7. Most Novices Squat Incorrectly
The squat can be done with dumbbells or barbells. However, because of poor guidance or under the influence of restricted flexibility, many weight trainers squat with too much emphasis on the toes and the front of the foot. The guiding principle in the downward movement is to restrict the knees from extending over the toes and to ensure the heels remain flat on the floor. Body shape and flexibility issues affect one’s ability to achieve this ideal form.
The consequence of this forward emphasis is stress to the knees and poor activation of the hamstring muscles at the rear of the thigh, possibly resulting in an imbalance of the muscle strength of the quads at the front of the thigh and the hamstrings at the rear.
8. The Largest, Longest, Strongest, Smallest, and Broadest Muscles of the Body are...
- Largest – The gluteus maximus of the buttock. This is a big bulky muscle.
- Longest – The sartorius, which winds from the knee to the hip on the inside of the leg
- Strongest – Probably the masseter muscle of the jaw. Others say the rectus femoris of the thigh or the gluteus maximus. This is difficult to measure.
- Smallest – The stapedius of the inner ear. At five hundredths of an inch (1.27 millimeters) this muscle helps conduct sound vibrations.
- Broadest – The latissimus dorsi of the lower back has the most external muscle area.
9. The Triceps Muscle is Larger than the Biceps
When you see a hugely-muscled bodybuilder flexing his or her arm, you probably think that the biceps must be the largest arm muscle of all. Where could a bigger muscle possibly exist? The answer is at the back of the arm--the triceps. The triceps has three attachment points, called heads, while the biceps has only two. Overall, the triceps is a bigger muscle that contributes substantially to the look of big-muscled arms, even though the biceps always take center stage.
10. The Most Dangerous Weight Training Exercise is. . .
The bench press. Each year in the U.S. a few people die from dropping a barbell on their chest and choking. The barbell bench press is likely the most dangerous exercise of the common weightlifting exercises. Heavy weights are hazardous in all lifts, yet the consequences of dropping the barbell onto the chest or neck in the bench press are more profound. Simple rules apply.
- Always use a spotter or two to monitor the safety of your lift.
- Don’t lift beyond your capability too soon in your training program.
