Industry Professional Endorsements

 

May 23, 2012

The ‘ergonomic bench’ is a unique piece of equipment with an interesting and compelling point of difference.

As a trainer, successful competitor, and ex gymnasium owner for many years, I can see the potential benefit visually, and feel the benefits physically when using the ergonomic bench. I find that allowing a much fuller range of motion is ideal for certain movement s and exercises during resistance type training and I also notice that the range of motion assists with the stretching of muscle fascia thus allowing a more pleasing and fuller looking muscle belly when it comes to resistance training and lean tissue gains.

The ergonomic bench also assists with certain stretching routine s allowing me to be in a horizontal position and elevated above the ground has had much impact which I have struggled to achieve with a standard bench. I still use standard benches however I am always compelled to use the ‘ergonomic bench’ as it adds another dimension to my training and I commend Joe for his intuitive and ‘new age’ thinking.

 

Eddy Tannourji

MANAGING DIRECTOR
NEXT GENERATION SUPPLEMENTS

 

Hi Joseph,

Thanks for the pics and nice to see that some people actually use their ideas practically to get real feedback. My feedback I guess can be put into the categories below.

Posture

The curved shape to the bench certainly makes sense and allows the scap to move more freely, assuming that is what they should do and the research is still out to lunch a bit there due to lack of info in strength training. I’m right into good spine alignment and taking this further perhaps a bench might have one end flat with firmer foam for hip support and feet up positions, middle part arched to match lumbar curve with less dense foam to allow adjustment to different lumbar postures, and the top third curved like yours for scap freedom but curved inward to allow for thoracic spine shape? It would be fun to build at least….but hard to get a measure that fits with every body size.

Pattern

Sure, we know that scap should stay relatively still till 30 degrees flexion and then roughly move 1:2 for scap abduction: GHJ flexion for each 180 overhead, but I like the curve with regards to the scap, and I’m sure you have played with foam densities to allow support for the back and hips and still allow scap freedom, so well done. The pattern of pressing would certainly appear to be more easily performed with this curve shape and would be interested in playing with it myself at some point to see how it feels.

Most gyms like fairly standard gear that can be sued in many exercises so changing things too much often isolates equipment, makes it hard to maintain, and difficult to teach, so your simplicity is great and provides options both along and across the bench.

 Hope this helps and chat soon

 Mark

 Mark McKean PhD AEP CSCS

Post Doctoral Research Fellow
Australian Institute of Fitness Research
University of the Sunshine Coast