Resistance Training

1
Resistance Training Spotting TechniquesCh. 17
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Exercise technique fundamentals

• Hand grips
• Stable Body Limb Positioning
• Movement Range of Motion Speed
• Breathing Considerations
• Weight Belts
• Lifting a Bar Off the Floor

3
Hand grips

• 2 common grips
• Pronated grip (overhand)- palms down, knuckles
  up
  
• Supinated grip (underhand)- palms up, knuckles
  down
  
• Variation of both is neutral grip- knuckles point
  laterally- like hand shake

4

• 2 less-common grips
• Alternated grip- one hand in pronated grip
  other in supinated grip
  
• Hook grip- similar to pronated except thumb is
  positioned under index middle fingers on same
  side of bar
  
• Typically used when performing exercises
  requiring stronger grip (power exercises, snatch)

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• Closed grip- when thumb is wrapped around bar
• Open or false grip- thumb does not wrap around
  bar
  
• Grip width- hand placement, correct distance from
  each other
  
• 3 types common, wide, narrow
• In most exercises, hands placed shoulder width
  apart
  
• Position should result in balanced, even bar

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Stable Body Limb Positioning

• Stable position enables athlete to maintain
  proper body alignment, which places appropriate
  stress on muscles jts.
  
• Standing exercises usually require feet
  positioned slightly wider than hip-width, with
  heels balls of feet in contact with floor

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• Seated or supine exercises performed on bench
  require specific posture
  
• Five-point body contact position- these 5 pts.
  contact bench or floor
  
• Back of head
• Upper back/shoulders
• Lower back/buttocks
• Right foot
• Left foot

8

• Before performing machine exercises, adjust seat
  pads to allow bodys primary jt. involved in
  the exercise to be aligned with machines axis of
  rotation for safety optimal execution

9
Movement Range of Motion Speed

• When entire ROM is covered during exercise, value
  of exercise is maximized flexibility is
  maintained or improved
  
• Reps performed in slow, controlled manner
  increase likelihood that full ROM can be reached
  
• Power or quick lift exercises should accelerate
  bar at max speed, while maintaining control

10
Breathing Considerations

• Exhale through sticking point of concentric phase
  inhale during eccentric pahse
  
• Experienced well trained athletes may want to
  use Valsalva maneuver when performing structural
  exercises (those that load vertebral column
  therefore place stress on it) in an effort to
  maintain proper vertebral alignment support
• Breath-holding phase should only last 1-2 seconds

11
Weight Belts

• Wt. Belt should typically be worn when performing
  exercises that place stress on lower back
  during sets that involve near-maximal loads
  
• No wt. belt is needed for exercises that do not
  stress lower back or for exercises that do stress
  lower back that use light loads
  
• Drawback, is belt reduces opportunity for
  abdominal muscles to be trained

12
Lifting a Bar Off the Floor

• Position of feet back enable leg muscles to
  make major contribution as bar is lifted from
  floor
  
• Keeping bar close to body back flat during
  upward pull of bar helps avoid excessive strain
  on lower back

13
Spotting Free-Weight Exercises

• Spotter- someone who assists in execution of
  exercise to help protect athlete from injury
  
• Main responsibility is safety of athlete being
  spotted
  
• Can motivate help completion of forced
  reps(partner-assisted actions)
  
• Spotter must realize poor execution may result in
  serious injury to lifter spotter

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Spotting overhead exercises those with bar on
the back or front shoulders

• For safety of lifter spotter, should be
  performed inside a power rack with crossbars in
  place at appropriate height
  
• All other equipment athletes should be at safe
  distance away to decrease risk of injury
  
• Loads can be great, so spotter should be at least
  as strong tall as athlete that is lifting

15
Spotting over-the-face exercises

• Important spotter hold bar with alternated hand
  grip, usually inside athletes grip
  
• Helps ensure bar does not roll out of spotters
  hands
  
• Establishing a solid base a flat back position
  is important, since spotter may have to catch bar
  or assist in lifting
  
• For dumbbell exercises, important to spot as
  close to dumbbells as possible, or in some
  exercises dumbbell itself (pullover, overhead
  tricep ext.)

16
Missed Repetitions

• If athlete misses or fails to complete an
  attempt, spotter helps handle
  
• For power exercises spotting is not advised, too
  dangerous for both
  
• When bar is missed in front, athlete should push
  bar away or simply drop it
  
• If bar is lost behind the head, athlete should
  release the bar jump forward
  
• For those reasons, surrounding area should be
  clear of athletes equipment

17
Number of Spotters

• Largely determined by load being lifted,
• experience ability of athlete spotters,
• physical strength of spotters
• Once load exceeds spotters ability to effectively
  protect athlete, another spotter must become
  involved
  
• One spotter preferred if possible, because 2 or
  more must coordinate actions with themselves
  athlete
  
• As of spotters increases, so does chance of
  error in timing or technique

18
Communication between athlete spotter

• Responsibility of both athlete spotter
• Athlete should tell spotter how bar will be
  handled spotted, how many reps, when they are
  ready to move bar into position
  
• Spotters without this info may take control of
  bar improperly, too soon or too late may
  disrupt exercise or injure athlete

19
Use of a Liftoff

• Liftoff- moving bar from upright supports to
  position in which athlete can begin the exercise
  
• Usually spotter helps place barbell or dumbbell
  into athletes hands while elbows are extended
  help move into proper beginning position
  
• Athlete spotter need to agree on verbal
  signal(up,on 3)

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• Normally used for bench press, shoulder press,
  squats
  
• When 2 spotters used, one should help with
  liftoff then proceed to one end spot, other
  spotter is already in position
  
• Both should help athlete place bar back on
  supports

21
Amount Timing of Spotting Assistance

• Knowing how much when to help is important
  aspect of spotting requires experience
  
• Most times just enough help is needed to complete
  a rep (partner-assisted action)
  
• Other time entire load must be taken over

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• At 1st indication that lift cannot be finished,
  athlete should signal spotter (sometimes grunt or
  sound)
  
• If athlete cannot contribute, they should say
  take it
  
• Spotter should take bar quickly smoothly
• Athlete should stay with bar until racked to
  decrease risk of injury to both