Resistance Training and Spotting Techniques

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Resistance Training and Spotting Techniques
chapter 14
Resistance Trainingand SpottingTechniques
Roger W. Earle, MA CSCS,D NSCA-CPT,DThomas
R. Baechle, EdD CSCS,D NSCA-CPT,D
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Chapter Objectives

• Understand the general techniques involved in
  properly performing resistance training
  exercises.
• Provide breathing guidelines.
• Determine the appropriateness of wearing a weight
  belt.
• Provide recommendations for spotting free weight
  exercises.
• Teach proper resistance training exercise and
  spotting techniques.

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Section Outline

• Exercise Technique Fundamentals
• Handgrips
• Stable Body and Limb Positioning
• Range of Motion and Speed
• Breathing Considerations
• Weight Belts
• Lifting a Bar off the Floor

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Exercise Technique Fundamentals

• Handgrips
• In the pronated grip, the palms are down and the
  knuckles are up also called the overhand grip.
• In the supinated grip, the palms are up and the
  knuckles are down also known as the underhand
  grip.
• In the neutral grip, the knuckles point
  laterallyas in a handshake.
• (continued)

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Exercise Technique Fundamentals

• Handgrips (continued)
• The alternated grip uses one hand in a pronated
  grip and the other in a supinated grip.
• The hook grip is similar to the pronated grip
  except that the thumb is positioned under the
  index and middle fingers.
• The thumb is wrapped around the bar in all of the
  grips shown this positioning is called a closed
  grip.
• When the thumb does not wrap around the bar, the
  grip is called an open or false grip.

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Bar Grips

• Figure 14.1 (next slide)
• (a) Pronated
• (b) Supinated
• (c) Alternated
• (d) Hook (posterior view)

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Figure 14.1
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Grip Widths

• Figure 14.2 (next slide)
• The three grip widths are
• Common
• Wide
• Narrow

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Figure 14.2
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Exercise Technique Fundamentals

• Stable Body and Limb Positioning
• A stable position enables the athlete to maintain
  proper body alignment during an exercise, which
  in turn places an appropriate stress on muscles
  and joints.
• Both free-weight and machine exercises require a
  stable position. The five-point body contact
  position provides stability for seated or supine
  exercises.
• (continued)

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Exercise Technique Fundamentals

• Stable Body and Limb Positioning (continued)
• Following is the five-point body contact
  position
• Head is placed firmly on the bench or back pad.
• Shoulders and upper back are placed firmly and
  evenly on the bench or back pad.
• Buttocks are placed evenly on the bench or seat.
• Right foot is flat on the floor.
• Left foot is flat on the floor.

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Key Point

• Exercises performed while standing typically
  require that the feet be positioned slightly
  wider than hip-width with the heels and balls of
  the feet in contact with the floor. Seated or
  supine exercises performed on a bench usually
  require a five-point body contact position.

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Key Point

• Before performing machine exercises, adjust seat
  and pads to position the body joint primarily
  involved in the exercise in alignment with the
  machines axis of rotation.

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Exercise Technique Fundamentals

• Range of Motion and Speed
• A full range of motion maximizes the value of an
  exercise and improves flexibility.
• Slow, controlled movements make it easier to
  achieve a complete ROM, though quick movements
  are appropriate for power exercises.

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Exercise Technique Fundamentals

• Breathing Considerations
• The sticking point is the most strenuous movement
  of a repetition, and it occurs soon after the
  transition from the eccentric phase to the
  concentric phase.
• Instruct athletes to exhale through the sticking
  point and to inhale during the less stressful
  phase of the repetition.

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Exercise Technique Fundamentals

• Breathing Considerations
• Valsalva maneuver
• For experienced and well-resistance-trained
  athletes performing structural exercises
• Will assist in maintaining proper vertebral
  alignment and support
• Involves expiring against a closed glottis,
  which, when combined with contracting the abdomen
  and rib cage muscles, creates rigid compartments
  of fluid in the lower torso and air in the upper
  torso
• Helps to establish the flat-back and erect
  upper torso position in many exercises

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Key Point

• For most exercises, exhale through the sticking
  point of the concentric phase and inhale during
  the eccentric phase. Experi-enced and
  well-trained athletes may want to use the
  Valsalva maneuver when performing structural
  exercises to assist in maintaining proper
  vertebral alignment and support.

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Exercise Technique Fundamentals

• Weight Belts
• Typically an athlete should wear a weight belt
  when performing exercises that place stress on
  the lower back and during sets that involve
  near-maximal or maximal loads.
• A weight belt is not needed for exercises that do
  not stress the lower back or for those that do
  stress the lower back but involve light loads.

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Exercise Technique Fundamentals

• Lifting a Bar off the Floor
• The position of the feet and back shown in figure
  14.3 enables the leg muscles to make a major
  contribution as the bar is lifted off the floor.
• Keeping the bar close to the body and the back
  flat during the upward pull helps avoid excessive
  strain on the lower back.

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Lifting Technique

• Figure 14.3 (next two slides)
• Correct technique for lifting a bar off the floor

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Figure 14.3
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Figure 14.3 (continued)
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Section Outline

• Spotting Free Weight Exercises
• Types of Exercises Performed and Equipment
  Involved
• Spotting Overhead Exercises and Those With the
  Bar on the Back or Front Shoulders
• Spotting Over-the-Face Exercises
• Do Not Spot Power Exercises
• Number of Spotters
• Communication Between Athlete and Spotter
• Use of a Liftoff
• Amount and Timing of Spotting Assistance

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Spotting Free Weight Exercises

• Types of Exercises Performed and Equipment
  Involved
• With the exception of power exercises, free
  weight exercises performed with a bar moving over
  the head, positioned on the back, racked on the
  front of the shoulders, or passing over the face
  typically require one or more spotters.

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Spotting Free Weight Exercises

• Types of Exercises Performed and Equipment
  Involved
• Spotting Overhead Exercises and Those With the
  Bar on the Back or Front Shoulders
• Ideally, to promote the safety of the lifter, the
  spotters, and others nearby, overhead exercises
  and those involving the bar on the back or front
  shoulders should be performed inside a power rack
  with the crossbars in place at an appropriate
  height.
• (continued)

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Spotting Free Weight Exercises

• Types of Exercises Performed and Equipment
  Involved
• Spotting Overhead Exercises and Those With the
  Bar on the Back or Front Shoulders (continued)
• Out-of-the-rack exercises (e.g., forward step
  lunge orstep-up) with heavy weights can result
  in serious injury.
• These exercises should be executed only by
  well-trained and skilled athletes and spotted by
  experienced profes-sionals.

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Spotting Free Weight Exercises

• Types of Exercises Performed and Equipment
  Involved
• Spotting Over-the-Face Exercises
• When spotting over-the-face barbell exercises, it
  is important for the spotter to grasp the bar
  with an alternated grip, usually narrower than
  the athletes grip. Because of the bars curved
  trajectory in some exercises (e.g., lying triceps
  extension, barbell pullover), the spotter will
  use an alternated grip to pick up the bar and
  return it to the floor but a supinated grip to
  spot the bar.

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Spotting Dumbbell Exercises

• Figure 14.4 (next slide)
• (a) Incorrect dumbbell spotting location
• (b) Correct spotting location
• Arrows indicate the spotters hand placement on
  the athletes arms.

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Figure 14.4
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Spotting Free Weight Exercises

• Types of Exercises Performed and Equipment
  Involved
• Do Not Spot Power Exercises

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Spotting Free Weight Exercises

• Number of Spotters
• Determined by load and experience and ability of
  athlete and spotters
• Communication Between Athlete and Spotter
• Use of a Liftoff
• Amount and Timing of Spotting Assistance