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Innocent Choga Fitness
The need for total fitness and relative equal strength contribution by all muscle groups during performance in most sports cannot be underestimated. It is necessary that all the muscles in the body are equally conditioned according to their relative natural sizes so that they all make maximum strength contribution. Any weak links in those muscle groups will draw back the maximum effort of the other muscles. Below are examples of sports where the synergy of muscle heads and the support of all muscle groups play an important role during performance.

The shot putter, for example, uses the entire body to throw a shot. Despite the fact that the arms give the final release of the sporting implement, the legs start the movement, providing momentum which is passed on to the trunk muscles going up to the shoulders and arms. So they should all be equally conditioned.

Sprinters are also a good example, they use power in their short runs and their strength comes from the surging legs that rotate in the hip joints and the propelling arms that work through the shoulder joints.

No wonder they are generally proportionately built; spotting both muscular lower and upper bodies .If the arms and shoulders are not conditioned they can be a weak link that will negatively affect performance. There is no way the legs can do more oscillations whilst the arms do less.

This makes us appreciate the feats performed by Paralympics athletes. They perform exceptionally well, without the contribution of other limbs. We also marvel at rugby players when they surge forward with such great speed, running with only one arm contributing fully to the run whilst the ball is tucked under the other arm.

The pre-exhaust system assists in the correction of imbalances in both the strength fitness component and physical appearance. Previously we discussed the system’s properties of training around a weak muscle group by exhausting the strong muscle group first.

This week we discuss the other side of the pre-exhaust system which is to strengthen the weak areas by exhausting the weak areas first before roping in the rest of the fresh muscles.

The exhausted weak muscle is forced to make its contribution in a compound exercise in an exhausted state working along with the fresh stronger muscles, thereby riding on the strength of the fresh muscles and thus making it stronger. The weak area may have difficulties at first but eventually it will get used to this arrangement.

The usual and most common way of training is to start with the compound exercises. There is synergy in compound exercises and all the muscle heads and muscle groups are involved, therefore it is an enticing system since one can lift more weight.

Because these heads and muscle groups are interdependent, if one single head or one muscle group is weak it will draw back the other heads and muscle groups .If they are all strong, their combined effort will offer more strength. Therefore it is necessary to identify the weak head and give it priority; work on it first before going for the compound exercise.

Body-building is a good example to show the implementation of the pre-exhaust principle in strengthening and building equal heads of a muscle group

In body-building proportion and symmetry are requirements that score higher marks than size. Proportion relates to how relatively equal the body parts are and how they blend into each other. Symmetry involves equality in built of the physique in three dimensions; the front, the side and the back.

A good example would be the three shoulder deltoid heads; the front, the side and the rear deltoids. The compound exercise, shoulder press, works on the three heads but they each have their own particular direct exercises. Failure to attend to any one of these heads will result in a skewed appearance and uneven strength contribution within the heads.

To strengthen the weak muscle head you train it first, exhausting it with a direct exercise. You can then either go on to the compound exercise next, or you can work on the remaining heads one after the other in their hierarchy order of strength/built, starting with the weakest. You will then do the compound exercise last, bringing all the exhausted heads to work together.

After exhausting the weak head, the combined maximum effort of all the heads in the compound exercise will further strengthen the already exhausted weak head. The weak head will have benefited from early maximum effort and focus of being trained first and in the compound exercise it will ride on the freshness and strength of the other heads thus making it stronger.

Exhausting all the heads and doing the compound exercise last means you will use light weight in the compound, which in the shoulders’ case is the overhead press. This is ideal if you have weak triceps or an injured elbow (muscles also involved in this exercise).

Another good example of muscle group support would be the case where a power lifter may want to work on the grip by strengthen the wrists and forearms. The grip plays an important role in many lifts, for example the dead lift which also involves legs, glutes, hip and back muscles .During fitness training sessions the athlete can start with the wrist curl exercises first ,exhausting the wrists and forearms before going on to do other exercises and practicing the lifts .

Paying maximum attention to the weak areas does not mean neglecting the strong points because the strong points give you a competitive advantage. Strong areas will respond favourably even when they are put at the end of the slot.

Paying more attention to the weak area does not mean it will automatically get to match the stronger areas. Some weak areas are very stubborn but at least they will respond to a level where they will blend in with the other areas such that if we are to make a jigsaw puzzle of the various muscle groups they will fit in easily.

Continually strengthening the stronger muscles and neglecting the weaker muscles is not prudent. You have to love your weak areas to make them better.

As an advanced trainer instinct will guide you as to when and where to use the pre-exhaust. For an injured weak muscle exhaust the stronger muscles, for a naturally weak muscle exhaust the weaker muscle. Young athletes naturally are so much into heavy weights, but as we grow older the pre-exhaust should be an ideal way of training in order to avoid unnecessary injuries. At this stage it should become a habit to start training your weak areas first. Giving them priority when strength and focus levels are still high will see them yield maximum benefits.

An advanced trainer is not motivated by the awesomeness of the strong points, but by the progress of the weaker areas; how they are blending in with the strong points and contributing to the total equation in terms of both appearance and strength. So perfection should be the motivating factor for an advanced trainer. At this stage make it a policy to either train everything or nothing at all.

Please note the lower back is a very sensitive area and should not be pre-exhausted.

Email: [email protected] mailto:[email protected]. Innocent Choga is a six time National Bodybuilding Champion with international experience. He is studying for a science degree in Physical Education and Sport