Why You’ve Got To Have A Back

it’s a classic bodybuilding cliché, but I’m going to say it anyway “shows are won from the back”. It’s cliché for a reason, there’s a truth in it. Very often you’ll be sitting watching a competition with two or three competitors duking it out for the top spot. The judges are unsure who to go for based on the front or side shots. Finally, the competitors turn to the back and decision for the judges becomes obvious. One competitor is streets ahead of the other when it comes to the back, while another is severely lacking in this department. Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, Phil Heath, and Kai Greene were all great bodybuilders, and although many pretenders challenged them for the top titles, the always won the back shots. So, if you want to do well, you have to have a good back so when the judges call for those rear shots you can stand out or not be brushed aside. It’s not just the back though, competitors need to have a strong posterior chain as well, the glutes, hamstrings and calves all require attention, but that’s an article for a different day (click here to read our article on glute training).

Back Training Considerations

So what’s the deal with back training? Well like legs, the back is one of those body parts that’s often neglected, lagging behind the mirror muscles. As such when it comes to training back, many trainers lack the ability to properly train it and they often lack the ability to engage the muscles with a strong mind muscle connect. So, if you’re new to back training be sure to spend the first few months of your back sessions with slow tempo, higher reps focusing on developing a contraction and the feel of training the muscles of the back. Trust me it will serve you well. Now the back muscles are also the largest and most complex muscles in the body, consisting of multiple muscle groups that are responsible for various movements such as pulling, lifting, and stabilising the spine. What this means is back training is the most complex area to train of the body, unlike leg training, chest, or shoulders, which all involve pushing. The back requires far more angles with both horizontal and vertical pulling, alongside trying to minimise the involvement of the arm muscles and in some instances the rear deltoids. With this in mind using monkey hook grips and straps can be a good way to overcome arm involvement. Just be sure to keep training your forearms (click here for the article on arm training). In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of back training, the different muscles in the back, and some effective exercises for targeting each muscle group.

Importance Of Back Training

The back muscles play a crucial role in overall body function, as they are responsible for maintaining good posture, and maintaining spinal health. Neglecting your back training can lead to imbalances and weaknesses in your upper body, which can negatively affect your performance in other exercises such as bench press, shoulder press, and even squat and combat sports. Moreover, those who neglect their back training in favour shoulder and chest regimes tend to develop injuries, not only in the upper and lower back, but also in the shoulders and pecs as a result of excessive rounding the shoulders. In sports like rowing, combat sports like boxing or power sports like rugby or American football, a strong back is also essential to ensure maximal force development, endurance, power and strength.

To achieve a well-rounded physique, it’s therefore essential to train your back from multiple angles, using both free weights and machines. Free weights, such as dumbbells and barbells, are great for developing strength and stability in the back muscles, while machines can provide a more controlled and isolated movement, allowing you to focus on specific muscle groups. The addition of specialist equipment like bands, chains, and kettle bells can also be useful to help target the back in sports specific ways.

Muscles Of The Back

Before we dive into the exercises, let’s look at the different muscles in the back and their functions:

• Latissimus Dorsi (Lats) – The lats are the largest muscle in the back, responsible for adduction, extension, and medial rotation of the shoulder joint. They also play a significant role in pull-up and rowing movements. The larger these muscles are the more impressive your V-taper is likely to be. So lots of pulling and rowing movements are required to develop this area.

• Trapezius (Traps) – The traps are a triangular-shaped muscle that runs from the base of the skull to the middle of the back. They are responsible for shrugging, rotating, and retracting the shoulder blades. If you want to develop a thick and impressive neck, then this is the area you’re going to want to focus on.
• Rhomboids – The rhomboids are a small muscle group that runs from the spine to the shoulder blades. They are responsible for retracting and stabilizing the shoulder blades and actually sit underneath the trapezius muscles

• Teres Major and Minor – Situated laterally to the Rhomboids and Trapezius,  the teres muscles are part of the four rotator cuff muscles which also include the supra and infraspinatus. As part of this complex the Teres Major and Minor stabilise the humoral head, as well as extension and adduction of the arm. Like the Rhomboids above, reverse flying movements are effective in targeting this area.

• Erector Spinae – The erector spinae muscles run parallel to the spine and are responsible for extending and stabilizing the spine. Although you can’t see them since they are hidden by the trapezius, latissimus dorsi, and rhomboids, these muscles run the entire length other spine. Isometric movements are useful for targeting these muscles along with back extensions for improving posture. Larger movements like the deadlift however are required to develop truly thick erectors.

Exercises For Back Training

There is no shortage of back training exercises which are both free weights, and machine. At their core though, most of these exercises are based around 5 basic movements with variations on arm position, body angle, chest/back support, width of grip and angle of grip. With that in mind, some may find more benefit using different variation of these exercises. Moreover, others may find they get a greater mind muscle connection employing one exercise over another. As discussed in previous articles, periodisation (click here) is an important concept that trainers should employ to get the most out of their training, by employing different exercises as part of different programs.

Lat Pulldowns & Pull Ups

Lat pulldowns and pull-ups are a staple exercise for building a strong and defined back. They primarily target the lats, but also engage the biceps, traps, and rhomboids. To perform this exercise, sit on a lat pulldown machine and grip the bar with an overhand grip. Pull the bar down towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body. Pause briefly at the bottom before slowly returning to the starting position, make sure to emphasis the stretch. For the pull – up take a grip outside your shoulder width, similar to the style of grip you’d use for a bench press and aim to pull the top of your chest to the bar. Try to minimise any swinging, and If you’re really good at them be sure to add additional weight with a belt. There’s no shortage of different handles, or machines you can use that also mimic this movement, so find that’s most effective for you and make it a corner stone of your back training. Just be sure to emphasis the stretch you get while training the lats.

Bent Over Rows

Bent over rows are a compound exercise that targets the lats, traps, rhomboids, and erector spinae. To perform this exercise, hold a barbell with an overhand grip and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back flat and your core tight. Pull the bar towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position. Personally, I prefer the Pendley variation of this movement which involves a wider grip and a more bent over stance to minimise the amount of body English being used. Can also be performed as a “Seal Row” on a bench and with DBs on an incline bench, or as a single arm movement with the dumbbell row.

Seated Rows

Seated rows are a great exercise for targeting the middle back muscles, including the lats, traps, and rhomboids. To perform this exercise, sit on a cable row machine with your feet on the footrests and grip the handles with both hands. Pull the handles towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then slowly release back to the starting position. This exercise can also be performed using exercise machines, and there are no shortage or plate loaded rows from a variety of angles.

Deadlifts

Deadlifts are a compound exercise that targets the erector spinae, as well as the hamstrings, glutes, and traps. To perform this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grip the bar with both hands using an overhand or mixed grip. Lift the bar off the ground, keeping your back straight and your core tight. Pull your shoulder blades together and drive your hips forward to stand up straight, then slowly lower the bar back to the ground. These can be done as stiff leg deadlifts, conventional deadlifts, from blocks, with chains or bands. If you want to target the lower body and hips more these can also be performed in a sumo style or with a trap bar.

Pull Downs & Pull Overs

Often considered as a finisher or isolation movement, these can be performed with dumbbells across a bench, cables with a rope or most notably using a pull over machine. Dorian Yates swore by the Nautalis pull over machine as being one of the number one reasons why he manage to develop such a great set of lats. Few exercises seem to hit the lats quite like a pull over, the trick like most of these movements is to focus on maximising the range of motion and controlling the weight with a consistent and smooth tempo, while getting an excellent stretch when your elbows are extended parallel to the head.

Thickeners, Width, Sculpting and Program Considerations

One the most common misconceptions around back training is there are exercise superior for developing back thickness or a 3D look. Conversely there are also exercises useful for building width, or the X frame. Finally, there is also a belief there are exercise superior for developing detail in the back. As always things are more complex. Although some exercises obviously target certain areas more effectively than others e.g Lat pull downs vs shrugs for the lattisumus dorsi. All exercises will build thickness to varying degrees and all will enhance the amount of detail in the back. If you gain muscle in your latissimus dorsi for example from doing lat pull downs and pull ups, not only will you gain muscle laterally helping you develop you a v taper, but you’ll gain muscle in the horizontal plane adding that 3D dimensions to your physique. Moreover, the more muscle you have in your physique and the lower your body fat levels, the more detail you’ll see when hitting your back shots. If you don’t have the back muscle, you’ll not have the detail.

Don’t get the wrong end of the stick on this point, not all back exercises are created equal. Compound exercises like the deadlift, bent over row, or T-bar row will recruit a great number of muscles when performed. On the contrary, they’re also the most taxing and energy sapping exercises, and although they may recruit many muscles in the back, they might not target an individual muscle quite as well as an isolation exercises like a single arm cable row. A useful strategy therefore is for the trainer to design programs which combine compound and isolation exercises to help manage fatigue, or to do more than one session in the week, focusing on some combination of the both. For example: sessions might focus on machines vs free weights and isolation exercises vs compounds with rep ranges manipulated around heavier and lighter sessions. The final considerations revolve around weaknesses and or touch up training, where an individual has great back development, they may wish to avoid twice per training sessions. With all this in mind it’s time to put all this knowledge into action check out the sample training programs below. Try this plan for 4 weeks and see how you get on.

Sample Training Programs For Back Training

Here are two sample training programs, each with about 15 sets per workout, to help you build a strong and defined back.

Program 1: Free Weight Emphasis

Program 2: Machine Emphasis

Summary

Back training is a vital component of any well-rounded fitness program. By using a combination of free weights and machines, you can target all the major muscle groups in the back and achieve a strong, defined, and healthy back. Remember to train from multiple angles to hit the complex anatomy of the back and incorporate exercises that target specific muscle groups for optimal results.

Combined the a sound training program/principles with proper nutritional support and a coach will help you achieve your desired results. If you found this article useful and think we can help you at ProPrepCoaching then get in touch with us let’s have a chat about your goals – Click Here

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Arm Training

I once read a quote somewhere that said in bodybuilding “your arms can never be too big”. When I first started training have a well sculpted large set of arms was the dream, all my action hero ideals had great arms, Stallone, Van Dame, and of course the granddaddy of them all Mr Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger. 15-year-old me didn’t know how to get them, but he sure as hell knew that he wanted them. That was over twenty years ago, and a lot has changed since then, but somethings never change, the quest to get an even more impressive set of arms. So how do you go about doing this then? Well there are a number of different approach you could take. Right out of the gates it’s worth pointing out that without the right dietary approach and recovery schedule you’ll struggle to develop a great set of arms. Moreover, without the correct technique, good form, and a well-developed mind muscle connection you’ll also struggle to develop your arms. Finally, it’s worth mentioning that genetics are important, the shape of your arms and your ability to build muscle here is somewhat predetermined and an approach that works for one person might not work for yourself. So with all that aside, let’s get into it.

How To Programming

When it comes to programming for bodybuilding, it’s important to implement progressive overload. This means that session on session, week on week, you as the trainer should always be looking to challenge yourself. You can progress in multiple ways, but usually means either lifting more weight on a single exercise, or as part of the whole session, performing more repetitions, doing more sets, reducing the rest time between sets, or increasing the frequency you train that muscle group per week. The goal should always be progression; however, every program has a shelf life, this is the point at which you can no longer progress with the variables. On top of that, people also get bored, so it’s important to change things up and keep them fresh if you want to stay motivated. Goals of a specific program or “mesocycle” vary, however you should be looking to change programs every 6 to 16 weeks as part of a larger “macrocycle”.  In this respect programming should always fit into the wider context of a year-round goal. This context is important, as at times you may find yourself training arms, once, twice or three times per week through a variety of different rep ranges and alternating exercises. There is no perfect plan, only the one that makes the most sense for that phase of the macrocycle.

Programming for the arms specifically its always worth remembering that the arms play an important role as accessory or secondary muscles when it comes to pushing (triceps) or pulling (biceps & forearms) sessions. Moreover, even within the context of pushing or pulling movements, the arms often play a role in stabilising as antagonist muscles. The biceps although not directly involved still play a role in stabilising the arm pressing movements for example. What this means is that regardless of the split you do, be it push, pull, legs, bro split, full body, upper lower etc. your arms will be getting a lot of indirect work. It also means that where you train the arms directly and fatigue induced will have an indirect consequence for the larger exercises involving the back, chest or shoulders. For example. if you have sore triceps from the day before then don’t expect to perform as well on the bench press. With that in mind experience has taught me that between 9 to 12 sets per week of direct work for the biceps and triceps is usually enough for most people, while around 6 sets seem to be enough for forearms. Now you can split this over the course of the week with a few exercises per session, although personally I’ve always preferred to do direct arm work. The reason for this is because where you have dedicated sessions to muscle group, you’re likely to be more focused and be able to put more effort into training that muscle group, particularly when sets of arms are often thrown in at the end of a session. So how do you train your arms?

Training The Arms

The Biceps and Forearms

The biceps, located on the front of the upper arm, are responsible for flexing the elbow. To effectively target the biceps, it’s important to understand the anatomy of the muscle. The biceps brachii, the muscle commonly referred to as the “biceps,” has two heads: the short head and the long head. The short head is located on the inner portion of the arm, while the long head is located on the outer portion. Alongside the Bicep brachii, there is also the Brachialis and Brachioradialis which also play a role in flexing the elbow and supinating and pronating the forearm. There are of course more muscles of the forearm such as the Flexor Digitorum profundus and Felxor Palrmaris longus which play a role in flexing the fingers so are therefore important when it comes to grip. What this all means of course is that different exercises place a different emphasis on each muscle and for this article we will be primarily focused on the Biceps brachii, Brachiallis and Brachioradialis.

As with most muscle groups, compound exercises work well at providing an overall stimulus. Barbell curls are a an excellent compound which will target the whole arm, particularly the outter heads of the brachii and brachiallis, although the narrower grip you use the more you can shift the emphasis onto the inner head of the brachii, this is where an ez bar can also be particularly useful. Dumbbell curls on the other hand (no pun intended) which require the rotation (supination and subsequent pronation) of the wrist offers greater recruitment of the inner head of the brachii and the brachioradialis. Seated movements or movements which emphasis pronation (palms facing up) also place more emphasis on the inner brachii head. Exercises selection for an arm session should therefore always include some combination of barbells, dumbbells, cables or single arm movements. As well as barbell curls, personal favourites for me include barbell curls, preacher curls (with either an ez or straight bar), seated incline dumbbell curls, cable overhead curls and concentration curls. The program gaol will always determine the rep range selected but as a general rule I usually opt for lower rep (5 to 8) on the bigger movements, e.g. barbell curls, compared to higher reps (12 to 15) more isolation work like concentration curls.

Forearms is an area which is often overlooked by trainers and weak forearms stand out when it comes to classical posing such is their prominence in the old school shots. Wanted good forearms is also about grip. You need to train grip strength. Some of our clients who do a lot of strongman training or did strength sports when they were younger never really used wrist supports where as most need to use them as they progress to help get stronger. The moral of this story is you need to train the forearms if you want them, and don’t be overly reliant on your wrist wraps or straps. You should force yourself to do at least some of the work during your back sessions without them.

When it comes to training the forearms hammer curls can be effective as well as being a great timer saver. They can be incorporated into your bicep training sessions as the brachialis, brachioradialis and outer head of the brachii are all targeted. Hammer curls work well performed with dumbbells as well as with cables. To directly target the flexors of the forearm, exercises such as wrist curls and reverse wrist curls are effective. These exercises place the forearm in a position where the flexors are the primary muscle group being worked. One of our all-time favourite exercise for the forearms is a wrist roller. Agony and burning doesn’t even begin to describe it. For those who have used one, you know what we mean. Some light weights placed on the end of a simple rope which you wheel against gravity is extremely effective. Three sets of these combined with some wrist curls and hammer curls can add some much-needed density to the forearm. For those doing more strength training-based work the farmers walk is also a personal favourite. Higher reps seem to be more productive for forearm training, probably owing to their size and make up of slower twitch muscle fibres, so aim for sets of between 15 to 25 reps.

The Triceps

The Triceps brachii, located on the back of the upper arm, are responsible for extending the elbow. Commonly referred to as the “triceps,” it has three heads: the lateral head, medial head, and long head. Shaped like an upside-down horseshoe the triceps are a much larger muscle group than the biceps, so maximising their development can really bring a whole new dimension to the arms. The triceps are also far stronger than the biceps and increasing your strength here can really make a difference to pressing movements like the bench press, or overhead press, so expect to be handling much more weight. Like the biceps different exercises will emphasise the different heads of the triceps. Straight out of the gates the biggest compound movement you can expect to do for triceps is the close grip bench press. Simply put, it’s a big movement where you can expect to use a lot of weight which targets both the long and the medial head of the triceps, although if truth be told it hits all three heads well. It’s a great movement that should be in every arm training plan. While on the topic of bench it’s also mentioning though if you do a powerlifting, it’s likely you’ll be getting a great triceps hit with the tucked elbow style of benching, compared to the more elbow flared style you typically see amongst bodybuilders.  

Other great movements for the triceps include the French press or skull crushers. The name of this one seems to be used almost interchangeably, but I’m referring to the movement performed lying down on a bench with the arms extended followed by flexion at the elbow until the weight comes down to your forehead. Hence the name expression skull crushers. Not to be confused with a behind the neck triceps extension, another useful movement. Skull crushers fit into the compound movement category and unlike the close grip bench offer much more of a hit on the lateral head of the triceps while still producing a stimulus to the medial and long heads. The only problem with this one though is that some people do experience some elbow pain with this movement. Dips performed with an upright posture, along with diamond push ups can also be useful exercises where isolation exercises are preferred while the fact, they’re bodyweight movements can be use to add in as AMRAPs (As Many Reps As Possible) at the end of the session where you’re looking for a great triceps burns. For me though an often-overlooked triceps exercise is kickbacks. As a single arm movement, I don’t think there’s many better. Stabilising the shoulder is key for this movement to eliminate momentum, but when executed properly kickbacks effectively isolate the lateral head of the triceps. One of our teams preference is to use a dumbbell for this one, but a cable also works well. Just like bicep training with compound lifts we always prefer to work with more weight and lower rep rangers by comparison to the isolation movements usually performed with cables or dumbbells. However don’t be afraid to train your triceps with a variety of rep ranges.

Closing Thoughts

Advanced training techniques such as super sets as agonist/agonist or agonist/antagonist muscle groups, tri sets, and giants can be awesome for getting a great pump and a massive time saver. So don’t be afraid to try setting up circuits. Equally partials or matrix sets where you do exercises like bicep curl 21’s can also be fun. Single arm movements can also be great for developing that mind muscle connection, but you should be mindful of doing these when training with a partner as they can take up a lot of time and disrupt a session. Drop sets are also a personal favourite can be a safer way to perform set extenders when compared to cheat reps. The key to arm training is of course form. I’m emphasising this for the second time, because it’s just that important. Particularly if you have weak arms. The trainer should always have in the back of their mind while performing the set the goal of the exercise. Swinging the weight or using momentum can take the tension off the muscle and reduce its effectiveness. There’s nothing wrong with the occasional cheat rep or advanced training technique, but it shouldn’t be your modus operandi.

Sample Arm Training Program: Once Per Week Microcycle

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The post Building Big Arms & How To Program to Make them Even Bigger! appeared first on Pro Prep.

Disclaimer: full disclosure, I am not a physiotherapist, I also do not work in sports medicine. The content of this article is purely informative and not meant to treat sports injuries. If you do have a sports injury you may find this information useful, but you should seek out advice from a sports injury specialist.  

Personal Experience With Sports Injuries

I’ve been involved in fitness for over 20 years, as a coach, facilitating training and nutrition coaching helping others achieve their goals, as an athlete competing and as a UK Natural bodybuilding president promoting safe sport. As an athlete I’ve competed for over 15 years in dance and natural bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is what I’ve really made my mark and over the years I’ve racked up my fair share of injuries including but not limited to: a broken foot, dislocated shoulder discs, sacroiliac joint tears, golfers’ elbow and various other aches, pains, and niggles. When you’re training at a high level, you’re often walking a tight rope between progression, sports injuries and under training. Admittedly though some of these injuries were caused by my own stupidity: training through pain, lifting when tired or with low body fat, ego lifting, bad technique etc. The other injuries were either overuse or simply bad luck. When you lift for as long as I have sometimes it’s just miles on the clock. When it comes to treating sports injuries, I’ve done it all: physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, massage therapists, foam rolling body tapering, hot yoga, pilates, swimming, ice baths, active isolated stretching etc. Prevention is better than a cure and the more you look after your body, the less likely you are to develop a sports injury.

Injuries do happen though, and they suck. Not only do they stall your progress, but they can also affect your mental well-being. There’s nothing worse than your body telling you to stop despite the fact you know you’re capable. It’s frustrating as hell not being able to do the thing you love. Moreover, the pain can be a real drag. Taking pain killers for months at a time can be depressing. Nothing will make you feel old more than struggling to put your socks on, tie your shoes or not being able to play with your kids because you’re suffering from pain.  In this article, I’ll explore the common types of sports injuries, their causes, and how to manage them effectively.

What Are The Different Types of Sports Injuries?

Sports injuries can be classified into different categories based on the affected body part, mechanism of injury, and severity. Here are some of the most common types of sports injuries:

1. Sprains and Strains: Sprains occur when ligaments, which are the tough bands of tissue that connect bones to each other, are stretched or torn. Strains, on the other hand, affect muscles or tendons, which connect muscles to bones. Sprained ankles, strained muscles, and ligament tears in the knee are common examples of sprains and strains in sports. Strains and sprains are graded 1 to 3 depending on their severity of the injury with 1 being the least severe compared to grade 3 which usually indicates a complete tear and, in most cases, requires surgery.

2. Fractures: Fractures, or broken bones, can occur due to acute trauma, such as a fall or a direct blow to the bone. You’re most likely to see these types of injuries in contact sports. Stress fractures, which are small cracks in the bone, can also occur from overuse and repetitive stress, commonly seen in endurance sports like running. Both are unlikely in resistance training where most of the injuries are typically soft tissue.

3. Dislocations: Dislocations happen when bones that normally articulate with each other are forced out of their normal position. This can cause joint instability and severe pain. Dislocated shoulders and fingers are common in sports that involve contact or repetitive overhead movements. For gym sports, Olympic weightlifting, and cross fit are more likely to see these sorts of problems because of movements like the snatch and overhead squat.

4. Concussions: Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries that occur due to a blow to the head or a jarring force to the body. They can result in a range of symptoms, including headache, dizziness, confusion, and memory problems, and require immediate medical attention. Again, these are most common among contact sports.

5. Overuse Injuries: Overuse injuries occur due to repetitive motions and excessive stress on muscles, tendons, bones, or joints without adequate rest and recovery. Common overuse injuries in sports include tendonitis, stress fractures, and bursitis. These are probably the most common types of injuries I encounter in physique athletes.

What Causes of Sports Injuries?

Sports injuries can result from a variety of causes, including:

1. Accidents and Trauma: Accidents and trauma, such as falls, collisions, and direct blows, are common causes of sports injuries. These can occur in contact sports like football, basketball, and soccer, as well as in non-contact sports like gymnastics, skiing, and snowboarding.

2. Overuse and Poor Technique: Overuse injuries can occur when an athlete repetitively performs the same motion or activity without giving their body enough time to recover. Poor technique or biomechanics during sports activities can also increase the risk of injury, as it puts unnecessary stress on certain body parts. This can be a problem for physique athletes with very low body fat levels alongside the change in biomechanics that occurs at these low body fat levels.

3. Inadequate Conditioning: Insufficient strength, flexibility, and endurance can increase the risk of sports injuries. Athletes who do not engage in proper conditioning exercises and do not gradually progress their training are more susceptible to injuries. I tend to see these issues the most in newbies who don’t have a history of exercising and in detrained athletes who fail to adjust their training to their new level.

4. Environmental Factors: Environmental factors, such as playing on uneven surfaces, extreme weather conditions, and improper equipment, can also contribute to sports injuries. For example, playing football on a wet and slippery field can increase the risk of sprained ankles, while using ill-fitting or inappropriate gear can lead to injuries in sports like cycling, skiing, and rock climbing.

Understanding the Healing Process And Managing Sports Injuries

In order to maximise your recovery from a sports injury it’s important to first understand how the healing process. The healing process can broadly be split into 4 different phases: bleeding/inflammation, proliferation, remodelling, and functioning.

1. Inflammatory/bleeding Stage: The first stage of healing begins immediately after an injury and is characterised by inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury and is necessary for initiating the healing process. Inflammation also causes swelling, and pain. During this stage, damaged tissues release chemicals that cause blood vessels to dilate, while attracting immune cells to the injured area to mop up any debris. The inflammatory stage typically lasts for a few days to a week. It’s important to realise that the inflammatory phase although necessary for the removal of damaged tissues can be quite destructive. It’s therefore essential to get the inflammation under control as soon as possible using Ice and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The RICE technique (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) is therefore usually the first port of call in any sports injury.

2. Proliferative Stage: The second stage of healing is the proliferative stage, also known as the tissue repair stage. This stage begins a few days after the injury and can last for several weeks. During this stage, the body starts rebuilding damaged tissues with new cells. Collagen, a type of protein, is laid down to form scar tissue, which helps to strengthen the injured area. Although the pain from the initial inflammatory phase may have subsided, the damaged area is unlikely to be back to full strength, this is why it’s important to follow a proper rehabilitation program. This may involve graduated exercises to restore flexibility, strength, and function, Modalities such as heat therapy, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation may also be used to facilitate tissue healing. It’s important to progress exercises and activities gradually to avoid re-injury and promote optimal healing.

3. Remodelling Stage: The third stage of healing is the remodelling stage, also known as the maturation stage. This stage can last for several weeks to months, depending on the type and severity of the injury. During this stage, the scar tissue formed during the proliferative stage undergoes remodelling and maturation, becoming stronger and more organised.  Rehabilitation during the remodelling stage focuses on gradually increasing the intensity and complexity of exercises to further restore function and promote tissue remodelling. This may involve sports-specific exercises, functional training, and proprioceptive training to improve balance and coordination. The goal is to progressively load the injured area in a controlled manner to help the tissues regain their pre-injury strength and function.

4. Functional Stage: The final stage of healing is the functional stage, which marks the return to pre-injury activity levels. This stage can vary in duration and depends on the individual’s progress and the nature of the injury. During this stage, the focus is on gradually transitioning back to sports or physical activities, while monitoring for any signs of re-injury or persistent symptoms.

How Long Does It Take To Recover From A Sports Injury

Recovery from a sports injury is dependent on multiple factors including but exclusive too: the severity and type of injury, past injury history, age, genetics, and an individual’s general health (e.g obesity, smoking status). Below is a timeline of how long you can expect to recover from common sports injuries. Note however that these timelines are based on following a proper treatment/rehabilitation program from a qualified professional.

How Should I Manage My Sports Injury?

Proper management of sports injuries is crucial for promoting healing, preventing complications, and facilitating a safe return to sports. Here are some general guidelines for managing sports injuries, including the RICE principle:

1. Rest: Rest is often the first step in managing sports injuries, especially in acute cases like fractures, dislocations, and severe sprains. It allows the body to initiate the healing process and prevents further damage. However, it’s important to strike a balance between rest and maintaining mobility to prevent joint stiffness and muscle atrophy. This is one of the classic thing’s physique athletes are guilty of. It’s not uncommon to hear of an athlete having an issue with his knee unable to squat, yet lifting 100s of kgs in a deadlift, leg press or lunge. Not ideal when trying to remodel tissue.

2. Ice: Applying ice or a cold compress to the injured area can help reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain. Ice should be applied for about 15-20 minutes at a time, several times a day, and should be wrapped in a towel or cloth to protect the skin from frostbite. Don’t underestimate how powerful ice is. For pain relief and reducing swelling its excellent, particularly in the initial stages. Sometimes where an individual is still experiencing pain months after an injury NSAIDs should be used to get any residual swelling or inflammation causing pain under control so the next phase of the healing process can start.

3. Compression: Compression, using an elastic bandage or wrap, can help reduce swelling and provide support to the injured area. However, it’s important not to wrap too tightly as it can impair circulation. If you experience increased pain, numbness, or tingling, loosen the compression bandage immediately. The compression helps especially in the inflammatory phase, the compression helps restrict blood flow to the area and get any swelling under control.

4. Elevation: Elevating the injured limb above heart level, if possible, can help reduce swelling by promoting drainage of excess fluids from the injured area. Remember inflammation is destructive and we want to move into the proliferation/remodelling phases as quick as possible. This can be done by propping up the injured limb with pillows or other supportive devices.

5. Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation plays a crucial role in the management of sports injuries. It may involve exercises to improve strength, flexibility, and range of motion, as well as physical therapy, occupational therapy, or other modalities depending on the type and severity of the injury. It’s important to follow a rehabilitation plan prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional to ensure safe and effective recovery. Trust me on this point, sports injuries and the human body is complicated. Getting a qualified second opinion on what’s going on is well worth your while otherwise you can end up investing a lot of time and effort into tackling the wrong issues for months and getting nowhere.

6. Prevention: Taking steps to prevent sports injuries is key to minimizing the risk of future injuries. This includes proper warm-up and cool-down exercises, using appropriate gear and equipment, maintaining good physical fitness, following proper techniques and form, and allowing adequate rest and recovery between workouts or activities. Taking deloads every 4 to 6 weeks, alongside regular sports massage and stretching can go a long way to preventing sports injuries.

Sports injuries are complex, if you get one, you should seek medical advice. Preventing injuries with sound exercise technique, proper warm up and cool down techniques, good flexibility, deloads and regular maintenance from a sports masseur/physio can insure you minimise the risk of getting one. However, if you lift or play sports for 20 years sooner or later, you’re likely to pick up a knock or two. Should this occur remember the healing process takes time and the use of the RICE technique in the initial stages can go a long way to accelerating the recovery process. Thereafter your next port of call should always be to adjust your training appropriately and incorporate a rehabilitation program from a registered sports physiotherapist.

As always if you think we can help here at ProPrepCoaching then be sure to follow the link below for a half hour chat about your goals and how we can help you! We know we can! Join hundreds of our client transformations

The post Understanding and Managing Sports Injuries appeared first on Pro Prep.

Building a chest that genuinely stands out is not about gimmicks or random pump sessions. It is about intelligent programming, progressive overload, mechanical tension, and understanding how the chest actually works.

Below is one of my go-to chest sessions from the Pro Prep Coaching training vault, used with advanced natural athletes preparing for bodybuilding, physique, and performance-focused goals.

If you apply this session consistently for six weeks, I am confident you will notice a visible improvement in chest size, density, and overall development.

Here’s a favourite chest workout from pro prep coaching’s training vault!

Why This Chest Session Works

This session balances:

• Heavy mechanical tension
• Moderate hypertrophy ranges
• High-rep metabolic stress
• Intelligent fatigue management

It also progresses through compound to isolation movements, allowing you to load the chest hard early while finishing with targeted fatigue.

Anatomy of the Chest

Anatomy of the Chest

The chest consists of two primary muscles:

Pectoralis Major

A large fan-shaped muscle responsible for:

• Shoulder flexion
• Horizontal adduction
• Internal rotation of the arm

This is the muscle responsible for chest size, shape, and density on stage.

Pectoralis Minor

A smaller muscle located beneath the pec major. It assists with scapular protraction and depression. While not visible, it contributes to shoulder mechanics and pressing stability.

Chest-dominant sessions are often referred to as press days because pressing movements heavily involve both muscles.

How to Train the Chest Properly

Incline, Flat, and Decline Positions

Using multiple pressing angles allows you to target the chest more completely.

• Incline presses emphasise the upper chest
• Flat presses distribute load across the pecs
• Decline presses bias the lower chest

There is a popular belief that female athletes should only train incline pressing due to stage presentation. In reality, well-rounded development still matters, particularly for structure, fullness, and transitions.

Dumbbells

• Greater range of motion
• Increased stretch under load
• Improved unilateral control

They are excellent for hypertrophy and shape but typically limit absolute loading due to instability.

Machines such as:

• Cable crossovers
• Pec deck
• Chest press machines
• Smith machines

Allow you to isolate the chest safely and efficiently. They are especially useful for advanced training techniques such as drop sets, rest-pause, and extended sets.

Fly variations are particularly effective for targeting the chest-shoulder tie-in.

Barbells

Barbell movements allow the greatest loading potential and remain foundational for chest development.

Key movements include:

• Barbell bench press
• Weighted dips
• Chest-focused push ups

Dips are often called the upper-body squat for good reason. They allow serious loading and develop thickness through the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

If you want mass, this is where it happens.

Considerations for rep ranges and advance training techniques

Pro Prep Client Transformation

Much has been written about rep ranges, and you should alter your rep range depending on your goal, e.g. strength hypertrophy endurance. However, I would say that if you want to improve your overall chest development then you need to increase your 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, & 20 repetition max. Essentially you need to train all the rep ranges and you need to get good at them all. That doesn’t mean doing singles as part of your training plans, but it does mean that you have to spend some time lifting heavier and lighter. Using percentages of your 1 rep maximum (1RM) is a great way of doing this, alongside using scales like reps in reserve (RIR) or rate of perceived exertion (RPE). Moreover, with any plan, particularly bodybuilding you’re going to want to do some advanced training techniques, probably 1 or 2 per session as muscle mass is built as a consequence of mechanical tension, metabolic stress and muscle damage.

Percentages of 1RM

Using percentages of your 1RM allows for consistent progress tracking and the ability to target specific training goals. For example, training with lighter weight at a lower percentage of your 1RM (e.g. 60-70%) can help build endurance, while training with heavier weight at a higher percentage of your 1RM (e.g. 80-90%) can help improve muscle strength. The great thing about percentages is they can keep you honest. The numbers don’t lie. If your program says use 80% of your 1RM then you know what out need to do. Moreover it allows you to track your progress by comparison to your 1RM.

Advanced Training Techniques

Advanced training techniques, such as supersets, negatives, rest-pause, cluster sets, and partials, can help increase intensity and provide a greater training stimulus. For example:

• Supersets involve performing two exercises back-to-back with minimal rest in between, increasing the overall volume and intensity of your workout. You can do them agonist to antagonist muscles or across the same muscle group. Fly’s combined with press ups for example work well.
• Negatives involve performing the eccentric (lowering) portion of an exercise with a slow, controlled motion, putting extra stress on the muscles and promoting muscle growth. These are great if you want to test yourself and get used to handling a lot of weight. you can load up a bar with 110 to 120% of your 1RM and just practice the decent on a bench press. Make sure you have a spot though!
• Rest-pause involves performing a short set, resting briefly, and then repeating the same set, leading to increased muscle fatigue and a greater training stimulus. These are great if you’re stuck trying to progress with a rep range. Say you want to hit a set of 10 on the bench but can only manage 8 before you fail. The trick is to rack the weight at 8 reps, take a 10 to 20s rest and then try to push out another couple of reps. that way you get your ten over the course of a rest pause set. Over a few weeks you should hopefully be able to get the 10 without the pause.
• Cluster sets involve performing multiple reps with short rests in between, allowing for heavier weight to be used and promoting strength gains. These are structured rest pause sets. Great for getting strong. check out the scheme below for the explanation on how to perform them. For chest training though you probably want to stick with barbells and machines here, to save you messing about with dumbbells.
• Partials involve performing only a portion of the range of motion of an exercise, allowing for heavier weight to be used and targeting specific parts of a movement. This is a classic powerlfiting technique. You might be strong or weak at a specific point in the movement so with partials you can focus on that phase of the lift. Obviously if you can move past sticking points this can help you excel in all the rep ranges.
• Bands, Chains and Unstable Bars covers a broad range of training styles typically used to increase strength, or stability in the bench press. Similarly to partials, the addition of chains or bands allow the trainer to work harder at specific parts of a lift where you might want to make something harder or easier.

What Exercises are best?

Depends on the goal of the program and the individual, you’ll incorporate a variety of the aforementioned movements and techniques  There’s a lot to consider and I talked extensively about this in the bicep training article (https://proprepcoaching.com/bodybuilding/building-big-arms-how-to-program-to-make-them-even-bigger/). If I was pressed though…(pun intended) I’d always er towards the use of the barbell bench press as a great exercise for any chest program for the following reasons.

The barbell bench press is used to increase muscle mass in the upper body rather than specifically to the pectoralis major. Although you sometimes might break a training programs down into body part specific days e.g. chest, shoulders, arms etc. I always suggest focusing on compound moves for the following reasons:

A) These exercise usually provide the most bang for their buck for the primary muscle group as well as the auxiliary muscles, (something which is important for frequency considerations)

B) With A in mind, a focus on these lifts based on judging experience usually leads to a far more symmetrical physique, they just seem to flow better. This often happens because compound lifts like bench press hit the shoulders, triceps, forearms, upper back, and core training leading to greater overall development compared to say using a chest press machine. Moreover, this is probably why you see people with poor technique suffering from poor symmetry.

C) To develop a classic physique, I’m a big fans of utilising free weights in keeping with golden era principles. Those guys looked great and that’s all they had. That’s not to say that we can’t use machines and every individual has different needs (injuries are a consideration), but free weights form the cornerstone of a golden era approach to programming.

The best movements and Muscle Activation Research

Activation is another interesting question, Electromyographs (EMG) allow you to measure muscle activation across a muscle while exercising. Muscle activation and force production is greater with stable vs unstable loads. Moreover, exercise intensity in terms of RPE is usually greater with stable surfaces. All this makes sense, if you have a solid surface to press from and you don’t have to worry about balancing anything then you can put more into lifting a weight. The ability to produce a high RPE seems to be essential for hypertrophy independent of the load and high degrees of mechanical tension are also know to be important. Hence why a movement like a barbell bench press is favoured. Although it’s not quite as clear cut as you think.

Here’s a sample of some studies representative of the area:

No difference between motor unit activation between Dumbbell flys, Dumbbell chest press, Barbell Bench Press.

Welsch, E.A., Bird, M. and Mayhew, J.L., 2005. Electromyographic activity of the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid muscles during three upper-body lifts. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(2), p.449.

EMG Activation is related to the instability of the exercise, where barbell and bench conditions perform better than dumbbell and swiss ball conditions.

Kohler, J.M., Flanagan, S.P. and Whiting, W.C., 2010. Muscle activation patterns while lifting stable and unstable loads on stable and unstable surfaces. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(2), pp.313-321.

Barbell bench press EMG and RPE activation is greatest by comparison to eight other chest exercises

Schanke, W., 2012. Electromyographical analysis of the pectoralis major muscle during various chest exercises(Doctoral dissertation).

Stable loads result in similar EMGs in pectoralis major with Dumbbell, barbell and smith machine, although triceps EMG activation is greater in barbell vs dumbbell and smith machines

Saeterbakken, A.H., van den Tillaar, R. and Fimland, M.S., 2011. A comparison of muscle activity and 1-RM strength of three chest-press exercises with different stability requirements. Journal of sports sciences, 29(5), pp.533-538.

Flat vs incline vs decline bench press variation indicates limited difference on pectoralis major activation although influences bicep EMG, while grip variations affect triceps EMG. Flat, medium and wide grip variations are suggested for greatest 6 RM loads.  

Saeterbakken, A.H., Mo, D.A., Scott, S. and Andersen, V., 2017. The effects of bench press variations in competitive athletes on muscle activity and performance. Journal of human kinetics, 57(1), pp.61-71.

Wider Grips vs narrow grips result in the greatest pectoralis major activation. Hence the need to alter the grip when hitting the triceps.     

Jagessar, M. and Gray, M., 2010. Optimizing development of the pectoralis major. Sport Journal, 13(1), p.7.

Muscle activity changes with exercise intensity, velocity of movement, fatigue, mental focus, movement phase and stability conditions, such as bar vibration or unstable surfaces. The most important factor for EMG activation is exercise intensity. E.g external load or RPE.

Stastny, P., Gołaś, A., Blazek, D., Maszczyk, A., Wilk, M., Pietraszewski, P., Petr, M., Uhlir, P. and Zając, A., 2017. A systematic review of surface electromyography analyses of the bench press movement task. PloS one, 12(2).

Finally, the program laid out at the outset is for the advanced trainer. If you’re new to training you’ll probably get by just nicely by doing between 5 to 9 sets per week for chest. Use the information in this article and you’ll be able to put together an effective training program. If however you’ve been training for a few years and fancy giving it a go, then I’d simply suggest warming up appropriately and perhaps including some sort of deloading component every 4 to 6 weeks.

Want Help Programming Your Training?

If you want specific coaching that is:

• Evidence-based
• Natural bodybuilding focused
• Individualised to your structure and goals

Then head to the Pro Prep Coaching sign-up page and we will be in touch.

https://proprepcoaching.com/sign-up/

Train smart. Train hard. Build a physique thats for life.

The post Maximise Your Gains: The Ultimate Natural Bodybuilding Guide to Building a Chest That Pops appeared first on Pro Prep.