Exploring the Importance of Pressing and Pushing for Women Over 45
Exploring the Importance of Pressing and Pushing for Women Over 45
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your car is stuck or with friends facing a similar predicament? Maybe your car ran out of gas just shy of the gas station. In these moments, the ability to effectively leverage your body's power to push the car to the fuel pump or out of a difficult spot becomes a primal and essential task. However, for women over the age of 45, such activities are relatively infrequent.
For many women who are looking to incorporate more physical activity into their lives or have recently embarked on a fitness journey, understanding the crucial aspects of pushing and pressing is highly beneficial. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned fitness enthusiast, I encourage you to read on. You might uncover valuable insights or discover better ways to assist your friends or loved ones in their fitness endeavors.
Pressing exercises play a pivotal role in maintaining and improving shoulder stability as we age. They contribute to balancing strength from the front to the back, a critical factor in everyday life. Whether it's reaching for a dish on the top shelf or lifting your body weight over your head, shoulder stability and strength are indispensable. In particular, the modern lifestyle, which often involves prolonged sitting, contributes to the tightening and overactivity of the muscles in the front of the shoulders. Simultaneously, the muscles in the rear shoulder region weaken and elongate, gradually losing their proper functionality.
Pressing exercises, when performed correctly, engage various muscle groups throughout the body. The act of pressing heavy loads overhead incorporates the legs, buttocks, core, lats, shoulders, and arms. This holistic engagement not only strengthens multiple muscle groups but also results in significant calorie expenditure.
Strengthening the core plays a vital role in reducing lower back issues and promoting overall stability and posture. When you involve your entire body in exercises, you become stronger and more stable during movement. Building deep core strength not only enhances posture but also alleviates pain and stiffness in the back and shoulders. Achieving a balanced combination of strength and mobility makes the body feel agile and easy to maneuver. Body weight pressing and pushing movements are an effective way to learn how to generate torque in your joints, enhancing stability when dealing with loaded movements.
Many individuals encounter difficulties in maintaining proper form while pressing overhead, often due to soft tissue restrictions. The tightness in the front of the shoulders, leading to internal rotation, can hinder the desired neutral plane of motion required for pressing. Balancing muscle activity in the front and back of the shoulders is crucial. Internal and external rotation are essential for executing pressing and pushing movements correctly. Releasing tight chest and front shoulder muscles while activating the rotators, rhomboids, lower, and mid traps can help reduce the risk of injury and upper-body pain, allowing for a balanced range of motion and strength.
Pressing activities not only improve posture by activating scapular muscles but also contribute to impressive triceps and help maintain elbow, wrist, and hand stability during various activities. Furthermore, pushing exercises aid in preserving muscle mass and bone density, which is particularly valuable for women over 45 who have limited experience with resistance training. Resistance movements stimulate the bones to maintain density throughout the body, making it a "use it or lose it" scenario.
Despite the importance of pressing, many people report injuries while performing these exercises. The main culprits are limited mobility and poor motor control.
Overactive muscles restrict range of motion, while underactive muscles lead to poor motor control. Collaborating with a professional who can assess your movements and guide you in proper treatment and mobilization can significantly contribute to maintaining healthy shoulders throughout life.
Here are a few suggestions to enhance your pressing and pushing techniques:
Maintain a shoulder-width hand placement.
Keep your elbows close to your sides.
Initiate the movement from your back.
Strive to keep your forearms straight.
Engage your buns.
Learn to release and activate your scapula’s properly.
Relax your grip and stabilize from the shoulders.
While this discussion only scratches the surface of the world of pressing, I hope it has piqued your interest in exploring different pressing and pushing activities. Whether it's push-ups, bench presses, clean & presses, prowler pushes, or tire flips, pressing and pushing exercises can transform your body, providing both stability and aesthetic benefits.
Would you like to discover some of my favorite exercises to improve your pressing skills? Click below to uncover what you might be missing.
