Creator's Training Tip Thread

[PrinceVegeta]

Very nice info indeed Creator!and I love ur sidekick tim! two very well informed guys!

 

[The Creator]

Very nice info indeed Creator!and I love ur sidekick tim! two very well informed guys!

Haha thanks a ton bro! Tim's a smart fella and I have learned a lot from him.

 

[samsam]

Tip 1Always always always, make sure you incorporate scapular retraction into any pushing or pulling movement.
"[...]the scapulae should stay "pinched" together during the entire movement.

Thus, you're not supposed to use the full range of motion that is possible in pulling exercises (e.g. Seated machine rows, lat-pulls, barbell rows)?
The static retraction of the trapezius muscles is superior to allowing them to stretch throughout the movement and end the concentric phase by retracting them?

Please reply!
Thankful for the regular tips you've been writing tho santasmile

 

[samsam]

Darn doubles,

 

[bambam55]

great thread you've got going here

 

[The Creator]

Thus, you're not supposed to use the full range of motion that is possible in pulling exercises (e.g. Seated machine rows, lat-pulls, barbell rows)?
The static retraction of the trapezius muscles is superior to allowing them to stretch throughout the movement and end the concentric phase by retracting them?

Please reply!
Thankful for the regular tips you've been writing tho santasmile

This is a good point you've brought up and I hope I can answer it well. First off, while you are attempting a static contraction of the lower trapezius and rhomboids through the scapular retraction and depression there is usually some movement, especially when heavier weight is incorporated. The scapulae are in a static state during the eccentric (negative phase) of the row however, I can assure that they have a much stronger concentric contraction when the actual pull is made. Second off, if you get to the point where you can keep your scapulae retracted with hundreds of pounds at your hands, I can assure that these muscles are well developed in strength and size. Third, you can still get a good stretch through the lats while incorporating scapular retraction but I see your concern with the rhomboids and lower traps. You must remember that there are 4 different parts of the trapezius muscle, all of which have individual roles and there are 2 (if I remember correctly) parts to the rhomboids which also have different roles. It is trapezius 3 and the lower rhomboid that are responsible for scapular retraction. So there is 1/4 of the trapezius (mind you this is not the "upper" part that so many individuals strive to build) that is doing the work along with 1/2 of the rhomboids. So for a slightly better contraction of these 2 small segments of muscles I would not risk the possible damage that could be done to the shoulder joint by allowing them to protract and retract with hundreds of pounds at my hands. You'll never get a short answer out of me and I hope this makes sense.

 

[tim290280]

^^ Well I just learnt something out of that as well. I was only aware of three functional regions of the traps.

 

[bizarro306]

this is a GREAT thread!!!.... thanks man!

 

[The Creator]

^^ Well I just learnt something out of that as well. I was only aware of three functional regions of the traps.

Just reviewing for my applied anatomy final and I thought you might find interest in the separate functions of the trapezius from superior to inferior

Trap 1- Elevation of the shoulder girdle
Trap 2- Upward rotation of the scapula
Trap 3- Scapular retraction (adduction)
Trap 4- Upward rotation and depression of the shoulder girdle.

 

[The Creator]

Tip 6

Never never never be one of the individuals I see in the gym that makes me cringe every time they do a lunge. The lunge is an awesome exercise that I am sure most here have utilized in a training program before. It can be a great functional exercise for athletes as well. Lets start from the feet. A common misplacement of the feet that I see on the lunge is the front foot turned in and the back foot turned out. It is a good practice to make sure that both feet are facing forward to ensure proper muscle activation and injury prevention. In addition, make sure the weight of the exercise be in the heel of the front foot, not the ball. Moving up, always make sure that the front knee never goes past the toe. The knee is somewhat of a poorly designed joint and can be very temper-mental as I am sure many have experienced. When you allow the knee to go too far forward, you create unnecessary stress on the joint. "As flexion increases, compression increases because of changed orientation of the force vectors and increased tension requirement in the quadriceps to maintain body position" (Hall S., 249). Next up, try tucking your hips (glutes) in as you come down for every rep. This will benefit you in a few ways. One it will force you to stay upright, two it will cause a greater stretch in the quadriceps of the back leg, and three it will help you put the load on the heel of your front foot. Moving up, it is very important that even during a lunge (barbell or dumbell) you incorporate scapular retraction and depression. This will help you to keep your torso upright, as you always should during a lunge, and will allow you drop the weight in the desired area of force.

So remember:
-Keep front foot flat on the floor as you press up.
-Drive through the heel of your front foot (not the ball).
-Tuck hips in when going down for each rep.
-Keep shoulder blades retracted.
-Keep upper body upright.
-When going down, drop straight down. Do not let momentum or anything else lean you forward or back.

In conclusion, the lunge is not the exercise to pull the ego out on. Do it correctly and do the proper amount of weight and it will pay off.

 

[Skeptic]

great tips God!

 

[The Creator]

Tip 7

Make sure that you always always always incorporate rotator cuff training into your routine. If I were to ask for a raise of hands from people who have had rotator cuff problems, I am sure that you all would take both hands off the key board and raise them high! The rotator cuff made up of the supraspinatis, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis, acts as a "cuff" for the shoulder joint. In general, the greater range of motion a joint has, the less stable it is. Considering that the shoulder has the greatest range of motion out of any joint, it is no wonder that it is complicated and often injured. To better understand the actions of these muscles of the cuff I will use the overhand throw as an example of how they work. Imagine you are throwing a football. As you bring the ball back, it is the supraspinatis, the infraspinatis, and the teres minor that work during this "cocking" phase. Moving forward, as you throw the ball, it is the subscapularis that mainly works to accomplish this acceleration phase.
So know that we know this, lets figure out how to mimic this in the gym. The best way to do this IMO is with resistance tubes or bands. Mimick these overhand movments (internal and external rotation of the humerus). Many gyms have these laying around and if you dont, they are very cheap and you can find them at a local sporting goods store most likely. It is very important to do this so that we can make sure we balance out the muscles that support this joint.

These pics are the best exercises I could find for the rotator cuff. I would recommend training these 3 times a week!

 

[tim290280]

^^ I use a bike inner tube as part of my warmup for the L-fly. I also do cuban presses.

Great exercises.

 

[The Creator]

^^ Yeah bike innertube is a great idea! I know people who do that as well.

 

[Samoan-Z]

Tip 7

If I were to ask for a raise of hands from people who have had rotator cuff problems, I am sure that you all would take both hands off the key board and raise them high!

I am so happy that I would be the few or one that wouldn't raise his hand lmao. I was blessed for that and cursed with knees like everyone else lmao

Great Thread man.

 

[The Creator]

Tip 8

Never never never get caught consistently curving your lower back during pressing movements. Again, something I see far too much of. I know we have all heard that you shouldnt bend your back too much when doing bench press, but I also see it way too much on seated shoulder press. It is the bodies natural instinct to allow this curvature in order to move more weight, but this extreme forced lordosis can create a whole mess of hassle down the road. You do not want to end up one of the 90% of the population who suffers from CLBP (chronic low back pain). Whether it be a bench press or a shoulder press, engage abdominal muscles to contract the spinal column back during the pressing movement. A good way to practice this is to lay on your back in the sit up position, and simply contract your abs so that your lumbar (lower back) region comes in contact with the floor. Get a good connection with the muscles that are involved with this and practice it often to keep a good musculature balance.

*Sorry for the lack of tips, I just finished up finals and then have been on the road for the holidays but expect things to pick up again!*

 

[The Creator]

Tip 9

Get to know your stretching! This tip comes somewhat in response to the recent discussion about stretching. First and foremost, static stretching should never be done in excess before doing resistance training. The wise alternative would be to an ADW (active dynamic warm-up) type warm up. And of course this should be done after a short cardiovascular warm-up to slightly increase core temperature. Muscle is a very complex tissue and it acts somewhat like a rubber band. Any time you stretch a rubber band too much, it loses its elasticity. This is very similar to what happens to a muscle when you stretch it too much and remember that elasticity is crucial towards power development during a lift. The best analogy I have ever heard of for this is thinking of the muscle as a slinky. It acts in a very similar way. Just like a slinky, it stretches and then contracts. If you stretch a slinky out too much for too long, it eventually loses its ability to "contract" or recoil as well.
I would like to touch on another reason why you should not static stretch too much or too extreme. While flexibility (to a point) is a good property to possess with you muscles, increasing a joints ROM can have adverse effects. The greater a joints range of motion, the greater it's risk of injury-plain and simple. Having muscles that are loose enough to avoid injury but tight enough to control joints is the ideal situation for power production and injury prevention. In conclusion, foam roll often, do an ADW type warm up before a workout, and a moderate static stretch following a workout (this should not inflict pain but rather be pushed to a point of mild discomfort), and you will be setting yourself up for an ideal musculature.

 

[tim290280]

^^ I'd give you reps but apparently I rep you too much already!

 

[skindnef]

yoga

 

[The Creator]

^^ I'd give you reps but apparently I rep you too much already!

haha thanks anyways Tim!