Knowledge Bombs

Do you know Berardi?

I he really that good with the chicks?

He most likely needs to bench less, can the skull crushers for a bit, and row a lot more. If he has access, some ART on the muscles acting at the elbow and radio-ulnar joint can make a big difference.

Once the pain subsides and he returns to unrestricted training, have him avoid heavy extensions; they’re notorious for causing elbow problems.

[quote]StrikeT wrote:
Eric,

My buddy suffers pain in his elbows when he does skull crushers. He also feels a slight discomfort when he benches big numbers. Any thoughts?[/quote]

Yes and yes. He’s also good with chicken; check out his Gourmet Nutrition e-book.

How good a friend am I? I mean, I give the guy mad props about being a stallion AND I promote one of his products in the SAME post.

Rumor has it that he is also popular with sick children, furry woodland creatures, and the AARP.

[quote]StrikeT wrote:
Do you know Berardi?

I he really that good with the chicks?[/quote]

Hi Eric,

I have read in a variety of articles here about the importance of retracting and depressing the scapula when doing bench press. I also read an article by Ian King that recommends doing the same when deadlifting.

Should I use this same motion when doing flat and incline db presses, board presses with various grip widths, Romanian dls, and overhead pressing movements??

This concept is new to me and feels quite awkward. When benching I have noticed that my upper back feels a bit sore the next day. Is it possible I am retracting too forcefully?

EC-THANK YOU

Scapular retraction is very important for any kind of bench press variation. For the other movements, I’d think more about just keeping the scapulae neutral; just allow them to move normally during overhead pressing and don’t round over your shoulders.

On deadlifts, it depends on your rep range. On max attempts, most people will round over at their upper back; this is actually advantageous, as it shortens the bar path. As long as the lumbar spine stays neutral, it’s fine. For sets with more reps, try to keep the scapulae in the neutral position.

[quote]CHF wrote:
Hi Eric,

I have read in a variety of articles here about the importance of retracting and depressing the scapula when doing bench press. I also read an article by Ian King that recommends doing the same when deadlifting.

Should I use this same motion when doing flat and incline db presses, board presses with various grip widths, Romanian dls, and overhead pressing movements??

This concept is new to me and feels quite awkward. When benching I have noticed that my upper back feels a bit sore the next day. Is it possible I am retracting too forcefully?[/quote]

Thanks for the info.

What does it feel like to be the newest, hottest contributor to T-Nation? You’ve blown up like the over big boys overnight it seems!

Just doing what I love; everything else just tends to fall into place!

Thanks for the kind words. :slight_smile:

[quote]zdrax wrote:
What does it feel like to be the newest, hottest contributor to T-Nation? You’ve blown up like the over big boys overnight it seems![/quote]

[quote]Eric Cressey wrote:
Just doing what I love; everything else just tends to fall into place!

Thanks for the kind words. :slight_smile:

zdrax wrote:
What does it feel like to be the newest, hottest contributor to T-Nation? You’ve blown up like the over big boys overnight it seems!

[/quote]

Man that typo was just sad… “the over big boys overnight…”