A precise movement vocabulary
When you cue a client, every word counts. Saying "bend" vs. "flex" vs. "hinge" can mean three different motions. This lesson gives you exact terms for every joint action you'll teach.
The 10 fundamental joint movements
1. Flexion — decreasing the angle of a joint. Bicep curl (elbow flexion). Crunch (spinal flexion). 2. Extension — increasing the angle. Tricep pushdown (elbow extension). Hip thrust at lockout (hip extension). 3. Hyperextension — extending past anatomical neutral. Cobra pose (lumbar hyperextension). Often a red flag if done repeatedly under load. 4. Abduction — moving away from midline. Lateral raise (shoulder abduction). Hip abductor machine. 5. Adduction — moving toward midline. Cable hip adduction. The opposite of abduction. 6. Internal (medial) rotation — rotating toward midline. Throwing motion at shoulder. Cuban press tests this. 7. External (lateral) rotation — rotating away from midline. End range of a snatch. Face pulls strengthen it. 8. Pronation — palm-down rotation of the forearm. Affects grip during pull-ups (overhand grip). 9. Supination — palm-up rotation. Underhand bicep curl emphasizes supination. 10. Circumduction — circular movement combining flexion, extension, abduction, adduction. Arm circles. Trunk windmills.Joint-specific terms worth knowing
Ankle:- Dorsiflexion (toes toward shin) — squat depth depends on this
- Plantarflexion (toes away) — calf raise
- Inversion (sole turns inward) — rolled ankle
- Eversion (sole turns outward) — much less common
- Elevation (shrug up)
- Depression (pull down)
- Protraction (round forward) — pushup top
- Retraction (squeeze back) — row finish
- Upward rotation (overhead reach)
- Downward rotation (return)
How to use this in coaching
Bad cue: "Bring your shoulders back."
Good cue: "Retract your scapulae — squeeze your shoulder blades together and slightly down."
The second cue points at the exact joint action. The first leaves too much room for interpretation.