Just like all of our classes, our strength class focuses on proper technique, body mechanics and progressive improvements. Here Coach Jason provides a student with some info on bench press technique. Come in and try out a class and see the difference!
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Coach Jason Salazar:
All right. Next one, make sure we hit our target. Let’s try to hit that sternum. That’s a little better. Relax those elbows. Let them follow the bar as it goes in. That’s better. Good.
Remember, we can exhale as we’re pressing. Just like the squat: Control on the way down; fire on the back way up. Good. One more. Good. Bring it in. That was a little bit better.
We want to make sure we hit that target. We don’t want our shoulders to internally rotate. That’s going to cause shoulder impingement. That’s when we get hurt. We always want to keep them externally rotated, so hitting that target and bringing those elbows in keeps your shoulders out.
One last thing we’re going to add in this next one is we’re going to arch our back a little bit. This is not to cheat. This is to help our shoulders stay out. Arch the back. Draw the shoulder blades together and keep it locked. Let’s try it again. Let’s do five. Just remember: control and fire.
Get that arch in your back. Good. It’s looking better. Good, you get the target every time. Nice. Rack it up. That’s the one thing we have to remember about a bench press, is protecting our shoulders. Hit it in the right spot and you won’t have to worry about it. Just make sure the elbows never flare out. Even with pushups, we can hurt ourself by doing pushups like this. Everything’s got to be in. Okay?
