How to Understand Closed vs. Open Kinetic Chain Exercises

[@kmac9265]

First year DPT student here, this concept was something that just was not clicking no matter how many times it was gone over or I asked about. This video and how you explained made it click and I appreciate so much!

[@aphysionamedjonah]

@kmac9265 so happy to hear it was helpful! It's a bit of a funky concept, but once you get it then the application of it comes pretty easy :) best of luck with your studies and thanks for checking out the channel!

[@Angela-gb5nd]

Life saver for understanding what my ortho failed to explain to me despite being his patient.

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Glad to be able to help out! :)

[@Pr3m059]

You have no idea how much I searched to understand this, thanks man 🖤

[@aphysionamedjonah]

So glad to hear that it helped! Thanks for checking out the channel :)

[@egganbert]

Very helpful! I tried to understand it first thought the explanation on the Muscle and Motion app, but it was fairly complicated 😢 This was much better for someone first being introduced to the concepts

[@Denise_Yoga]

This was a very helpful video with the visuals and the lines drawn out to help understand, closed and open kinetic chain! Thanks so much

[@aphysionamedjonah]

You are so welcome! The lines helped me visualize it, so glad it was also able to help you!

[@aliamaisarah7679]

You just save my life!!! thank you

[@adirshemesh1]

Why do you now have a lot more views this is gold

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Well you made it here and for that I'm thankful :) glad you enjoyed the video!

[@sijothomas157]

The chain explanation worked for me. Thank you sir.

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Well I am very happy to hear that :) thank you for checking out the channel!

[@Isabella_00904]

Thanks! The visual red chain helped me to picture it so much better

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Happy to hear! I find the visual cues help me a lot, so glad they were able to help you too!

[@Thestyleoflifeworthlivin]

Easy to understand thank you

[@aphysionamedjonah]

That was the goal! You are very welcome :)

[@zeke350]

Thanks man you really helped me understand the concept

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Well, thank you right back at ya for checking out the channel! Glad this was able to help you understand a bit of a tricky concept :)

[@thatbroman6409]

This worked perfectly 👌, recently became a CPT, and was still confused about open vs. closed chain

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Very glad to hear that :) once it settles in it becomes a lot easier to apply it to a wide variety of exercises. Hope the CPT has been treating you well so far!

[@markusg5477]

Good video! It cleared up some things

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Very glad it could be helpful! Thanks for checking out the channel!

[@olivianorato3256]

I love you. Thank you fore helping me actually understand this

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Happy to hear it was helpful in understanding them!

[@SmitHVAC.]

He's back in business!

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Can't keep this guy away forever :D

[@lovepetes]

Thank you! This was helpful :)

[@aphysionamedjonah]

You are most welcome! Glad it was able to help out :)

[@amyspringrose9231]

Nicely put, thanks !

[@aphysionamedjonah]

My pleasure, thanks for checking out the channel!

[@Sensorynerves]

great video Jonah .

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Why thank you :) appreciate you stopping by the channel!

[@ndivhuwomavhungu8724]

thanks so much for this. well explained

[@aphysionamedjonah]

You are so welcome! Glad it was helpful :)

[@Fighter2024-c9h]

@@aphysionamedjonahHello, please give me Example Exercise closed Chain which is Good for post op ACL & Meniscus ? thank you

[@drvidyadharnallapu5064]

Well explained brother,, 😊

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Why thank you :) appreciate you checking out the channel!

[@20TONY09]

Thank you!!

[@aphysionamedjonah]

You are very welcome!

[@SSuperman28]

Great video! Quick question, would a military press be an open or closed chain exercise?

[@ednorth9303]

Open

[@noahreed4404]

Thank you

[@aphysionamedjonah]

You are very welcome!

[@K4R3N]

Perfect thanks

[@aphysionamedjonah]

You are most welcome!

[@elisacalzada5737]

Can you let me know an example of 1 open kinetic chain Pilates Mat exercise supine? And 1 closed kinetic chain Pilates Mat exercise supine? Thank you!! 🌱

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Hey there! Pilates is definitely not my area of expertise but I'll give it a go :) A closed Kinetic chain mat exercise that comes to mind would be a glute bridge, whereas an open Kinetic Chain mat exercise could be the deadbug core exercise. Hope this is helpful!

[@UpBound-1]

Legend! Thanks so much, Jonah. I get it now haha!

[@aphysionamedjonah]

You are so welcome! Glad it could make things more understandable!

[@Human-Mechanic]

If Chuck Norris does a push up is it open or closed chain?

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Open. He remains stationary with the earth moving down as he pushes it with his arms. Experts correlate his workouts with most seismic natural disasters occurring over the past few decades.

[@khmak9387]

By Newton's Third Law (action-reaction) it's both 😝

[@ednorth9303]

​@@aphysionamedjonah Did you really just pull an Open/Closed Kinetic Chain Movement lesson out of a Chuck Norris joke??!! LEGEND!

[@dieterplaetinck4431]

how about a one arm push up? you can now no longer draw a chain through both arms.. or does the chain go twice through the same arm?

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Good question! It would remain a closed kinetic chain in this case. What makes it a CKC or OKC is just the end connection. With a one hand pushup, the end of the chain would still be "closed" because the contact point through which the body is applying force is an immovable object (the ground). Even though the other hand/chain is free and open, it's not a part of the force generation so not really considered in determining whether OKC or CKC. Thanks for checking out the channel!

[@rmorph33]

The Boss

[@aphysionamedjonah]

💪

[@akekestory493]

So what about oulling a weight i can't move is that closed

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Good question! If by pulling that weight you pulled your body towards the weight, then it would become a closed kinetic chain exercise. This is a pretty niche scenario though, mimicking a closed kinetic chain exercise of a pull up, but the location of the weight (on the ground, rack, wherever) and the position of gravity will obviously dictate how realistic of an "exercise" it is.

[@flamejoy9982]

Gained a subscriber❤.

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Thanks for joining! I'm a bit sporadic with my uploads but do strive to be a good subscribe, so stay tuned for more like this!

[@subhammondal9803]

Is pull up / chin up closed kinetic chain or open kinetic chain ?

[@aphysionamedjonah]

I know, that one's a bit confusing right! Normally we're using the ground, wall, or a bench to close the circuit, and in the case of a chin up things are a bit different to picture. A chin up would be a closed kinetic chain exercise though, as the bar itself is fixed and not moving. The body is "free" to move, but this is also the case in closed kinetic chain movements like a pushup (picture a chin-up like a pushup on a bar). Hope this is helpful!

[@douglasmarkwith]

The course I'm taking asks the following question: "When the body is stabilized by external assistance during exercises such as a bench, it is termed a _______." It says the answer is "open kinetic chain exercise," which is deeply confusing to me, even having watched this video. Doesn't this question rely on the exercise being performed? I'm feeling pretty stupid right now because I just don't seem to understand why the answer to that question is "open kinetic chain exercise." Ugh.

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Hey there, thanks for the question! The wording of that question seems pretty roundabout, because it seems as though what it's asking about is implied as opposed to directly stated. If the body is stabilized by external assistance, then I think what they're implying is that the extremities or limbs MUST be unstabilized and moving freely thus making it an open kinetic chain exercise. Basically, if your body is stabilized in one position, then your hands or feet must be free to move, otherwise no movement will be occurring whatsoever because both the body AND the extremities are stabilized. A pretty tricky wording on that one because it seems to be relying on what's implied, but that would be my best understanding of it!

[@tasosmakris1]

What is the point in making up nonsense names to differentiate between these movements? For example, there are two different leg press machines: 1) where we push on the platform and the platform moves (since the limbs go further away, this is considered “open chain movement”) and 2) where we push on the platform and the platform stays stable but our body moves (“closed chain”). These two movements are quite clear and obvious for people. But some crazy scientists thought of making things more complicated by adding nonsense names such as “open/closed chain”. And I ask: why? Why do we have to used these nonsense terms? It would be way easier to just define the movement as: the exercise in which we are stable and our limbs are moving or our limbs are stable and we are moving….

[@aphysionamedjonah]

Hey! I think the reason the terms are used is to try and group the exercises into types. The types being broadly: against fixed resistance or moving an object with the body remaining fixed. These terms aren't the most helpful for the average individual I agree, they're really more beneficial when discussing exercise theory and physiology. In other words, no need to worry about these terms and how they apply to the exercises you're doing unless you're looking to try and group/understand exercises on a deeper level re: what's happening in the body. Hope this is helpful!