Question: Where in the spine should we target any effort to develop the arch?
I'm convinced there are some reasons to develop the arch for the bench press. According to my SFL manual, "An arch shortens the stroke, pre-stretches the pecs, enables a better use of the lats, and enables safer shoulder mechanics."
I'm not aiming for any big advantage for powerlifting or anything. I just want to improve and effectively use the arch. But I'm middle-age and have spent many years at a desk job, so basically I don't have a lot of arch. Here's a photo from last week bench pressing.
I notice that for people who do have a lot of arch, it seems to be low in the t-spine, just above the lumbar. But a lot of our general efforts at t-spine mobilization (arm bar, foam roller, yoga block) seem to be targeted higher, i.e. in the ribcage area.
Wondering if I should be working for more t-spine mobilization in the upper t-spine, like in the area of the shoulder blades, or just in the mid-back where an arch seems to most naturally occur?
I'm convinced there are some reasons to develop the arch for the bench press. According to my SFL manual, "An arch shortens the stroke, pre-stretches the pecs, enables a better use of the lats, and enables safer shoulder mechanics."
I'm not aiming for any big advantage for powerlifting or anything. I just want to improve and effectively use the arch. But I'm middle-age and have spent many years at a desk job, so basically I don't have a lot of arch. Here's a photo from last week bench pressing.
I notice that for people who do have a lot of arch, it seems to be low in the t-spine, just above the lumbar. But a lot of our general efforts at t-spine mobilization (arm bar, foam roller, yoga block) seem to be targeted higher, i.e. in the ribcage area.
Wondering if I should be working for more t-spine mobilization in the upper t-spine, like in the area of the shoulder blades, or just in the mid-back where an arch seems to most naturally occur?