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The 10 Considerations of Strength Development Part 1

Mike Arthur, M.S.C.C., University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Coach Arthur is a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach and is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable strengthcoaches in the nation. Mike has been instrumental in developing the University of Nebraska into oneof the premier collegiate strength and conditioning programs in the country for the past 25 years. Henow coordinates the workout programs for student-athletes in all 22 Nebraska sports except football.His years at Nebraska directing the development of thousands of athletes have produced many advancesin the strength programs used by athletes around the nation. His research helps Nebraska stay on thecutting edge and allows NU athletes to further develop their skills and talents. Among his many honors,Mike was named the 1995 National Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year and in2003 the board of directors selected him for the USA Strength and Conditioning Coaches Hall of Fame.His vast experiences and unique “practical research role” at NU have allowed him to formulate thisrevolutionary approach to body mechanics and strength training. [Ed.]

The following information is from Mike’s PowerPoint presentation developed for the PosturalRestoration Institute found online at www.posturalrestoration.com.

he 10 considerations are the application of the postural restoration principles as theyapply to strength training methodology in the weight room. In presenting the 10 con-siderations of strength development, it is important to lay the foundation of why andwhat they mean to training the athlete. The 10 considerations are based on the study of Ron Huska’s teaching from

the Postural Restoration Institute. For readers of this publication, the foundation of postural restoration can be found in the excellenteight-part series on the new off-season authored by Lisa Bartels. Considerations 1-5 deal with alignment from the athlete’s perspec-tive. Number 6 deals with the athlete’s symmetry and the unnatural tendency of the body to shift to the left. Considerations 7-10address the upper body as they relate to considerations 1-6. The basic goal of these 10 considerations is to maintain a neutral postureand to do strength training exercises that support this concept rather than promote bad posture/alignment.

What is Neutral Posture?In Figure 1 you see the way most athletes look from the side with anterior pelvic tilt. Figure 3 presents the neutral position.

In Figure 1 we see the pelvis forward as indicated by the red line. That line is parallel to the ground in Figure 3. In this illustrationyou see the abs working with the hamstrings as a force coupled with the hamstrings pulling down with the abs pulling up—the effectof leveling the pelvis in the neutral position. However, if the hips tilt forward, the athlete goes into back extension (Figure 1). Theabs and hamstrings are weak with the force couple of hip flexors and back extensors strong. In order to strengthen the back extensorsthat are already strong, the athlete creates an imbalance.

The first consideration is to not go into back extension. This is illustrated in Figure 4 in the “classic” back extension methodversus a flat-back and abs-flexed position. Figure 5 introduces the consideration of not overstretching the hamstrings (second con-sideration). The overstretch position illustrated is what most people think of as a “normal” hamstring stretch. Hip/back flexibilitydevelopment along with the hamstrings actually occurs. This overstretch actually weakens the hamstrings which hinders the abilityto hold the pelvis in a neutral position, thus achieving proper alignment. If the hamstrings are weakened, the quads become strongerand create a muscle imbalance. The result in quad over-development in relationship to the hamstrings is the forward (anterior) tiltof the pelvis.

The third consideration is strengthening the hamstrings. Figures 6, 8 and 9 provide the exercises. Figure 7 of this series il-lustrates avoiding of back extension in this process by keeping the abs facilitated.

TBGNINTADV

Mike Arthur

Figure 2Figure 1

Figure 3 Figure 4

Strengthening the abs is a natural progression in consideration 4. Part of ab strengthening is to keep the abs facilitated inorder to keep the trunk stable and avoid engaging the back extensor muscles. A key issue is which muscle groups stabilize the trunk.Most athletes are by nature too extended, so working spinal flexion by engaging the abs turns off/relaxes the back extensors. Missionaccomplished.

Sit ups are not the answer to strengthen the abs. You can do all the sit ups in the world; but if you do not use the abs in func-tional movements, the results are not there. Figures 10 thru 16 demonstrate this functional aspect of ab strengthening.

Figure 6

Figure 5

Figure 7

Figure 8

Overstretched Hamstrings Ideal Hamstring Flexibility

Keep abs facilitated and back flat

Don’t go into back extension Keep abdominals tight

1. Shift weight to left leg.2. Reach as far as possible with right hand.2. Raise right leg straight back and up.4. Raise left hand above hip.

1. Keep weight shifted to left leg.2. Pull right arm back and up lead-ing with elbow.3. Bring left elbow and right kneetogether.

Figure 9

1. Use abdominals to pull pelvis and rib cage together.2. Keep hip joint and shoulder joint level with back flat.

1. Lie on left side place right foot in front and leftleg back.2. Place right hand behind head and pull both shoul-der blades together.3. Lift hips as high as possible off ground balancingon left forearm.4. Take deep breaths through nose and out mouth.

Figure 11Figure 10

Single Leg Reach

Consideration 5 is to avoid strengthening the hip flexors. Most people think that working the lower abs is done by leg raisesbecause they work the hip flexors. What they actually do is work the muscles underneath that cross the hip joint. The abs attach tothe pelvis so your abs cannot lift your legs off the ground (see Figure 17). This holds true for exercises such as cycling because theyare non-ab working. It strengthens the hip flexors because the abs do not cross the hip joint. The hips flexors become over-developedwhen doing leg raises because you strengthen the back extensor/hip flexor force couple.

1. Lie on right side place left foot in front and rightleg back.2. Place left hand behind head and pull both shoulderblades together.3. Lift hips as high as possible off ground balancingon left forearm.4. Take deep breaths through nose and out mouth.

Figure 13

1. Lie on right side place right foot in front and left legback.2. Place left hand behind head and pull both shoulderblades together.3. Lift hips as high as possible off ground balancing onleft forearm.4. Take deep breaths through nose and out mouth.

1. Stand facing wall about 3 to 4 feet away.2. Turn shoulders a throw ball at slight angle , so youcan catch ball to opposite side.3. Catch ball as you turn to the opposite side andthrow, keeps hands below shoulders.4. Repeat alternating sides for 20 throws as fast as pos-sible.

Figure 15

1. Lie on left side place left foot in front and right legback.2. Place right hand behind head and pull both shoul-der blades together.3. Lift hips as high as possible off ground balancingon left forearm.4. Take deep breaths through nose and out mouth.

Figure 12

Figure 14

The Anatomy Behind the 10 ConsiderationsA different way to look at symmetry is illustrated in Figure 18 which is from the frontal plane. Most people try to work

both sides equally, but in reality they cannot because one side is stronger than the other; the athlete is rotated more on one side. Asyou shift to the right, the athlete is already orientated to the right more often than to the left. This strengthens the muscle on theright side more with the exception of the hip abductors on the left side.

A look at Figure 2 shows the anatomy of the psoas muscle and how it attaches to the lumbar spine and femur. If you lookat the diaphragm on the left side and the central tendon, look at the right side and the lobe size on the right compared to the left.You see the right side lobe is larger. There are also more attachments on the spine on the right side than the left. This is the bodyorientating to the right. Look at individual’s posture to see the shoulder “down” on the right side. The liver and diaphragm positionscontribute to this via the breathing process, which orientates the rib cage to the right.

Figure 17 Figure 18

Frontal Plane – Shift to Left

Figure 16

1. Stand with side facing wall about 3 to 4 feet away.2. Throw ball into wall so that ball bounces straight backto same side.3. Catch ball let it turn you reverse direction and back towall. Keep hands below shoulders.4. Throw ball ten times, switch sides and throw ten moretimes.

Is this affectation of right-side orientation the same for-left handed individuals? The muscular structure is the same becausehuman evolution took care of this. The left-handed person will still have a right-side orientation, but the affect will not be as pro-nounced. You can always tell the difference between a right-hander and a left-hander by the shoulder rotation.

In next issue’s part 2, we will cover the last 5 considerations. O

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VOLLEYBALL

The 10 Considerations of Strength Development Part 2Focus on Alignment, Symmetry and Upper Body

Mike Arthur, M.S.C.C., University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Coach Arthur is a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach and is regarded as one of the mostknowledgeable strength coaches in the nation. Mike has been instrumental in developing the Universityof Nebraska into one of the premier collegiate strength and conditioning programs in the country forthe past 25 years. He now coordinates the workout programs for student-athletes in all 22 Nebraskasports except football. His years at Nebraska directing the development of thousands of athletes haveproduced many advances in the strength programs used by athletes around the nation. His researchhelps Nebraska stay on the cutting edge and allows NU athletes to further develop their skills and tal-ents. Among his many honors, Mike was named the 1995 National Collegiate Strength and Condition-ing Coach of the Year and in 2003 the board of directors selected him for the USA Strength andConditioning Coaches Hall of Fame. His vast experiences and unique “practical research role” atNU have allowed him to formulate this revolutionary approach to body mechanics and strength training.[Ed.]

n part one, we introduced you to the first five considerations of strength development basedon Ron Huska’s teaching from the Postural Restoration Institute found online at www.posturalrestoration.com. Forreaders of this publication, the foundation of postural restoration can be found in the excellent eight-part series on thenew off-season authored by Lisa Bartels. We will take a look at the final five considerations in this issue.

The final five considerations refer to the illustrationswe used in the last issue. Figures 22 thru 25 illustrate the sixth consid-eration of strengthening the adductors. Consideration 7, not doing over-head lifts, may be a little controversial (Figure 26). When an athletedoes overhead lifts, they go into back extension. I said in part one thatstrengthening the back extensor muscles is a big no-no because the lats aretoo tight for this back extension. It is not bad to do overhead lift if the athletecan engage their abs and stay out of back extension. I would recommendto just leave them out. Why do you need them in sports? If you lift overhead with lats too tight and strong, they become back ex-tensors that pull the scapula and arm out of whack. This can be a big problem for the throwing athlete. Another example is if athletesdo cleans, you often see they have trouble racking the bar. The reason is not tight elbows, wrists or big biceps—it is tight lats.

Consideration 8 (Figures 27 to 30) says to strengthen the triceps and lower traps. The triceps’ third head attaches to thescapula to help stabilize it and the rib cage. The same is true for the lower traps. Most athletes have upper traps that are overworked,thereby lifting the shoulders up and weakening the lower traps. If you work the lower traps, this is in opposition to working theoverhead lifts which help put the scapula in correct position on the athlete’s rib cage.

Consideration 9 (Figures 31-35) stretches the pecs and lats as they relate the first eight considerations. Pecs get overworkedin most strength programs. When athletes do lat pull downs they think that it is the muscle group that opposes the chest, but that isfalse. If you think in three planes of motion, the pecs (especially horizontal) adduct the arms toward the body’s midline along withthe lats. They both attach to the humerus on the front part, almost at the same spot, with both being internal rotators. The only dif-ference is that the chest flexes the arm and the lat extends the arm. If you look at most traditional strength programs the pecs, latsand upper traps are overworked and cause muscle imbalance; however, if you do work them, be sure you stretch them. Most Olympiclifters do not include lat and pec work in their training because it limits range of motion in the shoulder joint.

Mike ArthurIBGNINTADV

The final consideration (Figures 36-42) says to include single-leg exercises. This is in reaction to the fact that most strengthprograms incorporate the squat, which is a different type of movement from the single-leg exercise. If you stand and work on oneleg, you incorporate more abductor and glute muscles to stabilize the leg. You use more adductor and quads when you squat. Yourlegs become sore when you do single-leg exercises but not when doing squats. You want to work the glutes which are hip extensors.The hip flexors are the muscles that cause problems as they get overworked and overused.

These are the 10 considerations of strength development with focus on alignment, symmetry and the upper body. Togetherthey create a simple approach to strength training an athlete while avoiding asymmetric development which is a leading cause of in-jury.

O

Figure 19

1. Lie on your right side with legs bent ninety degreesand ball place between knees.2. Inhale through nose as you pull left leg back. Nonot rotate shoulder back.3. Exhale through mouth as you squeeze down withleft knee. Should feel inside of leftleg activate4. Do ten repetitions breathing in through nose outthrough mouth.

Left Adductors1. Place band above knees.2. Lie on side with feet on bolster.3. Knees and hips bent 90 degrees4. Shift left leg back, right leg forward.5. Ankles together, back rounded.6. Right hand on ground, left hand under head.

Figure 20

Right Glute Max1. Keep left leg back and raise right leg.2. Right hip should be engaged.3. Breath (long & slow) 4-5 times in through noseand out through mouth.4. Relax repeat four more times.

Figure 21

1. Stand with both feet atbottom of steps.2. Place left foot on thefirst step.3. Shift left hip to left andback.4. Zipper should be linedup over left foot.5. Both feet should be flat.6. Toes pointed straightahead.7. Place right foot next toleft foot and repeat.

Figure 22

Don’t incorporate lat pull-downs, pull-ups, dips or shoulder pressesFigure 23

1. Place hands on ground behind hips and feetdirectly in front of you.2. Dig heels into ground and lift hips offground.3. Tuck hips up and pick right foot off ground(feel back of left hamstring engage).4. Keep shoulder blades down and together(feel triceps engage).5. Hold position and take 5 long breathes inthrough nose and out mouth.

Figure 24

1. Lie on bench with hips and knees bent.2. Raise hips slightly off bench.3. Hold dumbbell in right hand with arm straight.4. Keep palm facing in toward feet.5. Lower dumbbell to left shoulder keeping elbow pointedup.6. Raise dumbbell to straight arm position.

Figure 26 Figure 27

1. Hold pulley handle in right hand.2. Shift into left hip and side bend trunk toleft.3. Pull shoulder blades down and together.4. Raise handle to right, up and back. Feelright shoulder blade muscles engage.

1. Place hand at shoulder height2. Rotate to the left3. Feel stretch across chest4. Keep abs engaged5. Breath in through nose out through mouth6. Hold for 5 breaths and repeat 2 –3 times

Figure 28 Figure 29

1.Shoulders supported on ball.2.Keep rib cage down.3.Pull pelvis up by tightening glutes4.Hang arms out to side5.Feel stretch across chest.6.Breath in though nose and out thru mouth7.Hold for 5 breaths and repeat 2 –3 times

Figure 30

1. Lie on elevated surface, with light dumbbell in left hand,lower arm over edge.2. Place pad between bent knees and rotate legs to right.3. Feel stretch across chest.4. Breath in deep breathes through nose out through mouth.5. Hold for 5 breaths and repeat 2 –3 times

1. Place left foot back and shift body toleft side2. Hold pulley handle in right hand andsink back into left hip.3. Feel stretch through the lats and ribs.4. Breath in through nose and expandribs on side you arestretching.5. Breath out through mouth and feelside stretch.6. old for 5 breaths and repeat 2 –3 times

Figure 31

1.Align foot, knee, hipsagainst wall2.Reach as high as possi-ble3.Feel stretch thru therib cage4.Stretch right side morethan the left5. Breath feel rib cageexpand when breathingin through nose.6. Feel reach increase asyou blow air outthrough mouth.

Figure 32

1. Step forward with left foot and lower dumbbells until they barelytouch the ground.2. You do not need to take a long step.3. Lower right knee until it almost touches the ground.4. Extend with the left leg and step all the way through into the nextstep with the right leg.5. Take ten steps and then turn around. Take tens steps back towhere you started.6. Ten steps each direction constitutes one set of ten repetitions.

Figure 33

1. Step forward withleft foot and simultane-ously rotate plate left.2. You do not need totake a long step.3. Lower right kneeuntil it almost touchesthe ground.4. Extend with the leftleg and step all the waythrough into the nextstep with the right legandsimultaneously rotateplate to right side.5. Take ten steps andthen turn around. Taketens steps back towhere you started.6. Ten steps each direc-tion constitutes one setof ten repetitions.

Figure 34

1. Place right feet forward and leftfoot elevated on box.2. Lower hips until right knee almosttouches ground.3. Keep lower back rounded.

Figure 35

1. Swing left legthru as right leg isextended.2. Place left backon box and repeat.

Figure 36

1. Place dumbbells on boxat knee height.2. Round lower back.

Figure 37

1. Step up ontobox (dumbbellsand hips movetogether).

Figure 38