PDA

View Full Version : Mind-Muscle Connection



andrewT
11-08-08, 11:22 am
Hey guys,

Just wondering, I know you should contract your muscles on all excercises. But if I find it especially hard to contract my right pec (but my left one i can go all out) during benchpresses.

Also when I do Yates style rows, I find it hard to contract my lats at the top. Afterwards when I am sore I usually feel all my soreness in my trap area and my upper back, but I don't think that qualifies as last enough does it? When working lats do traps always get involved and get worked as well? even when I do shoulder presses I feel my traps taking a beating.

Any advice would be appreciated!

MojoMike36
11-08-08, 2:22 pm
It may not necessarily be that you're lacking mind muscle connection. You've got to watch your form. Usually the difference in pec contraction has to do with not bending an elbow equally or enough to get a true flex from the pec.

Have a spotter watch your elbows. Its usually easy to pick out the spot in the motion that you're fouling up on.

andrewT
11-08-08, 2:31 pm
Thanks Mike

Anyone have any advice in regards to yates rows and the lat contraction?

Cellerator65
11-08-08, 2:36 pm
depends where you are holding the bar and to which point you are pulling the bar to

andrewT
11-08-08, 2:39 pm
For benches: I keep my arms a comfortable amount wider than shoulder width apart, lower to my chest without bouncing and raise back up

For yates rows: I grab about shoulder width apart with a curl grip, I pull up towards my bellybutton while trying to concentrate n pulling with the lats although I can't stop and pause to contract at the top, as I have trouble contracting my lats mid excercise

Should I practice flexing these muscles in the mirror until it becomes second nature or something? I just feel like I am jeopradzing my progress or not even training the muscle at all if I can't contract it for that mind muscle connection.

MetalAsh12
11-08-08, 11:22 pm
Thanks Mike

Anyone have any advice in regards to yates rows and the lat contraction?

Try to think of a ball being between your middle back that you want to keep in place; bring the bar up toy our lower abs and squeeze as hard as possible, then slowly let the bar back down.

Aggression
11-10-08, 12:31 pm
Thanks Mike

Anyone have any advice in regards to yates rows and the lat contraction?

Make sure you bending over enough. If you're standing basically upright, it's gonna be more of a shrug (thus feeling it in your traps). Make sure your pulling with your back and make sure you're at a good enough angle to where your back is going to be doing most of the work.

BaseballMonster
11-10-08, 12:35 pm
yeah i am a big fan of dorian and his training, but the row as said before you need to find the right angle where your hitting them from. And you must be bent over far enough.

andrewT
11-10-08, 1:34 pm
Thanks all you guys,

When I hit chest and back on wednesday I will give this stuff a try

In Flames
11-10-08, 1:51 pm
I try to lift a littler slower than usual to really squeeze my muscles in the contracted position. Especially on Back exercises. Focus on proper form instead of momentum. I rest very little 30 seconds to 1 minute max between exercises, except on the big compounds like Squats and Deads.

For Rows, try to squeeze your back at the top of the position and hold it for a second or 2 then lower it. Same with Cable Rows, squeeze as hard as you can in the contracted position for a few seconds. You will have to lower the weight a little, but who cares because you are working the muscle harder. Far too many people yank/pull or swing the weight up way too fast and they aren't actually hitting the muscle they want to be targeting. They use way too much momentum.

Hope this helped.