Because we are doing a Core and Light Weights class I wanted to share a few things. First of all keep in mind that there are a lot of different ways to do things and a lot of different exercises, I am just mentioning a few things regarding some specific exercises, instruction that can be applied to these classes.
Second of all I want to remind people that things change. As more is learned about how the body actually functions things can be adapted to allow for different results. Different tests are developed from measuring muscle activation to how the body processes chemicals . . . all of this can affect how we exercise. Also sometimes our language has to change. As I mentioned in a previous post a long time ago the phrase used to be “suck in your stomach”. Well we are not actually sucking in the stomach or the belly it is actually a bracing of the core – including the abdominals. We brace our core (as if someone is going to collide with our abdomen) throughout the class. In our classes part of the core work is maintaining that activation.
When working with weights, even the light ones we are using, we are maintaining a neutral wrist position. We don’t bend the wrists. Sometimes when moving the weight up to the shoulder in a biceps curl one might bend the wrist so it seems like the weight actually made it to the shoulder. It is important to keep a neutral wrist and squeeze the biceps at the top (of the move, when the weight is up).
Also when doing a biceps curls the shoulder joint is quiet, meaning the humerus (the upper arm bone) does not move. The only joint moving is the elbow joint. Sometimes the tendency is to swing the weight by moving that shoulder joint and bringing the weight up to the shoulder, but that is NOT going to target the biceps which is what we are doing with biceps curls. It might help to use the opposite hand to HOLD the humerus still until one has learned to keep that joint “quiet”.
When doing triceps kickbacks the shoulder joint doesn’t move. What happens in the setup is the arm moves back, but then the upper arm does not move while the elbow joint is active and the forearm moves. One also needs to remember that wrists remain neutral and do not move, they might want to get into the action and make it more of a swing. So far we have done these with our palms facing in/each other.
There are exercise where one swings a weight, but that is usually reserved for heavy weights. We are using light weights and doing high (a lot) of reps (repetitions).
The wrists 
remain neutral no matter which way the palm is facing. With curls (exercise for the biceps), for example, the palm could be facing up (biceps curls) or inward (hammer curls), but the wrist does not move . . . same with triceps kickbacks or triceps extensions.
When we move our humerus we are exercising the muscles of the shoulders and keeping the rest of the arm is quiet.
Again, there are different exercises that allow for different movements, but we are using light weights with high reps and are doing mostly biceps and triceps work. We are getting in a little shoulders, but not much at this point.
Quick list to refer to:
—Core engaged
—Neutral wrists
—Quiet shoulders (unless doing a shoulder exercise)
—Movement only in the elbow joint (biceps exercises, triceps exercises)
As we progress we are adding different movements and exercises, but these instructions are pretty standard.
Do these sound familiar?
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