I started sneaking into the health club when I was 12 years old. I say sneak in because I wasn't old enough to be allowed into the weight room on my own, you had to be 13 years old. I would puff up my chest and look like I knew what I was doing. News flash, I didn’t know what I was doing. At the time, I knew you had to be good at bench press if you wanted to be considered strong. When I learned to bench press 20+ years ago I had a huge arch to my lower back and I was way up on the balls of my feet like a ballerina. Through sheer grit and thousands of repetitions, I eventually hit some pretty impressive bench press numbers (275lbs. for 8 reps and 305lbs. for a one rep max @ 175lbs. bodyweight). The issue was that the bench press didn't translate to better overall athleticism on the field and it exacerbated my already overextended posture.
After years of going at the bench press haphazardly and trying to lift as much weight as I could, I broke the movement down and built back up again. I started with my foundation: ribcage and pelvis (breathing mechanics and form). From there I slowly built back up. I am not lifting as heavy as before, but I feel stronger with my upper body pushing in almost every other way, and I don't have the same lingering lower back issues when going overhead or after movements like push-ups or burpees. Take it from me, bench pressing enormous weight is not worth it, especially if it leaves your lower back aching.
In this video, I show you a quick fix to take away some of the lower back strain of bench pressing: elevating the feet. Elevating the feet so the thighs are more perpendicular to the ground takes away some of the pressure on the lower back. As you learn how to use your glutes and abs to hold your pelvis in position, you can start to slowly lower your feet back down from there. Keep in mind however, elevating the feet is only a quick fix, and if you want to really improve your bench press it takes technique, specific corrective exercises that are built for your needs, and a coach to keep a watchful eye on things. If you are ready to improve your bench press, I am here to help. Click the link below if you'd like to book a free assessment to see how we can move your bench press in the right direction!