Get the Good Burn
This is one of my favorite chest finishing exercises it helps to define the upper part of the chest and midline a little more. You can really get in there, focus and feel the muscles work and burn them out.
I’ll perform this after heavy chest training. That way the working joints, elbows, and wrists are already warm and juicy.
In my experience, if the elbows are an issue i.e. snapping around the joint you might want to look at shoulder alignment, nerve flossing (clearing gunk in the brachial plexus), or tightness in the lower, mid, or upper back.
Do consult a physio about this issue so that you can future-proof your joints.
Movement Pointers
- The movement is a controlled, meaningful glide. It’s quality over poor, jerky, fast, dumping quantity
- Work slow and steady, stay on breath (equals good form and control)
- Tip forward on the toes to place more weight on the chest and shoulders
- Control the entire body using internal strength, not momentum. Momentum undermines the effort
- Elbows: Keep Elbow-line close to the body. Avoid flaring = weak position
- Keep elbows soft. But the chest engaged throughout the movement by squeezing the working muscles
- Core: Hollow the belly, lift and draw up the pelvic floor (don’t allow this area to sag) or the belly to go soft. Firming up your core will give you a stronger base to work from and more stable power throughout the movement – reducing energy leaks
- Keep the backline straight, hips tucked under
- Chest: Drive up through the chest, followed by the shoulders – as you begin to fatigue your shoulders may take over the work. Drop to your knees to complete your remaining reps using 1/2 bodyweight partials
- Get more quality reps by using 1/2 bodyweight with partials. But keep the body weight in the chest, not the knees.
Golden Rule: Rest Long Enough to Gather Strength
When performing a finishing drill (where you have already taxed the system with heavy training) my golden rule is “Rest long enough, between sets to gather strength” (i.e. you’ve caught your breath).
With your rep range work until you reach safe failure in that you can mentally and physically perform one more high-quality rep but you don’t. If you are over 40 your joints will thank you for it!
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Established in 2006 Bianca Te Rito, founder of STEBIAN.com provides an exclusive, consulting service for business thought leaders, speakers, best-selling authors, and VIPs to help them present themselves, their products, services, or brand message to their target audience in the most effective way possible on video. Bianca has coached award-winning business authors and speakers (including one of the top 50 business thought leaders in the USA). In addition to her business background, Bianca has over 20 years of experience working in front of and behind the camera. As a TV/Film screen actor, video presenter, host, published fitness model, and skilled spokesperson.
Disclaimer: This content is For Educational and Informational Purposes Only. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition, disease, or illness. Not a Substitute for or to replace Medical Advice. Consult Your Physician or Health Care Provider any time you plan to make changes to your diet, eating, or exercise patterns. No Affiliation to any products mentioned or used in this content.