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General Exercise Principles

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The Essentials of Bodypart Specialization: Lat Training

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Chest Presses

Guidelines for all chest pressing movements
(unless specifically stated otherwise)

  • wide foot-stance for stability (medium for pushups)
  • keep hands just outside of shoulder-width and wrists directly above the elbows; forearms should remain vertical throughout, perpendicular to the ground where you are strongest in the range (especially at the bottom)
  • at the top, pull shoulders back, then let elbows follow (almost 2 separate movements)
  • at the bottom, retract shoulder blades together and contract everything in the back
  • contract the pecs hard to come back up and bring the humerus across the body; focus on squeezing the elbows towards each other across the midline
  • when sitting / lying against a support (a bench for example), focus on pushing the body / trunk backwards into it (as opposed to pushing the weight away from the body)
  • contract glutes and abs throughout to avoid any lower back arch
  • when performing incline pressing movements, pay extra attention to avoiding any arching of the lower back

 

Barbell Bench Press – Flat / Incline / Decline

Note that the wrists are directly above the elbows

    Exercise Specific:

  • Shove hands ‘inwards’ throughout (‘intent’).

 

Dumbbell Bench Press – Flat / Incline / Decline

Note that the chest is up, though there is no arch in the lower back

    Exercise Specific:

  • bring hands up only until directly inline with shoulders at the top (don’t come inside them)
  • max stretch of chest at the bottom (should result in elbows coming well below shoulders)

 

Clavicular Barbell Bench Press

    Exercise Specific:

  • choose a lighter weight than you would typically use for an incline bench press
  • grab bar in position that ensures wrists will be directly above elbows at the bottom
  • bring barbell right down to throat with elbows up high
  • at the bottom, pause / get a good stretch (2-3 seconds) while attempting to pull shoulder blades back and elbows to the ground
  • ‘attempt’ intent (shove inwards throughout)
  • if not really feeling the exercise in the pecs, instead of pushing the bar straight up and down (90º) try moving it at a ‘slightly’ forward angle (80 – 85º or so)

 

Dumbbell Bench Press with internal rotation
– Flat / Incline / Decline

Internally rotated at the bottom

    Exercise Specific:

  • palms facing shoulders at the bottom
  • finish at the top with hands neutral

 

Dumbbell Bench Press with external rotation
– Flat / Incline / Decline

Rotating during the ascent

    Exercise Specific:

  • begin with a neutral grip at the bottom
  • twist into an internally rotated position at the top
  • keep hands outside of elbows throughout

 

Machine Chest Press – Flat / Incline / Decline

    Exercise Specific:

  • neutral elbow position (about shoulder height)
  • initiate from the ‘outer’ pec
  • try to ‘shove’ handles / hands towards each other throughout (‘intent’)

 

One-Arm Hammer Strength – Flat / Incline / Decline

    Exercise Specific:

  • use the relaxed arm to stabilize the body to prevent any twisting of the torso

 

Pushups – Flat / Incline / Decline

Note that the hands are directly below the elbows

    Exercise Specific:

  • space hands just outside of shoulders & shift weight forward over the top (maintain this)
  • come all the way down until the chest touches the floor
  • push the ground away to come back up (don’t try to ‘lift’ body up)
  • ‘shove’ hands inwards (intent) throughout and keep back flat
  • maintain contracted glutes and abs locked to keep core tight (no sagging of the hips)

 

Plyometric Pushups – Flat / Incline / Decline

Note that the body remains rigid / in a straight line from head to toes

    Exercise Specific:

  • for beginners or intermediate trainees: perform pushing off a flat bench (as depicted in the image above)
  • for advanced trainees: perform as directed from the floor (no bench) + for an additional optional level of difficulty if able to push-up hard enough, try clapping your hands together quickly on the ascent
  • place hands, just outside of shoulder-width apart with legs straight out behind so that the body forms a rigid horizontal line from head to toes
  • come all the way down until the chest touches the bench / ground
  • explode up as high as possible so that hands and torso are no longer in contact with the bench / floor (attempt to maximize the distance achieved at the top each time)
  • squeeze chest when extending arms (‘shove’ inwards while concurrently exploding away)
  • consciously remain in control of the negative as hands regain contact with the bench/floor

 

Cable Press

Note that it’s fine to place one front of the other if needed to maintain stability

    Exercise Specific:

  • Unless directed otherwise, position cables to just below shoulder height (arms should be slightly below parallel to ground at the bottom of the movement)
  • take a big step forward
  • execute by pressing the weights directly in front
  • be extra focused on keeping the core tight to remain stabilized throughout
  • if / once you are using a weight that makes it extremely difficult for you to remain stable, it’s okay to perform seated on a bench with a back support for assistance.

 

Dumbbell Press-Fly – Flat / Incline / Decline

 

    Exercise Specific:

  • on the way down, rotate the palms into a neutral grip (palms facing) and descend per a standard ‘dumbbell fly’ with slightly bent elbows.
  • on the way up, press the weight up per a standard ‘dumbbell press’

 

Dumbbell Floor Presses with Bands

Neutral-Grip depicted here

    Exercise Specific:

  • place a band flat across the ground; lie down on top of it (back to ground) so it aligns with the pecs from underneath
  • ask a training partner or someone else to raise the ends of the band straight up so it is stretched somewhat; fully extend arms and grasp the band at the highest point each hand can reach
  • maintaining a firm grip of the band so that it remains stretched at it’s current level, have training partner place a dumbbell in each hand
  • at the top of the movement, pronate the hands (turn them inwards)

 

Machine Floor Presses

Neutral-Grip with bands depicted here

    Exercise Specific:

  • when laying on the band / ground, make sure the band aligns with the pecs from underneath
  • focus on being explosive from the bottom, and really reach for the roof at the top, squeezing hard

 

Seated Incline Clean & Press

Neutral-Grip depicted here

At the top after sitting up using the core

    Exercise Specific:

  • This exercise is best used as a finishing exercise
  • Start Position: sit tall (not with your back against the pad) with palms facing each other & dumbbells resting on thighs
  • Step 1: lie back, then press / lower the weights, touching them briefly to the shoulders at the bottom
  • Step 2: immediately, holding the dumbbells stable using the biceps, contract abs to sit up with control returning momentarily to the start position.