You DO need to do inner thigh work!!

[Hannibal]

I'm doing chest tonight & still have no freaking idea how to use my lats. I grasp the concept but I don't really know how to flex my lats, so I can't very well utilize them in my bench. I also have no idea how legs are supposed to come into play.

To use your lats when you bench...its something you just have to FEEL to understand. Reading it wont do it for you. But here goes. First thing you can do is some lat pulldowns....just so you know what your lats feel like when they are flared out. Then when you are benching have someone do some vibration work.....they should quickly and lightly tap the bar while you are lowering it and raising it....this will cause you to instinctively flex your lats...and you will FEEL what is is supposed to be like.

Another thing that you can do is take a mini band and double it...then put it around your wrists while you bench...this causes you to force your hands out "pull the bar apart" which activates the lats the way you want it.

NOW...using your legs to bench. When you set up to bench...set your legs like you were gonna squat. A very firm base. All your weight should be on your upper back and traps...with your legs driving back...parallel to the floor. The more force you have driving you into the bench...then more force you can transfer into the bar.

 

[smallmovesal]

ok i definitely think my hips aren't as strong as they could/should be. where do i find bands... and doing that when i squat... will that fix the problem or shall i do the abuctor/adductor machines or whatever they're called too..? or is there a better freeweight excercise to do with this?

 

[naturally anabolic]

smalls, a big ol' strongman named Bfold told me one of the best ways to strengthen your hips is box squats

 

[smallmovesal]

ok so that's just a really wide stance?

 

[naturally anabolic]

search under the words "box squat" there are pictures of b fold doing it i think, it means your squat down and touch your bum on a box and then come back up.....

 

[Hannibal]

.

 

[Hannibal]

.

 

[Hannibal]

.

 

[b fold the truth]

Hip work should be included into everyones workouts in some form or fashion. I even attach my bands to the bottom of my power rack, loop my ankle through it and do those little kick back, front, and to the inside and outside thingy that I used to see the women do with the fuzzy ankle attachment at the YMCA. Those things really do work to increase your squat, deadlift, and to prevent injuries.

Adding hip work has really helped the way that my hip joints feel after event training. When I wm walking with a 700+lb Super Yoke on my back or trying to run with a pair of 300+lb farmers walks...it helps to have good hip support. I also look at it as good hernia prevention.

Sled dragging is a fun (yuck) way to train your hips too. Check out my thread, with pics, of me doing sled dragging from Thursday.
http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=144767

Those kneeling squats may look funny...but I hear that they really work. Surely that would be an exercise that would impress all the chicks...lol. "Wow...look at the hip power of that guy...he is using 300lbs on kneeling squats...lol". Can't believe I just said that...lol.

B True

 

[b fold the truth]

Yes, that was Cheese's problem too. I had that problem in Boston...but we were carrying a pair of 305's there. Hip strength is what keeps you stepping on the farmers walk...

She just took off way too fast. Must take small steps unless you have ski's for feet like I do...hehe

B True