Optimally Fit with Jason White, Yakima, WA Videos

I wasn't always able to press overhead without my upper back tightening up so much it would take me out of the gym. Over the years I went to many different types of therapist and tried all the different stretches to loosen up my back. It wasn't until recently I started doing an overhead, behing the back band stretch for my chest and shoulders that I was able to get the issue under control. The body is a system and treating the symptoms won't fix the cause. Dig deep and find the cause of your issues and the symptoms will naturally disappear.

Time to work on getting my upper body to match the lower. Especially these lagging triceps and shoulders. Going to put in a solid 8 months building before I go into my next show prep. It's all about building a perfectly balanced physique.

I've been training with a higher rep range for the most part over the past several months, but I do throw in some lower rep range movements, 10-12, occasionally. I'm not opposed to any method of training, each style has it's pros and cons. For the most of us we will get the most out of a higher volume, higher rep range training method. But varying your rep range will give your body a different stimulus that it must adapt to and adding in a set or two of lower rep ranges for your compound movements will do just that and not over stimulate the central nervous system. Always keep tight form and ensure you are still contracting the muscles and getting full range of motion.

One of my favorites for working the Lats and forming that V taper. A few key points. Put the seat all the way up. Allow shoulders to roll forward, pull back with the elbows while keeping the shoulders down. Squeeze back and down while keeping the chest out at contraction. Faster on the contraction and slower on the way down.

An overlooked but important exercise. Most people are upper trap dominate, causing muscular imbalance in the upper back and shoulder/scapula movement issues. One of the major muscles that control the proper function of the shoulder/scapula is the Serratus Anterior, those finger looking muscles you see coming down the ribs on super lean physiques. To strengthen the serratus and allow for a more cohesive shoulder movement, hang from assisted pull up machine, keeping your arms straight and allow your shoulder blades to stretch out then pull them back together, pushing the chest out. I do these to warm up on shoulder and back days. These will also help with upper back and shoulder tightness.

When people talk about building muscle with "explosive" or fast contractions that doesn't mean swinging, losing form or rushing through the exercise. Keep tight form and contract the muscle with maximum force. The movement will slow significantly as you fatigue which means you are fatiguing the fast twitch muscles and priming them for growth. Growth comes with proper nutrition and rest, the exercises are for muscle breakdown. The last 4 reps of a high rep set.

You can never have to much rear delt. Building the rear delt, or backside of your shoulder is crucial to having that X frame and building a complete physique. Seated, lean slightly forward. Let the weight drop down toward your feet and pull back with the elbows, keeping the shoulder blades down. Don't let the upper traps kick in and over power the movement. As always squeeze at the top, lower slowly and contract quickly without breaking form.

Hitting these bent over rows are a great way to target multiple muscles in the back with one movement. Doing these correctly, you will hit the lats, rhomboids, lower traps and rear delts. Lock in at a 45* angle, back arched slightly and begin the reps with fully extended arms, allowing the shoulder blades to roll forward. Begin the movement by pulling the shoulder blades back and down, then pulling back with the elbows, pushing your chest out slightly as you pull back and squeezing the lats and mid back together.

Overhead tricep presses to build tricep thickness. The tricep tendons are finicky and prone to tendinitis. Ensuring you're performing exercises that don't aggrevate the triceps is key. Doing this exercise with a non rotating straight bar puts the tricep in an optimal position in the fully extended position for contraction and allows for tension while in the stretched position. Always keep tight form and constant tension.

To work the Tricep fully the elbow has to extend past the torso. Utilizing a long handled attachment allows you to perform this exercise properly. The only motion is at the elbow. Keep constant tension on the triceps, lock out fully with a hard contraction when fully extended.

The back is generally the hardest muscle group to train properly and is responsible for that "V" taper. When doing back exercises there are a few keys that will help you get the most out of the movement. 1. Keep the shoulders down 2. Pull with the elbows 3. Allow the shoulder blades to move forward with the movement 4. Start the movement by contracting the back first 5. Squeeze with contraction Message me to start your transformation