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stuward
Joined: 10 Mar 2007
Posts: 2225
Location: Halifax, NS
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 Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:43 pm Post subject: New exercise - Bat Wings |
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http://www.mikemahler.com/articles/things_that_are_good_for_you.html
I was reading Dan John's new book the other day and came across the article in the link above. In it Dan John talks about "Bat Wings".
| Quote: | Before you go any further with Rows, I want you to do a few sets of “Bat Wings.” Yes, I invented them…just after I invented the internet. Lay face down on a standard bench with two dumbbells on the floor. Now, here is where it gets confusing…I don’t care at all about your range of movement. I only want you to pull about the last four issues of flexion. If you were doing pushups, it would be from the floor to about four inches off the ground. All I want you to do is squeeze those bells as high as you can and cram your shoulder blades together. You can’t jump, bounce, swing, hop or do any of that crazy stuff that most guys rowing do. Do a bunch of sets of five.
The next day, that really cramped feeling muscle in your upper back is called the Rhomboids. Oh, and you’re welcome. You see, the development of the Rhomboids will save your shoulders, make you stand taller and lead you to a life of wisdom and wealth. Maybe.
Oh, why Bat Wings? It sorta kinda looks like Bat Wings at the top of the squeeze. If you look carefully…from the side. Sorta. |
It's so hard to isolate the rhomboids. This seems like a great accessory exercise. |
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nygmen
Joined: 25 Aug 2008
Posts: 860
Location: Mass, USA
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:39 pm Post subject: |
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People are going to think I'm crazy...
Between the looks I get pulling from the floor, dead skulls, and now these...
Sweet.
Thanks Stu. |
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Bacchus1979
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Don't mean to hijack here, but what is a dead skull? |
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stuward
Joined: 10 Mar 2007
Posts: 2225
Location: Halifax, NS
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:31 am Post subject: |
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| I was going to ask the same thing. |
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pdellorto
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 2685
Location: New Jersey
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:11 am Post subject: |
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Nice, I'll try a set of those on Saturday after my DLs.
Interestingly, it was me trying to find an exercise that involved the rhomboids that turned up EXRX for me in the first place. Ended up on the forums, learned a whole bunch of stuff, found a cool gym to train at as a result of what I learned...and here we are. Back to the rhomboids. |
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nygmen
Joined: 25 Aug 2008
Posts: 860
Location: Mass, USA
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KPj
Joined: 02 Mar 2006
Posts: 1710
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:48 am Post subject: |
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I'll second the 'deadskulls'. Favourite of mine, too, but I didn't know that's what they were called.
A couple of guys I train with from time to time have taken it a step further and, they do the same thing only, they lay down on an aerobic step which elevates them about 6 inches from the ground. They still start and lower to the floor. I'm not really into that version but they seem to love it.
KPj |
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Johnny
Joined: 06 May 2009
Posts: 144
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:12 am Post subject: |
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| nygmen wrote: | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1AZebtYyA0
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What is the advantage that he rest the weight at the bottom position? |
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frogbyte
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Posts: 506
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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I used to do "Bat Wings" with a slight incline on the bench. The most popular name for these is apparently "Rhomboid Shrugs", although on my old workout logs I was using the name "Shoulder Squeeze".
I can't find the original article, but I was doing them because they were recommended for anyone starting out on bench presses... |
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nygmen
Joined: 25 Aug 2008
Posts: 860
Location: Mass, USA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Johnny wrote: | | nygmen wrote: | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1AZebtYyA0
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What is the advantage that he rest the weight at the bottom position? |
One day your tri's will be the same size as the guy in the videos?
Not sure but I feel them much better, and they don't make my elbows hurt as bad as normal skulls.
Bat wings are okay. I'll try them out for 6 weeks or so, see what happens. |
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pdellorto
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 2685
Location: New Jersey
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:32 am Post subject: |
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| pdellorto wrote: | | Nice, I'll try a set of those on Saturday after my DLs. |
And I did. When I did them, it felt about the same as bent-over shrugs, actually, just with a little more scapula crunch. I'd put these in the same category as face pulls, too - potentially a good corrective/supportive supplemental exercise.
I didn't do sets of 5, though...I'm not sure I'd want to do heavy sets of 5 for these. |
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nygmen
Joined: 25 Aug 2008
Posts: 860
Location: Mass, USA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:26 am Post subject: |
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| pdellorto wrote: | potentially a good corrective/supportive supplemental exercise.
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I'm hoping to get a little hypertrophy too, maybe add to my upper back thickness.
I also stayed away from a 5rm load. I'm not loading it up right away. I may the heavy version in a few weeks, when I feel comfortable I'm not going to rip something in half.  |
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caangelxox
Joined: 22 Jun 2007
Posts: 438
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| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:49 am Post subject: |
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| Is this also called a dumbbell lying row? http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/DBLyingRow.html and why is that girl hyperextending her back on each rep? that does not look like good form to me. Aren't you supposed to keep yourself in good posture alignment (neutral spine) and do the row? |
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stuward
Joined: 10 Mar 2007
Posts: 2225
Location: Halifax, NS
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| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:45 am Post subject: |
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| That's a little different. Notice that she's on an elevated bench. That brings the arms into it more and as you suggested she's hyperextending her back. The way Dan John describes it, it's a low bench, very short ROM and it's just squeezing the shoulder blades together. |
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caangelxox
Joined: 22 Jun 2007
Posts: 438
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| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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| oh - do you have a picture or video of the bat wing? |
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