Setting Up for a Lift

MamaOne13
MamaOne13 Posts: 66 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay. So hopefully I make sense...

So when you set up for a lift... Say a barbell row... How do you "set" or activate the muscles about to be worked?
I read and was told that to keep upper body tight when performing a lift, to move scapula down and back? If that makes sense??
I feel like I'm overthinking so much in order to avoid injury, but I'm just trying to figure out how to engage all the muscles being worked in a lift so I'm not all slack.
Or is it just better to focus on full ROM and not even think about "engaging" each muscle as much as possible?

Replies

  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    So you want your core to be tight. If lifting say, a barbell, shoulders back, chest up, core tight.
  • MamaOne13
    MamaOne13 Posts: 66 Member
    slunburg wrote: »
    So you want your core to be tight. If lifting say, a barbell, shoulders back, chest up, core tight.

    Thank you!!
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    MamaOne13 wrote: »
    Okay. So hopefully I make sense...

    So when you set up for a lift... Say a barbell row... How do you "set" or activate the muscles about to be worked?
    I read and was told that to keep upper body tight when performing a lift, to move scapula down and back? If that makes sense??
    I feel like I'm overthinking so much in order to avoid injury, but I'm just trying to figure out how to engage all the muscles being worked in a lift so I'm not all slack.
    Or is it just better to focus on full ROM and not even think about "engaging" each muscle as much as possible?

    Yes just use one cue that works for you. They basically all are trying to achieve the same result.

    1. Depress shoulders down torso.
    2. Engage lats.
    3. Squeeze arm pits closed.
    etc...

    Use one coupled with the Valsalva maneuver within your program and you will be on track.

    Full ROM is goal dependant but usually the norm unless we are working through pain or a tweak of some sort.


  • Justin_7272
    Justin_7272 Posts: 341 Member
    MamaOne13 wrote: »
    Or is it just better to focus on full ROM and not even think about "engaging" each muscle as much as possible?

    Some profess there's a "mind-muscle" connection. I believe thinking about which muscles to engage is important, but focusing on them during a lift is not, i.e. focus on form, then go. Thinking about your bicep during a curl isn't going to increase it; thinking about your form will.

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