When Adam Collard on shows like Island of love or The famous SAS, who dares, wins. trainer and gym owner spends his time improving the shape and fitness of those who want to become the best version of themselves. And, in a recent Instagram post, archrival HYROX showed how to get the most out of heavy barbell pressure, sharing his top 3 tips. Two gyms and an online training resourceall under the “Sculpt” brand, Collard sees the trials and tribulations of his clients first hand. “Upper body and barbells can both be scary things,” said Collard of strength training. “Fix these and it will help you with your upper body load.”
The concept of a deadlift, where you lift a weight overhead, sounds simple enough, but the execution is often confusing. While these presses are punishing for the shoulders and triceps, this exercise also engages the shoulders, chest, core, glutes, and legs when done correctly. The key is to create a stable posture and not overtax the back.
Common Barbell Press Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
Do not overextend your lower back
Collard says that unnecessary arching of the back during heavy lifting can lead to lower back pain. So use it his assistant Abbythey show the pressure placed on the lower back when the back is not straight. However, the position can be improved by “putting your ribcage under your shoulder,” explained the trainer. Collard also suggests keeping the bones in line with your knees and hips to your shoulders for a solid foundation that prevents injury.
Do not hold the bar in front
To keep the bar in sight, lifters often fall into the trap of holding the weight in front of them, observes Collard. Instead, you should be looking to push your head out of the gap and position it vertically with the barbell. “Look at how her head is pushing now,” the trainer told her more than 1 million followers on Instagram.
Keeping your head under the bar allows your shoulders and elbows to “snap” over each other properly, advises Collard. “Whereas before, the barbell was far ahead.” This correct position also helps to engage the upper back and once again relieves pressure from the lower spine.
Understand the correct phase of suspension
“If he rests at the bottom of the rep, it’s going to be very difficult to get that weight,” Collard said during his third observation. Instead, the coach advised that it makes a lot of sense to pause at the top of the lift, which also gives you a chance to catch your breath. When landing, Collard says there’s more potential for an explosive rep, which lifters call “jumping through the hole,” rather than getting stuck at the bottom of the rep. “Do these three things, and you’ll completely change your stress,” says Collard.
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