Sore neck and back? Is your chest workout to blame?

When clients sign up to customised 1:1 online coaching with Physique Academy, we get them to fill out their initial medical screening and health questionnaires.

One thing comes up more and more and more;

• Neck ache
• Back ache
• Shoulder pain

This isn't an age thing either. We are seeing it in guys younger and younger. Even those who have been working out for years can't escape this problem.

As coaches, when we get our clients to complete their initial check-in and send us over those all-important starting photos, we are focusing a lot on your posture.

We can tell from your pictures where your imbalances are. For those guys who are keen on their weight training, we know from those pictures what you focus on and what you don't.

That's why our coaching team are world-class and identify potential postural problems BEFORE you get your personalised workout programmes.

Once you're a client and you start liaising with your coach, you might be surprised to see exercises in your programme or muscle groups that you've not focused on before.

Like the rear delt exercises:

• Rear cable fly  
• Rear machine fly  
• Upright rows  
• Face pulls  
    

Are You A Chest Man?

If you've got a bad posture but you train a lot, are you training your chest too much without a focus on your rear delts?

What happens when you only train your chest? 

• You become imbalanced and too dominant on your chest
• It rounds your shoulders forwards 
• You are not in alignment with good posture
• It affects your positioning when doing certain exercises
• It is easy to get injured or get a sore neck and shoulders

For anyone hunched over a laptop all day, this only makes it all worse. 

Concentrate on the eccentric part of the movement, the lowering phase.
  
A lot of the time, if you're rushing the movement, you can't feel the trap or rear delts properly so focus on the contraction, the squeeze and the tempo of the rep.   
  
Think exactly what you're doing with this motion and try and establish good mind to muscle connection.   
  
It's not easy as this is not a muscle you would use every day, all day, continuously.  
  
You don't think about it because it is behind you!  
  
Squeezing on the eccentric and controlling the weight will yield the greatest results when doing your rear delt exercises.  

I spoke about this in depth on my latest YouTube video where bodybuilder Joe Ballinger and I go through a traditional bodybuilding style workout and a CrossFit style landmine work.

CLICK TO WACTH THE VIDEO

Once you're a client of Physique Academy, you might be surprised when your personal coach programmes exercise for muscle groups that you've not focused on before.

Every client is different

Every client has a different lifestyle, stresses, challenges, likes and dislikes.

That's why we work with clients on a 1:1 basis so we can help you achieve your goals quicker and teach you all the skills you need to sustain your results for your whole life.

We do help where we can and share my weekly workouts on our exclusive email list (sign up here if you haven't already).

If you want to fast-track your results with personalised coaching in fitness, nutrition, and your overall lifestyle we are here for you.

We can help you get shredded but also positively impact your mental health and help build confidence. To get started, arrange a call with a coach this week.