This basic shoulder exercise has a number of variations, but we will start with the seated dumbbell (DB) press. From a seated position, preferably with a back support, start with your hands just outside of your shoulders, with a pronated grip - your elbows should be pointed toward the floor; now press the dumbbells straight up until your elbows are nearly "locked," but keep them "soft," that is, don't snap them into a locked position. It is important to keep this movement in a comfortable range - the press may be straight up, or the dumbbells may be arced slightly into the overhead position. Pause at the top, then lower them, under control, to the starting position. That's one.
VARIATIONS: This exercise may be done using a barbell (BB), or in a standing position, or behind the neck. However, I recommend the seated position with a back support, unless very light weights are being used - there is a strong tendency to lean backward, which your back may well object to. Also, this exercise is commonly done from a behind-the-neck position, but, again, I don't recommend it. Those who do behind-the-neck exercises, whether they be presses, pulldowns, or ???, often end up with shoulder injuries. That position seems to be slightly unnatural for the shoulders, which means that if you choose to do behind-the-neck exercises, the weight used should be on the lighter side. A final variation to be described is called an Arnold Press. Start as above, except that your hands should be holding the dumbbells in a supinated grip (palms facing your body) and in front of your shoulders. As you begin to press the dumbbells upward, begin to rotate your wrists so that your hands are fully pronated (palms facing forward) at the top; pause, then, as you lower the weights, begin to rotate your wrists so they are again supinated at the completion of the rep. That's one.
This exercise is actually composed of three separate movements to individually stress the anterior, medial, and posterior deltoids. First, is the Front Raise. In either or seated or standing position, with hands holding dumbbells in a prone position, and knees "soft;" raise the dumbbells in an arcing motion until they are overhead. During the upward movement, your elbows should be slightly flexed, and you should avoid swinging the weights. Try to move the weights up to at least a 45 degrees angle - this advice applies to fitness lifters, who should work through as full a range-of-motion as possible; while those seeking muscle hypertrophy (an increase in muscle size) should stop at 90 degrees, to keep constant tension on the muscle and to maximize Anterior Deltoid isolation. Pause, then slowly lower the weights to the initial position. Second, comes the Lateral Raise. With your arms at your sides, dumbbell held in a neutral position; raise your arms to 45 degrees, or higher if you can - to achieve as full a ROM as you can; or stop at 90 degrees for maximizing isolation of the Medial Deltoid. Your elbows should be slightly flexed, and your wrists should be rotated so that your thumbs are below your little fingers. Additionally, the weights should be raised slightly in front of your shoulders. And finally, comes the Bent Lateral Raise (also called Reverse Flye) for the Anterior Deltoid. In a standing position, but bent forward from the hips with a flat back, and with your arms hanging straight down; raise the dumbbells in an arcing motion out to the sides. Note that you won't be able to go much higher than the level of your back. That is okay. The movement should be out and slightly forward. Pause, then slowly lower the weights to the starting position. That is one. Control the weight in both directions. This movement may also be done forward, rather than to the side - one arm at a time, or both together.
This exercise, also called Vertical Row, was previously described in the BACK issue (May 1995). It works the back (Trapezius muscle), the forearm (Brachioradialis muscle), as well as the shoulder (Posterior Deltoid). It is said that the wider the grip, the more intense the rear deltoid involvement.
Most gyms have some version of this machine, which is typically designed to concentrate on the Medial Deltoids. See gym staff for instructions on how to set up and use their specific machine.
Begin this exercise lying on your back (supine), with your arms against your sides. Your elbows are bent 90 degrees, with your forearms pointed straight out from your sides. You will be holding light dumbbells in each hand, or not - I recommend starting this exercise without weights until you are thoroughly familiar with the movement, and are pain-free. Your palms are facing up. Now raise the dumbbells in an arcing motion until your forearms are perpendicular to the floor (yes, pointing straight up). Then slowly move them back to the starting position. That's one. It is very important that the movements are slow and controlled. Don't force anything, on one side or the other you may not be able to lay your forearm flat on the floor. Be patient, if you do this exercise consistently, your ROM should improve. Our goal is a full, pain-free ROM.
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Start this exercise lying on one side, with your bottom arm extended out from your shoulder just make this comfortable, it is your headrest. Your upper arm will rest against your side, with your elbow bent 90 degrees, and holding a dumbbell (or not, as above) in a palm-down (prone) position the dumbbell is resting on the floor in the starting position. Now move the dumbbell up in an arcing motion until your forearm is parallel to the floor. Be sure to keep your arm pressed against your side. Go slow and easy, as above - all the same cautions apply. Don't forget to flop over and do the other side.
Again, on your back. You will be hold dumbbells (or not) with your wrists pronated. Your arms are pointing out laterally at shoulder level, and with your elbows again at a 90 degrees angle. Start with your forearms rotated back so that they are resting on the floor with your hands at about head level (your trunk and arms are in a "T" position). Now move your forearms in an arcing motion until they are now pointing toward your feet. Be sure to do this slowly, because if you have a limited ROM for either shoulder, a stabbing pain will let you know: your arm might fall off too. Now rotate your forearms back to the starting position. That's one.
For this very gentle exercise, start in a seated position on a bench or chair. Leaning slightly forward, let one arm hang loosely - fully extended and with the hand holding a light dumbbell, start a gentle forward/backward or a side-to-side movement. Do one of these movements a few times, and then move into the other one for a few repetitions. Now work this motion into a circular/oblong one. Reverse the direction. Repeat this sequence for the other shoulder. As you can probably tell, there is virtually no resistance involved with these movements. It is really a physical therapy exercise, so you may not want to do it, unless you have a shoulder problem.
This section deals with the biceps, which flexes the elbow; actually the biceps brachii, the brachialis (which lies beneath the biceps brachii, and is therefore invisible), and the brachioradialis, which is in the upper forearm. In addition, we will discuss exercises for the triceps brachii, which extends the elbow. Note that "brachium" indicates "arm," so if you see a muscle with "brachi"-anything, you will know it is in the arm. Pretty nifty, huh.
This most basic biceps exercise is done in a standing position, feet about shoulder width apart, hands holding the bar with a supinated grip and just outside of the shoulder width, arms fully extended, knees soft, and body erect. Inhale fully, raise the bar in an arcing motion toward your chest. Forcefully exhale as you reach the top. Your elbows should remain pressed against your sides as you raise the bar, and you should strongly resist the tendency to lean backward, especially when the effort becomes hard. Pause, then lower the weight under control - don't let the bar "drop," and similarly, don't swing it to its top position. Your hands should be slightly supinated at the top of the flexion phase of a repetition, unless you are using an EZ Curl bar, which has a series of bends to it that relieve stress on your wrists. Be sure not to rock back-and-forth, make your muscles work, not momentum. When you have returned the bar to its initial position you have completed one rep.
VARIATIONS: either a wide grip, or a narrow grip may be used for this exercise. The wider the grip, the more the inner head of the biceps brachii muscle is emphasized, and the narrower the grip, the more the outer head is emphasized. [Note that "bi" in "biceps" indicates two parts, called "heads." The biceps has a common attachment below the elbow, and then splits into two parts as it ascends the arm toward its upper attachments.]
Seated on a bench, preferably with a backrest; holding dumbbells with hands supinated; raise the dumbbells toward your shoulders in an arcing movement, and increase supination at the top (a bit of a twist). Pause, then lower the DBs, under control. Note that the arms (shoulder to elbow, remember?) should be kept at your sides. As with all exercises, remember proper breathing - at the beginning of a curl, inhale deeply); exhale at the completion of the concentric contraction. This exercise may be done in an incline position, which further isolates the biceps muscles.
"No, the machine doesn't do the curl for you. It just provides the "stuff" for you to do it." This is another example of gym equipment. Get staff help.
Seated, and slightly bent forward, with one arm dangling straight down, and holding a DB with your elbow touching the inside of your knee ( this position will help you stabilize the arm so that only your forearm will move); now curl the DB up toward your shoulder and supinate at the top. Squeeze it, then return to the initial position. That's one. Be sure not to swing the weight and nothing should move except your forearm. Note that the movement may be toward either shoulder ( i.e., across your body, or straight forward and back). Work both arms - that is a superfluous comment, I hope. Be aware that this exercise is a toner/shaper, not a mass builder.
This is another shaper that is usually done in a gym on a twin tower multi-station setup with high cable hookups, but it could be done with DBs, only less effectively. Standing centered between the towers, holding the cable handles with a supinated grip, and with your arms fully extended, laterally, from your shoulders; now, while maintaining your arms parallel to the floor, curl your hands toward your head - you will now look like Hercules in a double biceps pose. Pause (squeeze), then return, under control, to the initial position. That's one.
This is another gym exercise. It requires a low cable attachment, where you can connect a variety of bars or handles which allow either one or two arm curls, and a variety of grips supinated, neutral, or pronated. The most basic exercise is the arm curl using a straight bar. The action required is exactly as described above for the BB curl.
In a standing position, using a BB, grasp the bar with a pronated grip at about shoulder width, or closer. This will particularly focus on the Brachioradialis muscle, and will lengthen the biceps muscles. Curl the bar as with the normal BB curl.
With a DB in each hand, with a supinated grip; curl the DBs toward your shoulders, but unlike regular curls, at the top of the concentric contraction, rotate the DBs into a pronated position and lower them to the starting position. Now start the second rep by raising the weights without changing their orientation. At the top, rotate them to a supine position and lower them to the initial position, from where you will continue these alternating repetitions to the end of your set.
Perform DB curls as previously described, except using a neutral grip.
Q What's a ROM?
Y.M.K.F., Henderson, NEV
A It's an acronym for range-of-motion, which is the range through which an individual can move a specific joint. To maintain maximum flexibility (see Note 1), we should exercise through the maximum ROM that we can. Stretching, along with weight training, can help maintain or increase our normal ROM. Do not exceed your maximum ROM to the point of pain. Proper stretching (typically static, not ballistic), performed regularly, can provide a gradual increase in your normal ROM.
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Note 1 - It is important to develop and maintain flexibility, which is one of the four components of fitness; 1) muscular strength and endurance, 2) flexibility, 3)cardiovascular/cardiopulmonary endurance, and 4) body composition.
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Q Can you tell me something about the quality of Cheerios as a breakfast cereal?
H.M.F., Roseburg, OR
A Yes, it so happens that I just read some nutrition information on - you guessed it - breakfast cereals. The article says that the old, traditional Cheerios are a pretty good product mostly whole-grain oat flour sweetened with just one gram of sugar per serving; however, the new Multi-Grain Cheerios is loaded with sugar. In fact, it has more sugar than three of the five types of grain that it promotes on the label. Not a healthy product. All-in-all, I prefer Nabisco Shredded Wheat, although even they have recently come out with a sugar coated variety.
Q I just heard a TV doctor say that exercise may cause or increase a pot belly. Do you care to comment?
Big John, San Antonio, TX
A Sure. Last night (May 9, 1995) on the channel 7 news, Dr Dean reported on a study published, I think, in Lancet, which suggested that exercise, specifically running, may cause or contribute to pot bellies. My impression is that this was simply another piece of irresponsible reporting on exercise. I haven't read the article yet, but it reportedly stated that runners exercise with relaxed abdominal muscles, hence the possible distension of the abdominal wall, eventually leading to a famous "pot." On my run this morning I took inventory of the state of my abdominal muscles - they were not relaxed. They weren't as tight as they would be if I were posing for a muscle magazine, but they were definitely slightly flexed. The result of an erect posture, perhaps. In fact, I don't think one could run with relaxed abdominal muscles. The report in Lancet must have been a medical student's joke. I am a "chest breather" as opposed to a "belly breather." About 20 years ago I read in a runner's magazine about "belly breathing," which was supposed to help prevent "side aches." But I doubt whether even that technique would result in a pot belly. By the way, how many serious runners have you seen with pot bellies? Some people have said that doing abdominal exercises (situps, crunches) while pushing out against the inside of the anterior wall of the abdominal cavity will cause the muscles to grow outward; an impossibility according to at least one wellknown exercise physiologist (a Ph.D.). Don't worry about this silly report; but of course, resistance exercise (e.g., calisthenics, like abdominal crunches; or weight training, like arm curls) may offset this tendency. More significant, relative to a pot belly is the X-Factor. Genetically determined locations of organs may cause some degree of the pot belly syndrome (e.g., the location of a uterus may prevent a flat belly). Likewise, the location of fat deposits are at least partially genetically determined. For that reason, a person with relatively little body fat may find that it tends to accumulate in unwanted areas. However, if you didn't have a pot at age 25, but you do at 45, don't blame it on your jeans, er genes.
UPDATE - I just came across an article in the Tufts University Diet & Nutrition Letter, the April 1995 issue, which deals with this pot belly subject. Joggers/runners that already have a pot belly: take heed. All the bouncing caused by jogging can stretch the abdominal muscles, which can make the problem worse. It is advised that this group (actually, virtually anyone can benefit from this recommendation) add some exercises for the abdominals and the lower back. In addition, hamstring exercise and stretching are advised, because they "pull" all the way up the back, and can cause a protruding belly, as well as back problems. This is getting away from the original question, but maybe it's relative here anyway. Big meals, especially at night, contribute to the problem - probably more than running. Abdominal extension is a result, that's why eating right before sleep isn't good. Your muscles relax and your abdomen stretches like a rubber band and eventually doesn't stretch back. Anyway, that's enough about pot bellies - you probably have gotten the idea by now.
On the next page we are starting a new feature of the MAF FITNESS NEWSLETTER called LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. It's purpose is to provide a forum for readers to contribute relevant information that they may run across in their meanderings through life.
I just read the April 1995 TUFTS UNIVERSITY DIET & NUTRITION LETTER and learned a couple of things that I'd like to pass on to your readers. First, an update on Taco Bell's new Border Lights offerings. Although only four items are commonly available, more are soon to be available. The Border Light (BL) Taco, Taco Supreme, Soft Taco, and Soft Taco Supreme are acceptable - commendable, as far as fast foods go. But, some of the others aren't so commendable: in the BL Bean Burrito the fat and salt content are rising. The same with the BL Burrito Supreme, especially its salt content of 1303 mg, which is over half a day's worth - 2400 mg per day. [Note that we need only about 200 mg, but 2400 mg are the acceptable maximum.] Next is the BL 7 Layer Burrito, which also has relatively high fat and salt content. And finally, the BL Taco Salad, which sounds benign, but contains 680 calories, 225 of which are from fat, to go along with a high salt content. The roughly 30% fat content is acceptable to some, but I think it's on the high side, especially for someone trying to lose weigh, or not gain anymore. Thee bottom line is that not all of this is perfect food, but it is better than the vast majority of other fast food available.
A second piece of info from the same source is that pre-packaged veggies retain up to half as much of their nutrients as the cut variety which is out on display. Left exposed to air, cut veggies lose significant amounts of nutrients, but that doesn't mean not to buy them, only that prepackaged ones lose less. All of this stuff loses some nutrients as soon as it is separated from the earth that it lives in.
A.C.C., Woodside, CA
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