Exercise Execution

Execution

• Hold the weight(s) with an ʻevenʼ firm grip of the hand (though not too tightly)

• Wrists should remain neutral or back (unless stated specifically), never forward

• Always initiate from the working muscle (try to build tension before executing)

• Aim to fully lengthen and fully shorten the muscle (unless otherwise stated)

• A muscle is fully lengthened when its antagonist is fully contracted (be conscious of this to help establish range)

• Contract through the entire range of available motion (full flexion and full extension)

• Keep constant tension on the working muscle (no pause at the top / bottom unless stated in the workouts)

• Aim to always work in ‘straight lines’ (very few exceptions)

• No extraneous movement / body English

• Ensure form does not degrade in order to complete additional reps; simply work within the range of motion that can still be achieved if you continue on

• Inhale deeply through the nose on the negative, explosively exhale through the mouth while pushing through the positive

Posture (unless stated otherwise)

• Keep head neutral (inline with spine relative to torso), shoulders back and depressed, scapula contracted (allow zero internal / external rotation of shoulders or any arching), abs / core-tight (spine stable), chest ‘proud’ and torso tall

• When upright, your torso should be vertical or ‘very slightly’ forward (approx. 30º) pivoting from the hips, NOT from the spine (stick butt back a little so hips move behind shoulders)

• When standing while working the upper body, contract your glutes and hams to prevent hip sway (shove feet into the floor)

Warm-Ups

• Before beginning an exercise, without using any weight, assess your Active / Available Range of Motion (AROM) – donʼt be surprised if the range you can access differs on a somewhat frequent basis; this is due to built-in bodily protective mechanisms and is to be expected, and MUST be respected! Do not try to force a larger range that you can achieve comfortably as this will greatly increase your chances of injury.

• Perform as many physical rehearsal / warm-up sets as you require prior to executing the first working set of an exercise, the closer to your 1 repetition maximum, the more you’ll likely need. Also, if new to a particular movement, spend more time rehearsing it.

Additional Tips

• The tempo and reps dictate the load you should use!  Maintain perfect form throughout – adjust the load accordingly to hit the desired reps, do not adjust the form!)