Strength Training
91 flashcards by MentisLibrary
The movement patterns, the main lifts, the muscles each one trains, and the form cues that keep them honest. Plus the programming vocabulary you need to read any training plan.
- What are the fundamental human movement patterns most strength programs are built around?
- Squat, hinge, horizontal push, vertical push, horizontal pull, vertical pull, lunge, carry, and rotation
- What defines a squat pattern?
- A knee dominant movement where the hips and knees bend together and the torso stays relatively upright
- What defines a hinge pattern?
- A hip dominant movement where the hips travel back and forward with only slight knee bend
- What is the difference between a horizontal and a vertical push?
- Horizontal pushing drives the load away from the chest; vertical pushing drives it overhead
- What is a loaded carry?
- Walking while holding a load, training the trunk and grip under continuous tension
- What is an anti-rotation exercise?
- A core exercise where the goal is to resist twisting rather than to create it, such as the Pallof press
- Why are unilateral exercises used alongside bilateral ones?
- They train each side independently, which exposes and can reduce side to side differences and adds a balance demand
- Which muscles does the back squat primarily train?
- The quadriceps and glutes, with the adductors, hamstrings, and spinal erectors heavily involved
- How does a high bar back squat differ from a low bar back squat?
- The high bar sits on the upper traps and keeps the torso more upright; the low bar sits across the rear delts and uses more forward lean and hip drive
- What makes the front squat different from the back squat?
- The bar sits on the front of the shoulders, forcing a more upright torso and increasing the demand on the quadriceps and upper back
- Which muscles does the conventional deadlift train?
- The entire posterior chain: glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, plus the lats, traps, and grip
- How does a sumo deadlift differ from a conventional deadlift?
- The stance is wide with hands inside the legs, which shortens the range of motion and shifts work toward the quadriceps and hips
- What distinguishes the Romanian deadlift from a conventional deadlift?
- It starts from the top, keeps the knees only slightly bent, and stops before the plates touch down, emphasizing the hamstring stretch
- Which muscles does the barbell bench press train?
- The pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, and triceps
- Why is leg drive relevant on the bench press?
- Pressing the feet into the floor stabilizes the torso and helps maintain the arch and upper back tightness
- How does a close grip bench press change the emphasis?
- Narrowing the grip increases the elbow range of motion and shifts more work to the triceps
- Which muscles does the standing overhead press train?
- The deltoids and triceps, with the upper chest, traps, and the whole trunk working to stabilize
- What is a push press?
- An overhead press that uses a short dip and drive from the legs to start the bar upward
- Which muscles does the barbell row train?
- The lats, rhomboids, mid traps, rear deltoids, and biceps, with the erectors holding the hinged position
- What is the power clean?
- An explosive lift taking the bar from the floor to the front rack in one movement, caught in a partial squat
- What is the snatch in weightlifting?
- A single continuous movement taking the bar from the floor to locked out overhead
- What are the two parts of the clean and jerk?
- The clean brings the bar from the floor to the shoulders; the jerk drives it from the shoulders to overhead
- Which three lifts make up a powerlifting competition total?
- The squat, the bench press, and the deadlift
- Which two lifts are contested in Olympic weightlifting?
- The snatch and the clean and jerk
- What is a good morning?
- A hinge performed with the barbell on the upper back, bending forward at the hips against the load
- What is a rack pull?
- A partial deadlift started from pins or blocks above the floor
- What is a deficit deadlift?
- A deadlift performed standing on a raised surface so the bar starts lower than normal
- What is a pause squat used for?
- Holding the bottom position for a set count to build strength out of the hole and reinforce position
- What is a box squat?
- A squat performed to a box, which sets a consistent depth and often emphasizes the hips
- Which muscles does a pull up train?
- Primarily the latissimus dorsi, with the biceps, rhomboids, and lower traps assisting