If there was a heavy object on the floor and you lifted it over your head, you would have demonstrated strength in half of the body. On this page we will just call that movement extension. If you would also pull yourself up to a bar, then push yourself so that the bar ended up at your waist, that would require strength in the other half of your body. We will just call that entire movement flexion on this page.

EXTENSION

Due to the complexity of extension, we will break it down into four pieces. The leg part is called the full squat. The low back is called the hop. The arm part of extension includes what we call the arm clean, followed by the incline press.

Full Squat

Roll down, then roll back up. As you get better at it and more flexible, you will be more upright as shown by the video of two of my kids when they were younger. As you add more weight, the emphasize moves towards power which is generated primarily by the hips. Explosive power is generated as the wave is timed perfectly.

Both the explosive and eccentric versions should be practiced as well.

Two Foot Hop

Arm Clean

This one is straight-forward. Start with light weights with one arm at a time, then add two arms and emphasize your form. Gradually increase weight, start to use your chest and legs. Dum bells or a bar

 

Incline Press

Intro

 

 

Flexion

 

Flexion is broken down into three pieces.  Initial flexion which starts with hanging from a bar, middle flexion which involves holding the bar near the chest, and the pool push-up.  

 

 

 

 

 

Pool Pushup