Back extensions are exercises that require you lift your upper body from a prone position and slightly hyperextend your back. You can use these exercises to strengthen the muscles in your lower back as well as the muscles in your abdomen. The...
Antagonistic muscle split workouts in bodybuilding involve working pairs of muscles that have a specific kind of relationship. Antagonistic muscle pairs move the same joint in opposite directions. Bilateral antagonistic muscle pairs are muscles on...
Exercises that target antagonistic muscle groups cause reciprocal inhibition by moving the same joint in opposite directions. Reciprocal inhibition forces one muscle group to relax while the other contracts. Contraction-inhibiting cellular waste...
You can design a more balanced workout regimen by identifying the antagonistic muscles for individual exercises. Antagonistic muscle groups move the same joint in opposite directions. Pullup antagonists tend to lengthen as the primary movers...
While not the human body's strongest muscles, big biceps are often a symbol of strength and are coveted by many bodybuilders and recreational weightlifters. Protein is a building block of muscle, and enough dietary protein is necessary to fuel...
Also known as a leg or hamstring curl, the reverse hamstring extension is an exercise used to strengthen the muscles of the back of the leg. Among a few other exercises, the reverse hamstring extension is one of the best ways to target the group...
Usually, arm muscles adapt quickly during a weight-training program. Therefore, designing a well-rounded arm-targeting routine can expedite your training goals. With help from bicep curls, you can target the muscles located at the front of your...
Smith machines are heavy metal frames consisting of a barbell and a series of weighted plates. You can perform numerous exercises with a Smith machine, including the good-morning lift. Performing good-mornings on a Smith machine is advantageous...
Incorporating different ways to strength train can help you move past a plateau in your muscle growth and prevent over training. When adopting a new program, attention to form is more important than training muscles to fatigue, although fatigue...
Before you go to the gym, plan your exercise routine so that you'll stay on track throughout your workout. Choose a routine that you enjoy, or regularly change it to help keep you from becoming bored. Whatever routine you choose, remember to...
To maximize results in the world of bodybuilding, you must be detail oriented. It's easy to overlook aspects of your health or training that are seemingly unrelated to reaching your goals. Muscle elasticity is one of those factors. This refers to...
A superset is an advanced weight training technique or intensity technique. Intensity is an important factor for continued progress and results. Advanced training techniques such as supersets take your workout to a higher level without adding...
Rhythmic stabilization is one type of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF), which is a strengthening technique used in therapeutic exercise by physical therapists and athletic trainers. The goal of these gentle isometric drills is to...
Develop strong triceps muscles with alternative methods to weight lifting. The triceps are the antagonist muscle to the biceps and are responsible for extension of the elbow. Often termed "bye-bye's"--they shake as you wave good-bye--triceps can...
In addition to strong leg muscles and proper technique, stretching before kicking a football will optimize your kicking distance and prevent injury. According to USSoccer.com, the hamstring muscle, or the large muscle on the back of your upper...
Hip joint prostheses are more durable than ever and are able to withstand greater stress and strain. Hip replacement surgery may be performed after a severe break, or when the joint has significant deterioration or disease and pain impedes an...
Your triceps are the muscles on the back of your upper arm, and they have the primary job of performing an elbow extension. Being the opposing muscle of the biceps, they are often worked as an antagonist muscle in many exercises for the biceps....
Just because you can't flex your back like you can flex your biceps doesn't mean that you should neglect your back muscles during workouts. Fitness expert Rudy Sleiman points out that the back is one of the largest muscle groups in your body, and...
Lower back extensions involve raising your upper body and extending the back while lying on the ground. These exercises strengthen lower back muscles, as well as abdomen muscles that promote spine health and proper posture. Several muscles...
If you belong to a crowded gym, and tend to visit during peak hours, you might be tended to sequence your workout by which machines are available. While this may save some time, it might not be the most effective way to maximize your workout....
When it comes to weight loss, most people want results fast. To increase your chances of faster weight reduction, kick-start your weight loss progress by adding these fast reduction techniques which include cardiovascular and resistance exercise,...
A quick check of any junk mail folder will give you some idea as to the commercial popularity of weight loss pills. While most claims attached to such products fail to materialize, some herbal items can actually increase the rate at which the body...
Muscle therapy addresses pain and weakness in the muscles and works to build strength. Your muscles contract and relax but if they fail to relax, they become hypertonic or spastic. This can lead to joint pain and muscle weakness, resulting in...
Three muscles -- the rectus femoris, the psoas major and the illiacus -- comprise the muscle group called the "hip flexors." They activate when you draw your knees toward your chest and when you sit. Activities, such as sprinting, martial arts,...
The process of muscle relaxation and contraction is nearly constant throughout the body. The muscles of the body work in coordinating pairs, called agonists and antagonists. A muscle only pulls; it does not push. Instead, the opposing muscle pulls...
A flexibility imbalance exists when one muscle is tight and inhibits the connecting muscles from functioning properly. A chain reaction occurs that can pull the body -- usually one side -- out of alignment, affecting the joints and causing pain...
The hamstring muscles extend your hip or thigh backward and bend your lower leg or knee toward the back of your thigh. The opposing muscle, your quadriceps and hip flexors, work in tandem with your hamstrings to straighten your legs as you walk...
The pubic bone is comprised of the ilium, or iliac crest, the pubis and ischium, and the superior and inferior rami. It gains its strength from four pubic ligaments that surround it; these ligaments connect the sacrum and ilium, the sacrum and...
Stretching prepares your muscles for more strenuous activity, and you should perform stretches after slow warm-up exercises, according to the University of Maryland. Stretching helps to elongate and relax your muscles, as well as increase your...
