exercise techniques Flashcards
Bent Knee Sit-Up
Starting Position
Assume a supine position on a floor mat.
Flex the knees to bring the heels near the buttocks.
Fold the arms across the chest or abdomen.
Upward Movement Phase
Flex the neck to move the chin to the chest.
Keeping the feet, buttocks, and lower back flat and
stationary on the mat, curl the torso toward the
thighs until the upper back is off the mat.
Keep the arms folded across the chest or abdomen.
Downward Movement Phase
Allow the torso, then the neck, to uncurl and extend
back to the starting position.
Keep the feet, buttocks, lower back, and arms in
the same position.
Bent Knee Sit-Up common error
Raising the feet off the mat during the upward movement phase
Raising the hips off the mat during the downward movement phase
Primary Muscle Trained
Rectus abdominis
Machine Abdominal
Starting Position
Sit in the machine with the upper chest pressed
against the chest pad; if there are handles instead,
grasp them with a closed, pronated or neutral grip.
Forward Movement Phase
Flex the neck to move the chin to the chest.
Keeping the feet, legs, and buttocks stationary, curl
the torso toward the thighs.
Keep the upper chest pressed against the pad (or
keep a grip on the handles).
Backward Movement Phase
Allow the torso, then the neck, to uncurl and extend
back to the starting position.
Keep the feet, legs, buttocks, and arms in the same
position.
Keep the upper chest pressed against the pad (or
keep a grip on the handles).
Machine Abdominal Commom Errors
◾◾ Raising the hips off the seat during the forward
movement phase
◾◾ Pulling with the legs or hands to help curl the
torso forward
Primary Muscle Trained
Rectus abdominis
Bent-Over Row
Starting Position
Grasp the bar with a closed, pronated grip wider
than shoulder-width.
Lift the bar from the floor to a position at the front
of the thighs using the first pull phase of the power
clean exercise.
Adjust the feet to assume a shoulder-width stance
with the knees slightly to moderately flexed.
Flex the torso forward so that it is slightly above
parallel to the floor.
Assume a flat-back torso position with the shoulders
back and the chest out.
Focus the eyes a short distance ahead of the feet.
Allow the bar to hang with the elbows fully extended.
Adjust the position of the knees, hips, and torso to
suspend the weight plates off the floor.
Upward Movement Phase
Pull the bar up toward the lower chest or upper
abdomen.
Keep the elbows pointed away from the sides of
the body with the wrists straight.
Keep the torso rigid, back flat, and knees in the
same flexed position.
Touch the bar to the sternum or upper abdomen.
At the highest bar position, the elbows should be
higher than the torso.
Downward Movement Phase
Allow the elbows to slowly extend back to the starting
position.
Keep the torso rigid, back flat, and knees in the
same flexed position.
After the set is completed, squat down to return
the bar to the floor.
Bent-Over Row Common Errors
Jerking the upper body, shrugging the shoulders,
extending the torso, extending the knees,
curling the bar in the hands, or rising up on the
toes to help raise the bar
Allowing the upper back to round (losing the
flat-back position) during the movement
Primary Muscles Trained
Latissimus dorsi, teres major, rhomboid,
posterior deltoid
Lat Pulldown
Starting Position
Grasp the bar with a closed, pronated grip wider
than shoulder-width.
Sit facing the machine stack with the legs under the
thigh pads and the feet flat on the floor.
Slightly lean the torso backward to create a path for
the bar to pass by the face.
Allow the elbows to fully extend.
In this position, the weight to be lifted will be suspended
above the rest of the stack.
Downward Movement Phase
Pull the bar down and toward the upper chest; the
elbows should move down and back and the chest
up and out as the bar is lowered.
Keep the feet, legs, and torso in the same position.
Touch the bar to the clavicles or upper chest.
Upward Movement Phase
Allow the elbows to slowly extend back to the starting
position.
Keep the feet, legs, and torso in the same position.
After the set is completed, stand up and return the
weight to its resting position.
Lat Pulldown Common Errors
Using an open grip on the bar
Contracting the abdominal muscles and flexing
the torso to assist in the downward movement
phase
Not fully extending the elbows during the
upward movement phase
Pulling the bar down behind the head to the
back of the neck.
Primary Muscles Trained
Latissimus dorsi, teres major, rhomboid,
posterior deltoid
Low Pulley Seated Row
Starting Position
Facing the machine, sit on the floor (or on the long
seat pad, if available).
Place the feet on the machine frame or foot supports.
Flex the knees and hips to reach forward and grasp
the handle with a closed, neutral grip.
Pull the handle back and assume an erect seated
position with the torso perpendicular to the floor,
knees slightly flexed, and the feet and legs parallel
to each other.
Allow the elbows to fully extend with the arms about
parallel to the floor.
In this position, the weight to be lifted will be suspended
above the rest of the stack.
Backward Movement Phase
Pull the handle toward the chest or upper abdomen.
Maintain an erect torso position with the knees in
the same slightly flexed position.
Touch the handle to the sternum or abdomen.
Forward Movement Phase
Allow the elbows to slowly extend back to the starting
position.
Maintain an erect torso position with the knees in
the same slightly flexed position.
After the set is completed, flex the knees and hips
to reach forward and return the weight to its resting
position.
Low Pulley Seated Row Common Errors
Common Errors
◾◾ Jerking the upper body or leaning back during
the backward movement phase
◾◾ Curling the handle toward the torso during the
backward movement phase
◾◾ Flexing the torso forward during the forward
movement phase
Primary Muscles Trained
Latissimus dorsi, teres major, rhomboid,
posterior deltoid
Seated Row (Resistance Band)
Starting Position
Grasp the handles of the resistance band with a
closed, neutral grip.
Sit on the floor or mat with the knees slightly flexed,
and evenly wrap the resistance band around the
insteps of the feet.
Assume an erect position with the torso perpendicular
to the floor.
Hold on to the handles with the elbows fully
extended, the arms about parallel to the floor, and
the palms facing each other.
In this position, the resistance band should be nearly
taut (not stretched); if it is not, take up the slack
by wrapping the resistance band further around
the feet.
Backward Movement Phase
Pull the handles toward the chest or upper abdomen.
Maintain an erect torso position with the knees in
the same slightly flexed position.
Touch the hands to the sides of the torso.
Completion of the backward movement phase.
Primary Muscles Trained
Latissimus dorsi, teres major, rhomboid,
posterior deltoid
Forward Movement Phase
Allow the elbows to slowly extend back to the starting position.
Maintain an erect torso position with the knees in the same slightly flexed position.
Seated Row (Resistance Band) Common Errors
Common Errors
◾◾ Jerking the upper body or leaning back during the backward movement phase
◾◾ Curling the handles toward the torso during the backward movement phase
◾◾ Flexing the torso forward during the forward movement phase
Primary Muscles Trained
Latissimus dorsi, teres major, rhomboid,
posterior deltoid
Machine Back Extension
Starting Position
Sit in the machine with the upper back pressed
against the back pad.
Flex the torso forward and move the body back to
align the hips with the axis of the machine.
Place the feet on the machine frame or foot supports.
Grasp the handles or the sides of the seat.
Backward Movement Phase
Keeping the thighs and feet stationary, extend the
torso (lean backward).
Keep the upper back firmly pressed against the
back pad.
Maintain a tight grip on the handles or the sides of
the seat.
Forward Movement Phase
Allow the torso to flex (lean forward) back to the
starting position.
Keep the upper back firmly pressed against the back
pad and the thighs and feet stationary.
Maintain a tight grip on the handles or the sides of
the seat.
Machine Back Extension Common Errors
Common Errors
◾◾ Pushing with the legs or rising off the seat
during the backward movement phase
◾◾ Arching the back at the end of the backward
movement phase
Primary Muscle Trained
Erector spinae
