Lazy pecs

I feel that my pecs are not getting properly activated during for instance push ups and planche leans. It's mostly shoulders and triceps that are working.

 

Any tips on how to wake them up?

Tip 1: Actively try to push your hands and elbows towards each other. Doesn't have to be maximal, this is a cue. You may find that you have to start out with just a slight amount of pressure, and any more may mess up your form. Stick to what allows good form, and adjust over time. 

 

Make sure that you attempt to actively make a mental connection with the pec activation every time, but do not lose the rest of the exercise in this process. This kind of body awareness is probably going to be a new skill for you, but it is an essential skill to build. 

 

I want to give more tips, but I am working on doing some research on the rest, so you'll have to wait until that is done and I have made the appropriate legal protections.

 

Good luck.

Well for the push-ups you can flare the elbows out 45 degrees or use a wide hand placement to target more of the chests, but I'm sure Coach will have something in store for you in the later stages of the Foundation series. In other words, it means you shouldn't really worry about it that much as your chests will get worked more throughout the courses.

I can only confirm what Joshua said. By pushing your arms actively towards each other you`ll definitely feel your pecs working

 

Have you had a neck injury in the past few months? I had one from judo some years ago, just a sprained joint in the C4-C5 area, but the swelling impinged on the nerves in the area. This severely limited my ability to tense my pecs (among other things) and felt a bit like what you describe.

What about Muscle Activation Technique? I was assessed by a local chiropractor and found that my pecs (among many other muscles) were operating at a very low level of strength, according to his evaluation. It gets a little pricey and I haven't finished the series but I noticed immediate returns on the muscles that were "activated." Does anyone have any more info on this technique (for instance, is it quackery, placebo or something similar associated with chiropractics)?