What are the potential risks involved in lowering the olympic barbell to the chest during a bench press?
1. It can stretch the anterior shoulder capsule, creating anterior instability.
2. It can cause shoulder impingement in someone who is at a greater risk for impingement syndrome. Those who are at greater risk of shoulder impingement often have poor upper body posture (rounded shoulders and forward head).
Through many years of experience, I can tell you that it is not worth risking the health of your shoulders by performing a traditional full range of motion olympic bench press. There are of course exceptions to this rule.
Some athletes need full range of motion when performing pressing movements in the gym:
Athletes such as shot put throwers need a full range of motion (ROM) because they are doing it already for their sport. In fact, a shot put thrower needs strength in a full ROM. However, if the shot put thrower is having pain problems due to anterior instability and or impingement syndrome, a reduction in range of motion during a pressing movement is often advised.
For the vast majority of us who want to increase our general health and fitness, it is simply not necessary to complete full range of motion on a bench press movement. Limited range of motion for general health and fitness enthusiasts also applies to most pressing type movements; shoulder press, incline press.
Pressing exercises exceptions are:
1.Decline press
Due to the fact that the range of motion in the shoulder joint will automatically decrease during a decline bench press, full range of motion is typically risk free.
2.Cable pressing movements in standing posture
During a standing cable press, other muscles are involved which take the load off of the shoulder; abdominals, legs and hips.
3.Pushups — provided you have good posture
A pushup is considered a closed chain exercise, which is a more stable environment for the shoulders. If you have good shoulder mechanics and good upper body posture, pushups are generally safe to perform the full range of motion; chest to the floor.
Exercise selection in any strength and conditioning program should take the individual into account. With the rising popularity in home workout videos, I have seen an increasing amount of people come into my clinic with injuries from these rubber-stamped, non-professionally designed and unsupervised programs.
Shoulder problems are on the rise due to increased sedentary jobs, lifestyles and faulty exercise programs. Stay tuned for more shoulder articles as it is important to understand which exercises put the shoulder joint at risk and how to prevent injury.
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Some of my clients who have complained about erectile dysfunction have reversed their ED with simple L-Arginine supplementation.
Many studies have shown L-Arginine to be effective for increasing nitric oxide (NO) levels and improving blood flow, thus increasing erectile performance and arterial health. However, long term studies have not yet been conducted on L-Arginine.
One of the best links supporting the use of L-Arginine comes from an endocrinologist in Palo Alto by the name of Joseph Prendergast.
Dr. Prendergast states that, ” L-Arginine does not change the endothelium in healthy people. It will change it in people who have elevated cholesterol levels, hypertension or metabolism problems due to vitamin deficiencies.”
I and a few “healthy” colleagues, who have experimented with L-Arginine, have noticed an improvement in sexual performance. Mind you, this is not a placebo, as those involved in this “healthy experimentation” are very much in tune with their bodies. Most reported that it took at least a couple weeks to feel any significant effect in performance.
For our clients who report issues with erectile dysfunction, we always recommend they see their doctor to determine if their ED is related to an underlying heart problem. Men may like to think that they have a big artery down there, but in actuality it is very small in-comparison to the other larger arteries in the body.
If a smaller artery, such as the penile artery, has restricted blood flow as a result of plaque buildup, it can be indicative of what is happening in the arteries in the rest of the body. This is why it is important to see a doctor and test for any heart disease markers such as:
CRP
High Sensitivity CRP
Homocystiene
Cholesterol Panel
Male Testosterone Panel (as too low of testosterone can also influence ED)
If any of these markers are elevated, it may warrant other tests, such as a cardiac stress test or artery scans.
We recommend talking to your doctor about supplemental L-Arginine as an alternative before you fill your Viagra® prescription; it may help arterial health, help unclog arteries and increase your sexual performance.
Dosage Protocols
A general starting dosage for L-Arginine for ED would be around 3 grams per day. We do not recommend taking 3 grams of L-Arginine without consulting a health professional who can look at you from a comprehensive perspective.
There have been no reported cases of complications or side effects due to L-Arginine supplementation. There are numerous reported side effects to taking Viagra®, ranging from headaches to impaired cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, genitourinary, ocular, dermatologic, hematologic, metabolic, psychiatric, nervous system function and more.
If you are local, Premier Personal Training, Inc. has a comprehensive approach available to you. Mention this article when you contact us and get your second visit FREE. (Click Here to Contact Us)
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