Muscle Origins, Insertions, and Actions How to determine what motion for what muscle Livestrong Fitness Section Lots of great articles & examples Training Secrets Website More great examples

 You simply cannot “warm up” your muscles by stretching them: that’s like trying to cook a steak by pulling on it.  Instead, the best way to warm up is to start by doing a kinder/gentler version of the activity you have in mind: e.g., walking before you run.  Research has shown that a warm-up routine focused on preparing for a specific activity actually does provide decent insurance against the number and severity of both accidents and over-use injuries.

 In other words every movement should be performed to enhance flexibility, strength, speed, local muscular endurance and skill,  so that separate stretching sessions then become largely redundant.  There is lots of controversy regarding the effectiveness of separate stretching regimes in injury prevention & soreness prevention.  Bottom Line seems to be that an effective warmup incorporates stretching, etc. as mentioned earlier.

 There may prove to be some modest injury prevention benefits to stretching — but they are quite specific and missed by most stretching regimens.  For instance, it is likely that diligent and specific calf and arch stretching can prevent plantar fasciitis.

 Correct angles & duration of stretch are important.  Keep body position stable & NO bouncing.  Hamstrings are the only major muscle groups that can really be effectively stretched! High performance in a narrow category often comes at great costs (such as joint stability)

1. Warm up – start slow with lower intensity. 2. Cultivate coordination – build muscle memory with repetition. 3. Relax – tension tightens muscles & clouds thought processes. 4. Play smart, not hard – know your limitations and know when to stop. 5. Mobilize – do dynamic joint mobility drills - moving a joint through its full range, without resistance. (this is better than static stretches!)

 The core encompasses many muscles, not just your abdominals. The core is made up of muscles from your glutes (buttocks), hips, pelvic floor, low back and abdominals. These muscles are a very important part of your stability and center of gravity. It is easy to interchange the word “core” with your “abdominals”, but the abdominals are only one component of the core.

 One of the most important groups of muscles that do help prevent low back pain is your abdominals muscle group. There are 3 muscles that make up the abdominals.  Rectus Abdominis (“Six Pack” muscle)  Obliques (on both sides of your trunk)  Transverse Abdominis (your “belt/girdle”)  One of the major problems that occurs, leading to chronic low back pain, is imbalance among these 3 abdominal muscles.

How to Isolate this muscle 1.Lie on your back with knees bent and pelvis slightly tilted. 2.Take a breath and then exhale completely. Pull belly button toward spine and then up. This will tighten the TA muscle. 3.Place fingers just medial to ASIS to feel this tightening.

 Lie down on the floor on your back and bend your knees, placing your hands behind your head or across your chest.  Pull your belly button towards your spine, and flatten your lower back against the floor.  Slowly contract your abdominals, bringing your shoulder blades about one or two inches off the floor.  Exhale as you come up and keep your neck straight, chin up.  Hold at the top of the movement for a few seconds, breathing continuously.  Slowly lower back down, but don't relax all the way.  Repeat for 15 to 20 repetitions with perfect form for each rep.

Bicycle crunches  Lying flat on the ground with your hands behind your head and your feet off the ground, alternate bringing your right elbow to your left knee, and then your left elbow to your right knee like you are pedaling a bike.  Keep back firmly pressed to floor. Side planks  Lift your hips off the floor until you have created a straight line with your body. Slowly lower your hips without allowing them to touch the ground and then rise back up and repeat for 12 to 15 repetitions. After completing one set, perform the movement on the opposite side.  Keep shoulders & hips stacked - lined up perpendicular to floor.

See how there is a curve in her spine & her head/shoulders are twisted. This is not good form. See how his spine is straight and every part of his body is aligned. This is good form. Beginner form

 Lower back & glutes  Lie on your stomach with arms & legs extended.  Raise one arm up off the ground and bring your shoulder up off the floor.  At same time, raise the opposite leg. You should feel your ASIS press into the floor.  Pause & return to start.  Repeat with opposite side.

 Lie on your side with your spine aligned with the edge of your mat.  Stack your legs one on top of the other, and tuck your knees forward about 45 degrees.  Exhale as you lift the top knee up, keeping your feet stacked. Your legs should look like an open clamshell. Inhale as you close your legs.  Repeat this movement 10 to 15 times, keeping your pelvis steady throughout the movement.