Anatomy of Exercise: A Trainer's Inside Guide to Your Workout

by Pat Manocchia

Overview

Anatomy of Exercise is revolutionary for its insights into how different muscles of the body actually work during exercise. The book is organized by body area and shows common sequences in the progression of a typical workout. Lifelike anatomical illustrations demonstrate each exercise and reveal in colorful detail exactly which muscles are engaged, which are being conditioned and how those muscles respond.

The following features help the reader gain the greatest benefit from each exercise and thereby improve fitness and well-being:

Detailed, full-color anatomical illustrations for all the exercises

Annotations identifying the active and stabilizing muscles

Concise how-to instructions for each exercise

Identification of the specific muscles that benefit the most from each exercise

Suggested modifications for different levels of difficulty

Instructions on stabilizing the body throughout each movement

A visual index of exercises that allows easy navigation through the book

A glossary of anatomical terms.

No other book provides such rich detail tailored to the general reader. Beginners, those already committed to exercise, competing athletes, trainers, coaches, physiotherapists, massage therapists and the many others involved in fitness will find Anatomy of Exercise fascinating, instructive and practical.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554073856
Publisher:	Firefly Books, Limited
Publication date:	03/01/2009
Series:	Anatomy of
Pages:	193
Sales rank:	33,104
Product dimensions:	9.64(w) x 7.54(h) x 0.74(d)

About the Author

Pat Manocchia is the owner, founder and director of La Paletra Center for Preventative Medicine in New York City. A pioneer in the integration of health and medicine, he was the fitness expert for Good Morning America and was contributing editor to Women's Sports and Fitness and Allure magazines.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Full Body Anatomy

Warm-Ups

Stretching

Legs and Hips

Back

Chest

Shoulders

Arms

Core

Index
Glossary
Acknowledgments

Preface

Introduction

This is not the first book ever written that concerns itself with the anatomical structures that are involved in exercise, nor is it intended to be the final word. It is not meant to be an exhaustive exploration of exercise vocabulary either. This book takes a unique and comprehensive stance on the anatomy of exercise, useful to laymen and professional alike.

Predominately, books that have included exercises with anatomical representations, whether or not they included instructions for performing the exercises, were targeted at two groups of readers: body builders and scientists. What I've tried to do with this book is to make this kind of information accessible and useful to anyone who exercises, including bodybuilders and scientists. To that end, this book includes exercise types typically overlooked in similar works, such as aerobic activities, stretches, and stability work. Moreover, this book takes into consideration the ways in which the body's systems depend on one another to generate movement.

In other texts of this nature, exercises have for the most part been depicted as using a specific muscle group because the book was intended to show how to develop size or strength in that particular muscle or group. Unfortunately, what often doesn't get mentioned is how the adjacent muscles and structures, as well as some that are not directly or obviously involved, contribute to the exercises and subsequent improvement. Hip and spine position, for instance, contribute to almost every major exercise and are integral not only to the proper biomechanics of a given movement, but the subsequent improvement of the targeted muscle.

For each exercise, the muscles indicated in the illustrations are identified as the ones that are primarily involved in the movement, whether they are active or stabilizing. Active or primary muscles are defined as those that contract to move a structure, while stabilizing muscles are defined as those that either co-contract, or, by their activation, stabilize either the primary or a secondary structure to allow movement. In a push-up, for instance, the primary active muscles act to extend the elbow and adduct the humerus (upper arm) at the shoulder joint. Primary stabilizers act to ensure that the elbow and shoulder joints remain steady and track properly; however, without the contraction of the deep spinal and pelvic musculature, as well as anterior leg musculature that contract to keep those joints stable and allow the ankle joint to act as a fulcrum, the movement is not possible.

The contribution of the secondary stabilizers varies in degree, depending on the movement. For example, in a barbell curl, since the weight is in front of the body and is translated in a curvilinear fashion that creates a greater forward lever and subsequent need for stabilization as it moves upward, the back and hip muscles become more relevant with regard to movement contribution. If the movement could simply not be performed without the contribution of these muscles, they were included.

The point here is to make the reader aware that during any given movement, some muscles that may not play a major role in the actual execution may still be necessary contributors for proper biomechanics and form while the exercise is being performed. The basic method I used to determine this was to ask whether or not the movement could be performed if the secondary stabilizers were injured, but readers should be aware that the specifics are open to some debate.

There is an enormous amount of variation that can be made to these exercises, since for any one single exercise there are perhaps four or five different ways to alter the stimulus (by changing the grip, foot position, altering the speed of the movement, and so forth). I have included some of these variations for many of the exercises.

This book contains the basic exercise vocabulary that any program can, and should, be built around, whether you are an elite athlete, a raw beginner, or are suffering from an injury. The specific exercises to use as well as intensity (the weight used, when relevant), volume (number of sets and repetitions), duration (time per session), and frequency (sessions per week) will all be determined by your own specific capacities and goals. The best and most effective way to determine these things is to consult a professional in the fitness/wellness/strength training profession for a program and prescription that suits your unique abilities and objectives.

The text is laid out in a structure that mimics the progression of a typical workout. While the text encompasses all of the elements pursuant to a comprehensive workout, it is not intended to be prescriptive in any way. The best use of this book is as a reference manual for understanding both positioning and muscular involvement for the included exercises, and should stimulate some thought, when performing a given exercise, about how the rest of your body plays a part in any particular movement.

Editorial Reviews

This book is a great motivator for the health conscious... Depending on how intensely you get into your routines, Anatomy of Exercise is critical reading for those who want to acquire the best body they can.

Shelf Life

Exercise books abound -- filled with how-to photos of various exercises. But here's one with a bit of a different focus.
— I Seiberling

Regina Post

The computer-generated illustrations of the muscles recruited to perform each exercise are cool.
— Steve Jacob

Star Telegram (Dallas-Fort Worth)

A fascinating book.... Recommended to medium-sized and large public libraries as well as high school and undergraduate collections.
— Shannon Graff Hysell

American Reference Book Annual

This user-friendly guide has everything you need and then some.

2 Magazine

Provides the answers and shows you exactly what's moving one push-up and cross-over crunch at a time.

Albuquerque Journal

[The author's] emphasis on supporting muscles will be helpful to people who tend to injure different muscles, one after another.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

This manual is the ultimate reference on physical fitness for anyone who exercises. Fully illustrated and annotated it's aimed at general readers who want to perform each exercise correctly while helping their muscles, not hurting them.

Destinations (Via Rail)

Read this book and you'll strengthen your mind as well as your body.... This book is like having your own personal trainer right there with you.

Good Times

One of the best books written as a reference manual for understanding exercise... For those of you who want to work out, but are unsure if you are exercising properly, this book is perfect for you.... Great how-to instructions.

Men's Exercise

This is an excellent book no fitness professional or fitness enthusiast should be without.

New Living (Stony Brook NY)

[The drawings] make it easy to visualize your muscles in action, even if you are not exactly sure where your anterior deltoid or external obliques are located.

The News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne IN)

For the exercises covered, the author does a good job of explaining proper form. If you were never completely sure the right way to run or ride a stationary bike, this book tells you how in very simple language. The computer-generated illustrations of the muscles recruited to perform each exercise are cool.

Star Telegram (Dallas-Fort Worth) - Steve Jacob

Exercise books abound -- filled with how-to photos of various exercises. But here's one with a bit of a different focus. Anatomy of Exercise looks at how different muscles of the body actually work during exercise. The book is organized by body area and shows common sequences in the progression of a typical workout. It features life-like anatomical illustrations to demonstrate each exercise and reveal exactly which muscles are engaged, which are being conditioned and how those muscles respond.

Regina Post - I Seiberling

Anatomy of Exercise is a fascinating book.... If used correctly the book can help the reader benefit from each exercise and improve their fitness level. Highlights of the book include the detailed, full-color anatomical illustrations, annotations identifying active and stabilizing muscle, suggestions for modifications to vary intensity of an exercise, and a visual index that allows for easy navigation through the book. This book would be useful for anyone interested in enhancing their fitness routine as well as fitness instructors who want to visually show their customers the benefits of each exercise. Therefore, it can be recommended to medium-sized and large public libraries as well as high school and undergraduate collections.

American Reference Book Annual - Shannon Graff Hysell

In a nutshell, this title is a large book of exercises divided into categories, which include "Warm-Ups," "Stretching," "Legs and Hips," "Back," "Chest," "Shoulders," "Arms," and "Core." Each exercise is described in detail, from starting position to action to movement path. Suggestions are provided on how to stabilize one's body and what to look for and avoid while performing each action. Two-page spreads show quality photographs of each exercise as it is carried out, and a corresponding page illustrates the muscles being worked. This book claims to be the "ideal reference manual for anyone designing an exercise program for themselves or their clients;" however, the technical language used in the introduction seems to lend itself to trainers and "elite athletes" rather than beginners. The introduction even states that the best way to determine one's own specific program and goals is to consult a professional trainer. The photographs and illustrations in this manual are its strong points. The text that supports each exercise is well-written, but the teen audience for this book will be limited to serious athletes or those interested in becoming trainers. The readership will be even more restricted by the fact that many exercises require barbells, dumbbells, and sophisticated gym equipment. The price tag of this book also raises serious questions for teen librarians with budget constraints. It would be wise to look for other exercise manuals that are written specifically for teens and will appeal to a broader audience. Reviewer: David Goodale

VOYA - David Goodale