Now that the beginning of year shock to body is over, and who ever kept their word on the resolution to train is training hard, people want to know more about the muscle groups. For now the postings from this Blog might not provide the information about the mainstream exercises that everyone uses in the gym for Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms and Legs, and that you are interested in. But since this Blog was renamed: Hardcore Resistance Training & WellB, it doesn’t mean the postings won’t relate and critique the gym environment, ethics and exercise that characterized Hardcore Peeves.
So there are many controversies about certain exercises done in the gym which have been described as exercises that you shouldn’t do. The reason for this is most don’t know how to do them properly, and instead of maintaining proper form, posture and execution, they end up injuring themselves. We will discuss why they are banished. One of the muscles that most of these exercise are for, is the Rotator Cuff. The muscles that belong to this group originate at the shoulder blade (Scapula), and Insert at the top of the bone of your arm (Humerus). They are the Supraspinatus (which allows the muscle to rotate inward), Infraspinatus, Teres Minor (both rotate the arm outward), and Subescapularis (abducts the arm lifting it away from the body) (S. Sovndal. Cycling Anatomy. Human Kinetics. 2009). These muscles stabilize and protect the shoulder joint. The exercises usually done to strengthen the rotator cuff are the external and internal rotations of the upper arm positioned against your body and moving your lower arm inward and outward with bands, on the cable or with dumbbells.
But nature isn’t perfect and sometimes the Humerus bone doesn’t fit perfectly in its socket. And moving this joint inappropriately causes injuries of the rotator cuff and shoulder. According to the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) the right position to exercise the rotator cuff is maintaining shoulders back with chest wide open, pulling the shoulder blade and elbows downwards. Without the right posture performing exercises with the internal rotation could cause shoulder and rotator cuff injuries. And that is why the upright row is considered a “dangerous” exercise.
Now that the beginning of year shock to body is over, and who ever kept their word on the resolution to train is training hard, people want to know more about the muscle groups. For now the postings from this Blog might not provide the information about the mainstream exercises that everyone uses in the gym for Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms and Legs, and that you are interested in. But since this Blog was renamed: Hardcore Resistance Training & WellB, it doesn’t mean the postings won’t relate and critique the gym environment, ethics and exercise that characterized Hardcore Peeves.
So there are many controversies about certain exercises done in the gym which have been described as exercises that you shouldn’t do. The reason for this is most don’t know how to do them properly, and instead of maintaining proper form, posture and execution, they end up injuring themselves. We will discuss why they are banished. One of the muscles that most of these exercise are for, is the Rotator Cuff. The muscles that belong to this group originate at the shoulder blade (Scapula), and Insert at the top of the bone of your arm (Humerus). They are the Supraspinatus (which allows the muscle to rotate inward), Infraspinatus, Teres Minor (both rotate the arm outward), and Subescapularis (abducts the arm lifting it away from the body) (S. Sovndal. Cycling Anatomy. Human Kinetics. 2009). These muscles stabilize and protect the shoulder joint. The exercises usually done to strengthen the rotator cuff are the external and internal rotations of the upper arm positioned against your body and moving your lower arm inward and outward with bands, on the cable or with dumbbells.
But nature isn’t perfect and sometimes the Humerus bone doesn’t fit perfectly in its socket. And moving this joint inappropriately causes injuries of the rotator cuff and shoulder. According to the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) the right position to exercise the rotator cuff is maintaining shoulders back with chest wide open, pulling the shoulder blade and elbows downwards. Without the right posture performing exercises with the internal rotation could cause shoulder and rotator cuff injuries. And that is why the upright row is considered a “dangerous” exercise.
If done properly the Barbell/Dumbbell/Cable Upright Row primarily activates the anterior and lateral deltoid (shoulders) and trapezius (traps), and in second place the muscles of the rotator cuff. It actually is used for Rehab in injuries of the shoulders, rotator cuff and neck Muscles and can contribute to wider and thicker back muscles. The problem occurs when it is done incorrectly and with heavy weights. You usually see people performing the exercise with a grip that is too wide and bringing the bar above the shoulder bone. Elbows can go high if you feel comfortable doing it that way, but the wrists shouldn’t go above the line of your shoulder bone, and the fists around the bar should be positioned with moderate space in between them, more closed than shoulder length. You also see the bar being thrown forward after being raised so that it comes down far from the body. Depending on the load of the bar this causes and excessive internal rotation with abduction of the arms (Instability of the joint of the ball of the arm into the socket of the shoulder causing impingement) resulting in injury. The bar should be maintained close to the body at all times with the final position of the arms extended fully. As discussed before jerking, bouncing and swinging are also factors that could cause injury.
So when they say that the Upright Row is an exercise that should not be used, that doesn’t mean that a resistance training program can’t include it, it just means that one should know what they are doing because most don’t have a clue, and actually don’t realize that they are making a spectacle of themselves (Look back to Bounce Those Cheating Jerks for video).
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