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It is no secret that the average male gym goer loves to do plenty of bench press exercises. I was out at a piano bar last weekend celebrating the 10 year wedding anniversary of some close friends and witnessed the “bar body” syndrome firsthand.
For those not familiar with this lingo, the “bar body” belongs to the guy who overworks the chest and biceps, while typically neglecting the back leg muscles altogether. They routinely sport tight t-shirts and jeans even in the dead of summer in Ohio.
I spotted the bouncer right away. He was likely 25 years old and obviously proud of his caveman posture and large stature. What he does not know is that in 5-15 more years he will likely suffer significant shoulder impingement and AC joint arthritis, not to mention he will have little to no upper body flexibility.
Know anyone that fits this description? Look around in your local health club and you will surely find them. So, the takeaway messages are:
- Perform back to chest strengthening exercises in a ratio of 3:2 or even 2:1 to promote balance and better posture
- You do not need to bench press all the time (once per week is sufficient and may even be too much for some)
- You should do routine flexibility exercises for the chest as these muscles are tight in most of the population and they can contribute to increased internal rotation of the shoulders and rotator cuff problems
In light of this, I want to share a few effective exercises from my brand new Training & Sports Medicine Update Newsletter. To view these exercises, click HERE.
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In health,
Brian
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