Form in SH Chest/Back

[Joanna]

Hi Cathe,

I am confused about my form on a couple of moves in S&H Chest/Back. For the move (what's it called?!) where you are in a table top position and raising your elbows back and up - I seem to feel this more in my triceps than my back. What part of the back should I focus on? I have watched my form as I do it and I LOOK like you (well, sort of ;-)) but I am not convinced I am doing it right. Likewise with the pullovers - should I feel tricep work as well?

And for chest presses - is it accurate that for the flat bench arms are making 'goal posts', whereas on the incline the arms collapse in a bit more?

I do love these tapes. I actually don't dread weights anymore!

Joanna

PS My husband was spotting my on the supine core work on this tape and I asked him if I looked like you and his answer - "Well, actually your hair is lighter and you are about eight inches taller!" HA!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Joanna! During the two arm dumbbell row you should focus on you outer back, or lat muscles. Your tricpes are involved to some degree so yes, you may feel them working but they shouldn't be taking over you lat focus. Try imagining that while you are pulling upward with all of your strength that someone has their hand on your elbow and is trying to keep you from lifting your arm. Don't let them win. The mental resistance should tighten up your lat muscles.

Pullovers are again, a muscle group that involves the triceps to some extent. They work the chest, triceps, and back muscles. To feel the focus more in your lats, lets apply mental resistance again. As you pull your arms forward and downward, imagine that there is a brick wall extending upward to the ceiling from your chest area. Now pull your elbows forward and down right past that brick wall. Squeeze your lat muscles as you imagine pulling down right through that brick wall. In other words nothing is going to get in the way of you being able to use full range of motion as you pull through that pullover.

For your incline bench press the only angle that will change is your target line, not your arm position. What I mean is that your arms will remain the same width but instead of aiming for the mid chest line (as in flat bench) you are now starting at lower to mid chest atthe bottom of the move but pressing upward to an extended arm position that is lined up over the upper chest. Hope this helps, keep up the great work!

 

[Joanna]

That helps!

Thanks for the very precise response - I practiced what you said and can already feel the difference!

Joanna