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Most fitness enthusiasts and fitness experts are well-aware of the term biomechanics, its utilization on equipment and its benefits on the human body. However, for beginners it can be one of the lesser known facts or ways to improve their fitness. For every individual having a fitness routine, it is essential to acquire a deeper understanding and knowledge of biomechanics to gain a better understanding of how the body moves, the capacity of joints, bones and ligaments to perform certain actions, and how they can improve their movements for each specific exercise.
Equipment that are built considering proper biomechanics, help users to pursue their exercise potential to the highest level and help minimize the risks of injury- not just while exercising but also as a sports professional or even a regular fitness enthusiast aiming for improvements in fitness and everyday wellness. Therefore, let us begin by deep diving into concepts of biomechanics.
What Exactly is Biomechanics?
Kinesiology is an umbrella term that covers the entire subject of human movement, while biomechanics is the study of motion and its causes and effects on humans. It provides key information on the most effective and safest movement patterns, equipment and relevant exercise to improve human movement required for daily activities, in sports activities and for getting better workout results. So, kinesiology means- the study of motion and biomechanics- the study of the mechanics of the body. Kinesiology is, therefore, inclusive of the biomechanics of motion and cardiovascular elements of movement.
Components of Biomechanics
Biomechanics also comprises the concepts of Kinetics and Kinematics.
Kinetics: The analysis of the forces acting on the body.
Kinematics: The analysis of the movements of the body.
And the 5 components in biomechanics are:
- Motion: The movement of the body through space wherein speed and acceleration play important parts in it.
- Force: A push or pull that facilitates a person to fasten, slow down, stop or change direction.
- Momentum: The result/product of a weight combined with its velocity when moved.
- Levers: In simple words, our arms and legs act as levers– the resistance arm, the fulcrum, and the axis of rotation.
- Balance: Stability is an important principle of balance as it helps in maintaining the alignment of the body’s center of gravity. Good balance is important not just in sports activities but also during exercises.
The science of biomechanics plays a major role in improving the performance of an equipment, in turn helping the user in their exercise technique. Having a basic understanding of the common principles can help individuals who participate in exercise and sports activities, to manage their bodies effectively.
Incorporating Biomechanics in Strength Training Equipment
The biomechanics of strength equipment are said to be accurate if the following conditions are met:
Range of Motion
The machine’s range of motion should work for a large group of people with varying body sizes, structures, height and strength and capability. The uniform impact throughout the range of motion is achieved by the accurate design of the CAM and the movement arms. Into Wellness products deliver a consistently high standard of stretch/impact across the entire range to ensure full muscular development. The Pec Fly/Rear Delt is a great example of a machine which delivers accurate range of motion to train the targeted muscles effectively.
Muscle Isolation
The machine should isolate the targeted muscles to be able to create the impact during the exercise. For example the Lat Pulldown machine, is one of our most preferred upper body exercise machines that delivers muscle isolation effectively. The Iso-lateral movement and optimal range of motion makes our equipment suitable for professional athletes and bodybuilders.
Muscle Engagement without any load on the Joint
The machine would be called biomechanically accurate if it engages the muscle without putting any load on the bone joint. For example, the Seated Leg Extension machine impacts the quadriceps without affecting the Patella joint.
Path of Motion
The path of motion of pulley should be accurate and precise which would thereby result in a smooth workout experience. Our entire product range is built around anatomically-correct motions with CAM and pulleys that deliver ideal muscle resistance throughout each movement. Precision bearings of Into Wellness machines ensure that movements are smooth and fluid, making these units even more easier to use.
Pre-stretch
Our machines offer an extended range of motion that includes both pre-stretch and contraction, enabling targeted muscle groups to be fully engaged, thus delivering a more effective and efficient exercise. The machines are designed in a way that individuals of different shape and body type can adjust their pre-stretch position as per their requirement.
Accurate Angles
The best example of a gym equipment having accurate angles in the Leg press with 45 Degree. Convergent and Divergent motions accurately mirror the human body, ensuring muscles are correctly activated for maximum workout results. The Machine joints should be designed in such a way that it provides high stability to the machine. For heavy users the machine should not vibrate and destabilize.
Another important aspect that would make a machine biomechanically accurate is that it should facilitate muscle and mind connection.
Ergonomic Considerations
All the adjustments need to be easily accessible to the users while being in a comfortable seated position. For example, the back seat of the Into Wellness Leg Extension machine and the weight selector pin can be both adjusted while being seated. Easy adjustments are crucial for a positive exercise experience. Into Wellness’s pneumatic lift seats are uniquely designed to be adjusted while sitting on them. This is something that many other manufacturers fail to incorporate into their products while also using an old rack and pinion system which requires users to get off in order to make adjustments.
Seat Adjustments
With simple seat adjustments, rotating hand-grips, and varied weight increments gym equipment machines should suit people of every size and strength capability. Due to the innovative design of Into Wellness’s pneumatic lift seating, the height can be adjusted whilst in the seated position for maximal convenience. For example, the M7 Series Leg Extension machine has 4 starting positions for superior pre-stretch adjustments and range of motion adjustment. The dimensions of the seats and its orientation is accurate enough to enable the user to perform the exercise correctly.
Input Arms and Handle Positions
Input arms on equipment need to be counterbalanced with rubber counter weights, for appropriately eliminating the weight of the assembly from the weight selected by the user, ensuring lighter starting resistance. Our machines deliver the same to ensure that the selected weight can be lifted seamlessly by the user. The handle orientation and grips should be convenient for the users without straining the joints. For example, the handle of the Bicep Curl is designed in a way that does not impact the wrist joint.
Role of Biomechanics in Fitness Programs
By now we have a fair understanding that biomechanics enhance performance by utilizing mechanical principles to improve an individual’s technique. Similarly, for injury prevention and rehabilitation, biomechanics is used to develop techniques that reduce the chances of injury while using equipment that are biomechanically accurate to help achieve the same.
In fitness programs trainers help their trainees to reach their goals in the most efficient, effective and safest way possible and hence to enhance performance in the most efficient, effective, and safest way possible, biomechanics play a major role.
Summary
Biomechanics play a central role in physical activity and knowing a wide variety of human movements and biomechanics are important for the identification of enhancing results gained through fitness practices. Therefore, ensure to mindfully choose the equipment that are biomechanically accurate for your gym setup to offer the best exercise results for your members.
