leg drive. Big bench presses rely on leg drive, as do big squats and deadlifts.
Seriously? you ned to drive with your legs on squats? Man.. I've been bracing my abs, retracting my scapulae, keeping my elbows down... why has no one told me this before?
Seriously? you ned to drive with your legs on squats? Man.. I've been bracing my abs, retracting my scapulae, keeping my elbows down... why has no one told me this before?
Because you're the (ambiguously gay) viking butterfly general, remember?
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I wish I would have known this info a long time ago. I took the above advice and tried it out today, up'd my bench 20 lbs. No joke. Good stuff guys, its very much appreciated.
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"The reason most people fail instead of succeed is that they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment"- unknown
I wish I would have known this info a long time ago. I took the above advice and tried it out today, up'd my bench 20 lbs. No joke. Good stuff guys, its very much appreciated.
I hope today wasn't the first time you worked your back lol
Anyways, the body is tied together like a big puzzle. All pieces interlock, and as such the body will resist letting one piece get too much stronger than the others.
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"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." -- T.S. Eliot
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit."-- Aristotle
I've always worked my back... I just never tied in proper form for the bench press. I took the advice and locked my scapula's and drove with my feet. That was what the change I was referring to.
I see many people think its ok to workout just pushing without pulling to counterbalance. Silly people.
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"The reason most people fail instead of succeed is that they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment"- unknown
Lats important for benching?
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