Dooley Noted: 1/25/2015
Sometimes we are taught lifts that simply resonate with us.
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When I was taught the bent press, I quickly loved it.
I felt my hips move under heavier weight than I could currently strict press. This helped me gain confidence in hip wedging and getting heavy bells over my head.
Dave Whitley, Master SFG and professional strongman, came to Catalyst SPORT for the first time yesterday to teach us the nuances of the bent press.
He quickly told us one key reason why one would want to master the bent press:
“The meaning of life is putting s–t over your head.”
He also noted that one starts out folder up into flexion to terminate in an extended, open body. He noted that negative emotions are flexion, and positive emotions relate to extension.
As we worked in half kneeling to improve hip hinging and wedging, I found a common flaw for my patients and for myself: too much arm and low back movement, not enough hip movement.
I kept thinking, “I have all of this hip mass, these incredible tri-axial joints, and I choose to use my back or arm to move me?!”
Dave made us focus on making things more efficient and how efficiency trumps effort every time.
He also encouraged us to not do stupid things once we sensed trouble in a movement. He affectionately reminded us not to do stupid things by stating the following:
“You don’t have to chase success hard. Avoid stupid, and success follows.”
He noted how strength is often hidden behind positional problems in movements, making one look weaker than he or she really is.
Some common quotes overheard this weekend:
“Remove the boundaries.”
“Strength is there. Get out of your own way.”
“You have more available strength than your body can handle.”
Not only are Dave’s presentation skills excellent, but he got me thinking about ways to ease tension that arrives in non-ideal places.
Dave got us laughing to avoid unnecessary tension.
From arm bars to crooked arm bars to half windmills to anyhows, I learned how positioning matters.
And most importantly, I learned there is no one perfect way. The perfect position is the one most efficient for the person in front of me.
If you want to learn about the importance of positioning in lifts, the Taming the Bent Press workshop will enlighten you on more than just the bent press.
You will learn how to use safety and efficiency as your foundations to build more strength than you knew was possible.
While we are sorry we missed you at Catalyst SPORT, I highly recommend you take Dave’s seminar if it comes near you.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley
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