Session 12 Upper Body Exercises Australian Institute of Fitness 1 / 24
SETTING THE SCENE The goal of this session is to apply all that awesome anatomy in a practically-oriented session to truly understand how your muscles work in a range of upper body exercises. We look at JAM to analyse upper body exercise including contractions, joint movements and target muscles. We then focus on correct exercise technique using the SAFE system for commonly prescribed upper body exercises from the Exerpedia. We conclude the session by investigating a system to enhance our understanding of exercise benefit, risk and alternatives. To get the most from this session, you are required to perform a range of exercises and work on mastering good technique following information in the Exerpedia. Once you have experienced the exercises, you have a Practical Your Turn to accomplish which involves testing your exercise knowledge and assessing your own performance. So yes, you will need access to gym equipment and you need to set aside time to complete the practical components. The good news is that you will be working out your body and mind for most of this session! Australian Institute of Fitness 2 / 24
Session Checklist The following checklist highlights the objectives of this session. Analyse upper body exercises using JAM Identify how changes in grip alter muscle recruitment Perform a range of resistance exercises for the upper body using the SAFE system Identify isolated and compound exercises Identify the concentric phase of exercises and when to breathe out Determine the type of resistance available for different exercises Identify the target muscles for a range of exercises Rate your own performance Understand benefit, risk and alternatives for some upper body exercises Australian Institute of Fitness 3 / 24
Categories of Upper Body Exercises While there might be numerous upper body exercises, there are really only a handful of basic movement patterns such as pushing away, pushing up, and pulling down or in. We classify upper body exercises into the different basic movement patterns which we term categories. For the purposes of this session, we have five categories to cover: Horizontal pushing such as a push-up Horizontal pulling such as a seated row Vertical pushing such as a shoulder press Vertical pulling such as a lat pulldown Supplementary arm exercises such as a biceps curl or triceps pushdown You will find exercises for these categories in this extract from the Exerpedia. Download and save this extract and you can either print it or load onto a tablet to refer to while you practice these exercises. We will take a look at each category and see which exercises belong to this movement pattern. You will need to practice these exercises and fine tune your technique to become confident and competent with your performance and understanding in preparation for exercise instruction. This will enhance your success in assessments as you will be tested on a range of upper body exercises. Australian Institute of Fitness 4 / 24
Why Are Categories Important? Firstly, it helps to chunk exercises that you need to learn. You will find that the pushing exercises have similar mechanics and hence similar teaching points; the same for pulling movements. So, it will accelerate your learning. Secondly, it helps you to design balanced strength training programs. Your overall program should consist of strength exercises to cover all major movement patterns and all major muscle groups. If your program doesn t, then you are most likely missing muscle groups and failing to train your entire body. For example, if there was only pushing movements, your back muscles would be neglected. This second point introduces the concept of MUSCLE BALANCE. Training that aims to achieve muscle balance by including opposing movement patterns and in doing so, train opposing muscle groups. You will notice that we have push and pull movements hence movement patterns that oppose each other. If you were to focus on the chest and push more than you pull, something will almost always go wrong with your shoulders. This is common with gym goers who are more interested in developing their chests than their backs. It can create an imbalance in strength and muscle length around the shoulder girdle which can then lead to injury. Australian Institute of Fitness 5 / 24
Achieving Muscular Balance There is a very simple formula for achieving muscular balance and it s all about balancing the opposing movement patterns and thus automatically train the opposing muscle groups. For every horizontal push, you should have a horizontal pull and vice-versa E.g., for every bench press, you should have a row For every vertical pull, you should have a vertical push and vice-versa E.g., for every chin-up or lat pull-down, you should have a shoulder press Also balance up your supplementary arm exercises. For every elbow flexion exercise, you should have an elbow extension exercise E.g., for every biceps curl, include a triceps extension Be aware however, that an assessment of a client is necessary to ascertain any muscular imbalances or injuries which would need to be considered prior to prescribing exercise and may alter the above formula. So knowing these categories and the different movement patterns is a key part of: Providing foundations for exercise selection Achieving muscle balance Helping to prevent injuries from poor programming. Australian Institute of Fitness 6 / 24
SAFE Visualise a gym and you can see the potential for danger! There is a lot of heavy equipment, people moving and often happening in a confined space. So it is important to apply safe work practices and of equal importance, to ensure your own exercise technique is safe and sound. SAFE is an acronym created to assist you perform and teach exercises with good technique from how to set-up the exercise to how to finish. S is for: Safety think equipment, space, people Set-up think equipment adjustment and set-up, weight selection Start position think correct posture (neutral spine), stance, base of support, grip Stabilisation keeping key areas still such as the scapulae/shoulders, neck, lower back and wrists; we use cues such as shoulders down, brace the abs, wrists firm to assist Remember your Perfect Postures from Session 2. You will need to apply the postural pointers to achieve a perfect start. A is for Action the range of motion (how far to move) and the speed of movement Alignment the correct alignment of the moving body parts F is for Feedback both positive and constructive to ensure technique is correct Finish consider equipment, body position and of course, safety E is for Exhale on Effort the harder phase (concentric) Practise SAFE during your performance of all exercises in this session. Australian Institute of Fitness 7 / 24
HORIZONTAL PUSHING EXERCISES Before we get started, have you downloaded the upper body exercises extract from the Exerpedia? You will need to as it contains all the technique tips for exercises of the upper body. A horizontal pushing exercise is any upper body exercise that involves moving the arms away from your torso and in front of you, so that the arms finish in the transverse or horizontal plane. You would either be moving your body as in a push-up or moving a weight as in a machine chest press shown below. However, you don t have to be in a vertical position only; for example, a bench press (shown below) is performed in a prone position and as the arms are moving in front of the torso, it s a horizontal push. The most common examples of horizontal pushing movements are: Bench Press and inclined options Push-up and variations Machine or vertical chest press Chest fly View the video then perform the above exercises following the SAFE acronym and the techniques described in your Exerpedia then complete the Practical Your Turn Upper Body. Let s take a look at movement analysis for horizontal pushing movements. Australian Institute of Fitness 8 / 24
JAM We touched on JAM at the end of Session 11 so let s do a quick 50:50 quiz to test your knowledge. Why 50:50? The answer is either true or false so you have a 50% chance of getting it right! Hover the cursor over the answer to see if you are correct. A chest fly is an isolated exercise Answer The joint action in a chest fly during the concentric phase is horizontal shoulder flexion Answer The agonist for the chest fly is the anterior deltoid Answer Isolated exercises like the chest fly are easier to analyse because only one joint is moving. Let s now challenge ourselves by performing then analysing a compound exercise the pushup. Remember to list the moving joints from proximal to distal then determine the actions and muscles creating those actions. Joint Action Muscle/s Write your answers down to resemble the table then view the video to see how you went with your push-up JAM. What is this analysis similar to? You guessed it, the bench press. It s the same technique, just different positions and resistance! Australian Institute of Fitness 9 / 24
JAM the Difference Another push exercise is the close-grip or narrow bench press shown below. Let s compare the JAM analysis with the regular bench press. Spot the difference in the movement analysis? Joint Action Muscle/s Scapula Shoulder Elbow Bench Press Scapula protraction Horizontal shoulder flexion Elbow extension Close Grip Bench Press Scapula protraction Shoulder flexion Bench Press Serratus anteriorpectoralis minor Pectoralis majoranterior deltoid Close Grip Bench Press Serratus anteriorpectoralis Pectoralis majoranterior deltoid Elbow extension Triceps brachii Triceps brachii If you spotted shoulder flexion in the close grip bench press, you would be correct, however, the muscle recruitment is the same. What now changes however, is the focus of the exercise. Pec major cannot contribute as much in the close grip press hence the exercise targets triceps to a greater degree. As a result, you will notice that you can t lift as much weight in the close grip in comparison to the regular bench press. Challenge yourself by analysing the narrow push-up. Joint Action Muscle/s Answer. Australian Institute of Fitness 10 / 24
VERTICAL PUSH EXERCISES A vertical pushing exercise is any upper body exercise that involves moving the body or a weight vertically upwards in relation to your torso. A good example is lifting a weight overhead as in a shoulder press (shown below). Specifically, the most common examples of vertical pushing movements are: Standing Overhead Shoulder Press Seated Overhead Shoulder Press Lateral Raises Front Raises Dips View the video then perform the above exercises following the SAFE acronym and the techniques described in your Exerpedia then complete the Practical Your Turn Upper Body. Australian Institute of Fitness 11 / 24
JAM Now that you have performed some vertical push exercises, let s analyse a couple. Exercise 1 Lateral Raise Joint Action (concentric) Muscle/s Answer Answer Answer Exercise 2 Shoulder Press Joint Action Muscle/s View the video for the answers for the shoulder press. Have you noticed that all compound pushing exercises involve elbow extension and the triceps brachii as one of the target muscles? Australian Institute of Fitness 12 / 24
HORIZONTAL PULLING EXERCISES A horizontal pulling exercise is any upper body exercise that involves moving the arms from straight out in front of you in towards your torso horizontally (think rows). You would either be moving your body as in a prone pull-up shown below or pulling a weight as in a seated row. Specifically, the most common examples of horizontal pulling movements are: Seated Rows wide grip and close grip, chest supported/non-supported Bent Over Rows One Arm or Single Arm Rows Reverse Fly View the video then perform the above exercises following the SAFE acronym and the techniques described in your Exerpedia then complete the Practical Your Turn Upper Body. Australian Institute of Fitness 13 / 24
JAM the Difference Now that you have performed both the wide grip and close grip seated rows, did you feel a difference? Could you lift more weight in one exercise than the other? View the video to help you complete the JAM for Exercise 1. Exercise 1 Close Grip Seated Row Joint Action (concentric) Muscle/s See below for the Exercise 2 JAM and note that the JAM for the shoulder is different in the wide grip row compared to the close grip. Exercise 2 - Wide Grip Seated Row (concentric is backwards) Joint Action Muscle/s Role/s Shoulder Horizontal shoulder extension Posterior deltoid Latissimus dorsi Elbow Elbow flexion Biceps brachii Agonist Scapula Scapula retraction Mid trapezius Rhomboids Agonist Assistant synergist Agonist Assistant synergist The difference is the joint action at the shoulder and hence different muscle recruitment. Out of the agonists listed, the two main target muscles in the wide grip seated row would be posterior deltoid and mid trapezius. The key target muscle in the close grip is latissimus dorsi and as it is a larger muscle, you might be able to pull more weight in that exercise. Australian Institute of Fitness 14 / 24
VERTICAL PULL EXERCISES A vertical pulling exercise is any exercise that involves moving the body or a weight vertically inwards in relation to your torso. A good example of a vertical pull using body weight is the chinup (shown below) and an example of pulling a weight down from overhead is a lat pulldown (shown below). Specifically, the most common examples of vertical pulling movements are: Chin-Ups Lat Pull-Downs wide grip and close grip View the video then perform the above exercises following the SAFE acronym and the techniques described in your Exerpedia then complete the Practical Your Turn Upper Body. Australian Institute of Fitness 15 / 24
JAM the Difference Now that you have performed both the wide grip and close grip lat pulldowns, did you feel a difference? Was one exercise easier to perform than the other? View the video to help you complete the JAM for Exercise 1. Exercise 1 Wide Grip Lat Pulldown Joint Action (concentric) Muscle/s See below for the Exercise 2 JAM and note that the joint action for the shoulder is different when compared to Exercise 1. Exercise 2 Close Grip Lat Pulldown (reverse grip) Joint Action Muscle/s Scapula Scapula depression Trapezius Shoulder Shoulder extension Latissimus dorsiteres majorpectoralis major Elbow Elbow flexion Biceps brachii The key difference is the joint action at the shoulder but as latissimus dorsi is primarily responsible for both shoulder adduction and flexion, the muscle recruitment does not change. In other words, both exercises work the same muscles. However, the reverse grip is usually easier to perform and the biceps is in a better pulling position hence may contribute more to the exercise. Australian Institute of Fitness 16 / 24
SUPPLEMENTARY ARM EXERCISES The push and pull categories cover the major movement patterns and are the ones that should get the most attention. There are however, movement patterns for the arms which we categorise as supplementary exercises. These include mostly isolation exercises involving elbow flexion and extension. An elbow flexion exercise is any exercise that involves moving a weight towards you by flexing at the elbow (think bicep curls). Specifically, the most common examples of elbow flexion movements are: Standing Biceps Curl Seated Biceps Curl Preacher Curls An elbow extension exercise is any exercise that involves moving a weight away from you by extending at the elbow (think triceps extension). Specifically, the most common examples of elbow extension movements are: Supine Triceps Extension (Skull-crushers) Triceps Pushdown Overhead Triceps Extension View the video then perform the above exercises following the SAFE acronym and the techniques described in your Exerpedia then complete the Practical Your Turn Upper Body. Australian Institute of Fitness 17 / 24
JAM View the video for a JAM on the triceps pushdown. Australian Institute of Fitness 18 / 24
BENEFITS, RISK, ALTERNATIVES (BRA) For every exercise we select for an exercise session, we need to have an understanding of: Benefit Why do the exercise? What is its purpose? Does it achieve the intended purpose? Risk Is there a risk of injury involved? Is the movement extreme, sustained (held) or involve excessive loading on joints? Is the exercise unstable? Does it compromise any joints? Does the exercise significantly alter blood pressure? In addition, be aware of the common technique faults and how to correct these any exercise can be dangerous if performed incorrectly. Alternatives for every exercise, weigh up the benefits vs the risks. If the risks outweigh the benefits, we need to look for an exercise alternative for that exercise. Australian Institute of Fitness 19 / 24
BRA in Action To determine if an exercise is suitable for a client, you need to weigh up the benefit and risk based on that person s ability, performance and history. For example, if someone has a history of shoulder injuries, then shoulder exercises performed above the shoulder joint are considered contraindicated, and as such, you should check your exercise prescription with their allied health professional. Here is a detailed BRA for the 'close grip upright row shown below. Benefit The purpose of this exercise is to train the deltoids and to a lesser degree the trapezius and biceps. If you visualise lifting up a bucket or a suitcase by the handle, you can see that the upright row mimics this action and hence is functional choice of exercise for these situations. Risk Using our awesome knowledge of anatomy and movement analysis, we can determine that the joint action at the shoulder during the lifting phase is shoulder abduction and medial rotation. In fact, the shoulder is already medially or internally rotated in the start position with the palms facing the thighs. The risk here is that medial rotation together with abduction and load in the top position decreases the subacromial space (area between the humerus and acromion) which increases the risk for shoulder impingement by impinging the supraspinatus tendon and/or the subacromial bursa. Be aware that shoulder impingement tends to be an overuse injury and because biomechanical factors vary from person to person, some individuals may be more prone to shoulder impingement while others can perform the close grip upright row with no problem. Your duty of care as an instructor is to reduce risk. Here are three modifications to make this exercise safer while still reaping the benefits. Compare these options to the close grip and you should feel a much more comfortable movement. Australian Institute of Fitness 20 / 24
1. Use a wider shoulder width grip (as shown below) which allows for more space for clearance of the underlying structures 2. Limit the lift to the level of the shoulders i.e., not higher than shoulder height 3. Use dumbbells rather than a barbell as it allows a more natural movement whereas the barbell tends to fix the position Alternatives Alternatives for the upright include lateral raise and shoulder press. Australian Institute of Fitness 21 / 24
Common Technique Faults Poor technique can of course contribute to the exercise risk. Here are some common technique faults that must be avoided: Bench Press arching the lower back, bouncing the bar off the chest and locking the elbows Lat Pulldown swinging backwards and/or arching the lower back to bring the bar to the chest (as shown below), lifting/hunching the shoulders or pulling the bar behind the neck Tricep/Bench Dip lifting/hunching the shoulders, rounding the spine by letting the pelvis move forwards (as shown below) and locking the elbows For every exercise, consider what common technique faults exist. Do some people watching at the gym to start developing a sense for what is correct and incorrect. Then start thinking about how to correct these technique faults using positive language rather than a lot of don ts. For example, say keep your spine straight and still rather than saying don t arch your back. While this concept will be explored in later sessions, the earlier you begin intellectualising a range of phrases to correct technique, the better a trainer you will be. Australian Institute of Fitness 22 / 24
YOUR TURN UPPER BODY EXERCISE Before we can progress to teaching these exercises to clients we must first develop a good understanding of these common gym exercises and develop great proficiency in their execution! This Your Turn puts theory into practice! You need this extract from the Exerpedia which you can either print it or load onto a tablet to refer to while you practice these exercises. You also need access to a well-equipped gym and you may need several visits to complete the activities. It's a big one! Visit your Your Turn Diary for all the details. Australian Institute of Fitness 23 / 24
ROUND UP AND REFERENCES Well done champion we covered twenty exercises and recommend that you keep practicing these until you can t get them wrong! The knowledge gained from this practical experience will assist you in understanding correct exercise technique and help you train clients safely and effectively. You will also be able to recognise poor form and have tools for correcting and improving your client s technique and hence, minimise the risk for injury. Here is what we covered: SAFE Categories of upper body exercises Horizontal push exercises Horizontal pull exercises Vertical push exercises Vertical pull exercises Supplementary arm exercises Benefits, risk, alternatives (BRA) In addition, go back to the Session Checklist to determine if all the session objectives were achieved. Australian Institute of Fitness 24 / 24