aaronb41 Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 I've been doing a lot of rows, pull ups and rear delt raises for a while now, in an effort to strengthen the kink. Anybody have specific back exercises/lifts that really helped with kink strength? Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canthar Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Depends on what the limitation is. Do you know what protraction is? Practicing would help you learn to activate your back and serrates muscles more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJ Livesey Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 What you're doing is perfect. You also need to incorporate bending with those exercises. Don't focus on just lifting or bending to strengthen your kink. Find a comfortable balance between the two. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronb41 Posted July 5, 2016 Author Share Posted July 5, 2016 Thanks for the input fellas. -Canthar, I have not heard of protraction. Any resource you recommend for learning? -EJ, that is the challenge right now, finding the balance. I imagine this will be ongoing with constant tweaks and adjustments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HandsMcHanderson Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 2 hours ago, aaronb41 said: Thanks for the input fellas. -Canthar, I have not heard of protraction. Any resource you recommend for learning? -EJ, that is the challenge right now, finding the balance. I imagine this will be ongoing with constant tweaks and adjustments. I'm going to assume he means scapula protraction to activate the serratus anterior for proper stabilization (I find subscapularis likes to overactivate with many people with serratus activation probs). Basically think shoulder blades forward = protraction and back = retraction. I usually start by having people work on protraction with a foam roller leaning against a wall being sure to be mindful of what they are doing or in more advanced people using a band like a bear hug. Here's a video of Eric Cressey showing an example of the basic starting point: You could also do a pushup plus or cable rotations with that scap protraction to hit them well. It all depends what your starting point and limitations are. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briso Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 On Tuesday, July 05, 2016 at 1:28 AM, EJ Livesey said: What you're doing is perfect. You also need to incorporate bending with those exercises. Don't focus on just lifting or bending to strengthen your kink. Find a comfortable balance between the two. Hi EJ, I just wanted to check a point on what you said here. (Incidentally my kink is my weakest point by far, so I'm wanting to start using upper back work like those listed above. In the past I've been able to crush any bar I've kinked) In order to incorporate bending to improve my kink, should I be concentrating on continuing to try and kink my max bar (currently a bastard bar), or kinking for volume, or even ISOs on a straight bar? What would you suggest? Thanks Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJ Livesey Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 26 minutes ago, Briso said: Hi EJ, I just wanted to check a point on what you said here. (Incidentally my kink is my weakest point by far, so I'm wanting to start using upper back work like those listed above. In the past I've been able to crush any bar I've kinked) In order to incorporate bending to improve my kink, should I be concentrating on continuing to try and kink my max bar (currently a bastard bar), or kinking for volume, or even ISOs on a straight bar? What would you suggest? Thanks Brian Isos on straight bars is a waste of effort IMHO. I never needed it and logically I don't see how it would help at all. You're opening your shoulders up far, and in turn opening yourself up for shoulder injury. I do know of some guys that swear it's helped, maybe they will chime in. If I was you I would do volume work and Max every other week. Buy some drill rod in the "Kand L" size and go to town. Sending you a PM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sharkey Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 ISO's on a bar kinked to 20 degrees or so is much safer and more productive. It's going to be basically the same muscles you are using in the actual kink, but your shoulders don't have to open so far. When I was helping @Jose Cabrera start bending, I kinked bars for him, that where too hard for him at the time, to 20 degrees, 45 degrees, 90, degrees and 2.5 inches so he would have a set of ISO bars. EJ sent me some really hard stainless in similar states. Never did move them lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose Cabrera Posted July 20, 2016 Share Posted July 20, 2016 This is true, thanks again bro! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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