MUSCLE ACTIVATION / UPPER BODY

Muscle Activation exercises are designed to engage the specific muscles which are targeted that day during your training and temporarily improve the connection between the brain and the muscles. Improving muscle activation can allow for stronger contractions, better performance, and cleaner technique, resulting in safer and more effective training. Typically, these exercises are stationary by nature and specific to Total Body, Upper Body or Lower Body movement patterns.

SHOULDER FLEXION

Shoulder Flexion is a movement pattern by bringing your arms from your sides and reaching overhead. ROM is typically 180 degrees. Restriction in both the Chest and Lat may restrict proper motion. Often forcing the athlete to go into lower back extension, arching the back, in order to raise their arms over their head. Focus is on lengthening shorten muscles as well as strengthening them to allow proper function and stability.

Bench T-Spine Mobilization

• Begin on your knees, perpendicular to the bench, with your elbows on the bench.
• Grab a dowel or PVC pipe, underhand, with hands about a foot and a half apart.
• Maintain a straight line from your hips through your neck. Make a double chin to help maintain spine neutral.
• Rock back, taking hips to your heels. Curl the Dowel overhead
• Maintain the same core posture
• Pause 2 sec, exhale and repeat
• Not only will this exercise help mobilize your T-Spine, but you will also stretch your lats, and triceps to increase range of motion of both.