A strong man is characterized by broad shoulders, strong arms and a strong back. If the hands are most often given enough attention in the training process, then the back sometimes remains “outside the lot”. But it is the spinal muscles that regulate posture and give the impression of a massive athlete’s figure. What exercises can be performed in the gym to train the back?
Deadlift
This exercise is taken from the powerlifting complex. Power traction is one of the main disciplines of eventing, allowing you to work out 70 percent of the muscles. To get the effect of this exercise, a heavy weight bar is required. But in order to avoid back injuries, it is necessary to strictly observe the technique of its implementation. And for this, at first you need to work only with a small weight and exclusively under the supervision of a trainer.
The essence of deadlift is simple - you need to pick up the bar, standing on the platform, and straighten up with it. It may seem that the effect of such a training will not be. But with this simple movement, more muscle is involved than with any other exercise.
Speaking about technology, it is worth noting the main aspect that you need to remember when performing deadlift - a straight back. For its support and the safety of the lower vertebrae, most athletes use an athletic belt. And to keep a lot of weight in your hands throughout the set, you can use gymnastic straps.
Tilt barbell to the belt
This exercise can also be classified as basic, thanks to which a significant part of the back muscle groups is being worked out. The draft of the barbell to the belt in the slope will help beginners and already experienced athletes to increase muscle mass and improve posture.
It develops the following groups of back muscles: the latissimus, the big round ones, the biceps, the back of the deltoid muscles , the rhomboid muscles and the "trapezoid".
Standing barbell pull is performed on the day of the back workout after power pulling. Some athletes use this exercise to shape the spinal muscles and work out smaller groups to give them relief.
The best option for this exercise is to complete 3-4 sets of 10-13 reps. Throughout one approach, it is necessary to maintain the torso angle unchanged.
How to do traction?
Consider how the rod pulls in the slope correctly. The execution technique is formed from a starting position similar to deadlift. It is necessary to grab the bar with a grip from above at a width of the shoulders and, straightening your back, tilt the body forward at an angle of about 30 degrees. The legs should be bent at the knees, and the shoulder blades should be spread apart. Hands in the initial position should be strictly perpendicular to the platform. As you exhale, begin to perform traction. The elbows should be parallel to each other, without spreading them apart. When the bar is near the belt, bring the shoulder blades as close as possible, and then lower the bar to its original position.
What is important to remember?
The rod pull to the belt allows you to change the emphasis of the load, depending on which muscle group needs work. This can be achieved by changing the grip width and torso inclination.
If you take the neck wider than the shoulders, then the amplitude of movement will become less, and the broadest muscles of the back will get the most load. If the pull of the barbell to the belt is performed by a narrow grip, then the biceps begin to work more, while the amplitude of movement increases.
It is also important to remember that there is another secret that lies in the draft of the rod in the slope - the grip can be direct and reverse. The advantage of a direct grip is the use of the upper part of the latissimus dorsi, and the minus is participation in the trapezius muscle exercise .
Reverse grip allows you to "hone" the lower part of the latissimus muscle, but the biceps take on some of the load.
Traction Tips
In order for the rod pull to the belt to bring the expected effect, it is important to follow the recommendations of experienced athletes:
- Perform the exercise smoothly, without jerking.
- Use gymnastic straps to hold the neck throughout the set. Many argue that the lack of straps allows you to strengthen the muscles of the forearms. This is partly true. But, achieving this, the athlete overlooks the main goal - working out the muscles of the back. It is better to use the straps for traction and train the forearms separately.
- Keep your back straight. Thanks to this “habit”, you can keep all your vertebrae intact and avoid a long “departure” from the training process due to trauma.
- Do traction should be to the belt, and not to the chest. Otherwise, during this exercise, the main load will be placed on the deltoid muscles, and the latissimus and other large muscle groups will remain on the sidelines.
Many athletes have different attitudes towards rod pull in a slope to the belt. Someone considers this exercise unnecessary in one complex with a deadlift, and someone finds in it a practical solution for the development of back muscles. In addition, athletes are sometimes repelled by a complex technique of traction to the belt and a large expenditure of force during its implementation. But, having mastered this exercise, you can achieve even better results in strength training.