Re: Glute Ham Machine

[Guest guest]

The G-H-G raise and the YBM situps are completely different exercises.

Because their execution must be precise and because the GHG raise is complex,

time and space do not permit describing them in great detail here. For

pictures and full descriptions see KINESIOLOGY OF EXERCISE OR EXPLOSIVE RUNNING.

To assist you, here is the text which accompanies the photographs in " Explosive

Running " :

Glute-Ham-Gastroc Raise

The purpose of this exercise is to provide maximum strengthening of the

hamstring muscles and their tendons at the hip joint as well as the knee joint.

This exercise has proved to be exceptionally valuable for runners in preventing

and rehabilitating hamstring injuries. In my experience, no athlete or sprinter

has had a hamstring injury when this exercise has been executed on a regular

basis. In addition, the hamstring muscles are developed through the same range

of motion and action used in running.

Execution: I introduced this exercise to the running world. It is executed on

the Yessis Back Machine, also known as the glute-ham machine, which I created

for this exercise. Assume a facedown position so support is on the upper thighs

when your feet are placed between the rear rollers. When your legs are in place,

lower your trunk over and down the front side of the seat and hold the back in

its normal curvature. Your upper body and pelvic girdle should form a straight

line from the hip joint to the head. Inhale slightly more than usual and hold

your breath as you raise your trunk with the axis in the hips. Your back should

remain rigid in its slightly arched position. Raise your trunk until the body

forms a straight line from your head to your feet. Then keep the hip-joint

extensor muscles under contraction and bend your knees. Keep raising your

straight body (from your knees to your head) to approximately a 30 degree angle

above the horizontal. (See Fig. 6.28)

After reaching the top position, exhale and relax slightly but keep the lower

back in its slightly arched position. Lower your body by straightening your legs

and then flexing at the hips to return to the original position, Execute the

exercise at a moderate rate of speed.

------------------

From: " Joe E. Littleton " <jelittleton@...>

> So is this what the much guarded glute-ham-gastroc raise is?

From: " Dr. Yessis " <dryessis@...>

> >I have athletes do the sit-ups on what I now call the Yessis Back Machine

> >(which I formerly called the Glute Ham Developer) or a Roman Chair or

> >sturdy table or high bench with an assistant if they assume the correct

> >position to target the upper or lower abs. The key is to lower the

trunk below >level so that you rise up from a slightly hyperextended

position.

>

> JOe Alden:

>

> If, indeed, the YBM is the answer to ending hamstring pulls, I will be the

> first to order one. However, I have a dilemna.

>

> My space is roughly 3,000 square feet and each square inch is accounted

for.

> Two power racks, one bench press, db's and racks, lat pull, two

platforms,

> four cable columns, and an open plyo area (untouchable). I have laid this

> gym out with commercial grade 18 " inch carpet tiles (very useful for

> replacing soiled spots and for judging distances without rulers for plyo

> jumps) which I have renamed the Alden Flooring System.

>

> Which piece or pieces do I remove or do I just pass on buying a GHG raise

> device?

>

> >For more information see my books,

> > " Kinesiology of Exercise " or " Explosive Running " in your local or school

> >library.

>

> Thank you but maybe later.

>

> Joe Alden

>

[Guest guest]

On 11/08/2000, dryessis@... writes:

> Glute-Ham-Gastroc Raise

<unlurk>

The GHC bench has helped my Squat go from 545 to 605 in roughly 7 months.

Highly recommended. I just acquired a real reverse hyper. I'm expecting my

squat to go to 700 by 4/01.

<lurk>

[Guest guest]

Dr. Yessis wrote:

The purpose of this exercise is to provide maximum strengthening of the

hamstring muscles and their tendons at the hip joint as well as the knee

joint. <snip> . In addition, the hamstring muscles are developed through the

same range of motion and action used in running.

Casler of BIO-FORCE writes:

Hello Dr. Yessis,

I also design and develop exercise machines and systems. As you know this

is quite a challenge when attempting to provide a force and action pattern

that can be beneficially translated into certain activities, since anytime

you provide a " re-active " force pad that the body exerts force into, you

have to consider how this changes force transmission and the kinetic chain

activation sequence from the " target movement " .

I posted some questions regarding the Glute Ham Machine a few days ago but

they might have been overlooked so I will " re-post " them below.

Regarding the statements above, to what do you attribute your creation's

ability to " provide maximum strengthening of the hamstring muscles and their

tendons at the hip joint as well as the knee joint " , why is this valuable,

and why do you feel this device performs this function " better " than other

exercises?

I would also query as to how the " hamstring muscles are developed through

the same range of motion and action used in running " if the knee does not

flex or extend and according to your description, most of the action is at

the hip?

Thanks in advance for your comments!

Below is my previous post:

----- Original Message -----

Dr. Yessis wrote:

For example, the most common supplemental exercise that I use for lifting

and running is the glute-ham-gastroc raise (my terminology when I first

helped introduce this exercise in the US). Not only is it the only exercise

that strengthens the hamstrings from both ends in sequence but I have never

had an athlete pull a hamstring when doing this exercise. Thus it is a

valuable exercise for many different athletes.

Casler of BIO-FORCE writes:

Would you mind explaining what is meant by " strengthens the hamstrings from

both ends in sequence " ? I am not questioning the value of the exercise as a

" basic strength/power developer " , but I am not sure what the phrase refers

to, since the knee joint remains " relatively fixed " to my understanding and

the hip extends the trunk.

Could you clarify? " both ends " ? and " in sequence " ? why this " both ends " is

valuable and what specifically is different than say " speed DLs or clean

pulls with only slight knee bend " where in a closed kinetic chain we have

forces transmitted from the foot or ball of the foot (if on the toes)?

Also do you see any degradation in the fact that there are " reactive force

pads " at the ankles and upper thigh creating " unusual " force patterning and

muscle interaction? (as in quads/hip flexors to hams/glutes)

[Guest guest]

I bought a glute ham bench from yukon that costs under $200 including

shipping. I had to rebuild the pad to make it rounded and it looks just like

the one on the doctors site. it works the same for about 700 less.

----- Original Message -----

Dr. Yessis wrote:

> The purpose of this exercise is to provide maximum strengthening of the

> hamstring muscles and their tendons at the hip joint as well as the knee

> joint......... In addition, the hamstring muscles are developed through

>the same range of motion and action used in running.

>

> Casler of BIO-FORCE writes:

>

> Hello Dr. Yessis,

> I also design and develop exercise machines and systems. As you know this

> is quite a challenge when attempting to provide a force and action pattern

> that can be beneficially translated into certain activities, since anytime

> you provide a " re-active " force pad that the body exerts force into, you

> have to consider how this changes force transmission and the kinetic chain

> activation sequence from the " target movement " .

>

> I posted some questions regarding the Glute Ham Machine a few days ago but

> they might have been overlooked so I will " re-post " them below.

>

> Regarding the statements above, to what do you attribute your creation's

> ability to " provide maximum strengthening of the hamstring muscles and

> their tendons at the hip joint as well as the knee joint " , why is this

> valuable,and why do you feel this device performs this function " better " than

> other exercises?

>

> I would also query as to how the " hamstring muscles are developed through

> the same range of motion and action used in running " if the knee does not

> flex or extend and according to your description, most of the action is at

> the hip?

>

> Thanks in advance for your comments!

>

> Below is my previous post:

------------------

Dr. Yessis wrote:

> For example, the most common supplemental exercise that I use for lifting

> and running is the glute-ham-gastroc raise (my terminology when I first

> helped introduce this exercise in the US). Not only is it the only

exercise

> that strengthens the hamstrings from both ends in sequence but I have

never

> had an athlete pull a hamstring when doing this exercise. Thus it is a

> valuable exercise for many different athletes.

>

> Casler of BIO-FORCE writes:

>

> Would you mind explaining what is meant by " strengthens the hamstrings

from

> both ends in sequence " ? I am not questioning the value of the exercise as

a

> " basic strength/power developer " , but I am not sure what the phrase refers

> to, since the knee joint remains " relatively fixed " to my understanding

and

> the hip extends the trunk.

>

> Could you clarify? " both ends " ? and " in sequence " ? why this " both ends " is

> valuable and what specifically is different than say " speed DLs or clean

> pulls with only slight knee bend " where in a closed kinetic chain we have

> forces transmitted from the foot or ball of the foot (if on the toes)?

>

> Also do you see any degradation in the fact that there are " reactive force

> pads " at the ankles and upper thigh creating " unusual " force patterning

> and muscle interaction? (as in quads/hip flexors to hams/glutes)

[Guest guest]

Jim, do they have a website?

-----Original Message-----

From: jimharbourne [mailto:jimharbourne@...]

I bought a glute ham bench from Yukon that costs under $200 including

shipping. I had to rebuild the pad to make it rounded and it looks just like

the one on the doctors site. it works the same for about 700 less.

***By the way, for any of you who wish to find information on almost any topic,

try the following extremely useful and simple metasearch engine:

http://www.metacrawler.com

Dr Mel C Siff

Denver, USA

mcsiff@...

[Guest guest]

BioForce wrote:

> Regarding the statements above, to what do you attribute your creation's

> ability to " provide maximum strengthening of the hamstring muscles and

their

> tendons at the hip joint as well as the knee joint " , why is this valuable,

> and why do you feel this device performs this function " better " than other

> exercises?

Yessis:

It is valuable for several reasons: prevention of injury and the most

effective strengthening of this muscle. Other exercises only strengthen the

hamstring at either the hip or knee. The GHG exercise strengthens the

hamstring first at the hip joint and then at the knee joint in sequence. No

other exercise does this (at least that I know of).

BioForce wrote:

> I would also query as to how the " hamstring muscles are developed through

> the same range of motion and action used in running " if the knee does not

> flex or extend and according to your description, most of the action is at

> the hip?

Yessis:

The range of motion in the hip joint is basically the same as in running.

For true duplication, I do the pawback exercise.

Dr. Yessis

President Sports Training, Inc.

www.dryessis.com

760-480-0558

[Guest guest]

I bought a glute ham bench from yukon that costs under $200 including

shipping. I had to rebuild the pad to make it rounded and it looks just like

the one on the doctors site. it works the same for about 700 less.

Yessis:

You get what you pay for! I guess you don't have any big athletes do

exercises such as the Russian Twist nor do they probably do the ghg raise

effectively unless they have rock hard family jewels.

Dr. Yessis

President Sports Training, Inc.

www.dryessis.com

760-480-0558

[Guest guest]

BioForce wrote:

> Regarding the statements above, to what do you attribute your creation's

> ability to " provide maximum strengthening of the hamstring muscles and

> their tendons at the hip joint as well as the knee joint " , why is this

> valuable, and why do you feel this device performs this function " better " than

> other exercises?

Yessis:

It is valuable for several reasons: prevention of injury and the most

effective strengthening of this muscle. Other exercises only strengthen the

hamstring at either the hip or knee. The GHG exercise strengthens the

hamstring first at the hip joint and then at the knee joint in sequence. No

other exercise does this (at least that I know of).

Casler of BIO-FORCE writes:

I guess what I'm still trying to find out here is, what you mean. How do

you feel an exercise " strengthens " a muscle at one joint or the other? And

then in sequence? Are you talking about the " loading pattern " through the

range of motion depending on the joint being affected?

I know we have all " felt " an exercise in a particular area. (I think you

mentioned low abs and upper abs recently) I know most sports scientist

claim that when a muscle develops tension, that tension is basically the

same throughout its total length, insertion to origin. This would preclude

being able to develop a muscle a one specific end or area.

I'm not saying I totally disagree, since I think certain positions, loading

patterns and limited or specific ROM actions may cause uneven variable

loading to specific " sections " , heads or segments of a muscle. These

patterns certainly can be perceived as " focusing " the exercise to an area or

joint.

Obviously knee flexion (leg curls) would seem to offer a more " focused "

loading pattern (force curve) at the knee joint since the hip is not

experiencing much extension. Then Romanian DL or other Hip extension

movement, might seem to be focused more at the hip or " high ham " area.

Not taking anything away from the GHG exercise, I am experiencing difficulty

seeing why the you feel it substantially different than say a " dynamically

performed " deadlift or clean through the same range of motion.

Could it be that you find the " loading pattern " superior (for this purpose)

because the positioning (lying face down) provides maximum loading that

would more similarly approximate a " forward propulsion " load pattern as

opposed to " upward thrust " (which might be better for jumpers) of a deadlift

or clean?

BioForce wrote:

> I would also query as to how the " hamstring muscles are developed through

> the same range of motion and action used in running " if the knee does not

> flex or extend and according to your description, most of the action is at

> the hip?

Yessis:

The range of motion in the hip joint is basically the same as in running.

For true duplication, I do the pawback exercise.

Casler of BIO-FORCE writes:

This is purely a suggestion, (and maybe you have already used this

technique) but have you considered having your athletes reduce contact with

the upper (Achilles) ankle pad and perform the exercise by creating plantar

force of the foot (gastrocs and soleus) keeping them in position. Even

though I have only seen a picture of your machine, I seem to remember a

" slanted " foot plate. It looked like this simple adaptation might increase,

soleus/gastroc involvement, forces and activation to more realistic levels.

For safety I would keep the pad in place, but just raise it so contact is

only made if the foot slips or the exercise is over.

Chances are you have already used or are currently using this application

variation. If so, did you find it preferential to allowing the " ankle pad "

to reduce the plantar force of the foot? It would seem to " extend the

kinetic force chain " and co-activated motor sequencing, which I feel is

always valuable when it comes to " translation " of this type of exercise into

the actual event.

Regards,

A. Casler

BIO-FORCE, Inc.

Los Angeles, CA