As I’m browsing through my technique tutorials, I realise that I’ve left out a very important aspect of strength training: the set position. After completing the Les Mills Shapes training in spring, where I was once again reminded how important the set-up is, I would now like to make up for it.
The “set position” in Bodypump.
- The feet are standing side by side right under the hips and are planted firmly on the floor.
Unfortunately, I very often see my participants standing shoulder-width apart or even wider and would therefore like to take this opportunity to point out that the hips are smaller than the shoulders 😜. When we stand with our legs wide apart, the joints (especially the knees, but also the hips and even the ankles) no longer move in their natural, “straight axis’” which, in combination with incorrect technique, on the long run can (faster) lead to wear and tear, misalignments and, in the worst case, even injuries.
For a few exercises for arms and shoulders (e.g. bicep curls, shoulder press or mac raise), we occasionally choose the “split stance” in the set-up: Here, the feet are not placed next to each other, but in a step position. In this case, the weight must be distributed evenly on both feet, i.e. 50-50. The split stance helps to prevent you from swinging or leaning backwards during these exercises – both things that happen especially when you are tired and your stomach and butt are no longer as tight as they were at the beginning, or if you have chosen a weight that is too heavy.
- The knees are very slightly bent.
As a general rule, joints should never be overstretched: In the long term, this can at best lead to the joint “wearing out” and to increasing instability in the joint, but at worst it can also lead to a joint dislocation or even a joint fracture after a sudden overstretching.* The very slight (so slight that it is not visible) bending of the knee in the set position therefore protects the joint and gives us more control and stability when performing our strength training.
- Tilt your hips slightly backwards and tense your booty.
This also provides a great deal of stability, as the gluteus maximus (alongside the latissimus dorsi) is the largest muscle in our body. It also ensures that the lower back is kept in a neutral position during training – more on this below.
- The abs are also super tight to support the back and – precisely – provide stability.
By the way, strong butt and core muscles also help to transfer strength from the lower body to the upper body… – but this only works if they are tensed. 😉
- The shoulders are rolled back and the shoulder blades are pulled towards the centre of the spine and down towards the hips.
This ensures good posture in the chest area and that we do not pull our shoulders towards our ears during efforts (which at the very least leads to tension in the neck area). Interestingly, people tend to pull their shoulders up not only during physical exertion, but also when they are mentally stressed or under pressure. This unconscious, instinctive movement is due to the need to protect the sensitive neck from danger. Thankfully, this is only rarely necessary these days and once you have become aware of it, you can quickly learn to stop this reflex and instead consciously pull your shoulders down towards the floor.
- Last but not least, the chin should be tucked in slightly (i.e. pressed towards the chest) to protect the neck.
Another instinctive human reflex when the going gets tough: The chin is pushed very far forward and the neck is made very long so that the head is in the final position in front of the body. I see this particularly often in exercises for the core. If you consciously perform this movement once, e.g. while sitting relaxed on the sofa, you will realise how uncomfortable it is in the neck, whose vertebrae are strongly compressed in this position. Ergo: Chin back – it feels a bit like forming a double chin.
The “neutral spine”.
The neutral spine already briefly mentioned above plays a central role, especially in Shapes, but is fundamentally extremely important in any type of (strength) training.
The spine is described as “neutral” when it is in its natural (double) S-shape, which is determined by the bone structure.
The spine is a marvel of nature and can move in all directions: forwards/backwards, right/left or diagonally. It can also rotate in all directions, and this in combination with front/back, sideways, etc. – simply fantastic. When it is in its neutral position, we can perform all these movements in the best, most effective and, above all, healthiest way.
A simple example:
Crunches with a neutral spine activate the abdominal muscles and are not a strain on the lower back. However, if you fall into a hollow back, i.e. the spine is no longer neutral in the lumbar region, this is not only uncomfortable or even painful in the lower back, but can also damage vertebrae in the long term.
As every person is unique and we are all built differently, every Shapes class starts with us finding our individual neutral spine. This can be done while standing or lying on the floor: The pelvis is alternately tilted forwards and backwards, so the vertebrae are either compressed (the pelvis is tilted forwards, creating an extreme S in the lumbar spine – the hollow back) or overstretched (the pelvis is tilted backwards so that there is almost no curvature in the lumbar spine – the so-called flat back). The neutral position is exactly in the centre, at the point where we feel neither compression nor hyperextension of the vertebrae.
In standing position, it looks like this:
Many athletes underestimate how crucial the set-up is, which is why it is so important for me to emphasise this again and again in my classes. After all, we all want to train healthily for as long as possible, don’t we?
So – get into the set position and then: Train hard, FIBER harder. 😀
*You can find more interesting information on joints and joint injuries here, among many other sites: https://medlineplus.gov/jointdisorders.html
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