Industry Influences & Stuff

Exercise Industry Firsts, Paradigms Shifts, and Myths Exposés

The following are © copyright Tom Purvis in manuals, video, and ppt. While most people using these concepts today think they either created them or are common knowledge, all were created by Tom. And unlike those that just use them as sound bites, he can support each in exhaustive detail, and has done so in monthly classes for decades.

In accordance with the former legal doctrine known as “flash of genius” he can tell you the exact moment and precipitating scenario in which each was developed, as well as the evolution from original terminology or concept to the current. (The flash of genius doctrine stated that an inventive act had to come into the mind of an inventor in a “flash of genius” and not as a result of tinkering/happenstance).

Many people have assimilated these concepts (or their partial understanding of them) as their own information without source. Tom fought over and was ridiculed for these concepts for too many decades and with too many people who were and are limited by historical continuity (ego and ignorance) for credit to not be given where it is fully warranted and due. While many professors and self-proclaimed “experts” have learned from Tom, they not only do not reference him, but they more often than not present each concept inaccurately. If you want to really know what these things mean and how they apply and to whom, there is only one person to ask.

  • “Rethink Exercise”© copyright March 2008, RTSm Science Manual
  • Strength is not just tension and resistance is not just weight! They are 50% moment arms!
  • “Strength Profile” – RTS1 manual 2001, p.64
  • “Resistance Profile” – RTS1 manual 2001, p.64
  • Introduced the “Functional Exercise Continuum” RTSM manual 2002, ch2, p11
  • Introduced the “Functional Continuum®” RTS1 ppt 2004
  • Introduced the “Exercise Continuum®” RTS1 ppt 2004
  • Exercise: The Internal vs External “Tug of War” (RTS ppt, 2007)
  • “Client-Defined” – RTSm manual 2013
  • Squat Proportions – “Segmental Proportions” (Originally and mistakenly referred to as “Lever Lengths”) – NASM presentations beginning 1990 (video 1994)
  • Squat Model constructed 2006
  • “Intention” – RTSm science NMx-  “motion/force intention” vs “muscle intention” evolved into four types of intention RTSm Science 2006
  • Exercise Specific AROM (ExSpecAROM) – RTS123 manual, Motions Continuums 2007
  • “Strength-Resistance Relationship” RTSm science 2004, p.8
  • The “Exercise Experience” RTS ppt presentation, 2007
  • “Exercise Equation”: evolved over a dozen times from 2006 to the present:

v2006 Exercise = motion + force + time + effort
v2007 Ex = P/M + R + T + I
v2008 Ex = P/M + R + T + E
v2013 Ex = M + P + R + S + I + E + T
v2015 Ex = M/P + R/S + I /E + T/F
v2016

 

 

v2018a

 

 

v2018b

 

 

 

  • Reduction in the mechanical ability of the pec below 0 horizontal abduction
  • Violation of the closed packed (locked) position of the shoulder in behind the neck presses and pulldowns, as well as fly machines (pec decks) performed to excessive range.
  • Knee over toe vs spinal forces – NASM presentations beginning 1990 (video 1994)
  • “Progressive Preparation for Exercise” RTSm science 2/CT: 2013; as “Preparation for Activity” vs “warm-up” RTSm science 2000, p.110
  • “Joint forces have nothing to do with the type of chain and everything to do with the way you apply the forces” – RTSm science manual 2004, chapter: Turning Chains into Exercise, p.91
  • Closed Chains- “Bringing Closure to Closed Chains”, “Exercise vs Engineering; squats are open; literature review expose – RTSm Science 2006 ch.18
  • Tubing tension does not equal exercise resistance – 1997
  • “Divergent force handle analysis” (the problems with rope handles) 1997 video
  • “Sternal angle” influence on pec mechanics, GH anterior shear, mechanics of stopping chest exercises at approximately zero horiz abduction (depending upon load/profile and goal) – NASM presentations beginning 1990 (video 1994)
  • Scapular retraction/protraction influences on pec mechanics – NASM presentations beginning 1990 (video 1994)
  • Scapular depression on pulldowns vs remaining elevated during the concentric – NASM presentations beginning 1990 (video 1994)
  • “Opposing arcs” and “parallel arcs” on multijoint UE exercises – RTS1 manual 2001, p.57
  • Angle of middle delt and direction of resistance and place of motion – NASM presentations beginning 1990 (video 1994)
  • Shrugs to occiput not ears – NASM presentations beginning 1990 (video 1994)
  • GH shear is a concern primarily in db flies

Myth and misconceptions exposes – NASM presentations beginning 1990 (video 1994)

  • Inner/outer pec
  • External rotation at top of flies
  • Turning feet in/out on calves
  • Turning “feet” in/out on leg extensions
  • Wide grip = wide lats
  • Narrow grip = thick lats
  • Behind the neck press: goal? Shoulder mechanics!
  • Behind the neck pulldown: goal? Shoulder mechanics!
  • Bench press to chest vs shoulder range, goal, and shoulder mechanics!
  • Pulldown bar to chest vs shoulder range
  • Upright Row
  • Carrying Angle vs shoulder width grips barbell curls
  • Shoulder width grips vs. narrow grip pushdowns
  • Control defined eccentric range limits
  • Knee over toe
  • Squat misinformation “90°” is not magic, it is load, individual, goal dependent
  • Knee over toe is not a knee issue, it’s a patellar-femoral issue
  • Knee shear is not the problem in controlled resistance training and (has never occurred in a leg extension)