Introduction: Walk into any gym, and you're likely to witness lifters performing the bench press with a distinct arch in their lower back. Although bench pressing is amongst the last exercise I would instruct people to do, if one is going to bench press, there is a proper way to do it to minimize injury and arching of the back is not it. The claims which are made to justify using this particular technique are biomechanically flawed.
The claimed benefits:
1. Increased Stability:
Why this is wrong: The problem with bench pressing is the shoulder blade is not allowed to travel “backwards” since it’s movement is prevented by your body weight pushing into the bench. This is why most shoulder injuries related to bench pressing occur as the individual is lowering the bar to their chest. Pinning your shoulder blades down and back, which is achieved by performing the arch, prevents the shoulder blades from moving forward as you push the bar away from your chest which means injuries will simply be more likely to occur as the bar is moving away from the chest.
2. Reduced Range of Motion:
This is accurate: As the back arches, it elevates the chest which minimizes the distance the bar needs to travel for a successfully completed rep. This will therefore increase the weight one is able to bench since muscle is able to produce the greatest strength in it’s “mid-range” of motion. This is the primary benefit for those who are pressing to compete.
3. Leverage Advantage:
Why this is wrong: As we arch our back, we transition which part of the pectoral muscle we’re using since the angle of our arms is more downward in relation to the chest. Movement of the shoulder blade and of the arm are meant to move the bar into this downward trajectory, however with the shoulder blades already being pinned to the bench, the arm muscles are solely responsible for achieving this motion, likely increasing the odds of injury.
Proper Technique and Safety:
The greatest problem with performing bench work is that it impedes the shoulders from moving through their naturally design course of movement.
Opt for the narrowest of benches available Wider benches allow for more of your shoulders to contact the bench which does stabilize the shoulders by reducing the amount the shoulders can move; however it is the prevention of shoulder movement which increases the risk of injury.
Use dumbbells or cables when possible When bench pressing, contraction of the pectoralis muscle causes the shoulder blade to protract, or move forward, in addition to approximating the arms. When our hands are fixed to a bar, that prevents this normal course of movement and further increases the odds of injury. Dumbbells and cables allow the hands and arms to move independently from one another thereby reducing the risk of injury.
Conclusion:
The arch has become increasingly popular, particularly, amongst those who are training to compete. It is a fairly new form that lifters are been using. It is excellent that lifters continue to develop ways to improve their form and physique however arching of the back, although can improve our performance in a competition setting where every pound and rep matters, really does rob Peter to pay Paul when it comes to shoulder health.
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