Chest Exercises: Learn How to Avoid Injury!

Chest Exercises and Blunders!

Let's try to avoid these mistakes with chest exercises, for your's and everyone else's sake.

Lift weights that you can handle! I've seen countless people using extra body momentum, not performing the full range of motion and, in fact, even getting trapped under the bar because they've chosen a weight much too heavy. Before starting any sort of workout, you need to understand your capabilities first! Set fitness goals. I know you want to be the one with the weight plates stacked all the way to the end of the barbell, but let's be realistic here. Start from the bottom and work your way up!

It's not necessary to lower the bar all the way down to your chest - this over-stretches your Pectoralis major and will give you difficulty in getting the bar back up to the starting position (the important part of the workout is the eccentric motion, or the controlled fall of the barbell towards your chest). This also applies to pushups. You don't have to lay your body flat on the floor and push back up from this position.

When performing a bench press, there should generally be a small gap between the bench and your lower back. No arching! People do this is an effort to lift more weight (probably too much weight). Instead of lifting more weight, their putting themselves on a crash course with lower back pain. On the flip side, lying flat on the bench is similarly detrimental as it promotes poor posture and back pain. Be sure to have that small gap!

Do not hyperextend your elbows! Locking the elbows during a bench press is a great way to develop severe tendonitis, especially if you're lifting heavy weights. Your elbows should remain in a straight, but unlocked position.

Try to keep your scapulas (shoulder blades) firmly on the bench. Not doing this can lead to shoulder troubles since the support has been removed (you're not in contact with the bench!). In this case, you're no longer doing a bench press but an "air press." (Yes, I made that up).

I also see tons of people bouncing the bar off their chest to get a head start on the way back up. This is an obvious way to crack a rib, especially if you're lifting heavy weights. Further, this could slightly interrupt your regular heartbeat (this is where CPR is conducted!). Chances are that if this is happening, the exercise is being performed improperly as the weight is falling too fast. The downward movement should be highly controlled (the eccentric contraction).

Avoid these few mistakes and you're well on your way!

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