The Trap Bar

6.24.2020

Blog|Strength Training

The differences between individual lifting forms occur mainly in the mid- thoracic and the lower thoracic/upper lumbar regions of the spine. Movement execution and lifting style is also related to upper torso length, femur length relative to the lower leg and ankle flexibility.

Ascent

Grasp the handles of the trap bar

Assume a shoulder width or slightly wider stance

Retract the shoulder blades and hold the chest up

Head should become neutral upon raising

Feel pressure lateral aspect of foot

Press down with heels when raising up

Drive upward with hips

Maintain spinal alignment throughout the movement

Descent

Return head to neutral before begin the lowering phase of movement

Initiate with breaking hips

Concentrate on your hips when lowering not your knees

Maintain rigid upright trunk

Controlled descent slower than ascent

Olympic Bars Rogers Athletic

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Closed And Open Chain

Open kinetic chain exercises of the lower limb are movements, where the distal segment is unloaded and free to move. The opposite is true of closed kinetic chain exercises, whereby there is enough resistance to prohibit free motion.

Closed kinetic chain exercises are movements such as squats, Pendulum Squat Pro, leg presses and lunges, while open chain exercises are actions like leg curls, leg extensions and the Pendulum Reverse Glute Ham.

The kinetic chain can be understood as interrelated joints and body parts working with one another during motion. This creates a chain of events that affects the movement of neighboring joints and segments.

The advantage of open chain movements is that they tend to be better at isolating muscle and often are selected for specific rehabilitation and used to accentuate performance. While closed chain movements in general would be classified as more functional and closely approximating movements that are used in sport and daily life.

Open Chain Reverse Glute Ham

Closed Chain Pendulum Power Squat Pro

Closed Chain Pendulum Power Squat Pro XT

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Arkansas Baseball Weight Room

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2-for-2 Method

Some trainers, coaches and athletes use what is called the 2-for-2 Method for increasing training load. The rule is if the trainee can perform two or more repetitions over one’s ‘repetition goal’ in the last set of an exercise, for two consecutive workouts, the weight is added for that particular exercise the next training session.