Weak points preventing progress...

[selenar]

Over the last few months of working out I've noticed that when I do chest days I end up having problems with lesser muscles that prevent me from getting a good chest workout. The problem lies in press exercises and my left arm. I have two parts of the arm that seem to have weaknesses that are holding me back: shoulder and elbow. Yesterday I was doing slow sets of incline dumbell presses using low weight and while I was still able to do the presses, from the middle of the motion to the height (arm straight), my left elbow was just wobbling pretty much uncontrollably. When I moved to decline press I was using a machine but each arm was lifting it's own set of weight. I could easily see the left side giving out and having to contort my shoulder in order to finish the rep on the left side.

Obviously this is a problem for me. I don't feel at the end of the workout that I've really worked my chest to the point of it tiring. I need to build up these secondary muscles but I'm not really sure about how to proceed on working my elbow or if that's even the area that's the root of the problem. Does anyone have ideas on what exercises I could do to get this arm into shape and get more out of my chest days?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance...

sel

 

[dswithers]

You don't say what kind of routine you are following in general in terms of rep and sets, days per week, etc., but I would try going to higher rep sets for a few weeks on your basic exercises (bench press, incline bench press, with dumbell and barbell). Try at least 12-15 reps, or even 25-30 reps. I sometimes start my workout with a set of 25-30 reps on the flat bench for a few weeks, trying to add 5 pounds every week and seeing how much weight I can do for 25+ reps.

To improve your shoulder joint for bench pressing, I would try flat flyes. You might even try supersetting them with flat benches. Do a set of flat benches with as much weight as you can do for 12 reps and then immediately do a set of 12 flat flyes with no rest. Really get a good stretch, by lowering the dumbells as far as you can and going up towards your ears as you go down.

For stengthening your elbow, try working triceps right after chest. Your tricepts should already be tired from benching so you don't need many sets. 2 sets of lying triceps extensions with a curling bar, 12 reps, with as much weight as you can possibly handle for 12 reps, followed by 2 sets of reverse bench dips or parallel bar dips with added weight if you can handle it for 12-15 reps.

 

[Quiocho]

hi there!
there could be a few to several factors regarding the problems you have stated. it is hard to assess accurately without no real physical meeting. so the next best thing is suggesting and hopefully this will assist you with finding answers where you are.
weakness can be attributed to your physical structure that creates an abnormal function. this can all reverse its role.
your shoulder muscles complinsates by its action to keep the resistance moving through the range of motion. there might be an "impingment" of nerve conduction from the cervical (neck) spine. usually the one who best can determine this is a doctor of chiropractic medicine. the frame work of the human body works well when there is no inner obstructions that block nerve passages. you might also want a health/fitness professional observe how you lay on the benches to see if your body alingment from head to toe is ideal. the other thing is when pressing upward, you do not want the weight to travel away from the body. when this happens the muscles of the shoulder area will try to pull the weight back to its natural path.
when benching, try to use very light weights or just the bar. to help with the off-balance put on each side, one two and half pound plates at the very end of the bar. remove the bar slowly and bench press it. this will build your focus to stay centered and even. go down to where you feel comfortable and push up evenly feeling both arms working. do not lock your elbows. in the beginning have someone watch you because if one of the plates fall of, it will throw you off. eventually the more you practice this, if the plate does fall off, your reactions will still keep you centered. pressing moderately comfortable dumbbells, starting from the down position by the chest and push up to the point when you feel your tricep contract and return back down. practice with one arm with the free hand feeling your tricep contract to know where the point of contraction is. proper breathing through your exercise aid in the endurance aspect of strength exercise fitness. these two exercises are based on createing mind awareness & body attention. but please still go and see someone who can check on your spinal structure.
oh, one more thing, a good bench bress works well with a strong back. do not neglect your back exercises. the power of the chest comes naturally from the muscles of the back.
try to look at your exercises as a way of discovering things about your body. once this can happen you will learn to be a smarter lifter of mind as well as in body. work with your body and not so much on it for now.
dat's it for now!
aloha!
mikey

 

[Lex]

Sel,
Just some other suggestions to go along with the ones already posted.... there could be numerous reasons for your "shakiness". As they mentioned, I would definitely cut back on your weights and work on form, first and foremost. I would also try some iso-lateral exercises (performing one arm at a time). If you have access to HammerStrength equipment I would suggest using that line. They pride themselves on being great for iso-lateral work. Most people have a "dominant" side... in your case your right side is more powerful than your left. I would try using a cable-cross over machine and performing some standing chest exercises. This will help build stability in not only in your core, but your little stabilizer and neutralizer muscles as well. One last thing I would do would be to perform some shoulder strengthing exercises (i.e. internal and external rotation) to build your rotator cuff muscles (the major stabilizer for your should joint).

Of course, not to state the obvious, you wnat to work your agonist and antiagonist muscles as well. I hope this has helped you. good luck!

 

[allcdnboy1]

Along the same line as Lex, focusing on core stability, check out some Sissel exercise balls for you free weight exercises. You can do some with machines, but are often harder to get setup ....