Yesterday we looked at a simple fix to reduce hip stress during wide-stance squats and deadlifts. Today, let’s shift our focus to decreasing shoulder stress during pressing movements.

Next time you’re at the gym, take a look around—chances are, most people are pressing with a pronated grip (palms forward) and elbows flaring way out to the sides. That technique can put a lot of strain on the shoulders and may lead to issues down the road.

A healthier alternative? Use a neutral grip—palms facing each other with elbows tucked in slightly. This variation is much easier on the shoulders. You can achieve this position using a Swiss bar, log bar, or dumbbells.

In the video, I’m performing presses with the bench set to a 70-degree incline. Most people default to flat, 45-degree, or 90-degree angles for their presses. But using the same grip and bench angle over and over can lead to pattern overload and increase your risk of injury.

Regularly changing your grip and bench angle can reduce injury risk and promote better muscle development. I’ll dive deeper into this topic during my injury prevention talk at canfitpro 2019.

Injury Prevention Strategies for Aging Athletes

Discover unique and novel strategies that aging athletes can use to prevent injuries in this 60-minute webinar. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Consider this webinar as a small investment in time that may prevent a career-ending injury. A must-see for any athlete over the age of 27.

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