Question:  What does 17th century mathematician Sir Issac Newton have to do with a Crossfit workout or weightlifting routine?  The answer is as simple as it is complex.  Newton’s Laws of Motion are demonstrated with every single exercise you do in the gym!  Looking for a pair of crossfit gloves for pull ups?  See what Sir Issac Newton has to say about that!

Law of Inertia

The most common phrase associated with this law is “a body at rest will tend to stay at rest, while a body in motion will tend to stay in motion.”

It is more difficult to start moving a heavy object.

Completing a biceps curl with a dumbbell is a great example of Newton’s Law of Inertia.  The “hardest” part of the movement is physically changing the dumbbells state of rest, to a state of motion.  In addition the body is at a mechanical disadvantage in trying to exert force from the elbow joint while the elbow is fully extended.  We’re assuming you’re using a pair of GymPaws® Gym Gloves of Weightlifting Gloves when you’re doing ANY biceps workout!

Law of Acceleration

The second law of motion is a bit more difficult to understand.  This law states that the force (F) acting on a body is equal to it’s mass (m) multiplied by the body’s acceleration (a) in that direction. ( F=ma)

Using the biceps curl example again, if you’re using a 10 lb dumbbell and slowly completing a biceps curl, there will be less momentum created than if you’re moving at a faster pace.  If the pace remains the same, but you move to a heavier weight, the amount of momentum will increase.

Gloves for Crossfit Pull Ups can be used to understand this law of motion actually.  You can visualize Kipping Pull ups versus a standard pull up. With a standard pull up, you’re completing the movement with a slow and steady pace.   A kipping pull up is utilizing momentum to help you complete the movement.  One could argue that higher momentum requires less strength to complete the movement.

Law of Reaction

Newton’s 3rd law of motion is the Law of Reaction.  This states that every applied force is accompanied by and equal and opposite reaction force.  In more simple terms, “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

This can be visualized with an impact exercise such as jogging or plyometric box jumps.  The ground itself exerts a force upon the body equal to the amount of force that is being applied to it.

If you stomp your foot on the floor, you will feel more “force” than if you lightly tap your foot on the floor.

Kinematics vs Kinetics

Kinematics studies the sequence of the movement regardless of the forces that produce the motion.

Kinetics studies the effects of forces on the body.  The force can either be internal such as the force produced by a muscle group, or external such as the force produced by gravity on a dumbbell.

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