Lats and bench press

[abraxxxus]

Whenever I bench press(barbell or dumbell), My lats get sore the next day. How can I prevent this, and what might I be doing wrong?

[MiloMan]

Originally posted by abraxxxus
Whenever I bench press(barbell or dumbell), My lats get sore the next day. How can I prevent this, and what might I be doing wrong?

You arer probably doing a "powerlifter arch" in your back when you bench (brings the lats into play and lets you push up more weight. I bench that way, being more of a powerlifter than a bodybuilder.

Don't arch your lower back. You won't be able to bench quite as much this way, because the lats won't really be helping much.

[abraxxxus]

Thanks, cuz as nice as it is to put up a lot of weight, I want to stimulate my chest, so I can look as good as I feel

[amusclehead]

could be that, but i've also seen people with excelelnt form(no arching) get sore lats.......my opinion, and it's just my opinion, is that because you're using your lats to drive the bar off your chest, some people's get more worked than others by doing that. just my opinion though


...but anywho, when you press the bar up, you use your lats to drive it up at the beginning

[Mark21087]

Chest exercises you the back
Back exercises use the chest

[abraxxxus]

ya I understand that opposing muscle groups are used, but i thought that usage was minimal and mainly for stability. In any case, I wanted to put more stress on my pecs since they are laggin. My lats are coming in nicely in comparison.

[Mark21087]

Originally posted by abraxxxus
ya I understand that opposing muscle groups are used, but i thought that usage was minimal and mainly for stability. In any case, I wanted to put more stress on my pecs since they are laggin. My lats are coming in nicely in comparison.

For isolation do some flyes