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1. Congruent Exercise:
A Trainer’s Guide
To Biomechanics
Bill DeSimone
Youtube.com/optimalex

2. Why Biomechanics Matters
• Without Biomechanics
– Overuse Conditions
– Rare but Catastrophic Injuries
– Inefficient, Ineffective Techniques
• With Biomechanics
– Pain-free joints
– Lifetime training
– Purpose Behind Exercise Selection and Techniques

4. 1972 Elmont, NY 1970s

5. Soon to be M&F Governor

6. Ripped Hulk 1974 The Hulk, 2000

7. 1973? Interior

8. 1976 The Bridge 1978

9. From The New HIT Blue Monster

11. Motivation

15. Biomechanics
• The study of forces and their effects on living
systems (McGuinness)
• Focuses on the mechanisms through which the
musculoskeletal anatomy interacts to create
movement (Harman)
• The physical structure of bones, joints, muscles,
and how the physical laws of motion govern that
structure (Ellison)
• Ie, How joints and muscles are supposed to work,
at least according to academic textbooks

16. My Application of Biomechanics
• HOW THE BONES AND MUSCLES OF THE
SPINE HANDLE LOAD
• HOW THE SHAPES AND CONNECTIONS OF
THE JOINTS AFFECT MOVEMENTS
• HOW THE MUSCLES APPLY AND RESIST
FORCE THROUGH THE LIMBS
• IN THE CONTEXT OF WORKING OUT
OVER A LIFETIME, NOT A CONTEST OR
PHOTO SHOOT

17. Which is more “Functional”?

21. Jarmey, p 122

22. Jarmey, p 128

23. Jarmey, p 128

25. Jarmey, p 49

26. Jarmey, p 46

27. Which is more suited for
the joints and muscles?

28. The Squat
1. MAs approximate
• Especially avoid lock out and bottom out
2. “Free knees” allows
• Screw-home mechanism in extension
• Lower leg movement in flexion

30. bow&arrow, crowbar

31. Minimize Spine Involvement

32. Seat back s/b more open
HIGH SEAT, FINISH AT GREATER LOW SEAT, FINISH AT LOWER THAN
THAN 90 DEG HF 90 DEG HF: MAX GLUTE MT AT 70
DEG

33. Full Range of Motion:
Biomechanics or
Buzzword?
1. Muscle
2. Joints

34. Length-Tension Relationship

35. Terms regarding Length-tension
• Most daily movements occur in a range around
“resting length”: “favorable length-tension”
• Active insufficiency: weakness when the target
muscle is outside of favorable length
• Passive insufficiency: weakness when the opposing
muscle is overstretched and interferes with the
target muscle contraction
• Tenodesis: tendon action of muscle; a joint shifts
to accommodate the overstretched muscle

36. Some examples of
Exercises and L/T
Active insufficiency
Active insufficiency
LX, PO, SR, Row for lats,
PR, Seated Heel Raise, Pullover stretch, flye
stretch, LC stretch
Favorable length
Active insufficiency

37. Muscle Torque vs. Moment Arms
Harman, E. p 40

38. Muscle torque/moment arm match
Smith, L.K.; Weiss, E.L.; Lehmkuhl, L.D. (1996) Brunnstrom’s Clinical Kinesiology, 5th
Edition. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.

39. Torque/moment arm mismatch
Smith, L.K.; Weiss, E.L.; Lehmkuhl, L.D. (1996) Brunnstrom’s Clinical Kinesiology, 5th
Edition. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.

40. Torque/moment arm match
Smith, L.K.; Weiss, E.L.; Lehmkuhl, L.D. (1996) Brunnstrom’s Clinical Kinesiology, 5th
Edition. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.

41. Smith, L.K.; Weiss, E.L.; Lehmkuhl, L.D. (1996) Brunnstrom’s Clinical Kinesiology, 5th
Edition. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.

43. Joint Function Follows Form
• “A joint or articulation is any place where two
bones meet or join…primary function is to join
bones together while controlling the motion
between them”
• “Synovial joints …are subclassified into six
different types according to the movements
allowed and the structure of the joint: gliding,
hinge, pivot, ellipsoidal, saddle, and ball and
socket…few joints are exactly like the idealized
representations…”

45. Axis of the Knee Joint

46. Screw-home mechanism
Nordin, M.; Frankel, p 186

47. Axis of the Knee Joint
Levangie, P.K.; Norkin, C.C. (2001) Joint Structure and Function: a
Comprehensive Analysis. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company; p
342.

48. Overhead Motion:
Press, Pullover, Chin-ups
1. Demonstration: path of humerus
2. Implication for overhead press and chin-up
3. True overhead (180 deg flexion)?
4. Press and Pulldown station designs

49. Overhead view of socket

50. Scapulohumeral rhythm
Nordin, M.; Frankel, p 335.

51. The Human Machine:
Speed, or
strength?

54. Law of the Lever
• Effort x Effort Arm vs. Resistance x Resistance Arm
• You don’t just lift weights; you lift weights applied
through an external lever (RA)
• You don’t just apply muscle effort; you apply it
through an internal lever (EA)
• The RA is always much longer than the FA;
• So, for a given weight, the Muscle Effort is always
disproportionately high
• Or, reverse a nutcracker and tell me what happens.

56. Everett Harman, Essentials, p 32

57. Take home points
• Lift with your legs, not your back.
• Effective Range of Motion.
• Balance:
– Concern for Muscle and Joint Health
– Intensity of the Set
– Overall Metabolic Challenge
It doesn’t help if your training is “Functional”
and you’re not.

58. Coming soon:
Congruent Exercise:
Biomechanics for Better Weight Training
• on Amazon: Moment Arm Exercise
• Optimal Exercise Guide: Bodyblade Plus
• www.youtube.com/optimalex
• Consulting and training: 609-462-7722
• optimalexercise@comcast.net

59. Congruent Exercise
• Chapter 1: Avoiding the Tragic “Accident”:
Biomechanics You Need To Know
• Chapter 2: Full Range of Motion and the Length-
Tension Curve
• Chapter 3: Functional Training: Purpose or Practice
• Chapter 4: Shaping Muscle, or Straining Joints?
• Chapter 5: Speed, Strength, and the Human
Machine