Don't Neglect These Exercises During Training!

By consistently performing the act of seated squatting, no one will have difficulty in properly lifting items from the floor, which is also advantageous for the spine. Correct execution of this exercise also enables an improvement in joint mobility and control of body stability. Another excellent benefit of this exercise is the increase in strength and muscle development of the legs, particularly the quadriceps, as well as the back and abdominal muscles that function as stabilizers. This exercise should be included in every training plan due to its universality.

– the benefits of performing this exercise are similar to those of sitting down. The exercise consists of lifting the barbell from the ground to a straight position. The main movement during this exercise is bending and straightening in the hip joint, and the muscles responsible for this movement are the group of hip prosthetics, mainly the back muscles and the back and neck muscles group. Synergistic muscles are the abdominal muscles, the cartilage, the conductors, and muscles. The training helps to learn the correct bending pattern, and it is important to distinguish between two types of bending, which are depicted in the following graphic. Source: buffalorehab.com/blog/protecting-spine-hip-hinge/ (16.02.2018). The first image shows a man with a disturbed curvature of the spine due to the lack of an appropriate bend in the hip joint. This leads to an excessive load on the spine, which can lead to injuries. The second image shows the correct execution of the bend in the hip joint, thereby maintaining the natural curvature of the spine and significantly reducing the adverse forces on the spine – as in the deadlift. Correct execution of this exercise reduces the risk of injury and strengthens the muscles responsible for this movement. I would also like to mention that there are many variations of the deadlift, such as the Romanian deadlift, the rack pull, the sumo deadlift or the single-leg deadlift.

Both horizontal and vertical presses can be executed, for instance, in a standing position. These exercises require pushing the weight away from the body, which is essential in team sports where battles between players occur, both in boxing and basketball. The objective of these presses is to augment the strength and hypertrophy of muscles such as the deltoids, triceps, and pectorals. In the case of horizontal presses, exercises such as push-ups, dumbbell press, and bench press predominate. If one wishes to perform vertical presses, exercises such as dumbbell press, barbell press, and push press should be chosen.

This is one of the most popular gym exercises that involves the spinal muscles when performing a horizontal pulling movement. Performing this movement activates the work of the quadriceps muscles, the widest vertebral muscles, and the rear axillary muscle. Additionally, when this exercise is performed without support, the muscles that stabilize the spine and the entire body are strengthened. Performing rowing movements also carries another important benefit - sufficiently strong back muscles, particularly the ascending part of the quadriceps muscle, ensure proper posture and protect against deformities such as rounded back. Additionally, if there is a balance between the pushing and pulling muscles, one can maintain the health, condition, and strength of the elbow joints. There are several variations of rowing movements, such as rowing with an overhand grip, rowing with an underhand grip, Pendlay rowing, one-handed rowing, rowing with dumbbells on an incline bench, and half-range rowing.

Unilateral training exercises do not signify that merely one arm or leg is performing the job. While exercising, the other side is also engaged, but the first side is prevailing. These exercises possess substantial benefits and should persistently be a part of the plan. Unilateral work enables the balancing of potential asymmetries in the organism. Numerous lower body exercises necessitate stability and balance, consequently these attributes are cultivated during these exercises. Enhancement in stability and balance occurs as a result of fortifying the twisting lateral bands, which are disregarded during bilateral exercises. Although we comprehend that when we visit the gym, our objective is not to enhance local and global stability, balance, or twisting lateral bands, still, good condition of these attributes boosts the operation of the musculoskeletal system, thus we can better develop the muscles. Examples of such exercises are lunges, Bulgarian squats, swallows, side lunges, one-arm weightlifting, one-arm rowing, and forward lunges.

A group of exercises that are not intended for hypertrophic muscle development. While unilateral exercises can be successfully used for physiological purposes, stabilization exercises are equally important for developing other characteristics. The primary goal of improving stabilization is to enhance static and dynamic stability. For central body stabilization, the deep muscles are responsible, such as the transverse abdominal, multipart muscular, pelvic floor, and peripheral muscles. Body balance, especially the balance of the spine-pelvis-hip complex, is an exceptionally important aspect of movement when performing the basic functions of the body. If the body's muscles are not controlled correctly during exercise, it is unlikely that they will be used effectively for movement, and if there is a lack of movement, they can be used as a mechanism to control muscle movement.