WEEK 8 – LATS AND TRICEPS

LATISSIMUS DORSI
The latissimus dorsi muscle is a broad, flat muscle that occupies the majority of the lower posterior
thorax. The muscle's primary function is of the upper extremity but is also considered to be a respiratory
accessory muscle.

Extension and adduction will be strongest when the motion is started from a position of partial flexion or
abduction or a combination of the two motions. The muscle is also active in moving the trunk forward and
upward when the upper extremities are fixed overhead, as in climbing or performing an activity such as a
chin up.

Some of the activities that involves the latissimus dorsi are: climbing, rowing, swimming, and chopping.
Its major functions includes:
 It effectively extends the flexed arm
 It adducts and internally rotates the arm
 If the humerus is fixed against the scapula, it pulls the pectoral girdle backward as a whole.

Meanwhile, its supporting functions are:

 If the arms are fixed above the head, it can act in synergy with pectoralis major to elevate the trunk
upwards
 It stabilizes the scapula against the thoracic cage during humeral movements on the shoulder joint
 In people who use crutches and therefore have their humerusas the fixed point during standing, the
latissimus dorsi helps to pull the trunk forwards with its humeral attachment being fixed.
o This action also causes the lifting of the pelvis. In people with paraplegia, this action
enables the movements of the pelvis and trunk.
 It assists forced expiration by compressing of the rib cage (accessory muscle of expiration). For this
reason, the muscle is particularly strained during coughing attacks ("coughing muscle").

TRICEPS BRACHII
Triceps brachii is a three-headed muscle of the arm. It represents the only constituent of the posterior
muscle group of the arm, spanning almost the entire length of the humerus. The triceps brachii muscle
consists of a long, medial and lateral head, that originate from their respective attachments on the
humerus and scapula, and insert via a common tendon on the ulna. It often appears as the shape of a
horseshoe on the posterior aspect of the arm.

The main function of triceps brachii is extension of the forearm at the elbow joint. In addition, its long head
contributes to the extension and adduction of the arm at the shoulder joint. Besides movement, the triceps
brachii also plays a role in creating anatomical spaces which are traversed by neurovascular structures.

The triceps takes part in active extension, which occurs both as a result of the contraction of the triceps
brachii muscle and the relaxation of biceps brachii. Thereby, triceps brachii is most active in pushing or
thrusting movements, as well as supporting body weight on the hands with the elbows semi-flexed.

The long head of the triceps has its additional functions. This includes:
 Due to its attachment on the scapula, the long head can also act on the shoulder joint, producing
an extension of the arm.
 As the attachment of the long head also blends with the glenohumeral capsule, it contributes to the
shoulder joint stability. More specifically, it helps to hold the head of the humerus in the glenoid
cavity and prevents its inferior displacement.
 When the arm is extended, the long head can act on the glenohumeral capsule to pull superiorly on
the humerus and produce the adduction of the arm.

EXERCISES FOR THE TRICEPS

 Dips
  Triceps Extension
 Skullcrusher
 Sphinx Push-Up
 Diamond Push-Up
 Bench Press
 Tricep Kickback

EXERCISES FOR THE LATS

 Pull-Down
 Rows
 Renegade row
 Pull-Ups
 Negative Pull-Up
 Deadlift
 Pullover
 Bent-over fly

WEEK 9 -- DELTS AND LEGS

DELTOIDS
The deltoid is a thick, triangular shoulder muscle. It gets its name because of its similar shape to the
Greek letter 'delta' (Δ). The muscle has a wide origin spanning the clavicle, acromion and spine of
scapula. It passes inferiorly surrounding the glenohumeral joint on all sides and inserts onto the humerus.

FUNCTION
The deltoid muscle (acromial part) is the principal abductor of the arm at the glenohumeral joint. However,
it can only do so, when the arm is already abducted beyond fifteen degrees. This initial part of abduction
is produced by the supraspinatus muscle. The clavicular and scapular spinal fibers of the muscle guide
the arm through the abduction motion.

Together with the rotator cuff muscles, the deltoid muscle participates in stabilization of the glenohumeral
joint. When carrying heavy objects while the arm is fully adducted, the muscle will produce a line of force
(static contraction) that prevents the inferior displacement of the glenohumeral joint. The deltoid also
undergoes eccentric contraction when the arm is being lowered, or adducted. That allows adducting the
arm in a controlled manner.

The clavicular (anterior) fibers of deltoid act along with pectoralis major to produce flexion of the arm
during walking or running motions. These fibers are also active during internal (medial) rotation of the
humerus.

In contrast to anterior fibers, the scapular spinal (posterior) fibers of deltoid act with the latissimus dorsi to
produce extension of the arm during ambulation. In addition, these fibers will assist in external (or lateral)
rotation of the humerus. This is important from a functional standpoint as strengthening the posterior
fibers of the deltoid muscle can help to offset the tendency of the shoulder to become internally rotated
due to poor posture.

EXERCISES FOR THE DELTS

 Shoulder press
 Front raises
 Face Pulls
 Cuban press
 Arnold press
 Pike Push-up
  Y-Raise
 Overhead press
 Z press
 W-Raise

THE LEG IS COMPOSED OF OVER 30 BONES AND OVER 40 MUSCLES

Your lower extremities are a complex combination of ligaments, tendons, muscles, bone, blood vessels,
nerves, and more. Some important components of your lower extremities include:
 ACHILLES TENDON
 FEMORAL ARTERY
 SCIATIC NERVE

QUADRICEPS
The quadriceps femoris muscle, commonly known as the quad muscle, is the strongest muscle of the
human body, It is located in the anterior compartment of the thigh, together with the sartorius.
The quadriceps femoris muscle translates to "four- headed muscle" from Latin. It bears this name
because it consists of four individual muscles; rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and
vastus intermedius. Out of all four muscles, only the rectus femoris crosses both the hip and knee joints.
The others cross only the knee joint. These muscles differ in their origin, but share a common quadriceps
femoris tendon which inserts into the patella. The function of the quadriceps femoris muscle is to extend
the leg at the knee joint and to flex the thigh at the hip joint.

FUNCTIONS
Quadriceps femoris is the most powerful extensor of the knee. All four of its components are capable to
extend the knee, however, they do so in different directions. Rectus femoris muscle aligns with the
mechanical axis of the lower limb and pulls the patella along this axis. However, the remaining muscles
originate from femur, meaning that their pull is oriented both proximally and laterally. This is where the
vastus obliquus (the above-explained part of vastus medialis) is extremely important. Its horizontally
oriented fibers counter the pull of the three vasti, contributing to the stability of the knee during extension
and preventing the dislocation of the patella.

Aside from extending the knee, the rectus femoris muscle exhibits additional actions since it crosses both
the hip and knee joints. By acting on the hip joint, it helps with thigh flexion. When its patellar attachment
is fixed, this muscle aids to flex the pelvis anteriorly towards the thigh. Rectus femoris is also capable of
simultaneously flexing the hip and extending the knee.

HAMSTRINGS
The hamstring muscles, simply the hamstrings, are a group of three long muscles located in the posterior
compartment of the thigh, shaping up the surface anatomy of this region. These muscles are the biceps
femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles.

The hamstrings are closely related to each other as they share a common origin point, and they all attach
to the proximal parts of the tibia and fibula. They are innervated by the tibial and common fibular
(peroneal) divisions of the sciatic nerve.

FUNCTIONS
All the hamstring muscles cross the hip and knee joints and act upon them. The primary function of the
hamstrings is to flex the knee joint and extend the hip, enabling some of the essential lower limb activities
such as walking, running, and climbing. The hamstrings have an important stabilizing function as well;
they are inactive when the bodyweight is equally distributed between both lower limbs in a standing
position. However, when a person starts tilting forward, these muscles activate and counteract the tilting
movement in order to stabilize the hip joint and prevent falling. Also, due to the location of their insertions,
the hamstrings act together with the collateral ligaments to stabilize the knee joint.
LOWER LEG (POSTERIOR GROUP)

SUPERFICIAL LAYER
The superficial layer of the posterior group consists of the gastrocnemius, plantaris and soleus.
The two heads of gastrocnemius together with the soleus comprise a three headed compound muscle
collectively known as the triceps surae.

GASTROCNEMIUS
The gastrocnemius is a two-headed muscle that forms the bulk of soft tissue on the posterior leg, referred
to as the calf.
 The medial head of the gastrocnemius arises from the posterior surface of the medial condyle and
the popliteal surface of the femoral shaft.
 The lateral head originates from the lateral surface of the lateral condyle and the lower part of the
supracondylar line.

The two muscle bellies come together in the midline at the inferior margin of the popliteal fossa into a
single muscle belly. Its fleshy fibers continue to the midpoint of the calf, where they gradually develop a
broad aponeurosis. Upon receiving the soleus tendon, the aponeurosis narrows into the calcaneal
(Achilles) tendon and inserts at the posterior surface of the calcaneus.

The gastrocnemius is innervated by the tibial nerve. Its blood supply is mainly derived from the lateral and
medial sural branches of the popliteal artery, with contributions from the superior genicular arteries.

SOLEUS
The soleus is a broad, triangular muscle situated deep to the gastrocnemius. It originates from the soleal
line on the posterior surface of the tibia, medial border of the tibia and the posterior surface of the upper
third of the fibula. The muscle extends downwards until the midpoint of the calf, where it transforms into
an aponeurosis that joins the tendon of the gastrocnemius to form the calcaneal tendon.
The soleus is innervated by the tibial nerve. It receives blood supply mainly from the branches of the
popliteal artery, with contributions from the posterior tibial or fibular (peroneal) arteries.

PLANTARIS
The plantaris is a muscle comprised of short fusiform muscle belly and a long, very slender tendon. It
arises from the lower part of the lateral supracondylar line of femur. It quickly extends into a tendon that
courses inferomedially along the medial border of the gastrocnemius. The plantaris tendon inserts onto
the posterior surface of the calcaneus, medial to the calcaneal tendon.
The plantaris is innervated by the tibial nerve. Its fleshy part receives blood supply from the lateral sural
and superior lateral genicular branches of the popliteal artery, while its tendinous part is vascularized by
the calcaneal branches of the posterior tibial artery.

FUNCTIONS
 GASTROCNEMIUS - The function of the gastrocnemius is usually discussed in conjunction with
the soleus as the triceps surae muscle. This muscle acts as a chief plantar flexor of the foot at the
ankle joint. In addition, the gastrocnemius portion can act on the knee joint and produce a flexion
of the knee.
 SOLEUS - The main function of the soleus as a part of the triceps surae is plantar flexion of the
foot. In addition, the soleus has a role in postural control by balancing the leg during standing or
walking.
 PLANTARIS - The plantaris muscle is a weak muscle by itself. It rather acts as an assisting muscle
to the triceps surae to produce plantar flexion of the foot. The plantaris can also act on the knee
joint with the gastrocnemius and produce flexion of the knee.

WHY EXERCISE THE LEGS

Leg workouts engage the major muscle groups of your body, which helps to improve overall athletic
performance and support healthy movement patterns in your daily life.
A strong lower body will also help to prevent injury and manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart
disease, and diabetes.

OTHER BENEFITS ARE:

 Prevents osteoporosis and maintains good bone health
 Makes joints stronger
 Improves functional movements
 Provides better aesthetics and muscularity
 Promotes better muscle conditioning and body composition.
 Increases strength
 Shapes the butt
 Boosts testosterone levels and growth hormone
 Boosts self-esteem and confidence
 build muscle
 tone and sculpt legs
 strengthen core muscles
 burn calories and promote weight loss
 improve overall fitness
 engage major muscle groups
 alleviate lower back pain
 boost cognitive function
 create an aligned, balanced, and symmetrical body
 improve mobility, stability, and range of motion
 improve posture
 REDUCE INJURIES

EXERCISES FOR THE LEGS:

 Squat
 Lunges
 Deadlift
 Calf raise hip thrust

WEEK 10 – CORE MUSCLES

Your core isn't just your abdominal muscles. In fact, it's a complex group of muscles on your anterior and
posterior kinetic chains that all work together to keep you upright, stable, and injury-free while you tackle
both everyday activities and workouts.

As a whole, your core's primary role is to protect your spine, says Laura Miranda, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a
physical therapist in New York City. "The idea is to control and protect your spine when you're standing
erect, moving weights around, and especially when you are hinging, squatting, and bending," they say.
The muscles that make up your core don't act solo, either - they all work togetherto keep your spine
stable and prevent injury, they explain. That said, each core muscle has a primary function.

THE CORE MUSCLE GROUP

ERECTOR SPINAE
 The erector spinae are a group of muscles that run up the back from the hips. These muscles can
adjust your posture, allowing you to bend forward, bend backward, or stand up straight. They also
play a role in helping you bend to the side.
 The erector spinae are made up of three sub-groups of muscles: The spinalis muscles are the
closest to the spine. The iliocostalis muscles are more distant. The longissimus muscle group
sits between them.
MULTIFIDUS
 The multifidus muscles are a group of thick muscles that run alongside the spine. The multifidus is
divided into the cervical multifidus, thoracic multifidus, and lumbar multifidus. They keep the
spine stable while you move.

OBLIQUES
 You have two types of oblique muscles: internal and external obliques. The outer oblique muscles
start midway down your ribcage and stretch to your hips on each side of your body. The internal
obliques are nestled underneath them. These abdominal muscles allow you to twist your core and
help you bend to the side.

RECTUS ABDOMINIS
 The rectus abdominus muscle is the muscle people are usually referring to when they mention
"abs." This is the muscle that forms a "six-pack" at the front of your core. The rectus abdominis
muscle starts midway down your ribs and stretches down the front of your body to your pelvic
bone. This muscle allows you to bend forward and curl up. It also helps with breathing and using
the bathroom.

TRANSVERSE ABDOMINIS
 The transverse abdominis is a sheet-like muscle that covers the front of the body. It runs from the
rib cage down to the pelvis. This is the muscle that allows you to suck your belly button in toward
your spine.

WHAT IS CORE STABILITY?

 Core stability refers to the way our core muscles help keep our spine straight and stable as we do
everyday tasks. These muscles allow us to sit, stand, walk, and do things like shovel dirt without
pain.
 For those who are physically active, core stability also helps prevent injuries due to overuse of
muscles. A strong core can make movements smoother and more effective, thereby reducing the
likelihood of injury and improving your performance and skill.
 Core strength affects more than just posture, though. Your core includes your pelvis, and these
muscles can help prevent incontinence.
 Weakness in the core can lead to pain and issues all over your body such as the back, neck, and
joints like the knees. Your core muscles naturally weaken as you age, but sitting for long periods
of time can cause core weakness as well. Luckily, there are many exercises you can try to help
strengthen your core muscles.

SAMPLE EXERCISES TO IMPROVE THE CORE MUSCLES

 Abdominal crunch
 Bird dog
 Dead bug
 Russian twists
 Leg raises
 Vups
 Hollow hold
 Bicycle crunch