Creating Strong Stability
It is very important when we are lifting heavy weights that we stabilize our joints
The biggest and most important joints we need to stabilize to avoid getting injured and maximize the weight we can lift are the hips, shoulders, and spine
What is stability?
Stability means we lock in the joint so it is secure in it's socket and neutral position where it should be and not allowing it to move. When tendons, ligaments, and muscles are not stabilized under load, that is when injury occurs
How do you create stability?
It is simple, but most people don't know how to do it correctly
Stabilizing your shoulders
To stabilize the shoulders for exercises like bench press, rows, or military presses, imagine you are trying to bend the bar outward so your elbow crease rotates and points forward. You will feel tension build up in the back of your shoulders if you do this correctly
Stabilizing your hips
Very similar to how you stabilize your shoulders. Just like screwing the bar apart with your hands, imagine you are screwing your feet apart trying to create a crack in the ground between your feet. Again, if you do this correctly you will feel your glutes kick on and hips build tension
Stabilizing your core
Press your fingers into your sides right next to your belly button. Take a deep breath in pushing your fingers out then brace your core so it becomes tight and stiff. Imagine like you are coughing or you are bracing to take a punch to the gut. This is how to stabilize your core
Stabilizing these joints does not just secure the spine, hips and shoulders. It sets every other joint in our kinetic chain up for efficiency and reduces your chances of getting injured
When you stabilize your shoulders, this can help reduce and prevent neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist pain because when the shoulders are stable, so are all of those joints
When you stabilize your hips, you are stabilizing your knees and ankles as well, not just the hips
This concept is also known as torque. Generating torque is the way we sustain strong and healthy joints under load
If you are dealing with pain, discomfort, or instability, you need to start incorporating these cues into the set up of every compound lift you do
I guarantee if you do these things correctly it will dramatically reduce your pain, increase the weight you are able to lift, and maximize your physical potential
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