Tom’s Strength Tips!

TIP #1: BENCH PRESS WITH THE “SWISS BAR” FOR 3-6 WEEKS

• Switching up your grip every so often is a great way to give your shoulders and elbows a rest to avoid overuse injuries during bench pressing.
• The “Swiss bar” moves your hands to the neutral position which feels great on the shoulders and elbows while maintaining strength in the bench press movement. I recommend replacing all normal bench pressing with “Swiss bar” bench pressing for at least three weeks to maintain joint health.

TIP #2: PLACE A BAR BEHIND YOUR BACK FOR WEIGHTED BACK EXTENSIONS

• Most people add weight to the back extension by holding a plate in front of their chest; while this is effective in adding resistance holding the weight there causes your shoulders to round forward, therefore reinforcing bad posture.
• With a bar placed on your upper traps you are externally rotating your shoulders, opening and stretching the chest, and engaging your posterior chain more completely. Start with a PVC pipe and slowly add weight over 2-3 weeks.

If you have any questions on these movements or want more strength tips please contact Tom Sheriff at tsheriff@sacdt.com.