Warm Up Series : Bench Press / Push Up

We will be getting you ready to go for the bench press and push up this week. If you are an athlete who lacks range of motion and/or doesn’t have efficient motor control of your shoulders, it’s crucial that you are prepping your tissues and joints to eliminate future injury and improve your performance. Common faults of the bench and push up position are internally rotating your shoulders as your press up (elbows flare out) and anterior rounding when you are in the bottom position (shoulders dumping forward). Below are a few mobility techniques and activation drills to perform prior to your training.

 

Mobility

1. Shoulder internal rotation with lacrosse ball at inferior angle of scapula: 1-2 minutes on each side
2. 3 position pec stretch: 30-60 seconds in each position
3. Shoulder external rotation with PVC: 1-2 minutes on each side

Activation

1. Scapular presses and rotations: 15 reps of each
2. Banded pulldowns and face pulls: 15 reps of each
   • This is to activate the muscles to help stabilize your shoulder in the down and back position.
3. Slingshot push ups: 15-20 reps followed by 15-20 reps without band
   • The band gives assistance for proper positioning and maintaining external rotation.

 Also refer to Ray’s video on the dip and muscle up prep for additional techniques.

https://movement-rx.com/warm-up-series-the-dip-muscle-up/

Have fun with it! Light weight!