Thread: Flexing

This is a common problem amongst novice competitors. You will often see people squeezing their shoulder blades together, rather than spreading their lats when showing the back.

Unfortunately, this is also one of the toughest things to teach...especially over a computer!

The problem is when people turn around to the back, they will try to show upper back muscularity by squeezing the upper back muscles. This is done by bringing the shoulders back and squeezing the middle back...just like the contraction of a seated pully row.

You must fight the urge to do this, and instead seperate your shoulders by bringing them out and a little foward. When you do this, it is important not to hunch foward, but to lean back slightly.

Its hard for me to explain this further without actually showing you. I hope this was of some help though.

Agreed. In order to really spread your lats you need to have that mind-muscle connection (as with any muscle). In other words you need to "feel" your lats. Problem is, this is the toughest muscle to feel.

I did a lot of one arm stretching -- that really helped. Keep doing this until you can feel the lat pull. That will give you a sense of what the lat feels like and will help with gopros advice above.

You guys are awesome!
Thanks alot.
I'll keep you posted on how the tips worked out.
15 weeks til show time again!

Are there any specific exercises or movements other than stretching to help get the lat spreading feeling.
What about really slow lat pulldowns?

Any ideas.

I find I get the "feel" more with lighter weight than with heavier.

Another good exercise/stretch is to hand from a wide grip pull up bar, keep your elbows locked and raise your body just using your lats (you'll only go 3 inches or so).

Also, try close grip reverse grip pulldowns to the upper chest -- I really feel those, especially when in the stretch position (arms extended).

Like Gopro said: You want to spread the scapula.

Try this: Have someone hold his or her hands just beyond your shoulders and raised slightly maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch. So from the top outer most edge of the shoulder the hands would be 1/4 to 1/2 inch away at a 45-degree angle.
Now expand the chest and flare the lats in order for the shoulders to move up and out to meet the hands.

I hope that made since...........

Then again as Gopro said: From a BB’s perspective slightly roll the shoulders forward and lean back slightly.

Hope my babble helps.

Mick

To really flare the lats during a workout do a superset of dumbell pullovers and close grip pulldowns. Then a superset of stiff arm pulldowns and wide grip pulldowns. Now with lats fully pumped and standing at attention, practice spreading your lats. This will make getting in touch with them easier.

Gopro i do have a photo from the competition, or did you see that one already? It was under my olld thread entitiled "need help". Let me know and i'll post it here.

Originally posted by J'Bo
Gopro i do have a photo from the competition, or did you see that one already? It was under my olld thread entitiled "need help". Let me know and i'll post it here.

Post it for me sweets !!!!!!!!!!!

Hey guys thanks for the advice. I am having the same problem with flexing my Lats. I am rounding my back, and I should be leaning back slightly.

Originally posted by craig777
Hey guys thanks for the advice. I am having the same problem with flexing my Lats. I am rounding my back, and I should be leaning back slightly.

Yes, chest high, and lean back slightly!

it says i can't post the same photo. You will have to check it out at the old thread entitiled "need help" sorry.

Here is the link to the thread.

Need Help!

Check it out.
You'll see what i mean about wanting to up my shoulders and legs.

First of all, you look beautiful...are you single...just playin! Really, you just need a little more width in the lats, and a little more tone in your legs..but overall, you have a great body and a great structure. You will be successful!

Wow nice pic! You look fabulous! But a little more lean mass would be great. I would be willing to bet some heavy basics would do you a world of good.
Squats, various types of deads, rows, and overhead presses. Don’t be afraid to use a heavy weight. When it comes to putting on muscle, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

Good Luck, Train Hard
Mick

mick01,
I am lifting really heavy now, and no i am not afraid of the weights. Teehee.
Actually i am up for very hard training, and W8 gave me some great programs to follow.
Doing all the basic heavy builder exercises.
Thanks for the compliments.

W8 or anyone else who can help,

I am in need of some answers.
I am training to possibly do a physique challenge next month and was wondering a couple of things. The physique challenge consists of the following: flexed arm hang, bench jumps, and physique round.

How often can i train the flexed arm hang?
Can i do it everyday, maybe once?
Would that cause to much damage and not enough repair time?
Are there any excersies i can do to train to get a longer time?
What is a good time for flexed arm hang?
I am doing seated cable rows and holding the move for 30secs. is this a good exercise for building strength for the event?

I know W8 has participated in physique challenges before, can you help? Anyone?

Thanks.

Originally posted by J'Bo
W8 or anyone else who can help,

I am in need of some answers.
I am training to possibly do a physique challenge next month and was wondering a couple of things. The physique challenge consists of the following: flexed arm hang, bench jumps, and physique round.

How often can i train the flexed arm hang?
Can i do it everyday, maybe once?
Would that cause to much damage and not enough repair time?
Are there any excersies i can do to train to get a longer time?
What is a good time for flexed arm hang?
I am doing seated cable rows and holding the move for 30secs. is this a good exercise for building strength for the event?

I know W8 has participated in physique challenges before, can you help? Anyone?

Thanks.

Actually, I'm training for one now, I haven't done it yet though.

What exactly are these exercises, can you describe what you're supposed to be doing cause I'm not sure. How much time do you have? And where's this comp being held?

The physique challenge is being held here in Winnipeg. It is going on in conjunction with the CBBF national womens fitness competition (which i haven't qualified for yet).

The flexed arm hang is done on a chin bar and you are to hold it for as long as you can. Palms turned in and close grip.

The box jumps are done on a 8" platform. You are to jump onto the platform and down onto the otherside and so on, as many times as you can in 30sec. (or is it 1 min, i forget).

Then the physique round is just quarter turns like in fitness.

Maybe we can help eachother along.

The competition is June.22nd and i am going to train as though i am going to enter it, but am truley not sure if i am. I would rather focus on my Fitness comp in Sept., but i figure if i get my flexed arm hang up to 2min 30 sec i may have a chance of not doing so bad. It also depends upon how lean i am with the diet i am on now. I am sitting at 15% so i dont know. It would be very good coverage and alot of fun, costs are high though.

Originally posted by J'Bo
The physique challenge is being held here in Winnipeg. It is going on in conjunction with the CBBF national womens fitness competition (which i haven't qualified for yet).

The flexed arm hang is done on a chin bar and you are to hold it for as long as you can. Palms turned in and close grip.

The box jumps are done on a 8" platform. You are to jump onto the platform and down onto the otherside and so on, as many times as you can in 30sec. (or is it 1 min, i forget).

Then the physique round is just quarter turns like in fitness.

Maybe we can help eachother along.

The competition is June.22nd and i am going to train as though i am going to enter it, but am truley not sure if i am. I would rather focus on my Fitness comp in Sept., but i figure if i get my flexed arm hang up to 2min 30 sec i may have a chance of not doing so bad. It also depends upon how lean i am with the diet i am on now. I am sitting at 15% so i dont know. It would be very good coverage and alot of fun, costs are high though.

I'm not sure what your split is like, but if it were me, I'd be lifting heavy for strength right now, incorporating plyometrics, and supinated chins instead of the rows (or in addition to I should say) As I got closer to the event, I'd lower the w8's and use an explosive concentric on your squats, increase the difficulty of the plyo's, and eventually be doing your jumps & hangs a few times a week. Use a slow eccentric on the chins and eventually replace the chins w/ your hangs.

Make sure your hangs/chins and box jumps take precedence....so do them at the beginning of your w/o's.

Thanks again W8.

So you think training arm hangs 3 days a week is ok, as long as its not in a row?

Originally posted by J'Bo
Thanks again W8.

So you think training arm hangs 3 days a week is ok, as long as its not in a row?

I wouldn't necessarily say 3 times a week, I'd switch my split so that it's rotational and not going by the days of the week....so you're able to work it every 2-3 days, w/ rest in between