By Dr. Alessio Capobianco
Training in the gym is based on the application of overloads, or resistances (weights), on bodily levers (bones and joints), contrasted by powers (the forces expressed by the muscles).
In practice, a load is given to the organism to obtain a response and a proportional adaptation to the stressful stimulus.
It is important at this point to know what are the methods of "administration" of the load and the exercise in general, because your instructor in the gym "administers" physical activity as your doctor administers the treatment and drugs, so he must know the how, the why and when of that particular exercise for you.
The first step to train the single muscle is ... not to isolate the concept from the general context, or from our body.
We must never forget that we are a harmonious whole of different organs and systems, with specific and different functions, but in continuous interaction between them and not a mere union of segments. This means that, as well as the benefits of physical activity, even the stresses brought on one of these systems are always reflected and make changes, even on all the others.
For example, leg training will involve the musculoskeletal system, but also the endocrine system, the lymphatic system (responsible for the immune response), the cardiovascular system and so on. Some systems adapt in a short time, others need more recovery.
The second step, for a correct training, is to know the specific action that the various muscles are responsible for. It is here that most of the trainers show the stuff and the skills, in the knowledge of the actions of the muscles.
Otherwise, a series of easily identifiable errors cannot be explained if there were knowledge on the subject. It seems appropriate to revise the main "outputs", or myths and legends if you prefer, to give everyone input to be applied later in the gym.
Abdominal "high" and abdominal "low":
Although if you continue to talk in these terms, know that THERE ARE NO HIGH AND LOW ABDOMINALS. There is only one muscle, the rectum of the abdomen, which goes from the xiphoid process of the sternum and rib sheaths to the pubic symphysis. Its main action is the trunk flexion on the pelvis and vice versa. In practice it brings the rib cage closer to the pelvis and vice versa. I invite you to consult any medical dictionary or anatomical atlas, possibly professional and not comic!
Are specific abdominal benches and machines effective for training the abdomen?
It may seem absurd but the answer is almost always NO! Or rather, the abdomen contracts isometrically, statically, contracts but does not produce movement, therefore as a stabilizer, and the action of its antagonists, the Femoral Rectum and the Iso Psoas, lordotizing muscles (attention to back pain!) Is predominant! ).
Wide-angle Lat machine to enlarge your back?
The Great Dorsal therefore brings the arm close to the trunk. This approach is considerably greater with a medium grip (check the position of the elbow at the end of the traction) rather than with a too wide grip (see how the arm remains less relied on the trunk). Yet even today the most common mistake is precisely this: "do you want to widen your back? A wide-grip machine!"
Slow forward or Slow behind for the deltoids ?:
The main action of the deltoid is the abduction of the arm from the trunk. This action is almost selective in the first 60 ° of movement, however preponderant up to 90 °.
Beyond this angle the action of the trapezium intervenes, abduction elevation of the scapula and, if the load is considerable, help also comes from the paravertebral muscles that will inevitably arch the back, in this case rest your feet on a rise.
Therefore in the distensions to an erect bust it is important to bring the arm close to the trunk to work the deltoid in all its Range Of Motion (Arc of Movement, from 0 to 90 °).
Analyzing the movement of the slow back we see how there are limits:
1. does not allow a good adduction of the arm in the negative (descent) phase of the movement, with consequent work subtracted from abduction in the concentric (ascent) phase
2. leverages the entire joint by stressing and overloading its labile structures.
The slow forward does not present these limitations, it is therefore a better exercise to train the muscle, more natural and therefore less risky for the very fragile articulation of the shoulder.
Second part "
