ALL INCLUSIVE

Opposing muscles work best when they work together. This routine, based on the concept of balanced strength, is shown by former Dolphin Greg Camarillo.

By Brian Biagioli; Photography by Dirk Franke

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Yin and yang. The Chinese philosophy of opposing forces applies directly to fitness. When opposing muscles—like the hamstrings and quadriceps or biceps and triceps—are in balance, they help performance and keep your musculoskeletal system aligned. But when that balance is upset, injuries and inefficiency can occur, such as pulled hamstrings and shoulder joint overuse injuries. The athlete may be strong, but not balanced, when they favor and repeat the same exercises without equal attention to opposing muscle groups. While different muscles don’t always have to be equal in strength, they need to be balanced in proportionate strength. 

STEP UP WITH ALTERNATING DIAGONAL CHOP

Prime movers
Hip extensors, adductors, lateral obliques

Common Errors
Uneven extension with rotation, excessive use of shoulders to reach overhead?

Teaching cue
Stand next to a box or bench with one leg straight and the other on the box. Hold the medicine ball or other resistance low and next to the outside hip. Extend the hip and knee while simultaneously rotating the trunk and reaching overhead. Push off the box, elevating hips and transitioning the other foot atop the box while stepping down on the opposite side. As you land, lower and rotate the resistance to the outer hip. When you reach the lowest point, counter rotate and elevate the resistance diagonally across the body, reaching to the highest point and again jumping across the box to the opposite side.

REVERSE LUNGE TO PULL

Prime movers
Glutes, rhomboids

Common Errors
Short step distance, incomplete range of motion

Teaching cue
While standing, grasp a cable or band handle with both hands, holding the resistance in front of the body at shoulder level. Step back into a reverse lunge while keeping a tight trunk, and descend to a point where both knees are bent at 90°. During the reverse lunge, the arms should be flexed with shoulders extended, pulling the resistance into a complete row. Return to the start position. Alternate legs on each repetition.

SEATED DELT ROW

Prime mover
Posterior deltoids

Common Errors
Excessive humeral abduction

Teaching cue
From a seated position on a physioball, grasp a band or cable with extended arms toward the resistance at 45°. Bring the shoulders in and flex the arms to a point where they are in line with the shoulder. Return to start position while maintaining a tight trunk.    

INCLINE CHEST FLYS ON BALL

Prime movers
Pectoralis major

Common Errors
Excessive elbow flexion, shoulder translation, incomplete range of motion

Teaching cue
Lying on a physioball with chest up, holding dumbbells, start by bringing extended arms together above the chest (arms should be out but not with elbows locked) until dumbbells are almost touching. Lower dumbbells to sides until chest muscles are stretched and elbows are fixed in slightly bent position. Use shoulders to bring dumbbells back to first position. The spine should be neutral and not flexed during the movement.

See the rest of the All Inclusive workouts in the September/October 2010 issue of SOBeFiT Magazine.