Proper Exercise Naming
The following is the naming convention we use at Cavemantraining and is a live document that will be updated as changes are required or content is added. The naming convention is one we strive to use as much as possible to provide clear and concise references that immediately make sense. It is fully understood that internally (outside the eyes of the public) names are simplified to the common naming, i.e. if internally it is understood that a pull-up is expected to be performed with a wide grip then it’s perfectly fine to shorten the name.
A good naming convention is intended to make things clear to the public, i.e. those new to exercising will immediately know what’s required when the naming is Wide Grip Pull-up rather than Pull-up.
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Exercises
A great list of all kettlebell exercises can be found here.
Push-ups
The push refers to the athlete pushing themselves away from an object. The distance between the hands can vary. Neutral, being right under the shoulders is usually a triceps push-up. Wide is where the hands are far apart and turns this automatically into a chest push-up.
Chest push up |
The arms are wide and as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. |
Triceps push up |
The arms are close to the body and shaving the ribs. |
Hybrid push up |
The position of the arms is that of between the chest and triceps. |
These are the common push-up variations, there are many other variations.
Pull-ups
Hand position, defined by, or lack of, forearm rotation. The underhand grip is where the palms are facing toward the athlete. The overhand grip is where the palms are facing away from the athlete.
The width that the hands are apart from each other is neutral, close, wide, or hybrid. Neutral is in line with the shoulders. Close is where the hands are positioned close to each other past the point of neutral. Wide is where the hands are positioned as far away as possible from each other. Hybrid is where the hands are positioned between neutral and wide.
The expected height of the pull-up can be defined by chin-up or chest to bar. The expected starting point can be defined by strict, hang, or dead. Although dead refers to completely still and not moving. A person hanging from their arms is usually not completely still/dead. Examples:
Neutral underhand grip pull-up |
Neutral underhand grip. |
Neutral overhand grip pull-up |
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Kipping pull-up |
Using assistance from the lower body to propel the chin above the bar. |
Lifts
Some stance variations are as follows, but not limited to, neutral, staggered, sumo, narrow, hybrid, single-leg, and so on. The weight is commonly lifted from dead or hang until the athlete is back into a neutral standing position. The speed of the movement ranges from slow to fast but not explosive. The width between arms can vary with a barbell, otherwise, the grip does not vary much other than single or double arm. Examples:
Hip hinge dead lift |
A weight is lifted from dead to a hang position with the hip hinge as the movement. Commonly referred to as Deadlift or Conventional Deadlift. |
True hip hinge dead lift |
Commonly referred to as stiff-legged dead lift. |
Squat dead lift |
A squat dead lift is a lift where the squat pattern is performed rather than a hip hinge pattern. |
Sumo dead lift |
A sumo stance is the widest stance one can take to perform the lift. |
Suitcase dead lift |
A suitcase dead lift is where the weight is to the side of the athlete. |
Single legged dead lift |
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Hip hinge hang lift |
AKA 3HL. A hang lift is where the weight is lifted from a hang position, commonly wrongly referred to as a Romania Deadlift, AKA RDL, wrong because the weight does not start dead but from a hang. |
A hip hinge pattern is often wrongly referred to as a DEADLIFT. A hip hinge is a movement, and a dead lift is a range and exercise, where the range is from dead lifted into a hang. Many more types/variations of kettlebell lifts can be found here.
Cleans
The definition of weightlifting clean can be found here. Examples:
Dead clean |
The weight is dead and cleaned into a racking position with a pulling action. A proposed name change is DEAD PULLCLEAN. Just as DEAD LIFT was joined together. |
Dead swing-clean |
The weight is dead and cleaned into a racking position with a swinging action. A proposed name change is DEAD SWINGCLEAN. Just as DEAD LIFT was joined together. |
Swing-clean |
The weight is cleaned with a swinging action after a drop into a backswing. |
Hang clean |
The weight is cleaned with a pulling action after a drop into a hang. The correct naming would be a hang pull-clean, however, a clean from a drop into hang can only be pulled up, hence, making the pull not required in the naming. But on the flipside, it would remain consistent. |
Assisted dead clean |
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Assisted swing clean |
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Assisted hang clean |
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Many more types/variations of kettlebell cleans can be found here.
Presses
A press is where the weight is pressed away from the athlete. The athlete can be standing, seated, or laying down, the most common position is standing so that will be assumed when omitted. The stance can vary when standing, staggered, single-leg, narrow, neutral, wide, hybrid, etc. Examples:
Front press |
The weight is pressed up overhead while remaining at the front. |
Side press |
The weight is pressed up overhead while moving from the rack all the way to the side (lateral) and overhead. It can also be pressed to the side medially. |
Hybrid press |
The weight is pressed up overhead while moving from the rack to overhead while traveling between the front and side (hybrid). |
Close grip front press |
With a barbell, the distance between the hands/grip can vary. Neutral, wide, close, and hybrid. |
Floor triceps press |
The muscles ‘triceps’ in this case refers to the angle between the elbows and ribs. The arm is shaving the ribs, there is no space between the elbow and ribs. |
Floor chest press |
The ‘chest’ in this case refers to the angle between the elbows and ribs. The arm is away from the ribs, there is a 90-degree angle between the elbow and ribs. |
Floor hybrid press |
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Many more types/variations of kettlebell presses can be found here.