The Rule of Thumb for healthy Shoulders while Bench pressing

Posture, the worlds worst nightmare. All over the world with 95% of jobs, there is an extended time of sitting at a desk, hunching over a massage table, or anything where the shoulders become rounded forward. We end up developing "Upper cross syndrome" which basically is very tight pecs, and also a very tight posterior, or back of the neck. After sitting at a desk for 8 hours at a time, most people will go to the gym and do a big chest workout, and that is it. so after sitting with rounded shoulders, and then going and working out those muscles, that is a remedy for shoulder pain, back pain, neck pain, or all of the above.

Luckily, I have a few exercises to help alleviate a lot of the tension of very tight pecs and weak back muscles.

In my professional experience, along with knowing how the body works and how tissues act by being a massage therapist, I am also a Performance coach (fancy word for a personal trainer). When I am training an athlete, lets take a Powerlifter for example, they will most likely be working as well as training to be a Powerlifter, it is a hobby for most and not a career. For the lifters that hold a 9-5 job or spend a lot of time with rounded shoulders, it is imperative they can perform the bench press with no pain and a good shoulder position on the bench. When I am programming a lifter, through a three-four day workout, there will be a bench day, squat day, deadlift day, and one more day I either make an arm day (because who doesn't want bigger arms!) or a lift of their choice, with one exception: They MUST do some scapular retraction exercise. In layman's terms, rows. by strengthening the upper back muscles (Trapezius, Rhomboids, Erectorspinae, etc.) it will allow the pec muscles to loosen up and also teach the body a very important psychological lesson:

If we can make the muscles in our body be very strong while in a good postural position, the body will revert to that posture instead of what everyone is accustomed to that causes pain and discomfort.

Now, onto the exercises. I do not have the tech at the moment to film the exercises, but a search online should revert you to the same exercise.

-Dumbell Row-knee supported or three point

-Lat Pull downs on a machine-you can play around with different grips or hand-widths.

-Seated Row on a machine- you can use different attachments to stimulate a different row, single arm, double arm

-Chicken wings/Bilateral External Rotation with a resistance band-Very important to keep a healthy shoulder position with this one.

-Horizontal Abduction with a resistance band

-Inverted Rows on a TRX strap

-Resistance band retractions (really feel the squeeze in the shoulder)

My rule of thumb!

for every set of pressing, whether it be bench pressing, push ups, over head pressing or anything similar, do TWO sets of rows. The exercises above are not the only rowing exercises that can be done but these are what I recommend.

Lets say you did some bench pressing. You did 5 sets of 5 reps. Therefore, you need to do 10 sets of the exercises above. Try to do no more than three of a single exercise. I also recommend doing higher reps on these (8-15 reps). Then if you did 2 sets of push ups, you need to do an additional 4 sets of rows. It sounds like a lot but for my Powerlifter readers a strong back will help with all three of the lifts, and a very muscular back looks great!

Thank you for reading, if you have any questions drop them down below and I will do my best to answer them!

-Tim