| Fitness Tips Developing strength, muscle control, endurance and flexibility is not only important for a dancer, but it is the single most important aspect of maintaining good quality of life as we age. Staying fit is essential in preventing injury, loss of bone density, keeping your metabolism up, preventing certain types of diseases and a multitude of other problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle. While knowing your muscle groups is important, it is more important to understand their function. Once you know what *joint action* that a specific muscle performs, you will be able to target the muscle more effectively and achieve your fitness goals much sooner. This page is dedicated to providing you with accurate information on fitness and exercise and to dispel some of the myths that are floating around out there, as exercise should be effective, not a waste of time or even potentially dangerous. "power is nothing without control" Muscle Groups and their Joint Actions FUNCTIONS OF MAJOR MUSCLE GROUPS Muscle: Rectus Femoris (Quads) Function: Hip flexion (with illiapsoas) and knee extension (with vastus group--vastus lateralis, intermedius and medialis) Exercises: Cycling, leg press machine, vertical jumping, stair climbing, jump roping, resisted knee extensions (these are usually incorrectly called the 'leg extensions' on the machines. They should be called 'knee extension'.) Muscle: Gluteus Maximus (Butt) Function: Hip extension and external rotation Exercises: Squats, cycling, jumping rope, stair climbing Muscle: Gluteus Medius & Minimus & Tensor fasciae latae (Outer thigh) Function: Hip Abduction Exercises: Side-lying leg raises Muscle: Adductor Magnus and Adductor Brevis & Longus (Inner thigh) Function: Adduction and external rotation and adduction, flexion & internal rotation, respectively Exercises: Side-lying botton leg raises, manual resistance adduction exercises, resisted adduction Muscle: Gastrocnemius (Calf) Function: Plantar flexion at ankle (as in pointing the toes) Exercises: Hill running, jump rope, calf raises (with free weights), stair climbing Muscle: Rectus Abdominus (the Abs) Function: Forward spinal flexion (though the focus here is 'joint action', it is important to remember that the abs are responsible for torso stabilization and good posture) Exercises: the old tried and true Crunches (with or without weights; go to the ABS page for more info), bent-knee sit ups, though it is important to know that when doing sit-ups, the hip flexors take over as you progress beyond a 45 degree angle, so I personally believe that you get better isolation of the abdominals with just crunches. Muscle: External & Internal Obliques (front sides of the torso) Function: torso rotation Exercises: Twisting crunches (leading with the shoulder towards the opposite knee) Muscle: Erector Spinae (back) Function: Trunk extension Exercises: Prone (face down) back extension exercises, dead lifts (NOT recommended if you have a pre-existing back condition, or without the supervision of a certified trainer) Muscle: Pectoralis Major (front of shoulders, upper chest area; specifically: Clavicle, Sternum) Function: Flexion, adduction, internal rotation Exercises: Push-ups, pull-ups, incline & regular bench press, climbing rope, throwing Muscle: Deltoid (shoulder) Function: Abduction (entire muscle), Flexion, internal rotation (anterior fibers), Extension, external rotation (posterior fibers) Exercises: Lateral 'butterfly' exercises with free weights, over-head or 'military' press with free weights Muscle: Latissimus Dorsi (back; specifically the area of lower six thoratic vertibrae, all lumbar vertibrae, crests of illium & sacrum, lower four ribs) Function: Extension, adduction, internal rotation Exercises: Chin-ups, rope climbing, rowing, any exercise that invollves pulling the arms downward against a resistive force as in 'lat' pulls on the machine Muscle: Trapezius (back; area of occipital bone, spines of cervical & thoratic vertebrae) Function: Elevation of scapula (upper), Adduction of scapula (middle), Depression of scapula (lower) Exercises: Upright rows, shoulder shrugs with resistance Muscle: Rhomboid Major (back; upper region) Function: Adduction & Elevation of scapula Exercises: Chin-ups, supported free weight bent-over rows (Make sure that you are not bending at the hip only; your knees should be bent and your "butt" out to distribute your weight more evenly, otherwise, you are putting unnecessary stress on to your lower back!) Muscle: Biceps Brachii (upper arm, above the elbow) Function: Elbow flexion Exercises: "Curling" with free weights, chin ups (Use full range of motion when curling. Keep your "tailbone" to the floor and make sure the only thing that moves are the elbows flexing and extending! Never use your back for momentum. It's obviously not good for the back, but it also won't do your biceps any good if another part of the body is doing the work for them!) Muscles: Triceps Brachii (opposite the biceps) Function: Extension at the elbow Exercises: Dips on parallel bars, push-ups (you can easily do dips on a Reebok step by placing your hands each side the hips; keep your fingers curled over the edge; if this bothers your wrists, place hand held weights each side the hips on the bench and hold on to the weights while doing the dips. You can also place some weights on to your lap to make it a little harder. Try to use three or four risers on each side of the bench for these.) |
One of the most important things a fitness professional should understand is
the function of a specific muscle or muscle group. Every muscle performs a
joint action, in other words, the muscle either flexes a joint or extends it. I see
far too many people doing exercises trying to target muscles that have nothing to do
with the movements that they are performing.
Below is a list of muscles and the joint actions that they perform. I hope that
this will help you to begin a more effective workout program.
Remember that QUALITY is more important than QUANTITY. Any kind of training that
ignores technique will get you results much more slowly and can put you at risk for
injury. It is far better to perform one rep the right way--using perfect form-- than to do
10 the wrong way. And finally, if you are looking to tone, strengthen and build muscle
mass, *more* weight, *less* repetitions will get you far better results...doing 500 reps
with a 2 lb weight is just not going to do anything for you and you are wasting your time.
(No, ladies...you are not going to "bulk" by using a heavier weight!)
the function of a specific muscle or muscle group. Every muscle performs a
joint action, in other words, the muscle either flexes a joint or extends it. I see
far too many people doing exercises trying to target muscles that have nothing to do
with the movements that they are performing.
Below is a list of muscles and the joint actions that they perform. I hope that
this will help you to begin a more effective workout program.
Remember that QUALITY is more important than QUANTITY. Any kind of training that
ignores technique will get you results much more slowly and can put you at risk for
injury. It is far better to perform one rep the right way--using perfect form-- than to do
10 the wrong way. And finally, if you are looking to tone, strengthen and build muscle
mass, *more* weight, *less* repetitions will get you far better results...doing 500 reps
with a 2 lb weight is just not going to do anything for you and you are wasting your time.
(No, ladies...you are not going to "bulk" by using a heavier weight!)
FLEXION: movement that shortens the angle
between two bones. Most flexion
movements are forward movements. Major
exception is knee flexion.
EXTENSION: movement that increases the
angle between two bones. Most extension
movements are backward movements.
Exception is knee extension.
LATERAL FLEXION: bending the spine to the
side.
ABDUCTION: moving away from the midline
of the body.
ADDUCTION: moving toward the midline of
the body.
ROTATION: medial or lateral movement
around an axis.
CIRCUMDUCTION: movement in which an
extremety describes a 360 degree circle.
SUPINATION: the lateral rotation of the
forearm, bringing the palm of the hand
upward. In this position, the radius and ulna
are parallel.
PRONATION: medial rotation of the forearm,
with the palm in a downward position so the
radius lies diagonally across the ulna.
DORSIFLEXION: movement that brings the
top of the foot toward the shin.
PLANTARFLEXION: movement that brings the
sole of the foot downwards (as in pointing
the toes).)
DEPRESSION: downward movement of the
shoulder girdle.
ELEVATION: upward movement of the
shoulder girdle.
SCAPULAR ADDUCTION: backward
movement of the shoulder girdle with
scapulae pulled toward the midline.
SCAPULAR ABDUCTION: forward movement
of the shoulder girdle with the scapulae
pulled away from the midline.
PLANES:
HORIZONTAL PLANE: divides the body into
upper and lower portions.(An example of this
would be torso rotation.)
FRONTAL PLANE: divides the body into front
and back. (Abduction & Adduction occur in
this plane.)
SAGITTAL PLANE: divides the body into right
and left. (Flexion & Extension occur within
the sagittal plane.)
When working your muscles, you always work against a resistive
force. An important factor to consider when working
with free weights is that your weights are not the resistive
force, but gravity is! Therefore, when using free weights, always
work the muscle against gravity. For example, doing "butterflies" to
work the pecs while in an upright position will not work them
effectively. Gravity is pulling down while the muscles are moving
forward. So you would have to change your position to a supine
position (face up) on the floor (or bench) so that you are moving in
the opposite direction of the pull of gravity.
between two bones. Most flexion
movements are forward movements. Major
exception is knee flexion.
EXTENSION: movement that increases the
angle between two bones. Most extension
movements are backward movements.
Exception is knee extension.
LATERAL FLEXION: bending the spine to the
side.
ABDUCTION: moving away from the midline
of the body.
ADDUCTION: moving toward the midline of
the body.
ROTATION: medial or lateral movement
around an axis.
CIRCUMDUCTION: movement in which an
extremety describes a 360 degree circle.
SUPINATION: the lateral rotation of the
forearm, bringing the palm of the hand
upward. In this position, the radius and ulna
are parallel.
PRONATION: medial rotation of the forearm,
with the palm in a downward position so the
radius lies diagonally across the ulna.
DORSIFLEXION: movement that brings the
top of the foot toward the shin.
PLANTARFLEXION: movement that brings the
sole of the foot downwards (as in pointing
the toes).)
DEPRESSION: downward movement of the
shoulder girdle.
ELEVATION: upward movement of the
shoulder girdle.
SCAPULAR ADDUCTION: backward
movement of the shoulder girdle with
scapulae pulled toward the midline.
SCAPULAR ABDUCTION: forward movement
of the shoulder girdle with the scapulae
pulled away from the midline.
PLANES:
HORIZONTAL PLANE: divides the body into
upper and lower portions.(An example of this
would be torso rotation.)
FRONTAL PLANE: divides the body into front
and back. (Abduction & Adduction occur in
this plane.)
SAGITTAL PLANE: divides the body into right
and left. (Flexion & Extension occur within
the sagittal plane.)
When working your muscles, you always work against a resistive
force. An important factor to consider when working
with free weights is that your weights are not the resistive
force, but gravity is! Therefore, when using free weights, always
work the muscle against gravity. For example, doing "butterflies" to
work the pecs while in an upright position will not work them
effectively. Gravity is pulling down while the muscles are moving
forward. So you would have to change your position to a supine
position (face up) on the floor (or bench) so that you are moving in
the opposite direction of the pull of gravity.
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| Egyptian Twist Studio of Bellydance Bellydance Lessons and Performances with Helena (Juanita Smart) AFAA certified Personal Trainer |
Fitness Tips