CSEP-Certified Personal Trainer
(CSEP-CPT)
Musculoskeletal Fitness Theory
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Basic Anatomy
Key Concepts: 3.23-3.25
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Force & Levers
•
1st class
R
» seesaw
» muscles that extend neck
•
F
AF
2nd class
» loaded wheelbarrow
» plantar flexion
»  force at the expense of
speed & distance
R
AF
F
•
3rd class
» flexion at elbow
»  speed & distance at the
expense of force
AF
R
F
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Fascicle Organization
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Parallel Muscles
•
Fascicles are parallel to long axis
•
Most muscles in body
•
Functional characteristics similar to
individual m. fibre
•
Entire m. shortens by same amount
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Convergent muscles
•
Fibres come together (spread out) to a common
attachment site
•
Ex: pectoralis major m.
•
Direction of pull can be changed by stimulating
different fibres of m.
•
Less strength than parallel m. of same size
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Pennate M.
•
1+ tendons run through body of muscles &
fascicles form an oblique angle to tendon
•
Contain more m. fibres than a parallel m. of
same size  generates ______ tension
» Unipennate
» Bipennate
» Multipennate
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Primary Actions
•
Prime mover (agonist)
» Contraction is responsible for movement
•
Synergist
» Assists prime mover
•
Antagonist
» Oppose action of agonist
» Tension adjusted to control speed of agonist
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Assessment of Muscular Strength
Key Concepts: 4.16
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Definitions
• Muscular strength: peak force or torque
developed during a maximal voluntary contraction
(MVC)
• Muscular power: rate at which mechanical work is
performed
» Maximal amount of force one can exert in the least
amount of time (force/time)
• Muscular endurance: ability to exert sub-maximal
force repeatedly, or sustain a static contraction
without fatigue
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Force Generation
• Ability of a muscle or muscle group to
generate force depends on
»
»
»
»
»
Size of muscle
Type of contraction
Number of muscle fibres activated
Ability of nervous system to activate muscle fibres
MOTIVATION of the client!
• Strength potential is limited by genetics
» Number of fast-twitch fibres
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Why Test Strength & Power?
• To develop profile of client
• To monitor training progress
• To monitor the rehabilitation of injuries
• To assess health status
• ????
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Gender & Aging
• Men typically have greater muscle mass and
cross-sectional area than women
• Rate and pattern of strength development
and decline in age are similar for both
genders
• Peak strength: females late teens and males
during their 20s.
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Gender & Aging: Strength
• Decline in strength begins at age 45 to 50
and progresses at a rate of 12-15% per
decade
• 25-40% of muscular strength is lost by the 6th
or 7th decade
• Large portion of the decreased strength in old
age is due to muscle atrophy
• Women tend to have a higher percentage
loss of strength than men
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Gender & Aging: Strength
•
Grip Strength: Good indication of overall muscular strength
» Early screening of populations to identify those at higher risk
for physical disability related to low muscle strength
» Cutoff score of 21.0 kg – minimum level of old-age grip
strength
» Individuals with scores close to this value are 8X the risk of
developing muscular strength disabilities
» Good indicator of high and low levels of health status
- Warburton et al. Can J Appl Physiol 26(2): 217-237, 2001.
- Warburton et al. Can J Appl Physiol 26(2): 161-216, 2001.
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Musculoskeletal Fitness
Theoretical relationship between
musculoskeletal fitness and
independence across the lifespan.
Independent Living
Threshold for Dependence
Disability
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Age (yr)
Warburton et al. CMAJ 2006
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Gender & Aging: Muscular Endurance
• Loss in endurance with aging is also significant
• Peak partial curl-up scores: 13-15 yr
• Peak back extensor endurance scores: 20-29 yr
• Average performance for endurance tests
(push-ups, partial curl-ups and back extensor
endurance) decline dramatically through to 6069 yr range
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Gender & Aging: Muscular Endurance
•
•
•
Push-ups and partial curl-ups are less significant predictors of
overall musculoskeletal health in comparison to grip strength for
both genders
Males: Push-ups and grip strength are the strongest
discriminators between high and low health
Females: Grip strength and sit & reach are the strongest
discriminators between high and low health
» Payne et al. Can J Appl Physiol 25(2): 114-126, 2000.
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Gender & Aging: Power
• Greater loss in power with aging compared to
muscular strength & endurance
• Maybe due to the loss in FT fibres
• Women have lower leg extensor power than
men
• Gender differences begin in the teens and
continue throughout life
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Musculoskeletal Fitness
•  in MSF with  age is not solely due to age
itself but to physical inactivity and/or chronic
disease
• Strength training can offset the loss in
muscular strength and muscle mass
associated with aging
• Improves the ability to perform activities of
daily living, improve bone health and reduce
the risk of falling
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Strength Testing
• When choosing a strength test consider:
» Client’s goals
» Specificity
» Equipment
» Upper & lower body strength measure, and
abdominal endurance
• Always ensure subject is warmed up &
familiar with all equipment
• Keep motivation consistent!!!!
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Absolute or Relative Strength?
• Absolute strength = MVC (in Newtons or kg)
– MVC = maximum voluntary contraction
• Relative strength = MVC / body mass
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Isotonic Contractions
• Concentric contraction
» Muscle shortens during tension development
» Weight is lifted
• Eccentric contraction
»
»
»
»
Muscle lengthens during tension development
Weight is lowered
Able to generate higher forces
Greater risk for injury
• What is the maximal weight that can be lifted during a
concentric contraction?
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1-RM
•
Maximal amount that can be lifted in one complete repetition
with proper technique
•
Can be used to rate health status, establish exercise
prescription workloads, and/or monitor a resistance training
program
•
Limitations of 1-RM test
» Injury
» Technique
» Economy of test
•
Outside of the Scope of Practice of a CSEP-CPT!
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Predicting 1-RM
• Muscular endurance is directly related to
muscular strength
• THEREFORE, 1-RM can be predicted without
performing a maximal lift
• Usually 6 to 10-RM test
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Submaximal Predicted 1-RM
Single Set
• Warm up at 40-60% of estimated 1-RM for 5-
10 reps
• Stretch during 1 min rest period
• 1 set of 10 reps at 60-80% of estimated 1-RM
» >10 reps completed, then client gets a 3-5 min
rest
• Increase weight  client attempts up to 10
reps
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Predicted 1-RM (Baechle & Earle)
•
•
determine %1-RM from # of
reps completed
divide weight lifted by % 1-RM
EXAMPLE: client performed 8
repetitions of 100 lbs
8 repetitions = 80% 1-RM
1-RM = 100 lbs lifted/.80
1-RM = 125 lbs
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Reps
Completed
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
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% 1-RM
100
95
93
90
87
85
83
80
77
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PRACTICE!
• Groups of 3-4
• 1 person client; 1 acts as appraiser; 1
observes
• Calculate results for different muscle groups
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Muscle Balance
Muscle Groups
Ratio
Hip extensors/ flexors
1:1
• A strength imbalance
Elbow extensors/ flexors
1:1
between opposing
muscle groups may
compromise joint stability
& increase risk of injury
• Muscle balance ratios
differ between muscle
groups
• Crude index can be
obtained by comparing
1-RM
Trunk extensors/ flexors
1:1
Ankle inverters/ everters
1:1
Shoulder flexors/ extensors
2:3
Knee extensors/ flexors
3:2
Shoulder internal/ external
rotators
3:2
Plantarflexion/ dorsiflexion
3:1
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Strength Comparison
Right & left side
10-15%
Upper to lower body
40-60%
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Sources of Error
• Client
• Equipment
• Technician Skill
• Environment
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Exercise Prescription for Improving
Muscular Strength & Endurance
Key Concepts: 4.17 – 4.18
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Key Training Principles
• Specificity principle
» Strength improvements are specific to the muscle
group trained
• Progressive overload principle
» Achieved by changing INTENSITY, duration,
frequency, recovery
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Flexibility
Key Concepts: 4.19
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Flexibility
• Ability of a joint (or series of joints) to move
through a full ROM
» Specific to the joint
» Dependent on morphological factors
» Ball-and-socket joints (hip/shoulder) have greater
flexibility than hinge joints (elbow/knee)
» Muscle-tendon factors can impact flexibility
» Also related to age & type of activity performed
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Assessment
• Direct methods
» Goniometer, Leighton flexometer
• Indirect methods
» Linear measurements - i.e., sit and reach
• Pros/cons of each?
• All flexibility measurements are dependent on the
skill of the fitness appraiser!
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Benefits of Adequate Flexibility
• Improved performance (?)
• Helps with proper posture
• Reduces stiffness and soreness from
unaccustomed activity
• Minimizes risk of back injury
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Types of Stretching
• Ballistic - bouncing and jerking movements at
extreme ROM or point of discomfort
» bad bad bad
» remember the muscle spindle!
• Static positions - position is held for a period
of time at extreme ROM
• Partner Assisted (Proprioceptive
neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)) - induces
muscle relaxation through spinal reflex
mechanisms
» remember the GTO & reciprocal inhibition!
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PNF
• Contract-relax method based on reciprocal
inhibition
» Isometric contraction of antagonist
- Induces a reflex facilitation & contraction of agonist 
suppresses the contractile activity in the antagonist
during static stretch phase
- Also, stimulates Golgi tendon organs  reflex relaxation
of same muscle group
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Partner-Assisted Technique
• Contract-relax
Stretch muscle
Isometric contraction of muscle group being
stretched (5-6 s)
Slow static stretch (10-30 sec)
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CPAFLA
Stretching Routine Tips
• Stretch slowly and smoothly
• Avoid bouncing and jerking
• Use gentle continuous movement or stretch-
and-hold techniques
• Breathe naturally
• Static stretching - start with several reps of
10-30s hold and then progress to fewer reps
and longer duration
• Avoid exercises that hurt or feel wrong
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