Need Form Pointers

[pennynikkel]

Hi there:

I have a couple questions after doing Power Hour a couple of times. (which by the way is kicking my butt!)

Dead Lift: I must be doing this wrong, because this is the one exercise that doesn't seem to be working anything.

Chest Press: The exercise where you lie on your back and push the weights upwards...I really feel my biceps during this exercise, even though I'm thinking about and trying to "squeeze" my chest muscles. Can I hold my weight differently, or something to make the exercise work my chest more?

What is the "scapular region" and what does "retracting" it do?

Thank you for your help, and I have really noticed a difference in shape since working with weights, and I am very glad to have found your videos!

 

[mogambo]

I would check the form pointers link on the home page for the dead lifts. This is an exercise that really seems to be tricky. You have to feel it in the hamstrings and lower back.

I have no clue about the chest press, maybe try widening the grip?

The scapula is the shoulder blade, when you retract them, the go "back and down".

 

[bebop]

Hi, I am not Cathe but here is what she says on
the Chest Press. On the Cathe Pure Strenth Series - chest/shoulder/tricep -this is the form pointer she uses (it may be on the MIS tape too). I use dumbells but it is the same - make sure you hold the weights a little wider than shoulder length and that when you are lifting the weights they are rising over your chest (the way I make sure of this is before I set up Lower them lightly over my chest) It is very easy to have the weights accidentally move a little above or below the chest, i.e. too close to the neck. Also, she starts with the weights lifted above the chest and then brings them down.

A lot of people post not feeling the chest muscles in the chest presses - All I can say is when I concentrated and really followed Cathe's pointers above - I did feel it in my chest the next day.

I feel the chest presses in my arms too - it only makes sense since biceps are working too. I would assume any exercise that involves lifting is going to incorporate arm muscles in some way or another.
I can't help you on the dead lifts.

Hope I helped - maybe Cathe will post too.

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Pennynikkel! Yes, do check out our form pointers page for deadlifts. Also, for chest presses the retraction (pulling back of the shoulder blades) helps you keep the shoulders down on the bench and therefore not allow them to take too much of the workload or your attention from focusing on your chest muscles. You are not alone, many people find it hard to really feel the workload on chest presses with a light weight high rep workout. But you are working to promote muscular endurance in this workout which will have you feel it in your muscles differently that the traditional heavier "three sets of 10 to 12 rep" type workouts.

Tips to remember on bench presses:

1)Keep your arms a bit wider apart so that they form two 90 degree angles at the bottom of your bench press.

2)Do not let your arms come down lower than the height of the bench so that you do not overwork your shoulder.

3)Keeps your knuckles toward the ceiling as to avoid your wrist cocking backwards as you do your presses.

Good Luck!