Discount Exercise Equipment

Archive for December, 2009

If you are familiar with only one exercise in the Bright ‘N Fit Training Routine, it is probably the Flat Barbell Bench Press. Enter any local fitness center or campus gym and you will more than likely witness someone performing this movement. The question is, how many of those people are doing it properly?

This exercise, when done correctly, will lead to great strength, power, and size gains in the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

Muscles worked during the Flat Barbell Bench Press:

• Chest (Pectorals)

• Front Shoulders (Anterior Deltoids)

• Arms (Triceps)

It is important to learn how to perform the Flat Barbell Bench Press to receive all of its benefits and avoid injuries, particularly to the shoulder and elbow joints.

Step 1: Setting Up

The set-up is crucial for performing the exercise properly. You must be in a tight and stabilized position before and throughout the movement.

Head Position: Lie down on a flat bench directly under the barbell as it sits in the hooks of the rack. Adjust your body (slide your back forward or backward on the bench) so that the center of the barbell is directly over your eyes. Keep your chin tucked, and your eyes looking above.

Hand Position: Grab the barbell with your hands equally distant from your body, placing them about 23-26 inches apart. This grip will evenly activate your chest and tricep muscles, rather than one more so than the other. Hold the barbell low in your hands (as close to your wrists and away from your fingers as possible) to prevent the weight of the bar from bending your wrists and placing stress on your elbows. Be sure to wrap your thumbs around the barbell, and squeeze the bar as hard as you can. A “thumbless” grip can be extremely dangerous because you have less control of the barbell.

Upper-body Position: Puff your chest out by pulling your shoulder blades together and pressing your back against the bench. Keep everything tight. This position will make your body a more stable surface to push from, allowing you to bench press more weight. It will also place less stress on your shoulder joints.

Feet Position: Your feet should be flat on the ground, and about 30 inches apart. Try to drive your heels into the floor.

Now that you have gotten into that tight position, you must hold it throughout your entire set.

Step 2: Unracking the Barbell

Extend your arms to push the barbell straight up in order to remove it from the hooks of the rack. If you have a spotter, ask him/her to give you a “lift-off,” in which he/she helps you unrack the weight by pulling the barbell straight up out of the hooks before you begin your set.

As you remove the barbell from the hooks, slightly move the bar towards your feet so it is directly over your lower chest. Your spotter can remove his/her hands from the bar once you have the barbell completely under control.

Now you are ready to bench press!

Step 3: Bench!

As you are bench pressing, remember to keep your chest out, shoulder blades pinched together, back against the bench, and feet firmly on the ground.

• First, take a big breath and slowly lower the barbell in a straight line until it touches your lower chest. As you are doing this, try to keep your elbows tucked to your sides, and your wrists in line with your elbows. Do not follow the barbell with your eyes as you lower the bar to your lower chest, keep looking up.

• Once the barbell touches your lower chest, pause for a second to eliminate the tendency to bounce the bar off your chest.

• As you release the air by breathing out, explosively push or “press” the barbell in a straight line directly above your lower chest by extending your arms. Keep your elbows tucked to your sides and squeeze the barbell as hard as you can as you are doing this.

• Repeat from the first bullet-point of Step 3.

Practice this technique with an empty (unloaded) barbell until you have developed muscle memory. The movement may seem awkward at first but it will become more comfortable as you continue practicing it. Remember to stay 100% focused during every single rep!

Check out BrightNFit.com for more info on college fitness.

Ty Lom
http://www.articlesbase.com/men’s-health-articles/100-proper-bench-press-technique-your-first-step-to-a-firmer-chest-312792.html

Barbell bench press is one of the best exercises to build upper body muscle mass and strength. Bar none is there any other effective upper body exercise like the barbell bench press. Any exercise newbie can start bench pressing now, and they will see drastic improvements to their physique within a short period of time. Keep in mind my definition of short period of time is about 6-8 weeks. Achieving physical fitness is a lifetime commitment, so 6 weeks is nothing. Not only will their physique sky rocket; But their strength, power, and endurance will also sky rocket. And most important, you’ll gain a lot of confidence too!

How to do this exercise? Sit flat on a bench with your legs shoulder-width apart. Keep your feet planted flat on the ground with your toes pointing straight forward. As you’re lying on the bench, be sure to keep your back flat on it. You’re allowed to have a little bit of a natural arch to your lower back, but just don’t force it. As you begin to grip the bar, set your grip at a little past shoulder-width apart. Also, be sure wrap your thumb under the bar, NOT over. I’ve seen many people make the mistake of wrapping their thumb over the bar instead of under, and what that does is that it causes less stability when handling the weight.

If you have everything set from here, you can begin to lift the weight off the rack. As you go down at a controlled descent, you want to make contact right under the nipple line of your chest. Don’t bounce the weight off your chest, push the weight back up with your elbows tucked in at a 45 degree angle. Among the most important thing aside from having good form is you need to make sure you have a spotter with you also. Bench pressing without a spotter is really dangerous and can be fatal in some cases.

vishal
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/the-best-exercise-barbell-bench-press-724336.html

I need them ASAP for a move on Thursday morning and since weds is a holiday i can’t get them overnight. I need to find a place in the bronx, westchester area to purchase these.

Try a U-haul store. I bought a set of forearm lifting straps there that work great.

For example, would it put too much strain on my back, or will my body just adjust to not wearing the weight belt so long as I use good lifting form?

i do not use a belt except for my heaviest lifts.. proper form is paramount.. if you break form just once, you may pay for it with a lower back injury that will sideline you for months.. my advice is to use a belt for all your heavy lifts, if you want to go beltless, keep it to your warm up sets and lighter weight workouts with higher reps. on heavy days, wear your belt..

I just joined a fitness club that has boxing classes. I do want to join but I need my own boxing gloves. I found some that I want to buy just that they come in 3 different sizes 12oz, 14oz and 16oz. How do I choose? I am 5′7 @155lbs if that helps. Im oviously a bigginer but I do want to work my self up to sparing with other boxers. Im just too much of a rookie to go up to the pros and ask.

Try out each size and see which feels best, which is not too heavy that you can move quickly, but heavy enough that when you strike, it will be felt. You should really just ask the coach or instructor, that would be the best way. I work out a lot, and I see guys come into the gym and pretend they know what they are doing, but just end up screwing around on the machines and such. Its much better to look like an amaetur than an idiot; don’t be ashamed you don’t know, if you are just starting, there is no way you can. But if you are buying them on the internet, go with the 14 oz. Preferably Everlast, which is what I use. Except I use 16 oz, though I am 5′10 and 148 pounds.

I have the option but I’m not sure which one is better. I have the re-usable one on now and it’s more comfortable but the temporary is firmer.

I’m guessing you are refering to athletic tape vs. a wrist brace? It depends on what kind of injury you have and the level of support you need and how. I used to coach gymnastics and developed a wrist condition (similar to tendonitis) due to the stress of spotting large girls. I taped my wrist because it allowed for a customized level of support and movement… I still needed to be able to bend my wrist back a bit, but I wanted to hinder it from bending all the way. They don’t make hindged braces so I taped it.. i came up w/ my own taping method of twisting a strip of tape into a rope and wrapping it around my wrist a certain way and then taping it down… it worked wonders… taped a few of my gymnasts’ wrists like that too. You might be able to find that method online.. i found it once.

http://www.eastbay.com/catalog/productdetail/cm–GLOBAL%20SEARCH%3A%20KEYWORD%20SEARCH/supercat–home/model_nbr–91134/sku–18468001/node–0/

I run about 3x a week and weightlift 2x a week. Should i just go with running shoes. I want a light shoe though.

They might do just great. However, if you want to know for sure….The best thing you can do is go down the a Running Lab. In fact there’s a place by that name; "Running Lab."

I do a lot of running…and everyone is different. With that said, as you continue to grow and become faster, you will burn through your shoes pretty fast. I love having LIGHT and Durable Shoes! =)

"The Running Lab" will have you take off your shoes, watch you walk, and even take an imprint of your foot. After doing so, they will spend a few minutes analyzing everything. They will ask you a few questions about your running style and your level of running.

Once they have finished they will direct you to a wall of shoes, that has ALL different brands of shoes on it and say something like; "These are what we recommend for you based on your foot’s shape, the way you run, where your foot actually impacts the ground and the width of slimness of your feet.

After they show you the selection, try a few pairs on, take them for a "test run" around the block and once you’ve found a pair that you like, then get them.

They are GREAT! My spouse has ran a marathon and we are training once again for another one coming up in May. We always go to the running lab. Oh…and the shoes, are sold at a great price too.

And there’s no extra charge for their services…it’s all part of what they do. So the whole process, from the moment you get in the door to the moment you select your shoes, is free.

I’ve personally used the Running Lab, along with my spouse and many others, they are FANTASTIC! And they have all kinds of different Brands of shoes. From Nike to New Balance. =)

Hope this helps…

I had mine done a month and a half ago and now want to change it, preferably to a curved barbell. I just need to know what length I should get, I forget how long the one is I have now.

everyone’s body is made differently and therefore, there is no "standard’ sized barbell for a particular piercing. go back to your piercer and ask them what size jewelry they used. if they can’t remember, these things should be kept on file with the paperwork you filled out when you went to get pierced.

if you don’t want to go back to the shop, or your piercer no longer works there, just go to any reputable shop and ask them to check it out and suggest what size/type of jewelry you should purchase.

Some excersizes that can be performed daily, without the need of dumbells, or other equipment as such.
Effective excersises?

do wide grip overhand pull ups…you may need to do chin ups also to strengthen arms. floor push ups also may help

I am currently waiting to class up for Army OCS and I am only able to push out 30 pushups. I have to take my APFT in 25 days. I was able to do 35 two weeks ago, but when I realized I needed four more I worked out my arms like crazy last week to the point where I didn’t rest so now this week my pushups have decreased. How long will it take my muscles to heal and what is the best way to get those extra nine pushups I need to pass. Run time and situps are outstanding, but just having trouble with pushups! Thanks.

Slow down your work out. The Army has a saying, it is called ‘Train as you fight." In short terms, it means there is only one way to get better at doing push ups, it is called doing push ups. Do not worry about your arms, you overworked them, they should be feeling fine within 2-3 days. If they are really tight and sore, stretch them out as frequently as possible. To help prevent from getting too sore try this: during the day, every hour (on the hour), do 20-25 push ups. By the end of the day, you will have done 200 or more total. You will be training your arms and keeping them accustomed to doing push ups. which will help build muscular endurance. If you feel sore from that, eat a banana (the potassium in it will help out the muscles). Make sure that the night before the PT test that you also follow these simple rules to ensure you are at your peak:
1. No sex (I know, I know, but you will always be able to celebrate later)
2. Eat plenty of starchy foods the night before (will give you an energy boost)
3. Get plenty of rest.
4. During the push ups and sit ups, remember to breathe. Inhale on the way down, exhale on the way up.
5. Keep your back straight, otherwise they will not count
6. You have 2 minutes, do not space your push ups out over this time period. Get as many in as possible the first minute, then slow down or rest if you have to. When you slow down, try doing 2-3 push ups in a set. That should help.