I'm studying aware for the Personal Trainer Can-Fit pro exam in exactly 2 weeks. I'm a still so confused about how to memorize all the back muscles and shoulder. Each book tells me something else. I'm confused as to how to memorize it when I don't exactly understand what is happening. Is there an easy way to study this? I know easy is the wrong way, but any hints, websites, etc...
Back in the day when I took structural Kinesiology I made flash cards with OJAI's. I put the origin, Joint, Action, and insertion on one side and the muscle name on the other side. then I studied and studied and studied.
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An anatomy coloring book is really helpful. You should be able to find one at a big bookstore. It helps you remember where each muscle is pretty well. For insertion points and all that for me it was just a matter of studying it over and over. What all do you need to know for this test?
Danny
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I'm doing all that but I'm just memorizing it. I want to understand it. Why does the 'teres major' do this and the rhomboids do that? They are all so close to each other, I don't understand why one, retracts the shoulder, the other represses the shoulder etc.
Besides the muscles, I have to study endless other stuff. All related to personal training in the end.
Along the same lines of the coloring book and the notecards, I literally drew pictures of everything on notecards. This worked very well for me in both anatomy, history, and art history. That is just my learning style though, and it just so happens that I am a pretty decent artist too. For me it really reinforced the images in my head though, plus they made nice little study cards. I have kept some of them just because they looked cool. If you are not a visual-style learner though this might not work for you.
This is what i'm doing right now. Get a real full body skeleton. I am borrowing one from the local library. Get some yarn and place the ends of the yarn at the origin and insertion of the muscle. you can see it over the bones and understand how they work in relation to one another.
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Originally posted by anniehall: I'm doing all that but I'm just memorizing it. I want to understand it. Why does the 'teres major' do this and the rhomboids do that? They are all so close to each other, I don't understand why one, retracts the shoulder, the other represses the shoulder etc.
Besides the muscles, I have to study endless other stuff. All related to personal training in the end.
Just think of it like this way, the muscle is a string attached at two points. When you pull on the string the muscle will move like it should. For example the pectoral: attaches at the sternum and the top of the humerus. If you pull the string the upper arm will come towards the body. The same will work for all the muscles in the back and shoulders once you learn the orgins and insertions.
Danny
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Limitations are for people who have them.
quote:Originally posted by Jean-Paul: and it just so happens that I am a pretty decent artist too.
Jeez, what CAN'T you do!?! Don't you get tired of this over-achiever stuff??? [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img] [/quote]I can draw a kickass stick figure.
Danny
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Limitations are for people who have them.
I like the string way of understanding it. though where am I pulling the string from? Is it from the origin or the insertion point? Just so I can study all the back muscles like that now.
Originally posted by anniehall: I like the string way of understanding it. though where am I pulling the string from? Is it from the origin or the insertion point? Just so I can study all the back muscles like that now.
Let's use the biceps as an example here. Think of a basic lever. The humerus is the long upper arm bone, and it is connected at the elbow to the radius and the ulna, which are the lower portion of the arm (the forearms). The biceps "originate" at the top of the humerus, at the shoulder end. They "insert" at the radius and ulna. So when the muscle shortens (contracts), it raises up your radius/ulna like a drawbridge.
[img]tongue.gif[/img]
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