stabilization questions

[ptrainer]

Does anyone here have any ideas on what I can do to increase lumbo-pelvic stabilization during sit-ups?
I have ideas, I'd just like to hear what you guys think.

What proprioceptive exercises do you do for the ankles?

What are some of the most common muscular imbalances you see in the gym and what would you do to reverse them?

Any creative ideas or techniques you guys share would be greatly appreciated.

[Biker]

What are some of the most common muscular imbalances you see in the gym and what would you do to reverse them?

Do you mean size imbalances? If you do, here's what I see: Dudes with huge, near-pro bodybuilder upper bodies and little chicken legs. Another thing is people only training the muscles they can see in the mirror. At a Powerhouse Gym I trained at for a few years there was a bloke with good bicep, pec and deltoid development. Lats, tris and legs were on par with a pre-teen girl. If I had any of those problems, personally, I'd quit training in front of the mirror and start doing squats, bigtime.

Does anyone here have any ideas on what I can do to increase lumbo-pelvic stabilization during sit-ups?

If it is a major problem, quit doing sit-ups and do crunches. The abs primarily shorten the torso, hip flexors make you sit up.

[ptrainer]

Do you mean size imbalances? If you do, here's what I see: Dudes with huge, near-pro bodybuilder upper bodies and little chicken legs. Another thing is people only training the muscles they can see in the mirror. At a Powerhouse Gym I trained at for a few years there was a bloke with good bicep, pec and deltoid development. Lats, tris and legs were on par with a pre-teen girl. If I had any of those problems, personally, I'd quit training in front of the mirror and start doing squats, bigtime.

Yes, and kinda. I was talking about people who have things like abducted/elevated scapula, putting stress on the cervical extensors/vertabrae. Here's a better example: Pectoralis major is too tight/strong, causing his scapula to abduct (shoulders hunched forward, thus causing the head/cervical vertabrae to come off alignment with the spine, causing the cervical extensors to contract to compensate. This would most likely mean that the person has weak rhomboids, medial/lower trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, posterior deltoids, etc.

The problems I was looking for were things that lead to vertabral subluxations, loss of structural alignment, pain and all that good stuff.


If it is a major problem, quit doing sit-ups and do crunches. The abs primarily shorten the torso, hip flexors make you sit up.

No, not a major problem (although that's good advice if it were). What kind of exercises do you think I could do strengthen a posterior pelvic tilt?

[Biker]

Yes, and kinda. I was talking about people who have things like abducted/elevated scapula, putting stress on the cervical extensors/vertabrae. Here's a better example: Pectoralis major is too tight/strong, causing his scapula to abduct (shoulders hunched forward, thus causing the head/cervical vertabrae to come off alignment with the spine, causing the cervical extensors to contract to compensate. This would most likely mean that the person has weak rhomboids, medial/lower trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, posterior deltoids, etc.

A problem like that is caused by not working the opposing or opposite muscle group. That's another common thing that I see. People go to the gym and only bench press because it is the manly thing. Then their shoulders are pulled forward into a hunch. Thing to do would be movements working the back, pull-downs, pull-ups, bent-over rows, cable rows, shrugs, etc.

No, not a major problem (although that's good advice if it were). What kind of exercises do you think I could do strengthen a posterior pelvic tilt?

Doing sort of a reverse crunch. Instead of bringing your head toward your knees bring your knees toward your head. Another exercise is the pelvic tilt. Laying on the floor with your feet in the air, tilt your pelvis so that your legs and feet raise up higher. Or if you have the incline bench for it, incline sit-ups. Those will specifically target the lower abs, making them stronger and reducing a pelvic tilt.

Just my own opinion here, some of these problems are caused by people having a favorite body part to train and having another that they hate. For people who do not workout, I suspect that poor posture and general lack of exercise are causes.

[Builderofmuscle]

Anotomy class?

Are you guys teaching some sort of anatomy class or something? What do these terms means, and what do they have to do with martial arts?

[ptrainer]

Biker,

I agree with everything you have to say except, for the lower abs part. The rectus abdominus, cannot be seperated into upper and lower parts. It may seem like they're seperated, when in fact it's all one muscle. You cannot contract the upper and lower abs individually, try it. Do a crunch and put you hand on both upper and lower and you'll find that you can't relax one without the other. However, I do believe I know what you're talking about. The muscles I would strengthen would be the muscles that cross the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex (iliopsoas, rectus femoris, external/ internal obliques, and of course rectus abdominus). You did have some good exercises, though. Thanx for the advise.

[Biker]

I agree with everything you have to say except, for the lower abs part. The rectus abdominus, cannot be seperated into upper and lower parts. It may seem like they're seperated, when in fact it's all one muscle. You cannot contract the upper and lower abs individually, try it. Do a crunch and put you hand on both upper and lower and you'll find that you can't relax one without the other. However, I do believe I know what you're talking about. The muscles I would strengthen would be the muscles that cross the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex (iliopsoas, rectus femoris, external/ internal obliques, and of course rectus abdominus). You did have some good exercises, though. Thanx for the advise

Oh, I am well aware that you cannot contract your upper abs and not your lower and vice versa. But you CAN shift the emphasis from one to the other, make one part work harder than the other.

[ptrainer]

If you would, please elaborate.

[Biker]

It's quite simple really. Change the angle of the movement and you can shift the concentration on a different part of the muscle. It works for me. As I've said many time in the past, different people, different techniques and results.