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CONGRATULATIONS!
I would like to congratulate all of our clients who participated in the Elite College Football Combine on May 4th. The Elite Combine is, without question, the most prestigious college football Combine in the country. It was an incredible event and we were honored to be a part of it. We were also extremely excited for two of our athletes in particular. Our Combine preparation definitely paid off for Don Bosco Prep’s Ryan Lindsey & Ramapo’s Chris Hogan.
RYAN LINDSEY (left) ran the fastest 40-yard dash of
the entire Combine. He wowed the scouts with a blistering
4.29!!!
CHRIS HOGAN (right) had the fastest pro-agility shuttle
run at the entire Combine. He shocked all of the other
receivers with an incredible 4.09! He also impressed
the scouts during the one-on-one drills.
JOE DOTTINO (right) also had a great Combine. He ran
a personal best 4.49 40-yard dash.
Simply put, THE
BOYS CAME TO PLAY!!!
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Q: Mr. DeFranco, My question is regarding the bench press when you teach your athletes proper technique. I am a longer limbed lifter who seems to have a hard time finding correct bar placement (groove) and elbow tuck. How do you teach your taller, longer limbed athletes to find correct positioning? I have checked Elitefts many times but I just wanted to get your opinion on the matter. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much for your time.
Tyler
A: Tyler, I teach all of my athletes to bench press the same way, regardless of their limb length. Longer-limbed athletes must really focus on perfecting technique because they are usually more susceptible to shoulder injuries due to their increased range of motion. Optimally, you want to lower the bar in a straight line just below the nipples. Your forearms should be perpendicular to the floor and your upper arms should be at about a 45-degree angle in relation to your torso in the bottom position. You then want to press the bar up in a straight line. This technique will save some wear and tear on your shoulders.
Longer-limbed athletes who bench with their elbows flared out and land the bar on their upper chest because they want to “feel it in their pecs” are asking for trouble. Nobody gives a shit what your pecs look like when you’re laying in a hospital bed after shoulder surgery!
Besides practicing proper technique, get your triceps, lats and forearms strong as hell! This will help tremendously with your technique, as well as your strength.
Bench Big!
Joe D.
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